TIME TRAVELLER


Ezra and Lizzy are a newly married couple. They just bought a new house in a peaceful colony and moved into it. The house was not a big one, but was very beautiful. The couple were very excited in starting their new life. They got a descent job in a good company and soon they started planning for their future.


Couple of months later, while she was on a leave, Lizzy was cleaning the house when she found something under their sofa. It looked like an electronic gadget. Unsure of what it may be, she kept it in a drawer of her wardrobe to show it to her husband. In the evening, her husband came back with a news that he has been promoted as a manager and he has his own car now. He took his wife for a drive and together they had a dinner in an expensive restaurant. There he told his wife that he was ready to start planning for his family. Both were happy and had a good time. But Lizzy completely forgot about the device she had found.


Days went by and soon Lizzy had a good news for her husband. Ezra was on top of the sky when he heard it. The couple eagerly awaited another member in their family. Both of them decided that if they were blessed with a boy, they will name him Edward and if a girl is born, they’ll name her Sarah. Everything was going as planned.


One morning, Lizzy got a letter from her aunt Griselda who lived in a nearby village. She offered to come home to look after Lizzy until the delivery. Ezra thought it was a good idea, but Lizzy was sceptical as her aunt never liked her since childhood. So, Ezra wrote to his elder sister, Miriam, who lived in the same city to help him look after Lizzy and she came as soon as she got her brother’s letter.


Miriam stayed at home and cared for Lizzy while Ezra would go to work. Lizzy was at bed rest and a kind old lady in the neighbourhood would often come to check on her health. One day while Miriam was arranging the clothes in the cupboard, Lizzy remembered the device she had found under the sofa. She asked Miriam to open the drawer and get it. Miriam was looking at the device all over as if it was a strange object and Lizzy told her how she found it lying under the sofa an year ago while she was cleaning the house. It was strange that she had forgot to mention about it to her husband. Miriam was still wondering what it could be when suddenly Lizzy called out to Miriam. Miriam checked on her and immediately rushed to the neighbouring house where the old lady lived. The lady came to the house and soon a beautiful baby girl was born.


Ezra came home and was so happy to find both his daughter and wife healthy. He thanked god for so many blessings he received. Miriam took the baby and started cuddling it, praising her beautiful face which resembled Lizzy’s.


Ezra distributed sweets around the colony and donated to the poor generously. Miriam wished both of them and returned to her house. The couple thanked her heartily.

Days went by and one morning, both Lizzy and Ezra woke up with strange and continuous beeps in their bedroom. Ezra searched everywhere but could not find the source. Lizzy was still bed ridden. Ezra opened the bag of clothes from under the bed and the Beep sound increased. He took off some of the clothes from it and then pulled out the strange device which was making the sound. Lizzy told him the story of how she got the device at her home and she had forgot to tell him about it. Ezra was surprised to see the strange device. What is this device? What does it do? How did the device come into their house?


Ezra and Lizzy looked around it carefully. It was a flat device with a screen on one side and a panel on the other, there was a small blue light blinking on the corner of the panel which was making the beep sounds. On left side of the device, Ezra found a small button and pressed it unwittingly. The screen came alive and read, ‘Scanning the reader’s retina…… Welcome Mr. Ezra Daniels!’


Ezra and Lizzy were taken aback and dropped the device on the bed. The device still went on. It said, ‘Hello Mrs. and Mr. Daniels, this is year 2000, month June, date 23, exactly 37 years into your future. This device is a JTT-872 Time Travelling Machine Extension. I have a message for you…’

Ezra took the device in his hands.


A video clip played on. A young lady in the video appeared and said, ‘Hi mum, Hi dad…… This is Sarah, your daughter from the future.’ Both Lizzy and Ezra were dumbstruck.


‘Don’t be surprised yet. That part comes later. I have invented this time travelling machine and I’m sending this device across to you as a test. So, if you have found this device and if you are getting my message, then that means my experiment is successful. Eureka…..! I’m sorry the video is only of 60 seconds, there are still lot of adjustments to be done. By the way, Please listen, as this is really important. Please be alert tonight as there is something going to happen which isn’t good for us. Mom, you were right about aunt Griselda. You will know it tonight. Take care both of you and love you so much. Bye.’
And the video turned off.


Lizzy and Ezra sat there in silence. They looked at each other blankly for a few moments. Ezra took the device in his hands and examined it once again.


It was Lizzy who first spoke. ‘ What was that?’ Ezra continued to examine the device.

‘Could it be true, Ezra? Lizzy asked again in amazement.

‘Our daughter has made it Lizzy,’ he said.

‘Our daughter has made it possible in the future.’ He almost screamed with joy.


He took Lizzy’s hand in his and said. ‘Oh! Liz, What else do we need Liz? We saw our daughter in the future doing better than us. She is brilliant, Liz. She… She has achieved the impossible. We should be proud of her.’

Ezra couldn't control himself. He went near the cradle of his baby and saw her sleeping peacefully.


‘We don’t need anything else in life now, my daughter. You have given us the most precious gift that any parents would have received.’ He said almost in tears. ‘Liz, give me your hand.’ he took Lizzy’s hand again. ‘Give me your hand, Liz, lest I will fall on the ground with joy. God, you are kind to me. I can never repay your kindness to me. Thank you so much, god.’ He said before embracing Lizzy. Liz took him in her arms and they both wept with joy.


Lizzy lifted her head from the arms of Ezra and asked him slowly, ‘Ezra, Sarah was saying something about aunt Griselda.’ Ezra got up and wiped his tears. ‘I wonder what that wretched lady is upto.’ Said Lizzy.


‘Tell me about your aunt. And why is she the way you say she is.’ Ezra asked.


‘My mother’s step sister. She always envied my mother and never missed a chance to trouble her. When I was born, my mother said she tried to steal me from the cradle and sell me to a local person. When my grandfather came to know her intentions, he bought her a house in the neighbouring village and sent her there and told her not to come back ever again. She started living there with her drunkard husband, 2 daughters and a son for a while. Some years later, her husband lost the house in gambling and took to drinking too much. He died in the same year. I heard her daughter eloped with a fisherman last year just before our marriage. I had almost forgot about her until we received her letter.’ Lizzy said.


‘That means she probably knows all about you too,’ Ezra said. Lizzy’s eyes popped out and she nodded her head in agreement.


‘Well, let’s see what she is up to. We’ll come to know tonight as Sarah said. And to know that, we have to turn the lights off tonight and should be asleep at our usual timings.’ Ezra said and went in the kitchen to get some breakfast. When they had finished their breakfast, Ezra went out looking for the security guards of the colony to alert them to keep an eye for any unusual activity near their house. Then he came back and started discussing about their daughter.


When the day was over, they made preparations for the unusual night. Ezra turned the lights off at their routine timings and rested on the sofa which was in the hall. Lizzy was getting afraid for her daughter’s safety and couldn’t calm down and so Ezra had to keep the lights on in her room. Then he returned to the hall.


At around midnight, there was a timid knock on the door. Lizzy sat up frightened, but Ezra went to her room, calmed her down and went towards the door.


‘Who is it?’ he asked loudly.

‘Pardon me sir, but a lady wants to meet you. She says she is your aunt.’ said the guard.

Ezra opened the door and looked at her. An old lady with stiff face, a hat and a long coat stood outside his door.


‘Mr. Ezra, my name is Griselda. I’m Lizzy’s aunt.’ the proud lady said and was trying hard to bring a gentle smile on her face.


Ezra smiled back, let her in and thanked the guard.


Ezra switched on the lights and asked her the reason to drop in at this time of hour. But the lady kept on looking around the house. He then asked whether she had come to meet Lizzy. She nodded her head in agreement.

Ezra said, ‘Lizzy is sleeping in the next room. Come with me, I shall take you to her.’

But the lady did not respond. She looked at him with her stiff face.

‘Are you okay ma’m?’ asked Ezra with a serious tone.

‘I wanted to talk to you before we go to Lizzy.’ she said.


Ezra gestured her to sit on the sofa and he himself sat at the opposite side. ‘Would you like to have some tea?’

‘No.’ she said and sat on the sofa slowly and looking at him burst into tears.

Ezra was already prepared for all these. He asked, ‘Why do you cry?

He handed her a glass of water.


Griselda drank some water and started her tale in between her fake sobs. She said that she had been a wretched lady all her life and very cruel towards Lizzy and her mother.

‘But all these years I have repented for my sins. I lost my good husband. My daughters have eloped without informing me and my son threw me out of my own house. I have nowhere to go now.’ She sobbed without a tear in her eye.

‘All these years I remembered Lizzy and cursed myself for my cruel intentions towards her mother. I heard about Lizzy’s good health and felt very happy. I wanted to be at her side during her good time, so I sent her a letter. But she didn’t respond to me. I think she has not forgiven me all these years. And if she doesn’t forgive me today, I would better kill myself.’


Ezra listened to her quietly and then said in a serious tone, ‘Past is past, ma’m. We have to live in our present now. You were right in deciding to talk to me before going to Lizzy. But first you have to be true to yourself and then tell me something. You came here far from your village, why? What is the intention behind it? Ask yourself ma’m. You say you had been very bad to Lizzy and her mother. But why have you come here tonight and why not before? Don’t mind my words, but could it be possible that you have come here to steal the happiness of your only niece?


The word ‘steal’ made her tremble and she raised her head in shock.

But Ezra continued, ‘You say your children have abandoned you. Consider myself and Liz as your own children for a while. So, have you come here to ruin you children’s life? Questions such as these arise in the minds. Your children have abandoned you, as you said. We may willingly let you stay with us because we don’t have any ill-will against you in our hearts. But the question is do you consider Lizzy as your own daughter? Do you love her?’

Griselda narrowed her eyes.

Ezra continued, ‘You know Liz has never spoken to me about you in all these years until your letter reached us. You had evil intentions against her, you may have envied her mother, but let me tell you something about Liz. After all your deeds, she has never hated you from the bottom of her heart. My Liz is very sweet. She doesn’t know the meaning of the word ‘hate.’ Now, god has blessed her with a beautiful baby and she intends to give her all the love and warmth she could possibly give her. And here you are, tonight, alone, at this hour, came to meet your niece. To do what?’

Griselda was getting uncomfortable, but sat in silence looking downcast listening to all his words.

‘Consider me as your son aunty.’ Ezra said with respect and Griselda once again rose her head and looked into Ezra’s eyes. They had love and respect for her.

Ezra continued, ‘Tell me, from the bottom of your heart. You are a woman. Just tell me this once. Is the reason a good one, that you have taken so much trouble to come here at this hour all alone? Tell me if you consider me worthy enough to help….’

Griselda interrupted him, stood up and turned away from him. She had enough of these lovely words. Its been long since she had heard about love and respect.

She turned to Ezra and said, ‘I’m going!’ and hurried towards the door.

Ezra was surprised by her behaviour and followed her to the door, requesting her to stop. She opened the door and once again looked back around the house and smiled.

‘Listen ma’m, You came here to see Lizzy, didn’t you? Ezra asked her confused.


‘No dear, my son is waiting outside your colony,’ She smiled.

‘And I had come here to steal your baby somehow.’ She added and went away silently.


The night passed with a sense of confusion for the couple.


The next afternoon there was a rumour all over the colony that an old woman with her son has been caught trying to steal a baby in the neighbouring village. Ezra comforted Lizzy as she held her baby in her arms. The baby smiled at both of them.

#write #writco #timetravel #writcostorychallenge
#WritcoPrompt #meraishq
© Ashraf