[https://i.postimg.cc/cCxYHKmN/The-Girl-who-could-taste-time.gif]
Eske didn't change his 03:14 alarm. He wanted to wake up early to take breakfast with Nona, which would only consist of coffee and nothing else, and walk her to the campus and keep her company until classes started. It became a strange, pleasant habit, and he got used to his hands smelling of bleach and lavender.
He also learned more about her, just small things, like Nona's bizarre habit of following strict patterns. She would be obsessed with the most stubborn stain or a misplaced object by a one-degree angle. Even Eske wasn't sure if there was any difference. Things had to be in a certain way that only Nona comprehended, and there was no possible logical justification she could provide. Some things are because they are. And it made perfect sense to her. Truth be told, the room she would set her hands on and clean would end up immaculate, perfect, just like her.
It's funny how much you can learn from someone just by doing mundane things. 'Aren't you late?'; she asked.
'No, still have a couple of minutes.'
Nona looked at him suspiciously for an instant as though he were trying to hide something behind those yellow-golden eyes but then nodded. She smiled and said: 'Just try to do your best.'
'I think it is cute.': he said, smiling while dusting the class tables.
'You missed that spot in the corner.'; and then asked: 'What is cute?'
Eske laughed and turned away so she couldn't see his face. But he heard her laugh too. 'I like it when you pick on me. Is cute.'
'I don't nag you! Don't just swipe. Otherwise, the dust falls back on the surface!'; she gave him one last look over her shoulder: 'Okay, maybe I'm a bit bossy.'
'Yes, ma'am.'; Eske laughed.
'You don't have to be here.'
'Are you kidding? And you'll have all the fun alone? No, no!'
She sighed. 'I think this is nice.'
'I'm joking, it is. It is really nice. And it has been days since you haven't had an episode. Which is good news. We should celebrate, what do you think?'
'About the cleaning? Or my time-ish condition?'
He shrugged. 'Both.'
And so he did not mind that his fingers felt numb, stiff and smelling of bleach after working for two hours straight. He left Nona for class with the promise of a date. Finally!
At the end of the day, Eske waited on a bench in the courtyard. He waited, but she was late. At least an hour passed, and still no sign of Nona.
The sun sank down into the horizon, casting long shadows across the yard. Eske got back inside the building, which was almost empty, with just a few staff members leaving. He asked one of them if they had seen her. But nothing. She was supposed to have left an hour ago.
'Where is she?'; he whispered to himself.
A faint light came out of the darkness in the long corridors. Eske noticed a shadow moving through the hall towards an exit. A tall silhouette appeared outside the door. In fact, Eske could hear the sound of footsteps and then a gentle voice soothing voice.
'Come on darling, it has been an hour. Let's end this torturous conversation once and for all. You have plans, I have plans, let's just end this. Tell me. It is that simple! Tell me.'
'I don't know! I have no idea what you're talking about!'; Nona's voice was almost shouting. Eske could feel something was wrong.
His heart beat faster, and he ran to meet her. As soon as he reached the door, he heard the exact words. The same words of an empty promise: 'You know I am not going to kill you. I'm going to keep you alive in pure agonising misery, and perhaps, one day, I'll be nice once you decide to talk to me.'; the promise ended with the sound of a heavy slap.
'Fuck off, asshole.'; shouted Eske, storming into the classroom. By now, everyone knows that Eske has a temper. A nasty bad temper.
When his eyes landed on Nona's bruised face and Professor Whiterabbit threatening her with his fists and words. These exact words he used on a kid cloistered against his will in a room filled only with silence. It would be expected that Eske would converse with his temper instead of words.
'Don't ever touch her,'; he snarled at him.
'Oh, please.'; the professor replied, laughing. 'The boy doesn't get it. How many times must we repeat ourselves before he understands?' Professor Whiterabbit raised his arms above his shoulders, holding his hands open wide: 'Come on, little Schrodinger, let's show her who you truly are!'
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
Eske couldn't hold himself. His closed fit landed directly on Whiterabbit's nose, plunging him to the ground. Eske didn't lose track and kneeled over the professor's chest, hitting his face left to right, right to left. It was one punch over the other. No broken bone sound, crack, or splash would stop Eske's lived rage. He didn't care about anything other than smashing the bastard's skull into a pulp. Only one word called him back: 'Stop.'
Nona spoke quietly, calmly, looking at him without fear. 'I think he is already dead.'
'Oh.'; said Eske. His eyes widened, and he stepped backwards: 'He hurt you and..., and he..., fuck. Oh fuck.'
Eske felt his stomach tighten, and sweat broke out all over him. He stood there witnessing a man, thin and balding with a narrow face, sharp-featured, missing one tooth and his brain slurping out of his skull. 'Why does he looks shorter?'
'Maybe because he is dead?'; Nona asked.
'Professor Whiterabbit.'; Eske breathed the name like a curse.
'Yeah, he doesn't give up.'; Nona grinned. 'But you're right. He does look short.'
'You're laughing?'; he asked.
'It's funny.'; Nona answered softly.
'I just killed someone. Shouldn't you be screaming or scared of me, or...'
'Or help you get rid of the body?'; she said, still holding her laughter.
'Nona, your face..., what did he do to you?'; he asked.
'Nothing. Nothing happened.'; Nona answered, her smile fading away. 'We talked, we argued, he hit me once or twice, I lost count. And then you killed him. End of the story.'
'Why? Why would he..., did he know about you?'; he asked.
'He does.'; she replied. 'He does know about us.'
'How?'; he asked.
'Because he knows everything. About you and about me.'
'Who is he?
'I still don't know.'; answered Nona. 'Would you help me? I promise you will thank me later. This is gonna make you laugh so much.'
'Of course.'; Eske took a deep breath. And a bit confused about how he would think this would be funny.
'Thank you.'; Nona said. 'Now, hurry up and grab his arms!'; as they lifted the body from the ground, pieces of the brain would splash on the floor. They were able to place it right in front of the door. Nona knocked on the doorway, and Eske could hear sounds echoing from each beat. She was hitting a code on the wood 6-0-4-2-4-1-9-6-5. Eske felt a wave he couldn't describe as when someone opened a freezer and was baffled by a cold wave.
'When is that?'; he asked her.
'I don't know, I'm just knocking on random numbers.'; she shrugged, making him sign to push the body while she opened the door, closing it immediately.
'Did it work? That couldn't possibly work out. Did it?'
'Only one way to find out.'; she opened the door with the widest smile and showed an empty dark corridor. No dead body to be seen.
'Did a dead man just time travel?'
'Probably.'; Nona smiled. 'Most likely, yes.'
'So when is he?'; asked Eske, looking at Nona's face, and he forgot even what he was asking: 'Nona, is it normal that you are bleeding black?'
'Oh, that.'; she pulled a white handkerchief from her pocket and dabbed her lips. 'I don't have much time left.'
'What do you mean? Nona, maybe we should see Robert, and he can tell what's wrong.'
Nona shook her head. 'Eske, it is okay. I'm fine. I'm just running out of time. I have to finish what I started.'
'Time?'; he asked again. 'Is there some sort of clock ticking somewhere?'
'Let's say I have picked up everything I could from this world, I can no longer stay here, and neither can this world continue to exist.'; she looked at him. 'Go home, tell Robert you both need to jump. I will try to hold as much as I can.'
'No, no, you come with us!'; Eske exclaimed. 'Please, please, don't go anywhere. Please! What happens if you disappear?'
'Eske, baby, listen to me, listen to my words carefully. You always find me. Do you understand?'
'Why?'; he asked.
'Repeat it. You always find me.'
'I always find you?'
'That's how it works. You can't live in a vacuum. You need to go now!'
'Did you call me Baby?'; Eske asked. 'You never called me that!'
Nona chuckled. 'Go!'
'But you did call me baby, right?'; he asked. 'And I'm not mad at you for calling me that. I like it.'
'Go! Now!'
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'We need your help, Mr Schrodinger.'; explained Horatio: 'There is a dead body in my friend's living room.'
'I know. So, what?'
'Oh good god, finally. Will you help us?'
'Yeah yeah, whatever you want.'
'Thank you, thank you very much.' Horatio said gratefully into the phone. 'So what exactly is your plan? Because we tried to dissolve it in thin air by closing it in the bathroom, but it didn't disappear.'; explained Horatio realising how ridiculous he sounded: ‘It didn’t work.’
Schrodinger laughed on the phone for quite a bit. 'Don't worry, pal. It will vanish sooner or later. No need to do anything. If it doesn't disappear, it will be gone when your timeline is deleted. Everything is fine. Just enjoy yourself with the time you have left.'
'What, I don't understand.'
'Thank you for contacting the Pi WTL department. Your call is important to us. Remember, today is the tomorrow Pi worried about yesterday. Until next time we meet.'; the call dropped.
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