Acme Time Travel Incorporated - Volume 2

Ginny and Moth’s flat

“Do you fancy crumpets?” Ginny said.

“Sounds good, good, good,” Moth called through from the bathroom.

Ginny teased two crumpets from the pack. They tended to stick together. They had to be levered apart.

“It was just the other day,” Ginny said, slipping the two crumpets down into the toaster, “when Gabriel said that the breakfast I had made was really marvellous.”

“I know ... you already told me.”

“And then he asked me ... like really cautiously ... would it be alright if we did it again.”

“Yeah, you told me that as well,” said Moth, smiling.

“I’ll put some coffee on,” said Ginny.

“I’ll check if the milk’s come yet,” Moth said.

Ginny heard Moth unlocking and opening the flat door, heard her walking down the stairs.

Ginny measured out two heaped spoons of coffee into the percolator.

“Hey Ginny,” she heard Moth calling out, her voice low, little more than a whisper.

“What’s up?” Ginny said, walking over to the door of the flat.

Moth was standing at the bottom of the stairs. She was looking up the stairs at Ginny, gesturing for Ginny to be quiet.

Gabriel was laid asleep at the bottom of the stairs.

Ginny rushed down the stairs. “Is he ok?” she whispered to Moth.

Gabriel was curled up, into an almost foetal position.

“I bet he has laid here all night,” Moth said. “He might be a bit chilled.”

Ginny bent down and put her hand on Gabriel’s face. He felt cold. She leaned forwards, pressing her face against his, trying to give him some of her warmth. She stroked his hair. She nuzzled into him.

“Ginny?” Gabriel said, waking with a start.

Ginny sat up, moving away from him, giving him space to sit up.

Gabriel sat up slowly. He looked around himself, looked up at Ginny, looked up at Moth.

“Ginny?” Gabriel said. “I didn’t ...”

Ginny stood up, leaving Gabriel sitting on the floor. He looked instantly hurt.

She bent down and held her hands out to him.

He grasped them. She levered him up.

She kept hold of his hands after he had stood up.

“Shall I put some more crumpets on?” Moth said, picking up the milk.

“I think you’d better,” Ginny said. “My boyfriend’s just called round for breakfast.”

Moth smiled to herself.

Ginny tugged at Gabriel’s hand, leading him up the stairs to their flat.