No Time For Dinosaurs

by John Benjamin Sciarra

  Kyle sped off leaving the stumped coach to scratch his head. “Kids. I sure don’t understand this modern generation.”

  Kyle raced across the parking lot reserved for the teachers. No one was there, which is what Kyle was hoping. Once he was out of sight of the schoolyard, he slowed down. His grandfather lived about a half mile from the school just on the outskirts of town. After spending time in the past running from dinosaurs, Kyle was actually in pretty good shape, although he had to agree with the coach. He wasn’t built for the crash and burn action with two-hundred pound linemen on the football squad.

  In less than an hour of walking and running, occasionally ducking when a car drove by, just in case it might be someone who knew his parents, he arrived at the base of the driveway leading to his grandfather’s house. The dirt road wound through the trees and bushes essentially shielding the house from view. He hoped his grandfather wouldn’t be angry with him and tell his parents. As he approached the house, he heard a loud banging noise coming from the old man’s barn. The door was partially opened and Kyle, having second thoughts, peered into the darkened room.

  “Grandpa?” yelled Kyle over the banging. No response. He went into the barn and looked around at all the old stuff hanging from walls. The walls were thin and shafts of light splintered the darkness. A haze filled the air along with an acrid odor as if someone had been welding metal. There was even a metallic taste to the air. Suddenly, the banging stopped and Kyle took the opportunity to get his grandfather’s attention.

  “Grandpa? It’s me. Kyle!”

  “Kyle? Kyle, what in blazes are you doing here? Why aren’t you in school? Does your mother know you’re here?”

  Kyle walked over to his grandfather and stared in awe at what his grandfather was doing.

  “What is this? It looks like a…a…rocket on wheels.”

  “It’s an invention of mine. An automobile that burns cow manure. With the cost of gas going through the roof, a man’s gotta do something. Can’t wait for the dad-blasted government to do anything about it. They can’t get past their own noses to see what the world is coming to. So, I decided I better take matters into my own hands.”

  “Cow manure? Like…from the butt of a cow? You put that in the gas tank?”

  “Well, not exactly. I put it in this big tank over here and seal it up. The gas, methane from the degrading manure, builds up and I use the pressure to fill this special tank on the car. Now, the car…I built it myself from old parts nobody wants…is aerodynamic. Will run for a thousand miles before I have to refill the thing. And…this is the beauty of it…the cows provide me with milk, cheese, and, oh yeah…you’ll like this part, ice cream!”

  “Wow, Grandpa. You could make millions on this invention!”

  “Nah. No one’s interested in solving the problems of this world, Kyle. But at least I don’t have to put up with it myself. What I’d give to go back to the olden days when my Grandpa’s pa used to ride in a horse and buggy. Just fill ‘er up with hay and off ya go. Don’t have to be in a hurry like this new world society of man today. Run, run, run. It makes me dizzy thinking about it.

  “Hey…wait a blasted minute there. You got me all off track with my story. Let’s get back to what you’re doing here instead of in school.”

  “Grandpa,” said Kyle with his head hanging low. “I really messed things up when, because of me, Nessie and her mate got killed. Your friend, Moses. It’s all my fault. I…I can’t face the kids in school. They’re gonna hate me. I…I came here to talk to you because you were there. You know what happened. I need to fix it, Grandpa. But…how?”

  “Wow. I’m so sorry, Kyle. I had no idea how this was affecting you so much. Let’s go inside and I’ll fix us a hot chocolate and we can talk. Okay? That sound alright?”

  “You’re not going to tell my parents are you?”

  “Let’s worry about the little things later. Sounds like we have bigger fish to fry.”

  ***

  “Well, Mrs. Donavan, I’m sorry to have to tell you this, but you’re son skipped school today.”

  “What? How can that be? I saw him get on the bus myself.”

  “Well, yes he did get on the bus. And we saw him get off the bus and take off into the woods afterwards. I have your daughter, Teresa here with me. She says that Kyle is very upset about the animals and the gentleman that were killed and he thinks it’s all his fault. We’re very concerned here at the school about your son and we’re, well…we’re afraid he might…do something…like hurt himself.”

  “Oh my Goodness! Did you call the police?”

  “No, not yet. I wanted to call you first. I thought maybe you would know where your son would go.”

  Mrs. Donavan thought for a moment. “Maybe he went to my father’s. He doesn’t live far from the school. Let me try his phone and get back to you. Okay?”

  “Okay. We’ll wait for your call.”

  Mrs. Donavan hastily dialed her father’s number and waited for him to answer. She knew he liked to work on old things in his barn now that he was retired and maybe he couldn’t hear the phone ringing. She decided she would drive there herself and called the school. “Tell Teresa I’ll pick her up on the way. Thank you for calling me Ms. Hanover. If Kyle isn’t there, I’ll call the police. My husband is on his way as well.”

  ***

  Kyle and his grandfather sat down and sipped on the fresh hot chocolate.

  “So, this guilt you feel. Why do you feel guilty about the animals? It wasn’t you who shot them. And the police are looking into the disappearance of my old friend. I wouldn’t be too quick to write him off yet either, no matter what anyone else tells you. That man, Moses, was CIA. He’s retired now. I wouldn’t be surprised if he gave everyone the slip and is working on exposing the culprits.”

  “But it was me who went back in time and got that recording. If I hadn’t done that, the animals would have lived, Grandpa. I have to do something. I feel so terrible. Like I want to die and maybe the world would be better. I messed up a lot of things with my curiosity and look what it cost? I almost got myself and Teresa killed. And Sonja, too. I caused a lot of hurt feelings, even if I changed things somewhat. I still messed…”

  Kyle broke down and began to cry. His grandfather reached over and put his arms around him.

  “There, there. I never realized how much this hurt you. Maybe…maybe we can go back and fix this.”

  Kyle stopped crying, wiped his eyes and looked at his grandfather. “What did you say?”

  “I said, maybe we can go back and fix this thing. You know. In time. I’ve been intrigued ever since you told me all about your adventures in the past. You know me. I’m sure your mom will tell you what a crazy old man I am. I used to go all over the world looking for adventures like the ones you had. I’m so jealous and envious of the things you were able to do. And so proud of how you conducted yourself.”

  “You…you…you’re proud? Of me? Even though I got everyone killed?”

  “The reason you hurt now is because you realized that your actions have caused others pain. It takes a man to admit that. Sorry to say, there aren’t very many grownups that would take responsibility the way you have. So…what do you say we go back and fix this?”

  Kyle mouth was hanging open when the phone rang.

  “Uh Oh,” said his grandfather. “Looks like the Feds are onto you. Caller ID says it’s your mother. What do you want to do?”

  “If you’re serious about going back, I say let’s go now. They’ll be coming here and looking for you and me.”

  “So?”

  “There’ll be no one at the lab. We can go there and launch the capsule before they realize we’re gone. If we go back to the beginning, back when all of this happened, they won’t know a thing. I can prevent Nessie from being recorded. No one will know the creatures exist.”

  “Hmmm. That sounds like a crazy idea, Kyle. But…what the heck. Let’s do it.”

  “Really?” Kyle felt the weight of the w
orld lifted off his shoulders. Now he wasn’t in it alone and he had his grandfather, one of the smartest men in the world, no matter what anyone else said.

  Chapter Sixty

  Kyle’s mom entered the house after banging on the door and no answer. She saw the two half-empty mugs on the table and knew it had to be Kyle. She heard a car pull in and ran outside. It was her husband. Teresa sat in the car frightened half to death. She had no idea Kyle was going to run like that.

  “Is he here?” asked Dr. Donavan.

  “No. But he was. Pops has him. Maybe he’s bringing him home. The car’s gone.”

  “Oh good. That’s a relief. Man am I gonna lay into that little brat when I get my hands on him.”

  “You’ll do no such thing!”

  “Huh?”

  “Teresa says that Kyle is very upset about the death of the creatures from the lake and my Dad’s friend. She said he was talking about dying.”

  “What? I…I had no idea?”

  “Teresa said Kyle blames himself for the deaths.”

  “How can he be responsible?”

  No one but Kyle’s grandfather knew about the time capsule trip. And no one really understood how Kyle was able to find the creatures.

  “I don’t know,” replied Mrs. Donavan. “But maybe we should get him some professional help. Let’s get back to the house. I’m sure that’s where my father took him.”

  When they arrived home, there was no sign of them.

  ***

  “See, I told you I could break the code. No one should be here. Dr. Bashan is away and the capsule is idle. We should be able to launch before anyone figures out where we went. If all goes well, it won’t matter. This future won’t exist.”

  “Kyle, I know a thing or two about physics. Sometimes what you expect doesn’t match known facts.”

  “What do you mean, Gramps?”

  “When you took those trips before, you said little things changed, didn’t you?”

  “Well yeah, but—“

  “You see? You can’t predict every variable is going to be the same every time because reality isn’t always what we think it is.”

  “Huh? I haven’t a clue what you just said.”

  “For now, all I’m saying is, don’t expect the results to be what you expect, because you may be disappointed. In other words, keep your expectations realistic. Okay?”

  “Well…okay. If you say so.”

  “Now let’s get to this capsule and get out of this crazy world.”

  “First, we have to go up into the programming room and set the harmonics.”

  “Lead the way.”

  Quickly, the pair rode the elevator to the control room. Kyle immediately went to the main computer and found it booted up. Caleb marveled at the skill his young grandson displayed.

  “Dad was here working. Look, he has the old codes before the last trip still on the screen.”

  “How on earth could you know that? Look at all that data scrolling across the screen!””

  “Well…I programmed it myself the last time.”

  “But…how?”

  “It’s the harmonics. It did something to my brain. Wait til we get into the capsule. You’ll see for yourself what I’m talking about. Now I’m just going to change the programming code slightly. We need to get back further this time so I can’t record the animals. Right?”

  “Seems you’re the one with the advanced knowledge. You tell me.”

  “I’m guessing, but I don’t have time to figure this all out.”

  Kyle typed with his usual aplomb as Caleb sat there with his mouth hanging open and tried to wrap his brain about what he was seeing. If he had any doubts about what Kyle and the girls told him, he was now convinced beyond any doubts. His excitement at getting to see real live dinosaurs and go for a ride in a time capsule seemed so unreal. He was so excited his hands were shaking. Kyle looked over at his grandfather.

  “Are…you okay Gramps?”

  “Kyle… I believed you before, but the reality of all of this it’s…incomprehensible. And yet, here we are. This is the most incredible thing I have ever seen in my 57 years on this planet. I’m just…awestruck!”

  “Gramps…you ain’t seen nothing yet. Wait until you see the capsule!”

  Kyle typed for a few more minutes, then quickly checked his work scrolling across the screen faster than the human eye should have been able to absorb. Then he stopped and hit, “ENTER.”

  “Okay. It’s all set. We better get downstairs before the cavalry shows up.”

  “Okay, let’s go.”

  ***

  “The police are on their way. Let’s get going. If Teresa’s right, Kyle may be in the lab on some foolish idea he dreamed up and can go back and save the animals.”

  “If Teresa’s right, dear,” said Mrs. Donavan. “Then we have to stop him. I wouldn’t be surprised if my crazy old father went with him. You know…there has to be something to the story Teresa told us.”

  “And that’s what scares me, Medina. I…don’t want to lose our son.”

  ***

  Kyle stood in front of the massive vault-like door. Already he felt the nostalgia…and the anxiety. It was both exciting and frightening at the same time. Part of his mind was telling him to leave well enough alone, while another part knew he had to undue the mess he made regardless of the consequences. Already his meddling had cost too much pain and suffering. He promised himself this would be the final trip. He remembered what the other Kyle told him about the capsule. The other Kyle knew he would go back. Did he take the warning seriously? No.

  But he had to go back and change things to make them right. Yet, every time he did, he managed to cause some other catastrophe that required another return. This time, however, he was convinced it was the right course to take. After all, his grandfather was with him and he sanctioned the trip. How could anything go wrong?

  Kyle searched around for the latex glove he used to get into the capsule room. He frantically ran around looking through the trashcans.

  “It’s not here. Grandpa, it’s not here. What are we gonna do?”

  “What are you looking for?”

  “A glove. With fingerprints to open the door.”

  “Oh. Is that all?”

  “Grandpa, if we don’t find that glove, I can’t get us inside. You were right. Things change. We can’t get back.” Kyle was on the edge of tears.

  “You’re forgetting one thing.”

  “I don’t think so. I had to use the glove to get in before. We’ll never get in now!”

  “Yeah, but…I know how to get into these kinds of locks.”

  “You…you what? Without a fingerprint? But…but how?”

  “Yep. I’ll show you. Do you know where your dad keeps the tools?”

  “Yeah. I better grab the stuff I need for the distortion device, too, or the dinosaurs will feast on our gizzards.”

  “We don’t have gizzards. Birds have gizzards.”

  “I know that. You know what I mean.”

  “Yeah. Just trying to lighten the mood. Now get those tools to me first so I can get the door open while you’re getting the stuff for your device. Hurry!”

  Kyle raced through the lab grabbing everything he might need and threw them into his backpack which he had divested of his textbooks. Then he brought the toolbox to his grandfather while he assembled the components for the distortion unit.

  Both of them worked with blistering speed. They knew his parents and maybe the police would be there soon. His grandfather unscrewed the panel to the scanner and cut several wires. Then he twisted a few wires together and the door clicked open. Once the door opened, he reattached the wires but in a different sequence and replaced the scanner. Kyle placed all the equipment he needed for the distortion device into a canvas bag he found containing some electronic equipment and threw them into the backpack as well. As he looked around for some batteries, he heard an approaching siren.

  “Grandpa, it’s the police! W
e gotta get outta here!”

  “No problem. All set. Get in quick.”

  “But I need batteries!”

  “Too late. Go!”

  Once inside, they heard the front door open. Kyle saw, not only the police, but also his father. The look on his father’s face was one of sheer panic. His son mirrored that same expression. His grandfather, on the other hand, appeared calm. There was even a slight smile on his face.

  “We’ll never make it. It takes time for the sequence to launch, Grandpa. Dad’ll get in and stop us before we can even get inside.”

  “I doubt that. Now, quick, help me close the door. It’s no longer on automatic.”

  Kyle and his grandfather pulled on the massive door with all their strength. Kyle could never have managed it alone. His father and the police ran across the room and grabbed the door handle to pull it back open.

  “Pull! Everyone. Hurry!”

  Too late, the door clicked shut.

  Kyle watched his father place his finger on the scanner. He knew they weren’t going to make it. His grandfather simply smiled at his son-in-law.

  “You know, your dad thinks I’m a crazy old coot and I think he’s convinced my daughter, your mother, of that as well. I’m going to enjoy this moment and then we can get going.”

  Dr. Donavan waited for the scanner to accept his fingerprint. Instead, an alarm went off screaming its high-pitched warning.

  “What did you do, Grandpa?”

  “Oh, I crossed the wires. It’ll take them hours to figure out what I did. This door isn’t going to open for anyone anytime soon.”

  His grandfather smiled through the window at his son-in-law and then waved goodbye. Dr. Donavan shook his head and then ran away from the door.

  “Uh oh.”

  “What Grandpa?”

  “I think your dad is smarter than I gave him credit for. He’s headed for the control room to abort the program.”

  “Yeah, well…seems I’m smarter than he thought, too. I encrypted the program. It would take Dr. Bashan several hours to break, let alone my dad. Guess he’s in for another surprise. Let’s get out of here.”