'Kozyrev’s Madness' by David Hampton

 

Let’s do the time warp again:-

I stare at myself. The mirror is concave. My image stares back – distorted and blurry. I sit inside a spiral made from aluminium sheets 8 feet tall – not a very good mirror. The time I entered is different to the time inside.

 ‘Time doesn’t exist,’ the voice whispers.

‘What does exist?’

‘Only now. Be careful you may bend inside yourself and break - rules are there for a reason after all. They stop you from going mad.’

‘I see the future. I look sad.’

‘You are your future as well as your past.’

‘What am I?’

‘You are a time traveller floating on a river. This thing you sit it in lets you paddle faster – faster than you should. Do not be so quick to see your end and after all, you cannot change what is - no matter how much you wish it.’

 ‘I can see fire.’

‘Yes.’

‘A great fire.’

 Yes.’

‘I don’t like it.’

‘No.’

‘This spiral is it magic?’

‘Is a bird magic, is the moon magic?’

‘Yes.’

‘Then yes, it’s magic.’

‘I think I prefer to float than paddle.’

‘Very wise. Do not spend too much time here. For when time disappears you do too.’

‘What time is it?’

‘Interesting question, though we do not have the time, for now, it is time to go. Other creatures lurk in this realm not nearly as nice as me.

Another time then. Wait I think I see one. His eyes they’re….big.’

‘Go before he sees you.’

I stand up. My heart’s thumping against my chest. I stumble out of the spiral. I give Time a warm hug and feel safe.

Let’s not do the time warp again for a very long time.