I can’t say the same for Big Ben. He eats so much of everything, I worry he’s going to be sick. But he’s never sick. And I think Grandma wants to adopt him as her honorary grandson. Then she can feed him pepper soup every morning for breakfast.

Before we eat, Grandma blesses the food and our safe passage from Leap 2048, that our enemies did quake and perish and our table be plentiful on this our special day.

Grandma must know about Le Temps and Millennia. But how? And I like she said ‘our enemies’, even though she wasn’t there. She was shopping for this party. I want to ask so many questions but I’m learning when to speak and when not to speak. I can ask her another time. Not now. Not today.

Today is a special day. Today is the 29th of February 2020. It’s my 3rd leap birthday. I’m officially allowed to leap on my own. And I’m now a Level 1 Infinite. I can help save the planet. All my friends are Leaplings except Ama, who’s an Annual. Grandma’s not a Leapling but she’s my family. The food tastes nice. Maybe one day we’ll all be Vegans. Maybe one day there’ll be no more fish in the sea. Or maybe human beings will fall in love with Planet Earth. The future needs the past to become itself.

Grandma rises from the table and I help her clear the food away. We wipe the surface with a fresh cloth. Then she puts three candles on the cake and lights them with a match. It’s a plain cake, with no filling, no icing, only one layer. But it’s still warm from the oven and the smell makes me happy. It’s the most special cake in the world. Grandma lifts the cake, opens her mouth and begins to sing ‘Happy Birthday’. Everyone joins in. When we get to the name, we don’t know what to sing. It’s not just my 3rd leap birthday today, it’s Big Ben’s too. Most people sing ‘Elle’ but I sing ‘Big Ben’. MC2 and GMT are 4-leap. That means they’re grown-ups. Today, every true Leapling is celebrating, even if they pretend they were born on the 28th of February or the 1st of March.

‘Happy birthday to you,’ we all sing.

The song’s over. Grandma places the cake in the middle of the table. I stare into the three flames, take a deep breath like I’m going to push out of the blocks for the 100 metres.

And blow them out.

Chapter 00:00: Continuum

Chapter 00:00

CONTINUUM

It isn’t easy being nice to Pete LMS.