Acme Time Travel Incorporated - Volume 1

Margaret stood at her front door, waving to Mary as the young woman set off home. She shut the front door and turned to John, who was sitting on his usual chair.

“Alright then, John. That was nice to see Mary, but now I think it is time for bed.” Margaret took John’s hand, pulling him up gently from his chair, leading him up to the toilet. Then, having taken care of John’s ablutions, she led him into his bedroom. Taking off his clothes, she put his pyjamas on him, then took off the old watch and placed it on the top of his bedside cabinet. As always, John stood placidly whilst this nightly event took place.

Margaret pulled back the light summer bed-cover, and laid John into bed.

John laid back and adopted the position in bed that his mother placed him in. She would place him initially on his left side, but then during the night she would come quietly into his room and turn him gently onto his right side. She did this to prevent him from getting cramp; also, it prevented him from getting sores. If John was awake, he would always keep his eyes tight shut. He very much loved his mother, and he understood why she turned him over, but he wished that he wasn’t such a burden.

. . . . . . .

It was 2:30 am, and Margaret’s internal body clock told her to wake up. She padded slowly and quietly into John’s bedroom. She always left the small dim light at the top of the stairs turned on all night. It gave her enough light to see her way into John’s room, but without waking him up. John was sleeping quietly, lying on his right side. She was only half-awake, but she realised that something had happened. She knew that there was no way that John could have turned over himself. She wondered if she had woken earlier and turned him over but could not now remember having done so. She had never done this before ... not once in all the years she had been caring for John.

Margaret leaned down and felt John’s forehead. He didn’t seem to have a fever, nor was he feeling chilled. His breathing was calm and relaxed. If she had indeed turned John over earlier, then maybe she should just try and get some more sleep.

She walked back to her own room. She was feeling slightly anxious. She knew that her resolve to get more sleep wasn’t going to help her right now. She climbed back into her bed, her worries for John tumbling around inside her head.