Chapter 10:
Amelia woke with a start, heart pounding, a cold sweat clinging to her skin. The dream was so vivid—Thomas, standing at the edge of a cliff, the wind whipping around him as a dark figure approached from behind. He was in danger. She could feel it in her bones.
Throwing the covers off, she scrambled for her phone, her hands trembling. It wasn't just a dream; it was a warning. Thomas had told her he was growing increasingly worried about an upcoming event in his life, and now it was clear that whatever was coming, it was happening soon.
The connection between them had grown stronger, more intense, as if the bond they shared was deepening with every conversation. But it was also becoming more volatile, more dangerous. Objects from his world were still appearing in hers, and time itself seemed to be shifting in unpredictable ways.
Amelia pulled on a sweater and sat down at her desk, her fingers hovering over her laptop's keyboard. She had to find something—some clue, some detail that would help her understand what was about to happen. She opened a document she had started when she first began researching Thomas's time period, scrolling through historical events, social norms, and everything else she had learned.
But none of it gave her the answers she needed. She couldn't find any specific references to the man she had grown so close to, no record of the artist who had captured her heart across centuries. It was as if his life, his story, had been erased from history.
Frustrated, she pushed the laptop aside and reached for the pocket watch on the table. Its smooth surface felt cold in her hand, the inscription still mocking her. "To T.H., for when the time is right." What did it mean? What was the watch trying to tell her?
Suddenly, her vision blurred, and she felt a sharp pull in her mind. It was Thomas, reaching out to her more urgently than ever before.
"Amelia!" His voice was frantic, filled with fear. "Amelia, something is wrong!"
She closed her eyes and focused, trying to calm her racing heart. She could sense him, feel the panic coursing through his thoughts.
"What's happening, Thomas? Talk to me," she urged, her voice steady despite the fear gnawing at her.
"It's the man I told you about, the one I've been avoiding," Thomas said, his voice trembling. "He's found me. He's demanding I meet him tonight. I don't know what he wants, but I feel like… like it's a trap."
Amelia's heart sank. The confrontation Thomas had been dreading was here. She had sensed it coming, but now that it was real, the stakes felt higher than ever. If she didn't do something, if they didn't act quickly, Thomas's life could be in danger. But how could she help him from across time?
"Where is he meeting you?" she asked, her mind racing with possibilities. *"Maybe I can—"
"It's at the old bridge by the river, just outside the town," Thomas interrupted. "I don't have a choice, Amelia. If I don't go, he'll come after my family. He knows where we live."
Amelia's blood ran cold. This wasn't just about Thomas anymore—it was about his loved ones, his entire life. If he didn't meet this man, the consequences could be devastating. But if he did, he might not make it out alive.
"Listen to me, Thomas," she said, her voice firm. "You're not going to face him alone. We're going to find a way to protect you."
"But how?" Thomas asked, desperation lacing his words. "I'm in the 18th century. You're in the future. What can we possibly do?"
Amelia bit her lip, her mind working furiously. There had to be a way. The objects from his time that had crossed into hers, the growing power of their connection—it all pointed to something bigger than either of them understood. The rules of time were bending around them, and she was certain there was a way to use that to their advantage.
"We'll find a way," she said, though her stomach churned with uncertainty. "Tell me everything you know about this man. What does he want from you?"
Thomas hesitated, and for a moment, she thought he wouldn't answer. But then, slowly, he began to speak.
"He's a powerful merchant, someone with influence in the town," Thomas explained. "I crossed him years ago when I refused to paint a portrait for him. It wasn't just about the art—it was what he wanted me to represent. His wealth, his corruption. I couldn't do it. And since then, he's held a grudge. He's ruined other artists before me, and now he wants to ruin me."
Amelia's mind reeled. This wasn't just a personal vendetta—this was a man with power, someone who could destroy Thomas's life with the flick of a wrist. She felt a surge of anger, a fierce need to protect him, even if it meant risking everything.
"We have to stop him," she said, her voice hardening. "You can't let him trap you. We'll find another way."
"Amelia, I don't have a choice," Thomas said, his voice breaking. "If I don't go, he'll hurt my family. I can't live with that."
Amelia clenched her fists, her mind racing. The timeline was already fragile—any interference could have drastic consequences. But she couldn't sit by and let Thomas walk into danger, not when there was a chance to save him.
She took a deep breath, trying to think rationally. The objects from Thomas's time that had appeared in her apartment—those had to be the key. Somehow, their connection was strong enough to bring physical items across time. Maybe, just maybe, it could do more.
"Thomas," she said slowly, her heart pounding in her chest. "I think we can change this. I think we can use our connection to alter what happens tonight."
There was a long pause on Thomas's end, and Amelia could sense his disbelief.
"What do you mean?" he asked cautiously.
"Objects from your time have been appearing in mine," Amelia explained. "That has to mean something. Our connection is powerful enough to bridge the gap between our worlds. Maybe—just maybe—I can send you something. Something that can help."
Thomas was silent, but Amelia could feel the flicker of hope in his thoughts.
"What are you suggesting?" he asked finally, his voice softer now.
Amelia glanced around her apartment, her eyes landing on the pocket watch once again. It had been the first object to appear, the one that seemed to hold the most significance. If she could find a way to use it, maybe she could give Thomas the advantage he needed.
"The watch," she said, gripping it tightly in her hand. "It's connected to both of us. I think if I can focus hard enough, I can send it to you. Maybe it will give you the time you need to outsmart him."
Thomas's breath caught, and Amelia could feel the uncertainty in his thoughts. But there was also something else—a flicker of belief, of hope.
"It's worth a try," he said finally. "What do I need to do?"
Amelia took a deep breath, centering herself. She had never tried anything like this before, but if there was ever a moment to test the limits of their connection, it was now.
"Just focus on me," she said. "Focus on the bond we share. I'll do the rest."
She closed her eyes and concentrated, gripping the pocket watch tightly in her hand. She could feel Thomas's presence, his thoughts blending with hers as they reached across time. The watch grew warm in her palm, the air around her tingling with energy.
Slowly, she felt the object begin to shift, to blur in her hand as if it was being pulled away by an unseen force. Her heart raced as the watch seemed to fade from her grasp, disappearing into the ether.
She opened her eyes, breathless, and waited.
"Amelia," Thomas's voice came through, quiet but filled with awe. "I have it. The watch—it's here."
Amelia let out a sigh of relief, her heart swelling with hope. They had done it. Somehow, they had crossed the barrier of time itself.
"Now use it," she said, her voice steady despite the fear gnawing at her. "Outsmart him, Thomas. Change your fate."
And with that, the connection between them flickered and faded, leaving Amelia alone in the stillness of her apartment, praying that they had done enough.