I stand on gray museum marble, watching the pendulum’s parachronistic swing.
A strange desire fills me. I dismiss it as madness.
Sensing movement, I turn. A familiar gaze, like looking at an old mirror, cracked and gray, meets mine. "I’ll see you in twenty years," he says.
He jumps, gracefully arcing, mounting the oscillating arm like a fireman's pole. Our mental connection surprises me, then he winks and I understand.
My vardoger fades out of existence.
I replay the scene in my mind over and over, so that when the time comes, I’ll be able to execute it perfectly again.
A combination of really funny, and 'what the hell is that?'
ReplyDeleteNot sure if that's what you were going for, but it put a smile on my face.
This story adeptly pulls a lot together: time, the importance of time, not being afraid of time's ultimate result. Great stuff!
ReplyDeleteJames;
ReplyDeleteThanks. It does have a WTF element to it. It is a bit Groundhog Day meets Dr. Who, though instead of a Tardis, its a Pendulum. The doppelganger is a favorite instrument of mine, especially the vardoger version. I'm glad you liked it! :)
Jason;
Thanks! I'm glad you got the whole time theme. Would we be able to recognize ourselves twenty years from now? What would that deja vous be like? Thanks for stopping by. :)
Very cool story. Intriguing at how time works. Seems to really bend (or swing like a pendulum) here.
ReplyDeleteEric;
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment! Time is a very interesting subject, indeed. I love reading about it, one of my favorite non-fiction books is "A Brief History of Time," by Hawking. Messing with time travel, time warps and time loops are fun for a spec fic writer, aren't they? I'm glad you liked it!
Great writing, keep the reader guessing, in anticipation and in question.
ReplyDeleteI miss the pendulum at the American History Museum here in D.C. I could literally stand and stare at it transfixed until the next hour rolled by. Very deja vu
ReplyDeleteAnother great one Maria. These short short ones are really fun to read. This one is great... living and waiting - it's what we do.
ReplyDeleteOh I really got it, it's just my thing. Parachronistic swing, fab. Museums, mirrors. Wonderful. More please.
ReplyDeleteOh that's bloody fantastic!!! Can't say much else than that. Just very well executed.
ReplyDeleteFabulous descriptions here Maria! You've wrapped so much into such a short space. Just fantastic!
ReplyDeleteA cool little write, executed perfectly.
ReplyDeleteThom;
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment! I'm glad you like it! :)
Monica;
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by. I felt the same about the one at COSI in Columbus, OH when I was a girl. Field trip wanted to move along, but I wanted to see a pin get knocked over. I'm sad to say I did not win that one. But it was fascinating all the same!
Jim;
ReplyDeleteThanks, man. I'm glad you like it!
Alison;
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment! I'm happy you enjoyed it. :)
Icy;
ReplyDeleteWow! What a great comment! Thanks! I'm glad you like it.
Deanna;
ReplyDeleteThanks! I'm really happy you like it. :)
Erin;
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment. I'm glad you like my little time travel story. :)
I absolutely love this foreshadowing of things to come, especially the use of a vardoger, and its setting - the pendulum in the museum, a moving measure of time in a house of objects fixed forever in their time. Wonderful writing!
ReplyDeleteKath;
ReplyDeleteThanks for that awesome comment my friend! I'm thrilled everyone likes this little timepiece so much. Sweet!
I enjoyed this!
ReplyDeleteLoved it! Short, Sweet, and I think it said everything it needed too. Well Done.
ReplyDeleteI liked the image of him jumping on the pole. I'm pretty sure the 20 year ago me would not recognize the now me. And I'm hoping I won't recognize the 20 year in the future me.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this. Not entirely sure I understand all of it, but I enjoyed it. :)
ReplyDeleteCatherine;
ReplyDeleteThanks! I'm glad you liked it!
Jason;
Thanks for reading and commenting. I'm happy that you enjoyed my weird little time travel/de ja vous/doppelganger story!
Aidan;
Thanks! I'd like to be the 20 year ago me again. I would do so many things differently. But we all say that, don't we. I'm glad you liked the story.
Sam;
Thanks! It's a very odd story, I agree. I wanted to leave a little mystery for the reader to put together...I'm happy you enjoyed it!
Fascinating piece, Maria. I really enjoyed it. I hope the main character is able to do what he/she needs to in twenty years.
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