TimeLabs Inc (Romantic Sci-fi - LGBTQ)

Climax Part 2 (RSD 3.6)

Zak and Zak (1) followed Sam along the forest path, Pamela bringing up a protesting rear. Her thirty centimetre siren red heels dug deep holes into the forest floor. They might be the height of fashion, but Pamela found herself wishing she'd had just a little more notice to change into something more comfortable. "I didn't realise we'd be trekking in the wilderness," she muttered to herself. "I was expecting something grand for an Awards Ceremony, a seven star hotel at least."

A large two-storey house came into sight, brightly lit with its door open in welcome.

"There it is," said Zak (1). "I can see a red carpet laid out the front." He looked around for the usual crowd of adoring fans to be found at such events, but he couldn't see any one else. "This must be the right place," he murmured, suddenly less sure. They all stopped, uneasily scanning their surroundings.

"I think I know this building," said Zak. "Isn't it the Lime Wood Hotel? It's almost impossible to book a room here - but where are the other guests? Surely we can't be the only ones?"

"I still don't understand why we're here at all." Pamela addressed Zak (1), pointedly ignoring Zak and Sam. "A weird message from a total stranger... Just what are we getting into? This whole deal sounds so unbelievably shonko," she complained.

Zak (1) turned to look at her, both eyebrows raised. He flicked a glance to the other Zak. "And you think this is okay?" he answered. "Anything which can get us back to normal is worth a try, isn't it?"

"What exactly do you mean by normal?" asked Zak, addressing the other version of himself directly for the first time.

"Well we can't have two of us running around the place, can we? Only one of us is real."

"I guess that depends. As far as I'm concerned, I'm the real Zak and you're the copy."

Sam put a protective arm around Zak's waist and glared at the man who looked exactly like his own Zak, except for the fact that he was wearing a bright lemon suit instead of a comfortable kaftan and jumper.

Sam and Zak had only just had time to get home, shower, and change after their Time Tour honeymoon trip, when the invitation was delivered to their door by a rather buxom young woman called Honey. She had a heavy-duty automatic weapon in her left hand, and with her right, she handed them an envelope, neatly engraved with lavender ink. Then she smiled and disappeared.

Gingerly, Sam opened the envelope and took out a sheet of creamy parchment.

"Sam and Zak," he read aloud. "You are hereby invited to attend a wee ceremony to be held tonight at a secret location in the New Forest. You have been nominated by TimeLabs to compete in this year's Cupid Awards for the best time travel romance story. To be fair, you won't be the only couple competing in this category so, as an incentive, this year's winner will receive the grand prize of a happy ending to their story. A small flyer is outside on your roof, waiting to take you to your destination. I look forward to seeing you. Oorah!"

When they had climbed the stairs to the roof of their apartment, and entered the small flyer, they had been utterly shocked to find another Zak already inside, and even more uncomfortably, Pamela sitting next to him. It had been a very silent and peculiar ride.

And now here they all were, about to enter this grandest of hotels and... what? Sam found it hard to believe this was going to be your typical Awards night ceremony. He could only hope they hadn't stepped from the frying pan into the fire.

Body tense, he followed Zak into the hotel.

(to be continued...)