The Return of Gaston Harrison

Chapter 8 "Foreseeing Future"

“Your Grandfather will die.”

Griffti held his breath for a second. There was a gnawing silence between him and Gaston. And even if there were sounds of wind gushing and murmuring words, they were muted down.

The two of them looked at each other for long seconds, until Griffti detached his lips.

“Is he… sick?”

“No,” Gaston replied.

“If he’s not sick, then why are you telling me that he’s going to die?”

Because Gaston came from the future.

It was hard to find evidence of a murder that hadn’t happened yet. Therefore, telling Griffti that he came from the future is the only explanation Gaston has as of now.

But will Griffti believe him?

Gaston took a deep breath.

His secret is not something that is easy to share. Not candy, juice or chips which are easy to digest. Anyone who hears this might think that he’s losing his mind.

‘However, the time limit is short,’ Gaston thought. He gathered his courage and opened his lips again.

Then he said, “There is someone aiming for the Chairman’s life. I came here to ask for your help.”

“Who…”

The second Gaston lifted his head, Griffti headed near him with his cold gray eyes. Fury flickered in his gaze.

“Who is that person? The one threatening Grandpa’s life.”

That…

‘I don’t know that yet,’ Gaston answered inside his head.

He didn’t have enough time to investigate the case since he was locked inside the jail as the murderer. That’s why he needs Griffti’s help. If there’s someone who truly cares for the Chairman, then that is his first grandson.

Gaston knew that because he heard this from the old maid in the mansion. The old maid said that Griffti was close to Harold. But after Griffti’s dad died, he was sent to New York alone.

No one knows the reason except Harold.

“Why can’t you answer my question?” Griffti asked through his clenched teeth. “You’ve been blabbering your mouth nonstop. But now, you’re playing the silent game.”

“It is because I am wondering if you’re open-minded enough to believe me,” Gaston replied.

“I hate people who beat around the bush.”

Gaston looked around the VVIP lounge. Putting his hands inside his pocket, he said, “I don’t think this is the right place to explain everything. But it will be hard to meet you again, given that you shooed me away this morning.”

Getting annoyed, Griffti uttered with demanding voice, “Will you just say it for Pete’s sake?”

“I came from the future.”

Griffti’s eyes did not blink. His lips slightly hung open as he questioned the sanity of the person standing before him.

“That’s why I said this is not the perfect place to explain it. Because if someone heard me, he might think that I am losing a screw in my head.”

“And that ‘someone’ might be me. Right?” Griffti asked while frowning.

Gaston nodded his head while heaving a sigh. He mumbled, “Ahuh. Maybe. I’ll take that as your indirect way of saying that I am crazy.”

“Hah,” Griffti scoffed before he shook his head. “I can’t believe I wasted my time listening to your nonsense words.”

“I am sorry but…” Gaston leaned closer. He placed his lips near Griffti's ears and whispered, “I am not joking. I would never make a joke when lives are on the line.”

Griffti felt the gravity in Gaston’s words. His tone, stare, everything, they have weight on it.

‘But time travel? Is that even possible?’ Griffti asked in his head.

In the end, Griffti could not convince himself to buy this. He stepped backward, glared at Gaston while murmuring, “Damn it.”

Then he exited the balcony.

Gaston watched his back fade before he went right on his tail. He expected this kind of reaction from Griffti. So, he prepared what to do just in case.

“Tomorrow!” Gaston shouted.

Everyone inside the bar looked at him.

“Argentina will win the World cup!”

Griffti stopped walking. He was an avid fan of soccer, and he watched this year’s FIFA World Cup. Tomorrow will be the finals between France and Argentina.

The people who also heard Gaston began to laugh. They thought they were hearing friends talking their bet about the game.

Griffti looked back at him.

“Argentina will win against France. The score of the final game will be 3-3, but Argentina will win with 4-2 in penalty kicks. Then, the star player, Messi, will announce his retirement,” Gaston said.

Gasps echoed inside the quiet bar. Lionel Messi has won the Ballon D'Or, the annual award given to the best footballer. The retirement of a player like him would shake the fans worldwide.

“Excuse me,” a random guy spoke to Gaston. “Did you say that Messi will retire? Is that for real?”

Gaston looked at the guy and answered him while shrugging his shoulders. “I am afraid it is the truth.”

“But there was no news about his retirement as of now,” someone, who checked the internet, said.

“Yes. Because it will happen tomorrow,” Gaston answered, which made others shake their heads and laugh.

Some even gestured that Gaston is crazy. However, Gaston does not care whether these random people would believe him or not. There is only one person who he had to convince.

Gaston cut the gap between him and Griffti while he got his contact card inside his suit pocket. He stopped next to him and said, “’There is nothing left’” he whispered. “This is what Messi will say during his winning speech. If everything I said happened tomorrow, then you will know that I am not joking.”

He placed the card on the table and left first.

Griffti stared at the card and scowled.

*********** ******************************

Griffti was sitting on the couch with a beer in his hand. He does not usually drink, but today is an exemption.

The finals of the FIFA World Cup began.

As of now, the score was 2-1, favored by Argentina.

Gaston said that Argentina would win with a 3-3 score, and Messi will announce his retirement after winning the game.

For others, this game is just a matter of pride between two countries. Argentina who won 7 times, and the 60^th team of France who wanted to snatch back the trophy. But for Griffti this game means a lot.

‘If everything he said turned out real, then it would not be a simple matter,’ Griffti said to himself before taking a sip on his beer.

The game continued with extra minutes. Until the 80^th minute, France barely fired a shot in anger resulting in a 2-2 score.

Griffti’s hand on the beer tightened while watching. He gulped hard as he watched intently.

‘It’s still a coincidence. There’s no way it is true,’ he thought.

Suddenly, Argentina swept a brilliant volley resulting 3-2 of the score. Not long after, France caught up making a tie of 3-3. Then, there were penalty kicks when the player Nicolas Otamendi tripped Randal Kolo Muani and Mhanne.

Griffti stood up while watching.

This is it.

If Argentina won the penalty kick with 4-2, then Gaston is right.

Everyone in the stadium was so nervous, as well as Griffti.

When the referee blew his whistle and the player kicked the ball, Griffti held his breath. It was as if everything turned into slow motion.

The ball went into the net.

Loud cheers echoed.

Argentina won the FIFA World Cup defeating France in penalty kicks with the most dramatic matches in the history of the sport. After a 3-3 tie through extra time, Argentina won 4-2 in penalty kicks.

The exact result Gaston told Griffti.

Unable to utter a thing, Griffti stayed in his place with mouth wide open. He could not believe this. He was so shocked that the information clogged inside his brain.

‘Did he… really see the future?’ Griffti asked.

He looked back at the television and watched Messi’s winning speech.

[“I feel very happy to be able to achieve this, to finish my World Cup journey by playing my last game in a final. It's many years for the next one and I don't think I'll be able to do it. And to finish like this, it's the best.”]

“There is nothing left,” Griffti murmured.

Seconds later, Messi murmured the same thing.

[“THERE IS NOTHING LEFT.”]

Even the words that Messi would say, Gaston foretold it.

The articles of Argentina’s victory and Messi’s retirement went all over the internet.

And all night, Griffti stayed seated while looking at the contact card Gaston gave to him.

The next morning, Gaston received a text from an anonymous number.

[“Meet me.”]