Lost Time Barbara Green, 2021
The banging on the door shook the walls of Christina Foster’s dim apartment. She stood hunched over her workstation with unadulterated concentration. A shoddily attached light swung back and forth, and the faint sound of scurrying cockroaches shook to the tune of the banging door. The banging stopped and a voice replaced it. “Chris, open the door.” David Slade urged gently. He barely masked the annoyance in his voice and this snagged her attention just enough to go unlock the door. “I thought you had a key.” She muttered as walked back to her workstation and David followed. “You told me I scared you last time, remember?” Christina shook her head and David scanned the apartment. The walls were cracked, dishes pilled in the sink, and the smell of burned wires assaulted his nose. “Christina-” “What? I’ve been busy.” She waved a hand at him as she continued her work. David grabbed her hand and turned her towards him. “I’ve been listening to you say that for six months. At least before it was an explanation for why you were late not an excuse for - whatever this is.” “This is important.” “The lab didn’t think so and neither did Dr.Slade.” David watched Chris’ face twist. “For the last time they had no vision at the lab! No vision, no inspiration, they
had nothing! “ Her words spat out her mouth with vicious strength and David backed up in surrender and surprise. She calmed herself down when she saw his face and continued, “Slade’s a joke. It wasn’t that long ago that he cancelled your nanoparticle project”. “Dr. Slade isn’t unreasonable. I asked him for two days and had enough solid evidence to tide over budget cuts. Two days not eight months!” “Let me tell you something that you don’t seem to get. My work is real, it’s so close it’s tangible. This is my vision and I can see it, David as clear as day. Do you understand?” Christina stared David in the eyes which were marked with disbelief. “Just to be clear this vision is the ability to travel though time. That’s what all this is for?” “You say that like it’s some type of joke. I am not a joke!” “This is ridiculous. I love you Chris but this isn’t a relationship.” “What I’m doing here is groundbreaking. Right now, I don’t have time for other things but when I solve it then we’ll have all the time imaginable literally.” The raw desperation in her voice made David flinch when she reached to touch him. What was left was silence until Christina started to work again. David pursed his lips thinking of what to say for a while but instead tossed his key on the counter and left silently. Christina heard the key clatter against the counter but said nothing. She was almost sure that sometime
