POT

Chapter 26

HISTORY, BEGONE!

“Sir Elmo! I am so glad thou answered! I was waiting for thy reply.” Julie wrote.

“Sorry if I keep you waiting Julie, I gave Mom a hand with her orchids today.” Elmo excused.

“Apology accepted. I hope thou art wearing the yarn bracelet.”

“Of course! It never left my arm even when I sleep.”

“I am happy to learn that. So… How art thou?”

“Oh I am fine, though I miss the times that we were together.”

“So do I.”

Oh wow! She also misses me! Oh boy! Oh boy! “Julie, can I visit you in your place sometime?”

“Of course! You are most welcome. Honestly, it would be perfect if you’ll visit me today.”

Whoah! Do my eyes deceive me? She wants me to drop by to her place TODAY? Oh I am so tempted to say yes! Hmmm, if I visit her, will my presence affect the past?

“I will not doubt it.” Butch said from the window.

“Holy *#@^!” Elmo shouted.

“Surprise puppy boots!” Butch laughed.

“B-butch? What the hell are you doing here?” Elmo asked.

“Preventing you from doing something stupid.”

“Huh?”

“Huh? Don’t ‘Huh?’ me Lad, I am the one who gave you that book, hence I can monitor everything that you and Julie write. I even know that you already like her!”

“Oh don’t pull my legs old man.”

“Oh I will really pull them out lad!” Butch joked “Want me to prove it now?”

“Fine! You got me. So what?”

“I am just saying that you and Julie shouldn’t end up together, in this timeline.”

“Why? Is it because she’s from the past and I am from the future?”

“Exactly! If you and Julie will remain like this, a paradox will happen.”

I can sense from Butch that he is totally against my growing feeing for Julie and I know that arguing against his belief is futile and pointless. “Okay, fine.”

“Lad, don’t do anything stupid. Don’t be the cause of another paradox.”

“Yeah…”

“That isn’t assuring.” Butch complained.

“I promise!”

“Hope you don’t break it.”

Butch immediately disappeared after he said those words. He really gave me a creepy feeling and now I couldn’t sleep again because of what that grumpy dude did. Great!

“I am sorry Julie, I think today isn’t possible.” Elmo wrote.

“I understand. I was hoping that thou could also render me some assistance.”

“Why? Is there something wrong?”

“It’s alright. I just wanted to seek some advice from thee.”

“Sure! Just tell me what bothers you right now. I’ll do everything I can to help you.”

“Pleasure Sir Elmo!” Julie thanked “To be honest, it isn’t just my problem but also includes my nation…”

Ow! I thought it was just something personal, something about her feelings… oh bummer now I am going to drain my brain cells again, I hope this isn’t about politics. Elmo thought.

“The Turks just initiated their move against Saint John. They slayed some of our brothers and sisters and barricaded our trading routes. Our country declared a continuation of the war we once postponed. If thou art to decide, will you also do the same thing or pursue more peaceful means?”

Now I am so dead! This is worse than politics, this is warfare. I know nothing about war! I am a lover not a fighter! Oh Julie you should just asked me if I like you instead, “… I really do not know the answer Julie. In our time and place, war is a seldom event that most nations try to avoid. Thus, most of us, especially me, are not knowledgeable regarding that matter.”

“Oh I see.”

Shoot! That was a wrong move dude! She’s asking for my help, what I just said is the same as turning her down! Take it back pea-brain! Take it back! Come on think!

“Sir Elmo, I envy you.” Julie suddenly wrote.

“Why?”

“You live in a place where war scarce. You live in a peaceful time; a place I always dream of.”

“True, but life here isn’t easy too. We had our own problems that are sometimes, in itself, worse than being at war.”

“I see. Sir Elmo, do thee ask God questions?”

“Yup. How about you?”

“Yes. Sometimes I ask him why he allowed man to write history in blood. My mentor once taught me world history but all I perceived were wars, occupations and bloodshed.”

History… “True. I completely agree… wait hang on! That’s right!”

“Why? What is it Sir Elmo?”

“History! You’re from the past right? So it means your history is written in our books! I could find a book that could narrate your country’s accounts. For sure, the war between Saint John and the Turks will be described. I could tell you everything about it! It’s like telling you the future!” Elmo wrote excitedly.

“Thou art right! Oh Sir Elmo that’s brilliant. My words aren’t enough to express how grateful I am to thee!”

“You’re welcome! After all you’re my girlfriend right?” Oh really wish you were.

“Thou made me laugh. Indeed I am thy girlfriend. Does this mean there is something between us again?”

Oh my God! How I wish that those words were for real. “Yes. Some letters.”

“I beg to disagree.”

“Huh? Why?”

“They are not just letters, they are words that our hearts have shared.”

Oh how I really wish you were really in front of me Julie! “Yeah, you’re right! :D”

“Sir Elmo…”

Oh god, why am I feeling this? I feel a bit nervous… is she going to confess? “Yes Julie?”

Then it took her a few minutes to answer back. A mixture of joy and uneasiness embraced me as I waited for Julie’s reply. What if Julie says that she like me also? What will I do? That grumpy old man will surely scare me to death again and might even take the book away from me. Am I ready to be a paradox?

“Sir Elmo, what does ‘:D’ mean? Thou often use them since we met.”

Shoot! I over think things again… “It’s a happy face Julie. Try to tilt your head sideward and you’ll see that the two dots are the eyes and the capital D is the mouth.”

“Fascinating! Now I could say that thou enjoy my company because almost all of your replies have this smiling faces.”

“Indeed, your words often make me happy.”

“The feeling is mutual Sir Elmo.”

“:D”

“:D”

Julie, if you only know how I feel today.

 

***

1312

Sir Elmo, if I could just say what my heart starts to feel…