20 years later
After waiting more than ten minutes, I’m finally seated at a table in my favorite café. I don’t need to look at the menu; I always get the same thing.
I give the server my order, then take out my tablet. Whenever I can’t stand being alone at home working, I come here.
I start sorting through emails and work orders. It seems like no matter how hard I work, I can’t get ahead. I should have been promoted by now, but the ideas I come up with are never the ones my boss picks for new projects. If I don’t start making more money, I may have to give up my apartment.
I look out the window and see the rain has started to fall—a perfect fit for my mood.
“Hello, Robin.” I turn and see a man sitting down at my table. At first, all I can do is stare at him.
“Here is your coffee,” the server says, sitting the cup down in front of me.
After recovering from the shock of seeing Marcus, I ask him, “Would you like anything?” He shakes his head no and the server walks away.
“There hasn’t been a day go by that I haven’t thought about you. I gave up hope of ever seeing you again.”
Marcus doesn’t respond but turns to look out the window.
“I have just one question for you,” he says, still not looking at me. “How did you know?” I know exactly what he’s referring to, and I won’t pretend otherwise.
He turns to stare directly at me, I say, “Because I opened it first.” Flexing his fingers, he places his hands flat on the table.
“You opened it before me and knew what would happen?” I hear the anger in his voice. I wonder if he blamed me for being trapped there, like I blamed him.
As incredulously as it sounds, I tell him my entire experience, how I killed him to get revenge for him killing Tim and the mysterious woman who gave me a second chance.
“I tried to stop you, Marcus, but nothing I said or did could convince you otherwise.”
“Well, you didn’t try hard enough.” There it is, that same snippy attitude from our last conversation.
“Look, I’m not responsible for your actions. I didn’t make you open that safe. No one did. And it sounds like you haven’t learned anything from being trapped in the dark room.” We glare at each other for several seconds before I finally ask, “What happened to you?”
He solemnly says, “You wouldn’t understand.”
“Try me,” I say back.
“I wanted to do something with my life. I didn’t have money to go to college and felt trapped in a dead-end job that didn’t pay much.” He looks away. “What year is it?”
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
“2044,” I say.
“Geez, I was in there for 20 years.”
“You should count yourself lucky I was there for 50,” his eyes meet mine.
“You were trapped for 50 years?!” His reaction makes me chuckle.
“You sound almost impressed.” Marcus cracks a smile.
“Yeah, I guess I am; I don’t think I could have lasted 50 years.”
I wave my hands nonchalantly, “20 years, 50 years, it all feels the same.” But his smile falls away, and he’s back staring out the window. Only this time, his eyes look far away.
“The things I did,” Marcus whispers almost to himself.
“I did terrible things, too.” He looks back at me and I see regret in his eyes.
“No, Robin, I gave money to people I knew would do bad things with it.”
Nodding my head in agreement. “Yeah, me too.”
Wanting to change the subject, Marcus looks down at my tablet and asks, “What are you working on?”
I let out a sigh. “Just work that probably won’t go anywhere.” I look up at him, and he seems confused. “What’s wrong?” I ask.
“I thought that you went to college.”
“I did and found out the hard way that it doesn’t guarantee life is any easier afterward.”
Curious to know more about his experience, I ask,“So, how much money did you get?”
Marcus looks confused. “What money?”
“The money you got when you were freed from the dark room. The money in the duffle bag. I almost tripped over mine.”
Still looking confused, “I didn’t get any money,” he slowly says.
Before anything else can be said, a person pulls out a chair and sits down at our table. I can’t believe who it is.
“Hello, Robin.” It’s the woman who gave me a second chance, the same mysterious woman who, I assume, put Marcus and me in the dark room. She’s smiling, but there’s something sinister about it.
“Who’s this?” Marcus asks. Obviously annoyed, our conversation has been interrupted.
“I’m a friend of Robin.” She cheerfully says.
“No, you’re not. What are you? And why are you trapping people in that hellish limbo?” She ignores my outburst and directs her next statement to Marcus.
“You know, Marcus, you haven’t been nearly as entertaining to watch as Robin.” Her eyes flick back to me, winking.
He snaps, “What are you talking about? Is that why I didn’t get any money like her?” motioning towards me.
The woman lets out a long sigh. “I have to agree with Robin. I don’t think you’ve learned anything.” But Marcus isn’t listening; he’s fixated on one thing.
“Why didn’t I get any money?” Marcus growls at the woman.
“Because you have to make one more decision before I award it to you.” Holding my breath, I’m terrified of what else she could throw at us.
“You have the choice to either go back to the moment you opened the safe or remain in this time at your current age.”
Marcus and I look at each other.
“If you choose to go back in time, the safe will contain the money you want, but if you take the money, Robin will be sent to the dark room to resume picking lottery winners indefinitely.”
I search Marcus’ eyes for some indication of what he’s thinking—my mind is racing; there has to be a way out of this.
“What will happen to Robin if I stay in this time?” Marcus asks. The woman looks at me with boredom on her face.
“She will also remain here. Nothing will change except you won’t have your money.” Money is all Marcus has ever wanted since this whole thing started.
“Marcus, please don’t do this,” I plead with him, but he’s still not looking at me. He appears to be mulling over the deal he’s just been presented with. He finally looks my way and then down at my tablet. I look down to see that an email from my boss has popped up.
“Robin, what did you go to college for?”
“Business, why?” What is he thinking?
He nods his head, indicating he’s made a decision. “Send us both back,” he states.
“And why would I do that?” The strange woman asks.
“Give me a chance to surprise you. I have a deal of my own to present to Robin. You can take her if she doesn’t accept my deal.”
With panic in my voice, I ask, “Marcus, do you have any idea what you’re asking?” The woman takes but a moment to consider what Marcus has proposed.
“Okay, but if it’s not interesting enough, you both go back to picking lottery winners. So are you absolutely sure, Marcus?” Marcus meets my eyes and nods.
“Yes, I’m sure.”
“Wait! Don’t,” I try to get out more, but just like that, we’re standing in front of the antique safe again.