Stealing Time

inher daily work at the lab. She pushed a sample several millimetresto the left and adjusted the zoom of the microscope.
“Name’s Connor.”
A sheath of printed paper dropped down onthe bench in front of her with a dull thud. Varya looked up,startled. Was he talking to her? She looked from side to side tocheck, but the bench was empty for several arms’ lengths on eitherside. People didn’t speak to her, as a rule. Most staff werelong-term hires and knew better than to even try. She glanced atthe stack of prints, then up at the intruder. She squinted at himfor a moment before silently bending her head back over themicroscope.
He didn’t leave.
Varya kept one eye firmly on the barrel ofthe microscope and snuck a glimpse at this man with the other. Darkblue denim jeans and worn work boots protruded from the too-shortlab coat. He shifted his feet so they both firmly faced toward her.Varya sighed. She raised her head to inspect his face andexperienced a slight jolt of recognition. Those eyes. Clear blue,electric white streaks, seemingly shrunken irises. She zoomed herfocus out and swept his body. He seemed slightly embarrassed now,his cheeks had flushed a soft pink. She relaxed as she realisedthat the rest of his person was foreign to her.
“Varya,” she said, with a quick nod, beforebowing back to her microscope.
Connor sucked in his breath. “O-kay, then.Nice talking with you, Varya.” He picked up his pile of prints andwalked on. She looked up sharply as she heard the same dull thud,this time at the work bench several feet to her right. He waslooking directly at her, and grinned. She raised her eyes upwardsbriefly, then closed them, shook her head, and went back towork.
“Don’t mind her, she’s very friendly,really,” she heard Jolene say in a stage whisper. “Just don’tinterrupt her while she’s working. She gets a little cranky.”
“Duly noted.”
Varya rubbed her eyes. She looked over atJolene, who had placed her hand lightly on the newcomer’s arm andwas now moving to place her other hand on his back and wished herall the best. Varya found it hard to imagine herself worrying aboutsmall, mundane things like flirting.
Her back hurt from having sat at the chairfor three hours already. Maybe a small break would be a good idea.The sample cells on her strip all started to blur together after awhile. Why did it have to take so long? Why couldn’t finding a curebe like it was in the movies, when an antidote to a viral pandemiccould be developed in just two days, before the heroine had tosuffer the pain of losing the newfound love of her life? Instead,this curing process took months of painstaking trial and error,scanning and logging samples, analysis, running it throughmachines, waiting for growth and mutation. Then failing andbeginning right back at square one. Hours and days and weeks andmonths and years. So much time, so little progress. But they wouldfind the cure. As long as the money kept coming in, as long as thefunding was there.
“Varya.”
This time Varya turned instantly to thesound of her name and saw Professor Langford standing beside her.Her long, grey hair was swept back in a low, loose bun. Her usuallystill and precise hands fidgeted.
Varya frowned. “Professor?”
“We need to talk.”
Varya flinched inwardly and shook her headslightly.
“Not...”
“About the test results. It can’t wait.Please come through to my office now.”
Varya frowned but nodded and stood. Langfordled the way out of the lab, down a corridor and, giving the emptyhall a final sweeping glance, into her spacious office at the end.Varya entered and waited for Langford to close the door.
“This had better be important,” Varyahissed. “I’ve told you, we can’t be seen to be workingtogether.”
“We do work together,” Langford retorted.“And in that context, I’m your superior. So, sit.”
Varya, temporarily deflated, sat on thechair, and waited. It had been a long day, a long week. The yearspassed so quickly, but the days went on forever. And she was tired,always so tired.
“I’m sorry, Janet, it’s just... hard. I wishit didn’t have to be like this.”
Langford nodded.
“What is it? Have you... found something?”Varya dared to hope for a moment.
“No, I haven’t. I’m sorry.”
Varya slouched in her chair further andscratched the side of her nose. She looked away, trying to composewhat she knew was a disappointed frown on her face. Langfordreached her hand out to Varya across the desk.
“I’m trying, Varya. But this isn’t my fieldof expertise. I really think it’s time to bring in somebodynew.”
“But I trust you, Janet. This isn’tsomething I can just ask anybody to help me with. I’d end up hauledbefore the Courts faster than I could say ‘fourth dimension’.” Sheleaned in and took Langford’s hand. “You can do it; I know you can.I’ve seen your work on neurological preservation and reversals. Youjust need more... time.”
Langford smiled wryly. “Ah, time.” Shewithdrew her hand and sat back. “That’s what I need to talk to youabout. My time is running out. I don’t like to think about it, ortalk about it, but I’ve only got a few hours left. Today is my lastday.”
“You’re leaving?” Varya was alarmed. TheMinor Miracles Foundation had been Janet Langford’s whole lifesince it had opened. She’d arrived even before Varya most days.Staff speculated that Langford slept in her office. Varya knew shedidn’t. Janet may have arrived before her each morning, but it wasVarya who turned out the lights of the facility most nights—whenshe wasn’t looking after Daniel.
Janet’s brow furrowed now in a way that madeVarya want to fidget, too.
“Varya, child, how old do you think Iam?”
“I... I don’t know.”
“It’s my birthday today. I’m sixty-fiveyears old. My time on this earth is almost up.”
“No.” Varya let out a small moan before sheclapped her hand over her mouth.
“Hush now. There are ears everywhere,” saidJanet sharply. Then, in calm, raised tones, she recited, “I amgrateful for the time I’ve had. I wouldn’t want to covet that whichothers don’t have either. Sixty-five years is long enough to walkthis earth, to use her resources. It’s time to cede the space tosomebody else.” Janet leaned forward again and picked up a pen,turning it over in