Richard Snow's Informal Disappearance by Jack Cage

A man named Richard Snow walked down the sidewalk of the down town metropolis. He was moderately tall, and dressed himself very business like. He was the CEO of the RJA corporation. He was also the heir to the Cordian fortune. He was very modest, and as he walked the people on the sidewalk gawked with beady eyes as they saw him. After all, he was the richest man in town.

Snow was also one of the most admired men in his town. He actually heard people whispering and muttering that they would like to be in his place. Some people even said that they would kill for the kind of job he had. Comments like those usually unnerved him.

Calmly Snow strode toward his company, taking confident steps as he drew closer

"Halt," said a mechanical voice. "Please identify yourself."

"My name is Richard Snow. Serial number 591-0856-390879" he said with a confident voice.

"Identity confirmed," said the voice.

When he entered the building, he stood very still with his eyes wide open. A red laser beam drew into his pupil and scanned his iris to make sure it was actually him.

"Snow, Richard," the computer replied. "Identity confirmed," said another mechanical voice. Suddenly the steel entrance doors swished aside allowing him to enter.

He walked toward his private elevator and pressed the up button. When the elevator opened, he stepped inside.

"Top floor please," he said aloud.

Then the elevator doors closed, and the elevator started its ascent. After reaching the top floor, Snow stepped out into his luxurious business apartment.

Snow walked calmly over to his desk and sat down. The phone on his desk started its usual ringing of the day.

Richard picked up the phone.

"Hello," he said in a calm, quiet voice.

"Do you know who this is Richard?" said a strange voice.

"No, I'm afraid not."

"You don't recognize me?"

"As I aptly stated before, no, I do not recognize you."

"Well then, this might be a little shocking, but I am you. Or at least I will be you once I get there."

"Who is this!?" said Snow. "Is this your idea of a sick game?"

"No, it's not," said the voice. "You're the one who put me here. I had to spend years just waiting for time to catch up with me. Oh, I forgot. You don't remember do you. Well, I used to be where you are right now. But you left me here to rot. The time streams, Snow. You have a top secret division in your company that was researching time travel. Don't you remember? Anyway, when you went into the past, you created a rift in the time stream that split the future into two different futures. My future was the correct one, but you took the trionic onbemeter from me and used it to trap me in the future, forcing me to wait for time to catch up with me. But there was a side effect that you obviously did not know about. It causes you to forget everything about the future when you go back into the past. And now that time has caught up with me, you and your insolent understanding will be destroyed. You hear me Richard!!! I want my life back, and you will give it to me or you will pay the price!!!"

"You go to hell!!!" said Snow. "I don't know who you are or what your game is, but it won't work on me. You hear that! It won't work on me!"

"Well, we'll see about that," said the strange voice.

"I'm calling the police," said Snow. "You won't get away. This call was being traced from the moment I picked it up!"

"Like I said, we shall see."

Click.

Suddenly, the phone went dead.

When Snow heard the phone hang up so quickly, he was startled. With shaking hands, he reached down and picked the phone back up. Dialing 911, Snow waited for someone to answer. In a few seconds, his call was answered. Sweat beaded and trickled down Snow's forehead.

"Please state the nature of your emergency please," answered a female operator.

"Yes," said Snow. "I think I have just received some sort of death threat. Could you have the last call that was on this line traced?"

"Yes sir, we can trace it for you. It will take about a minute or two. Can you wait that long?"

"I'll wait however long it takes just as long as I find out where that call came from. When you find out, could you have the police apprehend the person responsible for that call. If you could, then thanks."

"I'm going to have to put you on hold sir. Please wait while I trace the call. Thank you. And thanks for calling 911."

While he waited, Snow opened his desk drawer and removed a gold plated 9 millimeter pistol. Then, he removed the clip from the chamber and started loading it. When it was full, he slammed the clip into the gun and cocked it.

"Sir? Sir?" said the operator.

"What! Oh I'm sorry," said Snow. "Now where was that call made from then?"

"The call was made from a restaurant about five miles away. I'm having a patrol car sent to that location right now."

"Thanks. By the way, what was the name of the restaurant?"

"Um, I think it was the Burgess Afterglow." said the operator.

"Okay, thanks for your time." said Snow.

His hands shaking even more, Snow hung the receiver back onto it's hook. What am I going to do now? thought Snow. He got up from his seat and started pacing back and forth in front of his desk. That man whoever he is is probably on his way here to get me right now, thought Snow. And in truth, he was. Snow ran over to his desk and punched the button for his secretary.

"Mrs. Bell, could you please have my private elevator turned off? Also, please have the security guards tightened at the entrance to this building. And if anyone that looks remotely like me approaches this building, he is to be apprehend immediately and put into protective custody. Could you do all of that for me?"

"Sure thing Mr. Snow. I'll have everything done within the hour."

"Thanks a lot Mrs. Bell."

"No problem Richard."

Now Snow could sit down and think. Fear was starting to slowly eat at his gut, and he grew even more nervous by the moment. Just who did this guy think he was threatening the mighty Richard Snow? And what was this time stuff this guy had somehow explained. He didn't remember anything about top secret research. Of course he wouldn't remember. The man had told him that when you visited the future and returned to the past, you would forget everything that you saw and heard.

Snow got back up and went to look out of his big office window. What he saw didn't surprise him. The sky was grey with thunder clouds, and rain fell fast like a descending drizzle. Suddenly, he heard a large CRASH!

An object had flown through his window just inches away from his face. He turned to look at it, and as he did so, a hand shot through the broken hole in the glass and grabbed him by the collar. That took Snow by surprise. Suddenly, all of the window started to shatter around him, and he closed his eyes so that no glass would get in them. After that, he heard some footsteps as they climbed through the window and planted them firmly on the ground before him. Screaming out in terror, Snow slowly opened his eyes, and came face to face, with himself.

"It's not possible!" said Snow, with his eyes wide open in terror.

"Oh but it is possible," said the other Snow with a slight grin on his face. "Now, I want you to do something for me."

"And what might that be," said Snow.

"I want you to give me my life back. It was mine before you stole it, and now I want it back!"

"NO!!! I won't do it. How do I know that you're not lying?"

"Well, you will just have to find out. Now this might be a little bit painful, but I guarantee that it will make you remember everything that you did to me."

With that, the other Snow produced a small silver device that was shaped like a pen and pointed it at Snow's head.

Snow's head flew back and for a moment it looked like his head would explode. Finally, Snow calmed down and shook his head to clear it.

"Where did you get that device from," he exclaimed to the other Snow.

"Well, with all that empty time on my hands, I fashioned a device at the research lab that would counteract the effects of the trionic onbemeter. It seems to have worked. Do you remember everything now?"

"Yes," said Snow.

"Then you know what I'm going to do. So let's get it over with so I can get on with my life!!!"

The other Snow slowly removed his gun from his pants pocket and pointed it at Snow's head.

"Adios shithead," he said with a smirk on his face as he pulled the trigger.

"Blam!!" went the gun. A small splatter of blood sprayed out from behind Snow, and Snow's now lifeless body crumpled to the floor. When it hit the ground, Snow's body started to jerk around and dissolve into a shapeless mist.

"Serves him right," said Snow as he dried himself off and made himself look presentable.

Sitting at his desk, the phone began to ring.

"Yes," said Snow with a smile on his face. "What may I help you with?"

END.