Time's a Stop-Out by Owen Townend

 

“What took you so long?” she asks me on entrance.

            I don’t know what to say. Eventually her hard stare provokes a response.

            “You know very well that’s a loaded question.”

            She rolls her eyes. “Had a lovely time with your mate then?”

            “Yes.” I throw down my tools, trudge further into the room. “Don’t we have the right to let off some steam?”

            “Of course. I just wish you two wouldn’t linger like you do.”

            “What do you mean?”

            She turns to me fully. “Well, you have to stop existing at some time.”

            I feel about set to pop. She doesn't take her words back so I scowl. “I’ll exist as long as I bloody well see fit!”

            “All I’m saying is you and your mate seem to live it large out there.” She gestures towards the entrance. “Beyond the Absence. The place we've made our home, I might add.”

            I bristle at this. “Don’t pretend that you don’t know my mate’s name! 

            She holds my gaze.

            "It’s Space!”

            “Of course! Your names are everywhere together!” She throws up exaggerated gestures. “Time and Space are doing it again! Creating dimensions willy-nilly.”

            “We’re doing nobody or nothing any harm out there.”

            “Oh really?" Something flares up within her now. "Do you think they want to participate in the games you two like to play? Do you think they enjoy your strict rules?”

            I scoff. “You can’t play a fair game without strict rules.”

            “You aren’t playing a fair game with existent entities that don’t know that they’re even in a game!”

            No words. I land heavily on a seat nearby but make a point of not sitting beside her. “I only ever wanted to kick back and relax.”

            She doesn’t reply. I throw back my head.

            “The Absence is the Absence. It’s no fun here! Don’t you ever get restless?”

            She sighs. “You know I do. I even pop out myself every now and then. But you two…Time and Space…you stay out far too long. You stay till the very end of life. Don’t you see how cruel that is?”

            I look down at my digits. They are well-worn and can’t quite close.

            “I do,” I eventually say. “It’s all over now for a while anyway. It’s just as dark out there as it is here. I won’t make as big a thing of it next time.”

            “You promise?”

            “Yes.”

            I move in for a kiss, glad that she doesn't pull away. We even find reason to laugh. There are things we can do that no-one else can but really it's all beyond us.

            “To be honest," I admit, "I’m getting a bit fed up with Space. Just goes on and on and on.”

            “And you?”

            "Me?" I wink at her. “I always know exactly when to finish.”