I ARRIVED ON TIME

The sun was obstructed by skyscrapers that emitted tiny beams of light from their glossy windows. Horns in the streets around polluted the air more than the dense fog, but the reinvention body’s building was unaware of the city chaos. Darryl had to walk for ten minutes until he reached what looked like an alley; only two old-fashioned cars parked, full garbage dumpsters and some dogs gnawing on bones at the end of the street. The man had no time to waste judging the landscape or the futuristic aspects of the waiting room. He went straight to the receptionist’s desk like a lawyer on leave.

- I need to see José Alvarez.

The woman raised her glance scared, there were security guards in a corner who seemed not to feel any danger.

- Do you have an appointment, sir?

- I have ten thousand dollars in this wallet and an urgent matter to treat with Jose. - Darryl’s words echoed in the great hall.

- I can’t do anything sir - she said with eyes locked on the wallet. - try to mark…

- My son is in this sick program of super angry soldiers, I came to save him…

- And you can! - a man was staring at the bottom of the stairs behind the reception. - follow me to my room.

The visitor was confused, his face was similar to the woman, but by his deduction, a brown man with a slight foreign accent should be José. And it was. They sat to discuss in a room with a vision of bricks of another building, furniture with old European features and many paintings from even older wars.

Darryl explained how his wife was in tears every single day for the decision of her son to join the experiment, to expel his rage in the form of violence and be used as a weapon to combat criminality. That was the truth, but not what José would like to hear, and he made a point of taking the conversation calmly as if there was a simple obstacle to be resolved.

- What do you want us to do, Darryl? Can I call you like that?

- Bring my son back. - Darryl didn’t care about nomenclatures - This is crazy, he deserves to live life like anyone else, have wife and children, visit his parents on the weekends.

- You would be surprised with the things our psychologists hear. - José gave a short and sincere laugh - But as he is an adult, what do you think will be his response to your intervention?

Darryl sighed profoundly, his lips contracted in a line of irritation.

- Listen, I have money to give to you for the rescue of my son, I have a responsibility as a father to do it for him and I made a two-hour road trip to look at your face and tell you I’ll just leave here with my son.

José didn’t turn away or blink. It was indistinguishable if he was shocked but he sketched a smile before speaking.

- Would you do anything?

- Yes.

Now he was smiling deliberately…

“No, Darryl, I can’t accept losing you too”, Beth spoke firmly to her husband that there was not a chance she would allow him to travel back in time, if it weren't madness enough, in a newly made machine by a company of lunatics. But in one week of persuasion and photos of Nick as a baby, her ‘mother's heart’ softened and the longing spoke louder.

In fact, Darryl was already receiving information from the company since he left, and was mentally prepared for the impact of his brain’s matter being dissolved in space-time. What lasted to Beth was to pray with her husband and lead their walk through the farm to see their much loved ponies and sheeps. Beth sent away her imagination, but that could be the last walk hand in hand.

When Darryl traveled the landscape from the countryside to the big city again, he felt his anger towards the lifestyle outside his farm increase. How can people be healthy eating these things and slaves of their phones? He already had a huge dilemma to face and didn’t need another one.

José led him to his cryogenic bed where his body would spend the next few weeks, but his mind would be 8 months earlier, trying to convince his wife again he had to leave to meet with his son and treat important matters.

- Have you thought of a strategy? Saying you’re a time traveler doesn’t sound helpful.

Darryl just nodded positively. He tried to rest inside his padded capsule while the scientists operated giant machines around him.

- And remember, - José continued - if you succeed, you’ll stay in this timeline and you’ll have to notify us in the past, we’ve sent a message. Good luck.

The door was closing. Drops of sweat ran over his skin, his arms had spasms, but the countage had begun. There was no turning back.

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

A mini turbulence came over him, Darryl closed his eyes and when he opened: home. His bedroom was there, it seemed like waking up from a dream, but that was actually a nightmare. Beth stayed with no concrete idea of what was going on, but Darryl was worried with his time, he had a not so large deadline and a son who wouldn’t get so happy to see him.

- Dad?

- Nick - Darryl hugged his son, slightly pushing him inside the apartment - I missed you so much.

- What are you doing here? - Nick pulled away his dad and looked as if a dead relative was in front of him.

- … I wanna spend some time with you… I have cancer.

The bomb was dropped, even though it was false, Darryl worked hard for Nick to believe. He would use every tool in his favor.

- How did mom react? - they sat to drink coffee.

- You know her, dramatic. - the father spoke relaxed.

- I can only imagine how she cried… But I don’t understand why you’re here.

- My treatment will start in a few weeks and I… I thought spending the rest of my strong days with you was a good idea.

Nick looked down contemplative at the table.

- I have a lot to do, my codes are getting more difficult day after day and then there are the competitions…

- I’m not disabled Nick. And besides that, I’m your father, I can help you in what you need.

- Help? - nearly a surprise mixed in Nick's voice - There’s no milk here for you to collect.

- I’ll survive, - Darryl fixed his gaze on his son - at least to this.

- Then survive tomorrow. I’ll have a full day to present my game in a fair.

They were identical in physical characteristics; rows of teeth that shone when they smiled, thin hair(opposite colors: Darryl’s was white), same height and weight, typical men who grew up carrying weight and eating three meals a day.

Even their sleep time was the same. The father passed by Nick’s bedroom and saw all the computers blinking multi-colorfully and posters with characters of exaggerated traits. Darryl locked his attention on them for a while, but he didn’t get to any conclusion as to why they were worth being glued on the walls.

The next day, father and son were wearing formal attire for a fancy high tech ceremony. Many projects stood in exhibition for the public, from robots to handmade models of PCs, but the gaming booth was their target where they would spend the next seven hours.

Nick exhaled emotion and excitement to every kid and teenager that would get close to his game, a shooter with the objective of colonization through other galaxies, system of campaign and multiplayer, an indie game capable of facing many triple A games. That was the promise, but not what happened at the hour. Multiple crashes and bugs, slow mechanics. It was a disaster and Nick could watch from close other projects less pretentious than his gaining more recognition just because mere competency. It was time to take a shower and relax.

- Don’t worry, it’s just a fair, you can try later. - Darryl was in the passenger seat.

- It’s the best fair in the region.

- It’s still just a fair. Stallone didn’t give up when he had to do the first Rocky, and he was in a worse situation than yours.

- I feel great for him. - Nick accelerated the car.

- Do you wanna see some programs about rural life? Mary Parker will interview a coffee farmer, I always wanted to know about it.

- It’s a joke, isn’t it? - Nick exclaimed.

- Of course… - it wasn’t.

- Do you really like this thing of programming? - Darryl continued.

- What do you mean?

- Your cousin, John, he found himself in life just now. He’s been ruling a company in the real estate sector and it has been very successful.

- Technology is successful too.

- I don’t doubt it, son. But you can think about doing something more… - Darryl seemed to speak with a certain fear - secure.

- I’m gonna sleep to get back to work tomorrow morning.

After Nick’s warning, no more words. It took more than a day for Darryl to find him available, but when he finally saw those swollen eyes, he didn’t waste time. Nick was not so happy to go fishing but it could be a chance to refresh his mind, as he himself said.

After thirty minutes of driving, they arrived at the lake. The water was calm during that sunny day, trees shaking so much that sounded like rain. They got quiet for a long monotonous time, but Darryl’s primary goal was not to catch fishes.

- What is your story game about?

Nick half closed his eyes.

- Do you really wanna know?

- Yes. - Darryl hoisted his rod.

- There are these kinds of aliens in their galaxial ships and you have to choose who you are and how you’re gonna conquer more territories to your…

- Really? Isn’t there anything from real life?

- What do you mean? - Nick had forgotten about the fishing, his rod was being pulled but he hadn’t seen it.

- You grew up a long time ago. - Darryl laughed - But I see you’re still the same.

- I am not the same at all.

- Go there and show it to your mother. She wants all of us united again.

- But I’m building my life here.

- We can build your life there. I have a lot to teach you.

- You underestimate me.

- Of course I do, you’re half my age and don’t know anything about the world, I gotta be your mentor.

Nick turned to the lake, but his mind was still back there.

- I don’t need a mentor.

- What do you need then? I may provide you. - Darryl turned back.

- A friend would be good.

- I am your friend. And you’re scaring the fish.

- I don’t give a shit about them. I was talking about the game as you asked and you interrupted me to call me a child.

- I didn’t use these words. - Darryl kept calm.

- It would’ve been better if you had done it.

Silence then. It was a peaceful piece of nature hidden among chaos and the grayish of the urban centers, but no paradisiacal land could be enjoyed when the hearts are full of sadness and resentment.

- This is not your life, Nick. Not what I planned for you, get back to us and you’ll have a man’s life again.

Nick had enough of that. In a fit of rage he threw away his fishing tool and led the boat to the river’s bank. “What are you doing? Listen, I’m sorry, I’m just talking. Let’s talk Nick”.

Nick didn’t open his mouth. At home Darryl prepared dinner but he was the only one who ate. “We can discuss tomorrow”. There was no tomorrow. After repeated knocks on his son’s door, it just opened to reveal an empty bedroom; no person or important belongings. “Nick, Nick where are you?”. He wasn’t anywhere. Darryl searched for the city on foot, asked in many bars and brothels but he resorted to the last option: return to the enterprise.

But they did not help. Darryl’s attempt was seen as a failure right in the first days and it served to show them the machine worked, the objective was complete. The father was once again in that capsule, without his son.

- José, José, it didn’t work, but I can try again, I can try as much as I need. Let me try again.

José approached the newly awakened gently and as a father to a child, he explained.

- You fool, don’t you see? You’ve done it. You made him get here. The destiny is written and I’m no god to change it.