Corrupted Timelines

A Time Traveler's Beginnings

"Mommy, why do you and Daddy always carry around that funny, big clock?" Amelia Watson asked her parents. Her mom, Nancy Watson, laughed a little.

"They're used for telling time, sweetie," she responded.

"But it's so big and my watch does the same thing," Amelia showed her tiny kid's watch to her mom. She displayed it proudly with a smile.

"That is true, but this one can do a lot more," Nancy pulled the large pocket watch out from her pocket.

"What can it do?!" her daughter excitedly asked. She bounced up and down waiting for the answer. Nancy thought for a second.

"Well, it can also tell you the day and month," she pointed at the small date indicator on the right side of the watch face. Amelia's expression grew into one of amazement. Anything new and interesting would make an eleven year old excited after all.

"Wow! Can I have one like that?" she turned and asked her mom. Nancy chuckled.

"Someday, sweetie." Amelia's face turned into a pout. Her mom ruffled her short blonde hair playfully in response.

"Yeah, it wouldn't be safe to give you one of those yet," her dad, Arthur Watson, chimed in. He walked into the kitchen with the last little member of their family, Johnny Watson, in tow. Amelia's little brother was turning nine soon.

"What do you mean?" Amelia asked her dad. He looked at his wife and got a slightly displeased expression.

"We can talk about that later," he deflected his daughter's question. She didn't seem very happy with the answer she'd been given.

"That's not fair," she stopped in place a little.

"Yeah, I want to know, too," Johnny pulled on his dad's pant leg. The two kids began to chant and yell at both of their parent's about wanting to know now. Their parent's sighed.

"Ok, ok, calm down you two," Nancy spoke above her rioting children. They both stopped what they were doing and looked at their mom. "Arthur, you explain this."

"Um, kids, it's a special watch that does special things," he began.

"Yeah it can tell what day and month it is," Amelia loudly proclaimed to her brother. His face lit up with the same expression Amelia displayed when she was told this.

"Yes it can do that, but I need you both to not tell anyone about anything I'm going to tell you," he put a finger to his lips and smiled.

"I can keep a secret," both Amelia and Johnny spoke at the same time.

"You see, it can make you go back in time, too." The excitement on the two kid's faces grew tenfold in that moment.

"What?!!" both of their young voices screeched.

"Both me and your mom were planning on telling you when you were a lot older. We wanted to show you what it could do-" he was interrupted by his kids again.

"Show us, show us." Nancy was impressed by Amelia and Johnny's ability to say the exact same things at the exact same time. Arthur sighed.

"I can't show you," both kids opened their mouths to begin rioting again, but they were silenced by their dad raising his voice, "It is dangerous. When you both get older, we can show you how it works, but right now you are both far too young."

Neither kid was scared by their dad's harsher tone, but they knew that it meant they shouldn't continue to push for more answers.

"Ok..." both of them said, defeated. Nancy crouched down in between them both.