WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!

Saving The World Ain't a Stroll in the Park

Charlotte settled down on the floral wingback chair opposite Toby, visibly perplexed.
"Oh, look at that- we don't have enough cups. Let me go and fetch them, Dear; I'll be back in a jiffy. Do help yourself to these scones if you like." Aurelia said as if she hadn't just dropped the bomb that she did.

"You don't mind if I take them both, do you?" asked Toby, reaching for the food before Charlotte had a chance to answer. "I'm Toby, by the way, Toby Collins. You're that girl from the cafe, right? Your hair's different."

Charlotte nodded with an awkward smile, consciously running a hand through her hair, embarrassed. "Do I know you?"

Toby signalled her to wait so he could swallow the overflowing morsels of food before answering. "Probably not, but I know you... well, kind of—" he barely uttered understandably, still chewing.

"Oh good, you're talking," said Aurelia back with a cup and some biscuits.

"Miss Winterblossoms, Laura, whoever you are. Would you please say something? What do you mean the Earth is glitching? That makes no sense," Charlotte said in a single breath. She paused and continued, "Ideally, it doesn't make sense. But the things that have happened to me in the past few days, I really don't know how to explain. The blood, the fish, the random occurrences and... and your name. You know something, don't you? Please, I just— I need to know. I am going crazy."

Toby, too, was alert now. "You've been seeing... doing weird stuff too? I knew you would get it. I am not the only crazy one. Phew!"

"Too? Does that mean you are—"

"Yes," said Aurelia, "He's going through the same things you are". She handed them both their tea and began, "I understand this must be all very confusing to you. But listen carefully and listen closely. What I am about to tell you now is a very serious matter."

She took a sip from her white and gold cup and continued, "I am a programmer for the Ministry of Loops. It is a covert division of the government that has to do with all things unexplainable and unrevealable to the general population: things that could hamper the natural order of the world. We have been under operation for centuries now. Sometimes for the government, sometimes with and sometimes as. Many eminent personalities are members, like Galileo Galilei, Albert Einstein, Barack Obama and even Benedict Cumberbatch. The best of the best. "

Charlotte's eyes twinkled at Benedict's mention. "The Benedict Cumberbatch?"

Aurelia smiled a yes and continued. "The ministry deals with time loops, memory loops, mystical energy loops and loops in the fabric of space-time. My job is specifically to test periodically, program and maintain these portals or devices that aid us to control them correctly. Funny story, this one time ..." Aurelia said, chortling, "this one particular project of ours went awry, and we ended up making the entire Earth flat; can you believe it?" She spoke of it as if she was describing some high-school faux pas, "We fixed it, and Galileo had to cover it up for us by proving the Earth wasn't flat. Poor chap, he ended up making a fool of himself!"

As if the Earth glitching, the Ministry of Loops and Barack Obama being a member of a shady organisation weren't hard-enough pills to swallow, Charlotte also had to find out the flat-earth theory was actually true! What else had been tainted by these people?

"Um, Miss Winterblossoms," interjected Charlotte, "What are these portals you speak of?"

"Ah yes. These are sort of like, um, gateways. Or imagine a hollow circular tube with holes on it. You can enter and exit anywhere, and those are the different points in time. That is how I could change my age too, Toby. Now the portals are the holes in the tube, hiding in plain sight. One must only know where to look. There's one right outside your home Charlotte, underneath the plant at the entrance. And Toby, remember the interview, the one where you hot dogged the interviewers? Yes, there was a portal inside the cyan folder behind them."

Both Toby and Charlotte were dumbfounded; you could see the tension on their faces very clearly.

"And the devices, what are those?" Toby managed to mutter.

"The devices, too, are things of very high potential. They do not look out of the ordinary, but their very base is fundamentally different from anything natural you have ever come across. They possess the capacity to instil mystical energy into the intended receiver. The flowers and the poison ivy were the devices sent for you two. But something went wrong. These powers that you have gained were not supposed to be this erratic." she gave a sad pause, "The two of you were selected after a very careful and focused research. You make the perfect allies, the perfect team. The program is glitching; the Earth is displaying unnatural behaviour. I need the two of you to help me fix it. The tea I gave you will help you focus your energies. The next few days, you are going to need it. Now, I'll give you some time to let all of that sink in. Let's meet here tomorrow. Till then, I hope you will be discreet."

Charlotte and Toby got out of Aurelia's house. Toby told her, "Man, that was a lot, eh? My whole belief system has been overturned. I need some air; do you want to join me on a walk?" This was his confidence speaking. Charlotte was visibly shaken. She just nodded.

They walked in a park for a while in silence. Toby knew Charlotte needed some space right now. The wind felt like a cool embrace. The trees rustling, the birds chirping, little children playing with balls and their pets were paradoxically normal for their outré day.

Charlotte saw an unoccupied bench and took it. Toby sat next to her.

"You know, I like your hair better this way," he said, grinning.

Charlotte shot him a murderous look. "How are you okay with any of this?" she exasperated.

Toby scoffed, "Look at me," he said. "I was never the favourite child at home. So, I decided to spare my family some burden and earn for myself. I gave twelve interviews this month ... I should have known that I was never going to be good enough for anyone. Ever since I was little, life tried to teach me that in many ways; when I was never able to make any friends, when I was always denied the opportunity of playing with the other kids, when they didn't let me become a member of the theatre club because I don't 'measure up'. I'm just happy I'm a part of something."

Charlotte immediately regretted what she said. "You know, I didn't sign up for any of this. My life was set. Everything was perfect. I was happy. Who are they to decide my life for me? I am not on board with any of this!"

Toby took her hand. "I know that this is completely unfair for you. And their unconsented decision to rope you into this is unacceptable. But just for a minute, stop thinking about yourself. Now I didn't understand half of what she said, but what I gather is that all the people in the world are in danger. And the only ones capable of protecting them are you and me. Although this might seem like a complete upheaval of your life, your help is essential for the greater good. Think about all the lives that will be at stake if you pull the plug on it."

Charlotte was speechless. He had chosen the right words. He understood what position this had put her in. Perhaps he understood her better than anyone else had ever. She didn't know what crossed her mind, but she leaned forward and kissed him.

That day when Toby went home, he was ecstatic. It had been the best day of his life. Today, he gained everything that he had been deprived of in his life, a friend, an opportunity, a sweetheart and a purpose. He was eager about the coming day at Aurelia's. But his opinions changed when the following day Aurelia told them that they were going to be tested the next two days on how much they can control their peculiarities. He was taken back to the place that he hated the most; this was school all over again!