THE MOMENT
The green-eyed tilted her head at her for a moment, then grinned broadly.
"I'm Six, that's my sister 23," she said.
"You girls certainly have interesting names," she said.
"They're just placeholders," Six shrugged. "I haven't picked my real name yet... but I kind of like Six."
"Placeholders.... what kind of parents do you have?" Gretchen asked. A stray thought tempted her to check the time; but, she didn't. It didn't matter anymore. Anyone that walked by for the next century would see a dirty-blonde mother enjoying the park with her two daughters.
"Really awesome ones!" Six replied. "..eventually," she giggled.
"It's amazing that you have so much faith in them after ... locking you in a cabinet?" Gretchen smirked.
"It's not what you think," Six replied. "Watch!" But, she disappeared as soon as she said it. Gretchen was watching, but did not understand. Six's body disintegrated into a white powder, then compressed. A transparent glass card was left in her place. But, as Gretchen leaned closer to inspect it she cast a glance at 23. The girl still had her eyes closed. Then, Six appeared on the rectangle as if it was a screen.
"Oh No! I'm locked away forever! Nooooooo," Six waved her hands in mock despair. Then, she reappeared in her full pre-teen form sitting on the table again.
"What.. what are you?" Gretchen asked. If she hadn't already had a pleasant conversation with them, she might be more frightened. But, she did not feel threatened at all.
"That's an involved answer," a new voice said. Gretchen was startled enough to leave her seat for a bit; but, she recovered when she realized it was 23. She looked down at Gretchen from the table and smiled.
"Hello. I know Six introduced us, but it's nice to meet you, Gretchen."
"Hi, 23," Gretchen said. "Well, I'd like to hear it when I have more time. You can tell me after the Dead Century."
"Well, you were willing to join us, so join us this time," 23 said. "I have to concentrate, but Six can explain it. I know she'll enjoy the company." Gretchen was trying to process what she said, but 23 looked at Six and nodded. "I'm starting again."
"Okay!"
"Starting wha-," Gretchen's question was interrupted by the sun shooting up into the sky; then, it dropped. It bounced up and down like a ping-pong ball. She looked around and caught glimpses of undead zooming by, some even sitting at their table as if they weren't there. It happened in flashes.
"What's going on?" Gretchen asked. Though, this time she felt like she needed some elaboration when the answer came.
"23 is learning how to control time. She keeps one timestream paused while fast-forwarding the other. And, she's still making sure we can chat normally.
"She can control time?" The answer was obvious as the sun kept bouncing up and down in the sky. But, that question was soon replaced by a larger realization.
"She's controlling the Dead Century??" Gretchen asked. Six nodded.
"Uhuh! She needs to get really good at controlling time."
"Wait...," The flashing sunlight was distracting but she looked down and closed her eyes to put her thoughts together.
She was having a normal conversation with Six the same way she had a normal conversation with the family of three earlier. But now, that family was time-locked in her restaurant. And, from her perspective, the undead roamed the Earth at super speed.
It boggled her mind; she was moving at super speed from their perspective earlier too. But, what did that mean for the entire history of Earth? The Dead Century was documented even earlier than the bible.
"Hey, you okay?" Six asked. Gretchen nodded without looking up.
"Just trying to wrap my head around it..," she said.
"Take your time," Six replied. "I think we're going to lunch after this cycle, you should join us. 23's feeling pretty tired," she added. "She's been at this for hours."