IMMER WIEDER PHM TIME TRAVEL FAN FIC
Grace had begun to forget about his mission. He’d wake up and look out the window at the abyss and he’d fill himself with the dread of it all. Question why he was even trying anymore.
“Grace bad. Don’t look at space.” Rocky would shove himself infront of the window trying to block Grace’s view but nothing truly could remove that image from his mind. The damage had been done.
“Grace what is this, question?” Rocky held up a VHS Tape.
Grace examined it. The note on the side clearly in Eva’s handwriting. Immer Wieder. German Experimental Opera. Grace stared at it. Pondering what he was seeing.
“Rocky. Show me where you found this.” Grace replied staring at it in awe.
“Grace sound normal again! Rocky happy! Happy! Happy! Is Grace normal again, question?”
“Rocky show me where you found this.” Grace said again, still not looking up from the VHS Tape. Rocky began to scuttle across the ships floor quickly, Grace following after him. They entered a room with the door ajar. Tapes and dvds scattered across the floor, the shelf that had been holding them knocked over. Painting and posters slid into neat rows next to stacks of books.
“Art. This is what humans call art.” Grace fell to his knees and put his head onto Rocky’s glass shell.
“What is art question?” Rocky said, picking up the Operatic VHS tape that Grace had since dropped.
“Something your species creates…that’s beautiful…and reflects life.” Grace said looking at Rocky.
“Why not question? Parents created her, she is beautiful.”
“Yah, Adrian’s art, I just had never thought about it that way.”
“Grace art too, even if he isn’t beautiful.”
“Thanks buddy.” Grace said smiling.
“Only Adrian beautiful. But no one ugly. Except Mark. Rocky hate mark.”
Grace had rummaged around in the room to find a television and a VCR player. He brought it into his room and put a blanket over Rocky and himself. Glancing over at Rocky every once in a while. Watching over him. But grace was absorbed. Glued to the screen displaying Immer Wieder. Listening to the opera with an intense love. The music filled his ears, though he did not understand it.
“ Ich vermisse das Mädchen, das mich ganz sah – doch sie war fort, und die Zeit verstrich. Die Tage zogen ins Land, und ich nahm Abschied. Wenn ich doch nur in der Zeit zurückreisen könnte.”
Grace woke in bed the next morning, and didn’t stare out the window, he just began to hum, for he didn’t know the words to the song.
“Why Grace make music with mouth closed? Question?” Rocky said rolling out of the bed.
“Is you okay with Rocky hum, question?” Rocky asked excitedly.
“Why hum and not sing, question?”
“Because Grace does not know the words.”
“You listened but don’t remember, so listen again.” Rocky demanded.
“Rocky, I don’t speak German.” Grace said, sighing.
“But new room have books! Rocky thought books help learn! Do books help learn, question?”
“Oh my god Rocky they do!” Grace said setting down his ramen and running into the room searching through the bookshelves and dressers full of books.
“German language, question?” Rocky asked.
“Yes, Rocky,” Grace said annoyed.
“Language books right here.” Rocky said picking up Beginning French.
Grace rushed over picking up German Basics. Hugging it to his chest. Four days and four nights Grace did not sleep. Translating that first verse of Immer Wieder with excruciating precision.
I miss the girl, who saw me full, but she was gone, and time passed by, the days went by, and I said goodbye. If only I could go back in time.
Grace stared at the words reading them over and over, tears beginning to flow. Rocky’s leaned against him,
“Grace need sleep. Rocky demand it.” Grace used Rocky’s glass ball to pull himself up, then collapsing in bed.
