Everything Changes in Time

by

    Tam Cox


The moon stretched high in the blackness. The silence broke as a 
black hearse shaped vehicle pulled up to the Trinity River. Even the 
windows were black all through out. A dark figure could be seen as 
the car window rolled down squeaking as it went. He had a cigarette 
in his hand and puffed it, blowing smoke circling and dancing all around. 
The figure stepped out of the car and headed toward the back of the 
vehicle. Thoughts could be heard all around flooding the silence. Two 
other men stepped out and followed.
"I don't want any trouble from any of you." The figure dropped his 
cigarette and put it out of commission. "You do what I say and there 
won't be any problems, you hear me?"
"Yes sir." 
"Now take that bag and dump it into the lake. I don't want to be late. 
I have business with a colleague of mine." The man grinned. He pulled 
down his sunglasses to reveal red pale like eyes. Ones that could see 
through destiny, time and space. "Hurry up and get in the car."
Both men lifted what appeared to be a body and dumped it into the 
lake turning it a brownish color. The body appeared to be dissolving 
becoming the murk of the lake. The shadow man just glanced over 
then automatically his window rose up and nothing was seen of him 
or his mysterious men.

Lucas Buck was checking up on Ben as usual. It was approaching the 
year 2,000 already and Lucas wasn't going to let anyone's thoughts 
cloud his own. He'd been at this job for a long time, but what he didn't 
know was that things were soon to change. He had not anticipated 
anything. Not yet anyways.
"Ben could you mind getting me somethin' to drink?" Ben smiled and 
got up. He had served Lucas and owed to him for saving his life a 
second time in fact! He managed to pull him out of being shot by one 
of the other prisoners at one time. Lucas took the front desk and decided 
that he was going to just relax for once let it all go. All his problems push 
them aside. Hell he wasn't going to let them get to him this is the Buckman 
you are talking too! 
Well, Buck didn't get too comfortable I'll tell ya. Not for long, because 
soon as he put his feet up on the desk a shadowy figured appeared not 
through the door but just appeared!
"May I help you?" The figure pulled out a cigarette and began puffing 
and blowing smoke rings. The match made a hissing sound as it struck 
the matchbox.
"Are you Lucas Buck?" Lucas stared at the figure with puzzlement.
"Yes I would be that man. What do you fellas want?"
"It's not a question of what we want Mr. Buck, but what you haven't 
fulfilled."
"Excuse me? No body tells me how to run the show!" Lucas nearly 
kicked the desk over standing up. Trying to show off his strength and 
power to the other figures standing near by.
"Everything changes in time, Mr. Buck. I was sure you knew that. Do 
you think you would be on this assignment forever?" The shadowy figure 
held the cigarette like a pro and puffed smoke in Lucas's face. Lucas was 
not amused. He grabbed the cigarette out of the stranger's mouth and 
squashed it like a bug. 
"I could do the same to you so you'd better watch your step." Lucas 
turned his back to them and headed for the privacy of his office. Once 
again there were the shadow people.

"Surely by now you'd understand that your time has come to give your 
position to another."
"Yeah well I ain't ready yet!" Lucas snarled.
"Time is running short Mr. Buck I can assure you that the millenium day 
is not far off. The coming of the new age in time. When time itself changes 
everywhere. We keep track of everyone. They all have files. We document 
the births and deaths and whose who."
"What does this have to do with me? I've been here for a long time and I 
intend to do what I have to before that official day." The shadowy man 
moved forward darkening the room even more.
"Mr. Buck I knew your father. He was in the same position as you were. 
He would not except the fact that he had to give up his position. I don't 
think you realize how important it is now. We have come to change things 
that's our responsibility." Lucas only crossed his arms over his chest and 
looked on. 
"I don't do things for free ya know! If you want somethin' from me you 
have to give me somethin' back!"
"We are not here to negotiate Mr. Buck." Lucas's eyes only opened wider. 
His gaze became more intense
 "Then get out of my office, cause I am not going to give up this position, 
besides how do I know you are who you say you are. Could be a trick. 
I don't trust new folks." Lucas stared at all of them individually trying to 
read thoughts and make sense of it. He kept gazing at them. . Doors 
slammed shut as papers flew everywhere. Lucas didn't move out of his 
hypnotic stance and then suddenly the shadowy figure looked up ripping 
off his sunglasses.
"If we were to offer you something what would you want? Normally we 
don't negotiate, but maybe we can make this be a special circumstance."
"What I usually want respect, everything to go the way I say it should. Tell 
you what, I'll give ya'll a week and if it doesn't work out then I'll call it off 
all together. A week ya'll can take my position. I guarantee it won't be as 
easy as you think! So is it a deal or not?"
"Alright Mr. Buck, you've got a deal. After a week we'll see who will be 
the suited one to take this position."
As Buck stepped out the door he glanced back. "You know the world 
sometimes may be bigger then you think it is. If I were you change or no 
change be aware of what's to come. I know this area in ways you'll never 
know! There can and will always be one Buck. One who is the boss. I 
don't think you fellas are up to that." Lucas winked and walked with a 
heavy pace. He looked back again.
"Ya'll got a week. I'll be checking up on ya."
The shadowy figure pulled out a clipboard from his pocket and crossed 
off Lucas's name. 
"I won't need your services for now gentlemen. You may go now." 

Lucas used to always go to the Johnson Bridge to clear his head and also 
have spiritual talks with Merly. Maybe now was a good time. He looked 
down into the emptiness feeling the space between him and the lake. He 
closed his eyes and spoke softly.
"Merly, I know you're there I can feel you. You can't hide from me. I need 
your advice." But there was no answer. Lucas opened his eyes and looked 
down into the abyss. The fog thinned out and Lucas heard Merly tell him to 
look deep into it.
"You'll find your answer there. Look deeper into it and you'll see it." 
Lucas looked closer and saw what appeared to be a body drifting in brown 
murk. Lucas jumped into the lake with supernatural force. He shook his 
head and spread water everywhere. He got a closer look at the body. He 
pulled at the bag and saw who it was. At the moment he couldn't speak 
but then could feel himself becoming more and more strong. He saw an 
image of himself for a few seconds, opening his eyes and then nothing. 
Nothing but murky water could be seen. 
"I don't know what those folks are tryin' to pull but I ain't laughin'!" Lucas 
waded around some more and before he could get out completely, Merly 
surfaced behind him.
"What brings you here for a dip? Skinny dippin' ain't ya?" Lucas grinned 
and chuckled at his remark.
"No. I've come to warn you about those men or whatever they are."
"No need I know. I am capable of a lot more then they can do! I'm just 
testin' to see how couragious they are, then I'll teach 'em some manners."
"And that won't effect us?" Lucas looked on with puzzlement.
"What do you mean "us"?
"The people of Trinity. They told you about everything changing. I've 
already felt it."
"You've felt a lot of things Merly." Lucas heaved himself onto the shore. 
"And I don't have time for your stories either. I've got to take care of this 
mess before I do anything else. Now either you help me or just jump in the 
lake!" Lucas grinned. Merly floated up so fast Lucas didn't even see it.
"Lucas! Your time is coming and that day is not far off!"
"If that's so then there can only be one outcome and I'm not going to be the 
one!" Lucas vanished leaving Merly alone in the murk.

The Shadow man kept the list up to date. Everyone who needed something 
got what they deserved. Each person would be checked off. 
When Ben came back from his break he was amazed to see Lucas gone. 
He immediately questioned the shadowy stranger.
"Where is Lucas? And who in the hell are you!"
"That's not your concern Mr. Healy."
"How did you know my name?"
"We know everyone's name and status. It's that time again to check up on 
certain areas. We do this each century or so. Nothing to be alarmed about. 
So why don't you just go back to doing what you do."
"I serve Lucas and no one else!" Ben had served Lucas for a long time. 
His loyalty would remain with only him and no one else. But the shifting 
figures just kept on marking their charts. "Mr. Healy? We would like any 
reports that you have or info about Mr. Buck's past. We document events 
and figure out what the status is." The language to Ben, since he was a 
simpleton went right over his head. Floyd on the other hand, might not 
just get one word of it! He'd just say yes sir and do what he was told. 
"I don't know anything that would help ya'll now if you'll excuse me I have 
some paper work to go through." The mysterious figure only stared and 
as he did so began to change shape. His form shifted and looked exactly 
like Lucas Buck. Ben had no idea what was going on. It was almost as if 
he were seeing a clone an exact replica of the B-Man but how could this 
be. 
"Now Ben Just go back to work I'll call ya if I need ya." Ben only stood 
there in shock. He could not speak. 
"Who are you?"
"Lucas Buck that's with a B." Now Ben was confused was this really 
Lucas it talked like him and looked like him. Ben asked the standing 
figure a question only Lucas could answer.
"If you are who you say you are then tell me what I saw the night Caleb's 
sister was found. If you can't answer that question then you are not the 
Lucas I know."
"Merly was found with a broken neck. I found her and put her out of 
her misery." Ben could see it all. The flashbacks the fear, the hidden 
adrenaline rush on that rainy haunting night.
"It's me Ben. Now go back to work." Ben was still not convinced. What 
he had seen and heard was not quite right. Something was out of place, 
but Ben could not figure it out. By the time he left the shadowy figure 
shifted back to his corporate business like form. He grinned and put a 
check next to Ben's name. The other two men appeared out of nowhere.
"I want you to keep an eye on him. He may cause us some trouble. I 
want things to go smoothly. I any of you have any problems, then you 
report to me. You don't get fancy and you just call me! I'll be going 
through his papers. We've got a week so get busy!" The figure took 
Lucas's form and shifted through every paper. 

When Lucas got back to town he noticed that everything had changed 
and it was not just the town, but the spiritual feeling as well.
"It's him or me," he said with gleaming eyes. "I can't let him take over 
my town. I think he's lyin' to me and I'm gonna find out why." Lucas 
closed his eyes and visualized. He could see the future. Everything was 
in chaos. Fires burned gorging on rusty metal and people ran screaming 
inhuman screams. A dark figure smoking a cigarette grinned above them 
and flicked his wrist releasing the cigarette into the air where it caused an 
explosion. The vision whipped as fast as it came in a flash. Lucas then 
realized that it was not the future he was seeing, but the present. 

No one knew who this figure was. He never revealed his true self to 
anyone. They would just go on with their lives. Mat Crower, Caleb, 
Gail and all the rest. They were nothing but pawns and treated as pawns. 
Everything was recorded, but what the people didn't know was what 
really was happening to them. Each chart marked was used to special 
purposes. The dark figure would use them all as subjects in an experiment. 
He tested what they knew about Lucas. He drew it out of them taking 
forms of all shapes and sizes. Days went by so it seemed. No one was 
aware of the hidden truth. What was really being observed and documented. 
"It's all a plot," Lucas thought. "A conspiracy. One I will not let happen. 
They may think they know me, but they don't. I'll play their game for a 
while longer. Time to give them a taste of Lucas Buck!"  Lucas grinned 
and concentrated on his thoughts. His mind worked at many levels. He 
could feel the flashing and heat surround his body. His whole body 
shaked and vibrated. His eye sockets shone with intense white lights. 
He became transparent. Then his whole body just vanished and not a 
trace of him was left.
"Gentlemen I believe our time has soon come to proceed with the 
project. You know what must be done. We have gained the trust of 
the townspeople and documented everything. The change is going to 
happen soon. Life will be a little bit easier from now on." The shadowy 
figure sat back in Lucas's chair propped his feet up and pulled out another 
cigarette. 
All of a sudden Lucas appeared. "Want a light? I know what you've been 
doin'. And I saw your friend in the river. A hell of a job gentlemen! May 
I congratulate you on a grand old job! Still I had a feelin' you'd be doin' 
stuff behind my back. I have ways of figurin' things out." Lucas paced 
around his prey with his arms folded across his chest. "I believe you 
have somethin' of mine! I guess you'll be wantin' to leave now. Well I 
can't let you go. Ya see I know what ya'll want." Lucas bends over and 
whispers in the stranger's ear. "I don't think you qualify sir. You ever 
come back here again and I'll skin ya alive! I'll be watchin' and documentin' 
ya! Like I said ya'll don't know what it takes to be a Buck. Ya just don't 
have it." The shadowy figure stepped up to Lucas and looked him straight 
in the eyes. He had no eyes himself only blank, empty, dark, eye sockets. 
"Bravo Mr. Buck, but you still don't know what your world has to offer 
you. You are na_ve like all the rest of them. I don't see your qualifications 
amounting to much." Lucas immediately grabbed the dark figure, but his 
hand only went through it. 
"You  can't kill something that doesn't exist Mr. Buck. I have been here 
for a long time. Long enough to know about you and your actions. There's 
still a lot you haven't done, but seeing how persistent you are I'll make an 
offer for you.' Lucas gazed upward, glanced across the room, and then 
glanced back.
"No deal. I'm stayin' till I feel that I am ready to leave. Your time is just 
about up. I don't want any of your business around here no more ya hear!" 
The shadowy figured paced across the floor as if he was plotting and in 
deep thought. He moved closer to Buck and faced him puffed his cigarette 
and breathed smoke all around so it engulfed the whole office. All Lucas 
could do was watch. Watch as everything came and went in a blur. 
Everything vanished. The documents and papers whirled in with the twister 
of smoke. Then there was complete silence. Ben walked into the room, 
hearing the noise. 
"Lucas? What happened?"
"Nothin', Ben nothin' at all." Only there was something, cause everything 
changes in time. No one knows it till the time comes leaving them with only 
an interpretation of what they once thought to be real and a part of their lives.
 

THE END