Ralph laughed. No, I mean your human guide in your timeline. You must have had one. A person who appeared when you needed them the most, who had answers to questions youd never before found.

You mean… Armando? Oliver asked. His heart felt like a jagged rock when he remembered his dear friend dying in his arms.

We each have one, Ralph said. A human whos assigned to start us on our journey. Theyre usually considered wacky by the rest of the world, because how could you not be once you know what we know!

He laughed. Everything seemed so simple to Ralph, like it wasnt some huge, crazy, mind-blowing thing. Oliver envied his laid-back nature a little.

So Armando was supposed to guide me here? Oliver muttered aloud. That explains how he knew stuff about me. I guess he was killed before he had a chance to finish explaining it all.

He was killed? Ralph asked sympathetically. Im so sorry.

Oliver felt his tears welling in his eyes. He sniffed, not wanting to cry in front of Ralph.

Dont be sad, Ralph told him. I can fill in all the blanks. What do you need to know?

Oliver pushed his sadness away. Finally, someone was really going to give him some answers. He felt embarrassed to admit his ignorance, since he was so used to being the smart one.

Why dont you start by telling me what a Seer actually is?

Ralph pulled a face. Oh. Okay. You really need me to start with the basics.

Oliver blushed and shrugged.

All right then, Ralph began. Lets sit down. Get comfy. Ill start at the very beginning.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

They returned to the library and sat together on one of the red leather couches. Ralph selected a book from the shelves and laid it open on the coffee table before them. It was weather-beaten with smudged, dog-eared pages reminding Oliver of his well-read inventors book.

First things first, Ralph said, turning to the opening page. Forget everything you think you know about time. Time isnt real. Theres no beginning and no end. Everything exists always.

Oliver blinked. Thats not a particularly easy concept to get my head around.

Here, Ralph said, pointing at a passage of text. This explains it better.

Oliver read.

Time is simultaneous. Everything that will happen has already happened and is happening now as you read this passage.

Oliver rubbed his aching forehead. I dont understand.

Well, Im still a student myself, Ralph said. I may not be the best person to explain. But basically, for time travel to existwhich we both accept it does, since were sitting here in 1944time cant be real. Cause you cant go somewhere that doesnt exist, right?

Right... Oliver nodded, uncertainly. But if thats the case, then everything must be fixed. In order for all time to exist and all events to have already happened and be currently happening, nothing can change or it would create paradoxes.