After a while of walking (and listening to Malik talk endlessly about every country there is), Andy taps me on the arm.

I look at her. "Yes?"

She looks uncertain and deep in though. "Hey, Luke, don't you think that, well.." she pauses. "How do I put this without looking stupid?"

"Just say it. I will not mind." I say, wondering what Andy is about to ask.

"Basically, you only came, what, fourty-one years from the future, right? Well, I was wondering, we would still be alive then, so there's a creepy chance you might know us from your reality."

I stop, taking this in. She has a point. "I- I do not think so."

Her shoulders slump and she looks dejected. "Oh. Okay. Just wondering."

I study her features, racking my brain to see if I recognise anything that looks familiar. And then it comes to me. My jaw drops as realisation dawns on me.

Andy raises an eyebrow. "What is it?"

I look at her harder. It has to be. "I think I might know you." I smile. "Or possibly your future daughter, or niece."

She makes a face like she is about to puke. "Ewww, as if I would ever have kids." she seems interested though. "Who is it, then?"

I pause, only just realising what this meant. "Irina Forde, or Mrs Forde, as she is more commonly known. She has to be." I remember Mrs Forde's looks of loathing. "In that case, I feel bad for you. Honestly."

Andy thinks for a moment. "Let me guess: this Mrs Forde is horrible to you and hates your sister and no one likes her."

I gape at her. "How did you know that?"

Andy gives a cheeky smile. "Well, she is my future daughter, after all. Motherly instinct."

I laugh. "No. Just no."

She shrugs and laughs. "Just saying. It's gonna happen, after all. But don't worry- I won't ask you to baby-sit."

We both crack up and for about five minutes and it is the after-laughter sighs that set us off again. After we have stopped laughing, Malik stops talking and turns to us.

"Guys, you know I could hear everything?"

Andy manages to pull a straight face and look innocent. "Everything?"

"Yes." he pauses. "Do you really think I talk too much?"

Andy looks at him seriously. "You're only just asking that now?"

He nods. "Yup. So, do I?"

I do not say anything, trying to be polite, but Andy nods whole-heartedly. "Yes. Why though?"

Malik smiles and shrugs. "It's fun speaking a new language. And good practice."

Wait, what? I look at him in shock. "You mean, you talk so much in English and it is not even your first language?"

He punches the air in glee and grins madly. "So you can't tell? I'm improving!"

Andy looks just as shocked as me. "Wait, so what's your first language? Do you talk as much in that as well?"

"Arabic. And no, I don't talk as much- I'm already fluent. I just speak a lot in English to practice it. Clever, right?"

I nod. "If you are already that good, it must work."

He mock-bows. "Why, thank you."

Suddenly, a twig snaps behind us, which is odd because their are not many people around. Then there is a shuffle and an urgent voice that belongs to a man. I turn around nervously, trying to see who it is.

"Who is-"

But before I can say anything, four people leap put of the shadows and come towards us. 

It all happens so quickly. 

Malik says something, but the man covers his mouth with his hand. I try to run towards him but as soon as I take a step, a woman hits me hard on the side of the head with a baton of some sort and pushes me onto the ground. The last thing I remember is Andy yelling in shock before the world goes black and I sink into unconciousness.....

***

I wake up in a darkened room. Feeling slightly dizzy, I sit up and look around. The room I am in seems to be underground, and if I squint, I can see a small, narrow bed in the corner. I try to stand up, but pain explodes in the back of my eyes and I stumble.

"Whoa there. Take it easy. You hit your head way to hard to be walking around that fast." I jump at the voice, but relax when I realise it is only Malik.

I slide back down to the floor. "Where are we?" I ask.

Although I cannot see, I can sense Malik next to me, frowning. "I'm not sure. What do you remember?"

I pause, recalling the events. "Seeing the people. Then not much else."

"Okay. That's good." Malik replies.

I just realise that Andy is not here- she would have said something by now. "Where is Andy?"

Malik thinks for a moment. "Not here. They took her to a seperate section. One for females, I think."

I nod slowly. "Okay. Hopefully she is okay." I look to where I think Malik is. "What happened? After, you know?"

"They covered our mouths and dragged us here. They weren't covering our eyes though, so I could see where we went. This place is like an underground, super old cell or something. We can't escape or anything though because the woman- her name's Dianne- is watching us." he sucks his teeth in disapproval. "And smoking."

"Okay. So what do we do?"

He pauses for a moment. "I don't know. We'll have to wait until they stop looking or get tired of us." His voice now has a mischievous edge. "Or shall I say, tired of me."

I catch on to what he is saying immediately and smile. "You are a complete genius."

Malik chuckles. "I know, right?"

He then stands up and walks over to what seems like the outline of a door. He knocks on it, and I cannot help but smile at his attempts to be polite. The woman, Dianne, knocks back a few seconds later.

"What'cha want?" she said impatiently.

Malik puts on his most innocent voice. "Well, I was wondering..."

Dianne sounds like she is already sick of him. "What? Make it quick, dolt."

Malik does not reply for a few moments because he is trying not to laugh. When he regains seriousness, he turns back to the door and takes a deep breath before blurting every fact there si known to mankind. 

He is speaking so fast I can only catch a few words: cars... capitals cities... flying ducks... I have a feeling Malik is loving every moment of it.

In the time he takes to pause for breath, Dianne interjects. "What the heck are you on about?"

Malik still somehow manages to sound innocent. "Wait... so you didn't hear everything I said? Guess I'll have to start all over again now!"

As he talks, I slowly get up, ignoring the pain in my head. I walk to where he is and begin to silently feel around the door for some sort of keyhole. Even if we do not have the key, there might be a way to find a replacement, or at least see what is going on outside.

After bashing my hand into a bunch of locks for what feels like the thousandth time, I fingers brush a minute keyhole. I tap Malik on the arm for him to move up slightly and I crouch down to see through it.

Dianne is sitting on a chair lazily, with her feet up on the desk on front of her. She is checking her phone, but I am not looking from the right angle to be able to see what she is looking at. Although the hallway outside the doors is still moderately dark, I can vaguely see a door at one end. It is derelict and almost swinging off its hinges, but I have a feeling that this is the right one.

I see a flicker of colour in the corner of my eye, and when I look at the person, I stop in shock, unable to believe me eyes.

It is Anne.

A milion doubts rush into my head at once. What is she doing here? Is she helping Dianne? Am I hallucinating?

I tap Malik on the arm again. Noticing that it is important, he stops talking about the function of rubber ducks and says to Dianne, "And that's it! For now...."

It does not matter anyway, because Dianne has lost focus ages ago, and does not even look up. Despite that, Malik and I walk back to our spot on the floor, so that she could not hear us.

"What is it?" Malik asks straight away.

I cross my arms nervously. "You know how we saw Anne on the bus? Well, I saw her there, with Dianne."

I can tell Malik is confused. "Are you sure you saw her? And not anyone else?"

I nod. "I could tell. Trust me."

"O..kay. But she-" he pauses. "Oh. She must have been following us when we left the bus stop."

I nod. "Yes, but what was she doing there?"

Malik stands up. "I don't know. This is all so confusing!" he hits the wall woth his hand in anger. "We'll figure it out. Hopefully." he adds quietly.

I rest my head on my knees and think. My head is still aching, making it harder to think. Nonetheless, I try anyway, and rack my brain for answers. Why would she be following us? Unless...

I look up at Malik. "I think I have a conclusion."

Word count: 1539