The Grand Reset (Book 2 Withering Away The Clock)

Left Behind

We exit the clock leaving Rachel behind. I'm not sure how I feel about this but this was Rachel's Idea but I don't think this is the best idea though I wanted for all of us to leave together. Well by all of us I guess I just mean me and Racheal. Either way I don't feel comfortable with just these two. I asked them "So what are we going to do about Rachael." The younger version of me turned around and said "Nothing, we're not going to do anything about her." I can't believe my ears right now were just going to let Rachael rot I told him "So what are we going to do then?" He reached into his pocket and pulled out a knife smirked and said "Were going to finish what you started were going to kill 2."

I look at the knife in despair, killing 2 would mean destroying any way of going to the real world. Is he serious? He is going to leave Rachel by herself. I can't trust him. Young me saved me back there but I still don't fully trust him. Rachael is the only person I can truly rely on. I told him "We have to at least give Rachel a way to us. If not then I'm not going with you." He turned around and said "Fine by me we don't really need you to be honest." He really is just like me bluffing the second things go wrong. I know for a fact they need either me or Rachel. I don't know why yet but I know for some strange reason they were extra important.

He looked at me square in the face and said "Do you really think we can't leave without you?" He saw straight through but I wasn't planning on hiding it. I know for a fact if he just needed himself and Young Rachel he would have done it when she was in the void alone. I told him straight up "I do think you need me. I was one of the reasons time travel was invented of course you need me. He leaned and whispered something into Young Rachel's ear and she whispered back. I couldn't make out what it was but after they finished Young Me said "Your right we do need you but I going to tell you getting Rachel back is pointless." I chuckled a little bit. I know now that he's against the ropes. I have him right where I want him.

I asked, "Why would it be pointless." He looked at me and said "Because Rachael risked her necks to get us away from that psycho. I know you don't know much about 1 but if she really wanted to she could kill us with her bare hands." He's still bluffing he has to be bluffing there's no way she would even if she could. He spoke up "I'm telling you there's no point in going back, will all get sent back to The White Void. You two seemed to be so worried about the conditions so here they are. I was told that if I helped you two escape in any way I would be sent to the void immediately and your two conditions: figuring out a way to attack or escape would send you to the void."

I responded "Even if she could kill with her bare hands it's four versus one there's no way will lose no matter how strong she is." He sighed and leaned back over to Young Rachael after they whisper for more time he spoke "I'm just going to say this straight up I don't want you and Rachel together it leads into issues if you want to fight that crazy person sure there a high chance she probably won't kill you but I won't do anything more then just not stop you if you want Rachael back you going to have to fight for her."

Why would he say that I remember him bringing Rachel to the room we were in? Why would he lie about that? I don't know why but I'm going to call him out anyway. I asked, "Weren't you the one who brought me and Rachel together? I don't think you want us separated."

He said "To be honest I wanted you together when we were dealing with 1 and was planning to separate you when we got out. I'm quite thankful for her, she helped me out a lot back there. So to answer your question, yes I did bring you together but I'm not planning on doing it again." I can tell he was serious about that last part. I know myself too well. I knew if I went to fight 1 he wasn't coming after me.

So now I have to choose to follow Young Me or go after Rachel. That all lies on if he's exaggerated about 1 super strength out of fear or if he really is telling the truth. I have to think back. Have I ever seen what 1 is capable of? I remember before we got captured something knocked us out or someone. Was that 1? I could ask them, no they'll be biased, they want 1 to look as threatening as possible so I don't go. Still it's likely it was her. Is there anything else? There was one time she punched me in the stomach. It was strong but I wouldn't consider it super human. Then again she was probably holding back she probably doesn't want to injure us.

The evidence is stacked against me. I'm sorry Rachel but if what he's saying is right I can't fight her. It's not all hopeless killing 2 means the only option to The Land of Time is the time machine. I'll just open it back up when I'm ready. When I'm ready I'll save Rachel. I sighed and said "Ok I'll go with you." He smiled and pointed in a direction. While grinning at me he said "2 just a few minutes away lets go get him."

We walk for a bit and 2 is in sight. I saw myself walking towards him with a knife in hand. What is he doing? Wouldn't 2 run away the second he sees him? I run in front of him ready to get 2 in some sort of choke hold. As I ran towards him seems to be completely still. I hear Young Me yell "It's fine he can't move." I stop dead in my tracks and watch as Young Me walks straight towards him and slits his throat. He didn't even fall, just stayed completely still. I walk towards them and hear Young Me ask "Can you take us to the real world." 2 didn't move but something in my pocket glowed.

Young Rachel looked at my pocket and said "That's strange 2 should be dead a knife went straight through his neck." Young Me looked at my pocket and asked "How did you two originally find out about the extra portal?" Could he be meaning the time machine? I told him "We just went to the project center, we didn't have any real idea it would work, we just got lucky."

Young Rachel looked at it for a bit then said "It's a return ring. Sense you only went to the real world and went back with a different method your return ring is still on you." A return ring? If I'm correct this just means I can go back to the Land of Time whenever I please but how does it work? I asked Young Rachel about it, she said.

"The return ring basically means you can travel to the Land of Time at any time or place but you only have one use after you use it your return ring disappears." One use I only have one shot to use the return ring. I'll leave it in my pocket for now but I want it on me. Young Me reached out his hand and said "Give me the return ring I don't trust you with it."