Page 11

LEXI

D own in the back quarter, I saw him slowly using the rail to heave himself up the three steps to the front stoop of the one story building.

My uncle had lived there before he got married and moved for a job in Texas last year.

It was fairly clean, last I checked, but completely shut down and dark.

And now that I thought about it, I hadn’t checked it in about six weeks.

I jogged down the grassy lawn while Torin was looking all around at the porch, and tapping on the glass of the window.

But then he turned to the sky. I followed his eyes, looking to the south, where a giant storm was rising into the air.

That man had been heading that direction.

Torin said, “Och, he is leavin’.”

“Really? How?”

“Tis the storm.”

“Oh.”

Torin exhaled, “It answers a question Max and I hae had though — are there more vessels? Now I ken there are more.”

He shook his head. “And this is terrible news.”

I unlocked the front door, walking into the dusty room; it smelled of must, and disuse. I flicked on the overhead light. He groaned and put an arm up to block his eyes.

It was a large living room with a very small kitchen to the side, a bathroom past that, sharing a wall, and then a bed in the corner, with a wall but no door separating it from the main room. I crossed to the end table, turned on a lamp, and then turned off the overhead light. He visibly relaxed.

“Go ahead and sit down, rest a bit.”

He bowed. “Thank ye, Mistress Lexi.”

He went and sat down on the couch, his big broad shoulders and splayed, bare knees, making it so that he took up most of it.

He dropped his heavy sword on the floor beside the couch.

With his one good hand and a pained expression, he unclasped the brooch and shoved his cloak off his shoulders. He said, “Och nae.”

“What?”

“I hae lost the sack I took from the hospital, twas carryin’ the bottle ye gave me, twas precious.”

“That’s fine, it’s not that precious, I’ll give you another.” I put the gun down on the counter, then poured a couple of Tylenol out on my hand and crossed the room to pass him two. My hand trembled from fear. I felt overwrought by what I had just seen.

I passed him the water.

He put the pills on his tongue and expertly unscrewed the cap on the water and drank a large gulp. He grimaced, then sighed. “Och, I needed it.”

“I am not alone, at the house, I mean. I am for a moment, but my friend is coming.”

His arms were on his knees, his head hanging. It was apparent he was exhausted and in a great deal of pain. “I winna cause ye any harm, Mistress Lexi, I am nae a danger tae ye.”

“Good. That’s good to know, though I don’t exactly trust you.”

He raised his eyes. “Tis wise of ye, but I winna cause difficulties.”

I nodded, and then feeling bad I went and looked in the cupboards. The first thing I saw was a box with brown sugar cinnamon Pop-Tarts. I looked inside: a foil pack of two was left. Brilliant!

I opened the top, peeled down the back, and placed it in front of Torin.

His head still hanging wearily he picked up a Pop-Tart, broke it in half and practically ate it in two bites, then he hungrily took the second and ate it almost as fast. He grimaced as if it was the most disgusting thing he had ever tasted, then he guzzled the last of his water.

“You like Pop-Tarts?”

He frowned. “Tis verra um...” He smacked his tongue, distastefully. “I am verra grateful for it, thank you.”

I chuckled, then remembered that I was upset. “I need an explanation.”

“Twill be longer than I can bear, Mistress Lexi, I am verra weakened.”

I folded my arms. “Give me the short version.”

He leaned back on his cloak, spread across the pillows of the couch. “I am here by chance and although I hae tried tae leave, I keep returnin’... I daena understand it but I keep endin’ up here.”

“Like going in circles?”

“Aye, tis like that.”

“Who was that man and do you really think he is gone now?”

His brow was furrowed. “After I last saw ye, I ended up in the place I had left, and that man was waitin’, he attempted tae steal my vessel — I had tae battle him, but in the middle of it, mid swing, Mistress Lexi, I was drawn here once more.

Och nae, as I was dragged away I caught a glimpse of Max, runnin’ intae the clearin’.

He yelled, ‘Torin, wait!’ But I couldna, the vessel had me in its grip.

And that man held ontae m’arm as I felt m’self bein’ dragged through time. ”

“Where did the man go?” I dropped into the chair across from him.

“I daena ken, wherever he has gone he will likely die. He deserved it though, he tried tae take what was mine. If he had gotten it, I would hae been lost forever.”

I narrowed my eyes. “So we don’t need to go find him? We don’t need to call an ambulance?”

“Nae, why? He was a detestable, vile fiend, and he has left, we saw the storm. We ought not worry on him, I hae done the world a service in slayin’ him.”

I nodded, though none of that made me feel more comfortable at all.

“I just don’t understand…” I shook my head. “Like, I don’t even know where to begin the questions. How do you keep ending up here? You say it’s a vessel but it’s the size of a can, what are you talking about?”

He shrugged. “I daena ken any of the answers, Mistress Lexi, tis not my vessel, it belongs tae Max. I was helpin’ him procure it — we hae been trying tae locate it for a long time, then somehow I am the one who has it in m’possession, nae Max.

.. I am takin’ journeys upon it without knowin’ how tae steer. ”

“Max is your friend?”

“And m’laird.”

I chewed my lip. “And you’re from Scotland, somehow this ‘vessel’ carries you from Scotland to here — that… it doesn’t make sense, that’s impossible. It’s not an airplane, I can see that. You didn’t fly here.”

He scoffed.

“What?”

“Man canna fly, Mistress Lexi, tis impossible.”

My eyes went wide. I leaned back in the chair. “You’re from Scotland and I guarantee they have an airport.”

He looked confused.

“Wait, Torin — okay, I’m going to ask you something crazy, don’t think I’m weird or whatever... What year are you from?”

“The Year of our Lord, one thousand five hundred fifty-eight.”

“That’s impossible, Torin, man cannot time travel.”

“What year is this, Mistress Lexi?”

“You don’t know what year it is?”

“Nae, it looks far different from the time I am used tae.”

“Two thousand and four.”

“Och nae, the Year of our Lord, two thousand and four?” He looked around the room. “Tis a verra different time.”

We sat quietly for a moment, while his attention was caught by the lamp on the table beside him. He ducked his head to look under the shade, then shook his head, as if removing the thought of it. He asked, “Ye canna time travel, tis not usual?”

“While there are stories, lots of lore and rumors, and many books and movies exploring the principle of it — no, it doesn’t happen. It’s impossible.”

His brow drew down even more. “I dinna understand, yer words are incomprehensible.”

I scoffed. “This is unbelievable. I don’t trust a thing you say?—”

“This is as true as the blood upon m’sword and the bruise on m’shoulder, ye ken, ye hae seen what happened — I attest, I am tellin’ the truth.”

“I don’t even know you?—”

“I assure ye, I am trustworthy. I swore tae protect m’laird, Max, and I hae never left his… side.”

I raised my brown. “You’re not there now.”

He nodded sadly, looking down at his hands. “Aye... we were bein’ chased. I had one thought, tae get him free from the harm, or lay down m’life tryin’, but then I was drawn away. I would never hae left him of m’own will.”

“...well, you don’t seem like someone who is purposely trying to bullshit me?—”

His head raised, one of his brows went up. “Bull shite?”

“Yes, to fool me, to lie.”

He chuckled. “Nae, I am nae full of shite.”

I continued, “But here’s the problem, Torin, time travel doesn’t exist. It’s unbelievable. Whereas you say that human flight is unbelievable?—”

“Tis. Ye say men in this time hae wings and take tae the skies like a bird?” He scoffed. “I hae seen men since I arrived and not one had grown wings.”

“Men don’t have wings, that’s not what I mean. Airplanes have been invented. We figured out how to fly in a machine. We went to the moon.”

He screwed up his face, and shook his head slowly. “Och nae, Mistress Lexi, I daena believe ye. Ye are the one who daena seem trustworthy!”

“Well, I haven’t sworn to lay down my life, but I am honest, and I do have close friends who will vouch for me.

And they will attest to the fact that human flight does exist.” I checked my watch.

“Speaking of... my friend, Jen, you met her at the hospital, is about to come over… Do you have anywhere to go? I mean, you probably shouldn’t stay here… I don’t think.” I looked all around.

He chuckled tiredly, “I could attempt tae leave again, but tis likely I will simply return and each time is takin’ a toll on me. M’soul is threadbare. I need tae rest afore I attempt it.” He smacked his hands on his knees. “But I can sleep in the woods, I hae done it many a’night.”

I chewed my lip, trying to decide. This was pretty far away from my house. If I locked up it would be fine, probably…

I had the gun.

I asked, “What about the man you were fighting, will he return to fight you?”

“I will be honest with ye, Mistress Lexi, I daena ken. I had nae idea there was another vessel — it complicates everything.”

“So having you here could be dangerous for me?”

“It could be, aye. I am concerned about yer safety. But if ye allow me tae stay and rest I will make a good guard, if he does return I will keep him from ye, I promise.”

I still wasn’t convinced. “You say it involves the storms, so I suppose if one of those storms happens I can just lock up, call the police, that kind of thing...?”

He asked, “What dost ye mean, ‘call the police’?”

“I use my phone to call the men who arrest the bad guys.”