by Unknown
“And, of course, each of those large objects have electronically-generated magnetic fields, just like my jet did. So, they would automatically get sucked into the wormhole and transferred back to the era that was calibrated by us. They’re just appearing a little late due to the erratic nature of the wormhole.”
Wyatt rubbed his forehead. “My headache’s getting worse. Okay, then, we have no choice but to get you on a plane to Cape Canaveral so you astrophysicists and engineers can build a new spaceship in record time.”
With sarcasm in her voice, Allison replied, “Yep, no sweat at all.”
“Let’s go for our walk. We promised those kids ice cream, and I think when we get back I want a nice tall scotch…or maybe a martini.”
“Me, too!”
Wyatt walked out of the living room and into the kitchen. The twins had left their posts, sheets of paper scribbled with random symbols scattered across the table.
They were now standing side by side out on the porch. Eric’s right arm was linked through Lisa’s left, and they each had their free arms extended up in the air. As if reaching for the stars.
They weren’t swaying or shuffling their feet as kids tended to do. They were standing as still as toy soldiers.
Wyatt felt Allison’s arm around his waist.
She whispered. “What are they doing?”
“I don’t know. Maybe a game they invented; like, ‘I Spy’ or something like that?”
Allison called out to them. “Kids! We’re gonna go get some ice cream now!”
They whirled around in unison. And, yelled out in unison. “Hooray! Ice cream!”
* * * * *
Wyatt pointed. “Look, that’s where my spanking new police station was.”
Allison turned around and gestured up towards the hills surrounding the town. “And your lovely log home was right up there, overlooking the lake.”
They were strolling down Baker Street, which looked a lot different than they remembered it. The bustling town of 11,000 people in 2015 was barely 3,000 in 1971. And, it probably wouldn’t change very much over the next few decades. By traveling back to 1963, they had sealed Nelson’s fate. It would never become the town that it was.
Wyatt’s voice bore a tinge of regret. “Right about now, this year, the draft-dodgers would have been flocking here, never to go back to the States again. They would have started businesses and raised their families, causing this town to boom. There will be no boom now. It will just remain a logging town until that industry grinds to a halt. Then, there will be nothing.”
“It will be different, Wyatt, but that’s a pessimistic view. Society seeks out new ways to survive and thrive—it always has. This is such a beautiful area of the world. I can easily predict that tourism will probably receive serious attention if they have nothing else to draw from. It was already a tourist center in 2015, so there’s no reason why that won’t happen again.”
“True, but the draft-dodgers developed most of that. They were creative folks, and very independent. They never lost their spirit. This town won’t have any draft-dodgers or their descendants now. We’ve killed that for them.”
“Something will fill the void, hon. I’m confident of that. In the meantime, we can just enjoy having a summer home in a quiet mountain town. I’m happy with that.”
Wyatt wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “Me, too. I’m just in a pensive mood today, I guess. One thing I’ll miss, though, are all those artsy shops the Americans opened up here. They gave the town real character. Maybe I should start up an arts and crafts store?”
Allison giggled. “You don’t have a creative bone in your body, my dear. That’s one thing you didn’t inherit from your dad. But, I love you anyway, because you’re my big tough Mountie!”
Wyatt laughed.
He suddenly realized that they’d lost track of the kids.
He spun around, his stomach in knots.
The twins were standing in the middle of the sidewalk about twenty feet behind them. Arms linked together once again, free arms extended upwards.
“What on earth are they doing?”
Allison started walking back to them. “They’re just kids, Wyatt. Children love to pretend.”
Wyatt followed close behind. “I guess you’re right. I need to learn how to be more laid back like you.”
“I’ll teach you, don’t worry. I may need a few years, but I’m willing to invest the time. You’re worth it!”
* * * * *
It was martini time. Bombay Sapphire Gin, dry, straight up, three olives…and very dirty. They were sitting in their bright red Adirondack chairs on the covered porch, watching as the twins built their new sandcastles.
It was a warm afternoon, but being that it was only May the lake was far too cold to swim in yet. The kids waded in just a few feet to fill their little pails with water, shrieking in shock each time the water level hit their knees. Then, they’d run back to the sand and pour the water into the intricate moats they’d built around their castles.
Wyatt leaned across to Allison and gave her a kiss. “I’m so glad you’re my wife.”
She kissed him back. “You’re one darn lucky man. I hope you know that!”
Wyatt laughed. “Yeah, you remind me every single day!”
She rubbed his knee. “Who knew that life back in the sixties could be so nice? I’m so glad we’re no longer in the twenty-first century. This is perfect. And, we’ve made it a better world, too.”
“Except for the fact that you have to make a quickie spaceship now.”
“Well, that’s just another challenge. I’m looking forward to the excitement. We’ll get it done. We have all we need on our computers. We’ll get those astronauts home.”
Wyatt swung around and hung his legs over the arm of the chair. “I envy you. The stimulation. The excitement. I don’t have that anymore.”
“Wyatt, you’re raising our kids. And, you’re my husband.” She giggled. “Two of the most stimulating things in the world!”
He laughed. “True, especially the ‘husband’ part. But, I worry about the future. I need more.”
She laid her hand across his knee. “I don’t want to do this forever. I’d rather do something with you. Wait until I finish this spaceship project, okay? Then, I’ll leave it all behind. I’ll do something else. Hey, we could move here and open up a small hotel—I do have experience at that, as you know. We’d be the catalyst for a tourist rush we know is inevitable. We could be the ones to get it all started.”
“Okay, that sounds good to me. Do I get to be the boss?”
“No, of course not!”
They both laughed, and turned their attention back to the kids.
All of a sudden, the twins started kicking down their sandcastles, stomping them into oblivion.
Wyatt chuckled. “They must be getting bored.”
Together, they waded back into the water, heads down, studying the lake bottom. Lisa suddenly bent over and lifted up a round yellowish stone. It was a big one and she struggled to get it out of the water and onto the sand.
Eric was searching, too. He copied his sister, but chose a large black rock instead. Almost perfectly round just like Lisa’s. He hefted it back to the sand and positioned it a couple of feet to the left of the yellow one. Then, he went back and hauled out another one—quite a bit smaller this time. Eric laid that one just below the yellow one.
The three rocks together formed an obtuse triangle.
Wyatt felt his mouth go dry. The triangle thing was darn familiar.
Allison had been paying close attention as well. She got up from her chair and stepped off the porch and onto the beach. Didn’t say anything to the twins. Just bent down and looked at their display.
Eric and Lisa didn’t say anything either. They sat in the sand and stared expressionless at what they’d done.
Allison walked back up to the porch and planted herself in front of Wyatt, hands on her hips.
“Did you see what they did?”
&nb
sp; Wyatt nodded, slowly.
“Look familiar to you?”
Wyatt nodded his head again. He opened his mouth, but no words came. None could describe how he felt at that very moment.
Suddenly, the phone rang from inside the house.
Allison yanked open the screen door. “I’ll get it. It’s probably Valenti again.”
Wyatt continued watching the kids, trying hard to push the memory out of his mind of what he and Allison had seen in Willy’s studio many moons ago.
Three heavy, sculpted balls, arranged in the shape of an obtuse triangle.
One represented the Sun.
Another was Earth.
And the third ball, which was about five times the size of the Earth sphere, was Gargantuan.
Wyatt remembered that moment. The moment of truth.
The display in the sand just created by his innocent little children had approximately the same scale.
He tilted his head towards the doorway, hoping to pick up part of Allison’s phone conversation.
He couldn’t hear a thing.
He stood up, opened the squeaky screen door that had seen better days, and went looking for her in the living room.
The phone conversation had ended.
She was sitting on the edge of the couch, forehead resting in her hands.
“Are you okay, hon? Who was that?”
She looked up at him, tear stains on her lovely cheeks. Her face was as white as a sheet.
The words came out of her mouth in a hoarse whisper.
Words that a little voice in Wyatt’s head warned him in advance he was going to hear. A little voice he’d tried hard to block.
But, he couldn’t block out Allison’s voice.
And, he never would, for as long as they both should live.
She whispered, “It’s…coming. Gargantuan hitched a ride.”
The Authors
Peter Parkin
Peter was born in Toronto, Canada, and after studying Business Administration at Ryerson University he embarked on a thirty-four-year career in the business world, primarily spent in the executive ranks. He retired in 2007 after serving as the Chief Operating Officer of a major national company. When he's not writing novels, Peter is active serving as a Director on four corporate boards. He has two grown sons and two grandsons and resides near the city of Calgary, on the threshold of the Rocky Mountains of Western Canada. Find out more about Peter by visiting his website. http://www.peterparkin.com
Alison Darby
Alison is a life-long resident of the West Midlands region of England. She studied psychology in college and when she's not juggling a busy work life and writing novels, she enjoys researching the wonders of astronomy. Alison has two grown daughters who live and work in the vibrant city of London. Alison resides in an historic home in the charming town of Tettenhall, U.K.
