XLVI. Time Catches Up

Raine’s POV:

Tired is an understatement.

I yawn for the gazillion time when we left the airport and fell asleep in the car. I have a feeling I am getting too comfortable around Crescent Moon’s members.

“Hey,” Leon said.

I look to my left. “Yeah?”

“Are you still upset?”

I chuckle, “No.” I went back to sleep.

I can feel the depressing atmosphere to my left, but I ignored it. I’ll talk about the blanket thing later. Right now, I’m much too sleepy. It’s possible that I’m not used to all this traveling. The car ride, the airport, and now another car ride. It’s too much for my body to handle. I remember how I slept for most of the train ride with Helen too.

Inside my mind, the deepest part of my mentality, I can hear a sweet whisper: “Raine.” I wonder if it’s my mom calling me. They said that sometimes when you love a person strong enough, you can feel them calling for you. “Raine.”

No. That’s not my mom’s voice.

“Raine. Wake up.”

It’s too different...too deep.

My eyes cast open, only to see darkness. But, not completely. I remember this place. It’s the place I was in a year ago before I entered this world. I open my mouth, but there wasn’t a single word. It felt like someone took away my vocals. No matter how hard I tried, not a single sound could escape.

My gaze cast downward and my eyes widen at the depth. Nothing but darkness lays underneath me. I want to scream for someone, but couldn’t. I look all around only to see small twinkles of lights. Then, it happened. I ran towards nothingness. There wasn’t a road, no trail for me to follow.

I was chasing the impossible, infinite.

“Raine.” It’s the same voice from earlier.

I want to scream, but nothing came out.

“Raine.”

I’m stuck in an endless cycle.

“Raine.”

“Raine.”

I turn around and met with a young man. He had a hood that covers most of his face. Steadily, his head lifts until it met mine. He grasps the corner of his hood and removes it. At that particular moment, the sparkles around us brighten. It seems as if millions of lights burst and scatter itself around us.

I would have said he was a boy from the chubby face, but he was too tall to be one. He stood there and stared at me with these eyes. Those very loving familiar eyes.

My lips stutter for a mere second before the tears fall. It can’t be. This isn’t possible. I must have fallen asleep again. I came to an understanding that I’m someone who frequently has weird dreams, or nightmares.

“Why?” he whispers. When he took a step forward, I stumble back. He halts all movement, “Why are you here?”

My eyes seemingly drift around, pinning every little thing except the person in front of me.

“Raine,” his voice pitch slightly but it was still soft as ever. “Sweetheart, why are you here?”

Then, it came; the burst. I crouch down and cover my wet face. I shouldn’t be like this. This man isn’t my dad.

I’m dreaming.

I have to wake up.

A warm hand pats my head and I look up. I bit my lower lip and threw myself at him. “D-Daddy.”

I can’t believe it. I cannot believe this is happening.

My dad.

Could he be alive?

He held me close to his chest and pat my back. “Oh, sweetheart.”

I wipe off my tears, “Is it really you?”

He smiles, “Who else could I be?”

“A strange man who happens to look like a younger version of my dad?”

Dad laughs, “It would look like that way, wouldn’t it?” He lets go of me, but I refused to release him. I wrap my arms around him. He smiles, “You’re all grown up.”

“Why?” I ask. “Why aren’t you coming home?”

Dad smiles fade, “I want to.” He untangles a part of my hair. “I really do.”

“Then, why don’t you?”

“Because I’m not your dad yet.”

I scratch my head. “What?”

“Raine.” His tone sounds serious. “Look at me. Really look at me.”

I release his arm and gaze deeply at him. He looks exactly like dad, except for the lack of wrinkles. Plus, dad was a bit tanner and had a few grey hairs. “Why did you say you’re not my dad yet. You mean-” I couldn’t form any more words.

“I’m your dad, but at the same time, I’m not. I’m a younger version of your dad,” he explains.

“I...I don’t understand. How is that possible?”

He smiles softly, “Why are you asking sweetheart?” He exhales, “You’re in a world filled with magical creatures. Something like this shouldn’t surprise you.”

“I really hope you won’t continue talking in circles and give me a proper explanation. Like really dumb it down for me younger dad.”

Younger dad sucks in his cheeks. “Right now, we’re in space.”

I look around. What the fuck? I’m in space? I don’t even want to be an astronaut.

“Sounds weird, doesn’t it?”

I nod.

“This-” He spreads his arms around. “Is where Travelers enter before they travel into another world.”

“Pardon?” What in the world is a Traveler?

“Have I ever told you stories about the universe?”

“Yeah. You told me how each star has its own world and how our world used to be with another world. Crazy things that somehow didn’t drive mom away.”

He smiles, “Well, those aren’t exactly false.”

“You mean-”

He nods, “Every story is real and I know because I’m a Traveler. I’m someone who travels from world to world to help those who are lost. That’s how I know about the universes.”

“Help those who are lost?”

“And I guess, you’re lost. So, you called me.”

“I called you?”

He nods, “Seems like it. I was on my way to your world.”

“But, then why am I here?”

He exhales through his nostrils, “It seems that you’re a Traveler too.”

I tuck my hair behind my ear. “You said you’re a younger version of dad.” He nods. “And you said you’re not my dad yet.” He nods again. “How do you know I am Raine then?”

He scratches his head. “Right now, I’m seeing this girl.”

“Mom?”

He nods, “And I’m thinking of asking her to marry me.”

“Mom?”

He nods again, “And I was curious whether or not she would be the right one. I mean, something inside of me tells me she is the one, but I wasn’t sure.”

“So, you time traveled?”

“Essentially, yes. I traveled to the future of that world and I saw you.”

I took a few blinks, attempting to register what he said. “But-” I exhale, “But if you’re able to see the future. Then, you know-”

“That I died?”

I nod.

His gaze cast away before it went back towards me. It’s weird to see my dad look so young. “I have to tell you something, Raine.”

“What is it?”

“Our ancestors are all Travelers.”

“I assume the power came from somewhere,” I said slowly.

“And we all died because of cancer.” He places quotation marks around the word cancer.

“I’m sorry?”

“How do I explain this?” He chuckles and scratches his head. “I never thought I had to explain this to my daughter. I always thought it was my future self job.” It was weird to see my dad all flustered. He never gets flustered. “Travelers, we’re almost immortals,” he said. “But, only if we continue to travel around the universes.”

“So, when you stayed with mom-”

“Time in that world catches up.”

“Grandma Raeyln?”

“Time caught up with her too.”

“I don’t understand,” I said. “You’re younger than Grandma Raelyn, so why did she passed at a later age then you?”

“Do you remember the hospital in MistVille?”

“Yeah.” I was afraid that he would bring that up.

“Do you remember how I told you that grandpa, my father, was a doctor at that place?”

I nod, “Yeah. You told me that grandpa met grandma when she was in front of the hospital. She collapsed and he helped her.”

He smiles slightly causing his eyes to crinkle. “The hospital is one of many gateways. It enables you to travel from one world to another. Your grandma, when we aren’t visiting, would travel back to her original world, World XX. It’s a method to prolong her life.”

“Why...Why did you do that then?” I ask.

Dad’s lip twitches slightly. “The honest answer would probably be - I don’t know.” He laughs lowly, “I would assume the room was occupied though and maybe,” he shrugs. “I want to grow old with your mom?” I’m not surprised that he was uncertain about his response. After all, he hasn’t lived through it. He won’t understand why he did, what he did.

“Occupied?”

“Each room in the hospital can only retain one person.”

“So, when they said the patients there are crazy.”

“Oh, I’m pretty sure some patients are crazy.” He laughs, “But, yes, some of them are like us. Travelers.”

“Couldn’t you share the room?” I know it’s a stupid suggestion. I mean, if they could, they probably did it.

Dad shook his head. “I’m not from the same world as your grandma. I was born in the World XXI.”

“Is that our world?” I’m confused with all the names.

“Our world is World XXII.”

“Twenty-two?”

He nods.

“And grandma is twenty?”

He nods again.

“What world am I in?”

“Twenty.”

“I’m in the world that grandma was born in?”

He nods, “Seems like it.”

“Why?”

He exhales, “There could be alot of possibility,” he said. “It could be your ancestral root is calling you to return. I was the first in our family line to born outside of World XX. So, that could be it. Or-”

“Or?”

“Something happened and you’re desperate to leave that situation so you forced yourself to enter another world.”

The memories of being kidnapped and stuffed in the back of a truck appeared.

“Raine? Did something happened?”

I shook my head, “N-No.” I bit my lower lip. “Why are you showing up now? I’ve been stuck in that world for a year now.”

He shrugs, “Could be alot of things. Time flows differently from world to world. I may be a Traveler that helps lost souls, but I’m not someone who could foresee everything. The universe has a weird way of doing things.”

“So, does that mean, I could go home? You know, since I’m a Traveler and all. You’re here. You can help me.”

His eyes slanted downward. There wasn’t a smile on his face.

“Dad?”

“I wish I could, but I believe there is a reason why I didn’t sense you.”

“You just told me that you don’t know why you didn’t come a year after I got stuck.”

“Raine.” His voice was sweet. “There’s a possibility that I couldn’t sense you because I don’t exist at your age.” He swallows, “I’m not allowed to guide you back into your world.”

My molars ground against one another, “W-What do you mean, you can’t guide me back to the other world?”

“Rai-”

“Why-” I stood up, ”Why would you say that?”

He stood up, and reach for me. “Rain-”

I rejected his comfort. “You can’t just come here and say you can’t take me back!” My voice was much louder than before. “You can’t just say you’re not allowed to do it!”

“Raine. There are consequences for me to travel into a world where I’m supposed to be dead.”

“What consequences? You’re my dad! You’re the type of man who isn’t afraid of consequences! You camp in the complete wilderness when all the other families would camp in some clean campsite. You’re the type of man who would not afraid to jump off a bridge or parachute. You’re the man who extended his life for an extra two years when the doctor said you’re supposed to die. What consequences are you afraid of?”

“You! I’m afraid that you won’t exist!” His sharp words tremble my soul. He inhales a sharp breath through his nostrils and glances away. “Travelers are allowed to be in any world, at any time they wish...with limitations. We aren’t allowed to travel into a world, during a time that we already exist in. That is the first code.” He closes his eyes. “We aren’t allowed to travel into a world, after the time that we had died in that world.”

“A-And I die if you do?”

“You won’t die.” He bit his lower lips. “You won’t exist. Reality plays catch-up. Your mother and I are forced to separate. She will be with someone else. Someone, anyone, that’s not me. I will have all the memories of what could’ve happened, but everyone else would forget.” Dad cups my face, “If I could. I would help you. I truly wish I do.”

I shut my eyes tightly, “Dad. I need to go home.” He held me close. “Mom is lonely.” The anger was no longer present. “She’s sad and lonely without her little Raine.”

After my second meltdown, dad explains to me about the universes, Travelers, and how to get home.

“So, you’re telling me. The time I got transported in the city wasn’t a prank. It’s because I was desperate to leave?”

He nods.

“Similiar to when I was in Crescent Moon?”

He nods, “Your desperate mental state of going home probably brought you to the forest.”

I stood up and rub my hands together then threw them forward.

“What are you doing?”

“Channeling my powers.”

Dad stood up and pushed my arms down, “That’s not how it works.”

“Then, how do you channel your powers?”

Dad scratched his head, “Well, you got to feel it. You know, like what you feel when you’re running away from the kidnappers.”

I didn’t tell him that the kidnappers actually caught me.

“Or when you ran away from the werewolves.”

I didn’t tell him I’m mated to one of them.

“Fear?” I question.

“Was that what you felt?”

“What else would I feel running away from kidnappers and wolves?” I asked.

“Adrenaline.”

“I’m pretty sure that’s there too.”

“Excitement.”

“Well, not so much.” I can tell dad lived an exciting life. “Dad. You need to tell me more then just feel it.”

There’s a long pause before he clapped. “There’s a book.”

“Like an instructional manual?”

“Yes! I have it.”

“Where is it?” I looked around, “Are you going to pull it out of that funny looking robe?”

He doesn’t look amused by my joke. “It’s in one of my houses.”

“One of your houses?”

“Yeah. I’ll go grab it.”

When he turned, I grabbed his sleeve. “Where are you going? Why are you leaving? Take me with you.”

“Raine. You know I can’t.”

I looked down and sat, “Then, I’ll wait for you here. Come back soon okay?”

Dad kneel, “You can’t stay here either.”

“Why can’t I?”

“Because-” his voice buzzed.

“Can you repeat that.”

“You’re-” that buzzing sound again.

When his image blurred, I closed my eyes to clear it - it only got worse.

Dad grabbed my shoulders and shook me, “Raine...go back...powers...stay...afraid...meet again.”

With one last blink, I caught myself inside the...bathroom?

I don’t have a good feeling about this.