I scrambled to the front door, only realizing along the way the need to stay quiet. I remembered those two nasty survivor women walking by the front of the house. Chasing after skanks. Damn. It all came back to me so clearly. Like it was just last week.
I waited there inside the screen door, crouched down low. There should be skanks first. Then those two low-class women. I remember one of them was named Cheryl. Was she the one that cracked her head open when I rushed out? I couldn't remember. But that wasn't here anyway. That was back at my home, the beer and wine store. The place that was my home at that time.
I waited and waited. At least thirty minutes. No one passed by. No skanks. No nothing. I was beginning to doubt what I had deduced was going on. Celeste said that Mister Skull could knock you into last week. This was more like last year, but it had to be related to the man’s superpower. Still, though, things were not quite the same.
I felt like I was in a movie scene. Not in the actual movie, though. I was walking through the set while it wasn’t being used. Or maybe after the movie had already been made. Because I knew how the scene should go. But there was nothing happening. An empty movie set was the perfect description.
Eventually I got bored with waiting and exited the house. I was cautious, but it was totally unnecessary. There was no one else around outside. Not even any animals from what I could tell.
I knew that I still had my deflection ability. Or I assumed that I did. My first time through this timeline I hadn't known about it yet. Still, it gave me confidence. With no one else visible I rushed through the short trip back to the store that I was calling my home at that time. I had no weapon, but my defensive capability should keep me safe. Also, I could deflect rocks at targets like I did in the battle against Camilla’s old clan. Only that hadn’t happened yet. Could I still do it?
Before Alexa came along the beer and wine store was a mess. I didn't care back then. I slept on the floor behind the counter and left the display floor in total disarray with broken bottles. It was a huge step backwards from a comfortable bed in a secure home with two lovely ladies at my side every night. I was not looking forward to going back in this time travel adventure. But what could I do?
I had debris stacked in front of the main door. It was just like I left it. Or would have left it back then. I moved it aside to peer inside. Was Alexa in there? No. She wasn't. It wouldn't make sense that she would be. I hadn't met her by that point yet. However, a lot of things were different this time around. I hadn't seen anyone yet. Not even skanks.
Would I even meet Alexa this time?
My heart sank at the thought. Could I live without Alexa? Maybe if I still had Riley, Jada, Bianka and Stella. But totally alone? No. Please, God, no. Don't make me live this life alone again. I can't go back to that.
Damn you Mister Skull! Why did you do this time me? If it weren’t for the prospect of being rejoined by Alexa, I would have preferred death. Suicide was not something that I seriously considered even at my lowest point. And I wasn’t considering it now either, but the loneliness was suddenly suffocating me.
I grabbed a couple warm wheat beers from the store rack and sat down in front of the counter, prepared to wallow in my sorrow. I was nearly done the second beer when I heard someone moving around outside. They were messing with the debris I had restacked in front of the door.
Could it be Earl? Were things going to replay themselves after all? The first time he tried to get in the back door while his women distracted me out front. But there was no denying that things were different this go around.
"Hello?" A familiar female voice could be heard. "Is anyone in there?"
Alexa! Finally. She wasn’t supposed to show up until after Earl and his two golf club swinging women. But I was incredibly happy that she was early.
"Yes! Yes, I'm in here!" I jumped up to remove the garbage so she could enter. "Alexa! Thank God it's you!"
I was desperate to get the junk out of the way so that I could hug and kiss her. Unfortunately, I could clearly see by her expression that she was not feeling the same way.
"Ummmm, hello," she replied tentatively. "How do you know my name?"
"It's me, Mason. Don't you remember me?" My stomach sunk. Did she really not know me?
"Ummm, maybe. Did we have classes together, or something?"
"No,” I nearly cried out. “We met right here, in a different timeline, or whatever."
"A different timeline?" Her expression showed more than doubt. She probably thought that I was crazy. She retreated physically just a bit.
This was not going how I envisioned it. How could I recover? I could’t scare her off and go back to being alone. I recalled feeling that way the first time, too. But this time the desperation was so much stronger. I thought that I appreciated what I had before, with the expanding harem of lovely women. But I didn’t fully realize how good things were until they were gone.
"I'm sorry. It is hard to explain. I kind of have gone through all this before. Maybe it was a dream. I don't mean to scare you. Would you like to come in?"
Alexa gave it some serious thought before she finally nodded. "Can we keep the exit clear? In case I change my mind?"
"Yes, of course,” I replied. Mentally, though, I was telling myself that there was no way that I was going to let her leave without doing all that I could to keep her. I needed her so much.
I held a large piece of sheet metal to the side so that she could enter. She passed just inches from me. I desperately wanted to hold her, kiss the soft skin of her neck, and slide my hands all over her perfect body. But I had to resist. I was so shy back then. But she knew that I was a good person. And about my attraction toward her.
Oh, shit! That's right! She can read my thoughts or feelings. I studied her face after she stepped inside and took a step backwards. There was no indication that she had sensed anything from me that she found offensive.
"Um, make yourself comfortable," I told her.
She looked at the poor condition of the store and curled her lip. It was so obvious that she did not remember going through this experience before. Nothing was going according to plan. At least, not my plan. Was someone else playing with me like I was some kind of toy in an elaborate game?
"I'm sorry that it is such a mess right now. It's nicer behind the sales counter where I sleep. Let me show you."
I reached for her hand and she jerked it away, taking two more steps backwards. Between the attempt of physical contact and a reference to my bed, I was scaring her.
"Oh, sorry about that," I said. "I mean you no harm. I guess that I am just a little too excited that you are here. You can sense that I am a good person, right? That you have nothing to fear from me?"
"No," she replied, more than doubt showing. I was making her seriously afraid of me now. "I don't know you, Mason. I don't remember you from college or high school. And I am certainly not going behind that counter with you. In fact, I've changed my mind. I want to leave."
"No!" I replied in panic, startling her even more. "I'm so sorry, Alexa. Please, stay long enough that I can tell you the story of how we know each other. Of how we met. I'm not crazy. Honestly. I just went through some kind of time loop or something. I know so much about you that you'll be convinced that I'm telling the truth. Please, give me a few minutes to explain."
She studied me for a full minute. I relaxed and only allowed good thoughts to enter my mind. Hopefully, she had the ability to sense that even if she did not yet know it.
Finally, she answered. "Ok but stay over there and don't block the exit. You don't seem like a bad guy to me, but the things that you are saying are making me uncomfortable. I'd rather not have to leave this shelter right now, but I will if you don't start making some sense. And keep your distance."
I started off explaining that I had gone through this timeline once before. How we met and how she had moved in with me right away. Clarifying that things were different this time around, I did my best to help her understand that sh
e had, or at least had last time around, a special sense in reading people's emotions and motivations. I could clearly see that I was not making her more comfortable. She even looked like she was about to bolt.
I changed tactic quickly and told her things that I knew about her. Her past, her last boyfriend, things that she liked and disliked. When her expression softened, I could tell that I was getting through, but she was still very confused. That's when I figured it would be okay to get more personal. I told her details about her body that I wouldn't know without having been intimate with her. Nothing too sexual. Mostly the location of freckles and a birth mark near her left armpit.
"So," she finally spoke after sitting there and listening patiently. "You are saying that you have had sex with me in this other world?"
"It's not really another world, I don't think. And let's not focus on the sex part right now. But, yes, you became my wife. That is why I am so happy to see you and I’m acting like a maniac. I'm not really crazy. I'm just crazy for you."
A smile pursed her lips, then a tiny chuckle escaped. "That sounds like a great pick up line in the insane asylum."
I laughed outright. She was correct. It surely did.
"I don't know how to explain this knowledge that you have of me except that your story is somehow true. As absurd as it sounds, I have to assume that we knew each other in this other life. But that doesn't mean that I'm suddenly going to become your wife here and now, or your lover."
"I realize that," I replied, trying not to show how excited I was that she was accepting my explanation. "But at least stay here with me. You can sleep in a separate bed. That is what you did at the beginning last time anyway. And I won't expect that you will warm up to me like you did last time. Just please don't leave. Now that you have heard my story you can understand where I am coming from."
"Ok," she replied, looking considerably more relaxed. "Despite the awkwardness of the situation I'd much rather be safe in here with someone like a friend than out there alone and scared."
"Thank you," I whispered in relief. Alexa had almost left me. I wasn't sure that I could deal with that. But I managed to save the day. No sense thinking about how bad things could have been, except to avoid scaring her off in the future. I needed to be on my best behavior.
"So, how long have you lived here? The place doesn't look very nice."
"No, it doesn't. I left it a mess so intruders wouldn't think that anyone lives here. All my stuff is behind the counter. But last time, we ended up moving these display stands to form walls like in a house. Then we gathered furniture from nearby houses to make it more livable. You pretty much insisted that we did."
"That does sound like me," Alexa answered as she started walking through the aisles. "How long were we roommates before we became lovers?"
"A while," I answered. I figured that she would be most comfortable if she didn't think that I would be looking to get it on anytime soon. "It wasn't until we met Jada and allowed her to join us here that you advanced our relationship to that level."
"Oh, we didn't live here by ourselves?" Alexa asked as she turned on her heel. The memory of all the times that she had done that before flooded my brain. I knew that I was smiling while checking out her sexy body, but I couldn’t help it in that moment. But I quickly recovered once she caught me.
"For a while we did," I answered. I didn't really want to get into the whole harem scenario just yet. That would no doubt be a huge step backwards in gaining her trust. It was an issue for her last time, too.
I had been standing still as she meandered through the display shelves. I wanted her to get as comfortable with the situation as she could so she wouldn't change her mind. Eventually, she returned to within arm's length of me and showed no fear of being in my presence.
"Should we seal the doorway back up now?"
"Yes, definitely," I replied. I walked back to the main entrance of the store and grabbed the big piece of sheet metal. I would need it out of the way a little more to situate the other pieces that disguised my makeshift domicile. That's when I heard someone moving around out there. Again.
I popped my head out slightly and looked to the right, the direction that the sound was coming from. I expected to see Earl or Cheryl, or maybe even a skank. I was delightfully surprised to find someone else instead.
"Jada!" I shouted, startling her. "You are extremely early!"
The beautiful black woman stared at me in disbelief. Of course, she obviously didn't know who I was either. But she didn't run. In fact, she looked desperate for human company. Not the strong warrior type when we met her the first time. I still remember her fighting off all those skanks and skunks in the church next door.
I saw wheels turning in her head. She had to be wondering how I knew her. However, she looked as confused as I was when I first arrived in this timeline. Maybe she just got here, too.
Finally, she asked, "Early for what?"
CHAPTER THIRTEEN:
"Come inside," I eagerly invited Jada to join us. "It is safer in here."
"Safer from what?" she asked, hesitant to even approach me.
Jada was every bit as beautiful as I remembered her. But instead of beaming with confidence, she looked distraught and lonely. I could see by the glimmer in her eye from the very beginning that she was surprised to see another person.
She was wearing a black pair of sweatpants with her exercise company logo instead of shorts. A matching jacket covered her revealing top. That was the first moment that I realized that the temperature was significantly lower in this new timeline. Did something different happen to our planet?
If the series of events changed in this parallel universe it could create dramatic adjustments from what I was accustomed. If the Earth never super-heated, animals in the ice would never have thawed out. Ancient diseases would have never been released. Those were the viruses that created the skanks. No wonder I hadn't spotted any yet.
It was believed, though, that those were also the same viruses that developed special abilities in immune survivors. That's why Alexa couldn't sense my wholesomeness. That would also suggest that I never acquired the power of deflection. Though my confidence dipped with that thought, it felt good to figure something out that would explain this new timeline better.
Jada never needed to fight for her life against hordes of diseased humans, so she never became the bad-ass warrior that I knew her to be. How it would affect our relationship I had no idea. Would she be more or less receptive to joining us? Maybe she would be more interested in becoming a wife of mine, instead of staying stubbornly independent. Then I wondered, would she still like having rough sex?
"Hi Jada," Alexa said through the entrance, making herself visible to our new guest. Instead of jealousy I sensed that she might be happy to have another woman in the place. Perhaps she felt more secure should I turn out to be a sexual predator instead. "It's nice to meet you."
"How do you both know my name?" Jada asked, still keeping a safe distance but walking slowly toward us.
"Well," Alexa answered for me. "It is a long story actually. And it is Mason's to tell. It is safe in here if you want to come in. Honestly, I'd feel more comfortable if you did. I just got here recently myself."
It didn't take much more urging to get Jada to join us inside the store. I let the two women talk for a while to get themselves more comfortable before I shared my story once again. I told it slightly differently with Jada's perception in mind. She was more fascinated and less hesitant to believe. I knew that was because I had already won over Alexa, to a degree.
"I've only seen one other person in more than a week," Jada told us. "We traveled together for most of a day before we got separated. I think I know where she went, but I'm a little scared to go back there."
"Why?" Alexa asked. "What has you afraid?"
"I don't know, really," Jada responded, unsure of herself. "I had this eerie feeling that I was being watched. Chased even. I was pretty much herded by some unseen entity until
I arrived here. It was like I was meant to come to this store. I know it sounds absolutely crazy, but that is how it felt."
"You were meant to meet us, evidently," Alexa responded, flashing a meager smile my way. She was buying into my alternate timeline explanation, I could tell.
"We should go back to the house where your friend is," I said. "She'll want to join us, too."
"Possibly," Jada answered. "Probably even. But she might not still be there. She may have left already."
"I'm betting that Riley is hiding out in that house just waiting for us to arrive," I announced.
Jada looked shocked at my statement. "How did you know her name?"
"She must be another character from his elaborate dream," Alexa answered. When I sighed, she adjusted her statement. "From this other timeline where he lived. Or we all lived apparently."
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