Everything Changes

Thyme

Ernesto ran after the man, eventually finding him standing in the middle of a circle of plants. The outside of the circle was separated from the rest of the garden, with a white path leading to the middle, where a sundial stood. Ernesto ran up the path, meeting the man in the centre.

"A million years old, a million stories told. But never a tale to tell me why I am here. Why am I here?" The old man bent down, picking some herbs up. "Perpetual thyme."

"Perpetual time?" Ernesto repeated, wondering if he had heard wrong.

"Yes, it's a herb. Keeps on growing, keeps on going. Old thyme," he pointed to the plant, "old timer." He pointed to himself. "Round in circles, round in circles. No beginning. No end. Endlessly perpetuating." He said as he led Ernesto in a circle around the sundial. "This is my circle of perpetual thyme."

"The circle of perpetual thyme!" Ernesto screamed in triumph.

"I thought I was the deaf one." The old man commented, causing Ernesto to chuckle.

"Do you mind if I take these? I'd like to give them to my girlfriend." He asked, and the old man handed him the perpetual thyme.

Things were finally going right, but that never lasted long. The sound of footsteps above them took their attention, and Ernesto looked up in fear.

"Troopers!" He ducked down, taking the old man's arm.

"What? Where?" He asked, shaking Ernesto off him.

Ernesto kept low as he ran to a shed, escorting the old man with him. He pulled out his radio. "Rebel Rebel to Keema Kebab."

"Keema Kebab." Sadiq replied.

"I'm with the lighthouse keeper. Kylie is here."

"I know, I just saw her."

"The troopers are headed to the front of the cottage. I'll meet you out round the back by the Spartivan." Ernesto said, turning his radio off and turning to the old man. "Don't leave this shed."

The old man saluted, and Ernesto ran out, making sure to keep cover against the wall. He scrambled up the grassy slope, entering the back porch of the cottage.

"Rebel Rebel to Cookie Cream." He decided to try the rest of his tribe again.

"Cookie Cream reading Rebel Rebel." Serena's voice came back.

"I think we've found our seventh sensitive, and the circle of perpetual thyme! Turn back and turn due east to the lighthouse."

He heard Serena yell "they've found the last sensitive!" before she turned off her radio.

Ernesto ran back outside, once again scaling the side of the building, keeping close to the walls as he went to meet with Sadiq. They had to keep those troopers away from Holly and the old man!

He watched from a distance as the troopers entered the cottage, running after them and signalling for Sadiq to do the same. They tried the back door, but it was locked. They then tried one of the sheds, going inside. Ernesto and Sadiq seized the opportunity to to slam and bolt the door shut behind them, ignoring their demands to be let out.

"We are definitely in the right place, Sadiq." Ernesto started to explain to him all about what he had discovered as they made their way back inside the cottage and up to Holly and Kim.

They entered the bedroom. Holly was sat on the side of the bed, now dressed in a nightie they had managed to find at a market. Her hair was up in a messy ponytail, compared to how she usually wore it down. Kim was knelt in front of her, holding her hands and encouraging her to breath.

Kim's head had looked up when they first walked in, and she offered them a small smile before turning her attention back to Holly.

"They're about 5 minutes apart now." Holly mentioned, her voice sounding tired.

"Well, I've got something for you." Ernesto began, making his way to the bed and sitting beside her. "Darling." He offered her the bunch of herbs.

"Thank you." She replied gratefully, taking them in her hand.

"It's a herb." He explained. "Perpetual thyme. The old man grows it."

Kim's head shot up. "Perpetual time?"

Ernesto nodded. "In his herb garden. His circle of perpetual thyme."

He waited for the girls to connect the dots, and it didn't take long.

"The old man is the seventh sensitive!" Kim cried out in glee. "And the circle of perpetual thyme is a herb garden?"

"Yep." Ernesto replied, grinning ear to ear.

"If Reese and Aris get here in time, stand in the circle and link up....we can do this!" She exclaimed, giddy with excitement.

Ernesto turned to Sadiq, who had been oddly quiet as he stared out of the window. "Sadiq, are you ready for a reconnaissance mission?" He asked, going back to his awful Italian accent. He received no reply. "Sadiq." He said more seriously, trying to get the boy's attention.

"She was there, at the bridge. Kylie! She was there with some big square machine!" Sadiq exclaimed in realisation.

"The neuroscrambler! Maybe she used it on you?" Kim suggested.

"And there was someone else..." Sadiq trailed off, unable to put his finger on who the mystery person was.

"We have to focus on the mission, Sadiq." Ernesto insisted.

He felt Holly's hand dig into his thigh again as she let out a low moan; another contraction.

"You're doing good, Holly. Big breaths, that's it." Kim reminded her.

Her groaning soon stopped as it passed, and she looked up to Ernesto with fear in her eyes. Fear of the unknown. Fear of the pain. Fear of losing him.

"I can stay." He told her, his mind no longer focused on the mission but instead his family.

"They need you," she said to him sadly, but knowing that they needed him more than she did, "and besides, I've got Kim." Holly smiled up at her teen mum. "Go on the mission, bring back the adults."

He debated it for a while before agreeing with Holly.

"I'll be back for the birth." He promised. "Come and find me when it's time." He told Kim.

Ernesto got up, ready to leave with Sadiq. He turned around at the door, looking lovingly at Holly.

"I love you." He blew her a kiss.

"Back at you." She gave him a small smile.