Book of Time XXIV: The Final Hour
An acre of land,
found between the ocean strands,
stood strong as a bridge
across an expanding void.
There was no time, only light.
The tired mother said,
“Let me hold my baby girl.”
Her husband complied,
moving the newborn with care.
She said, “Please see to our guests.”
Parsley held Mary,
who lay sieged by strange illness.
Mary said, “You’re bright.”
The man cleaned his hands
before checking her forehead.
Parsley said to him,
“Is there a doctor nearby?”
He answered, “I am.
Before I became a knight,
I served as a physician.”
Mary whispered, “Sage?”
A silhouette cast a light
pointing to their car.
Parsley said, “Sage isn’t here.
Mary, this man can help you.”
The man said to them,
“Her symptoms are evident
of extreme fatigue.
You two should stay overnight.”
Mary said, “We cannot stay.”
Parsley asked, “Why not?”
Mary said, “It’s not our time.
We belong elsewhere.”
The mother said, “If you must.
Thank you for saving our daughter.”
Parsley helped Mary
to her feet and to the car.
Mary recovered
the moment they drove away.
Mary reached for Parsley’s hand.
At camp Delaney,
it was tradition to host
a reenactment
of a famous hero’s tale
beginning with a mock crash.
The camp guide began,
“A gust of fated wind blew
that DeLorean
right where it needed to be…”
Parsley and Mary drove in.
A wave of applause
overtook the narration.
The guide stood speechless.
Parsley rolled down the window,
“Did someone call an Uber?”
One camper chuckled,
“They still used Uber back then?”
Sage ran to the car.
“Parsley! I can’t believe it!”
Delaney fought back her tears.
Their warm reunion
caught the whole camp’s affection.
Parsley said, “Get in!”
The DeLorean flew off,
much to each camper’s surprise.
Ty walked beside Rose.
When they reached Scarborough Fair,
Rose breathed a deep sigh.
“I remember how Mary
always refused to join me.”
Ty asked, “Why was that?”
Rose said, “She used to tell me,
what if they come back?
So, she’d wait for her parents,
but they had passed long before.”
A loud horn rang from
Delaney’s DeLorean.
Then Mary called out,
“Are you going to the fair?”
Rose cried, “Mary? Oh, thank God!”
Back at the knight’s lodge,
the man brought his wife a tray
with fresh herbal tea.
She said, “I have decided.
Our daughter’s name is Mary.”
found between the ocean strands,
stood strong as a bridge
across an expanding void.
There was no time, only light.
The tired mother said,
“Let me hold my baby girl.”
Her husband complied,
moving the newborn with care.
She said, “Please see to our guests.”
Parsley held Mary,
who lay sieged by strange illness.
Mary said, “You’re bright.”
The man cleaned his hands
before checking her forehead.
Parsley said to him,
“Is there a doctor nearby?”
He answered, “I am.
Before I became a knight,
I served as a physician.”
Mary whispered, “Sage?”
A silhouette cast a light
pointing to their car.
Parsley said, “Sage isn’t here.
Mary, this man can help you.”
The man said to them,
“Her symptoms are evident
of extreme fatigue.
You two should stay overnight.”
Mary said, “We cannot stay.”
Parsley asked, “Why not?”
Mary said, “It’s not our time.
We belong elsewhere.”
The mother said, “If you must.
Thank you for saving our daughter.”
Parsley helped Mary
to her feet and to the car.
Mary recovered
the moment they drove away.
Mary reached for Parsley’s hand.
At camp Delaney,
it was tradition to host
a reenactment
of a famous hero’s tale
beginning with a mock crash.
The camp guide began,
“A gust of fated wind blew
that DeLorean
right where it needed to be…”
Parsley and Mary drove in.
A wave of applause
overtook the narration.
The guide stood speechless.
Parsley rolled down the window,
“Did someone call an Uber?”
One camper chuckled,
“They still used Uber back then?”
Sage ran to the car.
“Parsley! I can’t believe it!”
Delaney fought back her tears.
Their warm reunion
caught the whole camp’s affection.
Parsley said, “Get in!”
The DeLorean flew off,
much to each camper’s surprise.
Ty walked beside Rose.
When they reached Scarborough Fair,
Rose breathed a deep sigh.
“I remember how Mary
always refused to join me.”
Ty asked, “Why was that?”
Rose said, “She used to tell me,
what if they come back?
So, she’d wait for her parents,
but they had passed long before.”
A loud horn rang from
Delaney’s DeLorean.
Then Mary called out,
“Are you going to the fair?”
Rose cried, “Mary? Oh, thank God!”
Back at the knight’s lodge,
the man brought his wife a tray
with fresh herbal tea.
She said, “I have decided.
Our daughter’s name is Mary.”
THE END
Richard Auriga
Nassau County, NY
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