Young Writers Society

The gravity of the situation started to weigh heavily on Evaline as she tried to think with a clear mind what this all meant. She was usually able to think of things quickly without trouble, but not this. It felt like her brain was blocking off all incoming thoughts, and anything that did come through was interpreted as static, white noise. She didn't know what to say or think.

She didn't even think he was real, even if she did wake up with items from Nye and the injuries she sustained. But no one could verify anything, and time had passed by like normal. It was like she had just gone to sleep for one night, had a vivid dream with a storyline that lasted for four months, and she woke up. That was what she had to tell herself to move on.

To let go.

But if he was real... What was she to think?

Evaline wondered if this was another bizarre vivid dream, but she knew it wasn't.

She needed time. To think, to respond, to figure out what to do, even if it had been five whole years since that experience. She couldn't even react when James voiced his thoughts that he was on Earth, he had no idea how he got here, and that he had no note.

It was just like her first day there, except she had a note. But she quickly shoved that thought down as well, because she didn't even want to relive that, or any memory associated during that time. If they were even memories at all. She was told they weren't memories.

"How long have you been here?" she asked after a long unsettling pause, deciding to take the logical route instead and ignore any complications.

Somehow, he ended up in this room. She just had to figure out why.

James took in a deep breath, and he let it out slowly, counting to ten. He did this a few times before responding.

"A day," he said. "I think. No more than a day."

A day. And he happened to cross paths with her.

Just like...

Evaline stopped the thought when she realized she was biting her lip, an old habit she thought she had grown out of. She slowly let go and released the tension in her body, telling herself she wasn't going to overthink this.

"Okay," she said, trying to think this through. "And you... do or don't have a power?"

James started laughing mirthlessly, and he looked up at Evaline with a pained not-quite-smile.

"The only thing I have is the ability to see the things that you undo," he said. "But hell if I still do. I haven't-- I don't--"

"I'll make something else up for you," she quickly said before he could finish his sentence. "No one would believe you."

He pinched his eyes shut and shook his head, finally getting to his feet. His damned ankle was still twitching. Always the same damned ankle. He shook his hands at his sides and started walking to the side, trying to walk it off.

He couldn't help but notice that every time he looked at Evaline, she seemed to be eerily calm. He could feel a memory pressing up against his mind. Don't think about the day you lost her.

"I already told --" He sighed and whirled around in the middle of his pacing, looking at her. "I already told them I can remember things that happen in alternate realities. I didn't -- you have to understand, I thought I was dreaming!"

He laughed weakly, shaking his head.

"You know, I just thought, to hell with it, I'll just say whatever. It doesn't matter. I don't know. I didn't think this was real. Gods, and now they think I'm a time ma--have time powers," he said, correcting himself mid-sentence. "As if I'm not just a normal human. I bet they wouldn't even believe that either."

James was unraveling and it was making Evaline feel nervous. This was a sign of weakness she could usually use to her advantage to escape a situation if she needed to, but she found herself wishing he could just keep it together.

He thought he was dreaming.

She could understand that.

Even now, this just felt like the beginning of another dream. Maybe someone was playing some twisted mind game with her. Maybe it was long-term revenge. Maybe she deserved it.

She quietly sighed, watching as he paced and started to ramble and panic, but she didn't get in his way. She'd rather he get it out of his system first.

"I can figure out what to say to them," she said, ignoring her heart still thumping against her chest as she crossed her arms. "Just... give me some time to think."

She paused for a moment, trying to grab for the information in front of her. There were still so many things she didn't know.

"Is there anything else I should know?" she asked, voice calm and collected.

"I told them I was from the ungoverned lands. I don't even know what that means. The woman -- Elise -- she was the one who found me." He laughed again. "I think she thinks I had a concussion. Maybe I did. She kept looking at me like I was crazy. Her and Melakae. They kept trying to get more details to my story and I didn't know what to tell them. I just kept waiting for all of this to be over..."

He sighed and paused his pacing as he walked by the table, and he pulled out a chair, slumping into it.

He was quiet for a moment before he blurted out his next thought.

"Elliot's outside."

He put his elbow up on the table.

"I was -- am afraid that one of the creatures, like your tiger, or whatever it is, will attack him."

Evaline listened intently as James continued to spill. It was again unnerving to watch him lose his cool, but she quickly began to puzzle pieces together, and a story was already starting to form in her brain.

Honestly, she would guessed that a story of James talking to Mel and Elise was a silly dream. It seemed ridiculous, unlikely, and imaginary. She couldn't even imagine that, but he didn't seem to be lying.

She didn't let it get under her skin that much as she felt like she had the beginning of a excusable story in the works, but it was all halted when James said Elliot was outside.

Evaline abruptly turned towards him, almost losing her balance despite gripping on the table and standing on two feet. She couldn't stop the shock from washing over her face and seep into her voice.

"Elliot's okay?" she asked, then took a big breath out in relief.

He was okay.

She didn't kill him after all.

James felt his shoulders tense as Evaline turned to him. She sounded... relieved.

There was a disconnect, somewhere in his mind, as the memory kept leaking through the forefront of his mind. With Evaline standing there in front of him, he couldn't help but wonder if this Evaline was one who'd recovered or who was still recovering. He couldn't stop the onslaught of anxious thoughts that bombarded his mind, wondering if it would happen again. If Elliot would get hurt again. If Evaline would get hurt again. If he would get hurt again.

His answer was delayed as he stared back at her, briefly clenching his jaw.

"Yes," he said.

James had chosen to be silent at the worst time during the conversation, because Evaline was starting to get more and more anxious with each passing second.

Until, finally, he said yes. Confirmation that Elliot was alright.

A stream of relief flooded her body, and it felt like the weight of guilt had been lifted off her back despite her not even being aware that she was guilty. Her eyes softened and she smiled, just a little, as she turned back to lean against the table.

"I'm glad," was all she said in response as the smile faded as quick as it went, and she silently enjoyed the lingering feeling of relief for a little while longer before she could return back to thinking through what she would say to the others.

James sat in the chair as silence followed, and he couldn't think of anything else to say. He knew he was completely out of his element. He didn't know enough about earth to pretend to know much of anything. He barely knew enough to go along with the information he'd been given, and if he hadn't run into Evaline, he had a very strong feeling that things might've ended very poorly.

They'd wanted him to prove his powers, and there was no way for him to do that. He wondered if that would lead to them realizing he was just a normal human, or if it would result in him being killed. Maybe he would've died either way.

The thought passed by casually, and if it wasn't for Elliot, he knew he wouldn't mind if things ended that way.

As he tried to think of something to break the silence, he couldn't help but feel almost stupidly childish as his mind kept circling back to Elliot, and if he was okay. He stared at the door.

"But... really, though," he said. "Those animals won't eat Elliot, will they?"

Evaline appreciated the silence that followed so she could think with a clear head. She focused on a spot on the floor, letting her mind poke holes in the story she had formed so that she could best prepare. It was unfortunate Oliver was here. Then she wouldn't have to try so hard to get this right.

She gave a small nod to signal to herself that she was ready, but then James spoke up again. Evaline gave him a questionable look.

"No," she said. "Not unless Elliot attacked them, but even then, I doubt they'd eat him."

That was the easy answer. For now.

"I know what to say to them," she added on, changing subjects. "I can go outside alone and tell them so you can stay here. Otherwise I can bring them all in again. Which do you prefer?"

James brought his hands together in his lap and quelled all of the nervous tics he knew he had, forcing himself to be still.

If he was going to be stuck on earth for the foreseeable future, it was better for him to face it now than later. There was no way to recover from what was undeniably, to anyone else's outside perspective, him breaking down, but maybe he could at least try to look composed. And apologize.

If he had his way, he wouldn't be in this situation at all. The perfect option would be for him to simply not exist, but that was never, ever an option. Not even on Nye.

He took a deep breath.

He was on earth. He was Matt. He just needed to get his story straight so he could play the right role.

"You can bring them in," he said steadily. The anxiety finally subsided. He now knew what he needed to do. "But before you do, can you tell me what I need to know so that we can be on the same page and have our stories straight? I don't want to accidentally say something that might confuse them further."

Evaline was pleasantly surprised to hear James select that option, but she simply nodded to honor his preference, as well as his request. It was reasonable for him to want to know ahead of time, and she was glad to hear him be proactive now. She figured there was no use in telling him anything beforehand because she planned for him to silently stay behind her as she took care of everything, but if he wanted to contribute, he was welcome to.

"I plan on saying that you do have a time power," she said. "But not any we'd be familiar with, because you're from the past. Far, far in the past, hence why you have a horse."

She tilted her head up, looking at the light. It occured to her that the technology level between Earth and Nye was steep, and the past that she'd place him in would be even steeper, but that was a detail she doubted anyone would ask. She'd think of another story if someone did, though.

"You don't understand your power since you can see visions of timelines only from certain people. You tried to go back yourself one day, but somehow you ended up far in the future." She shrugged lightly. "Time powers are the least understood, and they're rare around here. They'd believe it coming from me."

James nodded slowly, listening intently and deliberately not just to the information but the way Evaline worded it, so he could match her, or reword it just enough so it was still the same but sounded like it was coming from him, and not regurgitated. It needed to be convincing.

"Okay," he said. "If... anyone were to ask me about the past. How much could I simply describe my experience on Nye? Is there anything I should be sure to include?"

It almost felt strange that she was giving him an explanation of time powers five year after they met. But he needed to know.

"Memory and time were closely connected back then," Evaline explained. "You don't remember much, and your memory's scattered, but you do remember the people in your life and the places you've been. Just don't say details, and don't mention big cities. You were a wilderness man back then, and now, too. Things just look different now. Less archaic, more wild." She paused. "Don't mention any year. Just say you don't remember. If there's a question you can't answer, say you don't remember."