by DM Gambe
Because of the need to look for a very important object needed for his research which was no longer existent in his time, Konstantin Nilert, a novice time traveller had decided to go to the island of Portebuque in a country called Caristii, the only place where that “thing” existed. Apparently, the country was ravaged by invaders from its neighbouring country, Varduli. Searching all history books, he managed to note a single day when both warring countries decided on a ceasefire—June 30, 1943. So after preparing all the requirements for the ritual, he managed to reach the country.
Though he was successful in “travelling” from 2176, the year where Konstantin existed, to Portebuque Island, Caristii in 1943, there was something wrong in his process of “travel” and he was held back a day before the actual ceasefire. In other words, he was caught in the middle of a battlefield. He could see tanks, artilleries, bombs, fire, burnt houses, and dead people. He could smell sulphur and almost everywhere, there’s nothing to see but smoke.
As he walked around the area in search for a refuge, an encounter took place. He hid himself behind what seemed like a burnt house but he was not safe. Well, he knew he wasn’t. Fortunately, as he was hiding behind a collapsing wall, a girl whom he thought came out of nowhere grabbed his arm and escaped the battlefield. They ran nonstop deeper into the forest just behind the burnt house, making sure the army men would no longer see them. Then they stopped. And they rested.
The girl was a native of Caristii and she was Zenouska Ferner. Konstantin was so thankful to her because she saved his life. At first, Zenouska was suspicious of Konstantin, thinking that he was a spy of the Varduli invading army or some sort of the like. But when she knew Konstantin was just a complete stranger to the place, she herself offered her house to be Konstantin’s temporary shelter.
Zenouska’s house was located in the middle of the forest, a few meters away from where they rested a while ago. There, they were welcomed by Zenouska’s mother who was frantically waving at them, worried that her child would already end her demise while looking for food. Zenouska introduced Konstantin to her and explained his situation. Luckily, the mother was really hospitable she did not hesitate to allow Konstantin to stay with them.
As he stayed with Zenouska, he learned how the two were keeping themselves alive in the middle of the chaos. He felt like they really went back to primitive days when he would help Zenouska hunt down rabbits and other wild animals which they can bring home for lunch and dinner. They even have their own garden where they would plant potatoes and other vegetables which they can use to cook hot soups during cold nights. And in case of emergencies like when a group of Varduli soldiers would discover their place, they would hide underground which amazingly only Zenouska and her mother built.
Konstantin was already enjoying his stay with Zenouska and her mother. Well, the truth is, he felt he was already at home. And he was starting to like Zenouska’s jolly and cheerful company, who never failed to smile despite the existence of war in her country.
However, Konstantin was no longer mindful of the rule that a time traveller could only stay in a period in the past or the future for only 14 days. It was only in his sixteenth day when he realized he was already “overstaying.”
That same day, Caristii military officers reached their house. They said they were looking for men of 18 years of age and above. They were being hired for the military as part of the mandatory conscription in times of war. Konstantin was hesitant at first but Zenouska told him that everything would be okay. Konstantin, who was considered by the military officers as part of the Ferner household, was forced to leave Zenouska and her mother and enter the military.
Days passed and Konstantin was already in his twenty-third day in Portebuque. While he stayed in the barracks for training, he and Zenouska would exchange letters every other day, making sure both of them are fine and doing well. Until one morning, as he was expecting a reply from Zenouska, no letter came for him. He waited the next day and still nothing came. It was only in his twenty-sixth day of “overstaying” when a letter came for him, this time not from Zenouska but from her mother. He learned that Zenouska was brought to the city hospital and was diagnosed to have a terrible sickness.
Worried, Konstantin immediately asked his immediate superior if he can visit the city once in a while and see his sick “sister” confined in the city hospital. He could not understand if he was just too blessed he had a very nice immediate superior or that he was just simply lucky. He was allowed to leave the barracks twice a week at night to visit Zenouska.
Zenouska was pale and bed-ridden. But she would still smile whenever Konstantin would visit her and bring her flowers and fruits. Though she was having a hard time to speak, she would still try to talk and tell Konstantin stories. Yet Zenouska’s health was not improving. In fact, as days passed by, her condition would get worse.
Konstantin reached his thirty-second night of “overstaying” in Portebuque. He just came back from his hospital visit and was half asleep inside his quarters when he heard somebody calling his name. He looked at the window and somebody was standing behind the curtains.
He thought his co-trainees inside the barracks were playing pranks on him. He immediately took his flashlight and pointed it at the person on the window. He was shocked to see a familiar guy staring at him like a ghost. It was Conrad. Conrad Steenderen, his best friend.
Konstantin was happy. He felt like he was home when he saw Conrad. However, Conrad was not smiling. Without hesitation, he frankly said to Konstantin, “Konstantin, I’m under orders from the Council to bring you back to the year 2176. You have already reached your 14-day limit and went beyond the 2-day grace period.”
But Konstantin wavered. He did not want to go. He missed his home—his original home 233 years from the period where they were at the moment. But he felt like he must stay in this period.
Conrad opposed. He insisted Konstantin going back.
“I won’t go back.” Konstantin said firmly, looking at Conrad straight in the eyes.
“Konstantin! You must go back!” Conrad exclaimed in reply.
“I won’t! I’m staying here and that’s my decision!”
“No you can’t! You don’t know the rules…you cannot…”
The word “rules” took Konstantin’s attention.
“What do you mean, ‘rules’?” he asked.
Conrad sighed. He looked at Konstantin with pity as if Konstantin’s in a desperate condition, and explained.
“You know the rules of existence. A time traveller can stay in a period in the past or present for only 14 days. You are given two more extra days as ‘grace periods’ to leave. And you know that there is a consequence if you disobey this rule.”
Konstantin nodded and said, “Yes. And that consequence is something I have to face when I get back to our time.” To his surprise, Conrad said, “You’re partly right but…the truth is the consequence happens as you overstay in the period where you have travelled.”
Konstantin was shocked. He began to get disturbed with what Conrad was telling him.
“In every travel that we do,” Conrad continued, “there is collateral to create a space for our existence in that period. And that collateral is good only for 14-16 days. When we reach our limit, it returns to that period and continues its existence until it reaches its ‘death’. However, when you overstay, your existence in this period goes beyond the limit of the total matter in space. And with that, a certain matter within this period loses a part of its total time of existence to create enough space for the existence of the time traveller and to maintain the balance of things.”
Konstantin could not fully understand what Conrad was trying to say but he can feel there’s something he did not want to hear.
“The payment is relative to the length of overstaying. You have been here for thirty-two days, overstaying for eighteen days. Unfortunately, the Time Council, the highest ultimate body governing us, time travellers, as well as the one who have the sole power to choose which will lose its existence as payment for a time traveller’s overstaying, has chosen…” Conrad paused. He looked at Konstantin who already had the feeling what Conrad would eventually say, “…Zenouska’s existence as compensation for your violation.”
Then the alarm rang loudly around the barracks. Every room’s siren began to make noise. And speakers along corridors would say “Red Alert! Red Alert! The city is under attack! The city is under attack!”
Konstantin, who was still in a state of shock, despite the warnings of speakers and loud alarms of sirens, was still staring at Conrad.
“What are you gonna do now, Konstantin?” Conrad asked.
He did not know what to do, to be honest. His body was moving on itself but he felt he was unconscious. He was not focused. He went outside his quarters as he walked slowly, leaving Conrad. Before he closed the door, he heard Conrad saying, “I have done my part. It’s up to you now, Konstantin.” And the door shut. Running panicky soldiers would knock him down as he stride down the alley slowly but he would not care.
He was caught by his immediate superior and was scolded for being too slow yet he did not really bother. Then the image of Zenouska and her mother flashed in his mind. It was this time when he thought, “I must save them.” He woke up and ran. He immediately wore his uniform, took his helmet and grabbed a rifle from the racks. He joined the line of men outside who were also in full armour gear. In his peripheral view, he can see Conrad staring at him and in a few moments, twirled and vanished.
The Caristii pushed towards the city but on their way to the city, a few kilometres away from the city gates, they had an encounter with a throng of Varduli men. This delayed their push towards the city. As they were fighting, everyone was shocked when they heard planes coming from the west and dropping bombs all over the city. The Varduli soldiers cheered in joy. Konstantin tried his best to shoot every Varduli he could see. All Caristii men tried. And they managed to finish off the final breathing Varduli in front of the city gates. When their troops had reached the city, they were reduced to almost half and what they saw was a city in ruins—a crying city on fire. A city dying as every structure was engulfed by large flames.
Konstantin left his troops and looked for the hospital where Zenouska died. He ran as fast as he could and when he managed to reach it, he was blown by what he saw. The hospital building’s other half had collapsed. The other half was on fire. Wounded patients, doctors, nurses, and other people were running from the burning hospital. Others were crawling while he could see others who were already dead. He shouted Zenouska’s name. He was searching for her but there were just too many people in the dying crowd he could not really find her. A few bombs were dropped on the other side of the city which shook the ground and made the crowd cry in fear. But Konstantin never stopped. He continued searching for Zenouska and her mother until he reached the far end of the hospital.
There he saw Zenouska crawling helplessly away from the collapsed part of the hospital. He ran towards her immediately and put her on his lap. He asked where her mother was but she did not reply and instead looked at the rubble. Konstantin was already crying. Zenouska slowly reached for his face. Konstantin took it and put in on his cheeks. Zenouska, though she was crying and was really weak, tried her best to smile. Then she slowly closed his eyes and her hands slipped from Konstantin’s grasps.
Konstantin was waking her up but Zenouska would not budge. He was crying her name out loud but all he could see was the smiling face of Zenouska—nothing else. She would not move. She would not speak. She would not open her eyes. Soon, he heard gunshots followed by crying and screaming men, women and children. Another throng of Varduli men had entered the city.
He slowly laid down the ground Zenouska’s body. Konstantin was outraged. He took his gun at once and shot every Varduli soldier he could see. He was screaming as he would shot in the head every Varduli soldier. But of course, one could never withstand a hundred enemies. He was about to hit his fifth casualty when he was shot on the arm. This made him reflexively pull the trigger and it went straight to one of the Varduli soldier’s head. He pulled the trigger again but it missed. Then Konstantin felt a bullet just pierced through his shoulder and another followed which pricked through his thighs. He fell on his knees. Despite the pain and too much blood loss, he was still trying to aim his gun at Varduli soldiers. But he was already too weak to pull the trigger.
Three consecutive gunshots came. All entered his chest. Then he felt numb. He knew he was falling but he started to feel nothing. He turned his head to see the smiling face of Zenouska. His eyes were closing and as his body dropped to the ground, he smiled. A tear trickled down his eye before they close shut. He was dead.
A few hours after, the city, which was already in ruins, became silent. Smoke from burning houses and buildings covered the raining skies. Nobody was inside the city. All you can see were rubbles, debris, and dead bodies covered in their own blood all over the place. The battle has finished. Caristii soldiers regained the city.
Then a young man walked past the destroyed hospital. Unhurriedly, he went straight towards Konstantin’s body. He knelt before him and looked at his face. He was staring at him for a few seconds before he carried his body. He walked away down the hazy cobblestone roads silently until the smoke covered him until he was out of sight.
The clouds moved away and the sun shone on the devastated city. The rain clouds were gone and as the golden rays touched Zenouska’s face, her cheeks were no longer pale. And slowly...she opened her eyes.
