Robin Smithson
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- Posted: Sat, 11 Aug 2007 11:56:48 +0000
Chapter One: - The Start of it all.
Excerpt from the biography of Robin Smithson.
“It was the year 2022, on the planet of Earth. That was a great year for me. That was the year I died. But, it was also the year that I discovered my true meaning in this life. I became a Time Traveller. But I won’t tell you about that yet, when you start a story, you don’t start at the middle, or the end, you start at the beginner, that is right and proper. So let us begin, at the beginning.”
A man wearing a tuxedo stumbled out of a building. He tripped and hit the ground quite hard, rolled over and stood up. He looked up at the dark sky and the stars twinkling. He sighed deeply and started to walk off. When a woman ran out of the building and called to him. “Robert! Wait!” Robert stopped and turned around.
“What is it Sarah?” Said Robert.
“I am sure next time that they will agree.” She said boldly. Robert frowned, and Sarah blushed, embarrassed for speaking about what had just happened.
“Look, you are so close to finishing that project, why won’t they agree?” said Sarah.
“Because they told me, anything that tries to get out of our solar system, our galaxy dies. So why should my idea work.” Said Robert, showing his disappointment. He sighed again. And crossed his arms. “Plus, the fact is, I am a twenty-nine year old man, who hasn’t had enough experience, or been able to get a finite job his whole life.”
This time it was Sarah who folded her arms, she then ran up to him and said “Well, let’s give the experiment one last try. Then we will scrap the idea.” The pair started walking down the road towards the car park.
“Okay, but you must promise me, if it fails, we never try anything like it again.” Said Robert.
Sarah then frowned, “Fine, but how are we going to get to the lab? I got here by cab?”
“We can use my car.” Said Robert pointing out a silver Rav-4. He unlocked it using the keypad and hopped into the drivers’ seat. Sarah sat down next to him.
“Why do you still drive one of these old things?” Sarah said to him as she buckled her seatbelt.
“Hey, it gets me from A to B.” Robert started the car up and turned out of the car park. Robert then turned onto the main road and waved goodbye to the building that had failed him. As they drove past it, they read the sign. “National Australian Laboratory.”
“I am so tempted to write something on that sign, I can’t believe they refused me. I even wore my best suit. And I did up my hair.” Robert ran his hand through his sandy coloured hair. “And I mean, look at you Sarah, you look stunning.” Sarah blushed. “All I did was put on a green dress, and some make up.” Said Sarah modestly.
“Yeah, but you look better than most of those women in that lab.” Said Robert. The two lapsed into silence. Streetlights glowed over head. Robert turned on the indicator, and turned left into a building. The building had a wire fence around the perimeter, and was heavily guarded by security systems. The gate opened as the car approached. Robert turned and parked it next to the door. HE then took an I.D. card connected to a cord around his neck and swiped it through the reader at the door, he then entered four numbers. And it made a ping sound and the door opened. The pair went down a dark corridor and entered a door with the number thirteen above it.
“You know Sarah, I always wondered it we were unlucky because we got room number thirteen.” Said Robert with a smile. Sarah laughed and followed him into the room.
In the room books were everywhere, books about history, about religion, books about Egypt, countries, subjects which were so complex, most people can’t even understand the title. But, the only place that wasn’t cluttered was a desk, and on top of that desk was a box, a box made of glass. Inside this box was a normal watch. It was black, had a square face, about four cm each side, had a screen in the middle, and three buttons sticking out, two one the right side, one of the left, the four button wasn’t sticking out, but it was on the left side. The time on the face read “11:58pm; 31/08/22; Wednesday”
Robert opened the box, put the watch on, the face on the underside of his wrist, so it was next to his palm, and pressed a few buttons. Sarah gave him a hug, which was a bit more than just friendly and stood back. Robert then pressed the screen of the watch. There was a buzzing sound, and then nothing.
“I told you it would never work.” Said Robert. “Humans will never Time Travel! You cannot go forward or back in time!” He picked up a book from a chair and threw it away, it hit a pile of books and they crashed to the floor, Robert sat down and put his face in his hands.
“Look, try it again, just for me.” Begged Sarah. “Just one more time. That’s all.”
“Fine, one more time. Then we destroy it.” Said Robert.
“Agreed” Said Sarah. Robert loosened his tie and placed it on his shoulder.
Robert pressed some of the buttons on the watch, in a random order. And then tapped the screen. There was a buzzing sound, and then, nothing, the watched beeped, and Robert looked down. It now read “12:00am; 01/09/22; Thursday”
Robert smiled. “Happy birthday, I just turned thirty.” Then the watch-face turned white, and started to glow, projected from the watch onto the ceiling, in perfect English writing, was numbers, Robert stared for a bit, and then nearly shouted at Sarah “Heck, it’s a countdown.” When the numbers hit zero, the watched stopped glowing and then clicked onto a new screen, this screen read a number and a word, and the word read “Earth”. There was a low buzz, then. Everything went white.
“DAMN!!” yelled Robert.
“Where are we?” asked Sarah. As she turned to Robert. Robert looked around at his surroundings. Everything was a nice cream colour, and a man walked up to the pair with a huge smile.
“Welcome to Heaven, I hope you enjoy your stay, because you’re here for all eternity.”
“We…Died?!” said Sarah.
“Yes, you did” said the angel sympathetically. But the smile didn’t move from his face.
“Okay, I want to have the debate with God” said Robert, this time, the smile did move from the angels face. “You know about that?!”
“Yes I do. I know all the rules, and I also know that you can’t refuse my request.” Said Robert with a grin.
“What are you to talking about?” interrupted Sarah.
“Follow me then.” Said the Angel.
“I will tell we get there.” Said Robert.
Robert and Sarah followed the angel as they walked towards a building, it was built roman style, All white marble, pillars, steps, benches, inside was a man, sitting on a marble bench, and he was conversing with an angel.
“That’s God?!” said Sarah.
“That’s the big guy himself. In all his glory.” Said Robert with a grin. The angel walked into the building and started to talk to God.
“So Robert, what are the rules. And what are they for.” Said Sarah.
“Well, around five hundred years ago, Heaven was becoming full, so God here had an idea, if anyone could beat him in a debate, then he would allow them to go back to earth, as anything they wanted, there were some rules, that applied to the debate. The challenger, can request God, do a max of seven things, the opponent must obey. After that, each being makes a statement, the opponent can either, argue with this, or pass, when the opponent passes, the other being wins. Those are the rules. But, so far, only one man has done this, and he went back to earth and wrote the rules down. The rest failed.” Finished Robert.
Sarah looked scared, “But Robert, you can’t argue with the being that created Earth, he created you.”
“Well, I must give it a try.” Said Robert, “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”
“Robert, one last thing, what happens if you fail?” queried Sarah.
“Well, then, you just die, your spirit goes, away. And never returns.” Said Robert.
“Oh” said Sarah, “But, can’t we just stay here, least we can still see each other.”
“I want to go back to earth; this will give me a chance.” Robert then turned to face Sarah, his mouth set in a grim smile. The angel walked out to the pair. “He will now see you.”
Robert and Sarah walked into the building. They walked up the stairs, and stood next to the man, God, God look like a normal man, but Robert knew this was not.
“Hello Robert and Sarah. Well, Robert, I am sorry that you want to do this, but, it was your choice, and I cannot make you change your mind. So let’s begin. What are your seven conditions?” said God.
Robert took a breath and began, “One, You transform into a man, this means you lose your powers. Two, if I win, Sarah and I both go back to Earth. Three, Call the devil up here, I want him to watch. Four, can you create a table and chairs for us; I want to sit down also. Five, Bring me a book with the whole history of Earth. Six, can you bring me some food. Seven, at the start of the debate, call you an idiot.” Robert then smiled.
Sarah turned to him, “Just why do you want to insult the most powerful thing in the whole universe?” she said.
“One thing, Sarah.” Said Robert, “He is not.” And then he gestured for her to be quiet.
God did as he requested, and then the debate began. God went to make a point, when Robert interrupted him. “Pardon me God, but, have you forgotten my seventh request?” he said sweetly. God looked at him angrily and then called himself an idiot. Robert laughed loudly. God stood up, his chair clattering to the marble floor.
“How dare you laugh at me! I created the Earth! Curse you Robert! I will send you to Hell!” He then pointed at Robert, but nothing happened. Robert was now smiling widely.
“What?!” said God.
“Well, it’s just that, in all the religions, the higher being, you, in this case; say to everything, you cannot do evil. Because the evil being, in this case the devil.” Said Robert, pointing at the man, dressed in a red cape. Robert then continued, “The devil, or evil being will destroy the lower beings, but, you,” Robert paused and pointed at God, “Have just cursed and tried to destroy me, but, you forgot, my first request, you lose your powers, but then, what you just did, was evil, so, by your own laws. Shouldn’t the devil also destroy you, and if you want more proof, I can point out more things, that you have done wrong, in the whole history of the Earth.” Robert finished and smiled towards Sarah.
“Now God, do you argue, or have you finished, and I have won.” Said Robert.
All around, the building, angels were amazed, God slowly picked up his chair, sat down and faced Robert, “Well done Robert, you win, I pass.” He said sadly. Robert smiled. “Now, Robert, Where do you want to be born, Sorry Sarah, but he cans chose, not you.” Said God, all his glamour gone.
“I don’t want to be born, I want to be alive. Can you put me and Sarah back where we were, last night, at the same time, but instead of us dieing can you make us live for an extra two minutes, okay” said Robert.
“Yes, I can do that, do you want the memory of this?” said God.
“Yes, but give it to me after the two minutes, okay. Thank you.” Said Robert.
“Good-bye Robert.” Said God.
“Wait, before we go.” Interrupted Sarah. “What killed us?” she asked.
“An explosion from the laboratory next to you, the scientist that cause it are over there” said God, and he pointed to a group of men in white coats.
Then everything was black.
The buzzing continued, and Sarah and Robert watched the watch, there was a loud bang from the next room. Sarah, startled grabbed onto Robert. The next moment there was a “puff” sound, and where Robert and Sarah had been, there was Roberts tie.
Planet: Earth
“Where are we?” said Robert as they landed on the ground hard. Sarah would have fallen to the ground if she hadn’t been holding onto Robert. Robert looked around. Then, he looked down at his watch, it read the time of “12:01am; Thursday; 01/09/22”
“Well, it still seems to be the same year, but I don’t think we have moved. And if this isn’t Earth then how could we breathe.”
“Okay, aside from that, if this is earth, where are all the people?” said Sarah worriedly.
“Over there, by that city.” Said Robert and pointed, he then started walking.
By time the two got to the city, they had realised that something was different. They both agreed that it seem as if the planet was dead, because there was only silence. No background noise, no sounds of people. Just silence. Robert kept on fiddling around with his watch. Then he looked up.
“Sarah, do you think we have travelled time. Because now that I have got the memories of heaven back, you think, we could have succeeded in travelling in time.” Sarah stopped walking. “But how, and if we did, how do we get back to our time?” she finished.
“That I don’t know. How do you reckon we can figure out what time it is?” said Robert.
“We could ask it” said Sarah for a joke. Robert bent forward and said to the watch “What year is it?” and then Robert laughed. He stopped when a hand tapped him on the shoulder. He froze.
“Turn around” a gruff voice commanded. When the pain turned around the saw a man, he looked normal, but he was taller than both of them. He had a brown handle bar moustache, brown hair and eyes, and he was holding what looked like a cattle prod crossed with a sword. “What are you doing out here, the flight to a new planet is going to leave in around twenty minutes, this place is deserted.”
“May I ask you a question? Well actually more than just one question. What are you? What year is it? Where is this place? And the most important, where is the flight going?” Asked Robert.
Sarah thought this new Robert was much more confident that the Robert that she had known.
“Stop asking questions!!” Yelled the man. “I am a city Guard! This place is The Last City, Planet Earth, Year, one billion and two thousand and twenty-two, and that flight is leaving the planet, and going to an unknown, unpopulated planet. And before you ask why, it is because this planet is dead!” Barked the Guard.
“Okay, now what are you going to do with us?” asked Sarah.
“I am going to get you a house and allow you to stay on Earth until the flight” said the Guard.
“But didn’t you say it was leaving the planet?” asked Robert.
“It is, in eight years. But the king of the world is collecting everybody, from around the whole world. So, I must now send you to the city.” At this The Guard pulled out two circular slips of a grey material. He then slapped one on Robert, and one on Sarah. And then pressed the centre of the circle. Both Robert and Sarah disappeared.
The last City of planet Earth.
Robert reappeared in a house. Sarah reappeared next to him an instant later.
“Now where are we?” asked Sarah. This time Robert didn’t get a chance to answer, the house did for him.
“Welcome, I am your house, model 233453; I hope to make your eight year stay as pleasurably as possible. Would you like something to drink?” said the house.
“A beer would be nice.” Said Robert.
“I am sorry, but the drink Beer does not compute with my drink making capabilities. Please state another drink.” Said the house.
“Can I please have some orange juice?” said Sarah.
“You sure can” said the house eagerly. A second later a box open in another room. Inside this box was a glass of orange juice.
“And what does the male of the pair want?” said the house.
“A glass of wine. Please.” Said Robert.
“That does compute with my skills, here you go” said the house. Another ping, another box, another drink.
“Well, if we are stuck here, I sure will enjoy this time.” Said Robert.
Sarah smiled warmly at him. “Err house, may we please have a tour of this house?” asked Sarah.
“You sure can” said the house warmly. “If you enter the door to your right, you will be in the main bedroom; the room you are in now is the foyer. The room which you got your drinks from is the kitchen, but you don’t need to go there much, I can deliver anything you want straight to you, via the wall system.”
“Thanks house.” Said Robert, he smiled and turned to face Sarah. “I think I will enjoy my stay.”
Eight years later.
Last City of Planet Earth.
Robert enter through the front door, “Hey, Sarah, I am home” he called out. Sarah walked into the room with a little boy in tow.
“How was your day Robert?” asked Sarah.
“Good, can you believe it; we are going to leave earth in two weeks. I can’t wait!” said Robert enthusiastically. He bent down to the little boy.
“And how is my little boy going, have you fixed your daddy’s watch.” He said with a laugh.
Sarah laughed as well. “I still think that you shouldn’t have given that watch to him, what if he gets it to work. It could send him anywhere, or worse kill him.” Said Sarah. Robert straightened up.
“No, it’s just a piece of junk now, but if it did turn on, it wouldn’t send him anywhere, it would only send him anywhen, it doesn’t have teleportation capability, we didn’t have teleportation back in two thousand and two. But now we do, one billion years later.” Said Robert.
He looked down at the little boy whose was tugging on his pants leg.
“What do you want my little Samuel?” asked Godwin to the little boy. Samuel tugged his pants again. Robert bent down. Samuel then held out the watch. It was a bit battered, but it was eight years old, Robert smiled, and took it off Samuel. “Now what do you want me to do Samuel?” asked Robert. Samuel pointed at Robert’s left wrist. Robert smiled again and strapped the watch on. He then looked up at Sarah. “Our little son is very smart” he said. Sarah smiled.
“Now what Samuel?” Queried Robert to his son. Samuel held out his arm, Robert copied, Samuel then tapped his wrist twice, not the top, but the side which had the veins on it. Robert copied.
Then, softly at first, but getting louder, a buzzing sound was heard. Robert looked at his wrist. The words which had stayed on it for eight years, were changing, “Oh no” said Robert. He pulled at the watch but it wouldn’t budge. The words changed from:
Area: prohibited.
Reason: TimeWarp
Galaxy: Milky Way
System: Solar
Planet: Earth
Year: 1,000,002,022
Date: 1st of September
Time: 12:01am
Time System: Earth.
“I will return!” yelled Robert as he disappeared with a “puff”
Sarah flopped down onto the floor and began to cry.
Saria-nay.
In the middle of a barren desert two men and four women stood in a circle. The hot sun beat down on them, but they took no notice, they were focusing on the middle of the circle. They had their hands touching, one of the men, with hazel hair licked his lips, which were dry, and said to the others, “Well, this is it then, the end.” The others nodded in silent agreement. Then a where all their hands connected, a white light began to grow. Then with a puff, Robert appeared and fell to the ground.
“Who is he?” asked one of the men.
“A man named Robert, from the planet which Godwin the Last just created.” Said the Hazel haired man. Robert stopped rolling around in the dirt and stood up.
“Hey, you, over there, what year is it?” called out Robert.
“Why does he want to know what year is it, why not what place this is?” asked a girl.
“He has succeeded in scientific time travel.” Said the man with hazel hair to the other man. Then he spoke louder so that Robert could hear him, “Come closer Robert, It is the year five thousand, and before you ask, this is not earth, this is Saria-nay. I am sorry, but you cannot return to Earth. My name is Nicholas.” Said Nicholas. Robert walked closer to the group, but stopped when he was about a metre away from Nicholas.
“How do you know my name?” asked Robert.
“This guy knows everything, I mean everything.” Said the other man.
Robert looked at his watch, he tapped the face. A hissing sound was heard and a wisp of smoke came out the side.
“Well, now it is officially broken.” Said Robert.
“Is that what he used to scientifically time travel?” asked the second man.
“Yes, that watch is what he used Godwin.” Said Nicholas to the second man. Godwin smirked but said nothing. “Robert come stand next to me.” Called Nicholas. Nicholas gestured for Godwin to come closer, “I want to see his mind, something is blocking my power about his past, I know his future, but I don’t know his past. I need to look into his eyes.” Said Nicholas quietly. By this time, Robert was close enough to Nicholas that he stood next to him. “Robert, don’t be afraid, look into my eyes.” Said Nicholas. Robert looked up, and stared into Nicholas’s hazel eyes, he stared a bit more, when the coloured part of his eyes, swirled into rainbow colours, dancing around the pupil. He was transfixed, and then he was sucked into those eyes. Everything went black; the last thing Robert said was, “Not again.”
Robert opened his eyes to find himself in darkness, as his eyes adjusted to the darkness he saw he was in a vast area. Light began to glow, not from a certain place, but from little globes of light. The lights were dancing around Nicholas, and Nicholas was walking towards him.
“Where am I?” asked Robert.
“In my mind” answered Nicholas.
“What. How?” said Robert.
“Magic” was the answer that Nicholas gave. “Now, tell me about your past.”
“Well, I was born on Earth. In nineteen ninety-two, and when I was thirty I created this thing.” Robert showed Nicholas the watch.
“But this is broken.” Said Nicholas.
“Yeah, I know. I am trying to fix it, it sent me and my wife, a billion years into the future, when everyone was leaving Earth, and then, my son, gave me the watch, some-how fixed, and it sent me here. This place feels familiar, but I haven’t been here.” Said Robert.
“Okay. I need you to look into my eyes” said Nicholas.
“What again?” said Robert looking at Nicholas as if he was crazy.
“Yes, just do it.” Said Nicholas.
Robert stared into Nicholas’s eyes, for the second time. Then something clicked in the back of his mind.
Robert woke up, he was still facing Nicholas, but now he knew who Nicholas was, a mindpower, Godwin, was a hero, he had been a hero also, he created Earth, and he had lived on this planet. His name was Godwin and Robert. His mind swirling he staggered a few steps backwards.
“Who is he Nicholas?” asked Godwin.
“He is the reincarnation of Godwin the Last, and he knows his past life.” Said Nicholas.
“Yes, I do, Godwin.” Said Robert. He then faced Nicholas. “Nicholas, who am I, Robert or Godwin, I don’t know. I am so confused.” Said Robert.
“Shush, calm down, breath deeply” said one of the four women. She pushed Roberts head into her lap, so that Robert was lying down. Robert looked up at her.
“You’re the First sister of the goddesses.” Said Robert.
“Yes I am” said the Goddess.
“If you don’t know your name, I can’t tell you.” Said Nicholas.
“But you know everything” said Robert exasperated.
“But, if I tell you what to do, how will that help you, what happens if I am not around.” Said Nicholas.
“Wait, if I am both Robert and Godwin, why can’t I combine those names?” said Robert.
“Good idea!” said Nicholas.
“Hmmm” started Robert. “How about Rodwin?” Said Robert.
“No, too unnatural” said Godwin.
“Gobert?” tried Robert.
“No, sounds awful” said Nicholas this time.
“Robin?” Robert tried sounding hopeful. This time, it wasn’t Nicholas or Godwin who answer, but the First Goddess, who lap Robert was still lying in.
“That is perfect” she said, Robert smiled.
“Good, first name Robin, second name, is” Nicholas paused and looked towards Robert.
“Well, my last name is Smith and King, you cannot combine those names in a good way, the only name you can get is King-Smith, or Smith-King, and I like neither of those names, so, lets think.” Robert paused. The first Goddess then spoke,
“Isn’t your new mind, the offspring of both your minds?” she said softly.
“That’s right!” exclaimed Robert. In his joy, he planted a kiss on the first Goddess’s lips. She blushed deeply.
“Let’s see, if I was a smith before, then now I must be a Smithson.” Robert said excitedly.
“Okay, let’s see how that works, Robin Smithson, Robin Smithson. Yes, I think that is fine.” Said Nicholas while pacing. “Okay. Come, look into my eyes again, Robert.” Nicholas stopped pacing.
Robert stood up and walked over to Nicholas and looked into his eyes, they swirled like rainbows again, and then, something happened, Robert couldn’t explain what, but it felt like a blast had come out of Nicholas’s body, and passed through him, and out of this world.
“What did you do?” asked Robert.
“Tell me your name” said Nicholas.
“Rober - Robin, Robin Smithson.” Answered Robin Smithson.
“Well, if you want to know what I just did, I just changed history, very dangerous, but now you have never existed as Robert Smith, you were never born, never lived, anywhere, any time, any world. Now, let’s get you geared up for your new life.” Said Nicholas, again he started pacing.
“Yes, that is a good place to begin” said Godwin.
Excerpt from the biography of Robin Smithson.
“It was the year 2022, on the planet of Earth. That was a great year for me. That was the year I died. But, it was also the year that I discovered my true meaning in this life. I became a Time Traveller. But I won’t tell you about that yet, when you start a story, you don’t start at the middle, or the end, you start at the beginner, that is right and proper. So let us begin, at the beginning.”
A man wearing a tuxedo stumbled out of a building. He tripped and hit the ground quite hard, rolled over and stood up. He looked up at the dark sky and the stars twinkling. He sighed deeply and started to walk off. When a woman ran out of the building and called to him. “Robert! Wait!” Robert stopped and turned around.
“What is it Sarah?” Said Robert.
“I am sure next time that they will agree.” She said boldly. Robert frowned, and Sarah blushed, embarrassed for speaking about what had just happened.
“Look, you are so close to finishing that project, why won’t they agree?” said Sarah.
“Because they told me, anything that tries to get out of our solar system, our galaxy dies. So why should my idea work.” Said Robert, showing his disappointment. He sighed again. And crossed his arms. “Plus, the fact is, I am a twenty-nine year old man, who hasn’t had enough experience, or been able to get a finite job his whole life.”
This time it was Sarah who folded her arms, she then ran up to him and said “Well, let’s give the experiment one last try. Then we will scrap the idea.” The pair started walking down the road towards the car park.
“Okay, but you must promise me, if it fails, we never try anything like it again.” Said Robert.
Sarah then frowned, “Fine, but how are we going to get to the lab? I got here by cab?”
“We can use my car.” Said Robert pointing out a silver Rav-4. He unlocked it using the keypad and hopped into the drivers’ seat. Sarah sat down next to him.
“Why do you still drive one of these old things?” Sarah said to him as she buckled her seatbelt.
“Hey, it gets me from A to B.” Robert started the car up and turned out of the car park. Robert then turned onto the main road and waved goodbye to the building that had failed him. As they drove past it, they read the sign. “National Australian Laboratory.”
“I am so tempted to write something on that sign, I can’t believe they refused me. I even wore my best suit. And I did up my hair.” Robert ran his hand through his sandy coloured hair. “And I mean, look at you Sarah, you look stunning.” Sarah blushed. “All I did was put on a green dress, and some make up.” Said Sarah modestly.
“Yeah, but you look better than most of those women in that lab.” Said Robert. The two lapsed into silence. Streetlights glowed over head. Robert turned on the indicator, and turned left into a building. The building had a wire fence around the perimeter, and was heavily guarded by security systems. The gate opened as the car approached. Robert turned and parked it next to the door. HE then took an I.D. card connected to a cord around his neck and swiped it through the reader at the door, he then entered four numbers. And it made a ping sound and the door opened. The pair went down a dark corridor and entered a door with the number thirteen above it.
“You know Sarah, I always wondered it we were unlucky because we got room number thirteen.” Said Robert with a smile. Sarah laughed and followed him into the room.
In the room books were everywhere, books about history, about religion, books about Egypt, countries, subjects which were so complex, most people can’t even understand the title. But, the only place that wasn’t cluttered was a desk, and on top of that desk was a box, a box made of glass. Inside this box was a normal watch. It was black, had a square face, about four cm each side, had a screen in the middle, and three buttons sticking out, two one the right side, one of the left, the four button wasn’t sticking out, but it was on the left side. The time on the face read “11:58pm; 31/08/22; Wednesday”
Robert opened the box, put the watch on, the face on the underside of his wrist, so it was next to his palm, and pressed a few buttons. Sarah gave him a hug, which was a bit more than just friendly and stood back. Robert then pressed the screen of the watch. There was a buzzing sound, and then nothing.
“I told you it would never work.” Said Robert. “Humans will never Time Travel! You cannot go forward or back in time!” He picked up a book from a chair and threw it away, it hit a pile of books and they crashed to the floor, Robert sat down and put his face in his hands.
“Look, try it again, just for me.” Begged Sarah. “Just one more time. That’s all.”
“Fine, one more time. Then we destroy it.” Said Robert.
“Agreed” Said Sarah. Robert loosened his tie and placed it on his shoulder.
Robert pressed some of the buttons on the watch, in a random order. And then tapped the screen. There was a buzzing sound, and then, nothing, the watched beeped, and Robert looked down. It now read “12:00am; 01/09/22; Thursday”
Robert smiled. “Happy birthday, I just turned thirty.” Then the watch-face turned white, and started to glow, projected from the watch onto the ceiling, in perfect English writing, was numbers, Robert stared for a bit, and then nearly shouted at Sarah “Heck, it’s a countdown.” When the numbers hit zero, the watched stopped glowing and then clicked onto a new screen, this screen read a number and a word, and the word read “Earth”. There was a low buzz, then. Everything went white.
“DAMN!!” yelled Robert.
“Where are we?” asked Sarah. As she turned to Robert. Robert looked around at his surroundings. Everything was a nice cream colour, and a man walked up to the pair with a huge smile.
“Welcome to Heaven, I hope you enjoy your stay, because you’re here for all eternity.”
“We…Died?!” said Sarah.
“Yes, you did” said the angel sympathetically. But the smile didn’t move from his face.
“Okay, I want to have the debate with God” said Robert, this time, the smile did move from the angels face. “You know about that?!”
“Yes I do. I know all the rules, and I also know that you can’t refuse my request.” Said Robert with a grin.
“What are you to talking about?” interrupted Sarah.
“Follow me then.” Said the Angel.
“I will tell we get there.” Said Robert.
Robert and Sarah followed the angel as they walked towards a building, it was built roman style, All white marble, pillars, steps, benches, inside was a man, sitting on a marble bench, and he was conversing with an angel.
“That’s God?!” said Sarah.
“That’s the big guy himself. In all his glory.” Said Robert with a grin. The angel walked into the building and started to talk to God.
“So Robert, what are the rules. And what are they for.” Said Sarah.
“Well, around five hundred years ago, Heaven was becoming full, so God here had an idea, if anyone could beat him in a debate, then he would allow them to go back to earth, as anything they wanted, there were some rules, that applied to the debate. The challenger, can request God, do a max of seven things, the opponent must obey. After that, each being makes a statement, the opponent can either, argue with this, or pass, when the opponent passes, the other being wins. Those are the rules. But, so far, only one man has done this, and he went back to earth and wrote the rules down. The rest failed.” Finished Robert.
Sarah looked scared, “But Robert, you can’t argue with the being that created Earth, he created you.”
“Well, I must give it a try.” Said Robert, “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”
“Robert, one last thing, what happens if you fail?” queried Sarah.
“Well, then, you just die, your spirit goes, away. And never returns.” Said Robert.
“Oh” said Sarah, “But, can’t we just stay here, least we can still see each other.”
“I want to go back to earth; this will give me a chance.” Robert then turned to face Sarah, his mouth set in a grim smile. The angel walked out to the pair. “He will now see you.”
Robert and Sarah walked into the building. They walked up the stairs, and stood next to the man, God, God look like a normal man, but Robert knew this was not.
“Hello Robert and Sarah. Well, Robert, I am sorry that you want to do this, but, it was your choice, and I cannot make you change your mind. So let’s begin. What are your seven conditions?” said God.
Robert took a breath and began, “One, You transform into a man, this means you lose your powers. Two, if I win, Sarah and I both go back to Earth. Three, Call the devil up here, I want him to watch. Four, can you create a table and chairs for us; I want to sit down also. Five, Bring me a book with the whole history of Earth. Six, can you bring me some food. Seven, at the start of the debate, call you an idiot.” Robert then smiled.
Sarah turned to him, “Just why do you want to insult the most powerful thing in the whole universe?” she said.
“One thing, Sarah.” Said Robert, “He is not.” And then he gestured for her to be quiet.
God did as he requested, and then the debate began. God went to make a point, when Robert interrupted him. “Pardon me God, but, have you forgotten my seventh request?” he said sweetly. God looked at him angrily and then called himself an idiot. Robert laughed loudly. God stood up, his chair clattering to the marble floor.
“How dare you laugh at me! I created the Earth! Curse you Robert! I will send you to Hell!” He then pointed at Robert, but nothing happened. Robert was now smiling widely.
“What?!” said God.
“Well, it’s just that, in all the religions, the higher being, you, in this case; say to everything, you cannot do evil. Because the evil being, in this case the devil.” Said Robert, pointing at the man, dressed in a red cape. Robert then continued, “The devil, or evil being will destroy the lower beings, but, you,” Robert paused and pointed at God, “Have just cursed and tried to destroy me, but, you forgot, my first request, you lose your powers, but then, what you just did, was evil, so, by your own laws. Shouldn’t the devil also destroy you, and if you want more proof, I can point out more things, that you have done wrong, in the whole history of the Earth.” Robert finished and smiled towards Sarah.
“Now God, do you argue, or have you finished, and I have won.” Said Robert.
All around, the building, angels were amazed, God slowly picked up his chair, sat down and faced Robert, “Well done Robert, you win, I pass.” He said sadly. Robert smiled. “Now, Robert, Where do you want to be born, Sorry Sarah, but he cans chose, not you.” Said God, all his glamour gone.
“I don’t want to be born, I want to be alive. Can you put me and Sarah back where we were, last night, at the same time, but instead of us dieing can you make us live for an extra two minutes, okay” said Robert.
“Yes, I can do that, do you want the memory of this?” said God.
“Yes, but give it to me after the two minutes, okay. Thank you.” Said Robert.
“Good-bye Robert.” Said God.
“Wait, before we go.” Interrupted Sarah. “What killed us?” she asked.
“An explosion from the laboratory next to you, the scientist that cause it are over there” said God, and he pointed to a group of men in white coats.
Then everything was black.
The buzzing continued, and Sarah and Robert watched the watch, there was a loud bang from the next room. Sarah, startled grabbed onto Robert. The next moment there was a “puff” sound, and where Robert and Sarah had been, there was Roberts tie.
Planet: Earth
“Where are we?” said Robert as they landed on the ground hard. Sarah would have fallen to the ground if she hadn’t been holding onto Robert. Robert looked around. Then, he looked down at his watch, it read the time of “12:01am; Thursday; 01/09/22”
“Well, it still seems to be the same year, but I don’t think we have moved. And if this isn’t Earth then how could we breathe.”
“Okay, aside from that, if this is earth, where are all the people?” said Sarah worriedly.
“Over there, by that city.” Said Robert and pointed, he then started walking.
By time the two got to the city, they had realised that something was different. They both agreed that it seem as if the planet was dead, because there was only silence. No background noise, no sounds of people. Just silence. Robert kept on fiddling around with his watch. Then he looked up.
“Sarah, do you think we have travelled time. Because now that I have got the memories of heaven back, you think, we could have succeeded in travelling in time.” Sarah stopped walking. “But how, and if we did, how do we get back to our time?” she finished.
“That I don’t know. How do you reckon we can figure out what time it is?” said Robert.
“We could ask it” said Sarah for a joke. Robert bent forward and said to the watch “What year is it?” and then Robert laughed. He stopped when a hand tapped him on the shoulder. He froze.
“Turn around” a gruff voice commanded. When the pain turned around the saw a man, he looked normal, but he was taller than both of them. He had a brown handle bar moustache, brown hair and eyes, and he was holding what looked like a cattle prod crossed with a sword. “What are you doing out here, the flight to a new planet is going to leave in around twenty minutes, this place is deserted.”
“May I ask you a question? Well actually more than just one question. What are you? What year is it? Where is this place? And the most important, where is the flight going?” Asked Robert.
Sarah thought this new Robert was much more confident that the Robert that she had known.
“Stop asking questions!!” Yelled the man. “I am a city Guard! This place is The Last City, Planet Earth, Year, one billion and two thousand and twenty-two, and that flight is leaving the planet, and going to an unknown, unpopulated planet. And before you ask why, it is because this planet is dead!” Barked the Guard.
“Okay, now what are you going to do with us?” asked Sarah.
“I am going to get you a house and allow you to stay on Earth until the flight” said the Guard.
“But didn’t you say it was leaving the planet?” asked Robert.
“It is, in eight years. But the king of the world is collecting everybody, from around the whole world. So, I must now send you to the city.” At this The Guard pulled out two circular slips of a grey material. He then slapped one on Robert, and one on Sarah. And then pressed the centre of the circle. Both Robert and Sarah disappeared.
The last City of planet Earth.
Robert reappeared in a house. Sarah reappeared next to him an instant later.
“Now where are we?” asked Sarah. This time Robert didn’t get a chance to answer, the house did for him.
“Welcome, I am your house, model 233453; I hope to make your eight year stay as pleasurably as possible. Would you like something to drink?” said the house.
“A beer would be nice.” Said Robert.
“I am sorry, but the drink Beer does not compute with my drink making capabilities. Please state another drink.” Said the house.
“Can I please have some orange juice?” said Sarah.
“You sure can” said the house eagerly. A second later a box open in another room. Inside this box was a glass of orange juice.
“And what does the male of the pair want?” said the house.
“A glass of wine. Please.” Said Robert.
“That does compute with my skills, here you go” said the house. Another ping, another box, another drink.
“Well, if we are stuck here, I sure will enjoy this time.” Said Robert.
Sarah smiled warmly at him. “Err house, may we please have a tour of this house?” asked Sarah.
“You sure can” said the house warmly. “If you enter the door to your right, you will be in the main bedroom; the room you are in now is the foyer. The room which you got your drinks from is the kitchen, but you don’t need to go there much, I can deliver anything you want straight to you, via the wall system.”
“Thanks house.” Said Robert, he smiled and turned to face Sarah. “I think I will enjoy my stay.”
Eight years later.
Last City of Planet Earth.
Robert enter through the front door, “Hey, Sarah, I am home” he called out. Sarah walked into the room with a little boy in tow.
“How was your day Robert?” asked Sarah.
“Good, can you believe it; we are going to leave earth in two weeks. I can’t wait!” said Robert enthusiastically. He bent down to the little boy.
“And how is my little boy going, have you fixed your daddy’s watch.” He said with a laugh.
Sarah laughed as well. “I still think that you shouldn’t have given that watch to him, what if he gets it to work. It could send him anywhere, or worse kill him.” Said Sarah. Robert straightened up.
“No, it’s just a piece of junk now, but if it did turn on, it wouldn’t send him anywhere, it would only send him anywhen, it doesn’t have teleportation capability, we didn’t have teleportation back in two thousand and two. But now we do, one billion years later.” Said Robert.
He looked down at the little boy whose was tugging on his pants leg.
“What do you want my little Samuel?” asked Godwin to the little boy. Samuel tugged his pants again. Robert bent down. Samuel then held out the watch. It was a bit battered, but it was eight years old, Robert smiled, and took it off Samuel. “Now what do you want me to do Samuel?” asked Robert. Samuel pointed at Robert’s left wrist. Robert smiled again and strapped the watch on. He then looked up at Sarah. “Our little son is very smart” he said. Sarah smiled.
“Now what Samuel?” Queried Robert to his son. Samuel held out his arm, Robert copied, Samuel then tapped his wrist twice, not the top, but the side which had the veins on it. Robert copied.
Then, softly at first, but getting louder, a buzzing sound was heard. Robert looked at his wrist. The words which had stayed on it for eight years, were changing, “Oh no” said Robert. He pulled at the watch but it wouldn’t budge. The words changed from:
Area: prohibited.
Reason: TimeWarp
Galaxy: Milky Way
System: Solar
Planet: Earth
Year: 1,000,002,022
Date: 1st of September
Time: 12:01am
Time System: Earth.
“I will return!” yelled Robert as he disappeared with a “puff”
Sarah flopped down onto the floor and began to cry.
Saria-nay.
In the middle of a barren desert two men and four women stood in a circle. The hot sun beat down on them, but they took no notice, they were focusing on the middle of the circle. They had their hands touching, one of the men, with hazel hair licked his lips, which were dry, and said to the others, “Well, this is it then, the end.” The others nodded in silent agreement. Then a where all their hands connected, a white light began to grow. Then with a puff, Robert appeared and fell to the ground.
“Who is he?” asked one of the men.
“A man named Robert, from the planet which Godwin the Last just created.” Said the Hazel haired man. Robert stopped rolling around in the dirt and stood up.
“Hey, you, over there, what year is it?” called out Robert.
“Why does he want to know what year is it, why not what place this is?” asked a girl.
“He has succeeded in scientific time travel.” Said the man with hazel hair to the other man. Then he spoke louder so that Robert could hear him, “Come closer Robert, It is the year five thousand, and before you ask, this is not earth, this is Saria-nay. I am sorry, but you cannot return to Earth. My name is Nicholas.” Said Nicholas. Robert walked closer to the group, but stopped when he was about a metre away from Nicholas.
“How do you know my name?” asked Robert.
“This guy knows everything, I mean everything.” Said the other man.
Robert looked at his watch, he tapped the face. A hissing sound was heard and a wisp of smoke came out the side.
“Well, now it is officially broken.” Said Robert.
“Is that what he used to scientifically time travel?” asked the second man.
“Yes, that watch is what he used Godwin.” Said Nicholas to the second man. Godwin smirked but said nothing. “Robert come stand next to me.” Called Nicholas. Nicholas gestured for Godwin to come closer, “I want to see his mind, something is blocking my power about his past, I know his future, but I don’t know his past. I need to look into his eyes.” Said Nicholas quietly. By this time, Robert was close enough to Nicholas that he stood next to him. “Robert, don’t be afraid, look into my eyes.” Said Nicholas. Robert looked up, and stared into Nicholas’s hazel eyes, he stared a bit more, when the coloured part of his eyes, swirled into rainbow colours, dancing around the pupil. He was transfixed, and then he was sucked into those eyes. Everything went black; the last thing Robert said was, “Not again.”
Robert opened his eyes to find himself in darkness, as his eyes adjusted to the darkness he saw he was in a vast area. Light began to glow, not from a certain place, but from little globes of light. The lights were dancing around Nicholas, and Nicholas was walking towards him.
“Where am I?” asked Robert.
“In my mind” answered Nicholas.
“What. How?” said Robert.
“Magic” was the answer that Nicholas gave. “Now, tell me about your past.”
“Well, I was born on Earth. In nineteen ninety-two, and when I was thirty I created this thing.” Robert showed Nicholas the watch.
“But this is broken.” Said Nicholas.
“Yeah, I know. I am trying to fix it, it sent me and my wife, a billion years into the future, when everyone was leaving Earth, and then, my son, gave me the watch, some-how fixed, and it sent me here. This place feels familiar, but I haven’t been here.” Said Robert.
“Okay. I need you to look into my eyes” said Nicholas.
“What again?” said Robert looking at Nicholas as if he was crazy.
“Yes, just do it.” Said Nicholas.
Robert stared into Nicholas’s eyes, for the second time. Then something clicked in the back of his mind.
Robert woke up, he was still facing Nicholas, but now he knew who Nicholas was, a mindpower, Godwin, was a hero, he had been a hero also, he created Earth, and he had lived on this planet. His name was Godwin and Robert. His mind swirling he staggered a few steps backwards.
“Who is he Nicholas?” asked Godwin.
“He is the reincarnation of Godwin the Last, and he knows his past life.” Said Nicholas.
“Yes, I do, Godwin.” Said Robert. He then faced Nicholas. “Nicholas, who am I, Robert or Godwin, I don’t know. I am so confused.” Said Robert.
“Shush, calm down, breath deeply” said one of the four women. She pushed Roberts head into her lap, so that Robert was lying down. Robert looked up at her.
“You’re the First sister of the goddesses.” Said Robert.
“Yes I am” said the Goddess.
“If you don’t know your name, I can’t tell you.” Said Nicholas.
“But you know everything” said Robert exasperated.
“But, if I tell you what to do, how will that help you, what happens if I am not around.” Said Nicholas.
“Wait, if I am both Robert and Godwin, why can’t I combine those names?” said Robert.
“Good idea!” said Nicholas.
“Hmmm” started Robert. “How about Rodwin?” Said Robert.
“No, too unnatural” said Godwin.
“Gobert?” tried Robert.
“No, sounds awful” said Nicholas this time.
“Robin?” Robert tried sounding hopeful. This time, it wasn’t Nicholas or Godwin who answer, but the First Goddess, who lap Robert was still lying in.
“That is perfect” she said, Robert smiled.
“Good, first name Robin, second name, is” Nicholas paused and looked towards Robert.
“Well, my last name is Smith and King, you cannot combine those names in a good way, the only name you can get is King-Smith, or Smith-King, and I like neither of those names, so, lets think.” Robert paused. The first Goddess then spoke,
“Isn’t your new mind, the offspring of both your minds?” she said softly.
“That’s right!” exclaimed Robert. In his joy, he planted a kiss on the first Goddess’s lips. She blushed deeply.
“Let’s see, if I was a smith before, then now I must be a Smithson.” Robert said excitedly.
“Okay, let’s see how that works, Robin Smithson, Robin Smithson. Yes, I think that is fine.” Said Nicholas while pacing. “Okay. Come, look into my eyes again, Robert.” Nicholas stopped pacing.
Robert stood up and walked over to Nicholas and looked into his eyes, they swirled like rainbows again, and then, something happened, Robert couldn’t explain what, but it felt like a blast had come out of Nicholas’s body, and passed through him, and out of this world.
“What did you do?” asked Robert.
“Tell me your name” said Nicholas.
“Rober - Robin, Robin Smithson.” Answered Robin Smithson.
“Well, if you want to know what I just did, I just changed history, very dangerous, but now you have never existed as Robert Smith, you were never born, never lived, anywhere, any time, any world. Now, let’s get you geared up for your new life.” Said Nicholas, again he started pacing.
“Yes, that is a good place to begin” said Godwin.
