If the Senescence Doesn’t Get You, the Absorbins Will

The two guards march in front of the tomb of King Zeno, their armor squeaking derisively.

Sighing heavily, Achille Albano sits on the steps, rubbing his aching feet.

“What happened to us as a people, Milo? It only took ten years for the Minoan civilization to fall.”

“Instead of shaking the Atlanteans’ hands, we should have chopped them off,” the stocky guard replies. “They promised prosperity and brought us cholera.”

“I know. I was there when your wife and children died, just as you attended my family’s funeral rites.”

“Two hundred thousand Minoans,” Milo laments, “barely two hundred of us remain. We were warriors, noblemen, tradesmen. Now we clean the Atlanteans’ homes, raise their children, fight their enemies, guard their shrines…”

A shooting star streaks across the night sky. A bright flash of light forces them to shield their eyes.

“A sign!” Achille shouts.

“Yes, but of what?”

The door of the temple creaks open. Footsteps can be heard drawing closer.

Milo and Achille ready their swords.

A figure swathed in silver emerges, its face concealed in a see-through glass bubble.

It is carrying what appears to be a satchel.

It staggers toward the guards.

“Are you the spirit of King Zeno?” Achille asks. “What do you want from us?”

The figure collapses, the dust on his silver skin wafting into the air.

***

Queen Angelica, Captain Marco Massimino, and Drago, the Queen’s Mage, watch the Queen’s physician examine the stranger.

Tagliare twists off the glass bubble covering the stranger’s head. “See? It is a covering, an outer shell.”

The ancient physician runs his wrinkled hand across the stranger’s shiny silver skin.

Picking up a knife, he slices away a sliver of skin near his wrist. “I believe this to be a covering as well.”

“No matter who or what he is, he should be killed while he still sleeps,” Drago says.

“I thought Atlanteans always extended a helping hand,” Marco comments.

“To have it bitten off? No!” Drago retorts.

“Help him,” Queen Angelica commands.

Tagliare cautiously cuts away a section of skin covering one of the arms. Holding it up, he examines it, blowing the dust off it.

Within a few minutes, Tagliare reveals the stranger’s flesh-colored body.

The stranger is a thin man with soft blonde hair and delicate features.

Drago strokes his bushy black beard, his piercing, deep-set, mesmerizing eyes glaring at Marco.

“That is not the spirit of our greatest king, Zeno. Again, Your Majesty, I say let the physicians kill and dissect this creature.”

Queen Angelica glances at Marco, who shakes his head.

“No,” Queen Angelica says emphatically.

Drago lets out an exasperated yelp. “Why do you constantly favor Massimino over me? Someday, you may regret taking the advice of a Minoan over one of your own kind.”

Drago’s robe trails in his wake as he storms out of the room.

Queen Angelica smiles at Marco, blushing.

Rumors of a steamy relationship between the young Queen and the Captain of her guards have circulated throughout the kingdom since she took the throne five years ago. Visually, they are an impressive couple. Angelica is statuesque, with a crown of fiery hair and bright blue eyes. Marco is powerfully built, with a chiseled jawline and dark, wise eyes.

Tagliare calls out, “The stranger stirs, Your Majesty!”

The man’s eyes flutter, opening.

“Where am I?”

“He speaks our language,” Tagliare notes.

“I am Queen Angelica. You are in the city of Atlantis.”

“Boy, have I got some bad news for you.”

“I do not understand.”

“I’ll fill you in later. My name’s Jordy Elliot. I’m from the city of Fresno in the state of California in the United States, which I imagine you’ve never heard of.”

As Jordy sits up, the dust from his silver suit spreads around the room.

“Are you a god?” Queen Angelica asks.

“The girls at the Tikki Bar think so, but no. I’m a traveler. I come from the year 2135. I work for the Mallet Institute. In 2135, my planet, Earth, the same one you inhabit now, was invaded by the Absorbins, aliens who stripped Earth of its minerals, trees, animals, and water. They look like corpses and are insatiable, always hungry. We built a device that allows us to travel through time to try to escape them. I was sent to find a safe place for my people to live. I was supposed to travel to Woodstock in 1969. I only missed by eleven thousand years. I sure hope the time portal is closed. The Absorbins were following me, and you don’t want to have to deal with them.”

“So, you come in peace?” Marco asks.

“Yeah. Consider me a visitor. Perhaps we can learn from each other. Maybe even save each other’s bacon.”

Queen Angelica scrunches her nose. “Bacon?”

“Oh, you’re gonna like some of the things I have to tell you.”

***

Tagliare mumbles and looks at Drago’s bedroom floor, avoiding the Mage’s hypnotic stare.

“A man from the future can be very useful to us,” he says. “Massimino shares power with Queen Angelica because he shares her bed. We could travel back to a time before her father brought us to Atlantis and convince him to explore somewhere else. There would be no Massimino to protect Angelica when she takes the throne, maybe no Queen either!”

“Think on a grander scale, Tagliare. Why not travel forward to a perfect civilization, a Utopia? Imagine, wine, wealth, and power beyond our wildest dreams.”

“You could be King.”

“King Drago. I like it.”

***

Achille rubs his feet, watching Milo march back and forth.

“We were the first to encounter the man from another time, and how are we rewarded? More guard duty.”

Achille looks up, pointing at the sky.

“By the Queen! Another falling star!”

Milo looks up but is blinded by a flash of light. When his eyes recover, he finds himself staring at two frightening creatures.

The creatures stand twenty feet tall, but their bodies are hairless and emaciated. Their ribs stick out through their pale skin, and their lifeless black eyes are sunk into their sockets.

One of the creatures holds Achille in its grasp. Before Achille can scream, the creature opens its wide mouth, swallowing him whole.

Milo throws his sword at one of the creatures. It bats it away.

The creatures move toward him, shrieking hungrily.

***

“How is it you speak our language?” Marco asks Jordy.

“I have a device in my body that can translate what I say into your language and vice versa. Are you two the King and Queen?”

Queen Angelica reaches for Marco’s hand.

“It would make our situation less complicated,” Marco answers.

“Marco is the commander of my royal guard, my protector, and my advisor,” Queen Angelica says.

“I can tell he’s more by the way you look at each other,” Jordy replies.

“You see, Marco? Even a stranger who has only been conscious for a few hours can see how we feel about each other.”

“But it’s a forbidden love, isn’t it?” Jordy asks.

The pair lowers their heads.

“In Fresno, before the Absorbins landed, Kings could marry commoners, and poor people could become rich.”

“It may happen here… Someday,” Queen Angelica responds.

Milo enters the room, gasping for air. Marco rushes to talk to him as Queen Angelica continues speaking with Jordy.

“So, they can give a person new eyes, new legs, and even a new heart in Fresno?”

“We’ve cured every disease…”

Queen Angelica looks down at her right hand, which shakes uncontrollably. She gasps at the sight of the back of her hand, which is wrinkled and has sprouted liver spots.

“Every disease except that one.”

“What is wrong with me?”

“You have Senescence.”

“What is that?”

“I’m afraid it’s my fault. When we travel through time, we collect dust particles, pieces of the stars and planets we pass. The further we travel back in time, the more dust we collect. I could see it in the air around us when the doctor examined me, but I didn’t think there was any danger. I don’t want to alarm you, but Senescence is like a plague. It spreads quickly and is fatal.”

Queen Angelica rushes to a nearby mirror. Her once flawless skin is wrinkled, and her bright red hair has turned grey.

“Is there a cure?” she asks Jordy.

“Only one. You’ll have to travel through time with me.”

Queen Angelica turns to look at Marco, who tries to hide his astonishment with a comforting smile and a gentle touch of his hand.

“You have aged well.”

“And you lie well, Marco. Wait… Why do Marco and Milo look the same?”

Jordy studies both men.

“We are Minoan,” Marco says. “Our hearts beat faster, and our blood is darker.”

“That could give you immunity.”

“I am afraid Milo has brought us more distressing news, Your Majesty.”

***

Milo leads Queen Angelica, Marco, and Jordy to a cliff, pointing at the valley below.

Two large creatures are tearing up the earth, devouring trees, grass, rocks, and anything organic in their path, leaving only dead, grey earth in their wake.

“Absorbins?” Queen Angelica asks.

“Yes. They followed me here. It looks like if the Senescence doesn’t get you, the Absorbins will.”

***

“Please slow down,” Tagliare says as they shuffle along the castle’s hallway.

“Those creatures are devouring Atlantis. We may not have much time,” Drago says.

Drago’s bones creak as he turns to admonish Tagliare. “You call yourself a physician? Why haven’t you found a cure for what is killing us? We are the oldest in the kingdom, in danger of being the first to die. We aged twenty years in an hour! I am eighty years old!”

Tagliare wheezes heavily. “Pardon me for not shedding a tear. I am fifteen years older than you, so imagine how I feel. And I could ask you the same question, magician. Do you not have any potions or herbs that can stop us from aging?”

“I will save your pathetic soul after we abduct the stranger. We must hurry!”

It takes both of them to force open the door to Jordy’s room.

Drago tries to pull Jordy out of his bed to throttle him.

“Resting before the battle? Prove to me you have the power to transcend time. Bring us riches or I will force the vial of poison I am carrying down your throat.”

“Yes. Gold! Bring us gold!” Tagliare adds. “I want to be swimming in gold!”

Jordy reaches into the bag by his bed, pulling out a small, rectangular box.

He utters, “Abracadabra, bro,” tapping the screen.

A flash of blinding light forces Drago and Tagliare to cover their eyes.

They scream as they find themselves standing in cauldrons filled with molten gold.

“Stop! We are burning to death!” Drago yells. “Take it away!”

The searing pain disappears. When Drago opens his eyes, he’s kneeling on the floor in front of Jordy’s bed.

“Do not try to trick us again,” Drago warns. “You will take us into the future, where we can be rich and powerful!”

“You might want to visit a hospital first.”

Drago turns to see Tagliare sprawled on the floor, gasping for air.

“…I am dying…”

“Heal thyself, physician,” Jordy replies.

Drago’s legs wobble, and he crashes to the floor.

“Sorry, but time is more valuable than money, and it looks like you don’t have either one,” Gordy says, watching Drago’s feeble body shake and spasm.

“Worst kidnappers ever.”

***

Marco leads a massive procession of Atlanteans and Minoans through the woods toward King Zeno’s temple.

“They turned to dust?” he questions.

“Yes, that’s the final stage of Senescence,” Jordy replies. “The body dissolves into minerals.”

Marco scans the thousands of people scuffling along behind them.

“We must keep that from happening to these people. Are you sure your beam of light will transport them to another place in time and cure the disease?”

“They may not all end up together, but they’ll be cured. The real problem is the Absorbins.”

“My scout said they are feeding near the tomb.”

“I was afraid of that. The Absorbins’ time-traveling device and mine both triangulated off the tomb.”

“I do not understand.”

“We came in through the tomb. That’s the way we have to go out. And if the creatures are there, we’ll have to fight them in order to leave.”

Nodding grimly, Marco turns his horse around, kicking it into a gallop until he’s alongside the Queen’s carriage.

Queen Angelica offers him a weak but loving smile.

“I am fine, Marco.”

“I love you. I feel like a fool because I never had the courage to say it so plainly until now.”

“And I love you. And you are the bravest man I know.”

Marco stops his horse until Jordy catches up.

“The effect of the disease on her seems to have slowed somewhat.”

“It comes from breathing the same air as you. You’re like an antidote for her. Or maybe love does conquer all.”

The procession slows within sight of King Zeno’s tomb.

They watch from a safe distance as the Absorbins strip and eat layers of dirt. Pulling massive trees out of the ground, they crack the trunks in their claw-like hands, shoving the splintered pieces in their mouths.

Marco signals his men. Two catapults are moved into position. The men load piles of logs into the catapult’s bucket and lock it into a firing position.

Jordy takes a small container out of his case.

“You are certain this will work?” Marco asks.

“This is B.O.O.M, the most powerful explosive the future has to offer.”

“If it is so dangerous, why do you carry it with you?” Queen Angelica asks.

“For moments like this. It’s not dangerous until I do this,” Jordy replies. Flicking a switch on the side of the container, he drops it in the bucket.

“They have sighted us and are moving toward us, Captain,” Milo announces.

“Then we shall feed their appetites. FIRE!”

The catapult unleashes its payload. Sighting the logs flying toward it, one of the Absorbins greedily opens its maw.

The logs pass down its throat and into its stomach, along with the B.O.O.M.

Pleased with its snack, the creature roars.

It explodes. Fetid, torn pieces of it cover the second Absorbin.

Letting out a despondent shriek, the creature picks up a boulder, throwing it at the catapult. Three of the men run off, but two others are crushed when it smashes the catapult.

The Absorbin charges at Marco and his men, who hurriedly load the remaining catapult.

“You men are relieved,” Marco says. “You too, Jordy.”

“Don’t wait too long. The explosive is timed to go off in fifteen seconds,” Jordy says, joining the others in retreat.

The Absorbin looks down at Marco, its sharp teeth and claws poised to attack.

Marco trips the catapult’s lever.

Nothing happens.

He draws his sword and cuts the restraining rope, rolling away from the catapult.

The alien greedily swallows the payload of logs.

Sensing deceit, it can only shriek at Marco before being torn apart.

***

The citizens of Atlantis cover their eyes as a blinding flash of light turns the darkening sky white.

“The portal is open,” Jordy says.

As each person enters the tomb, their Senescence dissipates.

Milo salutes Marco. “It is my pleasure to volunteer to be the first Minoan to test Jordy’s time portal.”

“Granted, and good luck, old friend.”

Milo bows before Queen Angelica.

“I promise you that Atlanteans and Minoans will rule together in the new world.”

“To equality, then,” Milo replies.

Milo passes through the threshold of the temple. The air is perverted with the smell of burning skin and Milo’s long, tortured scream as his fleshless skeleton falls to the floor.

“You murdered him!” Marco shouts at Jordy.

“I was afraid of this. The Atlanteans can go through the portal, but the Minoans can’t, at least not for now. If there’s another way to bring you to us, I’ll find it and come back for you.”

“Then this is truly the end of the Minoan people.”

“No, it’s the chance for a new beginning,” Jordy insists. “In my time, a militia commander named Michale Massimino, no doubt a descendant, attacked a group of Absorbins. He was the first to kill one of them. So, in a way, I owe you my life. It’s destiny that the Minoans will thrive again.”

Queen Angelica unabashedly kisses Marco.

“This land should have been the Minoans all along,” she says. “It is fitting that it is back in your hands.”

“It will never be home without you,” Marco says.

“I swear I will find you again someday, Marco, and we will have the life we were meant to have.”

Queen Angelica steps into the tomb. The years she has aged melt away. She turns to take a last look at Marco, smiling at him.

Jordy shakes Marco’s hand. “I have a feeling she’s right.”

Jordy steps into the tomb. The door slowly closes behind him.

Above them, a star shoots across the sky until it fades in the distance.

***

The cab driver whistles to himself, reading a copy of the Daily News dated October 21, 1978.

A blue-eyed redhead jumps in the back of the cab, shouting, “420 East 63rd and the Avenue of the Americas!”

A handsome man with dark hair enters the cab through the other door. “120 West 70th!”

“Hey! I was here first!” the woman protests.

The pair looks into each other’s eyes.

The skinny, youthful blonde-haired cab driver asks, “So, which is it?”

“Ladies, first,” the man says, staring into the woman’s eyes.

“Now that’s a gentleman. You don’t find many of them these days,” the cabbie says. “My name’s Geordie. You two are looking at each other as if you’ve met before.”

“Maybe we have,” the woman says. “My name’s Angel.”

“Mark.”

“Do you believe in destiny, Mark?”

“I do now.”