The Traveler

I hope this turns into something much larger, I hope it's potential meets with fruition

 

While lacing up my shoes for my normal morning jog, I notice the hands of my watch are completely still. An inconvenience, but not a tragedy.   Guess I’ll have to swing by the Jewelers to get it fixed.

            I try leaving the dead watch in my pocket, but there’s something familiar and comforting about those few ounces of metal strapped to my wrist. And I have a pronounced tan-line from wearing it for so long, so I leave it on and fight the usual urge to look at it every now and then.

            The autumn leaves crunch under my plodding feet. The air’s a little cooler than I had expected, with a stiff breeze coming from the north. I suppose I should have gotten a heavier jacket. Once I start jogging, I soon forget the temperature.

            There’s also a nagging feeling in the back of my mind; like something I should remember or a dream that’s just escaping my memory’s grasp.

            I jog past the middle class suburban homes I see every day. All is as it should be: soccer mom’s packing their 2.5 kids into minivans on their way to school; sprinklers spitting out water; and people like me going out for the morning jog.

            After a while, I get into town. The sidewalk is scattered with people going every which way. Most with a good case of the “Mondays”. The watch shop is just ahead. I put one hand in my pocket, then it hits me.

            It’s as if I plunged down 10,000 meters into the ocean and then rocketed back up again. A sound similar to the uncorking of champagne splits my head open ear to ear. The pressure and pain is unimaginable. I have every intention of screaming my head off. I manage to black out instead.

            I dream, or something similar, of another reality. I feel pulsating light shooting through my body. It is warm and not entirely unpleasant. There is much, much more, a lifetime’s worth, but it’s gone as quickly as it came.

            I imagine some amount of time has passed since my head exploded and I passed out. I couldn’t be more wrong.

            With my eyes still clamped shut, the first thing I notice is the lack of wind; there had been a pretty strong breeze of cool air before. Now there is only stillness. Not a sound to be heard either.

            Opening my eyes, I can barely believe what I see.

            Everything is still: people are halted mid-step, cars frozen in place, and birds are simply hanging in the sky.

            I think for a moment that this is all a dream; the obvious, rational conclusion to such a strange happening. My aching head is probably resting on its pillow and inside of it my pineal gland is playing tricks on me.

            If this is a dream, I might as well explore for a bit before I wake up.     

            My first few steps are more strained than usual, as if I weighed twice as much as normal or were wading through some thick temporal soup.

            I walk along the sidewalk and marvel at the absolute stillness of everything aside my thoroughly blown mind. Before crossing the street, I instinctively look both ways. Then, realizing the futility of this, walk across the street, paying no heed to the oncoming motorists frozen in both time and space.  I get a kick out of the red light in the intersection.

            The novelty of being unfrozen in time wears off fast when I realize I have no control of reverting the world back to normal. My rational thoughts began to turn to hysterics. If it weren’t for someone calling my name at that very instant, I might well have gone crazy.

            “Michael” an unfamiliar voice called calmly from someplace behind me.

            I turned and saw the only other person that wasn’t solidly still. He stood out like a sore thumb. Mainly because he was the only other person that was moving, also because he was wearing some very artsy, streamlined clothes that were unlike anything I had ever seen before. His skin was the shade of milky coffee, his eyes looked weathered and older than the face they resided on. 

            “Who…wha-“My mind was still doing it’s best to comprehend my paused surroundings, as well as this new, strange person. Forming complete, coherent sentences was a little bit beyond me at the moment.

            “The first pausing is always the worst, you will learn to tolerate, and even enjoy it…in time” he said with a smirk.

            “Is this real?” I manage to blurt out.

            “Imagine the past, present, and future as a river, I have merely set the anchor at this particular moment.” He answered “Now is not the time for worrying”

            “So who are you?”

            “You will soon see, for now, know that I am a friend, and you are very important”

            I tried to think of an answer to his statement, but the burning on my left wrist distracted my attention.

            Lifting my arm, I look for the source of the heat and stare in amazement at the hands of my watch. They were running like crazy; whirling around in opposite directions.

            “Here, let me” The stranger said, walking closer and taking the watch off of my wrist and into his hands. He cupped it between his palms, a warm glow shines out. I can actually hear the watch hands zipping along, steadily increasing along with the brightness coming from it.

            The mysterious man looks very seriously at me and then his hands, then back at me. He nods. I hear a clap, the glow and sound cease, and he hands me back my watch. It looks just the same, but to amazement, when he drops it in my hands, its ice cold. I nearly drop it in surprise.

            “Keep that with you” He said, staring me right in the eyes. “Always”

He looks at me and breathes in deep, as if he’s about to tell me something very important. Something distracts his attention, something above us. He looks towards the sky and swears under his breath

I can hear what sounds like a cross between a motor and a mosquito; it is very faint, but getting louder.

“Come with me” He says, offering me his hand.

I take hold, and immediately go through that cork-popping, ear splitting experience again. It isn’t nearly as bad this time though. 

Reviews

[Mintwhiskers]

that was very interesting great idea and description

[Norma J. Jessee]

You have captured my attention. You have a very exciting start to a promising story, I would love to hear more. It is exciting, very enjoyable and satisfying read.
Will be looking forward to the next chapter. Please keep me posted.