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The golden contraption spins in his hand. One of its rings skews a bit to the right now, and a short wire dangles limply from the bottom. He glances back, lips twisted in contempt.
“Maybe you shouldn’t play with unknown plants for a while,” he... I... the traveller says, smirking.
I won’t let him have my name, too.
Despite feeling like a scolded child, I let go of the leaf. “Are you sure it’s going to work?” My question makes him irritated. “Maybe you shouldn’t stomp on your time-travel device?” That one makes him pissed.
“I didn’t know I would have to save you again, after you get lost in the woods. Again.” He tips his head towards one of the paths. I have no choice but to follow.
“I saved you from the glass prison."
“No, you were hoping to find her.” He looks at me with a mix of anger and pity. “Do us both a favour and stay away from women for a while, too. And stop staring at me,” he adds.
I drop my gaze for a moment, but my eyes keep coming back to his face, almost identical to mine, but marked with lines of worry and rouged by wind.
“I think anyone would, in my situation.”
He huffs. “Not me. You’re not that interesting... Not yet.”
We pass some Elephant Ear plants, pools of water sitting in its giant leaves. I try to gather some in my hand but the leaf slips and it all runs down the stalk, sinking into the ground.
“Oh my god, is that what you were trying to do? Give me that.”
The traveller scoops water into his palm skilfully before extending it towards me.
It tastes sweet and fresh. I lap it up greedily until I feel the warm skin of his palm. He watches me with amused curiosity as I jump back, my lips burning as if I kissed fire.
We reach the crossroads in silence.
“Are you sure this is going to work?” I ask, looking at both paths stretching before us.
“I’m not sure of anything, not even who I’m talking to right now...” He slips the pendant under his shirt. “But yes. You just have to keep walking down the vale. I’ll take the ridge road. It’ll seem like you're lost, but just keep walking. Our paths will never cross again.”
He gives me that weird look again. Shiver runs down my back.
“I shouldn’t say this, but fuck it. Use gold instead of copper. There. That’s a year of my life I just got back.”
My eyes widen as he grabs my shirt and pulls me closer, planting a wet kiss on my lips.
“Good luck.”
As he walks away my skin burns, and I know it’s not from the heat.
~~~
This is how I remember him.
Does he remember me?
I didn’t listen to his advice, except the one about gold. It did save me a lot of time, but more importantly guided my research towards new, unexplored directions.
Traveling through time is one way to save yourself... But not for the traveller.
No, to save him, to save us all from death, I needed another version of me. One that could explore different worlds or replace me if I die.
My wife agreed to the test, and the first one is already here.
He trembles like a rabbit as I run my fingers over his cheek. They will send him soon.
Even if he won’t recognize me, I will find him.
The one with a broken pendant hanging around his neck.