Time and Space

A new chapter will be added soon.

Chapter 3

When Steven awoke, he saw nothing but white. Everything was white—no shadows, no corners, even his own shadow was missing. He stared where his shadow should have been shocked that his lifelong companion wasn’t there. Then he saw Mr. Simon. He was sitting in the middle of all of this reading a small book.
“Good, you’re awake,” Mr. Simon said. “Now, I’m sure you have plenty of questions, so ask away.”
Steven was as startled by Mr. Simon’s words as he was at the events which had preceded them. It seemed like he had been pulled into a science fiction novel. “Where…where are we?” he stuttered.
“We’re in space, of course.” Mr. Simon was perfectly calm.
“But space is black,” Steven whispered.
Mr. Simon sighed. “No and yes. Space is black, but just before it intersects with time, it is white.”
“I don’t understand. Mr. Simon, who are you or what are you—and what the heck is going on?”
“First of all, stop calling me Mr. Simon. My name is Valcomist and I am a Time Singer. Myself and many other species live in the city of Zimmerot that sits between time and space. At least we did before Zaler destroyed everything.”
“What are Time Singers? And how can you live between space and time?” Steven’s fear was gone, replaced by curiosity.
“Well,” Valcomist leaned back. “Time Singers are one of the three minor groups. There are also Time Benders and Time Makers. Each are equally powerful in their own way. We can live between time and space because time and space are merely lines on a vast plain. One line represents a person’s or thing’s physical form and the other, intersecting line, represents its lifetime in existence. There are an infinite number of these lines which intertwine to make a rope or universe. We live in a place where two kinds of lines line up, parallel to each other, and we built “bridges” to connect time and space, allowing us to physically live there.
“What does this have to do with me, Mr. Si… I mean, Valcomist?”
“It means I have to teach you how to bend and manipulate time so you can defend yourself in this new reality I’ve thrust you into,” said Valcomist.
“What about Mizer? He’s still after us, isn’t he?” Steven said, concerned.
“Oh yes, of course, but it will take a while for him to find us. There are billions of universes just like this one and he’ll have to search through every one.” A satisfied smirk crossed Valcomist’s face.

Over the next few weeks, Valcomist taught Steven how to sing his way through reality and into different universes. He told him the history of Zimmer. Valcomist was delighted with Steven’s abilities. One day, Steven asked, “How did you get the food we’ve been eating?”
“I pulled it out of time and space to us.” Valcomist was annoyed at being disturbed.
“How do you do that?” Steven persisted.
Valcomist sighed. “As long as you know exactly where, when, what and how an object or person is in space, you can easily pull its two strings over to the universe you are in.”
“So now that I know all this, when can I go back to my own universe?”
“You can’t go back, Steven.”
Stunned, Steven jumped back. “You can’t keep me here. It’s not fair! What about my mom and dad?”
“You can’t go back because you are immortal now. You’ve been taken out of time and space. You no longer exist in that universe. Your strings of time and space unraveled when you crossed into this universe, so all you are is a pleasant dream. A memory, if you will.”
“You mean, my mom and dad won’t remember me?”
“No. They’ll remember you. You just don’t exist in that universe any more. You went missing.”
“That can’t be true!” Tears were streaming from Steven’s eyes. “I’ll go back. I have to!” He ran off, a tortured look on his face.
“It happens to everyone,” sighed Valcomist. “He’ll come to terms with these facts in a few days.”