“Mother, father, Amirah?” Keya stormed into the hut almost running. She couldn't find her family anywhere.
“I'm sorry. I take back everything I said. I don't want you gone. I don't want you to disappear. I was just mad at everything but I'm sorry”. She swallowed hard and began to tremble. Ten years ago when she was only a kid. Her grandfather had cautioned her from speaking in anger. He would say to her “Keya, desist from spewing words in rage. You have the power of the tongue. In time, you will come to understand. But remember, time is an illusion”. Keya began to sob profusely as she recalled her grandpa's words. “ I made my family disappear”.
Keya searched the entire compound some more but she didn't find anyone. Hours turned into days. Days into weeks and months but the Seges were nowhere to be found.
One night, Keya Picked up her green lantern, drew her cape over her head, and stormed out of her hut. Determination burned in her eyes. She was determined to go back in time to right her wrongs. She had blamed herself for everything that had happened. Her family left her behind. She wished she could take the words back.
Outside was cold and foggy. The trees swiveled in the direction of the wind. With her lantern lighting the way through the darkness, she reached her grandfather’s hut. Bedside the hut was the statue of an ape made out of clay. Together with her grandfather, they had carved it one sunny day. “This will be your guide when I am long gone in the future”. He said to her smiling affectionately. His deep green eyes lit up.
Inside the hut felt warm and the air was damp. Keya felt nostalgic as the memories of her grandfather washed over her. She hadn't been in there since his death. Shelves of little transparent colorful bottles lined the walls. They were covered in webs and dust. Immediately, she grabbed a yellow potion from a set on one of the shelves.
The Old man whom she loved so much was a mystic and potion maker well known for his craft. He was wise and full of grace. He had great healing powers second to none. People came from near and far for favors. Keya had grown so fond of her grandfather. So much so that when he passed. She became sad, lonely, and broken. It felt like happiness and peace left her. She wouldn't move on with her life. Even when her family tried to help, she shut everyone out and asked them to disappear from her life.
Her grandfather had told her about a portal. He called it time. “This potion takes you to a place called time. That is if you do not get lost between realms. It is called time because when a person can access the portal, they can travel through any point in time. Perhaps a memory you want to recover, something you should have done? Only a few have claimed to have altered time because my dear, time is an illusion”.
Keya without any more hesitation gulped down the entire yellow potion. All of it. She began to feel dizzy. She steadied herself beside the wall until she felt better. There was a ringing silence in her ear for a moment. Then she began to hear gentle whispers. Cautiously, she stepped out of the hut. There was no one but the trees moving. However, the whispers were in tune with the swaying of the branches. It was like they were having chit-chat.
Keya shook her head in denial. She felt the urge to walk down to the Riverside. She touched the carved ape affectionately before she set out. The whispers increased as she passed several trees leading to the river. A strange feeling engulfed her. She began to doubt her sanity and whether she was still amongst the living. Suddenly, a half-eaten apple fell from above and hit her on the head. She looked around. There were no apple trees. Only pears and oranges. She then came to the river. The waters looked calm and inviting. When she looked closer, a large puddle wave began to form.
A little away from the river, she could see footprints and a path illuminated by yellow lights. The prints didn't look like human feet. They were more like a big monkeys’. Keya followed the prints until she entered the yellow light. Her eyes lit up in astonishment. Standing before her was the carved ape. Life-size in flesh and blood. “This is not real” she whispered.
“An illusion?” the ape queried. Keya’s mouth was wide open. She was about to jump out of her skin.
“Welcome to time. Come. Let me guide you”. He gestured for her to follow. “I am your guide am I not?”
Keya moved closer treading very carefully. “You want to return to the past just to correct your mistake and make the future better? Nothing happens by chance. The past, present, and future all exist at once in time. And you know, time is an illusion.” Keya was stunned by the ape's words. She looked into his eyes. They were deep and green. He gave her an apple. “Do not be afraid. Eat up. You must be tired from walking all the way”. Keya felt a little less apprehensive. She began to chew on the apple.
“See this”. He brought her to a large circle on the ground, a portal. “This is the immediate past”. In the portal, she saw a scene of herself minutes ago walking past the trees leading to the river. Accidently, She dropped the apple she was eating. It went straight through the portal on the ground and landed on the head of her image in the circle. Keya became stunned.
Still watching the portal, she saw herself stopping at the river bank to watch the water. “You can touch the water. Try it, it is real”. Keya looked at the ape. She hesitated for a moment then she dipped her hand through the portal straight into the water. It formed a large puddle wave. The exact one she had witnessed moments ago.
“I know you came here hoping to achieve something. To go back in time. You see, the present, past, and future exist in the same plane. You can't alter any. Go now. Go back to the plane you were meant to be on. Go and make it right”. The ape smiled.
With those words, Keya found herself back in her grandfather's hut. She began to hear voices from outside again. This time, it was her mother, father, and sister. They had returned home. Keya rushed out with a heavy wail. “I thought I had lost you all”. She couldn't stop the tears from falling. Her family held her like a baby in a tight embrace. She felt peace like she had never felt before. All the pain and confusion oozed out of her body. She began to feel like a newborn. A rebirth. “We wanted to give you some time to return to yourself. To come back home to us”. Her mother rubbed her hands softly. Keya felt at home, safe, and happy again in the arms of her family. Her sanctuary.