Clockwiser (12 page)

“What
is
happening? What is this?” His face was filled with horror.

“This is the future,” I said. How could I explain this without sounding completely insane? “I’m a time traveler. I don’t know why and I don’t know how. I only know that I’m on a loop between my time and yours.”

“A time traveler?” he sputtered, shaking his head.

“It’s weird, I know, but I move through time. Yours and mine.” I held my hands together, three inches apart so that they made parallel lines. I wiggled my left hand. “Your time.” Then my right hand. “My time. For some reason I jump back and forth between the two of them.”

Willie wrinkled his forehead. “That’s why you’re always disappearing?”

“Yes. And if someone is touching me, skin to skin, when it happens, they travel with me.” I paused, wishing I could unwind the last twenty minutes. “It was supposed to be Tim not you.”

“He’s from here?” He took in the crowds that surrounded us. “That explains his odd behavior.”

I nodded my head. “He’s trouble.”

“Are you sure I’m not dreaming?” He squeezed his eyes shut and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Maybe I’m having a fantastic lucid dream.”

I patted his shoulder. “I wish.”

Just as we arrived at the spot where Lucinda’s car sat, a group of teen guys rushed across the street. I recognized the buzz cut of the ginger-headed one.

Lucinda collapsed into a squat out of sight. “It’s Josh.”

I shrunk down beside her, not wanting to be seen dressed like a geek.

And, of course, to be a supportive friend.

Willie dropped down too, probably thinking this was normal behavior in the future. Or maybe he just felt light-headed. I wouldn’t blame him.

Only Nate remained standing, though I didn’t think he’d be too crazy about getting caught dressed the way he was either.

“Did he see us?” Lucinda squeaked.

“I don’t think so,” I said.

She peeked around the bumper of her car. Josh and a couple guys I didn’t recognize, maybe new friends who also went to UF, sauntered by, laughing and joking like they didn’t have a care in the world.

I hated them.

Lucinda dropped onto her butt, and let out a slow, soft groan. “I still can’t believe it’s over.”

“Well, maybe it’s for the best,” I said in my most comforting voice. “He wasn’t really there for you anyway.”

Lucinda sniffed into a tissue she’d plucked from a pocket in her shorts. “No, he wasn’t, was he?”

“You can do better than him.”

“Oh, it just hurts so much.” She leaned into my shoulder and cried. I patted her on the back while Nate stood with his arms folded, leaning against the car. His eyes narrowed as he shot irritated glances our way. He wasn’t hiding the fact that he’d rather be anyplace but here.

Lucinda hiccupped, and put on a brave face. “Sorry for the public breakdown.”

“No, problem. But Nate and I need our clothes now.”

Lucinda got her feet. “Yeah, sorry.” She unlocked her car so that Nate and I could get our real clothes. I hated leaving her with nothing but a wet tissue, but I really couldn’t wait to step into the public restroom and change out of this stiff dress.

She climbed into the driver’s seat and I opened the passenger door for Willie. “Hop in. Just think of it as a carriage without horses. By the way,” I waved over to Lucinda, “this is Lucinda. She knows about my ‘gift,’ if you have any questions.”

Which I was 100 percent sure he had. He cautiously scrutinized every bit of the door before getting in.

Nate was already half way to the restrooms. “Nate?” I called, my voice thin and cracking.
I’m sorry
.

He flicked a hand up in my direction. “Not now.”

I’d really ticked him off, and I wasn’t sure how to go about making nice. I did regret not taking him. Maybe he could’ve talked some sense into Tim, or even forced him to hang onto me.

As it was, my brother was to remain a missing person.

I stepped inside a stall to change. My long arms managed to undo the zipper at the back, a sure give-away I was wearing a costume and not the real thing as zippers weren’t invented in 1862, and I let it fall to my feet. It was such a relief to get back into my shorts and blouse.

Nate was already sitting in the back seat of Lucinda’s car by the time I joined them. I climbed in beside him, super aware of the frosty wall that had sprung up between us.

Lucinda’s eyes were still a little red, but at least she wasn’t crying anymore. In fact, she and Willie seemed to be very friendly. Lucinda was in the middle of explaining how a car engine worked, and I was impressed. I didn’t know she knew that much about mechanics.

“Home, James,” I said lightly as if Lucinda was our chauffeur. I’d hoped to lift the heaviness in the car, but it was to no avail. With Lucinda’s heartache, Willie’s freaked out bewilderment, and Nate’s anger, I could barely breathe.

Lucinda pulled into traffic and drove us back to the park by my house. She turned off the ignition, and we all sat there, quiet. Our arms were crooked at the elbows, and each of us leaned out of our windows. A slight breeze edged in on the muggy air.

Finally, Nate spoke. “Willie can come home with me for now. My brother’s room is free.”

Willie swivelled to look at me. “You’ll be able to get me back, won’t you?”

“Sure,” I said with too much enthusiasm.

All I had to do was make sure Willie was touching me next time I traveled, even though I don’t get hardly any warning going from the present to the past. No problem.

“I need to get home,” Lucinda said, nudging us to get out.

Nate and I grabbed our costumes and climbed out along with Willie.

“Thanks, Lucinda,” I said.

“Sure thing,” she said back. Then to Willie, “Bye, nice to meet you.”

Was it my imagination, or did she and Willie keep eye contact for a little longer than necessary?

I thought Nate would grab Willie, march back to his car and hightail it away from me. Instead he sat on a nearby bench. Willie wandered around staring at the houses in the neighborhood across from the park, taking in the cars that slowed as they passed, the kids riding on bikes and playing in the colorful, high-concept fiberglass playground. An airplane flew overhead on its way to Logan Airport and Willie dropped to the lawn like a rock.

I ran to his side. “It’s okay.”

He panted. “What was that?”

“It’s called an airplane.”

“What
is
it?”

“It’s a mechanical vehicle, like Lucinda’s car, except it can fly.”

“There are
people
in it?”

I nodded. “It sounds crazy, but it’s scientifically sound.”

Willie shut his eyes and blew heavy breaths into the grass. I hoped he wasn’t about to hyperventilate.

“Sit up and put your head between your knees,” I said. He did it without question. “Now breathe into your hands.”

After a few moments, his breaths slowed to a more normal state. “This is so fantastical,” he croaked out.

“It’s a lot to take in at once, and well, there’s a lot more out there than you’ve seen so far.” I thought it best to give him fair warning. “But you’ll be okay, and I’ll get you home.” Somehow.

Once Willie looked like he’d survive, at least for a while, I went back to Nate.

“Is he okay?” Nate said.

“For now.”

“This must be super crazy for him. I bet he’s really happy he knows you.”

I felt slapped. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Nate shrugged and crossed his arms over his chest. “So, what happened to Tim? Why is Willie here instead?”

I slipped onto the bench beside him, exhausted. The last thing I wanted to do was fight with Nate. All I wanted to do was go home to bed, but I could see by his frown that he’d have none of that. Plus I knew I looked like crap. I always came back with raccoon eyes, black like I’d run into a door. Twice. Best to just get this over with.

“Tim enlisted in the army.”

“What?”

“He thinks it’s some big adventure. When we first went back, he asked all the same kinds of questions you had, like was I afraid of changing history or afraid of dying there. I made the mistake of telling him my theory that I couldn’t have died there, since I was still here. Now he thinks he’s invincible or something.”

“Oh, man.”

“He’s acting like he’s on some kind of field trip.” I mimicked Tim while finger quoting, “‘A once in a life time educational experience
.
’
But I don’t know if my theory is sound. Not for sure. And even if he doesn’t die there, he could get hurt.”

A yawn overtook my face and my hand flew to cover my gapping mouth. “Anyway,” I continued, “Josephine and I rode to the camp where his regiment is training, and I snuck in...”

Nate’s eyes snapped wide. “You snuck in?”

“Yeah, Josephine distracted the soldier guarding the entrance.”

Nate pinched his eyes together. “That sounds dangerous.”

“He was just a kid. I could’ve taken him,” I joked, but Nate didn’t laugh.

“I found Tim by the barracks, erroneously assuming he was of sound mind and would like to come back to his own time, but no. He fought me on it. We had to talk in this forced whisper; I was constantly worried I’d get caught. The more he resisted the angrier I got.

“Then Willie appeared. The trip had already triggered, so I grabbed Tim’s hand. But he pulled it away, pulling me off balance in the process. Willie only thought he was keeping me from hitting the dirt when he caught my arm. That’s how come he’s here and not Tim.”

Nate let out a low whistle. “That sucks.”

“Yup.” I stood hiding another wide yawn with my hand. “I have to go home.”

“Sure,” Nate said. I waited for him to stand, too, expecting him to walk me back to my house where his car was. Instead he motioned toward Willie.

“I’ll take care of our accidental tourist.”

I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat. “Okay. Thanks. Call me later?”

“Yeah.”

He turned his back on me to fetch Willie. No hug or kiss good bye. I’d really blown it this time.

In five minutes I was home, but before I reached my front door I was stopped by Chase, who waved a hose in my direction. He was washing a car, and his t-shirt was soaked and clinging to his chest in a way that wasn’t at all unflattering. His long jeans covered bare feet.

“Hey,” I said. I imagined it sucked being new in the summer, when you didn’t have much chance to meet people. I was tired, but I didn’t want to seem unfriendly. “Who’s winning?”

He laughed and turned the nozzle on the hose off. “It is, I think.”

“Nice car.” Up close I could see it was an older model Mustang, in good shape. “Is it yours?”

His lips turned up into a crooked grin.“Yup,”

Wow, nice wheels for a teenager.

“Gift from your parents?”

“Nope. I had a job in New York.”

He dried his hands on a towel and strolled over, capping his eyes from the sun “No boyfriend?” he said, nodding to Nate’s car.

“Oh, he’s coming later.”

“Hey, wait a minute.” Chase leaned toward me and peered deeply into my eyes, and I noticed how blue his were, like the sky on a sunny day. “Did he hit you?”

Right, my raccoon eyes. I stepped back and cupped my eyes like the sun suddenly got too bright. “No, of course not. He’s not like that.”

Chase folded his arms across his chest. “That’s what they all say.”

“All who?”

“Women who are abused. They never blame the guy.”

“He didn’t do anything. I’m just tired.”

“Okay. But if you need someone...” he punched one hand with his other fist. “I’ll take him out for you.”

It was shocking yet sweet, how he so willingly came to my defense. “Thanks, Chase, but I’ll be fine.”

“If you say so.”

I said goodbye and headed for the front door. I snuck a look back as I went in. Chase Miller hadn’t taken his eyes off me.

Chapter Sixteen

TIM

I’d screwed up. Worse than my other screw ups. Way worse. I almost had a coronary watching Casey
and
Willie disappear before my eyes.

I actually felt sick, and jogged to the latrine.

Willie was gone.
Willie was gone!

I brushed past James and headed for the first stall. A disgusting noise erupted from my throat that accompanied an upheaval into one of the toilets, a smelly hole in the ground that didn’t help my nausea
at all
.

“Everything all right, Timothy? James asked. “Meals here aren’t fit for my dog. I feel like vomiting myself.”

“Uh, yeah,” I mumbled as I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. “Stomach’s off.”

“Hope you’re not contagious. Last thing this regiment needs, now that we’re shipping out in the morning.”