What Time Holds

“Zack, I swear, if you don’t stop that insistent ringing, I will throw the phone against the wall.” Zacky Baker’s best friend Mel groaned. He groaned as well and tiredly reached to the nightstand and grabbed the device in question, flipping it open without looking at the little caller ID screen.

“Hello?” he mumbled, raising his head slightly and reading the numbers on the digital alarm clock. 5:45am

“Good morning, is this Zackary James Baker?” a sophisticated-sounding woman with an annoyingly high pitched voice asked.

“Depends, who is this?”

“My name is Angela Miller and I’m with a company called Aero. You have been selected to participate in a very important study.”

“What kind of study and how the hell was I selected if I didn’t give you guys my information?” Zacky asked, a bit irritated. He felt Mel move beside him slightly and lowered his voice. “Look, it’s not even 6am, can’t you call back in like… 6 hours?”

“I’m sorry Mr. Baker, but we need you at headquarters as soon as possible. The study starts at 8am sharp. You will receive $2000 for participating in this study if you should choose to accept.”

Now that piqued his interest. $2000?! Hell, he’d get injected with something funky for that. His band needed some new amps and he wouldn’t mind a new guitar. Starting a band is pricey and that money could go towards the demos they were looking to start recording soon. “Alright, where do I go?”

“You sure about this Z?” Mel asked him, handing him his car keys.

“You know me better than anyone Mel, I’m never ready for anything,” he smiled. “But two grand is a lot of money.” He pointed out and kissed her on the cheek. “Don’t worry Melly Jelly, I’ll be fine!”

“Ah, you must be Mr. Baker?” a blonde woman in her late 40s asked him as he walked into “Headquarters”, which was really just an abandoned warehouse. He nodded and she continued. “Excellent! You’re just in time! I’m Angela Miller, we spoke on the phone.”

“So, can you tell me what this is all about now?” he asked curiously as he seen 6 other people sitting in a waiting-type-room.

“Everything will be explained at the orientation.” She dismissed him with a wave of her hand. For now, I need you to fill out these forms please.” Angela said, handing him a clipboard and pointing to the little room where everyone else was seated.

He took a seat and looked around the room. Sitting next to him was an elderly man who looked to be in his late 80s at least, next to the man was a child, about ten, holding the hand of a red haired girl about sixteen. Next to them was a middle-aged woman with blonde hair, a business-looking man in his late thirties and last but not least a blonde girl about his age, staring at him. He gave her a weak smile and looked down at the forms in front of him.

Question 1

What is your favorite movie?

Okaaaay, I don’t see the relevance to anything scientific, but alright. He shook his head and wrote The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Question 2

If you could visit any time period, what would it be and why?
He had to think about this one. He sighed and wrote down his answer.

The rest of the questions were completely pointless like that and finally, he was finished. He took his clipboard back to the lady at the front desk. “Thank you Mr. Baker. Now,” she said, getting everyone’s attention. “If everyone would please follow me.” She led them to a little thing that looked like a shed inside the building. “This is where the study will be conducted. Everyone please go inside while we input the data and someone will be in shortly to explain what the study is about.”

Everyone nodded and went inside the little room. The first thing Zacky noticed was the big TV screen mounted in the wall. Under it, there seemed to be a lot of computer controls. He sat in one of the eight seats and put his head against the back of it, sighing and closing his eyes.

“Tired?” a voice asked from beside him.

He opened his eyes and saw the blonde girl from earlier sitting to his right. “Yeah, I was sleeping soundly until my freaking phone rang before 6.”

She nodded. “Yeah, it’s the same with all of us.” There was a silence around the small room before she asked. “So, anyone got an idea what they’re gonna do to us?” Zack noticed she had no hint of fear or nervousness in her voice, just excitement.

“I hope it doesn’t hurt.” The little boy said.

“I won’t let them hurt you Alex.” The girl that was attached to his hand reassured him. “I’m Whitney by the way.” She introduced herself to the group. “This is my little brother Alex.”

“I’m Hank.” The old man said.

“Bruce.” The business man went next.

“Erica.” Said the middle-aged woman.

“Zacky.” He said, giving a small wave.

“And I’m Phoenix.” The blonde said from next to him. “And don’t worry your cute little red head there Alex, I doubt they’d have the heart to hurt someone as cute as you.” She smiled at the little boy, causing him to smile and blush. “But really, any ideas?”

“Well,” Bruce spoke up, looking around. “I’d say it was some kind of age study, based on the array of age groups there are.”

“Close,” a balding man said as he entered the room wearing a white lab coat. “It is about age, but you won’t believe what you’re all about to do even if I told you.” He smiled. “Welcome to Aero everyone! My name is Dr. Helmut and I am the one that set up this study. You see, here at Aero, we are very into the idea of time travel.” Phoenix scoffed. “See? I told you that you wouldn’t believe me. That’s quite alright! You will see soon enough! Now, despite what you may be thinking, we are not going to strap you in and try to make time travel work. Because, frankly, we have already done that. We have achieved time travel. No, this will be a study of how travel affects different age groups. Also, how different age groups react to different situations they are placed into. So, sit back, relax and enjoy the ride!” he said before quickly exiting and shutting the door behind him.

“Wait!” Phoenix got up and tried opening the door, only to find it locked. “This is bull! Let me out of here!” She was suddenly thrown to the ground as the little room began to violently shake. Zack reached his hand out and she accepted it, finding her way back to the seat she had occupied beside him. “This is ridiculous! Time travel! Really?!”

“You should keep an open mind,” Hank said, pointing a wrinkled finger at her. “I’ve seen a lot of things in my days that I thought would never happen. Science moves forward everyday you know.”

The shaking finally stopped and the TV switched on, Dr. Helmut’s face coming alive on the screen. “Welcome subjects, to 1931. As I’m sure you’re all aware, you each filled out a question on where you would go in time and why? Well, those answers you all gave are where you all are going today.” A small ‘uh oh’ was heard from Alex, but everyone chose to ignore it, focusing on the doctor’s instructions. “Now, this year is important to someone for a reason. Care to explain Erica?” he asked the woman, whose head was down.

“It’s the year my great grandmother was born. Right in the Great Depression. When my mother decided to give me up for adoption, my great grandmother took me in as her own. She raised me and taught me everything she knew. She was the most amazing woman ever and I never thanked her.” She said and looked down at the floor once again.

“Very good Erica. Now, since your great grandmother would be just being born now, there isn’t much you can do, but wait until after the study is complete and we’ll see if we can’t send you back to the day she died to say your proper goodbyes.” The doctor said soothingly and a bright smile now lit the woman’s face. “Alright! Next!” The room shook violently again. “Alright, now this one is a bit difficult as well. Welcome to December 7, 1941. Also known as the day the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Hank, please explain.”

Everyone turned their attention to the old man. “The worst day of my life. I was nineteen, just out of boot camp. Thought I was a lucky SOB, being placed at Pearl Harbor base. Nothin like the Hawaiian sun. Until those planes blocked the sun out. I lost so many comrades that day. Good men. It’s a day I will never escape.” Hank explained as tears fell from his eyes.

“And we won’t make you live it again Hank.” The doctor said sympathetically. “Up next,” he said as the violent shaking began again. “Is not very long ago. January 8, 2007. Bruce?”

“The day my wife died in a car accident.” He said quietly. “The worst day of my life.”

“Well, we’re here now, go stop her from going anywhere!” Zack said urgently, seeing the pain in the man’s face. Realization hit Bruce and he leapt up, trying to unlock the doors.

“Ah ah ah ah, we can’t alter the course of events, Bruce, I am sorry.” Helmut said.

“The hell you can’t! You bring me back here, to this day, and then tell me I can’t do anything about it!? What kind of sick people are you?!” Bruce hollered.

The room shook again. “I am terribly sorry. Anyways, moving on! Next, and oh, this is an interesting one, 250 million years ago.” He chuckled. “Care to explain young Alex?”

The little boy looked frightened and said quietly. “I like dinosaurs.”

“ALEX! What have you done?!” his sister yelled, obviously frightened.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Zacky said, trying to calm everyone. “They’ll get us out of here before anything bad happens.”He said, glaring at the doctor. “Won’t you?”

“Of course! And off we go! Next stop, February 14, 2009.”

“Valentine’s Day?” Phoenix asked. “Who the hell would want to go to Valentine’s Day again?”

“It’s the day my boyfriend asked me out.” Whitney blushed. “Best day of my life.”

“Aw, that’s so sweet dear.” Erica said, patting Whitney’s hand.

“So Doc, I got a question,” Phoenix said out loud. “Do we get to leave this rig once we get to our time zones? I mean, obviously some were too dangerous, like little Dino Man over here, but what about mine?”

The doctor chuckled. “No Miss Havestad, you may not leave the vehicle. We cannot risk altering the space-time continuum more than we already are by visiting these places. Now, moving on. Mr. Baker, can you tell us why we are going to April 7, 2009?”

Zack looked at the floor, all of his emotions rushing back to him from that day – the anger, the hurt, the sadness. “It’s the day I caught my girlfriend of 5 years cheating on me in my own bed.”

“Oh dear,” Erica said, covering her mouth with her hand. “That is just terrible!”

He nodded and continued to look at the floor. In the 3 months since it happened, he’d been a wreck. If it weren’t for Mel being at his side every moment of the day, he didn’t know what he would do. Sure, he had his band, but it wasn’t the same. Zack and Mel had been best friends since the second grade. They had been through everything together. He even helped her to get together with his best friend, whom she is now married to. She had the hugest crush on Brian and he helped set them up. Their relationship is so amazing that Brian doesn’t even mind that his wife has spent the last three months taking care of Zack, he trusts them completely.

Zack felt a hand on his and looked up into the blue eyes of Phoenix. She really was pretty. If he were in the right state of mind, he would totally ask for her number. “If she doesn’t realize what she had, then she doesn’t deserve you.” She said and placed something on his wrist. He looked down and saw a bright red , orange and yellow bracelet with a picture of a phoenix bird and the words ”Even when it is burned, a Phoenix always arises from the ashes.” He smiled at her and she patted his leg. “It’s why I changed my name to Phoenix.”

“What was it before?” Whitney asked.

“Shelby.” Phoenix said.

“Why did you change it?” Bruce asked curiously.

“You’ll see.” She sighed.

“Final stop,” Doc said. “August 2, 2004.”

Phoenix sighed. “The day my father killed my mother, my brother, and came after me.” She said and pulled up her shirt slightly, revealing deep scars on her torso, and causing everyone to gasp. “The doctors did all they could, but I still died.”

Everyone stared at her for a moment. “But you were revived?” Bruce inquired.

“No. This is the day I die. It’s why I want so badly to go out there and kill that bastard before he can reach my family. I’ll never know what happens beyond this day. But I made a deal. A few more days of living, if I walk out there and face what I already know is my fate. So I want to thank you all for sharing your life experiences with me, it really meant a lot.” She smiled at everyone and stood up, turning to give Zack a quick kiss on the cheek. “If only we had met five years ago…” she trailed off and walked to the doors. Everyone was too stunned to react, even when the doors opened and smoke billowed in.

“Phoenix, wait!” Zack yelled, jumping out of his seat as the doors closed.

“I’m sorry Zack, but she is gone. She was a big part of our experiment and you all performed admirably. Now, for the final stage….”

Zack woke up in a cold sweat, gasping for air. What a weird fucking dream he thought.

“Zack, you alright?” Mel asked, sitting up beside him.

“Yeah, just a freaky dream.” He said, rubbing a hand over his face. Or was it?His heart skipped a beat as his eyes met the little bracelet on his wrist. What the hell?