A Million Bodies by Erica Pensini - HTML preview

Chapter 5

I just woke up in a red convertible on a five lane street. The wind blows through my hair as I drive past a green light and Arthur is beside me, on the passenger side.

I have no clue about how I landed here, but at this moment I am happy. I have the feeling that I’ve known Arthur since I was a kid, although this might really be the first time I am seeing him. I wonder how I got to learn his name.

The broad road unravels under a broad blue sky, promising infinite possibilities. I smile, leaning my head against the seat.

Arthur looks at me, letting my mirth seep into him.

“You are right,” he smiles.

“With regard to what?” I ask.

“You are right about what we were discussing yesterday,” Arthur replies.

I wait for him to continue, hoping for an explanation that doesn’t come.

“Can you remind me of our conversation?” I ask after a pause.

Arthur laughs, shaking his head.

 “You’re strange today,” he says, and I shrug.

I am perfectly comfortable sitting beside this man.

“You remember that you and I are business partners, yes?” he teases me.

I laugh, pretending I do.

“Yes we are. What about it?” I ask.

“Of course you remember we’ve been building a time machine, your idea. If it works the way it should the world will no longer be the same. It all started from a lecture in which I discussed time and at the end of which you had some objections, as usual. And I must admit you had a point,” Arthur says with an unmodulated voice.

The plainness of Arthur’s tone is intended as a mockery. He’s far from guessing that I am learning about us from the fragments of information he’s delivering to me just now. I have a vague recollection of a lecture about time, but I would not be able to ascertain if this memory is real or imagined.

“And oh, I do hope you know we’re married,” Arthur adds, looking at me with a sardonic smile.

“I’ve always known,” I say, and the realization dawns on me at the same time I voice it.

“You’re crazy, but I care about you,” Arthur says, taking my hand.

I squeeze Arthur’s hand for a moment before I say, “You still haven’t told me what I was right about.”

“Yes, I haven’t. You always manage to divert the conversation, and every time I fall in your trap,” he laughs.

“You said that we should find a volunteer to test the time machine,” Arthur tells me.

“Did I say that? It makes sense. What if you and I volunteered?” I propose.

Arthur frowns and retreats his hand from mine.

“Well, we should believe in our project, no? If you and I want to defend our invention we should have the guts to be the first ones to try it out, don’t you think so?” I insist.

Arthur looks at me for a long moment, and I sense his resistance vacillate.

“Gosh Iris, you really are crazy,” he says.

“Is this a yes? I love you so much Arthur. So tonight’s the night?” I reply hastily, without leaving Arthur the time for any afterthoughts.

“Tonight’s the night,” Arthur agrees, as a shiver runs through his body, subtle and yet detectable.