‘When we lose a loved one, we tend to lose a part of ourselves in the process.’
2015
When the last of her extended family left the room, Isioma suddenly felt how empty the room was. The spaces threatened to swallow her in, her legs grew limp as the weight of what happened hit her.
As she slumped on the floor the words of her favourite aunt came to her – ‘Time, that tick-tock thing, the straight line between now and tomorrow doesn’t heal – it only makes pain bearable, Isioma.’
From that day, Isioma wore her pain like a badge on her clothes. As she grew older, the hole in her heart grew deeper. School became a drift, life a necessity.
2030
After the Great War ended ten years ago, science blew beyond its boundaries. Scientist built something for everything. There became a pill for everything – a pill for depression, nightmares, and even cancer. The evolution of life was fast approaching its optimum level. Death itself, was been slowed down, regeneration now a thing even commoners could aspire to.
The ultimate goal of science however, was to correct the past. The war was not supposed to happen. Half of the world should not just have perished. So when the idea to build a time correcting machine was proposed, the government agreed.
This was the news Isioma needed. What once seemed impossible was now possible. Travelling to the past became an obsession, she wrote papers, and gave seminars on its possibility.
Marrying Isioma was not an easy ride for Teju. His mother was against him marrying someone that was of a different tribe from his. It was his father that stood by him when his mother’s clouds threatened to rain fire. It was even tougher to get Isioma to say yes to his proposal. He had known he wanted her the moment he saw her in the faculty. But there was a wall around her. As a master’s student, their classes were never going to clash. So he counted it as luck when his supervisor told him to help supervise her.
Isioma is the love of his life. Charming, brainy, but mysterious – the first day he saw her, he knew she was a woman with secrets the weight of a cement bag. She naturally repelled love. Teju swam with sharks, ran to the mountain, just to get her attention. And he did.
It wasn’t easy loving anyone on earth, but Teju was different. It wasn’t his skin that was neither night nor day, or the way he twitched his mouth each time he was confused. It wasn’t his height, or the fact that he was very intelligent. It wasn’t. Teju was just different, the way he carried himself, his awareness of the humanity of others. There was nothing she didn’t try, he just wouldn’t leave her.
Isioma didn’t say yes when Teju asked to marry her, at least not the first time. But that did not deter him from asking her again. Now, they’ve been married for the better part of ten years – and have two sons and a beautiful daughter.
When the Head of State named the team that would be working on the time machine, Teju wasn’t surprised his wife made the list. It was what she wanted. Teju knew what this meant – his wife would be a part of the team building a machine that could correct the past. He knew why she wanted it. She had lost something important.
Isioma could not contain her joy when she got the letter from the facility. It felt like a cup of cold water on a sunny day. It was an opportunity to work on the time machine, it her contribution to humanity, she convinced herself. Her mornings became characterised with much more enthusiasm. But her connection with Teju grew thin.
Building the time machine drowned her in work. She spent most of her time in the lab. She rose through the ranks quickly and became one of the project leads. Her ideas received plaudits in the press, and the spotlight was on her.
Interest in the whole project from the government increased after they caught wind of the progress a rival nation was making as regards a related machine. The government knew that whichever nation got the machine running had the power to determine the fate of the world.
Teju did not mind that his wife was as scarce as feathers on a fish. He could work from the comfort of the home. The little time she spent at home, he made sure she was not tensed. He did not know if he wanted the machine to work, or what would happen if it worked but he just wanted her to be happy.
Every day came with its dynamics. The machine was taking more time than projected –most of the technologies needed were just being invented.
The government’s patience was reaching its limit. Pressure became intense when news broke out that the rival nation was ready for a test.
Isioma knew the machine had to work. It was her contribution to humanity, she reassured herself. Although, recently she’s been seeing her parents in her dreams more often.
Her mother was the definition of class. Her father was refined but yet street smart. They both fell in love when they were young. They built together. Theirs was a love that even the moon and the sun was jealous of. They were so much in sync – Isioma and her siblings were so filled with their love. When her mum discovered that she had cancer, it broke her father. After she died, he was devastated. It wasn’t so strange that he died less than a year afterwards – same cancer. Her siblings moved on, her brother and sister really did move on.
2035
Isioma sat on her bed pondering on what had just been achieved. The machine was ready for its final test. But she didn’t know if it has been worth it. These past few days, she’s been feeling the presence of her parents much more.
What if changing the past would take all that she had gained now from her. What if the machine failed to work? She felt weighed down by this thoughts, she let out a huge sigh. She looked at Teju and wondered what changing the past would do to them. As her mind travelled to the ends of the earth, she knew deep in her heart that she loves Teju – but now she could see her parents again
Teju lay awake watching his wife. He had seen the Head of State’s address to the nation last night – the machine was ready for one final test. He knew she was as confused as he was. The past two weeks had been great. She’s been spending more time at home. The kids seem to be enjoying their mum again. She no longer gets irritated by their noise. He’s been taking each day in its stride. He knew things would not be the way they are very soon. She would go to the past – he was sure of that. What he was not sure of was what changing the past would do to them.
***
2025
Isioma stood rooted to the spot. The stranger as the check-out counter looked vaguely familiar.
‘Isioma’ her mum called at her.
They were on the check-out queue at the store. But something about the tall young man checking out fascinated her. Even though her mum was literally in her ear, she didn’t hear her. Her focus was on the young man. As he got his things, he turned and she got a good view of his face.
As the driver drove them home, Isioma wasn’t listening to her mother’s chatter. The stranger’s face kept filtering into her mind, it seemed as though she had known him from somewhere before…
The shape of him she could not describe – but he was everywhere. Like water, thoughts of him drowned her…
theTemi 