CURSE (The Travels of Tavis Parks)

Tavis Parks was born in the late 20th Century preceding me by exactly two years, he was just a boy who quickly became a man.

I first became aware of Tavis when I was 16 and from that point in history our lives became inexorably entwined, I would like to think that we became friends even though most of our communication was limited to brief messages via the web sometimes directly through chatrooms but more often when he was in hiding or running we would secrete hidden messages into innocent text in various online publications, websites or networking sites. It is more than likely that you may come across remaining remnants of these messages especially if you search his name – maybe that is how you arrived at this particular place.

Anyway these are the writings of Tavis Parks – I have not edited them, preferring to leave untouched complete with all the original errors – you may also notice that now and again past and present tense become skewed this is due to the nature of time and the overwhelming influence or Aurora, you will just have to read on to gain an understanding of Aurora and how it became such a force.

With my limited programming skills I have managed to initiate a system that will automatically deliver these posts to this site whenever possible so check regularly or subscribe and receive them direct. The postings will appear in the original order as Tavis desired but this will not always prove to be chronologically correct, my best suggestion is to just go with it and it will eventually work itself out – (time has a way of doing that).

So please read on – starting way down at the bottom of the page eventually ending back up here (if you cannot see any posts below, either click on the archive list to the left of here or click on the tittle header above) – good luck and please remember that a great number of souls perished to bring this before your eyes and that some of us are still suffering.


L.B.

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N.B. As this post probably comes from your future the latest entries will be directly below this one unless of course you are from my future.

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Lucie has broken through, somehow she has managed to access Aurora and is now able to post on this blog - this has been a long time coming - I hope the wait was worth it.

Quote: Tavis Parks 11-12-2012

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-Remember to subscribe to this blog to guarantee regular updates of Tavis -

**** Tavis Parks will appear as a graphic novel in the new year contact for details of publishing dates ****

New Novel

Latest News

Tavis Parks will appear in the brand new graphic novel 'The Curse'

Available in the new year

Tic Toc

Tavis waits.

He sits upon the purple grass.

It is the same place he has sat for the previous 1000 days.

He would move but he can see little point.

He has no needs.

He requires nothing.

The void provides all.

Tavis waits

Meet the old boss

I am walking down a street. Rows of three story terraced buildings line the road on both sides, some are offices, some are homes, as I pass a bank I look down through black painted metal railings into what is a basement apartment, I can see a young woman dressed in only a shirt making breakfast in her kitchen, my shadow passes over her and she looks up smiles and then steps back out of view. It is early morning and the sun is breaking above the roof tops sneaking through the gaps peering out from behind chimney pots and warming me. I stop a man who walks toward me dressed in a business suit and bowler hat, "Can you tell me where I am?"

"Drunks," he spits at me. "National bloody service would sort you out."

"Well - please could you tell me the time?"

"After seven," he shouts back as he continues on his way. "Time for normal people to go to work, bloody layabouts."

"Thanks - thanks a million," I continue down the way. A little further on and I can see a sign on a street that joins from the left, it reads 'South Audley Street' and in smaller red lettering below 'City of Westminster'.

"Ok so i am in London on a chilly morning." I say to myself and anyone else who is passing by and cares to listen. Adding. "Why?"

"Why, indeed." Says a man who is now stood beside.

"Oh hi," I say a little startled.

"Hi," says the stranger. He has a warm face with a large smile that beams out at me, he rubs his heavily stubbled chin and pops a cigarette in his mouth. "You got a light man?" he asks me.

"Errr sorry no - I don't smoke."

"Ok," His thick eyebrows tighten down a little from below his mop of unkempt black hair. "No sweat, I know there is a shop around here somewhere."

"Yes I think I passed one back there," I offer pointing back towards the bank.

"Cool, thanks man." The stranger turns to walk away but then stop and looks back at me, "you ok kid?"

"Funny I was just thinking the same about you," I offer a smile looking at his grubby T-shirt and faded jeans. "Do you always walk about without shoes and socks?" I ask.

The stranger laughs looking down at his bare feet, "not always, I just forget sometimes."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."He says and then draws deeply on the unlit cigarette.

"It may seem like an odd question."

"That's cool, I am used to weird stuff. But can we do this as we walk I am desperate for this ciggy."

"Addicted eh?" I laugh.

"Like you wouldn't believe, come on kid I think I remembered that the shop is down at the bottom or Curzon Street"

We begin to walk, "My name is Tavis," I say.

"Hello Tavis, I am Keith. So what was the weird thing you wanted ask me?"

"What is the date?"

"That's not a weird question my friend, in fact it is one I ask myself every time I wake up." He slaps his arm across my shoulder and chuckles. "Looks like we both had a heavy night last night eh?"

"Something like that," I say - great I have to pick the one person in London who is even more clueless than myself so I broaden my question. "Ok do you know what month it is?"

"Wow, you have been on a big one. You must know Harry?"

"Harry?"

"Yes chief - Harry. Hes a serious boozer, he looses months when he is on a bender. I am staying at his place just back down there."


"No sorry I don't know him. Just the year will do then, do you remember what year it is?" I offer in desperation.


"Give me minute mate, well I went to this do last night with Paul, so it must be September 5th 6th I think or something close, but defo 1978 is that any goood?." Keith for the first time since we met stops smiling and looks at me with a worried look. "Listen kid, its fun to have fun - booze, drugs, but just take care this shit grabs hold of you and before you know it it can really screw you over."

"Oooh thanks Keith but its not that, I have been traveling and I am just a little disorientated."


"That's cool, jet lag eh."

"Something like that." We cross a narrow lane that disappears down behind a terrace and I glance at the strange squat metal bins that sit beside the back gates to these properties some are gathered together in groups like pods of alien robots deep in discussion.

The streets are beginning to get busier as people scurry about running for buses, hailing taxis. Most ignore us, but some stare at us or say hello to Keith, sometimes passing comment as they hurry along. Keith smiles pleasantly nodding and avoiding eye contact wherever possible.

Two pretty young things sidle up to us, they stop and block our way, "Hi Keith," they giggle.

"Ladies," Keith replies, "Listen would either of you have a light?"

"Yes Keith," the blonde one replies taking a box of swan vesta from her handbag and handing it to him. He lights his cigarette and offers to return the box "Would you sign it for me?" She asks.

"Sure," Keith inhales deeply and I watch the red tip glow and burn quickly down through the white paper. "You got a pen?"

It is the turn of the non blonde to giggle and hand him a pen, she blushes as Keith smiles, his eyes twinkle with devilment as he notices her reddening cheeks. "So what are you two doing today?" He hands back the signed match box and the pen.

"Working," the girls say in unison.

"Pity," Laughs Keith. "You two have a great day."

"We will," They chuckle as they totter away on wedges, occasionally looking back at him over their shoulders.

"Onwards and upwards," He laughs adding. "But unfortunately not with those two."

"Are you famous or something?" I ask him.

"Yeah something like something. Now lets find that shop." He takes one final puff from his cigarette removes another from the pack within his jeans and lights it before discarding the spent butt. " Lets keep our heads down Tavis or we will never get there."

"Ok."

"Quick march," Keith bellows loudly, instantly alerting everyone on the block to our presence. I tilt my head down towards the ground in embarrassment, pretending I am not really with him as he links arms with me and begins to goosestep along the pavement.

Predictably less than ten paces on and we are blocked again. "Ok buddy you got a pen and paper and I will sign it." Says Keith curtly

"It is not your autograph I want. - It is his soul" The man points to me.

I look up to see the familiar hooked beak and sinister smirk. "Drufus."

"Good morning Tavis." Drufus is dressed smartly in a business suit accesorized with a leather brief case and a 9mm that he pulls from his jacket pocket and points at my head.

Keith spots the gun and turns, running away he shouts. "Leg it Tavis."

Drufus lines up the gun on Keith and as he does I kick him squarly between the legs, the gun drops from his hand and I turn and charge after Keith expecting at any moment to be hit in the back by a bullet. Keith ducks down an alleyway and I am hot on his heels less than a single pace behind him, we run down to the bottom taking a right and then we dive behind a row of bins and sit on the floor panting. Keith whispers to me,"I dropped my ciggy can you see it?"

"No." I say attempting to keep my breathing and voice as low as possible.

"A friend of yours?" Once again Keith smiles that broad beam of a smile.

"Are you not scared?" I ask. "That guy is a psycho. He would kill us in the blink of an eye."

"Like I said man, life is weird. I just take it as it comes, but believe me I like to give it back and then some."

"Ok - OK, Can you see him?" I ask.

Keith lifts head above the line of bins, " Naaa nothing, hey but I can see my ciggy." He stands and walks across the alley to pick up the smouldering shaft of tobacco he dusts it down and pops it back into his mouth. "It's cool kid, we have shaken him off.

"It's never that easy with Drufus." I stand and as I do a gate on the opposite wall of the alley opens and a small Chinese guy sticks his head out and beckons us in. "This way Tavis - quickly before the monkeys return."

"Hi," says Keith as we pass through the entrance into the back garden of a house and head towards the rear of the building.

"This way," Whispers the Chinese guy. "You will be safe down here Tavis."

Keith looks at me, "so are you famous of something?"

"Or something," I reply smiling at him.

"Could you ask your friend if he has a spare box of matches and a drink would be good," Keith whispers to me as we enter a small basement flat.

"He is not my friend - I have no idea who he is."

The Chinese guy closes the door and bolts it, he turns to us, bows slightly and introduces himself, "I am Benjamin Constance and I have been sent to help you Tavis."

"Hi," I say, adding."This is Keith and before he asks, do you have a light and possibly a drink?"

Benjamin leads us through to a sitting room that is lit entirely by candles. "Help yourself." He indicates to a multitude of burning candles and the many boxes of matches scattered about on shelves and on a coffee table positioned in the centre of the room.

"Thanks man," says Keith picking up a book of matches from the table and trousering it. He then reaches for a bottle of Bowmore single malt from a shelf, removes the cork and takes a long swig. He offers the bottle to me. I decline."Listen guys, I must be getting back, my old lady Annette will be wondering where I am."

"Ok," I say and shake his hand. "Nice to meet you."

"Yeah, you to Tavis. - Very trippy - you take care. Hey look," Keith points to todays newspaper on the sofa. "Look at the date it is the 7th of September, I was very close Tavis."

"Yes, you were, thanks Keith. You have a good day."

"Oh I will Tavis. Today will be the best. Everyday is the best they always are." He takes another swig of whisky, removes a role of twenty pound notes from his pocket and throws it onto the table, "For the whisky, something to keep me company on my way home." He gives me that big smile again and then turns to Benjamin."Now then Ben my old mate can you point me in the direction of Curzon Place?"

Benjamin Constance shows Keith to the front door and the steps that lead up and onto the busy street, giving him brief directions home he bids him farewell and returns to me in the sitting room and asks. "Do you know who that was?"

"Yes sure I do, it was Keith." I slump down into the soft cushions of the sofa. "Now tell me,who sent you to look after me?"

Boys Toys

8.6 light years from Earth hidden in the enormous glow of its larger and brighter sister hangs a white dwarf know as Sirius B, 20 miles above this stellar sibling and its boiling gasses hover 5 globes arranged in a perfect circle creating a crystal crown for this once majestic star.

The five members of The Assemblage of Eternal Travelers are deep in conversation, they have been to this place many times choosing to use it knowing that the incredible forces of nature that are taking place below work as an ideal mask, camouflaging them and their discussions from unwanted attention.

"So what of Tavis and his sister?" Asks Professor Stemme the owner and occupant of globe number one.

Mr Hartdegen answers. "They are safe for now hidden within the void."

"Good, and McFizzer?"

"He is keeping a watchful eye on the pair."

"From a suitable distance I hope." Chuckles Professor Stemme from within globe one.

"Oh yes, Professor, he has orders to be discreet and to only observe from as you say a suitable distance."

DoubleDay the dweller of globe three speaks. "How much do they know Mr Hartdegen?"

"The brother and sister only know what we had all agreed I would tell them and that appears to have been just enough to make them comfortable with the situation - most importantly they still have no idea of how critical they are to our plans, and McFizzer as ever thinks he knows everything when in reality he knows absolutely nothing."

Professor Stemme rotates his globe slightly to face directly towards DoubleDay. "How is the other girl progressing? I forget her name.."

"Lucie Bentley, she is fine. It is astounding how quickly some species adapt to extreme situations. I find that if I allow her certain privileges she responds very well. A gentle nudge here and gentle nudge there and soon see will be ready to play her part."

"Excellent," Professor Stemme rubs his hands together and smiles at his associates. "Well gentlemen I propose we adjourn, Mr Hartdegen and I will return to the void and point Tavis and Lilly toward their destiny, you all have your tasks to complete, good luck and happy hunting. Come Mr Hartdegen lets go wind up our toys and let them go."

The liquid in the five globes turns ink black and they scatter into infinity.

What a Wuss

"So what about Lilly, did you have a hand in her death?" I demanded.

"No I didn't, I......."

"Well ok did you manipulate the situation so that McFizzer of someone like him could do the deed?"

"No Tavis and please just allow me to speak so that I may explain. As you are now aware the car crash that killed your parents was no accident, I cannot be certain of the exact details because as I have already stated I had no part to play in the tragedy but I can tell you three things that I know to be irrefutable true.

One - the accident was instigated by Drufus who somehow cajoled or coned McFizzer into doing his dirty work.

Two - You only survived because of your natural ability to time travel, at the very moment of impact your god given instincts kicked in and flipped you through time, not very far just a matter of seconds but critically this was enough to deposit you outside of the vehicle and so safe from the flames. It is not uncommon in our kind for a traumatic experience to trigger the ability to travel and this is precisely what you experienced.

Three - Lily did survive - she is alive and in hiding."

The nine words Hartdegen spoke left me speechless and breathless, I stood looking down at him sitting cross-legged within his glass orb, eventually through torrents of tears I manage to string a sentence together. "Hiding - where? I must go to her she will be frightened and she is alone."

Hartdegen stood and smiled at me, "Yes - quite right you should be with your sister. Turn around Tavis."

My vision was blurred with tears but as I wiped then from my eyes and turned I could see someone running towards me, it was my sister.

"Lilly." I shouted. Laughing and crying.

"My god Tavis - look at the state of you." she said as she hugged me.

I wrapped my arms around her and whispered, "I thought you had gone I thought I had lost you forever."

"No such luck bro," she laughed, adding. "Have you got a tissue you are getting snot in my hair?"

The Assemblage of Eternal Travellers

Hartdegen fixed me with his deep brown eyes and began his tale. "First off I would like to make one thing clear to you, the death of your parents was never intended and we played no part it in."

I made to refute this comment but Hartdegen continued, "Please just listen Tavis and when I have finished if you wish to end all of this I will transport you back to your own time and have no further part in your destiny."

"Sounds like Hobsons choice to me - I will still have to deal with Drufus."


"And others but it will be your choice."

"I Guess - but I still do not understand any of this - who are you - and why choose me?

"Well you now understand the nature of the void and I believe you can appreciate how it must always remain intact magically separating past, present and future.

"Yes."

"Left to its own devices this is how it would have remained but unfortunately just as on your planet greed is often a driving force and it can become all consuming shooting logic out of the equation. I am sorry to say this was no different for us?"

"Us," I ask

"Yes Tavis us. - The travelers. The nomads of time, beings who can flip through millenia with no more effort than it takes to breath. You are now a fellow of the most exclusive club ever to exist a fraternity with members from the four corners or the universe and from every era."

"How many travelers."

"As a percentage of the entire life force we are minuscule but in round figures two million souls."

"That is a big club - the Christmas party must be outstanding."

"Compared to the area we cover in time and space we have no more presence than a handful of sugar scattered about a continent. At one time you could journey for an entire life and never meet another traveller but in more recent times communities of travellers have started to form pockets of like minded people, some working on projects of discovery, others just telling the tale and exchanging news and gossip"

"So what's the deal with you manipulating my life, couldn't you have just left me to discover time travel for myself?"

"For the majority of travellers that is how we prefer it to be left alone to develop their talent, some fall by the wayside never reaching full potential but most progress to gain a complete understanding of what they can achieve and so lead a full and enjoyable life possibly ending up as part of one of the groups. Unfortunately we could not wait for you to mature we had to intervene."

"Why?"

"As I said greed became a factor and a theory began to emerge that if the void could be pierced and the resulting energy contained and then harvested this would result in great power and wealth, much as oil has done for certain nations upon Earth. So for several decades our scientists worked on the principles of how to achieve this - tirelessly fine tuning and modifying their calculations. Engineers designed vast machines that would drill down through time and tap off the enormous energy and after many years of hypothesis it was agreed to put all of this knowledge into practice. A Planet was chosen for the experiment and the equipment was readied it was agreed that because of the potential hazards only a limited number of people would attend the site of the drilling, ten in total, myself and nine others. The scientists had calculated that the immediate area surrounding the drilling would become unstable so these globes were designed to emulate the void and so afford us some protection, the fluid that i am suspended within is essentially the atmosphere or the void distilled and concentrated. Once we had been placed within these vessels the drilling began."

"Who were the nine others?"

"Mostly scientists, a couple of our senor travelers, myself and the project director."

"So what happened, am i now talking to the wealthiest man in the universe?" I laughed.

"Far from it Tavis, the drilling was a success and we achieved our aim of tunnelling through to the void, however we had greatly miscalculated the forces that would be unleashed and the mechanism designed to cap the flow and tap off the power failed instantly allowing past and future to mingle and spew out into the present the result of this unnatural brew was pure evil. Chaos."

"But you survived."

"Yes thanks to good fortune and the integrity of this globe I survived however the blast has somehow sealed me in here."

"You cannot get out?"

"I cannot. Myself and five of the others became prisoners of their globes."

"And the other five?"

"Two were atomised - killed instantly - the remaining three survived - two injured horrendously exposed to the full force of evil they mutated into beings the likes of which I had never seen before."

"What of the third survivor?"

" He was physically unharmed, but I cannot vouch for his sanity, maybe you could give me your considered opinion of Project Director Drufus."

"Drufus.."

"Yes Drufus. It was he who first proposed the experiment he was always around prompting and pushing dispelling doubts and encouraging more and faster development, he was the obvious choice for the position of project director."

Hartdegen continued to tell me of the ungodly visions he witnessed on that day - of how they struggled to cap the flow and how they eventually succeeded. He told me of how the capping mechanisms had been sabotaged and how it was determined that Drufus was to blame, of how they disabled the drill for ever by removing key components and scattering them randomly through out time. Not unsurprisingly Drufus did one and disappeared along with the two mutants. He told me how the remaining five survivors agreed to make a pact to track down Drufus and how a mandate was agreed between all contactable travellers that the five would become guardians, policing time to ensure that such a catastrophe never reoccurred. The five became know as The Assemblage of Eternal Travellers.

All throughout this discussion I was troubled by something - a nagging feeling - something Hartdegen had said and then I realised what it was, "You said my parents."

"Sorry?" Queried Hartdegen.

"You said that you had nothing to do with the death of my parents.....What about Lilly?"

"Yes I believe that is what I said."

Puppet On A String

"So this is the void?" McFizzer confirms. "It is not how I imagined it would look."

"It is what it is," Says Hartdegen. "It appears differently to almost everyone and can also change with the visitors mood, some find it a serene environment others a foreboding and menacing place, the void feeds on the soul of the visitor taking its cue from your very core.

"What is the purpose of the void? Asks McFizzer.

"It is a buffer."

"A buffer between what?"

"Between the now and the past and the future - it sits as a barrier never allowing the past - present and future to come into direct contact."

"Why?" I ask, wondering if my question was stupid or very profound.

"Because it is how nature protects the very survival of the universe, imagine the void as a simple cooking pot, you place the pot upon a fire and heat it, you then add oil, you allow the oil to simmer so that you can cook a basic process that occurs time after time without mishap. But what happens if the pot fractures if the buffer is broken and falls away? Chaos - The oil leaks onto the flames and becomes an uncontrollable fireball."

It turns out that my question was kinda intelligent after all and McFizzer is silent so I ask another. "Why are we here?"

"As travelers you have been here on many occasions - whenever you pass from one time to another you must traverse the void, sometimes this may happen in a blink of an eye and you may not be aware of it - on others you may catch a fleeting glimpse or feel the void within your bones put pass through it you must, this is what makes us special, we are able to navigate a path from past to present to future."

"But I have never navigated anywhere - it just happens and I have no idea why."

"You are young Tavis, eventually you will learn to control your abilities and become your own master but for now you must rely on us and others to direct you, that is why we have provided you with the services of McFizzer and you will meet others on your travels that we have positioned to help you fulfil your destiny."


"What! You mean you are manipulating me like some character in a video game?"

"No no," Hartdegen shakes his head and smiles. "No Tavis it is much subtler than that and you must understand that we had to react to the developing situation."

"What developing situation - and why should I worry about your developing situation".

I become angry - very angry. Was all this somebodies doing? The deaths and the torture - and then a thought struck me square between the eyes harder than any punch I had received at the hands of Drufus. "Did you kill my family?" I asked leaning close in my face pressed upon the glass.

"No Tavis." Hartdegen held his stare on me, "I did not kill your family."

"How do I know this? - How can i trust you? - you may be just like Drufus and intent on getting your own way," I stand and turn away. "How do I know who I can trust?"

McFizzer stands and places his hands upon my shoulders. "You can trust Mr Hartdegen."

"But how do I know this? He may be responsible for murdering the only people I could trust, how do I know McFizzer? He admits to using me for his own ends - he is just like Drufus a cold and calculating killer. You are always telling me to open my heart and trust my instincts, well my instinct tell me that he killed my family."

"It wasn't him Tavis."

"How can you know that? You are just like me - a pawn - something for him and his cronies to play with."

"I know he didn't do it," McFizzer tightens his grip on my shoulder. "I know he didn't do it Tavis because it was me."

I spin around and push my face toward McFizzer. "You." I spit the word at him.

"Yes Tavis - I am soldier and assassin. I am so sorry but I had no choice, I caused your car to crash on that day killing your family. I am as guilty as an executioner with a bloody axe.

"What? Why? I scream at him and clench my hand aiming a blow at his chin, my fist passes straight through McFizzers face and I stumble to the ground.

"Calm yourself Tavis." Hartdegen commands me from within his cocoon.

"Make me if you are so powerful." I role over looking for McFizzer. "Where is he? Where is the murderer hiding?"

Hartdegen repeats, "Calm yourself Tavis - he is no longer here I have removed McFizzer from the void. He is back in his own time."

I look at Hartdegen, "Why don't you come out of that over sized Christmas decoration and face me like a man, you may not have directly killed my family but you must have put McFizzer in the position to enable him to do what he did."

"Tavis sit and listen to what I have to tell you and then make your judgement, be decent enough and allow me the chance to explain the circumstances that led to the demise of your family."

"Decency - what would you know about decency? - Give me one good reason why I should waste my time listening to you?"

Hartdegens tone becomes threatening. "How about this for a good reason? We are both here within the void - you are trapped and I am free to go as I please, so how about if I disappear for a decade or so and see how cooperative you are when I return."

"I would be dead before then, there is no food or water that I have seen."I throw back almost childishly.

"Tavis the normal rules of existence do not prevail within the void, the fact is you will be just as you are now unchanged except that you will have experienced the passing of ten long years, and I don't have to stop at ten years how does fifty sound, all alone in silence without even the passing of a sun to mark time. You see Tavis I have been doing this for so long now that time has become irrelevant to me. So make your choice we can do this now or we can do this sometime in the future."

I sit sheepishly, taking up the position McFizzer had previously - cross-legged hands out stretched touching the glass and then I remove my hands from the globe and laugh at Hartdegen. "But you need me, that is obvious now, you need me for something and I doubt you are able to wait ten years."

Hartdegen softens his voice and smiles at me, "Bravo Tavis - bravo, you are a bright boy. Yes you are quite correct I and my associates do need you, but trust me if I have to I will abandon you to the void leaving you to drift in flux for an eternity or even worse if by your inaction the void is compromised then you will understand the true meaning of evil and do you wish to be alone when you face that?"

If for no other reason than that I was tired of all the banter and worn down by the revelation from McFizzer I agreed with Hartdegen, so I replaced my hands upon the glass dome and listened.

That's Familiar

The face at first appears to be floating detached from torso and limbs but then as the liquid clears a man steps forward, and sits cross-legged placing his hands upon the inside of the globes surface so as to mirror McFizzers position exactly. The man is in is mid 40s, dressed in a dark brown tweed suit white shirt with green tie and brown brogues upon his feet. He is of a dark complexion his hair jet black and slick he is clean shaven except for long sideburns that extend down to the side of his chin.

McFizzer speaks first, "Who are you?"

The man answers, "My name is Hartdegen."

"Hello Mr Hartdegen I am McFizzer and this is my companion Tavis Parks."

Hartdegen looks toward me and nods and then returns his attention to McFizzer," How may I assist you?" He asks.

"Where are we?" I ask as I sit besides McFizzer and place my malformed hand upon the globe.

"You are in the void."

Otherness

“Where are we?” I ask McFizzer as we walk through a particularly beautiful meadow of lush green grass splattered with the yellow and white of a million daisies.

“Not sure.”

“Is it just me or do you feel strange – I can’t put my finger on it - just a strange feeling almost as if I am drunk.”

“A feeling of otherness?”

“I am not exactly sure what you mean but oddly enough ‘otherness’ would describe it. So if you have no idea where we are how come you know we have a days walk to get to where we have to be?”

“I feel it.” As I said before, “Open your mind Tavis – this will all become so much easier for you if you can banish your skepticism and relax and let time flow through you.”

“I will try.”

“Good.” McFizzer stops and places his opened hand above his brow to shield his eyes from a golden sun, “Look over there down in the valley just beyond the purple field.”

“I can’t see anything.”

“Keep looking, you will.”

Eventually I see a faint flash of light “I can see it,” I say.

“Good.”

“What is it?”

“It is a flash of light.”

“Duhhh yeah I could have told you that.”

“So why ask me?”

We continue walking toward the light in silence, something about our surroundings demanded peace. Occasionally we pause to take a bearing, but curiously never to rest - for some reason neither of us become weary we just continue walking as if pulled by an invisible force. Eventually we arrive at the field of purple grasses and within a mile of our journeys end.

“It looks like a greenhouse,” I say looking toward the source or the light and then reaching down to pluck a strand of grass from the ground to study the lilac stem and mauve seeds.

“It appears to be a large glass sphere,” answers McFizzer. “Maybe it is a shrine of sorts.”

“Let’s go see,” I say - now leading the way and sucking on the grass. “Hey this grass tastes of licorice.”


Leaving the field of purple grass we enter an area about the size of a tennis court, it is bordered by a low white picket fence and the surface is billiard table flat neatly mown into parallel lines, standing dead centre of this space is a perfect globe of glass about 20 feet in diameter. As we approach we can see that the globe is full of a fluid that is milky white in colour, the liquid is of a density that makes it impossible to see inside beyond the first few inches.

“Interesting.” McFizzer walks up to the globe and pushes his face against it peering in, I stand beside him and place my hand on the surface and I am surprised to find that it is warm almost body temperature.

“I have heard talk of something like this before.” McFizzer announces. “Stand back a little Tavis I want to try something.”

I take one pace back and then I watch as McFizzer sits cross-legged at the base of the globe and positions his hands upon the surface slightly apart. The fluid immediately begins to swirl around – slowly at first starting at the points where McFizzers hands come into the contact with the globe, then the whirlpools increases in size gradually filling the orb causing bubbles to rise as the milky fluid becomes a frothy boiling vortex. As the orb vibrates like a washing machine with a missing leg McFizzer holds steady focusing on the patch of glass directly in front of him, inside the maelstrom continues now with colours flashing through it - gold – red – blue – silver and finally black and then in an instant all is calm.

McFizzer speaks to blackness. “Show yourself, move forward and show yourself.”

Again he summons. “Show yourself, move forward and show yourself.”

Out of the dark viscera looms a face.

Sitting on a cold floor can give you hemorrhoids

I choose not to go into my home but decide instead to take refuge in the garage going through a side door that is always kept unlocked, I enter quickly and close the door behind me sitting on the floor with my back against the door. Waiting and listening I try to calm my rapid breathing fearing that Heldac and Heldor will hear me, I put my hand to my mouth to help silence myself only to be repulsed by the vile stench of the muck that is still clinging to my fingers. I listen for the approach of the twins but all I can hear is the continuing sounds of suburban life, a car passes by stops and doors slam, the distant wah wah of a police car and Mrs Spindler shouting for her children to come in and eat – apparently some of the local residence set their watches by her hollering, that woman has some voice on her.

Eventually my breathing slows and my eyes become more accustomed to the darkness, I can see all the usual paraphernalia that is our (my) garage, the paint tins, the lawnmower, ladders, bits of tools laying on a workbench over by the far wall and the bicycles. My eyes wander over these innocent items each having a different memory attached – one and all both pleasing and painful. I begin to wonder about what Drufus had said, could Lilly still be alive? But how could she be? Three bodies although unrecognizable were recovered from the car and one was that of an adolescent female (Lilly). My survival was apparently due to good fortune and also the fact that I hadn’t used my seatbelt and so was flung clear on impact. The oddest thing is I always use my seatbelt but I must have forgotten that morning.

Something moans and my daydreams evaporate and my senses heighten, it is coming from within the garage, I curse at myself for being such a fool – they must have been in here all the time watching and waiting and now they are ready to pounce.

Another moan.

I try the door but it has jammed I kick and barge at it but it won’t open - so I turn and ready myself for the assault – what are they waiting for? - Spotting an old garden fork over by the workbench I decide to make a grab for it, I launch myself across the garage and grab the folk twisting around so my back is against the bench. Where are they, why can’t I see them? Can they make themselves invisible? I shuffle towards my right and the main door hoping that I can somehow open it from the inside but as I do something grabs my ankle and moans, I raise the fork and aim it toward the source of the sound another moan and my leg is pulled out from under me, I tumble to the ground my head thumps onto the concrete floor my eyes open wide with terror and I can see a very familiar face inches away from mine.

“McFizzer?”

Another moan - I can now see he has a piece of tape across his mouth which I remove.

“McFizzer,” I repeat as I sit up and look down at him lying on the floor like a pile of dirty old washing.

“At your service,” he smiles. “Would you mind removing this?” he holds up his hands that are bound together by electrical cord. “Also there is some around my legs.”

I begin to undo the knots in the cord and then stop. “You are McFizzer, aren’t you?”

“Yes of course I am, who else would you expect me to be,” McFizzer pauses and then continues. “Ahhhhh you must have met Heldac and Heldor.”

“To right, - what are they all about?”

“They are beings of a cryptic nature that have evolved into something far more gruesome than nature ever intended.”

I undo McFizzer bindings and we both slide across the floor and sit resting against the work bench.

“Cryptic? I don’t understand.”

“A cryptic is an animal that can mimic something else, usually for protection or to hide - a camouflage of sorts. Heldac and Heldor are mutant cryptics - a perverse metamorphosis, they can transform themselves into an exact copy of any living creature taking on its mannerism, voice and even its memory, once transformed they are almost impossible to detect from the original.”

“And they can do this at will?”

“Yes, however for them to achieve the transformation they first have to eat the flesh of the person they wish to become. They are truly loathsome beings without conscience.”

“But Heldor became you. - How?”

McFizzer pulls back his shirt sleeve to reveal a wound on his forearm that judging by the teeth marks was a bite. “When I was returning from the shop they jumped me bundled me into here trussed me up and Heldor took a slice out of me,that is how. Please could you pass me my coat it is just over there.”

I pass McFizzer his coat and he takes the bottle of healing potion from a pocket and applies some of the liquid to the bite on his arm we both watch as the flesh slowly begins to knit itself back together magically repairing itself.

“No doubt if all had gone to plan they would have returned to feast on me later.”

Sat on the cool floor in the darkness of the garage I explain to McFizzer about my encounter with Drufus at number 22 about the brutal murder of Mr & Mrs Dennison and about how he still insists that Lilly is alive and is somehow important to him.

McFizzer listens intently and then says, “Drufus may be a cold single minded killer, he may be selfish and driven by his own personal gain but one thing he isn’t is a fool, so if he believes that your sister is still alive then maybe just maybe he is correct.”

Before I have a chance to respond, McFizzer stands puts on his trench coat and walks towards the door. “Come along Tavis, there are questions to be answered.”

“That door is jammed I couldn’t move it an inch.”

“Nonsense,” McFizzer turns the handle and pushes the door open. “Come along Tavis don’t dawdle it is time for action and we have at least a days walk from here.”

I step out of my garage into a field of corn waste high – I look back at where my home should be but it has gone – I am stood in open countryside not a building in any direction just fields and trees and hedgerows.

McFizzer is marching off toward the horizon I run after him following in the track he has forged.

Heavenly Twins (Not)

Mr Dennison and McFizzer grab me one under each arm and drag me into the sitting room they dump me on an armchair and step back, Drufus enters the room, the three of them stand before me.

Drufus speaks. “Ok Tavis we all know each other and we all know why we are here.”

“I know why you are here,” I say to Drufus. “But you McFizzer? I thought you were my friend, and as for Mr Dennison well that’s just outright weird…”

McFizzer interrupts “Sometimes Tavis we have to understand where our real loyalties reside and act accordingly no matter how difficult that may be.”

“Quite right McFizzer,” echoes Drufus. “Look Tavis, perhaps you and I didn’t get off to the best of starts, but since we first met I have considered your position and I can appreciate how all this may seem to you. What you have to understand is that we all have a common aim.”

“Oh yeah and does that include me getting a good kicking?”

Drufus continues. “Tavis you have to believe me that when we first met I didn’t understand what I was dealing with –with you. I thought you where just some punk of a kid out to get in my way, but having spoken to McFizzer I now realize that you are just an innocent party in all of this. Let me put this to you – how about you and I work together along with your friend McFizzer to our mutual benefit.”

“And how exactly is that going to work?”

“I am a powerful man.” McFizzer and Mr Dennison both nod in agreement with Drufus as he continues, “I can teach you how to control your destiny, how you can use time to your advantage so that you can have a fulfilling and long life. You will benefit from the knowledge that I have gathered throughout millennia you will become my protegee and who knows in the fullness of time my successor.”

“Ok – that all sounds great,” I say feeling a little inflated by the offer and perhaps just a little to cocky for my own good. “And you want what exactly?”

“Quite simple – the question still stands. Where is your sister Lilly?”

“Drufus I really don’t know how to answer this without getting a face full of knuckle but my answer also still stands – she is dead, she died on that day burnt in a wrecked car, I know this, I was there laying on the ground broken and burnt but alas not dead.”

Drufus turns and walks to the back of the room, I wait for someone to hit me, but McFizzer and Mr Dennison hold steady standing before me motionless.

“This cannot be.” Drufus turns back towards me. “As I said I am a powerful man and I know that this just cannot be.”

The lack of violence on my person has boosted my confidence a little more so I chance another question. “How do you know she is alive and yet have no clue as to where she is?”

“As I said I am a powerful person and these powers help me to feel people that are a important to me, it is like an extra sense and I can sense her – she is somewhere out in the void –hiding from me.”

Perhaps Drufus isn’t a crazy psychopath maybe Lilly is alive – I don’t understand how but I ask another question. “How can I help to find her, I would sacrifice anything to find Lilly, just tell me how.”

Drufus smiles a wry smile at me, pauses, looks to McFizzer and then says, “He is telling the truth.”

“Oh thank you……………..at last you believe me.”

“Yes unfortunately for you I do believe you and now I have absolutely no use for you whatsoever, so lets draw this charade to a conclusion” He looks again at McFizzer and orders, “dispose of him.”

“What." I cry.

“Yes master,” answers McFizzer, asking, “may we have him?”

“Do what you like just get him out of my sight.” Curses Drufus “Permanently.”

Yet again McFizzer and Mr Dennison pick me up and then this time drag me into the kitchen to meet Mrs Dennison who is sat at the kitchen table with her head at an unnatural angle quietly rotting. I ask Mr Dennison how he can allow such an obscene thing to happen to his wife.

“Because I did it to her.”

“You killed your own wife?”

“I killed her,” he chuckles “but she is not my wife,” and then before my eyes Mr Dennison dissolves - disappearing atom by atom and transforming into someone I had met before, someone I had met back in the church in 1874.

A four foot monkey creature now stands before me and introduces himself, “I am Heldac and this is my brother Heldor.” The creature turns toward McFizzer and we both watch as he dissolves down to become an identical being, a perfect twin grinning and gnashing his teeth.

The twins jump onto the kitchen table dislodging Mrs Dennison from her chair so that she falls to the floor, Heldac and Heldor look down at her oozing body and as they do I decide to take the only sensible coarse of action I can think of and throw myself at the back door bursting it open and running out into the garden, I don’t look back as I vault the fence and head home.

C - O - L - A ...................colaaaa

The fridge is empty so McFizzer has gone shopping, I am still not so sure that hanging around here waiting for Drufus to turn up is such a great idea, although it has given me a chance to watch all of the coverage of the Olympics in Beijing, and it has lifted my heart to see such fabulous efforts from all of team GB – winners all.

For the most part McFizzer and I have remained in the house and garden keeping as lower profile as possible with just the occasional nod to neighbours and sometimes a quick chat about the weather. Most people still feel uneasy talking to me, finding it awkward to unearth topics of conversation that somehow don’t come round to mentioning my family. I think once all this stuff is over I will look at selling this house and moving into an apartment in the city centre. Fortunately my father was an astute guy and had ample policies in place which have left me in a comfortable position with no real need to worry about money, but I think it would a positive move to up sticks at some point no matter how painful I may initially find it.


“How’s it going?”

“My god McFizzer – don’t sneak up on me like that.” I spin on my chair to see him stood in the doorway smiling at me. “You could give a guy a heart attack.”

“Sorry, I thought you would have heard me come in, I have something to tell you - so come and give me a hand with the shopping and we can chat.”

“Yes dear,” I mock and follow him into the kitchen.

“So what is it?” I ask loading a six pack of cola into the fridge.

“That guy opposite,”

“Mr Dennison.”

“Yes him, he just stopped me on the way in and we got chatting, I told him I was your uncle as we had discussed.”

“Ok – was he cool with that?”

“Yes, he appeared to be. But then he asked if we had seen any strangers wandering around early this morning.”

I froze mid shelf stacking – “do you think it could be Drufus?” Recently I had begun to convince myself that Drufus may have decided to leave me alone and that I was in the clear, but McFizzers comment sent my heart racing as that sick feeling in my stomach returned.

“I don’t know, it could be nothing, it could be quite innocent.”

“Yes I guess so.”

“Anyway we can find out.”

“How?”

“Mr Dennison has a security camera on the front of his house and it records onto one of those hard drive systems so we can go and take a look.”

“I told you he was obsessive,”

“Lucky for us he is.”

“Yes I suppose, - is he ok with us taking a look at the recording?”

“He was a bit stand-off-ish, but he relaxed somewhat when I told him I used to be a police officer.”

“And were you?”

“Nah,”

I laughed, “so when can we go over there?”

“As soon as this is shopping is put away, I asked him to put the kettle on.”

“Oh my god – it will be paper doilies at dawn.”

“What’s a doily?”

“Did you never go for tea at your grandparents when you where a kid?”

“Not yet,“ smiled McFizzer.

.

.

“The drains could do with a clean, “ I comment to McFizzer as we walk up the drive of number 22.

Mr Dennison opens the door before we have a chance to knock. “Do come in.” He smiles at me and then winks at McFizzer.

“What is that smell?” I gag as we enter the house.

“Yes sorry about that ,” says Mr Dennison. “I think there is a blockage, I have called a plumber to come and have a look.”

“Sorry, I can’t stay in here.” I say and turn to walk out but McFizzer pushes me back in and I stumble to the floor onto a pile of soggy blankets. McFizzer closes the door and drops the latch.

“McFizzer what are you doing, can’t you smell this?” I lift my hand from the blankets and look at it, my fingers are covered in a gooey substance that resembles brownish snot. “What is this? What is that stench?”

“It is the smell of death Tavis.” I look to the now open kitchen door and directly into the smiling face of Drufus. “It is the aroma of enzymes eating flesh and rupturing cells releasing the sweet wine of decay. It is considered by some to be a delicacy – please do try some.”

I look to my hand covered in the viscid stinking substance and then to McFizzer who is stood over me. “Try it Tavis, - it is delicious.” He cackles.

Two paradoxes are better than one; they may even suggest a solution.

Edward Teller (Hungarian-born) physicist (1908 - 2003)

My Top Ten

10 Rules of Time Travel
by Tavis Parks


1 – Always wear dark colours in simple and plain cuts – boots if possible. Black is best because apart from being ubber cool it also translates to most eras. A cape or cloak is a useful and adaptable accessory.

2 - Don’t drink the water unless someone vouches for its quality – try brewed or fermented beverages they are generally a safer drink and in modest quantities can help to reduce stress levels and improve overall demeanor.

3 – In the words of Douglas Adams ‘Don’t panic’ – if you feel the onset of extreme anxiety go to rule 2 and down another.

4 – When in a confrontational situation wherever possible run and hide. Leave the fighting to the warriors. (Warriors may ignore this rule unless they feel in need of a career change).

5 – Always carry a mobile phone or coms. device with WiFi and internet capability. Yes the web does transcend time and space (see Phobos).

6 – Keep contact with natives to a minimum and when interaction is inevitable always choose good looking people. There is no logic to this it just makes for a more pleasant experience and who knows you may pull.

7 – Contrary to popular belief it is possible to die in ones past – i.e. die before being born - so stay safe and away from pointy and shooty things.

8 – Monks and Nuns may be holy types but be wary they can also be very bad news – this is not some kinda anti-Christian vibe just consider this, can you think of a better disguise that is timeless and fits into almost any situation without question?

9 – If you ever see me – please feel free to introduce yourself, I need all the friends I can get.

10 – Do it your way – what do I know?

McFizzer would like me to make it clear that he had no part in the above rules although I can say that it did keep us entertained on a rainy afternoon whilst waiting for that nutter Drufus to turn up on my doorstep.

Perhaps a plan of action is required?

Old Green Fingers Is Back

It is good just to kick back and be able to update my blog, McFizzer is in the kitchen clearing up after breakfast – he will make someone a lovely wife - lol.

It feels like ages since I had the time to sit here at my workstation and just catch up. This is probably the best that I have felt in a long time although the hollow in the pit of my stomach is ever present, that aching void of loss. Pictures of mum and dad sit on the shelf above my head and Lilly holds her rightful place just to the side of my screen pouting back at me with one of those typical expressions she always used when taking a pic of herself. She was such a fun sister – we always just got along – no arguing and constantly there for each other at times of crisis, you know stuff like trouble with boys or covering for each other or just someone to talk to on a rainy afternoon. She was so kind and sweet and I miss her dreadfully.

McFizzer enters my bedroom and breaks my train of thought which is just as well as thinking about Lilly never results in me feeling any better about myself. “It’s a beautiful day Tavis do you fancy a stroll into town? It has been a while since I visited the 21century and it would be nice to take a look around”.

“Do you think it is safe? i ask, "Drufus could be anywhere.”

“Well it is up to you but we have been here nearly five days and I don’t think it is good for you to stay cooped up here brooding and I doubt that even Drufus would try anything in public in broad daylight.” McFizzer looks out of the window across the road towards the garden opposite, “what is it with people and gardening - I just don’t get it?”

I laugh, “That’s Mr Dennison he is a bit of an obsessive with his garden, - actually he is pretty much obsessive about everything.”

“Strange.” McFizzer draws closer to the window and stares at Mr Dennison, “Such an odd pastime I prefer to see everything Au naturel – as nature intended - in the flesh so to speak”.

“Man he is only cutting the grass,” I chuckle and log off………………

Y Me

I don't wish to sound like a child, especially as I have spent the majority of my life trying to convince everyone that i am an adult but one question nags me constantly. WHY ME?

Also.

1 - Why is psycho Drufus on my case?

2 - Why am I dragged across time and space against my will and without any warning?

3 - Why is Drufus so interested in my dead sister? Refusing to comprehend the basic principle of death as a finite situation.

4 - Why are we sat around at my home, in the one place on the planet that Drufus is guaranteed to eventually find me - why don't we just leg it?

I put all of the above to my knowledgeable friend McFizzer and he has given me his considered answers -

Which I now quote -

1 - I don't know.

2 - I don't know.

3 - I don't know.

and finally, 4 - Why play away from home when you can play on your own turf a home match is always advantageous.

All of which leads me to two conclusions. McFizzer is an idiot and also possibly a football supporter.

However he did add one glimmer of hope to his answers as he wandered off into the garden, "perhaps Drufus has reason to believe Lilly is still alive."

I say a glimmer of hope but on further consideration it is obviously bollocks as i did unfortunately witness her appalling demise.

Afternoon Feast

Mr & Mrs Dennison live in a quiet little cul-de-sac at number 22, it is a home they have occupied for 30 years or more, they have two children who have long gone both having done rather well for themselves qualify as professionals from university. Mr & Mrs Dennison are proud of their children’s achievements and proud of the fact that their lives turned out just as they had planned it. They look forward to the children visiting with their families on high days and holidays when they can all sit around the table happily passing the salt and chatting. They are also comfortable with the fact that at their age in life (59 & 56 respectively) they have no mortgage or large borrowings, they have money in the bank and have adequate pension schemes in place to see them through. Mr Dennison will finally retire and take the gold watch in just two months time.

They plan to holiday and visit old friends who have emigrated to Oz, for years now they have worked on an agenda for this, the notice board in the kitchen looks like something akin to a military plan with neatly placed notes of places to see and visit, details of stop overs in Dubai – timetables and references - and of course the obligatory pictures of the Opera House and the Rock.

If you were to choose one word to describe the Dennisons it would be disciplined , you get the feeling they both came out of the womb standing to attention and that is exactly how (when at a given time chosen by themselves) they will meet their maker, in single file and correctly dressed of course.

Ain’t it strange how one knock at the door can destroy a whole lifetime of order?

“Good afternoon,” said a man as Mr Dennison opened his front door.

“Can I help you?” asks Mr Dennison curtly.

“Well if I may just have a few minutes of your time…”

“Are you selling?” Mr Dennison interrupts, “because if you are selling, I am not interested.”

“Just a few minutes,” continues the man.

“No sorry I am a very busy person and have things to do, - go sell elsewhere.”

“But I can assure you this is a very big opportunity you will be missing,” the salesman asserts.

“No sorry – goodbye.” Mr Dennison throws the door shut and swivels on his heels to face back down the hallway in one smooth motion. “More double glazing,” he shouts to his wife in the kitchen.

“I said this will only take a few minutes.”

Mr Dennison freezes mid step and looks back over his shoulder to see that the man is now in the hallway and that he is not alone, he is accompanied by a creature that at first glance appears to be half monkey half human.

The Monkey looks up at his master and asks, “Is he mine?”

“Yes – he is yours.”

With that the creature leaps landing on Mr Dennisons chest knocking him to the ground, it places its open mouth across Dennisons neck bites down and removes a portion of his windpipe with a single action. It then squats on the shaking and gurgling dying man and begins to chew on the gristle and cartilage finally swallowing the warm mass. The bloody mouthed beast then returns to the gaping wound tugging with its teeth at the carotid artery whilst slurping on the deep red juice gushing from its severed end.

The salesman steps over his feasting companion and enters the kitchen, “good afternoon madam, your husband let me in and asked me to wait in here.”

“What do you mean?” asks Mrs Dennison, “and what is all the commotion in the hallway? Where is Peter?”

“Just a little accident,” Replies the sales man as he rubs his beard. “Allow me to introduce myself I am Drufus. Please sit back down.”

“Not until I see my husband, now let me pass, - I heard something in the hall.” Mrs Dennison is insistent and launches herself passed Drufus just as Mr Dennison enters the kitchen.

“Ah I see you have met Mr Drufus,” he says “sit down dear and listen to what he has to say.”

Mrs Dennison looks to her husband, “What was all the rumpus in the hallway?”

“Oh I knocked over that vase on the side table by the door, I was just coming to get a cloth to wipe up with.” Mr Dennison looks to Drufus and smiles, “please take a seat Mr Drufus this won’t take me long.”

Both Drufus and Mrs Dennison take a seat at the kitchen table as Mr Dennison grabs a dish cloth from the work surface then he quickly and efficiently places his left arm around Mrs Dennisons neck whilst forcing the cloth into her mouth with his right hand he then grabs her head and twists. A loud crack and her neck snaps instantly between C3 and C4 severing the spinal cord, her eyes role back and her face becomes a blank page.

“Good work Heldac,” says Drufus as the shape that was Mr Dennison transforms back into the monkey creature.

“Thank you master – may I return to the corpse in the hall I am still hungry?”

Drufus laughs, “Yes go little one, - go gorge yourself.”

Tactics

You know how sometimes people describe a good sleep as a deep sleep, well I just had the mother of all deep sleeps, so deep that it took me two days to climb out of it, man there is nothing quite so good a your own bed. When awoke I lay there for a while mulling over the events of the preceding days only deciding to move when the smell of cooked bacon wafted up the stairs and into my bedroom.

“How are you feeling?” Asks McFizzer who was busy at the cooker tending to four eggs he was frying.

“Better thanks, a lot better, my ribs are far less tender and the wound on my arms has completely disappeared, my nose is still sore and I can hide my puffy eyes behind some decent sunnies.”

“I rubbed some more of the potion onto the scar on your arm when you were sleeping, it always amazes me how quickly it repairs the damage.”

I then ask McFizzer something I had wanted to ask him since he first explained about the healing elixir. “Would the potion work on this and the scars on my face and legs?” I hold up my left hand with its ugly fused fingers and claw like appearance.

“Sorry Tavis but for the potion to work it has to be administered almost as soon as the injury is received, if left for any length of time it becomes less effective and eventually does not work at all, those injuries are far to old.” McFizzer slaps a plate down upon the breakfast bar, “ now eat.”

I tuck into the fried breakfast and down three tumblers of fresh orange juice. “Any sign of Drufus?” I ask almost casually.

“Not Yet – it will take him a day or so to track you to this house, don’t worry I am ready for him when he does show.”

“You gonna smack him with the frying pan?” I nod to said item glibly

Alarmed

It is difficult to put into words how i felt at seeing Drufus sat less than 10 metres away in my home town in my home time but alarmed will do as printable adjective."What is he doing here?" i asked.

"Best guess?" McFizzer takes a gulp of red wine, "i would say he is looking for you."

"Looking for me, how did he know i would be here?"

"Drufus has spies and snitches throughout time and space, a great many people owe him or are owned by him and he has never been slow at calling in a favour. Do try not to worry - i am here to protect you and i doubt that he is aware that he is this close to you, but i would suggest that we leave with the minimum of fuss now."

"I am with you on that." i say and McFizzer helps me to my feet, i smile at the doorman as we leave. "So tell me McFizzer if you are here to protect me what weapons do you carry?"

"None."

"None?"

"Yes none - i usually find something comes to hand at the appropriate juncture."

"Like the candle pole you skewered Shaves with?"

"Exactly."

"Maybe a visit to a gunsmiths would be in order, we pass one on the way to my home."

"No thanks i will hold my faith with providence providing the solution."

"I bet you would change your mind if that moron Drufus was after your neck."

I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles

Transmission from Aurora; protocol 089321 -phobos - sector 21:



Lucie Bentley, only child of John and Sarah is seated on the floor of her bedroom it is the same bedroom floor she has known for the 16 years of her life, she is surrounded by photos of her family and friends. She likes to take time to look at the pictures of holidays, birthdays and all the good times that have so far joined the dots of her short existence. She prefers the printed format to other media as she loves to hold and feel the glossy surface between her fingers – this somehow helps her to feel closer to the scenes portrayed in these snapshots. Her bedroom contains everything a teenager requires to survive the modern world, TV, DVD player, on demand viewing, music, laptop, clothes, makeup even an en suite bathroom that her parents added by knocking through into a spare bedroom after she relentlessly harangued them for months, she finally clinched the deal by playing the ‘only child card’. Lucie is an expert at this, she understands the guilt some parents of single children have for not providing a sibling and she uses this to unlock the bank of mum and dad whenever she sees fit.

However this talent is of absolutely no use to her now –



Imagine this if you can.
A translucent bubble – the bubble hangs in the darkness of space somewhere beyond this galaxy, (and for I know beyond this time) suspended in a permanent flux trapped and beyond recovery. The sphere silently drifts through space gliding past an ever changing background of stars, planets, supernova and all the other stuff that is the cosmos. To a casual observer (of which there are non) this gossamer bubble would appear to be barely moving but in reality it is hurtling through space and time at a speed beyond comprehension its very being defying all the laws of physics, looping further and further out into the void.

So who created this mystical 8 metre globe and for what purpose?
As yet its origins are unknown – as for its purpose that is simple to answer, it is a prison and the current and only resident is one Lucie Bentley her bedroom and all of its contents.

Lucie stands by the window of her bedroom and looks out to where once there was a view of her garden and beyond that the river Ouse, she stops herself from reflecting on home as she knows this only leads to further melancholy and emptiness.
There is no night or day in space and therefore she has no way of knowing how long she has be cast adrift, her laptop like everything within her room is still functioning as normal and the calendar on igoogle is telling her that the date is 20th April 2089, this makes Lucie the grand old age of 97 but when she looks in the mirror she is still a pale and frightened 16 year old. Time after time Lucie has gone over exactly what did happen on the 28th of July 2007.

At 09-02 she was soundly asleep in bed, she had not set the alarm on her phone as she had no plans for the day and so was annoyed that at 09-03 her alarm had woken her, she stumbled to her desk from her bed to find her phone then realized that the alarm was coming from her laptop, she had as usual left her laptop on due to some late night chatting and now it appeared that she had a new message from someone and this was the source of the alarm. She was being ‘nudged’. Not recognizing the name Tavis Parks she dragged her pointer over the message box and clicked on the conversation area, she typed in the words ‘please just go a way and die’ and punched down on the mouse to send.
A two letter reply came, ‘Ok’
Lucie was just about to send a sarcastic ‘Thanks a lot’, - when her world literally disappeared. Her vision blurred, her ears boomed and she and her bedroom separated from planet earth. Lucie vaguely remembers seeing the earth disappear from view as she lay unable to move on the floor of her room pined down by the shear pressure generated by the enormous acceleration. Planets shooting past in quick succession as she reached the outer limits of our solar system traveling further and further away from home with the sun becoming ever more dim. Just for a terrifying few seconds she got extremely cold and had difficulty breathing but then the bubble appeared to adjust her environment stabilizing the temperature and pressure so that she could again move as if on earth. Since that moment Lucie has gone through all the scenarios of ‘this is a dream’ – ‘has someone drugged me’ – or ‘wow Disney sure got this ride right’, but for all the analysis and self probing she can only reach the one true conclusion – that she and her entire bedroom are indeed trapped in a bubble and are traveling through time and space and the only possible person who may have any clue as to why this is happening is someone called Tavis Parks.

She has tried messaging Tavis Parks but there is no reply (yes she still has connection with the internet, don’t know why - don’t know how – I just know that connections can be very random and inconsistent). She has searched the social networks and found a few entries for Tavis Parks – one in particular that in the attached blog just had one word ‘Help’. She is continuing to monitor this particular individual between stargazing and watching TV (mainly Hollyoaks), who at channel 4 would believe they had such a distant viewer and why the hell if she can watch TV is there no service to her phone on this side of the galaxy? Lucie makes a mental note to e-mail the phone company with a further complaint……… Are they getting the mails she ponders or is it just crap customer service?

Transmission end:

Drinks All Round

The door opened and McFizzer and i stepped over the threshold. At once i was hit by the dramatic change in the level of light and the brightness of colours. McFizzer still supporting me guides me the few paces to a leather couch nodding to an over sized guy dressed in black with an earpiece saying "sorry i think he may have had a few too many - we will just sit here and order some coffee."

"Ok," said the human mountain in black. "But any trouble and your both out."

"Thanks mate." McFizzer lowers me to a brown leather couch and pops a cushion behind my back and asks, "latte or cappuccino?"

"Well espresso if the coffee is any good - double please." Then grabbing McFizzer by the wrist i blurt out, "Where the hell are we? This is not 1874." The gorilla dressed in black who i now recognise as a bouncer shoots me a stare.

"Shhhhh - quieten down a little and read the paper and i'll go and get us some drinks." McFizzer points to a copy of the Observer on the contemporary coffee table in front of me.

I look up to repeat my question to McFizzer but he has disappeared into a crowd of people to my left. I can just see him order the drinks by looking through a cabinet that is made entirely of glass, the cabinet holds bottles of wine and champagne and creates a translucent barrier between the seating area i am in and the massed throng of drinkers that are gathered around a central servery having what i would consider to be a very good time.

McFizzer returns with a large glass of red wine and informs me that they will bring the coffee over in a few minutes, he sits next to me.

"I know this place," I whisper to him not wanting to arouse the interest of gorilla man. "I have been in here before, this is a bar - this is a bar in the 21st century in York."

"The wines good," smirks McFizzer and then adds rather too cockily. "Is it? ahhh here is your coffee." as a petite waitress approaches tray in hand.

"So are you gonna tell me what is going on - or do i have to beg?" I take a sip of the dark hot liquid noting that it has a good cremma before lifting the cup to my lips. "mmm good coffee," i have always had this thing for good coffee it is something i got from my dad - he had a great love of fine dining always extolling the quality and provenance of any particular dish or drink that he enjoyed .

"No need to beg," laughs McFizzer. "It is quite simple - you are back home. As i said temporal travel can happen at anytime without any warning, it would appear that we have fulfilled our purpose in the 1800s, well for now at any rate."

"So why dump us here in a busy bar, why not back to my home where i started from and no offence but why are you still with me?"

"Because of him." McFizzer points to a man sat at a table on an upper level reserved for dining . I turn my head to look to where his indicates, at first it is difficult to see who the person in question is then as i move my head slightly to get a better view through the glass case i can see the face of a man with shoulder length grey hair, hooked nose and full beard, although not dressed as a monk i can see beyond doubt that it is Drufus............

Mucky Pig Lane

McFizzer and i chatted as we walked through the narrow streets, I am ashamed to say that i took in very little of my surroundings as the pain in my chest was great and even with my friend supporting me under my left arm i was finding it difficult to remain upright.

On that short walk i learnt that McFizzer was from my future (our future although this assumes you are reading this in early part of the 21st century). He was born in 2458 and he is currently 35 years old although he did try to explain to me that his age does sometimes change randomly when he flips to another era. He also told me that to the best of his knowledge he had been a slave to time for over 400 years. Yep don't ask me how someone can have traveled as a warrior slash assassin for 400 years and still remain 35. He didn't seem to fully understand it and he said that after a while you learn to just accept the situation and get on with whatever is thrown at you. I asked if that was the case "are we then immortal?" - "definitely not," was his reply he had seen too many of his friends and fellow travellers perish for this to be true. However," he added, "if you stay out of trouble you may live for what is considered by most to be a very long time."

Not for the first time McFizzer told me to open my mind and just accept my fate and the fact that i will travel thousands of years sometimes between continents in what will seem like the blink of an eye. Accept the fact that when arriving at a new location sometimes i will have a clear understanding of what is required of me and yet other times may be as lost as a child in maze and have to work the puzzle to find the required solution. Understand that we are the puppets of a higher intelligence, open your mind and trust.

"God you mean?" I enquired.

" Lots of names are bandied about, God - The gods - Aurora - Pantheon - The Prime Mover and many more, the truth is Tavis no one knows or certainly no one i have ever met knows.

"We are here." he says, we stop by an unassuming door and McFizzer knocks.

Whose role is it anyway?

It took me less than a nanosecond to formulate my next question. "So if i can time travel i can go back to the 28th of July 2007 and save my family?"

McFizzer took half a nanosecond to reply. "No."

"Why not?"

"If only it was that simple Tavis all wrong could be undone like unpicking a badly woven fabric to repair the flaw and then reweaving it making it perfect and beautiful. Nothing in life or death is ever that straightforward."

"Why?" I asked

"It just isn't Tavis." McFizzer stands and walks to the window and pulls back the curtain to reveal a wet and grey dawn. "I don't began to pretend to understand the ins and outs of all this," he continued. "It is what it is," McFizzer draws the curtain again and returns to his chair. "Firstly unless i am very much mistaken you have no means of controlling when or where you time travel, like me you are pulled around the cosmos by an invisible force only returning to your 'home time' when you have completed the task set for you."

"Task?"

"Yes - it has become clear to me over many years of travelling and conversing with other travellers that everytime i make a temporal journey (or flip as some describe it) there is a reason behind it, a reason for the chosen destination."

"So what was your reason for travelling here?" I ask.

"To save you," McFizzer looks me in the eye and smiles. "To save you Tavis. I have learnt from previous encounters that my role is to be a warrior a protector of souls and sometimes an assassin."

"But you have saved me, so why are you still here?"

"I was fully expecting to flip back to my time after i had escorted you to this place and had tended your wounds, but clearly that is not the case so i can only assume that you are still in danger and i am being held here to protect you."

I smile back at McFizzer, and ask. "What is my purpose, why was i dragged back through time to the church and the horrors that lay in wait for me?"

"I do not know," McFizzers smile dissolves and he at once looks sad and pitiful.

"What?" I ask noticing the change of his demeanor.

"I have on odd occasion met with certain souls on my travels that appear to have no other purpose than to be martyred, as if they are the pawns sacrificed for the greater cause. " McFizzer pauses when he sees the look of horror develop across my face. " But you do not have their manner," He brightens again," they are usually wretched and melancholic beings, you have spirit and anyway i would not have been dispatched across 5 centuries just to save the life of a forlorn hope."

"I trust you are right, the thought of meeting another Shaves or Drufus again doesn't fill me with joy."

"Meeting who?" McFizzer demands. "Someone else was with you and Shaves?"

"Yes, someone called Drufus, he was also dressed as a monk but he left before Shaves got medieval on me."

"Well that explains why i am still here and maybe offers a clue as to your duty in all of this. Can you walk we need to visit someone?"

Mc Fizzer and other stuff

Mc Fizzer pulled his chair closer to the fire and me - sat and said, "Ask away, anything you wish to know and i will answer as candidly as i am able."

I began the Q&A with an easy one (well so i thought). " Where am i?"

"You are in the home of a friend of mine, i use this room whenever i pass this way, it is warm, safe and anonymous so it fits its purpose."

"Ok - but where is this room - this house?"

"In York of course."

"York, great," i exclaim, "lets go back to my place i can get a shower i stink and this dried blood..."

Mc Fizzer holds his hand up to silence me again, "We are in the city of York and the date is 1874. So you are something like 134 years from your home."

My heart sinks, clearly i am again in the hands of another lunatic. I look to the door to determine my escape but it is behind Mc Fizzer and in my current condition i am in no state to undertake some serious body swerving. I will try and humour him. "1874 you say could you prove it to me Mr Mc Fizzer?"

"Just 'McFizzer' is fine and whats to prove Tavis? Take a look around." He gestures to the room with open arms.

I have to concede that the room is rudimentary - stone floor, no electricity, the furniture is basic enough and it smells worse than me. But this is a safe house, he said so, so we could be in some kinda underground bunker. I stare into the fire and not for the first time i think i am going crazy.

McFizzer can plainly see i am struggling with a dilemma and he comes to my assistance. "Perhaps it is best if try and explain the situation but please interrupt if anything i say is unclear. All i ask is that you trust me and open your mind Tavis, if you do you will find that your understanding will become deeper."

McFizzer begins. "We are all travellers, humankind in all its forms has always travelled, whether it be to explore, conquer or for pleasure it is in our nature to travel. We are an inquisitive species and this as always driven us on, further and further out into the corners of our planet and then beyond into space to explore more and more planets. Scientists sit in white coats at electron microscopes peering into new worlds hidden in the minutia of everyday objects and physicists spend whole lives attempting to understand the very being of our existence and the universe. Now Tavis ask yourself this, what if somewhere at sometime in the future someone was so inquisitive and had the mental capability to match they decided to create a new form of discovery - a new way to travel - a way that enabled them to traverse not only space but also time,"

At this point i believe i coughed and muttered something about Doctor Who and Back To The Future - only to be shot a glare from McFizzer that took me aback so i said no more and allowed him to continue.

"Unfortunately, as anyone who has even a basic understanding of science knows, there is no such thing a free lunch, there is always a price to be paid, an equal and opposite reaction, positive and negative, push and pull."

This was all getting a bit abstract for me so i interrupted again. " So you are saying that me, Tavis Parks is a time traveller?"

"Yes."

"Cool."