Chapter 2

‘A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.’

Something was wrong though; but not here or now; but yes, definitely not going the way it was expected to go. At least, that was the opinion Mr. Black held, so strongly, that he gave everything he held dear in order to do something about it. This would not be a fun trip for any concerned. Joy and weeping, hopefully more joy but a ‘hard road to go’. His like was over as far as he was concerned.

His life at the future ‘then’ would have been pleasant and he was overjoyed at the prospect of having a family. Either a son or daughter or both; he didn’t care. It would be May and his first child; and it finally seemed like his accursed life was over. Perceptions are akin to illusions remember; they are not reality. The old phrase: ‘It ain’t over til it’s over’ applies here; whether the ‘Fat Lady’ sings or not does not matter a bit.

For near a thousand years a curse had followed every male heir until they met an early grave, usually by their own hand. Life, if you call it that for them seemed destined to be that curse and no one knew what caused it to happen. That hoped for pleasant life ended, then and with her death his future was no longer any consideration.

That search for answers became his new goal in life, to find out why, what, when, who caused this misery; and then do something about it. The death of May during childbirth took every other thing he wanted away; so now it was his own crusade he was on. ‘Deus Vult’ perhaps.(God wills it)

‘A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing.’

God, if any god existed, was a cruel god to let this happen so long and to make so many suffer for whatever reason, it was just not right. He had to solve this mystery. His life in the then and now was over as far as he was concerned.

It took close to 40 years and $ millions to do it, but a ‘probable’ cause and effect was uncovered. Change that to a ‘possible’ cause. Much more effort would be required to determine more exactly what happened, even more to change it; several other people’s lifetimes more.

Going back in time to right, what he felt was a wrong was a one way street. He felt every important detail, primarily the when, like 100-200 years early and having the financial where with all to see this through was in-place. Time was not a precise mistress. The who, well that was where things broke down a bit, both who ‘dune it’ and who would he get to get this ball rolling. His reckoning to only able to surmise a possible cause meant an even more uncertain champion was needed, other than himself, but he had little choice; he was running out of time, that most precious commodity there was.

He also was not certain if the cause was a ‘Who’, or an ‘It’ or even if there was a curse to stop or just some series of random events that affected so much. All these thoughts played in his mind as he ventured back in time.(Don’t ask, we won’t tell, but ... it is not impossible even today.) Funds were the least expected problems he faced. He brought back with him many things which held no intrinsic value in that future time; but in the past, were priceless treasure. A few, like the jewels and rare metals were; by themselves, worth more than most nations GNP.