by A M Russell
One of them was vaguely familiar. I stared really hard, but could only make out the general build. It was just the stance I recognised. But if they turned….. wait, no! the edges of my vision got darker. And then I was kneeling in front of Janey. I drew breath and coughed until my eyes watered.
Janey reached out to me. And Jared was by my side. She looked at Jared and smiled so clearly; as if she had not seen for such a long time. She let go of me and reached for him.
‘I thought you would not wake up! They told me you wouldn’t. But now I know I lived a different time. In it you were alright again after three days…. They said you were alright. Tell me it is so. Jared; do you remember?’ she searched his face. He seemed quite bewildered.
‘My head still hurts. Janey, I can’t quite see it.’ Jared glanced at me, ‘maybe Davey can tell us.’
‘I don’t know what happened after that night,’ I said, ‘but it was different from before wasn’t it? Janey got out of the car and pulled you out.’
‘Yes, Yes!’ Janey insisted, ‘It was different. You have to be alright. Please be alright!’
Jared shook his head, ‘I…. don’t know Janey, please let me think a moment.’ he tried to detach himself from her. I could certainly see why, she was overwhelming when she was on a tack of being so insistent.
‘No. Jared. Look at me.’ She put her hands on each side of his face. He calmed down, and relaxed. I heard some scuffling along the tunnel but they didn’t notice.
They stared at each other face to face. Janey spoke calmly then, her voice was deeper; of a different timbre: ‘I am here, now. I love you. Do you remember Jared?’ I watched his face. Something oddly puzzled about his expression. He seemed to be thinking hard. He looked down. Then at her face. She spoke again: ‘Remember…. Just before we came on the first expedition; what seems like years ago. I was telling you that you were special to me. You know the evening before…. We all had champagne, just like with this expedition. Too many bubbles?’
‘Yes?’ he looked as if it was coming slowly back; ‘everyone went to their bunks. And we stayed and talked…’
‘Yes. We did,’ something lighted on his face, and again he glanced at me.
‘No. Davey didn’t know me then, not from his point of view. I was the angry girl who had left Summerland. And that moment all things were real…. Except one. I love you Jared. Remember?’
His expression changed from puzzlement; to astonishment; to an odd smile. Yet it still flickered with uncertainty.
‘Remember a girl… who did not remember herself; or anything else. You were they only one I could see. I felt no connection to anything else.’ She put her head slightly to the left as she spoke. A gesture I recognised.
‘You wanted to stay with me?’ Jared looked as if the memory was sliding out of his mind again.
‘Yes,’ she said, ‘And I will tell you. My dear prince, to wake you. I will tell you this.’
She drew him to her, closer and closer. Jared seemed quite nervous of her certainty. He was blinking a lot. Janey always had that effect on me.
She suddenly kissed him. Mouth to mouth, not letting him go. He resisted slightly, and then relaxed and they slid into each other’s embrace. He let her hold her lips on his for a few moments.
‘Janey!’ Jared gasped pulling away, ‘I’m…. I’m…. what happened?’
‘I’m telling you.’ she said, and this time he did not fight her. It was the one insight I had into the strangeness of the sandglass experiment. They had met as two strangers and were drawn together in a way that seemed so obvious, and yet was clouded with no certain story. Hadn’t we just changed the past? Jared kissed her back briefly then, as the one she once was. A long time ago she had simply been Janey the science girl, who charmed you and mesmerised you with her untamed nature. He sat back looking bemused. He rubbed his fingertips down the inside of her left wrist.
‘Janey, I remember these things.’ he said.
She smiled at him, and then looked at me, ‘Do you understand how the experiment began?’
‘Do I understand what?’ I thought I might, but I wasn’t sure how to put this into words. Something Jared had said to me once, a half forgotten thing. But I thought it better to let it go.
Jared stroked her cheek, and kissed her on the forehead, ‘It’s alright,’ he said, ‘I know. I do now. And we shall be what we are because of our friends. Dear sister, let us choose now, to go home.’
I went over to my pack, and checked the drugs case that I and Marcia had stowed there earlier. I got out the smaller epi pens and clicked in the short dose of time stablisation serum with some of the "A" case small uppers. As I came back to Janey she turned her right arm to me without questioning what it was. I took it, and simultaneously realised that there was a cloth binding round her other forearm: the left.
‘I have taken the mark together with you all. Leanna told me about the time you were there; and how her father had spoken to you Jared.’
‘You know what he said?’ Jared said, and looked at me again in that curious way.
‘It was about Marcia.’ said Janey.
‘Yes,’ said Jared, ‘so it was. And now we need to find her.’
I was mystified. I reckoned that the best way to deal with this was to let it be, until one or both of them explained what they meant. I saw Janey looking at me levelly. ‘Do you hold anything against me?’ she asked, I had to wait a long time. Enough time to repent of my former behaviour. I know that the sequence of the experience is different for you.’
‘You are you? There is only one now?’ I asked, ‘you came to Base and did all those expeditions? And then this one. And then here we are now?’
‘Yes….just about.’ She let my hand go.
Could I get my head round the fact that I had been dealing with the same person; but a different version in time and space. So what had happened to the girl who went back? Did she get her revenge? Was there still something they didn’t know that only I remembered? There was really no point in making things too complicated. This place did that for you without any extra effort.
‘Okay.’ I said.
‘You are looking for another version of me,’ she said, ‘I tell you that only one remains in the end. It is the way of all things.’
‘She was….?’ I thought of the girl and her mystery vendetta.
‘A possible world,’ said Janey, ‘my world. We can only know that myriad of others when all this is over. I believe; although I don’t have any proof; that then I will know the truth about myself. Jared and that girl….well, I think that she felt….how can I put it?’
‘You are very devoted,’ I said, ‘and that is not something I could ever reproach either of you for in any way.’
‘She was the other one I wanted to be.’ And as it narrows to a point, and each possibility is played out….all things pass through the lens of circumstance. In this place we are the unsolved equation. The reaction that is not complete. The soul that has not chosen heaven or hell, or any place in between.’
‘And what have I chosen?’ Jared asked Janey, ‘why sister did you look for me?’
‘Because,’ she said, ‘I will die without you. I will die by slow degrees a little each day. Until the silence takes it all. I could not bear that waiting, that my other self endured. She made a model for every day; and every time there was news she wrote down a few words in her diary….like our journal. We talked a little….Jared, she missed you. And that is why I must go back now. So she can rest. So she can fold into me, that other part. The soul divided must find a way in time. Heelio understood it all a lot better that I supposed. He is a very wise man.’
‘Yes….’ Jared looked thought ful, ‘Do you think we will see him again?’
‘I believe so.’ said Janey.
‘Everything is possible.’ I said.
Jared hugged Janey and then got to his feet. ‘I think we need more tea.’ He said.
Janey laughed, ‘You and your tea! You always said it could work wo
nders. Perhaps we should tell Davey about the special birthday present I got you for that other birthday?’
‘Another time perhaps.’ He looked at his watch, ‘I think we will have visitors soon.’
‘Really?’ I said, ‘Could it be the noises in the tunnel?’
‘You know that I never miss anything like that.’ Jared said.
‘That’s true.’ said Janey and rubbed her forehead.
‘How’s the head?’ I said to Jared.
‘Better. We’ve got enough time before the others appear to have a tea break, and get the gear back in the packs.’ He started to make another fresh brew.
‘Janey? Are you doing alright?’ I asked.
‘Pretty fair. She popped the valves on the nearest airbed, ‘Now it’s time to think about the rate of reversal of the reality switch.’
‘Pardon?’
‘We’re not out of the woods yet, as it were. As it get nearer to the end of this particular cycle things will start to unravel faster and faster.’ She started to squash the air out, ‘I really want to go home. Marcia should be arriving any minute.’
‘What makes you think she’s here?’
‘I know her very well. And there is something that I’ve learned from all these expeditions. That’s how to listen in tunnels really, really well.’
At that moment Jared looked up from the camping stove. ‘Hello! Identify yourself!’
‘Well, well,’ came a man’s voice, ‘If it isn’t the old goat himself!’
‘Oliver!’ Janey jumped to her feet.
‘Good God Reece! How many did you bring?’ said Jared.
‘Nice to see you too Arden; you’re looking great for a dead guy!’ Oliver moved to one side. We were joined also by Adam, Joe and Curly Pete.
‘Janey…’ Adam said in a shocked kind of voice, ‘You’re back….’ He looked at Jared, ‘You’re both back.’
I rubbed my chest as Adam came up to me, ‘I think I have a few more issues to report on,’ he said, ‘I think I can finally say that I see dead men walking.’
‘Welcome to the expedition.’ I said to Adam.
‘I think they are Real!’ He laughed, and smacked his hand against the side of my arm, which made me tense, as it still stung rather badly, ‘Er, sorry. Joe! Do have a look at this one too!’
Joe looked up from examining Jared, ‘Just making sure that we can believe our eyes Shepard. Yes; it is Jared alright…. And Janey my dear! I just….’
‘Okay Doc,’ she hugged him.
‘Let me see if you are really You first, please.’ He sounded miffed.
‘Hello Boss.’ said Curly, ‘So what are the orders?’
‘Get home….without disappearing into a loop of time. Or falling down a hole in the floor.’ Janey raised an eye brow.
Curly looked thoughtful, ‘Righto.’ Was all he said.
Joe finished and seemed satisfied, he nodded to Oliver, who stood resolute. ‘We understood what Marcia asked us to do; but there has been a little complication. It’s erm…’ he looked annoyed at being unable to explain the thing.
Curly explained, ‘Jules has reset the Modulator as requested. But the problem is that there are now two of the things at work. It is as if there are two of everything. Two locks, two keys. Two….well it means something else other than what you may suppose. There is a reversal in the normal sense of the word. While it is ALSO like an opposite that doesn’t look like an opposite. You will just have to take my word for it. You can let Janey translate, when I’ve filled her in. Jules gave me a small gadget with shielding so that Janey would know what we know and be able to work out how much time is left on this side of the borderline.’
‘How much Time?’ Jared stared hard at Curly, ‘let Janey take a good look at the tablet….by the way: where is Marcia?’
‘We made the meet with Rimmington, but he didn’t show,’ said Oliver, ‘So we have met up with Elland and his Men. Marcia is waiting with them. I understand that you don’t know about the other arrangement?’
‘What other arrangement?’ Jared said darkly then shrugged, ‘sorry, force of habit. So tell me.’
Oliver was smiling. ‘Another Person accounted for; we have Aiden. And his team are just past the stone bridge.’
‘Stone bridge?’ Jared looked at me.
‘I don’t know either.’ I said.
‘Okay. So let’s decide what to do.’ Jared was business like again. ‘We have two teams; and an as yet unspecified amount of time. And one person still unaccounted for.’
‘Hanson.’ said Joe
‘Is he not with anyone else?’ Janey looked puzzled, ‘they let him go. That is what Aiden thought last time we spoke.’
‘Well you can ask him about that.’ said Joe, ‘But he wasn’t at Base and he wasn’t anywhere else either.’ He looked towards Jared then expecting some reaction; he was however preoccupied with something else.
Oliver stood facing Jared. ‘Well then old friend. What times have you had? Was it worth it? Perhaps it’s time to go home now.’
‘Yes it is. Time…. It’s run out on me. I suppose it was always there waiting. Do we know what happens to all this when we leave?’ Jared was as deeply serious as I had ever seen him.
‘We just leave,’ said Oliver, ‘And then the beach is wiped learn again.’
‘Ah!’ Jared’s look was faraway, then quite suddenly, ‘It is time we found Marcia. We mustn’t keep the lady waiting.’
‘She’s alright with Elland and his Men.’ said Oliver, ‘I think she is keeping them under control. I think there is some discussion to be concluded about what to do about finding Hanson.’
‘Ah! Mr Hanson; Elland; Marcia.’ Jared’s tone was ominous, ‘It sounds like a point in time to intervene. Marcia will want go after Alexander you know.’
‘Yes. That’s what I thought.’ Oliver concurred, ‘We will go back there. And then there is hopefully enough time left for some of us to find Aiden’s missing team member.’
‘What the….?’
‘Time to get going?’ I asked.
‘Who?’ Janey blinked and then her expression became concerned, ‘I see. Could be tricky.’
‘Ellen.’ said Jared.
‘How did you know?’ Joe asked.
‘He would already have left. Aiden wouldn’t wait. He’d get his people out.’ Jared pulled a strap tight on his pack, ‘Time to get going girls.’
They all looked at me. I just held out my hands in a “don’t know” gesture. Oliver was grinning. We filed out of the small cave at began the two mile walk up the narrow corridor.
*****
Thirteen
‘She wouldn’t leave,’ said Aiden, ‘even when I begged her to go. We were separated when the soldiers came.’
‘That would be Ellen?’ I said.
‘Yes.’ He looked at me in a way that said, “Please don’t say anything about it”.
‘Do you want to return now?’ I asked him.
‘You mean, right now. I would love to. But Ellen….’ He came and stood right next to me, ‘there are lyrics in a song that say it.’
‘About being way out of my league?’ I asked him.
‘Not exactly. She can’t talk because in this reality she cannot put the letters in order. But in the original, she’s a very chatty girl.’
‘This place hasn’t changed her for the worse I hope.’ I said soothingly ‘She seemed very capable.’
Aiden looked worried; ‘I need to find her. Then I’ll leave.’
Joe came over to him: ‘So what have you done to yourself since I last saw you?’
‘Not anything that hasn’t been fixed Doc!’ he tried to sound cheery.
Joe and I exchanged glances. ‘You’re a really bad liar.’ said Joe, ‘I know what happened to you.’
‘Yes,’ Aiden sighed,
Jared joined us. The others were drinking coffee with Elland’s men. Joe went to them.
Aiden and Jared eyed each other uncertainly.
‘Not a good time
to say I told you so.’ Aiden joked.
‘We’ve got out of worse than this before.’ Jared replied.
‘Have you?’ I said, ‘It’s different this time, isn’t it?’
Aiden touched me very lightly, and brushed open the neck of my shirt with one finger. He looked at it thoughtfully.
‘Ah, So it’s true!’ he said softly, ‘You are quite the Lazarus are you not?’
The whole lot gathered. And in came Aiden’s team. All looking the worse for wear. Elland’s Men got them sat down and supplied them with cups of strong hot coffee. It seemed to be the only drink round here.
‘You listen to me.’ said Elland, ‘We need your help. And you need ours. Do you have the drugs?’
‘We do.’ I said firmly, ‘but what can you do for us?’
Oliver looked like he was about to say something. But Jared put a hand on his arm.
‘Smart move,’ said Elland, and smiled in amusement, ‘you needed me to fulfil a task. As you see, I did half of it.’
‘I think if we count the team it is as being more than done.’ I indicated Kay, Ruben and the others. Kay rolled her eyes at me and seemed ready for action.
‘It’s true,’ she said, ‘he took out the group who were pursuing us. we travelled through the tunnels making for the entrance. And Elland….erm dealt with six of them.’
‘Five.’ said Elland, ‘let us be accurate.’
‘I saw six.’ She said.
‘Well we will have company and no mistake. The girl is telling the truth.’ Elland regarded her solidly. At that moment one of Elland’s men came over to him and whispered.
‘Ah! It seems we have stirred up the sleeping dragon,’ he seemed pleased, ‘there will be time for your scientific analysis later Ms Arden.’ He nodded to Janey, ‘but now we will have to formulate a simple plan. I have it in mind to help you. And fulfil my agreement with the wild cat, and the skinny kid.’
Much as I didn’t like being referred to as a kid, I appreciated the acknowledgement of my part in this. But Marcia seemed sour. ‘We have to get everyone out,’ she said, ‘and Mr Hanson is definitely our problem now.’