Futurism logo

Back in Time

Sometimes plans don’t go as expected

By Rejoice DenherePublished 3 years ago 5 min read
2
Back in Time
Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash

"I said I’d send it, didn’t I!" Lizzie said with resignation. She was tired of being asked if she had submitted the short story for the competition. What had she let herself in for? She hadn’t even written a single line and the deadline was fast approaching. She decided to go and watch a sci-fi movie for some inspiration.

The movie was good. As the credits ran she removed her 3-D glasses and rubbed her eyes. Now what was that thing they’d said about 3-D glasses again? Wouldn’t it be funny if that really happened to her?

She walked out of the theatre still thinking. When she got home she went into her bedroom, closed the curtains and switched off all the lights. Following the instructions that she remembered from the movie she smiled and put on the 3-D glasses.

Everything happened quickly. She felt the floor move then she was back in time and, like an invisible spirit, was now standing beside her dying father’s bed. He couldn’t see her, of course and she heard him say to her mother, “Tell Lizzie to use her gift.” Then he took his last breath and slipped away.

The words she read sent a chill of excitement down her spine. Oh, boy, would she have some short story to write for the competition. She had actually travelled back in time just by following instructions from the movie. Incredible! And now she had also discovered that she had a gift. Growing up she had heard snippets of conversations about her gift but she had thought it was all “make believe” stories to make her feel special. She wondered what it would be like to use her gift now.

Lizzie closed her eyes again and pictured a scene from her past. It made her feel wretched inside. It was as if someone had opened the scab of a wound that had not quite healed. Now it was bleeding again. But she had to do this.

A man lay dying on the road. It was Ian, the love of her life. He’d been hit by a drunk driver who had driven through a red light and hadn’t bothered to stop either. Lizzie knelt down beside him and summoned the healing power within her. She laid her hands on Ian’s limp body. She felt an electric shock go through her and Ian sat up. No sign of injuries, no bleeding and, thankfully, no witnesses. Just as well the drunk driver hadn’t stopped.

Ian stood up slowly. “What were we doing sitting in the middle of the road Lizzie?” he asked with a confused look on his face. “I’ll explain on the way,” she replied. “Let’s go!”

“Listen,” Ian said, “I’m absolutely starving. Why don’t we get some food?”

“Brilliant idea,” Lizzie replied. She hoped the meal wouldn’t take too long because she wanted to get back home, with Ian this time, and finish her short story. She was feeling pleased that so far her mission had been successful.

They walked into busy take-away and managed to find two window seats. Ian went to the counter to place their order. As Lizzie waited for him to return her mind wandered and she remembered the first time they’d met. He was the most gorgeous man she had ever met. He personified the perfect embodiment of every woman’s dream. On their first date they visited the Tate Modern Art Gallery. Lizzie didn’t think it was very romantic but didn’t mind. She followed him around the gallery and stood there looking at paintings and sculptures through his faded denim gray eyes. He was so funny, so astute, so sexy, so unpretentious that somewhere between the gallery and the gift shop, she had completely fallen in love with him.

When she’d told her friends about him the poor man’s looks and personality had been thoroughly dissected and rated on the scale of one to ten. By the time they’d moved on to his prospects they knew Lizzie was on to a winner. He had a job and, what more, he owned his own house. Her previous boyfriend hadn’t even owned his own teeth having lost them in a brawl. She was a lucky girl.

Ian came back to the table with their food. “So, tell me what was going on back there, on the road?”

Lizzie tried to sound casual about it but she could see Ian’s eyes growing wider and wider with disbelief.

“Well, you’re going to believe me because I’m taking you back to the future with me and you’ll know I’m not lying.”

“And how exactly are you going to take me back to the future? I don’t see a tardis here or anything that looks like a suitable form of transportation. Or do you have special powers?”

She smiled. “As a matter of fact I do! I have the means and the powers.”

She reached into her handbag to pull out the 3-D glasses and held them up in triumph.

“Lizzie, you only have one pair there so how exactly is this going to work?” He was now making fun of her and she couldn’t wait to have the last laugh.

That’s when she realised she hadn’t read the instructions on how to get back to the future. Well, she hadn’t thought it would work, had she? Now she was stuck in the past.

Lizzie is still trying to get back to the future… She doesn’t like being confined in a psychiatric unit either.

fantasy
2

About the Creator

Rejoice Denhere

Lover of the written word, mother, and business owner.

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments

There are no comments for this story

Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

Sign in to comment

    Find us on social media

    Miscellaneous links

    • Explore
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Support

    © 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.