Timeshock - I Want My Life Back by Timothy Michael Lewis
Authors: Timothy Michael Lewis
Tags: TIme Travel Thriller
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Chapter 1
“Are you sure?” said Natalie.
“Yes, I’ve seen him a few times now,” said Nigel.
“I’d call the police if I were you. If you’re telling me about him then you must be worried,” said Natalie, cuddling Nigel.
“It’s probably nothing, just a strange mental patient interested in my shoes or something.”
Natalie drew in her breath. “Look you should do something about it. If you think this bald guy is following you then report him. I love you and I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
Nigel Saunders thought for a while about reporting the man who had been following him, but decided to ignore Natalie’s advice.
Two days later while walking home from the station, Nigel heard someone running behind him. Before he had a chance to react, Nigel felt a cold blade against his neck. He froze.
He heard a voice say “come with me - if you want to live” and he felt himself being pushed down a side alley. Nigel feared for his life. He complied. Turning around, he saw the middle-aged bald man who had been following him grasping the knife. The man looked almost apologetic – desperate rather than malicious.
“Who are you?” asked Nigel. “Raymond Deville, I need your help!” Just as the man was speaking a young woman passing the alleyway saw Nigel being held at knife-point and started screaming. Nigel managed to push Raymond out of the way and took the chance to run. He called the police when he got home.
A young female police officer sat with Nigel in the local police station and showed him photo stills of a man from a CCTV surveillance camera near the alleyway. Nigel confirmed the man was the person who had attacked him. The officer told Nigel that the only person named Raymond Deville they had on file had died almost ten years previously. She told Nigel that his attacker was probably delusional.
Nigel still felt worried but at least he knew the police were now looking for the man. He told Natalie about what had occurred and she consoled him, though she was worried too.
Nigel spent the next few days looking around every corner and feeling worried about being attacked but then gradually began reverting to his old routine. The same old routine - up at 7.30am for the commute to the City – then back for 7.30pm to spend a few hours with the kids. Nigel wondered what his life would have been like if he had continued working in theoretical physics rather than financial mathematics. It came down to money, if he was honest. Meeting Natalie and having children meant he needed a steady income. Complex derivatives pricing was a lot more lucrative than theoretical physics and he didn't really miss academic life.
A week later on a bright summer Monday night, Nigel got home to find his front door open. He rushed into the house, his heart was beating like a drum. He frantically dashed from room to room but nothing material seemed to be missing. Then he suddenly noticed that Natalie and the kids were nowhere to be seen.
On the living room table was a note - scrawled on a pad of paper - “If you want your wife and kids to live, go to Hilda's cafe on Park Road at 8.30pm tonight and sit outside – I will give you instructions. DO NOT CALL THE POLICE OR THEY WILL DIE”. Nigel felt an overwhelming sense of horror.
Nigel pondered – should he call the police? Surely they could stake out the cafe and catch the guy – but what if they failed or they caught him and he wouldn't tell them where Natalie was? No - he thought – best thing is to play along for now. He got up to go to Hilda’s cafe.
Nigel walked towards the cafe – he looked around to see if Raymond was anywhere to be seen. No. No sign of Raymond - there was just a small park opposite the cafe, overlooked by a series of stucco terraced houses. Nigel came up to the sole table outside. Then he realised the cafe was shut – he
“Are you sure?” said Natalie.
“Yes, I’ve seen him a few times now,” said Nigel.
“I’d call the police if I were you. If you’re telling me about him then you must be worried,” said Natalie, cuddling Nigel.
“It’s probably nothing, just a strange mental patient interested in my shoes or something.”
Natalie drew in her breath. “Look you should do something about it. If you think this bald guy is following you then report him. I love you and I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
Nigel Saunders thought for a while about reporting the man who had been following him, but decided to ignore Natalie’s advice.
Two days later while walking home from the station, Nigel heard someone running behind him. Before he had a chance to react, Nigel felt a cold blade against his neck. He froze.
He heard a voice say “come with me - if you want to live” and he felt himself being pushed down a side alley. Nigel feared for his life. He complied. Turning around, he saw the middle-aged bald man who had been following him grasping the knife. The man looked almost apologetic – desperate rather than malicious.
“Who are you?” asked Nigel. “Raymond Deville, I need your help!” Just as the man was speaking a young woman passing the alleyway saw Nigel being held at knife-point and started screaming. Nigel managed to push Raymond out of the way and took the chance to run. He called the police when he got home.
A young female police officer sat with Nigel in the local police station and showed him photo stills of a man from a CCTV surveillance camera near the alleyway. Nigel confirmed the man was the person who had attacked him. The officer told Nigel that the only person named Raymond Deville they had on file had died almost ten years previously. She told Nigel that his attacker was probably delusional.
Nigel still felt worried but at least he knew the police were now looking for the man. He told Natalie about what had occurred and she consoled him, though she was worried too.
Nigel spent the next few days looking around every corner and feeling worried about being attacked but then gradually began reverting to his old routine. The same old routine - up at 7.30am for the commute to the City – then back for 7.30pm to spend a few hours with the kids. Nigel wondered what his life would have been like if he had continued working in theoretical physics rather than financial mathematics. It came down to money, if he was honest. Meeting Natalie and having children meant he needed a steady income. Complex derivatives pricing was a lot more lucrative than theoretical physics and he didn't really miss academic life.
A week later on a bright summer Monday night, Nigel got home to find his front door open. He rushed into the house, his heart was beating like a drum. He frantically dashed from room to room but nothing material seemed to be missing. Then he suddenly noticed that Natalie and the kids were nowhere to be seen.
On the living room table was a note - scrawled on a pad of paper - “If you want your wife and kids to live, go to Hilda's cafe on Park Road at 8.30pm tonight and sit outside – I will give you instructions. DO NOT CALL THE POLICE OR THEY WILL DIE”. Nigel felt an overwhelming sense of horror.
Nigel pondered – should he call the police? Surely they could stake out the cafe and catch the guy – but what if they failed or they caught him and he wouldn't tell them where Natalie was? No - he thought – best thing is to play along for now. He got up to go to Hilda’s cafe.
Nigel walked towards the cafe – he looked around to see if Raymond was anywhere to be seen. No. No sign of Raymond - there was just a small park opposite the cafe, overlooked by a series of stucco terraced houses. Nigel came up to the sole table outside. Then he realised the cafe was shut – he
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