SBI Oneshots

Tommy the Time Traveler

Do y'all like the alliteration I did in the title? Hehehe

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      The sound of suitcase wheels echoed through the hallway, both Phil and Wilbur dragging their luggage with a huff. Tommy followed them, chatting away about whatever came to mind.

      "There are definitely aliens in Area 51! Why else would they want to protect it so badly?" Wilbur rolled his eyes, sighing as he put his suitcase by the front door. Phil did the same, only with a small chuckle instead of his usual disappointed exhale.

      "Tommy, do you know the definition of the word 'secrets'? You protect your diary as if the formula to a nuclear bomb is in it, so why should I think it doesn't have that?" Tommy grumbled. Techno had a good point, and he didn't like being wrong, so he changed the subject.

      "When are you guys getting back?"

      "In about a week. The convention is only four days, so that gives us a day before and after to unpack and repack, as well as a day to just be tourists." Phil put his hand on his chin in thought, imagining what the new country would have to offer.

      "Yeah, well, don't get lost and miss your flight. I don't think I can handle taking care of Tommy for more than a week." Techno laughed, glancing at his little brother who crossed his arms in an angry rebuttal. Just as he opened his mouth to snap back, a gust of wind shoved the two to the floor and pushed Phil and Wilbur against the wall.

      It was like a small tornado had formed in their living room, staying in one place yet destroying picture frames and plates from the power of the wind. For about five seconds it stayed like that; unable to move and just wreaking havoc on the family. But then, it stopped. The wind went away as well as the tiny natural disaster, and in its place stood a man.

      A man who looked freakishly similar to Tommy.

     He spun around, taking a look at his surroundings with a wandering eye. "Woah..." Techno scooted closer to Tommy, protectively standing in front of him.

      "Who are you?" The man stopped glancing around, finally making eye contact with someone.

      "Oh, I'm sorry. I'm not used to people not knowing what that is. Um... I'm Tommy. From the future." He smiled brightly, glancing between Techno and Tommy. His eyes wandered again, eventually seeing Wilbur and Phil pushed against the wall. His whole posture changed, suddenly sadder and less straight. "Wilbur... Dad..."

      "Uh... Hi mate."

     "Can I hug you?" Phil and Wilbur looked at each other, not sure what to say. "Wait, oh my god, I'm sorry. That's not the point of this mission. You two can not go on that plane. If you do, you'll die, and your deaths will set off a chain reaction of events that eventually lead to Techno dying too, as well as World War 3. It's not pretty, let me tell you that."

      "I'm sorry, can we go back to the time travel thing? How is that possible?"

      The older Tommy chuckled. "The government hides a lot from you. By the way, Techno, I was right. Area 51 does have aliens. So, ha!" The younger Tommy smiled, relishing in his victory.

      "Ok, ok, so if you traveled back in time to stop them from getting on that plane, why do it this way? I mean, surely it's dangerous for us to know about time travel. Couldn't you have just sabotaged the flight or something?"

      "You are absolutely right Techno. It is very dangerous for you to know this, but I know you. You won't tell anyone. And I couldn't just sabotage the plane because that would take time that I don't have. I'm not supposed to be doing this. Messing with time is a very dangerous thing. In fact, pretty soon I'm going to evaporate into thin air because if you don't go on that plane, then you don't die, and Techno and I never join the military program that works with time travel. Which means I would never have traveled back to warn you. It's all a big paradox, but the only thing you need to know is that a war will happen if you go to that convention."

      "But why us?" Wilbur squeaked out, his hand holding the doorknob to steady himself. "Why does the future revolve around us being alive?"

      Tommy sighed. "It's hard to explain. It's a big chain reaction is all I can say, and it starts today when you leave. I can't let that happen. Will you stay?"

      Wilbur and Phil glanced at each other again. Thirty seconds passed of just silence, then Phil dropped the suitcase handle he was holding, backing away from the door. "I'll stay. Wilbur?" Wilbur nodded, pushing himself off of the front door.

      Both Tommys beamed. "Great!" The older Tommy's watch beeped. "Oh, shit. I'm gonna evaporate in twenty seconds. Can I hug you guys? For me, you died five years ago."

      "Five years? How old are you?"

       "Twentyone." Tommy lunged forward, not even waiting for permission anymore. He squeezed Wilbur tightly, burying his face in his older, or well... younger brother's neck. Wilbur hugged back a little awkwardly, not used to physical affection from Tommy.

      His watch beeped again, and he hugged Phil instead.

      Phil smiled as he felt Tommy's tears run down his neck, hugging tighter than before when he sniffed. It was a bittersweet moment, Phil hugging his dying son that hadn't seen him in five years.

      Then, Tommy was gone. His skin flaked and floated into the air, starting at his hands and working its way to the rest of his body like an infection. The last thing there was of him was his face, his lips pulled into a smile and his eyes red from crying.

      Techno finally relaxed, taking his protective arms away from Tommy and picking up a broken picture frame off the floor. "Tommy, in five years you owe me five quid for this." He waved the torn frame around, pieces of glass falling out of it as he did so.

      Tommy huffed, narrowing his eyes as he did so. "It wasn't even me! Well, it was me, but not me me!" Wilbur laughed, dragging his luggage back to his room while Phil started canceling their flights.