Lost in Time

Chapter 4: A Wish Granted

The air around Alan hung heavy with the weight of his weariness. He trudged through the quiet neighborhood, every step a burden on his broad shoulders. It had been years since he had felt the thrill of being the victorious and respected racer and garage owner, years since he roared with glory and sighed in defeat at those who crossed his path on the racetrack. Now, the responsibilities of fatherhood and husbandry weighed him down like chains.

Alan didn't want to blame anyone, especially the kids or his husband, but he felt frustration creeping in amidst the chaos. He knew he wasn't a perfect husband or father, yet he worked hard to give his family everything. Juggling family, work, and personal responsibilities was exhausting, and it was no surprise that he sometimes felt overwhelmed.

As Alan made his way back to the garage, the silence of the evening was abruptly shattered by a desperate plea for help concerning a broken-down car. "Please! Is anyone there? My car's completely dead!" The urgency in the voice drew Alan's attention instantly—a small, bewildered figure standing by the roadside. "Sir! Could you please lend a hand?" The man's tone was a mix of panic and hope as he appealed to Alan, who quickly approached, sensing the urgency in the situation.

"Of course, let me see what I can do," Alan replied, his concern mirrored in his actions as he moved towards the stranded vehicle, ready to assist the man who clearly needed a helping hand with his car troubles. "Wait! You're...you're Alan! The famous racer right?" The man recognized Alan as soon as he got over his panic and saw Alan's face behind the hood. "I used to be..." Alan says trying to analyze the problem. "You just need gas, there's a gasoline station near the block, just turn right," Alan says closing the hood after inspecting it.

Alan was on the verge of walking away, convinced there was nothing more he could do to assist. Just as he was about to turn, the man interjected urgently, "Wait! Khun! I carried extra in case this would happen, could you lend me a hand?" Alan glanced at him, puzzled by how someone could travel without knowledge of their own vehicle — especially with a caravan trailing behind.

Despite his frustration, Alan chose to help. Once the task was completed, the man insisted on repaying him. Alan initially declined, but the stranger's persistence left him no choice but to accept. The stranger invited him into the caravan and even politely offered him a martini. Although Alan was taught not to trust strangers, he badly needed a drink to calm down before going back to the garage, so he went along inside the caravan.

The inside was simple yet elegant, everything was clean. Alan walks toward the table, "I'm sorry but who might you be?" Alan asks trying to be polite as he sits down on the other side of the table. The man placed the martini on the table after he got the drinks from the mini-fridge.

"I am Reed, at your service," he said, his voice dripping with amusement. "Now, you might not know me but I know you. I've been a fan since your early days as a racer." The man says as he sits down opposite Alan. "I'm so envious of your life. With all the money you won, you're living freely, right? No worries nor responsibilities, am I right?" Reed says drinking the martini in his hand. "Freely? Yeah sure." Alan couldn't help but reminded of what had happened a while ago looking at the glass in front of him.

"Tell me about it," Reed sensed the alpha's weariness as he poured himself another drink. "My life after retiring isn't exactly a fairytale. Sometimes, I find myself yearning for the days when I was still out on the track, racing and chasing victory. Just one more day in that world would be enough, you know?" Alan gulped the martini as he felt the frustration getting into his head again. "Then you're just lucky to have met me, Khun Alan! You see, I'm a special alpha. Magical transactions are my specialty." Reed says as he stands up and goes to search through his cabinet for something.

"Great, another special alpha. I have friends who also have special abilities." Alan mutters as he looks at Reed who continues to look through his things then when he finds it, he lays what seems to be a contract on the table. "This is a magical contract that grants you your wish to be the man you used to be for a day." Alan couldn't believe it. His brow furrowed, "What do you want in return?" He was doubtful of the stranger's ability. That's how it is, when you get something, you have to give something in return.

Reed grins, a wicked one, though Alan didn't notice. "Oh, nothing much. Just a simple exchange—a day of freedom, of being the top racer you once were. In return, I merely ask for a day." Alan hesitated, it seemed too good to be true. A day to be free from the shackles of responsibility, to reclaim his victory days that had been buried beneath the weight of his duties? It was a tempting offer.

"I can't just abandon my family." Alan hesitated, his eyes darting over the contract skeptically. "B-But that's the thing! It's a magical contract. No one will even know you're gone!" Reed exclaimed, waving his hands in the air and punctuating his statement with magician-like gestures. "And by the time this day is up, you are gonna feel like a changed man." Reed looks like he is daydreaming and Alan is confused but he can't hide the fact that he is interested in the magical contract.

"I don't know," Alan, still hesitant, looked over to Reed who shrugs. "Hey, it's okay. You don't have to do it." He says trying to wave his hands in front of him. Alan struggled as he tried to weigh the pros and cons of the said contract.

For a moment there was silence.

"What day should I give up?" Alan said finally, his voice tinged with resolve. "How about the day you lost a competition or something?" Reed says offering Alan another glass of martini and the man gladly takes it and thinks over the deal. "Just one day?" Alan asks he was thinking if he left just for one day it wouldn't hurt anyone right? They wouldn't even know.

"One day," Reed says as he smiles at Alan. "You can take any day, whatever it is." Without another word, Reed produced a quill that seemed to shimmer with an otherworldly glow. Alan was confused as to why a quill and not a pen but he took them in his massive hand, the quill poised over the parchment. "There's nothing wrong with wanting a time for myself," Alan mutters and with a steady hand, he signs his name.

As soon as the ink dried, the world around him shifted. The beautiful interior of the caravan morphed into a twisted, eerie version of itself—the pieces of furniture twisted into grotesque shapes, and the surroundings were dark and foreboding.

Reed chuckled softly, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "Enjoy your day, Alan," he said cryptically. "Remember, every deal has its consequences." And with that, Reed vanished into thin air, leaving Alan alone in the strange new reality he had unwittingly entered.