Out of Time 01 - Out of Time

Waves crashed into his chest, and he stood too stunned to move. Flames engulfed the ship. Burnished scarlet flickered on the dark ocean—a bonfire slowly consumed by the watery depths beneath it.
    His nightmare played out before his eyes in red and black. There was no past, no future, nothing by this endless abyss. He stared out blankly as the sea swallowed the fire and the remains of the ship sank below the waves.
    He didn’t know how long he stayed there. It didn’t really matter anymore. Time ceased to have meaning. With nothing to look forward to and only regrets to look back on, Simon slowly turned back toward the shore.
    Debris washed around him. Broken pieces of a life he might have had tumbled at his feet. His legs as numb as his heart, he stumbled on the sand. Was this what a living death was like? He’d been willing to die for her love, but he couldn’t face living without it. Gentle waves lapped at his feet, silently mocking his wish for a tidal wave to come and swallow him whole.
    He looked out at the vast nothingness of a black sea at night. Random pieces of flotsam and jetsam bobbed the surface, only to disappear again. Brown, grey and green. Green. His head snapped around as the flash of color caught his eye. Not more than twenty yards away, a pale green shape floated in the water.
    Elizabeth.
    He ran toward her, his heart sinking with each step. She lay face down in the water, a broken plank of wood caught under her chest. Her hair streamed out like an angel’s halo in the dark water.
    His hands shook as he reached out and took her by the shoulders. He knew what he’d find. He’d seen it a thousand times in his nightmares. Carefully, he turned her over. A gash sliced across her forehead, spilling blood down the side of her face.
    “No,” he rasped, as he pulled her body to his.
    He stood in the water holding her. The rain had stopped, but his tears fell.
    Her head lolled back and he lifted it up, cradling her limp body so very carefully. His fingers trembled as he stroked her cheek.
    “No.”
    The waves buffeted against him as he carried her through the shallow water to the shore. Laying her down on the sand, he tilted her head back and leaned down until his cheek hovered over her mouth.
    No breath.
    His heart pounded in his chest as he blew two quick breaths into her lifeless body. He would bring her back. He’d shove his very soul into her if he could.
    Still nothing. Her neck was ice cold, and he couldn’t feel a pulse. He laced his fingers over her chest and thrust down.
    “Come back,” he said. “Damn it, you come back to me!”
    More compressions and still her chest didn’t rise. He could feel her slipping away from him, but he be damned if he’d let her go.
    He wasn’t sure, but he thought her eyes fluttered. His heart skipped a beat. He cupped her cheek, willing life into her. “Elizabeth!”
    She coughed and water spilled out of her mouth. She gasped for breath, and Simon eased her head to the side. Finally, her eyes opened.
    “I knew you’d find me.”
    “Oh, love,” Simon gasped and gathered her into his arms.
    He looked to the heavens in thanks. The clouds had parted, and the moonlight shone brightly now. A dark sliver grew larger across the face of the moon. The eclipse had begun. They didn’t have much time. Simon slipped his arms under her and stood. He carried her down the beach back to where he’d cast off his jacket. Kneeling down, he gently set Elizabeth on the sand. Simon’s hands trembled as he fumbled through his pockets. Where was it? Finally, his fingers brushed over the cold metal and he pulled out the watch. The black disc already partially covered the moon dial. Simon grasped her hand tightly.
    “Don’t let go,” she said, and gripped his hand with both of her own.
    Simon tightened his grip. “Never.”
    The blue light sparked off the watch and snaked up his arm. Nothing would separate them now. Electric blue energy engulfed them. The world around them vibrated with frenetic energy. And they fell again into blackness.
    * * *
    Simon woke to the gentle sound of a crackling fire. He opened his eyes, and his living room coalesced around him. Two wine glasses sat on the coffee table on either side of a small mahogany box. His entire body ached, and he lifted a hand to massage the pain in his temple. Disorientation faded and the memories came back.
    “Elizabeth.” Dear God, what if she hadn’t made it back?
    He pushed himself up from the chair and