For a Limited Time Only (The Time Traveler's Passport)

by Peng Shepherd

The reality is, you just can’t do that. You can’t change things. Try, and the whole system collapses.

Oracle has two main departments: Past and Futures.

All things considered, operations are pretty organized: If you’re in Past, you can go back anywhen to implement a project, but never ahead of our present day, and if you’re in Futures, you can go forward anywhen to confirm that everything from Past has gone accordingly or to scout for new clients, but never back before your present day.

absolutely no crossover.

‘Time isn’t something you lose, it’s something you make.’”

“Marriage. For a limited time only!”

“This will end eventually,” she’d said. “I promise.”

He was leaving space for himself. Moments he could return to when he and Simon were still together, when things were still good.

Making time. “Did Theresa tell you too?” I ask. “That Simon would leave someday?”

“We can’t change it. All we have is the time.”

“It’s an eleven-year span,” my future self says at last. Eleven years. That’s all the time Opal will exist for. “I can’t,” I gasp, breathless. I can’t stop this. I can’t save her. I can’t survive what’s coming. “Listen to me,” he says. “Listen. Eleven years. That’s where she’ll be.”

“This is it?” I wail, unable to bear it. “This is what’s left?”

“Everything is left,” he insists. “You’ll see.” “How can you say that?” I ask. “When we know how it’s going to end?” My older self reaches to steady me, and I look at him at last. “That’s what I’m trying to tell you,” he says. “For you, it doesn’t have to.”

“Perfect timing,” I manage to say.