Chapter 2

"Howard, wake up or you'll be late for school."

Howard got up from the bed and tousled his hair. He hated being called that name but since it was his mother there was nothing he could do.

Fifteen minutes later, he was walking to school, warmly dressed. Up ahead he saw his classmate and crush Lynx. Well, that was her nickname but just like him she disliked being called by her name. He caught up to her and hugged her and the two silently walked to school.

This was his second week here at St. Paskin's Secondary school. His parents had moved here from a small town because of work. He was a fourth-year student waiting to sit the national exam in a few months after which he would have about a year before joining a tertiary institution.

However, he didn't plan on joining one, as long as his parents didn't force him. He had other plans that didn't include seating in another classroom. His distant cousin had an opening for a hunter and tracker and he felt oddly drawn to it.

The only thing or person who would change his mind was the girl walking beside him. From the first day that he had joined the school, she had been friendly with him and showed him around the school compound. They had even walked home together as they both stayed near the school along the same route.

Lyffit Kyojin, that was her name though she introduced herself as Lynx. Unlike him, she was the daughter of a well-known businessman in the city and she was the only girl as well as the lastborn. He had first been enamoured by her smile and height when he sat at the empty desk beside her. He had expected her to be cold and aloof to his presence but from the moment he sat his behind down on the wooden chair, she had made him feel comfortable.

During lunchbreak, she was the one who had volunteered to show him the school compound, as well as all the nook and crannies that she knew about. She had laughed at his cheesy jokes as well as listened to his story.

Howard was an only child, raised by his mother because his father was always travelling. They finally managed to buy a house in the neighbourhood as his father was about to retire. He had had enough of gallivanting across the country.

The mother had opened a little pastry shop just at the corner of the street opposite The Coffee Shop. The only coffee shop within the neighbourhood. A quaint little place that he was yet to visit.

It was at this moment that the two were passing outside the window of the shop when three ladies stepped out and almost bumped into him.

"Sorry, Howard," the youngest of the three said looking at him.

He was surprised at his name being called but when he looked at her, he felt like he had seen her earlier. 

"Ah, I see you have lost the smaller scarf already," she continued, "Well no biggie, right you still have the other one."

Before Howard could comment the three had crossed the road leaving him and Lynx rooted to the spot. 

"What was that about?" Lynx broke the silence.

Howard shook his head but he knew what scarf was being talked about. In his possession, he had a silver scarf that was almost three times his body length. Just before he moved here he had lost a similar smaller-sized one. The funny thing was he had no recollection of buying the scarf and neither did his mother.

"Would you like coffee?" Howard asked pushing the door open to the café. She smiled and entered the building. They headed to the barista who had been watching them with a smile on his face.

"Will you be having the usual?" he asked Howard looking at him.

Before he could reply, the barista swung around and turned on the grinder, drowning out any sound that would issue forth from his mouth.

Lynx looked around noting the café was empty except for two men who were watching her subtly. She stared at them then turned her attention back to Howard, who was receiving a cornetto and a takeaway cappuccino.

"Cinnamon and ginger cappuccino for you and an iced dawa for the lady. It's on the house."

The two muttered their gratitude and left. Once outside, Lynx took sipped her iced drink, "That was weird, I thought you said you just moved here."

Howard nodded taking a bite of his cornetto, "Yes and that was my first time entering the shop. I didn't even know I had a usual, though this combination is slapping all the right places."

Lynx nodded in agreement deciding that from now on her favourite drink would be the iced dawa. She followed him across the street and into the new pastry shop. Howard entered the warmly lit shop and found his mother dusting down the glass display. 

He gave his mother a quick kiss on the cheek and introduced Lynx to her. Lynx watched as the two had friendly banter and a smile spread on her face. She imagined Howard reaching that level of comfort with her. To a stranger, mother and son looked like very close friends.

The doorbell tinkled as the door opened and two men walked in. She stared at them and a frown formed on her face. The two men gave her a quick glance and approached them. They were welcomed and Howard took the opportunity to disengage himself. 

His mother gave them a batch of freshly made cookies and then turned her attention to the two men. Ten minutes later, Lynx arrived at her gate and the two parted ways. 

She entered the gate and walked up the driveway where she saw her elder brother watering the lawn. She went up to him and sighed.

"Whose idea is it to have bodyguards following me all over?"

"Lovely day to you too sis. That would be your grandfather's but you didn't hear it from me."

She shook her head exasperatedly and stormed into the house. As she was the only girl and granddaughter, she was watched over closely. That's another reason she hated her name, it was easily associated with the most powerful and richest silver fox in the city.

Her grandfather had his fingers in many pies all over the city making him the most influential man around. He had more power than even the mayor and government authorities. That was the sole reason she introduced herself as Lynx. 

The nickname that her father gave her. Her father too didn't like the attention that his father-in-law had and that was the sole reason he had moved them to this small neighbourhood. Unfortunately, her grandfather still managed to watch over them such as now. She would have to talk to her parents about the not-so-discreet bodyguards.

It was the weekend, three days after he had gone on an informal date with Lynx. He couldn't hide the fact that he was into her and she knew it. Usually, he was so adept at hiding his feelings but around her, he just felt comfortable and free.

Today, he was going on a cycling date with her, he would stop by her house in an hour. As she was a local, she knew the area better and had planned their itinerary. He bade goodbye to his mother letting her know he would be away from the house until evening. 

He cycled over to her street and found her just getting on the bike. She smiled at him, giving him a quick hug. She told him there were some small hills that she loved visiting when alone. He agreed and they pedalled over. They spent the day riding around until let afternoon when they had a small picnic under a grove of trees beside a little brook. 

Lynx lay her head on his shoulders and sighed contentedly. Howard looked down at her smiling face and internally debated whether to kiss her or not. He settled for placing his hand on her forehead lightly. 

That evening as he prepared to go to sleep, he entered a stare of detachment from his body. He felt like he was staring at his body from a different window. He couldn't explain why but he felt as if something was about to happen. He sighed and got into bed.

Howard dusted his grey sweatpants and looked up at the old mansion. He let out a deep sigh and headed up the old rickety stairs that creaked with every step he took. The cold evening wind brushed his face and he swore felt a light touch. He didn't know why, but ever since his parents moved into this neighbourhood, he had this strange dream for the last one week.

In the dream, he found his way to the house at the end of the street. However, unlike now, the house was a four-bedroomed maisonette warmly lit but abandoned. He always felt this force draw him upstairs to the attic but as soon as he climbed up to the room, he would wake up instantly.

A sneeze escaped him as a speck of dust tickled his nostrils. He paused for a moment expecting anything to happen. After a minute, he finally reached the end of the wooden hallway and looked up at the dangling rope. Compared to the rest of the house, the rope was as good as new. He pulled on it and a wooden ladder descended from the roof. 

A wave of warmth washed over him, encouraging him to climb the ladder, which he did. He stepped into the attic expecting it to be dark, but the setting sun illuminated it with a dull orange hue. The attic was empty except for a rustic old table at the centre of the room.

Howard approached warily, staring at the box and frowned. His name was scrawled on it. The box was slightly heavy and slightly cold. He opened it pulling out a pocket watch. 

The pocket watch was rustic silver in colour. It had a crow perched on a branch engraved on it.

He opened the lid to see the face had three miniature hands set on a background of what looked like a representation of the solar system. It showed all the planets in the solar system in a linear arrangement.

The hands were resting at midnight. On the side of the pocket watch was a simple button. He turned it over and the bird was staring at him, wings open ready to fly. He quickly flipped the watch to the other side, only to find the bird perched.

He let out a small chuckle then stopped. He looked closely at the bird noting that in as much as it was perched, it was on one leg. This time he decided to let the lid open and flipped it.

On the back cover, the etched bird opened its beak, {I won't keep on flitting from lid to lid I am not a sparrow}

Howard almost dropped the pocket watch. He felt the watch warm up.

{It has been centuries before a human has laid their hands on me. Press that button and let's start off.}

He pressed the button on the side and all the hands started spinning rapidly in reverse as if it was being wound up.

{I may as well do the introduction as we wait. My name is Chronos, Aion, and Kairos, I am three and the three are me. I am the embodiment of time. I can travel anywhere, anytime within the constraints of this neighbourhood. However, unlike some little blue police boxes that have the gall of thinking they can flit across time and space, I am a God. I have no limitations.}

"So we can do anything?"

The Crow raised an eyebrow {I said I am, not we are. You are just a vessel I need to get back to my right time and place. I need to get back and make sure that headstrong son of mine doesn't overthrow me.}

"You want me to help you fight against Zeus? If he could turn you into this pocket watch of which I assume he did, then imagine what he can do to a mere human like myself."

{Humans have such limited faith, especially in this era. I am going to make sure that you no longer exist.}

"Pretty bold of you to assume I will help you."

The crow chuckled, {I am only respecting you, but it will just take a thought to make you subservient. Which do you prefer, be my mindless slave or work with me to achieve my goals?}

"Well, I suppose having a god in your pocket is beneficial to me," Howard said pocketing the watch.

{I know what that phrase means human, be glad I am still calibrating myself.}

Howard laughed and walked out of the attic.

{Tomorrow you will be in a different place, make sure that you have everything that you may need, also travel light, I am after all a God.}

Howard woke up, his heart beating wildly and he looked around. It was still dark and his bedside clock beeped 2:45 AM. He sighed and closed his eyes, waiting for sleep to once again cradle him.