Mysterious Ways of Life and Love

If only she had remembered her keys. Sam was forgetful, but she never forgot anything important like her keys; especially when she had to pick up the car in the afternoon. Not long ago she had taken it to the mechanics, something was wrong with the engine. Better to be safe then sorry she’d always say, but now she couldn’t care any less. All she wanted was to have her car back; she wasn’t fond of public transport at all. Every time she seemed to be caught up in a difficult situation and they never turned out any good. So when she found out that she had forgotten her keys, she almost went hysterics.

Sam jumped onto the next bus from the mechanics; she wanted to get home as quickly as she could. Paying the fare, Sam quickly asses the situation of the seating arrangement. A burly big bloke sits by a window down the back, looking like he hasn’t had a shower in days or seen a brush in years. Three young children and their mother sit happily at the front; one child sings a little happy tune. Just behind them, a typical collage student, fazed out from the world, sits and listens to music, reading the famous writer Shakespeare. Though just to her left a man sits gazing out the window, unaware to what is around him. It was strange she thought, as she took her seat just behind him, he seemed familiar. 

The day was slowly dying and rain clouds sat on the horizon. Sam hoped she would get home by dark, she would have to pick up her car tomorrow; she hated the city at night. Though, that wasn’t the only thing on her mind. The man in front of her hadn’t moved since she boarded the bus half an hour ago. Rolling her eyes, she knew it was going to turn into one of those situations she always had; she could feel it in the pit of her stomach.  So Sam couldn’t help but to see if he was ok. “Um…excuse me sir, but haven’t I seen you before.” Sam politely taped the man’s shoulder. The man turned around and grinned. Now that Sam, had seen his face close up, she couldn’t believe what she was seeing. The man looked her up and down and made an unusual face, “Hmm, I think I would remember a pretty women like you.” He laughed and twisted his body around on the seat. “Name’s John.” John smiled even more; it must have been a trait of his. Sam couldn’t believe what was going on around her.  This man, a complete stranger, was happily talking to her.
“Samantha. You know I’m sure I have seen you somewhere before.” She gave a puzzled look as he nodded and smiled.
“Possibly” John laughed.

“What do you mean, possibly?” Sam was keen to know, this man to her was so mysterious and wonderful that it made her shiver with excitement.
“Well, you wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
Sam huffed and smirked, “Try me.”
John steadied himself and Sam laughed as he braced himself to the chair. “Ok, here we go. I do know you, but you may not. I know you have a broad mind and are willing to try anything that’s put to you.  So that’s why I’m going to tell you this. I’m a time traveller.” Sam’s eyebrows lifted, “You’re a nut…but proceed.” Sam sat back and folded her arms.
“Well, let’s say there are many universes stacked against each other, each parallel to the next.” He gestured with his hands to show his meaning. Sam sighed, she knew all this, “…and each universe is slightly different to the next one. Small events can spilt one universe into two, thus the grandfather paradox is still possible in your universe, but if you hop into another and kill your grandfather in that one, it will have no effect on you out of your own universe.”  Sam inhaled deeply, that was such a mouthful. All John could do was gape at her. “Well you definitely know your stuff, like you always have. Anyway, sometimes these universes intertwine with each other and that’s why sometimes people think they recognise someone, but they don’t know them at all. That’s what’s happening here, in my universe, you know me, but in this one you don’t, so that means these two are joined together and in my universe you didn’t forget your keys.” John suddenly looked grim.

“How did you know I forgot my keys?” Sam was shocked; she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Are you stalking me or something?” John shook his head, “No, no, no, nothing like that, like I told you, I’m a time traveller.”
“You’re just a nutter.” Sam looked out the window and focused on the people walking aimlessly along the pavement. John sighed sadly and looked at his watch, “In twenty seconds you’ll believe me. Just watch outside, you’ll see a bike swerve and nearly hit a car fifty metres ahead. She’ll be wearing blue jeans and a white t-shirt.” Sam reluctantly did so, just to prove he was wrong. She couldn’t believe it though when it actually happened.

“Do you believe me now?” John was gathering his things. Sam noted this and became worried, “What are you doing?”
John sighed deeply, it was like he couldn’t bare the thought he was holding to himself, “I’m getting off Samantha. Just after the next stop…you’ll see.” John paused, allowing himself to gather his thoughts, “This universe is slightly slower then mine and I’ve seen this universe’s future. I’ve seen what happens soon. In my universe you didn’t forget your keys. That’s why I’m here. To tell you that you are a great person and a wonderful friend, that you are loved.”
Sam couldn’t believe what she was hearing, “John, why?”
John sat his head on the bus window and gazed upon the passing streets, “Because I love you, you’re the most wonderful person I have ever met and it saddens me to know that you’ve never met me and that you’ll never will.” He was almost crying. The bus silently came to a halt and John made his way to the door.
“John…” Sam almost ran for him. He looked back, shaking his head, “Just remember, you are loved.”

The bus roared back into life again as it took off from the sideway. Sam’s head was spinning, what did John mean? Other passengers didn’t seem fazed with what just happened; maybe she just imagined the whole thing. Sitting her head on the window, she sighed; maybe he was a complete nutter. Though she was so sure that she had seen him before, his face was the key; who was he? It plagued her mind, like a deep dark emotion that sat at the very bottom, just stewing away. Though no matter who he was, he had really scared her down to the bone.

The day had grown cold and the sky was littered with dark clouds. Sam was almost home. It had been a pretty hectic day; her forgetting her car keys and meeting John. It was making her feel extremely tired and she was glad that she was almost home. She was planning to curl up in front of the fire and read the book she had almost finished; she hoped it would have a happy ending. Gathering up her things, it started to rain. With silent grace it fell down upon the window. Everyone suddenly fell silent as if quietly listening to the soothing rain. Sam smiled and looked out to the beyond; everything was going to turn out fine, no matter what anyone said. Closing her tired eyes, she laid her weary head on the cool window; John was right.

The blur sickens Sam; it was too quick to register what was actually going on.  Screams echoed throughout the bus, the little children crying for their mother. The quiet whimpering of a small child and the cursing of the big burly bloke fly around through the sliding bus. Sparks fly and the high pitch squeal of metal deafens Sam and the buses other occupants. The mother screams and the bus driver yells,
“Incoming, brace yourselves!” Sam braces onto the only thing she could find, the chair John was sitting on. Holding on for dear life, she suddenly forgets where she is and all she can see is a ring by her foot. For that slipt second she takes in every detail. Breathing heavily she reads the tiny inscription in the ring. ‘I will love you always, don’t forget. John.’ She couldn’t help but cry; tears stinging her wounded face and fingers. Squeezing the ring tightly, she hangs her head and silently whispers,
“I know.” The cries and screams louden, deafening screams of terror ring through her ears. Looking up, a pole stalks closer every second and all Sam could think about was John. That’s when all she could think about was forgetting her keys and the sickening pain.   

Sam slowly opened her stinging sore eyes; he was there. John was by her side pulling debris from off her. He was quietly mumbling to himself, he looked like he was about to cry. His eyes glistened in the bright light coming from a light pole a couple of metres away.
“John…” Sam violently coughed, blood lining her mouth. John placed his finger on her lips,
“Shh, don’t talk. Save your energy. You need it.” Sam cringed, her chest collapsed in agony. Johns face was dark; he looked away.
“I’m sorry Sam, I’m so sorry. I didn’t want to leave you, but I couldn’t stay with you either. I couldn’t change history, I just couldn’t…I just had to come back, to see if I could help you. Please, I’m so sorry, I should have told you.” John brushed his fingers hurriedly through his hair and fixed eyes with Sam. In the background, service vehicles rushed to aide; their whining hums starting to fade slightly. Sam was tired, so tired.
“No, I understand…time is fixed, you can’t do anything about it.” She breathed sharply, throbbing pain slowly sinking into every part of her body. Then she remembered the ring,
“John…” Sam tried to sit up. But John held her down, as if trying to hide something from her.
“Shhh, save your energy.” John tidied and tried to make Sam as comfortable as he could. She winced as he moved her head, but still smiled despite the agonising pain in her chest.
“John…ask her.” She pushed her hand into his, dropping the small golden band into his shaking hands.
“I know she loves you…you’re the most amazing…person I have ever met and even though I hardly know you…I love you. You’re just impossible.” Sam smiled as tears slid down her delicate aching face. The ring sparkled in Johns hand; it had such beauty as Sam did. A single shining tear ran slowly down John’s face, all he could do was nod as he wiped the tears away from his red eyes.

Sounds faded and the light slowly turned into the dark dreary night. Her body became numb and soon became cold.
“Don’t worry John, you still have her, I’ll be fine…I’ll be fine…” Sam faded slowly into the darkness, leaving no trace left of the good old Samantha anywhere. Bending over John kissed her cold wet forehead, slightly crying,
“I know; I know you’ll be.” Closing his eyes, he breathed deeply. Rising he took off his jacket and lay it on Sam. Heavy boots stood still behind him,
“Oh, I’m so sorry mate.” An officer behind him squeezes Johns shoulder. Turning around John takes the officers hand, eyes glazing over to hide the deep emotions within,
“Doctor John Smith, I’ve checked out everyone, sadly everyone died on impact, no survivors. Except Sam, she held on ‘till the end, but it was just too much.” The officer looked upon Sam’s fragile body, cringing at the metal bar that had hideously pierce her chest.
“Thank-you for doing the best you could mate. It was good you here when you were. Did you know she was on the bus?” The officer gestures towards Sam’s lifeless cold body. John slightly turned and lowered his head slightly, voice filled with tormenting pain, “Yeah, I should have told her to remember her keys.”