A life time

By: Ruthfi S.T. Thomas

Monday, 25th October 2018. Mo was just going through her day, just like every other day. She would walk to school every morning at 7 am, and like every other morning, she would stop by at Miss Loony’s laboratory to look at her latest inventions. Miss Loony is the only brilliant scientist breaking every law of physics and nature to reach the level closest to magic. Mo is very interested in her inventions, she finds it intriguing, and amusing. As she was looking around at Miss Loony’s worktable she saw a gem, glowing in a purple aura, the gem was so mesmerizing, Mo was very tempted to touch it, she drew closer to the gem and just before she was about to reached out to it Miss Loony snatched it with her iron pincer and said, “Mo, don’t touch that please” With intrigue, curiosity and innocence Mo asked, “What’s that Miss Loony?”

“It’s a gem that I found last night in the cemetery, I was working on my last invention late at night, when I saw this purple glow gleaming outside my window. Then I went outside and walk towards it, and there it was a gem, sprouting from a grave.” Miss Loony said, while examining the gem. “Although I’m not sure what it is, or what it does… I have to conduct more research and tests” she puts the gem down and looked at Mo who was completely captivated, Miss Loony smiled and said, “Mo, don’t you have school today?” Mo suddenly snapped out of fascination, panicked and run for the door. 

“Bye! Miss Loony, I’ll see you again tomorrow!” shouted Mo. Mo ran through Miss Loony’s backyard and she would just have made in time, if she didn’t stop to see Jack. He was Mo’s senior and childhood friend, every morning Jack would be running on the track fields, preparing for the regional competition, satisfied with what she sees, she turns back to walk towards the school entrance, as she was walking on the pathway something caught her eyes. She saw a similar purple glow at the back of the utility shack. She stopped and run to the back of the shack. Mo walked near the flower and she picked the gem and holds it in her hands. The flickering gem, intensify its brightness, so bright that it blinded Mo. As the brightness dissipates, the gem turned into a black rock. 

 *Ring* the school bell just rang. “Oh no! I’m going to be late!” Mo dropped the rock and ran to the entrance and head for her classroom. She walked down the corridor, heading to the west wing of the school. "Something is very strange here", thought Mo. The interior of the school seemed different, but she couldn’t place what it was. Was it the newly installed wide windows, or was it the robot that just passed by her. "What? A Robot?" She turned saw the robot, just strolled down the hallway.

“I feel like I’ve seen that robot before” said Mo. She stopped in front of a door, that looked strange to her. The door was made out of metal, and accompanied with illuminated ridges. Must be a new upgrade thought Mo. She knocked on the door, and after a while the door slides open. A tall slender, and handsome man appeared. He looked Mo with a bamboozled look. “Yes? How can I help you?” said the man, who didn’t expect to have guests early in the morning.

         “My name is Mo, I’m supposed to be in 10 A class” Mo looked closer to this Man’s face and felt a tingle of familiarity but shook it off, since it seemed impossible.

         “Mo…?” the man froze in astonishment and shock.

         “Sir...? is there something wrong?” said Mo, breaking off the Man’s gaze.

No, It’s not possible the man thought. “Come inside Mo, you can join my class for today, I’ll sort this out after class” it’s better to keep and eye on her for now. Mo walked inside the classroom and the door slides shut behind her.  “Good morning class, sorry for the delay, but apparently we have a lost student, she will be joining us for today and until the matter is solved.” The man looked at Mo and said, “My name is Mr. Rews and you can sit at the empty seat there"

         “Thank you Mr. Rews” Mo sat down, and the class begin. She looked out the window, gazing out to the woods and wondered So many things happened today. 

“Very well then class, please open your tabs and read the modules sent to the class inbox” explained Mr. Rews.

“Huh? Tabs?” said Mo who is confused. The students pushed a button on the table, and a white pole came out of the hatch. Oh my, it’s must be another upgrade. Mo followed the other students, and pressed the button on her table. A white pole came out. I've seen this before, its the same one. She pressed both end side of the pole, and a screen appeared. The class went on for a hour, and just before the class was about to end, the school bell ringed. 

“Okay class, that’s all for today please bring the tab with you so that you can do your assigned homework, due tomorrow.” said Mr. Rews, he looked at Mo who was still captivated with the new gadgets, he smiled and said, “Mo, could you please come here?” Mo puts down the gadgets, and came up to the front of the class. The student had all left, leaving them both inside the class.

“Mr. Rews, where did all these gadget and gizmos comes from?” Mo asked full of interest.

“Those were given to us 8 years ago, we’ve been using them ever since, cuts down the use of paper books.” Explained Mr. Rews

“What? That’s not possible, yesterday we were still using paper books just as fine with Mrs. Couls” said Mo

“Mrs. Couls?” asked Mr. Rews 

“Yes, that’s my homeroom teacher” said Mo confidently

“Mrs. Couls died 4 years ago Mo” said Mr. Rews

“What...? no.. that’s not possible, I just saw her yesterday” said Mo.

Mr. Rews suspicion raised significantly and asked, “What was the date yesterday Mo?” 

         “Silly, it was the 24th of October 2018 of course! Cause today is my birthday!” said Mo with excitement. Mr. Rews flinched at her reply, and tears begin filling up his eyes, his face drastically turned red and his body trembled heavily. 

         “Oh gosh, Mo… it really is you, don’t you remember me Mo? Molly lolly” said Mr. Rews. Molly lolly, Mo was shocked to hear that name come out of Mr.Rews lips, since it was only Jack who calls her that. “Its me Mo, its Jack” 

         “Jack ? No that’s not possible, you’re too old to be Jack, and Jack’s last name isn’t Rews but its–”

         “Erws, its Jack Erws.” Said Mr. Rews interrupted Mo. Mo stood in bewilderment, she started to feel sick and dizzy, all she could hear was the muffled voice of Mr. Rews. She lost her balance and fell on the floor, knocking her unconcious.

         After a while, Mo regained her consciousness. She jolted out of bed in shock. “Shh…, you should really rest Mo, you hurt your head pretty hard” Mr. Rews said worriedly

         “Are you really Jack? What’s going on? What happened?” asked Mo anxiously, fear begin to fill her head

“Calm down, I'll explain everything.” Jack said as he tried to calm Mo down. His face turned grim, as he was about to reveal everything. “10 years ago, today. We found you at the back of the utility shack. You were holding the same gem that Miss Loony found at the cemetery. Your parents, Miss Loony and many others tried every day to bring you back. But, instead the gem took their life, the gem it’s a seed that came from outer space, its first form was dust like, that’s why no one had ever reported a meteor or shooting star, it sprouted from the flower it absorbs life energy when it is touched by living matter, and send a soul in a time rift, in other words to the future. Unfortunately, the effect won't remain, as your biological body decays, then the you today, will also dissipate” Mo stayed silent, trying to process and understand the incident. I will dissapear ? she thought to herself. 

"You’ve died Mo, 10 years ago." Continued Jack. Jack continued on to explain the incident, and looking away from Mo as he realizes that Mo is turning translucent. It’s time to say good bye again Molly lolly. Mo kept on sobbing listening to Jack's explanation. “Mo, there’s another thing that I’ve been waiting to tell you for over 10 years.” Said Jack. “I have always …” right before Jack could finish his sentence, Mo completely disappeared, “-loved you, Happy Birthday Molly lolly”