Acme Time Travel Incorporated - Volume 2

SEG002

Ginny had lain in the MED unit for two days, during which time she had seemed to have been kept in a state of semi-consciousness. Within the MED unit’s canopy, within the golden mist surrounding her body, Gabriel could see that Ginny was connected up to several tubes. He guessed that some of them were providing her with nourishment whilst her body healed itself. He had moped about the starship for the last two days, seemingly unable to do anything. He knew that he was fearing the point when Ginny awoke and found out what had happened. He couldn’t imagine how he could begin to explain it. He couldn’t imagine how she might treat him. He feared that she would never forgive him.

Gabriel woke up. He had fallen asleep on the floor. He had contrived a nest of pillows and bedding that he had scavenged from their bedroom. The MED unit canopy was open, and Ginny was sitting up. She was looking down at him, watching him wake up.

“Morning, sleepy-head,” she said.

Ginny was wearing a light-blue T-shirt and matching panties. The stumps of her legs were hanging over the side of the open MED unit. The stumps were still encased in the creamy-white substance he had seen earlier.

“Vicky has told me what happened,” she said.

She watched as Gabriel slowly stood up. He couldn’t help but stare at the place where her legs had been, though he was obviously trying not to.

“You saved my life,” she said.

Gabriel was beginning to shudder. She could see the shock permeating his body. He was so afraid. So afraid for her.

She held her arms out to him.

“I really need to cuddle you,” she said. “I really need to cuddle you right now.”

He walked towards her. She could see him trembling. He didn’t know what to do. He didn’t know where to look.

As he came closer, she grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him towards her. She had to take his arms and wrap them around herself. He buried his face into the nape of her neck. He began to sob. His whole body seemed to shudder with his pain. She held him as tightly as she could, and she could feel his tears on her skin.

“You saved my life, Gabriel. And just because I wanted to watch a storm.”

“It was my fault, Ginny. Maybe we shouldn’t have come here at all. Maybe this was all a mistake ... trying to get to ACME ... trying to ...”

She could barely make out his words.

“I should have ... I should have ... and now I can’t even be strong for you.”

She stroked the back of his head, the back of his neck.

“Oh God, Ginny. What are we ... what will we ...?”

“Gabriel ... you saved my life.”

She leaned back, away from him, then took hold of his face, pulling it up so that he was looking directly at her, inches away from her face.

“We’ll be ok, Gabriel. We’ll get through this. We were unlucky. Maybe we were a bit stupid. But you saved me, Gabriel. You and Vicky. You both saved me.”

She pulled his face closer to her and kissed him. A slow, loving kiss. She felt him relax. He put his arms back around her and hugged her.

She thought maybe they were going to be alright.