The Thyme Travelers

Chapter Seventeen: Now That I've Saved My Sister, Let's Try To Get Back

I looked up from my knees once the elevator had stopped and stood up. I remembered the converse and ditched the nasty nurse shoes, throwing back on my regular shoes. Once the elevator doors opened, I ran through them, ditched Abhijna Chandragupta's lab coat, and realized I had no plan of action. Okay... might as well just leave. I timidly opened the door to the small room that led back to the waiting room and crept out. I caught sight of the same girl with blue hair coming through and slinked by the reception desk. My past self can't see me. Who knows how twisted the time-space continuum could get if I slipped this up? The me from the past was about to leave when I caught scent of the receptionist's fu-fu juice (very smelly perfume) when I sneezed. Yup. Cliché. Of course. And, obviously, blue-haired me turned around to say bless you, and she met my gaze. I saw instant recognition cloud her face. And suddenly there was blackness.

I felt myself tumbling through...well, just tumbling, really, through the air, through blackness, whatever. I shut my eyes and suddenly I fell and on my hands and knees on cement. Ouch. I opened my eyes and leaped like four feet up and four feet sideways as a car zoomed right past me, honking its horn.

"Holy crap!" I exclaimed. I was in the middle of a highway. A very familiar highway. And if I stayed in the middle of it I would soon be on the highway to hell. Not where I wanna go. I swiftly ran to the right wall, which was weak looking, yet perfectly intact. I crouched there, where no cars could reach me, shaking like a leaf. What time is it? I thought. Oh God, I need to get back home. I have to get back to the time that I need to be in. My time. I've just saved her life. Please, I need to go. I looked up, and no cars had stopped to help me.

I began to realize how badly we were messing with the time-space continuum. I had just seen my past self, and I just brought someone back from the dead. And things were about to get worse.

Suddenly I heard the squealing of tires as a sleek black Sedan rammed into a silver Equinox and both cars went hurtling towards me. I dove towards my left, my hands scraping the street, and I turned to look back in the Equinox. It was obviously me and Eliza inside, the day of the crash. I saw Eliza lean into her car door, her right hand outstretched towards the me in the car, as if she were trying to protect me. And that's why I escaped with only a broken arm and Eliza had gotten the coma. She saved me. Then, in slow motion, as the Equinox was going over the edge, I saw me turn around and gaze out the window. Cassi from the past locked eyes with me. The air bag popped and she held her left arm out, breaking her trance with me. And there was blackness once more.

I tumbled through the air again, not sure where I could be going now. I knew why I was hopping from time to time. The man had cut the time/place cable, and it only hung by a single wire. I hoped Zach was okay. I hoped with all my heart he was whooping their...butts. Most of all I hoped I could make it back soon so I could be with him again. And I really needed to see my sister.

This time I had a softer landing. I closed my eyes before I fell, and felt like I landed in a soft pile of...I opened my eyes. I landed in a pile of leaves and twigs. I stood up and brushed off the dead leaves from my hair and took in my surroundings. I was in a forest. I recognized the forest, so I recognized the time. It was the day I had come back to school after Eliza had passed. I ran away from science into the forest, where I could just be alone. Judging by how high the shadows were, it was about lunchtime.

SNAP!

I whirled around to look behind me. It took me a second to see that Zach was headed this way. Oh crap. What would happen if HE SAW ME? The past me had already seen me twice. What would happen if HE saw me? I hoped I didn't find out. I ran and hid behind a nearby tree.