Time, Space & Love

Chapter 2: The Mask of Insanity

"Okay so what exactly is happening here?" I asked.

The man sat down on my sofa. "Well first off, I'm William. Although I'm not entirely sure, I believed I may have arrived in this time accidently. It's 2014 you said?"

I just stared. Arrived in this time? What the-?

"Are you well?" I inquired.

"Very. If you could show me the way to 5000, I'd be greatly appreciative."

William looked up like he was expecting me to hand him a map.

"Excuse me," I began. "But do you think I have a time machine? Are you suggesting that you're from the future?"

"Well it would be nice if you did have a time machine and yes I am most definitely from the future." William folded his hands and gazed calmly at my appalled face.

I let out a little laugh. "Okay William, well I don't have anything to transport you to your 'time' so I can't really help you."

"Well then I must stay here with you," he said.

"What?!" I yelled. "No way. I'm sorry but I've no idea who you are. You can't just live here."

"Well this would only be a temporary arrangement," William explained. "Only until I get back to my rightful time period."

"Which is where?" I asked, still in shock at everything I was hearing.

"4644," William told me.

"How did you go 2,630 years further than where you're supposedly from?"

"I honestly have no clue," William said. "My goal was to go to 5000 and stop a chain of events that would cause the world to fall into the depths of a black hole."

I began pacing my living room, dying to make sense of this all. This man knocks on my door. Apparently he believes he's some futuristic hero that's destined to save humanity. No way. This wasn't happening.

"Look," I said, finally. "I'm sorry for your plight but there's nothing I can do. You can find a hotel. I'm sure you have money."

"No I can't," He said. "That would set off a chain of events that would change everything. I've already corrupted the time stream enough. If I do so much as step on an ant or bump a rock, that'll set everything off course. Going back in time is much more dangerous than going forward."

"You don't think knocking on my door at 3am corrupted the time stream?"

"Yes! Which is why I don't want to corrupt it further. Dangerous things happen to men who meddle unwisely with time. Please. I'm begging you. Help me."

I let out a groan. "Fine," I relented. "You sleep on the couch. I'll be upstairs. Goodnight."

I climbed upstairs and collapsed on my bed. Time travel? What the hell had I gotten myself into?