A Time Traveler's Companion: Chapter 32 His New Face Excerpt

(An excerpt from Chapiter 32: His New Face

Trigger warning: Mild sexual content)

I found myself frozen in place, gazing at the open door. Mr. Smith stepped into my room. “Please let me explain,” he urged, referring to his sudden change. His blue eyes scanned my room, hinting that he suspected Melanie had been there, yet he seemed oddly unconcerned about it now. His focus was on me, and he noticed the tears cascading down my face; I quickly brushed them away with my hand and sat on my bed. 

 “Why did you take that body?” I looked at him, bewildered and echoed the question, “Why that body?” He came over and sat beside me. He pulled me close and softly kissed my lips. I wrapped my arms around him and noticed how sharp he looked in his light brown coat, a grey T-shirt, and jeans paired with black high-top sneakers. His short light brown hair was neatly styled, and his stunning blue eyes shone brightly as he gazed into mine. He doesn’t resemble the young man who shot him in 1936 San Francisco. He looks clean, and well-groomed. He let out a deep sigh and said, “Remi, I never intended to frighten you. I had no idea how my change would impact you. I’m really sorry. I didn’t want to abandon you here, but I wanted to give you time to think,” he paused.

“Yes, I should’ve been here when you woke up so we could talk about what happened. I genuinely apologize.” I nodded, taking in his words. After a moment, I finally said, “This is so overwhelming. It feels weird talking to the young man who shot you, but here we are. I apologize if I seemed a bit off; it’s just that…,” 

He cut in, “It’s the surprise of seeing me in a different body that threw you off. I understand. I need you to know, that I feel changed, somewhat—there’s a piece of that young man inside me, but I’m still me, your Mr. Smith.”

I asked him, “What was that man truly like,” I paused then said, “I can’t help but think some part of him lingered when you took his body.”  

He exhaled deeply and said, "He was 25, out of work, and resorted to stealing out of sheer desperation. Life was tough during the 1930s, and he was struggling to get by, living on the streets and doing whatever it took to survive.” I nodded in understanding, releasing a sigh as I wiped away the tears that had formed in my eyes. He grasped my hand softly and pressed a tender kiss on it. His stunning blue eyes locked onto mine, and I could sense his intentions. Yet a wave of uncertainty washed over me; I wasn't sure if I was prepared to dive into intimacy with him just yet.

(This novel is written in first person however, that last three chapters of the book moves over to a third person narrative since the chapters take place 200 years after Remi passed away and Mr. Smith is in his 5th incarnation.)

A Time Traveler's Companion

Audiobook

Excerpt on YouTube

A Time Traveler's Companion: Chapter 19: Another Secret-Excerpt

 

(Excerpt from Chapter 19: Another Secret)

Trigger warnings: Sexual content

In the previous chapter, Mr. Smith sustained injuries during his latest adventure on another planet and was recuperating in the infirmary. Meanwhile, Remi, feeling restless, decided to explore the intriguing yet peculiar rooms and corridors of the monolith. As she wandered through the vast time ship, she stumbled into the main control room and inadvertently touched one of the crystals on the matrix table, resulting in a powerful shock that knocked her out. When Mr. Smith finally emerged from the infirmary, he discovered her unconscious on the floor and promptly carried her to his room, laying her on his bed until she regained consciousness. Although she had been traveling with him for weeks, once he returns her home, it will feel as if she never left at all.

I would like to mention that Remi is currently 18 years old and approaching 19. It seems important to provide this information for context. Also she still lives with her parents.

   I found myself lying on his bed. Rubbing my eyes, everything looked blurry then as my vision cleared, I looked around. My clothes were neatly folded on the sofa in his room. I lifted the sheets and discovered I was completely naked, I gasped.

 “What happened?” I said to myself.

“Mr. Smith will be in to explain,” said the AI.

“Oh great,” I paused and realized that I might’ve been here for a few days, well it kinda felt like it.

 “No, oh shit, my parents are going to lose their minds.” Mr. Smith walked into the room, his attire incomplete. He had black cotton pajama pants but was shirtless, and I found myself unable to look away; his face was etched with unmistakable indignation. Gradually, I pushed myself up and leaned against the headboard, wrapping the sheets around me for warmth. He came closer and sat down next to me on the bed. 

“Remi, do you recall when I warned you about the crystals?” I nodded, feeling like a reprimanded child. “I’m sorry,” I murmured, pressing my lips together and gently biting my lower lip. He let out a sigh and rolled his eyes.

 “You’ll be okay,” he said, then hesitated. “But…”

 “But what?” I interrupted. He shook his head, “It’s nothing, but please don’t let it happen again.” He smiled and kissed my lips. I got the distinct impression that I should be worried, but I decided not to ask him for more information. He stood up.

“There is something else,” he said. I gulped, “What is it?”

“When you touched the crystal, the AI scanned your memories.” His brow furrowed, and a flush of anger crept across his face. My eyes widened in realization; he didn’t have to utter a single word. He had pieced together everything about me seeing Melanie at the nightclub in 1936 and not telling him. Also, going with her on another time travel escapade, which I had kept from him. I exhaled deeply, “I made a mistake, just try to see it from my perspective,” I implored and said, “I would like to go home, please.” He turned his gaze away, clearly let down, before meeting my eyes once more. Rising to his feet, he faced me with his arms folded. “You’re not going anywhere,” he said, taking a moment. “I need to think about what to do next, alright?”

“What do you mean by that?” I asked, but he just stayed quiet, which made me restless.

“Hold on, why?” I paused choosing my words carefully, “Okay, I went with her, but you’re the one I choose to travel with, don’t you get it? And what’s the big deal about traveling with Melanie. What are you not telling me?”

 “Do you really want to know the truth?” I nodded. “She’s only interested in you as a potential companion because she’s checking you out,” he replied.

 “What do you mean?” He settled back on the bed next to me, his face close to mine. “She’s probably after another body, and I think she picked you just because you’re with me. We’re not a couple anymore; we’re rivals now,” he paused, “well I see it that way. I fear that she’s trying to snatch you from me out of spite. I shook my head and said, “You’ve got it all wrong.” Then a thought hit me, and I asked, “So, am I just your possession, like a pet?” He stared at me without saying a word. “So, it’s true, I am his pet, his plaything, maybe his next body, I thought to myself. I trembled. “She is afraid,” the AI interjected.

 “Damn that AI,” I mused and frowned. Letting out a deep sigh I asked, “Can I go home?”

 He responded with a weary sigh, “Not at this moment,” before rising to his feet and exiting the room without a backward glance. Left in solitude, I turned to the AI, seeking to uncover the events that transpired between him and Melanie, leading up to the moment he crossed paths with me.

 At first, the AI seemed reluctant to share any information, but after a brief pause, a holographic screen materialized in front of me, coming to life and showcasing the moments of their last day together.

I won’t sugarcoat it; my heart ached as I witnessed the tender moments they shared. The scene shifted to when Melanie entered his room, taking a portion of the money from every era known to man, before slinging the brown leather messenger bag over her shoulder. I spotted the quantum time manipulator strapped to her wrist. She probably acquired it without his knowledge, clever. In a flash, Melanie sprinted out of the room toward the main control room. Meanwhile, Mr. Smith was oblivious, enjoying a shower and unaware of the unfolding chaos.

 “Why didn’t you stop her?” I questioned the AI.

“I had no directive to do so,” it responded. My brow furrowed as my suspicion deepened. The AI displayed the location from which Melanie had escaped from Mr. Smith. It turned out they were in the 1950s, which explained the vintage attire she was wearing at the time. As soon as she exited the monolith, she activated the quantum time manipulator and disappeared.

 "I can't believe she actually pulled that off," I exclaimed. The AI then displayed the moment Mr. Smith encountered me. At that point, he had been on a quest through time to find Melanie. The AI revealed to me, "Mr. Smith had been searching for Melanie for quite some time, but she managed to stay one step ahead. It appears she found someone to help her remain concealed from him."

 I gasped and whispered, "Jack."

"When Mr. Smith found you, he had tracked her to that spot using the device implanted in her. However, she quickly caught on to his pursuit. With the quantum time manipulator, she transported onto her companion's ship, who was tasked to kill Mr. Smith. He was the man you saw on the hill." I was in shock, struggling to absorb this revelation.

 "No," I breathed. A hush fell over the conversation before the AI resumed, “Her new companion took aim at Mr. Smith, but you stepped in front of him and Jack couldn’t get a clear shot. In response, Melanie communicated with him through an earpiece, instructing him to hold off. When you looked back up at the hill before entering the monolith, the man disappeared because he too has a quantum time manipulator.” I remained silent, pondering, then I asked, “Wait a minute. I do remember that moment and Mr. Smith had told me that the man I saw on the hill was coming toward the monolith and then he asked me to make a choice, to go with him or not.”

“Correct,” it replied. With a deep sigh escaping my lips, I found myself momentarily speechless, but eventually I whispered, “Thank you for sharing the truth with me.” At the time, the AI only revealed a portion of the truth. Tears began to stream down my face just as Mr. Smith entered the room. 

He looked at me, taken aback by my tears, unaware of the reason behind them. I doubt the AI was meant to unveil what it did. “I regret what I said Remi," he hesitated, "My love for you is so deep that I fear you might abandon me, just like Melanie did." In that instant, it dawned on me that his actions were rooted in his own insecurities. How could someone so strikingly handsome and full of life experience such doubt? I wiped my tears and said, "I love you too."

He leaned in, his lips brushing against mine with a gentle urgency, and soon we were wrapped in each other’s arms, with an intensity that ignited every nerve of my being. He made love to me, his arms enveloping me tightly as if I were the very air he breathed. When he entered me, it was with a powerful thrust, dominant and passionate, that left me breathless, teetering on the edge of unconsciousness. Afterwards we lay in each other’s arms, enjoying the afterglow. As time passed, we journeyed to two different worlds. One was a desert planet, its crimson sands stretching endlessly. 

(Images are for the readers entertainment)

GooglePlay Audiobook

Goodreads

New Entry: The Big Reveal

A Time Traveler's Companion: Excerpt from Chapter 6: Another Companion Before Me

 

An excerpt from  A Time Traveler's Companion

(Leila and Remi are at a local Thrift shop when Remi comes across a peculiar photograph on the wall of the shop)

The following day, Leila and I decided to hit up the nearby shopping center, which features a Staters Bros market along with a few cute boutiques to check out. I was particularly excited about a thrift store that had just opened a few months back, so I made sure to swing by. While Leila and I were browsing through the aisles, I spotted some pictures hanging on the wall. They were up for sale, and a few of them had that charming vintage vibe that really caught my eye.

 “Wow, look Leila, these pictures look totally vintage.” Leila was browsing the clothes racks. I closely looked at a picture that was from Woodstock and reminisced when Mr. Smith and I attended.

 “It seems like yesterday, oh wait it was,” I thought and chuckled softly. However, as I inspected the picture, I noticed something familiar.

 “Oh shit,” I whispered.

 “Who took this picture?” I asked.
“Well, no one knows but I suppose a random photographer who attended the Woodstock event in 1969,” the shop owner said as she surprised me by approaching from behind. "Sorry for startling you," she commented. I shook my head, "No problem, I am captivated by this picture. How much?”

 "Well, most of the vintage pictures here are priced at $80.00, but I can offer it to you for $50.00" With a sigh, I reluctantly agreed, “Okay.” Desperate to conceal my time-traveling escapades at any cost, I was willing to part with fifty dollars, knowing full well that no one would ever suspect the truth behind an innocuous old photograph. Taking down the eight by ten photo from the wall, she examined it closely. "Interesting, the girl in the photo kinda looks like you," she commented nonchalantly. "I guess everyone has a doppelgänger," she added, shrugging it off with a smile.  

"Yeah, probably," I replied with a smile, momentarily lost for words feeling speechless as I stared at the image that froze a tender moment between me and Mr. Smith capturing the passionate kiss he had planted on my lips. After a quick transaction, she carefully slid the picture into a bag, which I promptly tucked into my backpack, the best I could.

"Have you found anything interesting?" Leila asked. "Not really, what about you?" I asked her, noticing a cute hippie-style tunic shirt in her hand that seemed familiar. A sudden realization struck me.

 "Oh no, it can’t be. That belongs to Tracy," I thought to myself.

 "That's a lovely boho tunic blouse," I commented with a nervous tone.

 "Yes, it is. It belonged to my grandmother," the shop owner revealed, leaving me in awe.

"Was your grandmother at Woodstock?" I asked, intrigued. She nodded as she proceeded to ring up Leila's item. "Yes, she was. She always told me stories about her time at Woodstock and a story about a peculiar journey she had with an actual time traveler and his young bride," she shared, causing my eyes to widen in disbelief. “In fact, she wrote a book about it, but it didn’t quite make best seller, however she did sell a few copies. I have a copy of it on the bookshelf, let me go get it." Beads of sweat formed on my forehead, a testament to my nervousness as I anticipated the contents of the book. When she returned, she handed it to me - an old book with yellow pages and a picture of the author, Tracy Richards, on the back. I recognized her by her distinct, beautiful eyes. “Her last name is Richards, it's probably her married name,” I thought.

"Do you want it?" she asked, to which I simply nodded. Later, Leila and I found ourselves seated on a bench at the outdoor mall's quad area.

 "Can I take a look at that book?" Leila asked. Passing her the book, she responded with a scoff, "The Time Traveler and His Bride," reading the title aloud. "Well, with a title like that, it's no wonder it didn't make it to the best seller list, but I do like the romantic cover image," she remarked.

"So, how's your job?" I asked, shifting the conversation. She returned the book to me, and I promptly stashed it in my backpack. “It’s fine but well, my boyfriend he’s been a bit distant lately. I wanted to talk to you about it. I tried texting you, but you never responded. Where were you anyways? I was thinking of calling your house to see where you were, but I figured no one was home,” she said. My heart raced as the thought of her calling my house crossed my mind, knowing my parents could’ve caught me in a lie. It's a challenge to keep Mr. Smith a secret, especially from Leila, who has a knack for uncovering the truth. Contemplating whether to confide in her, I weighed the risk of adding another person to the list of those who could potentially expose my secret. With a heavy heart, I let out a sigh. We decided to go get lunch at Burrito Place. Following our meal, we took a stroll back to the quad. We were deep in conversation when I noticed the mysterious woman with sandy blonde curls pass by; she turned and offered me a friendly smile.

 "Do you know her?" Leila asked, to which I simply shook my head in response. Leila and I sat on a wooden bench at the center of the quad, we chatted and then Leila excused herself to go to the restroom. I waited for her to come back, absorbing the peaceful scenery. The soft wind danced through the leaves of the trees, creating a tranquil ambiance around me. Suddenly, the mysterious woman approached me, taking a seat beside me. My heart skipped a beat as I tried to compose myself. "Hello, we've never met, but we have a mutual acquaintance in Mr. Smith," she said calmly. She didn’t sound like Mr. Smith at all; instead, her voice had an American tone with a hint of a country twang. I was caught off guard by her surprising introduction, my eyes going wide in disbelief. As I studied her appearance, I couldn't help but notice the details of her outfit.

 She wore a stylish brown leather vest adorned with zippers, paired with an off-white cotton blouse with rolled-up sleeves that reached her elbows. Her faded button-front jeans and black flat-heeled boots completed the casual yet chic ensemble. The mysterious woman exuded an air of confidence and intrigue, leaving me curious about her connection to Mr. Smith. "Yes, I understand that this may be overwhelming, but I assure you, I have no ill intentions towards you," she stated calmly as I distanced myself from her, creating a physical barrier by placing my backpack between us. I finally asked, "Who are you and how do you know him?"

"I used to be his companion long ago," she revealed, leaving me speechless and unable to articulate the myriads of emotions swirling within me. My name is Melanie, at least in this current body I am," she added, meeting my gaze with intensity. She shook my hand, and my throat felt dry as I struggled to comprehend her words.

"This body?" I managed to utter. Melanie nodded in response, prompting me to take a deep breath before asking, "What exactly do you mean by that?"

 "Mr. Smith must have shared some details with you," she continued, and I nodded in confirmation. I know he told me that he took a man’s body, but this was something different. "We were partners in a distant past, inhabiting human bodies as we traversed through time and space," Melanie explained, causing my heart to ache with the realization that he had kept this significant part of his life hidden from me but to be fair, he just didn’t reveal it to me, he was afraid that I would reject him, and I probably would’ve. 

You can’t imagine how much it hurt me knowing that Melanie was his first companion. Overwhelmed with a mix of emotions, I hesitated and asked, "What happened between you two?" Although a part of me dreaded the answer, I needed to know the truth behind their shared history. “Did he ever change his body?” It was a stupid question, but I had to ask.

 "To the best of my knowledge, he is currently in his first body, as I am," she said, glancing nervously around, clearly hoping to avoid being seen with me by anyone, especially a particular individual I suspect. I couldn't help but wonder about the potential consequences if Mr. Smith were to find out - would he resort to violence or simply sever all ties with me. The uncertainty weighed heavily on my mind as I let out a sigh. "I made the decision to part ways with him due to irreconcilable differences," she finally confessed, her fingers absentmindedly toying with a thick leather bracelet that seemed to hold more significance than just a piece of jewelry. In the middle of her wristband, there was a watch; it reminded me of Mr. Smith’s watch.

“Mr. Smith found this body for me, and here I am. I have no plans to transfer into another body if this one should die," she explained. I gazed at her skeptically. She then stared sincerely into my eyes and said, "I would like you to be my companion. Let's travel together, it will be fun," she proposed enthusiastically, catching me off guard. I was shocked that she offered to take me with her, but I don’t trust her. However, the knowledge she has about Mr. Smith might prove useful and I want to know more about him, more than what he would ever tell me. I gulped and said, “I don’t know if I should come with you, but I’ll think about it,” I told her.

 She nodded, “Okay, you do that, in the meantime if I were you, I would get on birth control.” Rising to her feet, she prepared to depart. "Hold on a sec, what are you saying? I can't come out pregnant, he’s an alien, we are of a different species." She chuckled and set her arms akimbo.

  "Oh Birdie, you're so naive." Leaning down, she planted a kiss on my forehead. "Just be careful," she advised me, her gaze filled with sincerity. She really seemed concerned about me. I was slightly offended by her comment. “I’m not naïve,” I thought, but deep down, she had a point. I should been on birth control. Leila's face shifted to a serious look as she approached me, her gaze locked on Melanie walking away. 

"Who is that? Do you know her?" she asked, her curiosity piqued. Sensing the gravity of the situation, I suggested that we continue the conversation in a more private setting. "There's something I want to talk to you about. We should go to my house because this is going to take a while," I said. We drove back to my place; it was then that I told Leila everything.

A Trip to 1976

A Time Traveler’s Companion 

Excerpt from Chapter 20: The AI & Me