It was a rainy morning when the burial of Miranda took place at a local cemetery. There were only a handful of people that attended the ceremony as Alfred wanted it private. Ingrid stood beside Alfred while the priest read the last rite for the dead and sprinkled in four corners the holy water in his hand. Alfred laid a red flower on top of the casket as it was slowly laid down six feet under.
Inside the car, Ingrid was inconsolable as she blamed herself for her callous chatter with Miranda. Alfred was in the driver's seat and took an occasional glance at Ingrid as he drove through the long road back home.
"It's like; it was me that started it all. She should not have died that morning." Her eyes were wet and puffy.
Alfred comforted her.
"You said nothing wrong."
She insisted, "But she was clearly hurt by what you told me. I should not have let her go. I could have prevented a terrible accident, and she might be still alive now."
Alfred replied, "What if it is what she needed to hear? And that it was her time."
Ingrid wiped her tears. Confused.
"What do you mean? It was your Mama that just died."
"I believe Papa would have died the same way if it was him in the other timeline. They would die at the same spot, again and again, I myself, acting as the same witness to how they all die."
Ingrid was puzzled. "How would you know that, Alfred?"
"Someone told me, all of time exists out there, and whether we live in it or a world parallel to us, the same story shall unfold albeit with just different characters."
Ingrid stopped and looked at Alfred with disdain. "Mama thought you were crazy before she left that morning….and now, I think she may be right."
Alfred was clearly offended. "What does crazy really mean to you, Ingrid? Huh? Is it crazy when you tell the truth about what was out there? "
"But it is fringe! It's not believable." Ingrid argued.
"The thing you call fringe..... is real as this steering wheel, Ingrid. It just exists in another dimension!"
Ingrid fell silently, unable to process what she heard.
"I still think you are just making these things up," she rebutted.
"What would I gain in doing it?"
"You are out of your wits! And I hate you when you argue with me on stuff like that. It scares the hell out of me!"
Alfred calmed down. He was the same soft speaking Alfred again. "I am sorry....I" Alfred was genuinely apologetic, but forces were fighting inside his mind.
"I am just...being... candid."
"I noticed...you have been the mysterious guy….ever since that incident at the restaurant. And that watch? How come you talk to it like someone was there with you? I saw you talking not once but so many times. Is it alive? Oooh...that is utter nonsense! Don't you know that? "
The watch woke up on Alfred's wrist as if it was just waiting for the right time to make its presence felt. It started to talk to Alfred, but somehow Ingrid cannot hear what it is saying. Alfred felt the watch tugging him...somewhat angry. Alfred repeated the words the watch said to him.
"The watch knows. The watch sees. It said it has a profound knowledge of everything."
Ingrid warned, "If it is true. You got to destroy it, Alfred. It is downright spooky, and it checked all the red flags to me."
The watch made a sad emoticon and later a devilish face. Alfred acted weird all of a sudden.
"The watch says he won't allow it."
Ingrid was irritated. "What does it allow? Is that watch controlling you? Is it really talking? Coz, I don't hear a thing in here."
The watch made an unusual sound. It said, "soon, a different reality will unfold, and it is something we should all expect. But for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction."
Alfred's transmission got simplified when he uttered it.
"The watch, it just wants reality to unfold."
Ingrid loses it.
"But I am real! Our ruined life is real! What is unreal is you listened to a god_amn watch! I can't believe you are turning to this zombie of a man. Tell me how I can get you back? I can't accept the fact that I just lost someone I love.... to a freaking watch!"
The watch seemed hurt as it showed a sad face. "Alfred, tell her what we planned for her the other night."
Suddenly, it made a devilish laugh as the light crazily danced in a clockwise direction, then counterclockwise. The watch tightened a bit on his wrist then loosen again.
Alfred panicked as it tried to push him to confess. "Oh, no...I can't... " He was visibly hesitant to reveal it.
"What?" Ingrid felt so irritated.
"The watch...it is ordering me now. "
Ingrid looked at Alfred with such disdain. Then she mockingly gazed around. "Where? I don't hear it. I don't see anyone here. Where is your imaginary friend, Alfred?"
Alfred got even more serious.
"His voice...It is telling me I have a higher purpose, Ingrid, that I am important. " Alfred cried from the mere thought of it. " No one has said to me what my real purpose in life is. But this watch is telling me things. Like right now. It said I am part of a grand plan."
"What plan, Alfred? Does it include me... or out of it? " Ingrid was shaking hard.
Alfred did not respond. He listened to a bit in the air. Ingrid tried to hold back her tears.
"Because you can say it now. I can always go back to my own mother, and she would gladly take me back. " Ingrid cried for a brief moment then wiped the tears in her eyes.
"Why can't we have a normal life just like before? I can forgive you if you ask for it."
The watch changed to an angry emoticon then a red light circled its face. The watch repeated, "Ingrid has to die!" Like it was an old broken record player.
"No!" Alfred shouted.
Ingrid was aghast hearing Alfred talked that way. Alfred realized he just offended her.
"I'm sorry, Ingrid. My watch just said something, and I said... No…It's not... for you. Yes, I wanted a normal life with you. But…" he stammered.
What Ingrid heard confirmed her suspicion.
"Can you stop the car, Alfred? You are a disgrace!"
The watch sounded even more offensive.
"She is a thorn, Alfred. Get rid of her!"
Alfred argued with the watch with an irritating voice."I won't allow it. You can't make that decision for me!"
He was looking straight on the road, but the shout frightened Ingrid even more.
"Alfred, you are scaring me!" Ingrid cried. She pleaded, "Why won't you stop? Stop! Stop!"
The watch emitted a sound that completely shut the noise in the surrounding. Alfred froze as if a dark spirit overcame his body.
In a robotic gesture, Alfred just drove off, completely shutting his ears to Ingrid's plea until he saw a flash of bright light and crashed the car on the side of a big tree.
Moments later, Alfred opened his eyes, and it was blurry. There was pain all over his body. He slowly unlocked the seat-belt around him and focused his eyes on what just happened. The smoke from the burning engine filled the inside of the car, making him cough uncontrollably.
"Ingrid?" he called. He extended his arms, and he could feel Ingrid beside him, but her body did not respond to his prodding.
"Ingrid?" he repeated.
Alfred watch began to talk and made an SOS signal.
"Get out, Alfred!"
"What happened?" Alfred asked, still groggy.
"You just hit a tree after you got blinded by a passing truck."
"What happened to Ingrid? Is she okay?"
"No. But you have to get out fast."
"What's happening?"
"The car will explode any minute."
"Oh, it's my fault," Alfred cried.
"Stop blaming yourself, Alfred. It would be best if you got out. Now!"
"But Ingrid is still here. I need to get her."
The watch is furious. "You will die, Alfred, if you will not listen!"
"But…"
"You listen well, Alfred. You did everything. Remember, you are a good follower. Now get out!"
Alfred opened the door and slowly crawled out of the car. When he was just far enough, the car tank exploded, sending fiery debris all around.
"Thank you, Alfred," the watch said.
Alfred had a blank stare. "Ingrid is...dead?"
"I am sorry. She is not part of the plan."
"But she is part of my life!"
The watch showed a flat line. Then the light on its face quickly died down.