It's Happening Again

 

Photo by ArrImAPirate (that's me!)

It’s sunny in the kitchen, too sunny. The pleasant warm glow of my vision begins to redden and I realize too late that I don’t have enough time to make it to the couch. The best I can do is try and sit down on the wooden floor so I don’t hit my head on the sharp corner of my fake granite countertop again.

The first thing I noticed after I woke up was the pleasant warm glow of late afternoon sunlight had been replaced by a harsh glare. Overhead neon lights. Gingerly I turned my head to the side, checking for any signs of injury. I seemed to be fine, but the crowd of beeping machines that entered my field of vision told me I was in the hospital. The next step was to try and sit up, to try and further assess what had landed me here, but as I did a familiar voice came from the other side of my bed, and a hand, big, warm, gentle, urged me to stay laying down.

“Hi Charlie” I whispered, “am I okay?”

“Well, nothings broken.”

The room was silent for a moment, aside from the rhythmic beeping that let me know my heart was still doing its job.

“I went time traveling again.” I said finally.

“Yes, I found you on the kitchen floor.”

“Mmm,” I paused for a moment, trying to catch my breath, “it came on too quickly. Sure would be nice if I could learn to control it.”

“Yes, well.”

“I don’t remember where I went yet, but I’m sure it’ll come to me.”

“Don’t push it, you should try and rest.”

“You’re right, it takes a lot out of me.”

I don’t know how long my eyes had been closed, but I was still awake when the doctor came in the room. They obviously thought I was asleep, though. I wasn’t, I heard everything. My husband reassuring the doctor I wasn’t in need of a psych evaluation after the nurse I wasn’t aware of was in the room and overheard our time travel conversation. The doctor reassuring my husband that my little kitchen tumble hadn’t done any permanent damage. And of course, that other thing.

I opened my eyes after the doctor left, and found Charlie staring at my face, his big blue eyes shadowed by worry.

He opened his mouth to speak, but I beat him to it. “I still can’t remember where I traveled to this time,” I tried to force a smile.

“Sarah?”

“Yes”

“Can you please just stop? Didn’t you hear the doctor?”

“Yes” I whispered.

“So you know, there is nothing else they can do. You have to start taking this seriously Sarah.”

“That’s exactly why I don’t!”

“But Sarah, you have cancer.”

“No, I’m a time traveler, now leave me alone!”

I turned away, so Charlie couldn’t see the tears threatening to betray me, and waited for the sound of the door clicking shut to let me know I was alone.