Faith

A story about time, faith, and love

CHAPTER Four

Still stunned, I walked out of the library. I was unable to comprehend anything, my head aching the more I thought about it. Blue box was used in 1900’s, yet it was on my photograph? I had only taken those photos around 6 or 7 years ago; definitely not in the 1900’s. I wanted to double check the photos to make sure the same police box was on there.

And that’s exactly what I did. After unlocking the front door, I ran upstairs and took the camera off my desk. After the camera lens zoomed out and focused, I was finally able to press through each of the images. I hopped through all of them until - “Ah.” I found it.

Like a blue smear across a page, the police box camouflaged in with the surroundings. You could only just see it - like someone knew that I was going to take the picture and tried to hide it. My fingers let go off the camera and tossed it on my bed. Magnifying glass - ugh, where is it? I checked everywhere, absolutely everywhere, but nothing resembling a magnifying glass was found.

Then it hit me - I could use a computer. School computers weren’t always that great, but if you found one that worked - it would be just like you only bought it a few years ago. Yes. That’s the way to go. I would have to install some sort of software which could zoom into images, yet keep them unpixelated. So much work! And by the word ‘work,’ I was reminded of all the work I had to get finished by tomorrow. Couldn’t Year 12 be a little easier? I cleared my thoughts and set off to work.

*****

Things were tough back home. Abba was tense. All the time. He was still working full time, and he was still worried about me and the job at the carwash. And I understand why. Who would want their 19-year-old working at a car wash, just to support the family? 

But at the same time, it’s compulsion. I had to do work for not just me but Abba. We need as much money going into repaying the loan. Oh, that loan. It’ll kill us one day. And I didn’t mean that figuratively either. The bank we had made the deal with was so strict, as in you had to pay a certain amount every week. It wasn’t like it was a normal amount either.

I had quit my job from that day on. I called up the car wash manager and just told him I wouldn’t be working from now. I don’t want to see my dad this stressed, tense, and quiet. But...that works both ways, doesn't it? I need to help in some way...oh, how I wish he didn't know.

Grandpa was a different topic. We all had known he was going to die one day. I knew Grandpa had known it as well. Leukemia was incurable. The only thing we had been able to do was hope. But it hadn't been enough.

*****

The BIOS error set off to work again, as I rushed to the library to get a computer which worked. Pressing the ‘on’ button repeatedly on all the computers in the row, I saw which one (out of the one’s that actually worked) booted up the fastest, and sat down at the chair in front of it. 12:30. Lunch ends at 1:10. Come on computer, work!

I had to install a program onto the school computer. The words 'installing' and 'school computer' are oxymorons in their own way. But I had a 'cheat' of some sorts. I took out my diary, and flipped to the page where I had written it down. I knew I would need it some day. It was an administrator password which I had received from one of my classmates. I hastily typed it in and hit install. I was getting the spinning circle of death until finally, the installation screen came up. Boo yeah!

After all the installing and loading, the program finally came up and I uploaded the photo from my camera onto it. Alright, finally. After clicking the enlarge button on the computer, I chose the area I needed enlarging.

“Charles, what exactly are you doing?” A deep voice resonated behind me. I turned my neck around and in front of me was Mr Gordon, the strictest teacher in the school.

“Uhh…” I did not plan for this! What was I supposed to say? “This is just my photography assignment.” Great. That was two really lame excuses. Once for the job incident, and now. In front of Mr Gordon.

“Hmm..." I don't think he believed me. I was getting ready to say sorry when, "Sorry for interrupting you. Right, you continue on with that.” My excuse worked?! Leaving that aside, I spun back around and continued on. ‘Loading: 99%’ Then in a flash, that blue blur became an image which I could barely recognize.

A beacon-like lantern stood proudly on top of the oxford blue box, with a stepped roof below it. The words ‘Police Public Call Box’ stretched proudly around all four sides of the box. And then two square windows on either side of the halved, wooden skirts. My eyes rolled to them, to see inside. And that was when I saw it. A face. 

Black hair, brown eyes, exotic skin color an– Wait...what?

What I saw was not just any face.

It was my face.