Sem- Adventures Across Time

by T S Wieland

  Ally turned her attention towards Walter, even as a tremor of nervousness ran through her from the man in the booth.

  “Pardon?” asked Ally.

  “Oh, I was just saying how much I despise coffee. Never could drink the stuff. My family always preferred tea when I was a lad living in England.”

  Ally grinned as the pieces of the puzzle which made up Walter Steel began to make sense.

  “You’re from England?” asked Ally, despite having obviously noticed his faint accent.

  “Indeed. I was born and raised in Bath. My father was a teacher, and my mother was a seamstress.”

  “I’ve never been to England. I was always interested in its long history though. Events like the London Blitz always fascinated me.”

  “Oh, it’s a beautiful place, assuming you can live with the rain. I return home every summer to visit my friends and family.”

  The waitress walked over to place a cup of coffee in front of Ally and a pot of tea with a cup and saucer in front of Walter. “Thank you,” said Walter.

  “So, you mentioned on the phone you were aiding a friend who needed your expertise?”

  “Oh, yes! A friend from my university growing up. We’ve been collaborating on a project for many years now. Though it looks like our hard work might actually be finished here in the next few days.”

  “Really? What’s the project, if you don’t mind me asking?”

  “Ah… Well, unfortunately, it’s a secret at the moment. Though I’ll be sure to tell you all about it next time we meet.”

  “Wow! Must be a really big project then.”

  “Yes, or so he claims. Though I have a hard time believing him, yet he hasn’t done me wrong so far,” Walter replied as he poured his tea.

  “So, you're a professor, then?” asked Ally as she sipped her coffee, trying to ignore the man still watching her from the shadows beneath the brim of his hat. The taste of black coffee washed over her tongue. She struggled not to show her disgust.

  “I was a physics professor for fifteen years before I decided to retire and pursue a career as a novelist. The same friend I’m working with now even inspired me to write as it so happens.”

  “Well, I must say I’m rather impressed with your background in science, considering how much I enjoy your books. I would have assumed a physics professor you would write boring textbooks.”

  Walter laughed. “Thank you very much. No, my work has inspired me in unusual ways, I suppose.”

  Walter mixed a packet of sugar into his tea. Ally turned her eyes back towards the man sitting in the booth. The mystery man was still watching her. He looked back down at his drink with a menacing stare. “I’ve always been a fan of fantasy and science fiction. I never much enjoyed the textbooks,” said Walter.

  Ally looked back at Walter and nodded. “Yeah, I have to admit I failed to read one or two while I was in school.”

  Walter laughed and took another drink of his tea. Ally’s eyes involuntarily darted back to the mystery man. His gaze felt like daggers stabbing her in the back. Not only was he staring right at her, he seemed to be studying her in earnest. What she couldn’t understand was why.

  “So, shall we go ahead and get the business end all sorted out?” asked Walter, resting his cup on the saucer. Ally’s eyes snapped back to Walter.

  “Oh, yes!” Once more, Ally dug through her bag. She pulled the contract out and placed it in front of Walter. “I’m guessing I don’t need to go over it with you?”

  “No, no. Same as before it looks like, and I trust you,” said Walter as he pulled a black fountain pen from his pocket. He leaned down and swiftly signed his initials in bold pen ink across the page. “So, what did you study in school, Ally?”

  “I studied journalism and minored in history, actually. Though history really should have been my major.”

  “Excellent,” Walter replied with a cheerful grin. “I’ve always been a fan of history as well. I loved studying the Renaissance.”

  “Wow, you’re a man of many interests.”

  Walter flipped the paper and continued to sign his initials on each page. “Education is my life. Both learning and teaching. Helping to inspire young minds has always been a fond passion of mine.”

  “I wish I could say the same,” said Ally. “I went to school wanting to see the world. All it really did was land me in a world of debt though I now work to pay back.”

  “Well, so long as you follow what you love, things will always work out. As they say, a life worth living is one filled with love.”

  Ally nodded and smiled in agreement. She glanced back over to see the man in the booth stand up. He placed his money on the table and walked towards the door.

  Ally felt relieved watching him open the door to the café. Walter held on to the pages as the wind swept in. The mystery man grabbed hold of the bill of his hat fighting the breeze. He adjusted his sunglasses and glanced down at his watch, then proceeded to stride down the street, passing in front of the café window out of sight.

  “There you go,” said Walter, signing his name on the last page and handing Ally back the contract. “So, having studied journalism, I’d assume that’s why you work for Stallbrook now?”

  Ally looked back at Walter. “Yes. Well… Somewhat, I guess.”

  “Somewhat?” Walter replied putting his pen away. He then picked up his tea and sipped at it.

  “It was honestly the only job I could get. Like I said, I wanted to be a traveling journalist, but the debt kept me grounded. That and a fear of traveling. Guess I chose journalism as a way of trying to overcome it.”

  “Ah, I understand. Life sometimes doesn’t work out in the ways we plan.”

  “You can say that again,” said Ally as she pretended to sip her coffee.

  “Life sometimes doesn’t work out in the ways we plan.”

  Ally looked up at Walter from her cup of coffee and laughed, trying not to spill.

  “Sorry,” he replied. “Sometimes my odd sense of humor gets the better of me.”

  Walter looked down at his watch and noticed the time. He waved over to the waitress. The waitress walked back over and placed the bill on the table. “Ah, well, I must be going. I do hate to pop in and out so quickly, but I do have a day's worth of work to catch up on. Years of work finally coming to a close.”

  Walter reached into his pocket, pulled a ten-dollar bill from his wallet, and placed it on the check.

  “Oh no, it’s on me, Walter,” said Ally, trying to hand his money back to him.

  “No, no. It’s alright, dear. I missed our meeting yesterday, so allow me the honor. Besides, my father always said he would haunt me if I ever let a lady pay for a meal, and I prefer to keep my sanity.”

  Ally chuckled. “Well, thank you very much.”

  Walter grabbed his jacket off the back of the chair and put it on. Ally stared down at her drink for a moment, dwelling on their conversation.

  “Hey Walter, can I ask you a personal question?” she said to him. Walter looked at her adjusting his jacket collar.

  “Absolutely.”

  “Did you ever expect to be a writer?”

  Walter laughed for a moment to himself, deep in thought.

  “Not really. I never expected anything for myself, to be truly honest. I just did what I loved, and it found me. I suppose you could say I just followed the path set before me.”

  Ally nodded.

  “Why do you ask?” Walter replied in curiosity.

  Ally sighed heavily. “I don’t know. I guess I just wish I were doing something more adventurous like I’d originally planned. You just seemed like the kind of person who wouldn’t mind a question like that, you know?”

  “Ah, I see…”

  Walter stood for a moment thinking to himself. He pulled a business card out of his wallet and the fountain pen from his pocket.

  “I’ll tell you what, Ally. I know someone who just might be able to help you out with that.” Walter began writing on the back of the b
usiness card. “Meet us here on Monday. Same time, same place. I’ll let my friend know, and I’m sure he’ll help you out. I believe he’s someone who could have an adventurous opportunity for you.”

  “Really? Thanks!” said Ally as Walter handed her the business card with the time and date written on it.

  “My pleasure.” Walter grinned.

  “I’ll see you Monday, then?”

  “You can count on it,” replied Ally, feeling excited for once, rather than terrified.

  Walter turned around and began to walk towards the exit. He stopped and swiveled back to look at Ally as she set her bag back down on the floor. “Remember, Ally. The adventures you hope for might be bigger than you expected. So, take good care of yourself.”

  Ally looked back at him with a grin. “I can only hope.”

  Walter smiled back at her and turned to open the door. The afternoon breeze blew in across the café once more, ruffling the advertisement papers posted on the wall beside the door.

  “Cheers,” said Walter as he walked out the door. Taking in the afternoon breeze, he strolled past the cafe window with a big, cheesy grin on his face.

  Ally sat at the table, looking down at the business card with the words, Monday, 4 pm, Barrie’s Café written on it. She stared at the card, wondering what kind of opportunity she could be in for. A news journalist position, maybe? A trip to a foreign country?

  As she reflected on the appointment, Ally heard her phone ring in her bag. She reached down and pulled it out, sliding her finger across the screen to take the call.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey, girl,” said her friend, Carley.

  “Hey, what’s up?”

  “You want to meet up for drinks tonight?”

  Ally glanced at the clock on her phone. She felt the urge to go home, knowing a night out would disrupt her daily routine. Still holding the card in her hand, she felt a sudden urge to be adventurous, allowing herself this one deviation from her usual evening plan of reading for a few hours alone before going to bed. On the one condition, they went to the same bar as always. “Sure. You want to meet at Silver Star? I’m just down the street at the café.”

  “Sounds good, girl. Hopefully this guy will hurry up and leave so I can close.”

  “Alright, I’ll see you there.”

  “Sounds good. See you later. Sir! For the fifth and final time, that’s the only size they come in. Now you either buy the pants, or I’ll be forced to chase you out with them,” said Carley as Ally hung up the phone.

  Ally placed the contract back into her bag and examined the card once more. She felt anxious but excited. She knew that whatever the opportunity was, it would probably be more exciting than her current life.

  Chapter 4

  Expect the Unexpected

  “Hey, Short! A surprise to see you tonight. What can I get you?” yelled the bartender, Ben, over the loud music of the nightclub as Ally walked up to the bar and sat down on a wooden stool.

  Ben had a knack for giving his regular customers nicknames, especially the girls. Ally was ‘Short’ because of her size in comparison to her friend Carley, whom he called ‘Scraper’ based on her tall, thin, skyscraper-like figure.

  “Same thing I always get, Ben,” Ally yelled back to him. Ben nodded, opened a bottle of beer on the counter, and handed it to her.

  “Where’s Scraper?”

  “She’s on the way.”

  “Guess I’ll make her drink too, while I’m at it.”

  Ben turned back to the bar.

  Ally scanned the crowd, noticing that things seemed quiet, other than the usual group of twenty-one-year-olds celebrating a friend’s birthday. “Looks like you have a young flock to herd tonight!”

  “You’re telling me! They’ve already downed two rounds of cake shots, and they expect me to serve five more over the next two hours,” yelled Ben. “Not that I’m complaining! They’ve tipped well!”

  “Fun! Guess we’ll keep you company.”

  “Ha! Thanks, Short, but I think I can handle it.”

  Ally turned back around and took a drink, once more looking over the crowd. She noticed a familiar-looking blue baseball cap dawned with sunglasses at a table across the dance floor from her, sunken back into the darkness. Her heart sank. The man from the café gazed at her from his table as he sipped his drink watching her.

  “Hey!”

  Ally jumped when a hand touched her shoulder. She turned to see Carley standing next to her. “Jeez! You scared the crap out of me!”

  “Sorry! Why so jumpy?” Carley asked speaking loudly over the music.

  “You see that guy at the table on the other end of the dance floor?”

  “You mean the one with the hat and sunglasses?”

  “Yeah!”

  Ally glanced at him again and noticed that he had turned his head. He sipped his drink in a lame attempt to act disinterested.

  “What about him?”

  “He’s been following me since I left the café earlier!”

  Carley looked back at him.

  Ally tugged on her dress as Carley stared at the man. “Don’t stare at him!”

  “Why not? He’s not even watching us!”

  “Hey Scraper, here’s a drink for ya!” yelled Ben as he slid Carley’s drink down to her across the bar.

  “Hey, thanks, Ben!” Ally leaned forward over the bar towards Ben. “Ben, how long has that guy in the blue cap been sitting there?”

  Ben gazed up across the bar and over the room at him. He thought for a second. “About a half hour. Ordered a brandy on the rocks and has been sitting there ever since. Why?”

  “He’s been following me. Like he knew I was coming here before I did.”

  Ben looked over Ally’s shoulder with a watchful look in his eyes.

  “Hmmm, I’ll keep an eye on him for you, Short.” Ben stood back up and grabbed a bottle of vodka, pouring shots for the group of twenty-one-year-olds celebrating.

  “Thanks, Ben!”

  “Sure thing, Short! I’ll let you know when he leaves.”

  Carley looked at Ally with a look of concern. Ally continued to watch her stalker with a fearful expression.

  “Man, that guy has really got you spooked!” said Carley leaning over the bar.

  “I just want to enjoy my drink, please,” Ally replied.

  “Alright, we’ll hang here until he leaves then! Maybe he just looks like the guy you saw earlier. Either that or your anxiety is finally getting the better of you. You sure you didn’t start without me?”

  “No! It’s the exact same guy.”

  The music changed to a much slower and quieter song. Ally and Carley sighed with relief. The group of young adults, however, grew louder despite the music, filling the bar with their high-pitched giggles.

  “Oh, that’s much better. Too bad you can’t do anything about juvenile laughter,” said Carley as she sipped her drink. “So how was work?”

  “Other than that creepy guy, nothing special. You?”

  “Had a kid throw up in the changing stalls and kicked out two teen boys for trying to shoplift, but hey, I got paid today so I’m not complaining.”

  Ally sighed readying herself to let her friend down easy. “I’m going to have to cancel our movie plans Friday night.”

  “Cancel, why?” Carley replied after sipping her drink.

  “Dad’s got pneumonia again. I need to fly home for the weekend to see him.”

  “Aw, jeez, girl. I’m sorry. Isn’t that twice in two months?”

  “Three times,” Ally replied raising three fingers.

  “Sheesh. I’m sorry, girl. I hope he gets to feeling better.”

  “Yeah… me too,” replied Ally as she took another drink. “That, and my mother wants me to come home and look for a place to live.”

  “Why? Are you thinking of moving? You running out on me?”

  “No. She just wants me to. She figures that since I’m no longer with David, I may as well move back home.”r />
  “You going to?” asked Carley, her eyes wide with anticipation.

  Ally glanced over at her seeing her friends genuine concern and heartache at the sheer thought of her moving away.

  “Eh, maybe she’s right. I don’t know. But I’m not getting back together with David like she hopes though.”

  “Amen to that, girl,” said Carley, taking a drink. “Why move home, though? You always talk about wanting to get out of there. Isn’t that counterproductive?”

  “Yeah, I guess. Though staying here isn’t very productive either.”

  Ally gazed at the bar, thinking about her dad again. Her face began to droop. Carley nudged her gently clearly trying to distract her.

  “Hey, don’t worry about it. Let’s just turn around and work on getting you back on the market.”

  “Not tonight, Carley.”

  “Why don’t we ask your stalker?”

  “Why don’t you ask him, and I’ll watch from a distance? He probably has a vast collection of bodies he’d love to show you.”

  “Hmm, mysterious and creepy isn’t really my type,” said Carley as she squinted in thought. She scanned the crowd and noted the serious lack of attractive young men.

  Near the minimalist-style bar sat a group of four guys—three younger men sitting at a booth next to the stalker, trying to console a friend who’d obviously just been broken up with. Another, older man in a worn-out jacket drank at another table by himself.

  “Sheesh, poor hunting season tonight.”

  “Well it is the middle of the week. Only people out are creeps, college kids, and depressed people,” quipped Ally.

  “Guess it’s going to be a boring night then.”

  Ally took a drink of her beer and sighed for a moment, ready to ask a question she knew Carley would respond to with almost little thought. “Hey… do you ever think you were meant to do more?”

  Carley sipped her drink. She glanced over at Ally with an annoyed expression on her face.

  “What? I’m serious.”

  “Please don’t tell me you're going there. Tonight's already going to be boring,” Carley replied.