Chapter Eleven

21st Century

Opening the door to Dave's office, William forcibly nudged me in, causing me to stumble forward. I turn around, giving him the death glare and scoff as I walk further into the room.

"Myra.." Dave says surprised, standing up and slowly walking around his desk towards them.

"It's bee-.. Wha- William?" A confused look crossed his face before rage took over.

"Now, now. Listen.. before you get all mad.."

"It's too late for that! What are you doing here? No. Actually, to be more specific, what are you doing here with her?" Dave nods towards me without taking his eyes off of William.

"Oh, you know. Chillin, killin, some driving, and then BAM! We're here. Mainly to say, 'hey, how's it going?', but I also wanted you to know that Myra here is all caught up on life and wanted to tell you before, you know, the good shit starts happening." William smirks as he wiggles his eyebrows.

"Wha-.. Myra, when did this happen?" Dave looks at me, concerned.

"When I was walking home after the hospital." I say quietly, looking away.

"Myra.." he says, watching me.

"I'm fine, nothing happened." Making myself look at him, pushing the image of Maya dying out of my mind and managing to half-smile.

"That's right, nothing happened so get over it already," William said, dismissing the conversation, "Now. Let's get down to business, shall we?" clasping his hands together, glancing between the two of us.

"What business?" I asked, glaring at him with a look of distaste.

"We're going to settle this feud once and for all. I've been doing some research and I finally know how to get Almyra's memories of the past back. Isn't that wonderful?" William clapped excitedly.

"Why would you wanna do that?" Dave and I said in unison.

"I have my reasons," he grinned, turning his attention to me, "Almyra, I want you to sit while I get the spell ready." William said as he patted the psychiatrist's sofa in the middle of the office.

"How do I even know that this is safe?" I asked with a hint of uncertainty as I walked around to sit on the sofa.

"You don't, that's the fun part." William winked, pulling a book out of his bag and flipped through the pages.

"Now Kian, you have to be extremely quiet for this or I am going to kick you out." I glanced at William quizzically before remembering that Dave's real name is Kian.

"I keep forgetting." I mumble to myself.

"Hm? Keep forgetting what?" William looked at me with his eyebrows raised.

"Oh, nothing. So, how does this 'spell' work?" I question, motioning to his book with my hand.

"Well, like I said. I've done tons of research and I finally found this spell that could potentially bring back all your memories of the past that you seem to forget every time you've been brought back. If you actually do as you're told, it'll work, you just have to trust me." I rolled my eyes and leaned back.

"How do you know that it'll work? It's not like you have any proof, right? What makes you so sure?" He smirked at my inquiry.

"Oh honey, the proof is right in front of you, how do you think I know about you and Kian?" He pointed to me and then to Kian.

"Now. A few things before we get started." William walked around the room unplugging Kian's office phone cord, turning off the computer, and finally making his way across the room to flip the light switch off.

"What are you doing?" I ask, utterly confused as I watch him make his way back across the room, turning on the lamp beside the sofa.

"I'm trying to make this a "zero distraction" zone. You, Almyra, need to find a more comfortable position for this to work." I lay flush against the sofa, fidgeting a little before settling into my spot.

"Are you good? If you need to adjust anything, do it now or forever hold your peace." I huffed and nodded.

"Yes, I'm good, let's start this so we can get it over with." I motion at him to hurry up.

"Okay Almyra. I would like for you to close your eyes and carefully listen to what I say. Try to do everything in silence without huffing and puffing, this is very serious." William takes a deep breath as I give him a slight nod.

"Now. I want you to relax. Empty all thoughts out of your mind. Relax your body, starting from the top of your head, down your jaw, neck, and down to your shoulders. I want you to feel that relaxation spread down your arms, hands, and through your fingertips. Down your torso, your hips, your legs, and then through your toes. You should feel completely relaxed in this moment." He says calmly.

"Now, I want you to focus on your breathing. Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose and hold it for as long as you comfortably can before exhaling through your mouth, slowly and fully, repeat as many times as you need." William pauses briefly, allowing me to do the breathing exercises.

When I'm done, William quietly begins again as I hear someone shuffling across the room and back.

"Now, before you, a round magic clock should appear, yes?" I nod my head as I see the clock floating in front of me.

"The clock indicates dates and marks in time. This is your clock. Watch it as the hands slowly move backwards, the further back in time they go, the faster they move. Relax and watch the time." I watch the dates as they fly backwards. 2012. 2009. 2003. 1998. 1990. It's so mesmerizing.

"You should feel your soul suddenly wanting to stop. Now mentally, think 'Stop!' and the clock should begin to slow down, slower and slower until it stops." When he said stop, the clock started to slow down around 1973 to 1865 before slowly coming to a halt at 1852.

"This time Almyra, I want you to answer my questions out loud, alright?" I nod my head before responding,

"Okay."

"Look around you. Is there light outside or is it dark?" Suddenly, there's a flash of light and I blink as the blur diminishes and I take in my surroundings.

"It's bright. I'm not sure what time of day it is though, I think it's somewhere in the evening?" I shrug, it could be morning for all I know.

"Good. Can you describe what you're seeing?"

"Um, I'm surrounded by a lot of old tents and soldiers. Am I in a camp? Is this during the war?" I look around, confused, before spotting Kian glancing around before disappearing behind one of the tents.

Curious, I started walking towards where he disappeared. I make it behind the tents as someone walks past me, heading straight to Kian. As I continue to get closer, I realize it's William.

"Yes, Almyra, you are in a war. Please continue to explain your surroundings." William commented, snapping me out and then back into the past.

Time jumped ahead to Kian looking at a cup in his hands as William looked at him eagerly and impatiently.

*Flashback*

"If I drink this, you'll let them all live?" Kian questioned, not taking his eyes off the cup.

"I never said all, I said 'her'. She can live and you will die, or she dies and you can live. Maybe. I haven't decided yet, but someone is getting tortured." William chuckled as Kian's hand clenched around the cup.

"No, you will let them all live or I'll kill you." Kian says, finally tearing his gaze away from the cup, glaring up at William.

"There's no way for me to promise that everyone will live. That's just not how this shit works." William shrugged, unfazed.

-

"Don't do it." I mumble aloud, too focused on the memory to care about anything around me.

"Don't do what?" William questioned.

"Don't drink that." I whisper, barely loud enough for William to hear as he paces back and forth through the room.

"I-uh, what the-. It's like someone hit the rewind button." I say, as everything moves backwards fast and stops when William initially stops in front of Kian.

-

"I have a proposition for you, my friend." William smirks, holding a cup out to him.

"What's in the cup?" Kian says with suspicion in his tone.

"Why can't you just enjoy a little excitement for once in your life? Just take a sip." William urges as he pushes the cup closer to Kian.

Kian stares at him with an unwavering look of disbelief before William sighs, "Ugh, fine. It's just wine with a splash of arsenic. Here, try some, it'll be fun!" he says.

"I'd love to, why don't you try it first? It'll be fun." Kian says sarcastically, mocking him as he pushes the cup away.

"William, what's the purpose of all this? What have I done that makes you want to kill me so fucking bad?" Kian pleads as William stares at him blankly before maniacally laughing.

"Are you really that clueless? Is your head so far up Almyra's ass that you don't notice anyone else around you? I mean, it's not like I'm trying or anything, but damn. Take the nurses for instance. They try so very hard to get you to notice them and you don't even blink in their direction. It's pathetic, really." William snidely remarked.

"What are you talking about? I'm not interested in messing around with anyone while we're in the middle of a fucking war! When are you going to realize that none of this matters until this shit is over? It doesn't matter how much I like her, it doesn't fucking matter." I slightly gasped, taken aback at his outburst.

"So, you finally admitted it to yourself, huh? How does that make you feel?" William smirked, nudging him.

"Shut up, what do you want?"

"I want Almyra to drink this." William said, extending the cup out to Kian.

"Why do you even want to kill her? What has she ever done to you?"

"I don't know. Maybe it's the fact that she's got everything I ever wanted. Maybe, just maybe, I thought you actually liked me." William looks away, trying to hide his rising anger.

"Yeah, I do like you, William. But as a friend. I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong impression, but that doesn't mean you have to go this far." William turns back to Kian, forcibly giving the cup to him.

"Then you drink it."

"Wha- William, no! I'm not going to purposely kill myself because you're misinterpreting this whole situation." William smirks, cocking his head to the side.

"It's either you or Almyra, your decision," he shrugs as his face breaks out into the widest grin, "and you know for a fact, she wouldn't suspect anything if I were to offer her a drink." He winked, chuckling.

Kian grabbed him by the collar, causing some of the drink to splash out of the cup.

"Don't you dare bring her into any of this or I swear-" William's smile grows even bigger as Kian becomes enraged.

"Swear what, Kian? What are you going to do, huh?" William taunts.

"Drink this now, or she will die." William giggled. Kian lets go of his collar and grabs the cup, staring into it.

"If I drink this, you'll let them all live?" Kian questioned, not taking his eyes off the cup.

"I never said all, I said 'her'. She can live and you will die, or she dies and you can live. Maybe. I haven't decided yet, but someone is getting tortured." William chuckled as Kian's hand clenched around the cup.

"No, you will let them all live or I'll kill you." Kian says, finally tearing his gaze away from the cup, glaring up at William.

"There's no way for me to promise that everyone will live. That's just not how this shit works." William shrugged, unfazed.

-

"Kian, no, don't.." I mumble, but it's no use as he starts to chug the drink.

"Almyra… Hey! Almyra!" I jerk awake as William snaps in my ear.

"God, stop. What do you want?" I looked at him annoyed.

"What did you see?" He urged, taking a step back.

"Nothing. I want absolutely nothing to do with you."