Zamani and the Guardians of Time

Zamani’s eyes fell to her watch. 1:59. She was supposed to be at the library at 2. Panic rushed through her—a familiar companion. She cursed quietly, struggling with tangled hair and misplaced keys. Time was both companion and adversary, dictating her days with hurried footsteps and missed moments. A restless shadow, always slipping ahead. She envied those who marched in step with the clock. She never could. But the library was her sanctuary, where time felt softer. She slung her bike against the railing and hurried inside.

“You’re late again,” Sagan says, not looking up from the computer. Grey-bearded, cardigan-wearing—he looked like he belonged by a fireplace.

“Yes, I am.” She removes her bag, places it in a cubby, and logs on to start her shift. Sagan looks at her, questioning.

“No story this time?” She sighed and leaned on the counter.

“Did you ever believe them?” she asks.

“After the first week? No, I haven’t.”

“Why bother with excuses? Time and I aren’t exactly friends.”

“But why? You’re a junior in college, and you can’t tell time?” She exhales and rolls her eyes at him.

"I know how to tell time. I just lost it. I check the clock—1:15. Next thing I know, it's 2."

Sagan contemplated her answer.

“Sounds like you need testing.” Vesper walks up with an armload of books, grinning as he walks past her. “How do you even get across campus, tortoise?” She grinned back.

“Well, at least I’m consistent. Besides, time is relevant.”

“Time is the same for everyone.”

“Maybe I’m not. I mean, my clock, my brain, is constantly moving when everybody else is stationary. Making me late.” Sagan and Vesper exchanged looks—part awe, part concern.

“Did you just use special relativity as an excuse for being perpetually late?” Zamani’s eyebrows and shoulder raise in unison.

“Best excuse I’ve heard. I’m impressed.” She beamed with sarcastic pride as she moved to the book cart.

“Busy day?” She ran her fingers along the spines.

“End of the semester. Or did you lose track of that, too?”

“On that note, I need to leave. I have to do some cramming,” Vesper says as he walks over to Zamani. She, distracted, has begun to drift off into her own world. Vesper nudges her shoulder with his. “You gonna be ok without me, Franklin?”

“Franklin was a turtle, not a tortoise. Anyway, you know what some of them can actually move fa..”

“Tortoises are turtles,” he says, cutting her off. “Answer the question.” She smiles warmly at him and nods. He responds with a raised eyebrow.

“I’ve got this.”

“Ok, I’m out.” He grabbed his bag. “Later, Sagan.”

Zamani tugged a book loose and flipped it open: Understanding Our Universe. She huffed a quiet laugh and set it aside.

Sagan stepped up behind her.

“Light reading tonight?” he asks, leaning on the shelf.

“Yeah. Maybe I’ll figure it out tonight.”

He raised a brow. “Have what figured out?”

She closed the book and shrugged. “With any luck, all of it.”

He huffed a quiet laugh. “Better settle for figuring out your life first, Tortoise.”

The evening wore on. Study groups thinned out, and a hush settled over the library. In the quiet, she could hear the lights humming, casting odd shadows. It was always unsettling to catch movement from the corner of her eye.

An hour before closing, Zamani began cleaning up—straightening chairs, turning off computers, and lamps. Unease crept over her. Each lamp switch rang out in the silence. A prickling sensation crawled up her neck. Her eyes darted to the shadows, her heart pounding. The ticking of the clock grew louder. She tried to work faster. The feeling of something unseen, nearby, clung to her mind. Her fingers shook as she reached for the next book. It slipped and hit the floor with a loud echo. She bent to pick it up, but another hand reached it first. Dark skin, long fingers. She sighed with relief.

“Vesper, you nearly—” She caught her breath as their eyes met. Not Vesper. These eyes were cold and ancient, making her want to run, but she was frozen in place. He showed his teeth—no reassurance there. He examined the book. “A Brief History of Time.” His lips curled.

“Time is a funny thing, don’t you think?” He handed the book back, leaning in. She stepped back, hitting the cart. His voice rattled her—deep, ancient.

“Can I help you? We close in 10 minutes, but I can leave the book at the front for you.” Silence hung between them as he stared. He stepped forward. She couldn’t get around the cart fast enough.

“I think I’ve already found what I’m looking for.” The stranger grabbed her shoulder. His grip was tight—no escape. She heard the thud ringing in her ears, growing louder before it came to a stop.

“ There you are. Are you alright? Who is this man?” Zamani’s eyes darted toward the voice. Professor Meridian. She tried to get past him, but he grabbed her from behind, his hand around her neck. The professor stretched out her hand.

“Let’s all calm down. Why don’t you let her go, and we can talk?”

“No, you're too late. You should have kept better guard over her.”

“I think you'd better do what the lady said.” The stranger turned them both towards the voice behind them. Sagan.

“Two against one? That hardly seems fair, “ he protested.

“Actually, it's three against one," Vesper steps from around a bookcase, “and if you wanted a fair fight, you shouldn’t have laid a finger on her.” His eyes were filled with a rage that Zamani didn’t think he was capable of. The stranger looks at Zamani.

“Oh, I see. That’s how it is.” He smiled knowingly.

“Yeah, now let her go.” Vesper stepped toward them. The stranger backed up and stumbled into the shelving. Books fell. Vesper lunged, giving Zamani a chance to escape.

“Over here.” Professor Meridian called out. Zamani rushed to her side. “Get behind me.” She positioned herself between Zamani and the fighting. Vesper had the build for this, but Sagan? Grey-haired, cardigan-wearing Sagan? She watched in disbelief.

Chaos. Books and fists flying. Vesper advanced with reckless fury. Sagan was more calculated, waiting for openings. The stranger was good—composed, quick, using the confined space to his advantage. Then Vesper landed a solid right hook, followed by Sagan’s uppercut. The man flew back into the shelves. A thunderous noise rang out as shelving toppled. Where was security? Just a little longer.

The stranger scrambled over fallen shelves to a clearing. He locked eyes with Zamani, smiling menacingly. She shrank behind her professor. Vesper and Sagan moved toward him, fumbling over spilled books. The stranger looked around—he couldn’t watch his back and front in the open. For the first time, he looked panicked. The two men made their move when the doors opened—a lone, bewildered security guard.

“Perfect timing,” the stranger says and uses the opportunity to make a run for it. Vesper takes off after him.

“Wait!” Sagan shouted. “This could be a trap. More could be outside.

“But—” Sagan cut him off with a stern look. He relented. The security guard rushed over, checked on the women, then addressed the men. Zamani watched out of earshot as they explained. But what did happen? Who was he? How did they all arrive at just the right moment? Her head pounded with confusion. The security guard left in the direction the stranger went, leaving the four of them alone.

The professor, Sagan, and Vesper gathered to discuss in low voices. Zamani’s anger grew.

“Is someone going to explain something to me?” she shouted. They exchanged glances.

“She needs to know,” Vesper said. Sagan shook his head.

“They’re already coming after her.” He looked at Sagan pleadingly. Sagan ran his hand over his face, clearly hesitant. Meridian interjected.

“Sagan, the boy is right. You knew this day would come. It’s time.” She looked at him earnestly, sadness in her eyes. Zamani waited anxiously. Sagan looked at her reluctantly, walked to a table, and pulled out a chair.

“You’re going to want to sit.” Zamani walked over slowly. She wanted answers, but with everyone acting so strangely, she wasn’t sure anymore. She sat. Sagan, Vesper, and Meridian joined her. Silence. She was tired of waiting.

“ You have something to tell me.” She looked at each of them sternly. Sagan cleared his throat.

“What I’m about to tell you will be hard to hear. Every skeptical part of your mind will want to reject it,” he said, placing his hand over hers. “But you need to listen, because everything I’m about to say is true.” She took a deep breath and nodded. He looked at her with affection, like a daughter. He’d wanted to protect her by keeping her in the dark, but he couldn’t. That wasn’t his role. He relaxed and began.

“Long ago, the world lived in balance. Bodies weren't affected by aging. Time meant change and growth, not decay. But some decided that time should work for them. They found a way to take time from futures yet to be lived. Borrowed time, they called it. But once taken, you can't give it back. The elders condemned it, but greed crept in. They used this time to enrich their own lives.” He paused, gesturing to the books.

“We call them the Time Bandits. They changed everything. Crops wilted, buildings fell, and people aged. Their minds and bodies failed. This was the price. Time and space must flow together. When they’re not in sync, destruction follows. The elders tried to stop them, but the bandits took all the time the elders had. The people thought it was over, but the daughter of one elder did something impossible. She folded time within herself, keeping anyone from stealing it. Some cultures believe in reincarnation. They’re right, except for one detail. Only one person has been reincarnated. The Time Keeper. You, Zamani.”

Zamani listened to every word but refused to believe it until he finished. When the stranger approached her, she’d been terrified. Sagan’s story frightened her just as much. If true, she was part of something much bigger than herself, something she couldn’t fight. If not true, then Sagan, Meridian, and Vesper... She looked at him with worry. Could all three be wrong? She stood and paced, mind racing. After a few minutes, she stopped and faced them, hands on her hips.

“I’m a time keeper? Time itself exists within me?” They nodded in unison. “Me, the girl who’s notoriously late, is the Time Keeper?” Her words grew louder, more aggressive.

“About that,” Sagan started, “remember what you said about your clock moving slower? There’s truth to that. Time and space are connected. We can move freely through space, but only forward in time. You can move freely in both. That’s why time feels different for you. You just haven’t been able to control it yet.” Zamani paced again, shaking her head.

“Ok, ok, and that man, he was a time bandit?

“Yes,” Professor Meridian said. “In the 20th year of a Time Keeper's life, they awaken. They gain all the knowledge of past Time Keepers and the ability to access time. This is when their control is most unstable, making them most vulnerable. If they are going to steal time, it’s now.

"And what is your role in this?" She asked.

“We’re your guardians,” Vesper said. He stood and walked toward her. She backed away.

“Should have kept better guard over her.” She said faintly, repeating the words of the stranger.

That hurt, but he understood. She was overwhelmed and needed control. He stepped back to acknowledge her boundary.

“I know what this sounds like.” She shot him a sharp look. “It’s only been three years since I was told about you.” He looked at her sincerely. She dropped her shoulders but kept her distance.

“How do you become guardians?”

“When the first Time Keeper came to be, so did the guardians. Rising to protect her. Ever since, where she is, so are we.” Sagan interjected.

“But you said the Time Keeper is the only one who is reincarnated?

“That’s true. We don’t reincarnate, but we do live a little longer than most. Long enough to train the next generation of guardians.”

“How do you choose a guardian?” Zamani asked.

“We don’t, the Time Keeper does.” Zamani looks at him, confused. “Remember how I said the Time Keeper can move through space and time. Well, that means all of time, the past, present, and future. When it’s time for a new guardian to join us, she tells us, before she passes.”

“And they just... go with it?”

“They always do.” He says, looking over at Vesper.

Zamani kept pacing, rubbing her temples. How could they expect her to believe any of this? No reasonable person would, but she couldn’t ignore the feeling pulling her in. As strange as it sounded, she wanted to know more. She wasn’t sure why. Maybe she just wanted a reason for always feeling out of place, for having to work harder than everyone else to keep up, even though people told her she was intelligent and capable. Was she really so desperate to believe a lie?

“What if I don’t? What if I say no to all of it?” Sagan and Professor Meridian exchange looks. It’s Meridian who speaks up this time.

“There must always be a Time Keeper if you do not fulfill the role. Then,” she pauses, trying to be careful with her words, “then a path will be made open for a new Time Keeper to take your place.” Silence filled the room, understanding what she meant. “Best case scenario, it happens in an accident or a sudden sickness. Worst case, a Bandit gets to you.”

“That’s the worst case? What would happen?”

“Mount Vesuvius happens. The Black Death happens.” She said it coolly, sternly. “When they steal time, they’re taking futures, and there is always a price to pay.”

“Great. So my options are dying, being killed by greedy bandits, leading to a cataclysmic event, or living with the burden of the universe on my shoulders.” She pressed her hands together like a silent prayer. “I need air.” She rushed toward the door. Vesper moved to follow, but Sagan caught his wrist and shook his head.

“Did you forget what just happened? We can’t let her go out there alone.” He says in protest.

“Don’t worry, she won’t be alone.” Professor Meridian was already at the door. She found Zamani sitting at the top of the steps with her head in her hands.

“You're taking a risk coming out here in the open.” She sits down beside her.

“Apparently, I have three guardians watching over me.” She sighs and looks up at the sky. She stares at the stars, thinking about how old they are and how long this cycle has lasted. She wonders if it will ever end. After a moment, she glances at Professor Meridian and starts to wonder about her, too. They got along well and often talked after class. Maybe Meridian was so good at teaching history because she had lived through much of it.

“How old are you, Professor?” Her voice sounded tired.

“Mora.” She gave Zamani a warm smile. “I'm not just your professor anymore. Never was really. I'm your guardian, and if you're willing, a friend. “She places a gentle, yet firm hand on her shoulder. Letting Zamani know that she will be a reliable source for her to lean on. Zamani nods in acknowledgment. She repeats her question.

“How old are you, Mora?” Using her first name felt weird, but weirder things had happened.

“I’m 98.” Zamani laughed. How many times would she think ‘unbelievable’ tonight? Mora didn’t look a day over 45.

“How old is Sagan?” She looked over her shoulder at him through the glass.

“Sagan is 138.” Zamani’s eyes widened, “and before you ask, Vesper is merely 21.” Mora chuckled as Zamani sighed with relief. “Compared to us, he’s a baby, but he takes his role seriously. As we all do.” Her tone grew serious. It’s easy to brush this off as some crazy dream, maybe even a nightmare, but it’s neither of those things. It’s real, as real as you and me.” She pauses and watches Zamani, reading her movements—the fidgeting of her hands, the rhythm of her breaths, the narrowing of her eyes.

“It’s ok to be scared, and I’m not going to lie and say that there is nothing to be worried about or that there won’t be some difficult times, but we, all three of us, will be here for you. We fight with every breath in our bodies until the end.” Mora takes Zamani's hands and squeezes them, looking her in the eyes.

“That doesn’t make me feel better. I don’t want any of you dying for me.” She had a pained look on her face.

“Don’t think of it that way. It’s not really about you.” Mora gestured to two students passing by. “It’s about them. Making sure time isn’t taken from them.”

Zamani considered her words. She thought of her parents, grandparents, everyone she’d ever loved. If she were able, she’d do everything to protect them, as they would for her. Gathering what resolve she could, she turned to Mora.

“So, what happens now?”

“Now, we begin.” A low voice comes from behind her; she turns to Sagan, with Vesper standing behind him. Mora gets up to stand beside them. She turns, holding out her hand. Zamani looks at it for a moment, then looks at all of them, one by one. She doesn’t know why, but looking at them, she feels a sense of calm. She knows she can trust them. So, she grabs her hand and stands together with them.

“Then let's begin.”