To Save the World

Chapter 7

This was a part of David's gift that he loved. Soaring free, free of the fetters of time and space. It was transcendent. To look down on someone's life, and watch all of the small decisions that diverged the path, sometimes merging back, and sometimes sprouting off taking that person in a completely unexpected direction.

David focused his attention backwards. It never ceased to amaze him that the straight line of the past was not just his to contemplate. If he was still, and his mind quiet, he could almost pierce the veil of past decisions. If he was really lucky, David would see others who, in all probability were him, gazing back at their own linear past.

The vision never held for long as the pull that brought him here continued to exert itself. David spun gracefully in midair, headed toward a tangled mass of decisions so intricately woven together the paths blocked the decisions preventing him from understanding the situation. David sighed as he struggled with curiosity. But, feeling the pull, he knew there were more important places, and times, he needed to see.

Casting one final glance back at the mysterious knot, he caught a glimpse of his nemesis, a guy around his age. They looked quite a bit alike. More than once people asked if they were brothers. It usually ended in David getting punched. David tried explaining that this sort of thing happened these days with fewer and fewer viable genome lines.

David shuddered, thinking of what he knew happened to those few fertile women born each generation, those that would become generational mothers. Most were never seen again. At least those that were, were revered anytime they left the crèche.

David never understood the antagonism from Vailen. From the day Vailen set eyes on him, there was a hatred that was almost palpable.

David shook off the foreboding thoughts, content in knowing that couldn't possibly be who he saw, Vailen wasn't part of the expedition.

David looked down again, studying the future, still amazed at the almost single minded movement, no branches deviating from the trajectory of the timeline. He knew the pull came from the dome like glow in front of him.

David walked among the camp fires now, listening to the idle chatter of bored people who didn't particularly care for roughing it. He shook his head, remembering his own past when he slept on the floor because his parents gave in.

He stood outside the palatial tent that he shared with Scorese.

"I don't care! You should have told me sooner." This was the part that David didn't care for. He hated the sound of his own voice.

"I couldn't risk you backing out, or now, making the wrong decision." Scorese's voice sounded strained to David's ears, almost as if he carried a heavy burden.

David's heart broke, hearing the words he would say next. "How can I choose you? I, we."

Three steps, and Scorese was holding David tightly, kissing his forehead. "I know. The fates are cruel. Throughout the span of time, our souls only have a short time together. And it is a small price to pay to save the rest of humanity—"

"No!" David cut Scorese off. "I will find another way!""

"We can't. This is the last time. We have been down this road many times, you and I."

David watched himself stop struggling. "I, I don't want to lose you," he cried, flinging his arms around Scorese holding him tightly.

Even as David watched himself thinking, he realized what was going on. As David reached toward his future self, the scene faded to gray.

David collapsed crying in a heap.

"I had to show this to you Henos." A.N.N.I.e spoke in his head.