Dream Traveler (or Just a Cup Dear Boy)

George wakes up next to a tree. The air is warm and the sun is bright. Not the cold winter night he left. He’s still wearing the coat for such a night. He stands and looks around. He is in a suburban area, medium coverage of trees. It’s summer or at least late spring. 

Could be June, my birthday’s in June, thought George. 

A car passes on the street, an old fossil fuel model George remarks.

My God it worked!, he thinks.

 The car continues around the small wooded area and through an underpass by a train station. George walks towards the station. The area looks familiar, but his mind is foggy, and a lot could have changed. On the track a large sign noting, Glen Ridge. At least he was in the right town. Now he needs to get back to Alfie’s house. 

 He doesn’t much remember agreeing to this plan, rather he was conscripted quite forcefully. However, avenging his mother while also saving her, and becoming wealthy is more than he has ever wanted in life. What do you do when you finally get what you want? It’s scary, for now George was going along with it.

The incredible situation has been hard for George to process. No less than an hour ago, he was packing up for the night at the home office of his employer and longtime benefactor Alfie Harrington. He had settled his affairs for the evening and, out of courtesy, asked if anything was needed. Most nights the answer is a ‘No thank you, Good work today, have a pleasant evening.’

This from Mr. Alfred Harrington, his elderly, industrialist employer, whom he’d been acting as Personal Business Associate for the last 15 years. And prior to that he was an intern at Harrington, & Co. following undergrad and grad school, all paid for by The Helena Mae Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Harrington, & Co..

But this night Mr. Harrington had asked him to stay for a cup of tea. 

“ Just one cup my dear boy, We have much to discuss.” said Harrington.

“Sure thing Mr. Harrington.” replied George

“Oh my dear boy, this is an informal discussion, please call me Alfie.”

Alfie invited George to have a seat in the empty wingback chair opposite his that sat in front of the large lit fireplace. A small table sat between the two chairs, a tea serving set. A cane leaned against Alfie’s chair. George took a seat and Alfie poured him a cup. 

“ Might want to let this one steep a few minutes, it’s a strong herbal blend my good friend, Dr. Ferdinand D’Souza, brought it back with him on one of his trips abroad. It’s transformative but needs time” Alfie says , just as Dr. D’Souza makes his entrance. Alfie grabs his cane and gets up to welcome his longtime friend and physician. He introduces George and tells him that in addition to keeping him healthy, Dr. D’Souza has been working on a private research project for many years now.      

Alfie asks George to confirm details about his childhood. That the identity of his father was unknown. How he never knew his mother, she was killed when he was a newborn, something drug related as the story goes. He was passed around different foster homes and orphanages, each one more abusive and neglectful. 

Alfie then asked about the essay he wrote when applying for the scholarship. How in it he wrote that the one thing he dreamt for most in the world was to spend one day with his mother. George could only check his emotions in front of his employer and shrugged it off.

“Well, I was an idealistic and sentimental child back then.” George says. 

The drudging up of painful memories made George anxious so grabbed the cup of tea, taking a big sip, ignoring the scolding heat.

This unexpected drink got Alfie and Dr. D’Souza acting, and Alfie laid out the plan. Alfie had been funding the doctor’s research into a theoretical phenomenon known as Quantum Cognitive Temporality. Whereas shifting one state of consciousness could allow them to interact with past events.

“Traveling through time through our dreams.” Alfie summed it up.

Alfie then tells him that he is offering George the chance to stop his mother’s killer. George was incredulous to this and the notion that Alfie knew the identity of his mother’s killer. 

“Oh I know a lot more than that I’m afraid.” Alfie says. 

Alfie’s face went dark as he begins to explain the secret he has been keeping from George all these years. He had known his mother, she worked for him at the Harrington Estate. He took a liking to her and advantage of her. It continued and she grew attached. Alfie fired her and through her out. Months later she shows up, with the picture of a newborn

“It was you George, only 2 days old. My god you were gorgeous, you had my mother’s eyes, still do.” Alfie recalled.

Alfie had been injured earlier that day and was stuck in bed. He told her he would call later and discuss an arrangement. Instead he hired men to beat and kill her, and make it look like the robbery of a drug addict. Alfie then used his family’s influences to push the investigation to the drug story George had been told. 

Standing there now, forty years in the past, George was conflicted. Alfie Harrington has been the supportive father figure he always needed, and turns out that was for a reason. But he murdered his mother, robbed him of a childhood. Was that enough to kill him? He would have to decide that. 

In the moment, George was speechless at Alfie’s confession. His body went numb and the room began to spin. The tea was taking control of his mind. But Alfie’s next instructions slapped him in the face. 

Alfie’s plan instructed George to get back to his house, make contact with the younger Alfie and kill him before he murdered his mother. 

How could Alfie want such a thing, George asked.

Alfie explains, he has led a despicable life, and he’s tried to buy back his soul by throwing money and opportunity at George, but it wasn’t enough, he owes George his mother back. And this was the only way. He was dying old man, he wished this above all else.

Alfie grabbed his cane, hobbled over to his desk and came back with an envelope. He shows George a revised a will naming his mother Amelia Carter and George Carter sole executors of his estate and all Harrington Family holdings. He instructs George to swap this for the one locked in his safe. George should already know the combination. 

George’s mind detaches from reality. Dr. D’Souza straightens him up and says to him, “If you need to come back or find yourself in mortal danger, swallow this pill, it’s a concentrated dose of the tea. You will wake up back here.”     

The doctor’s final instructions were the last thing George heard before the world went black. 

The mental fog wore off and George made sense of his direction. He must be five or so miles from Alfie’s house, he could get a taxi. He goes for his phone before remembering there is no cellular network yet. 

A red sedan sputters and revs its way around the trees. 

George makes it to the corner just by the underpass. He hears a whistling coming from the other corner under the tracks. It’s a well-groomed, gentleman, middle aged, reading a magazine completely in his own world. It was Alfie. 

Alfie steps off the curb into the street, magazine held high in front of his face. The red sedan hits a burst of speed at the last turn before the underpass. Alfie doesn’t notice. 

George yells out for him, “ALFIE WATCH OUT!”

 He puts himself between the car and his Father and takes the hit. For the second time in just so many minutes, George was unconscious. 

“Hey dear boy, you gonna make it?” Says a muffled voice.

George opens his eyes to meet the younger version of his long time employer. 

“You ok, that bastard came out of no where.”says Alfie. He helps George up and he sees the owner of the red sedan, a kid not more than twenty, scared at what just happened. 

“Wait until the police arrive kid, then you’re really in a world of shit.” says Alfie to the open mouthed young adult. 

“ No it’s ok, I’m ok, we don’t need to involve the Police.” George says, not wanting to have to answer for his existence to any form of authority. He waves the young kid off. Alfie asks if he’s had lunch yet, he’s buying. 

“I could eat” says George.

“Splendid, you’re going to love Simone’s cooking.” 

George had made it back to Alfie’s house, and gotten in good with Alfie all rather easily. He was feeling optimistic this could all be over soon. 

Would my Mother be waiting for me when I woke up?, he thought.

George, now relieved of his winter coat, sat out on a small patio area just beyond the living room. An area he and Alfie would share many afternoon teas in good weather years from now. The feeling of ease washed over him with the thought of seeing his mother, but evaporated with the reality of what needed to be done. 

“Didn’t I tell you she was a good cook.” Alfie says coming out through the glass doors. “Now my dear boy, you still look a bit woozy from the hit, I suggest you spend the rest of the day here, I called my personal doctor to come check you out.”

“Oh thats too kind of you but I don’t think I need a doctor” replies George.

“Nonsense” says Alfie “I have him on retainer. You relax here…Please excuse me though I have some business calls to make, I’ll find you when he arrives.” Alfie gives a crooked smile and heads back inside.  

Could I really kill him? he thought. He’s my father, and he’s given me everything, but he’s also taken away everything. George was torn.

Yes he wanted his mother to be alive, and yes he wanted to unleash the rage that’s been building in him, but never did he think it would be because of Alfie. George hears a car on the gravel driveway out front. A moment later the doorbell. George goes into the living room and listens at the door leading to the hall. He can’t see, but he can hear someone, a female voice asking for Alfie. 

That’s my mother! She’s here to tell Alfie about me? This is the day he kills her! The shadow of his reality grew around him. In the very near future he was going to have to commit murder. 

The voices grew louder. His mother was yelling,” Look at him, His name is George he is your son, you have to acknowledge him, please.”

Alfie invites his mother inside. 

This isn’t playing out like Alfie said. He was going to have to be careful. He hears footsteps rapidly approaching the door he’s listening behind. It opens and he’s staring into the stone face of Alfie. 

“Sure gave me a startle there George, If you’re’ feeling up to, I have a guest I’d like you to meet, shes over in my office.” Alfie leads George to his office. A room he was last in, 40 years in the future. The anticipation of meeting his mother is overwhelming But he can’t shake this bad feeling, after all why was Alfie introducing a stranger, to a woman with whom he’d fathered an illegitimate child . 

Could he know the truth? Does he know I’m here to kill him?

Thats nearly impossible, but something was off.

They enter the office and his mother is sitting in one of the two chairs opposite the desk. 

“Amelia you must know my friend George don’t you?” Alfie says, forcing his mother to turn and look up at him.

“No I can’t say I do.” Amelia replies.

George takes the empty seat, Alfie stops at the table holding a bar and a tea set.. He arrives at the desk with three fresh cups, he places one in front of George and Amelia, and holds onto the other. 

“You look like you need a cup dear boy. Well, it has been a strange day to say the least. First a stranger saves me, and then a former bedmate shows up with a baby. Oddly enough they are both named George. Hardly the workings of a conspiracy, however there is the matter of this.” Alfie says holding up the revised will George had traveled with. He had forgotten all about it, everything happened so fast, he didn’t think to check. His coat lay on the floor next to the desk.  

“Now what I can’t figure out is how you two know each other. What’s your scam? A couple of lovers needing a chunk of cash to skip town.” 

George looks over at my mother and their eyes meet. He can’t look away.

Alfie snaps his fingers and again demands to know their connection and their plan. He points out that both names are on this new “phony” will, as Mother and Son. Amelia is left speechless but George tries to find an explanation. He nervously takes a healthy sip of tea and fumbles for words.

“Now look I can be a reasonable man, if I get reasonable answers. We can have a reasonable cup of tea and talk this through. ” Alfie says coldly, taking a sip, George instinctively follows, while Amelia leaves hers untouched. 

“What’s wrong Amelia? Don’t you like how I make it?” Alfie asks.

“I know better than to accept a drink from you.” Amelia replies

Alfie chuckles “You are wiser than your cohort here. I am a man of action, your tea has been laced with a rather effective and untraceable poison Now George my dear boy, you have less an half an hour to come clean if you hope to see tomorrow.”

George looks at this tea, then Alfie, then his mother. He is unable to speak as the truth is so incredible neither would believe him. Alfie plays another card.

“Well, I need to resort to more aggressive tactics. “ Alfie pulls out a small pistol from the desk drawer and points it at Amelia. 

“Bullets take effect so much faster than poison, wouldn’t you say. Someone talk. NOW.” Alfie demands, and after a second of silence he pulls back the hammer of the gun. 

“I’m from the future, I was sent back to stop you.” George blurts out.

“ I should kill you just for wasting my time. Stop me from what?” Alfie replies.

“It’s true, forty years from now, we are sitting right over there by the fireplace. You sent me back here to stop you from killing Amelia.” George says this turning to Amelia. “ Because she’s my mother, the baby is me. This was all your plan, you regretted killing her, so much so that you have been caring for me most of my life. I work for you. Your last wish was to give me back my mother. You said I had your mother’s eyes!”

Amelia can’t believe what she just heard but the harder she looks at the face of this man sitting before her, she knows its true. This is her baby boy. She puts her hand on his heart, and takes his to her chest. Forgetting the world for a moment, the two share a heartbeat. 

This moment is shattered by the explosion from the revolver, Alfie had shot into the air. He has lost what little patience he maintains. He holds the gun squarely at Amelia’s head. His eyes cold and still. He pulls back the hammer. George leaps over the desk and dives at Alfie. 

 The two crash on the floor, the gun falls away. They struggle, George is on top of him fighting as best he can to keep him down. Alfie lands punches down on Georges back trying to force him off. Just beyond the length of Alfie’s right hand is the gun. He reaches out for it. George sees this and pulls his arm back, and they struggle more. Off to his right, is a gold letter open, George reaches and grabs hold of it. Alfie takes the advantage and shifts his weight to roll on top of George. The two roll several more times before again George lands on top. Alfie no longer fighting, the rolling forced the letter opener deep into his chest. 

George shaking with fear, lets go of the opener and looks into the eyes of his father. Alfie looks back, eases, and gives a smile.

“You do have my mother’s eyes.” Alfie says with his last breath.

The combination of poison and emotion again sends his body into overdrive. He tries to stand but can’t find his balance. Amelia runs to grab her son as he falls to the ground. 

“Easy my boy, my big baby boy.”Amelia says, unable to contain the emotion. She cries and wraps her arms around her son. 

“Pill…in my jacket…hurry.” George gasps. 

Amelia finds the pill and puts it in his mouth. He swallows it and pulls his mother in for another hug.

“What mother in the world gets to see her baby’s face grow up all in one day. You’re more handsome than I ever wished. ” Amelia cries.

“And you’re more beautiful than I could ever dream. I love you, mom. I’m not sure what’s about to happen but this isn’t goodbye…I’ll see you in the morning.”

 George’s world distorts, then shuts down to black.