Short Stories

The Time Traveler I Know Part 1

This will most likely be hella cheesy and very predictable.

It was the night. The night. The moment in time that Isabella figures out who she is. Her destiny. And it all started out with a line. A single sentence.

"I don't want you to leave," Isabella said with a small sigh.

Isabella was currently laying next to her best friend, Sophie who was gazing out the window into the dark night, waiting for the inevitable. To be picked up.

"You and me both."

The two girls lay there for minutes, excepting that their time together was ending.

Sophie's phone buzzed the Star Wars Dark Vader Theme. Both girls heads snapped towards the phone which read, Dad in white letters.

Sophie sat up, clutching the phone in her left hand, then swiped the screen. She held the phone to her ear. "Okay, I'm coming." She hung up then slumped down. Her arms dangled down the one side of the bed, making her look unbelievably pathetic. "I guess I have to go now." She frowned, but didn't move a muscle. For a a second, Isabella believed she had no intention on moving but she draped her legs over the side of the bed and sat at the edge. She rubbed her eyes and forced a smile. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

Both girls stood up and embraced each other in a hug.

At that moment Isabella wanted Sofie to stay more than anything. She wished it was the previous day. Specifically that day because she felt as if she wasted it. They spent the whole day doing nothing but using their phones. Isabella regretted wasting the precious time they had together. For a moment she let herself believe that could happen. That it could be yesterday.

Suddenly Isabella felt a weight on her shoulders, like her head weighed to much and might fall off her shoulders. Every movement took effort. There was no noise. Not the sound of the air conditioner cooling the room, not the constant ringing in her ears. She slowly pulled away from her friend. Who seemed to be as uncomfortable as she was. Around the room everything wasn't moving. As if God hit pause on the entire world, except them.

It took effort, took a step back. Everything turned dark but the light came back as fast as it took for her to blink. But something was different. There was more light.

She turned around with lots of effort and saw that light was streaming through the windows. "Woah!"

What's happening? She thought.

Once the initial shock wore off she noticed the absence of her best friend.

"Sofie?" She looked around slowly but full of panic. By then Isabella had completely convinced herself of one of two things. Either 1) she was going crazy, or 2) she was the target of a cruel joke.

Although how could anyone pull this? How could anyone slow her like this? Pause everything.

Sophie rigged the electronics, Isabella reassured herself. She put weights in my jacket and shoes or something. But when could she have done that? She decided against checking herself for any of these possibilities in fear she would lose more energy. She actually wasn't sure if she was gaining energy or losing it. She felt stronger but just as slow. She had no idea what was happening, and she wasn't sure she'd find out.

Everything seemed to overwhelm her at this moment. The light that proved it was morning, the fact that nothing was moving. The trees outside seemed to be statues. She even saw her mom looking up at the house outside. She was completely still.

Isabella slowly lifted her leg up to step forward, to get closer to her mother.

She wished this was a dream. She could not handle this. The idea that this might be real scared her more than anything ever has in her life. She wished it was the night that Sofie was here. Even if she was leaving it would be better then being here alone and scared. She wanted that night back.

As her foot touched the ground, the darkness blinked back. It was exactly how it was that night, including Sophie who stood, in the flesh before her. Only one problem she was frozen. Everything was still frozen.

Why does everything have to be frozen? Isabella thought bitterly.

Sophie was frozen in a movement, that looked like she was taking a step towards her, smiling but her eyes seemed sad. Right before we hugged, Isabella realised.

"I, I - what?" Sofie said in total confusion. She held the sides of her her head, raking through her brain for anything that might explain what's happening. Unlucky for her, she came up with nothing.

"Sophie," she said with a sob. She felt like she wanted to cry. She had never in her life, been this scared and confused. She dropped her arms to her sides. "What's happening to me!"

She wished with everything she had for her friend to unfreeze. For everything to unfreaze.

And just like that, her wish came true. Her friend unfroze, and all the sound and movement in the world came back. The weight fell off her shoulders.

Sophie tripped forward onto her knees, the sad and happy glint in her eyes gone, replaced with true terror. She panted heavily, as if she ran a marathon.

"Wh- what happened?" Her friend stammered. "I, I was here, then I was there," she looked to her side as if she expected there to be something else. "How, how did I get here?" She looked up at Isabella with so much terror and confusion.

Isabella felt a lump in her throat and found it hard to speak. She didn't even know what she would've said if she could because she didn't know what happened either. "I don't know," she said quietly.

"How do you not know?" Her friend demanded.

"I don't know."

Sophie stood up and put her hands on Isabella shoulders. "Please answer me. I need to know."

"I don't know."

"Ughh." She sat down on the bed and put her head in her hands.

Isabella sat next to her still dazed. "I appeared in a different day. I was wearing different cloths. It was light outside."

Sophie looked over, her attention caught.

"But you weren't there. Everything was paused. There was no sound, no movement. I even saw my mom frozen in the yard." She paused and looked down at her hands. "I wasn't frozen. I felt heavy. It was so hard to move, but I could do it. I could move. I started freaking out, then It was tonight. You were here." She let out a small sob. "But I was still alone." She looked over at Sophie who was now sitting up, starting at her with concern in her eyes. "You were frozen."

Hey guys!! Do you like it? This is the first part to this short story. Comment if you want a part 2. Comment for other suggestions too cause God knows I'll need them.

Tootles my friends.

- Kendall