At night I watch her dance, the sweet village girl, how she smiles and I would give my soul to have her smile at me, but she comes here for peace and quiet from her problems, this angel.
How I wish I were brave, strong as steel to deserve such a dancer, but I have given my name to science, and I wished to save the day another way. The world of 2018 is dying, and I thought I could use my machine to go back, to be like the heroes of old days and warn the people of before.
I thought I was smarter than this, but my machine malfunctioned, and I have travelled much further than I should. At night, I creep back into the woods to untangle it from the trees and try to undo my mistakes; for the locals would hang me as a witch if they knew the truth.
But I would cross galaxies to see this angel dance, this girl who keeps me from my work when she shouts at the stars, spitting at the tyranny back in her village when corrupt officials kill her neighbors and burn their homes.
I can see such bravery in her eyes that shame those stars, steel that I envy but know I can never have. I am a man of science and know I can get back to 2018 if I keep working, if the angel would cease invading my dreams. So, I wake refreshed with my mind on one thing.
But all I know is angels, and that idiotic part of me that got me stranded here in the first place wonders what would happen if I spoke to her, if this Marion noticed me.
Oh, what a hero it would make if she smiled at me.
Then the world would know me for something more than science.
Maybe it would know Robin Loxley for something great.
Matthew Wilson, 34 has been published over 150 times in such
places as Horror*Zine, Zimbell House Publishing, Star*Line, Alban Lake
and many more. He is currently editing his first novel