Martha HS

Lost Time

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