The Traveller - Chapter 2

The Traveller

A Novel

By Paul McCann

Chapter 2

Unseen Hands At Work

 

He had been using his gift of teleporting and was confident about his ability to travel through time and space . He couldn’t explain how he did it or understand how he was able to time travel , all he knew is he had the ability and was given the gift to do that . Maybe it was fate that chose him to become a traveller and to see things no one could see . He didn’t know why he was given that ability he just accepted that he could appear and disappear from nowhere to somewhere in a  sudden transition that would come and he was always unnoticed by everyone each place he would go .

He purposely practiced traveling to busy places like restaurants or gatherings to get used to the fact that no one saw him ,  where he was , even though he saw them.

He would always arrive alone moved among them undetected somehow . The people who  were there just looked through him . He walked unobtrusive and sat alone observing the situation before returning again to his mountain home .

When he had teleported anything that was in his possession remained with him when he arrived . He could never eat or speak , he could just observe and make some changes to what he saw . He could  basically go anywhere he wanted just by thinking about that place .

One afternoon another traveller appeared with the exciting news that he was to go out on his first mission as a traveller . He had been given the name Bucko and his first mission to help people in a hospital who were being chemically restrained and abused.  Then he was shown images of where he had to go and what he had to do .

The hospital was an archaic mental institution in Australia where patient were being used in an experiment with deep sleep therapy and mind control through chemicals they were using . Bucko had to go there and replace their chemicals with his own  herbal medicines that would soon bring about change and recovery from what was being done

Off Bucko went on his very first mission to make the world a better place. He thought about the images he had memorised and was teleported there to the corridors of that institution .He walked around the wards until he found the medications room where he observed the nurses getting ready to do their medications round , He saw where they key to the cupboard and as soon as they left the room he went to work exchanging his herbal liquids for the liquids they were using and the tablets they had for his herbal ones . He had already been shown the colour and format of the hospital medications and was able to make replicas of their share and size and colour . He had instructions to revisit the hospital the asylum frequently during the next few weeks to observe the changes with the patients who numbered in hundreds

It took Bucko a while to go through all of the medication rooms then he had a walk around observing what was going on . he saw patients walking around in a daze , some talking to themselves , others were in a deep sleep on their beds . everyone in their own far away situation . Then he heard trolleys as food was brought around ,

It got dark and it was time to turn out the lights . Patients snoring, others lying there ignoring the grunts and screams . not many were getting any sleep tonight . There were voices abusing those mad men who were laughing out loud for nothing .

On the ground floor there was a chapel with some lost souls praying for salvation ,

bells were ringing as night medication came around on trolleys  .

Bucko wandered around  the asylum unnoticed except for the other traveller who arrived to see how things were going , Bucko handed over information on what he had done since his arrival and the other traveller congratulated him on his first mission .   Then he shared the story of his first mission as a traveller when he had  

to prevent a fire that was started by accident in a hotel that could have killed hundreds of people . It was something he never forgot and no one had ever known  what he had done except a few of the travellers . The feeling that he had saved so many lives was like nothing else he had experienced before and gave him a hunger for more missions as a traveller .

Bucko also shared his feelings about being involved with helping those patients in the asylum to break away from chemical restraints and finding freedom in the weeks ahead . The two travellers said goodbye and returned to where they had come from .

Dui8ring the next few weeks Bucko teleported back to the hospital to observe the changes . He was encourages to find many of the patents were no longer fast asleep on their beds , the aimless wandering around wards and corridors had stopped and patients were interacting with each other . Most of the staff looked worried and puzzled at the change in the behaviour of the patients .

On his next visit to the hospital Bucko observed patients stopping nurses and questioning them about their interference with daily activities in the ward . It was clear to see that the staff had lost control of the patients who were now very aware of what had been going on since their admittance for treatment .

None of the staff had suspected that there had been a change to the medication as they were making excuses for the change in behaviours like they were understaffed or working too many hours . Other staff were saying that the patients were building an immunity to the drugs they were getting . They were calling in other mental health specialists to observe what was happening .Some staff were quitting the job as patients had become very resistive to activities and treatment  . It was clear to see that the patients were getting their lives back again and waking up to reality .

One of the last visits Bucko made was the one he had hoped to find . All the patients were gone and the asylum was closed with an on- going investigation happening all over the asylum . There were newspaper reporters walking around and other people with camera taking photos ,. Police men were removing all the dead bodies that were  recovered from the morgue in the basement . There were scars on their foreheads indicating lobotomies had been done . Other small cells around the basement were discovered , There were beds with straps and ankle chains . There were chairs with  restrains that had been used on patients .  

Bucko felt relieved and very happy to have been part of the process in having that madhouse shut down for good .

Another traveller arrived to observe what was going on and he said to Bucko .

“We are the travellers Bucko . Doing our best to stop the others interfering and help other get along with their lives in the world .”

“Now I can see how important our missions are ”

Bucko replied and the traveller said .

“We break the chains of sorrow , we do what we have to do for the greater good”

Bucko asked ,

“How long have the travellers been visiting ?”

The reply came ,

“The travellers have always been here we come and we go . All of us are just  passing through from one place to another, with missions unknown and unseen by  people in the world . We are there in the Governments , in medicine research and in the police force with defence forces , with all walks of life, making the world a better place . “

Bucko continued ,

“Like a small army , we’re here then gone , unsure of what the next mission will be . but on stand by waiting for the call . “

“That’s just the way it is Bucko . We observe and then go into action .I’m also happy to tell you that after each mission you complete , you get to travel to any place or time of your choosing , as a reward . “.

Said the other traveller and Bucko replied ,.

“Wow that’s awesome , so I can be a free traveller where ever I want to go then ?”

The other traveller replied ,

“Yeah once you complete a mission we give you then you’re free to go where ever you want until your next mission . That’s how it works and we’ll always be around watching over each mission you’re on, just so you know . We can also intervene and change things without from time to time . Our mission is to protect others from grave danger in the past and present”.

Bucko replied

“This was just my first mission so now I can go someplace of my own choosing .. That’s just great  “

The traveller said ,

“Well good luck and you’ll be seeing us from time to time . Enjoy your gift Bucko .You’re a rare individual “

The travellers stood and waved goodbye then Bucko said to himself

“I’ve got this funny feeling that , I think somehow we have all met before . “

Another traveller appeared and said ,

“ You are very gifted Bucko and by the way , thank you for carrying out your quest to drive out harm and abuse form this place . You are never alone . In another life we were bothers . .”

“Wow that is amazing , Brothers you say ? .”

Bucko said and the other traveller said.

“Yes , I guess we have travelled the same roads before but in another time. “

Bucko replied .

“So we have found each other again then .“

The other traveller said ,

“I was told that you were here and I just wanted to meet you again . So together we are going to make the world a better place .”

“ That is the plan brother of mine and we have been given the power to work along with unseen hands at work to eliminate wrong and make things right in the world “

All the travellers stood side by side and then disappeared into thin air .

 

End of chapter 2

 

 

Link to chapter 3

https://www.abctales.com/story/mcscraic/traveller-chapter-3

 

The Traveller

A Novel

By Paul McCann