Time: Part 4

This episode, I would like to dedicate to my friends and co-workers that have read and enjoyed this so far. Chris, Steve, Jackie, Debbie, Gaye, Gaye's co-workers, Kaye, Katie, Kim, Mike, Noor. Ben for shreading it and helping me to put it back together again, better, Justin for being brutally honest...Thank you! Now would you please join this website so my portfolio will reflect more reviews??? Love ya, Merry Christmas!

On to Part 4:

The Dream Weaver glared at his board members. “You are aware that they are playing too well, are you not?

“Yes master, we have considered this and would appeal to you with an offer of suggestion.”

“You? Offering me a suggestion?” His ferocious laughter echoed and made the members tremble. They clasped their hands over their ears in hopes of silencing the deafening ringing. Finally he stopped his incessant laughter and looked at his members.

“OK, you sniveling wimps. What is it?”

“Sir, one member mustered, We feel as though we were lucky to have found Mark for this game. We feel he is ideal to further complicate the scenario. What we offer by means of suggestion, Sir, is that Beth already harbors feelings for him, but she can’t remember exactly why. We feel as though it may be good to further play on those feelings and emotions.”

“You surprise me. Perhaps you’re not all imbeciles after all. How appealing! Bring the player to me in a moment, I want to consider this further.”

“Yes Dream Weaver.”

As the members quietly escaped his presence, the Dream Weaver was amused by the idea. "Very well then. Mark will play the game in a larger capacity than I had first envisioned! Oh yes, this is going to be so fun!" As the Dream Weaver marveled at his new found possibilities, his laughter bellowed throughout TIME and distance.

***

Beth fell to the floor, awakened from a deep sleep. Fear gripped her to a depth she had never realized. She sat there motionless, waiting to see if there would be more. She wasn’t quite sure where the sound had come from. But it had subsided and all was quiet around her. What ever it was, it was gone now.

***

As the members brought the player to the Dream Weaver, they thought to themselves: What have we done?

The Dream Weaver stood before them. He looked at the player and nearly screamed, “There is no TIME, you must go to her now!”

***

“Beth, my God, are you ok?”

“I’m fine David, but what the was that? The sound shook me out of bed!”

“DAVID!”

“I remember your name! I know who you are! Oh David, is it over? Please tell me its over!”

“Baby, I don’t know what is going on. The Dream Weaver said there was no TIME, and that I had come to you now. I don’t know what's happening, but I am sure the game is not over. I almost panicked when he said I had to come now! I felt like you were gone forever! I don’t know how to explain it.”

“I’m fine David, but I don’t like this game! I want out!”

“Baby, we can’t get out. You do remember the rules?”

“You mean the rules from before the game started or the ones after?”

“The ones before.”

“I can’t remember much of anything David. I kinda remember being told about rules, but I can't recall any of them. I'm not even sure how we even got into this! Did we agree to this? And if so, what were we trying to prove?”

“Beth, sweetheart, we did agree to this, and we agreed that if we lost, you...do you remember?”

“Remember what?”

“God Beth we can’t lose! You have got to stay focused!”

“I’m doing my best! Damn it David! What are you not telling me?”

“You already know!”

“I’ll tell you what I know! I know my whole world is turned upside down! I can’t sleep, I can’t think, I can’t talk...and what are you doing while I'm playing this game? No, let me guess: sitting around sipping martinis? Where are you in all of this David?”

“I swear, I'm right here! I watch everything and am not able to tell you anything. It kills me! I love you! I don’t want him to win!”

“And what if he does David, what does he win?”

“He wins you, alright Beth? Damn it! You know this!”

Beth was speechless, and David was gone.

***

He found himself in front of the Dream Weaver.

“You know what you did, right?”

“What did I do? You sent me to her!”

“Ah, yes I did, but you knew the rules and you broke one!”

“No I didn’t, I was careful.”

“Yeah, until you told her what I would win! At least you didn’t tell her the rest. Not that it really matters now. She's already back to sleep, forgetting this ever happened!”

“You will not have contact with her again for a while. She will have to play alone while you watch! You just made the game so very much more difficult for her to play! This is going to be so much fun now!”

David tried to speak, but he was no longer in the presence of the Dream Weaver, and he no longer had a voice. He was in a new arena, and he didn’t like it!

David flew through his emotions. What have I done to her? I obviously can’t go against the Dream Weaver, we can’t get out of the game, I just made it more difficult...how will she make it without remembering all the rules, let alone our last visit. This can’t be happening!


***

Mark came into the store just in time for lunch. Beth wasn’t prepared for him. Then again, she was unsure as to what she should prepare for.

"Beth, please come to lunch with me, we need to talk!"

She fell into his crystal blue eyes immediately. Part of her felt compelled to do as he suggested. Memories where still floating through her mind. She smiled at the thought of them hanging out together. Another part of her thought that maybe he held some answers to this damn game. But, just seeing him again made her feel like a giddy little girl!

“Sure, OK, let me unload this stuff and I’ll be ready, OK?”

“Sure Beth, I’m not going anywhere.”

Mark turns toward Daniel and smiles. "Hi, I don’t believe we’ve met." Looking at his name tag, he says "Daniel is it?"

“Yep, that’d be me. Dude, ya know she could be back there for a while, are you sure you have TIME to wait for her?”

“I can assure you, I have all the TIME in the world! In fact, one may even call me The Keeper of Time.”

Daniel stood motionless. He felt oddly uncomfortable at the moment. He wasn‘t exactly sure why.

"What're you referring too?"

“Nothing really, I just know women!”

“Well, I thought I knew women, but apparently you know something I don’t”

"Trust me, I know much that you don’t!"

Daniel was quiet again. What’s up with this guy? He thought to himself. Whatever it was about this guy that bothered him, he knew one thing for sure. The guy gave him the creeps.

Mark grew impatient. He was ready to spend some time alone with Beth. He was hoping to convince her to give him another chance.

“Beth, ya ready?” He yelled from the showroom.

“Yeah, lets go.” She said as she came down the hall.

She turned back to Daniel. “I’ll be back, you can handle it right?”

“Yeah Beth whatever!”

***

They arrived at the restaurant and placed their orders. Mark took Beth’s hand gently into his.

Beth melted into his eyes just as she always had. She found herself mesmerized by them. But still, she was concerned as to whether or not she was doing the right thing.

“Mark, I don’t know if this is right. I mean, I don’t know if any of this is right. Maybe it was wrong of me to agree to have lunch with you.”

“Baby, I promise you, it’s all right!”

Beth responded with a smile. The touch of his hand on hers made her feel warm inside, and she had liked his response!

“Yeah, maybe it is all right!”

“I promise! Lets just hang out like we used to. You’ll see.”

Beth wanted to be with him, it just felt right.

After they had eaten and talked for what seemed like forever, she reminded Mark that she had more work to do and needed to get back to the store.

Mark hesitantly agreed. He didn’t want to let her go again, but knew he had to, for now.

They walked to his car arm in arm. She loved the way it felt to be so close to him again. He started to open the car door for her, but first turned her so her back was against the car. He leaned into her and held her like he was never going to let go. He finally pulled away just enough to look into her eyes. Beth tilted her head up just a bit. Their lips met with what started as a light friendly kiss, but quickly turned into a long, passionate, searching kiss.

Beth pulled away, no longer trusting herself.

“Mark, really, I should get to work.”

“OK, but this isn’t over yet!”

She was a little taken aback by the comment. Her head was swimming. She assumed he meant their being together wasn’t over, and left it at that.

***

Beth returned to work, playing the events over in her mind. She was very careful when talking of things in the past. She knew she had broken no rules, and she was confident that this man was going to play a large role in her future.

She held hope that this was indeed the man in her dream. Everything about being with him just felt so right.

Beth loved everything about their TIME together, but felt a bit uneasy as to why she couldn’t remember everything about their past. Why had they broken up? Had they gotten back together and this was a test of TIME? That’s it! Of course it’s a test of TIME! That makes complete sense!

She found herself humming for the rest of the day. She felt warm inside, thrilled that things were coming together in her mind.

Daniel could easily see her joy, but he was still apprehensive about this guy. Something about him just wasn’t right, at least to him. “Am I jealous? He thought. This is crazy! Beth is like my sister, or aunt maybe but that’s it!” He almost felt as though he had to protect her, but why? He never felt that way before.

This concludes part 4. If you are interested in reading further, part 5 is now ready:

Time: Part 5  (13+) Will old flames be rekindled? #791938 by Zaring

Gina