The Time Traveler

The Offer

For the next weeks, Connie and Romal became inseparable and made no secret that they had become lovers. As we walked through the streets of Buffalo during that time, they made no secret of their affection for each other as they held hands and stopped every now and then to trade a passionate kiss.

One morning a month after the time traveler's awakening, while Connie had gone shopping to a supermarket in a town about ten miles from the house, I asked Romal, "How many women have you had in your travels?"

He seemed taken aback by the question. With a frown, he replied, "How many?" Then, he laughed. "Why?"

"I am curious," I said. "I doubt that my sister is not the first."

"No, she's not," he said, now with a serious expression that fit my concern. "In fact, in ten thousand years, your sister is the third."

"You fell in love with the other two?"

He sighed and answered, "Yes, I fell in love. And with the second, I fathered a child. But each time I made the mistake of reentering the vessel and leaving them behind."

"So, what about this time?" I asked. "With my sister?"

"I don't know. Maybe it's time for the vessel to remain empty. For me to go about living a normal life. With your sister as my wife."

My heart raced as I considered what I was about to propose, an idea that had come to me and been simmering in my mind for the past week or so. "So why not let me take your place?" I blurted. "Let me continue your mission while you stay here and spend the rest of your lifetime with Connie."

He scowled and said, "Take my place? You really want to do that?"

"I don't know," I said, equivocating momentarily. "Yes. I mean, the idea of it, waking every seventy-three years in the future, in a new world, seeing how far humanity has advanced, or regressed, does have a fascinating appeal." After a moment, I added, "There's nothing for me here. No job, no woman. And, you love Connie. I can see that in the way you look at her, hold her. You should stay with her, start a family, lead a normal life."

As he let the idea sink in, his eyes brightened. "Yes, I do want that," he said. "And your sister, she reminds me of..." but then, he trailed off, perhaps thinking of his other two lovers whose bodies had eons ago gone to dust.

After a time, he said, "Why don't you sleep on it, Damie. Consider what it means. What you must give up. Then we can talk about it again in the morning."

There was no more talk of it that day. But the first thing the following morning, I strode up to him as he sat at the kitchen table next to Connie sipping his coffee and said, "Yes. I want to do it."

"Want to do what?" Connie asked. Her eyes narrowed.

I looked at her and said, "Take Romal's place in the time vessel."

After Connie turned to him with a scowl, Romal explained, "David proposed yesterday taking my place in the vessel. While I stay here with you, in this lifetime."

Connie's eyes widened. She got up, went over and straddled him and, as he sat there, took him into her bosom. Looking over at me with a quizzical frown. she asked, "You really want to do this, Damie?"

"Yes," I said without hesitation. Suddenly, I knew that I must do it right now, immediately. Bolt downstairs, enter the chamber, step into the time vessel and immerse myself within the gel. And sleep for seventy-three years. Without another word, I stood and started toward the landing to the basement.