The Past And The Present

Act 2 | Chapter 3: November 26, 1986

The Flames of the explosion quickly vanished. Along with the sun, the vehicle slowed down from 40 Mph. I fast slam on the brakes as I hear a loud "HONKKKK" as an on-coming car swerved out of the way. I quickly look down at the date "Nov 26, 1986, 05:01" I mutter to myself "I'm here, now just to find where you are at..." I then hit the gas... and then the engine stalled. I sigh and decide to get a solid look at the outside. So I open the door, letting out a hiss of the cooler inside air compared to the warm outside air. I look around, it's empty. Since the area hadn't been developed till the mid-'90s, so It's a great spot to time travel at since there was nothing to hit for a mile. Well, except for other cars, which is to be expected since I am still on a road. Though apart from that it's silent, and the air is nice and brisk. It causes a way of peace to come upon me. Since the peace is refreshing, it reminds me of that one night that was peaceful for so long was peaceful...

Then I remember the job at hand, stop Uncle Willem from getting arrested, and also get him back to 2023. So I begin to walk back towards the vehicle. That's when I realize something if he couldn't come back. How could the car? But I brush my worries aside as I sit down and close the door, I slide the key in the ignition and... it starts! So I put it into first gear and drove into the town up ahead.

After a while, I begin to see the buildings in town. Though it took much longer than I thought it would. Around 20 minutes! When it would be like... 5 before. Since there used to be a highway... or will be a highway. I think about that very confusing wording I finally enter the town. I think to myself "Where might he live..." Then it hits me! He went by John Smith in 1986, so I could probably look him up in the phonebooks! So I begin to look for a phone booth, and after a moment I see one. So I pull the vehicle into a parking spot and open the doors. After a quick moment of fumbling near the car, I walk over to the phone. I try and open the door and... It was jammed. So I pull harder and it finally opens. After a moment I grab the phone book and slide my fingers across the pages until after looking over 10 pages I see "John Smith, 576 Kenweirk Drive" I smack my now-fisted hand into the book, and rip the page out to use as a guide. Then it occurs to me, I don't know where Kenweirk Drive is. I sigh, I need to ask the locals it seems. So I glance around and see a diner. So I run out of the telephone box and towards the diner. 

I hear a loud honk as a car slams on its brakes, roll down its window and begins to shout slurs at me, I say in a weak tone "Sorry" and then run into the diner where I am met by a big brown bear. He was wearing an apron which was caked in whipped cream and other unidentifiable foods. 

The bear asked "What do ya want?" in a slight new york accent.

I reply "Just directions, do you know where Kenweirk drive is?"

He sighs and says "It's down Perkelly avenue and like 4 miles down the road. Can't miss it"

I smile and reply in a cheerful tone "Thanks!"

I quickly run back to the car, sliding over the hood and opening the gullwing door. I was so excited since it has been over 6 months of not seeing him! And also believing that he was dead... So I start the car and begin to drive towards Uncle Willems house...

I pull into a driveway of a decently tiny house, only a single story. But for someone living alone, it seems more than adequate. After a moment I open the gull-wing door and rush to the main door. And after a second of hesitation, I decide to knock on it. Then after a solid 10 seconds, the door opens. Revealing a white-furred cat, wearing a slightly dishevelled jacket and with its fur all over the place.

I then heard "TOM! It's great to see you!" then he engulfed me in a big hug.

I reply to him, smiling uncontrollably "It's great to see you too" after a second of silence, I ask "how are you?"

He replies "I'm doing well, how about you?" with a smile on his face.

"Well, as good as I can be since I am looking at a dead man" I reply, in a slightly meek tone.

"A dead man? What's going on in 2022?" He says with his smile quickly turning into a frown of confusion and fear.

"Well, you were presumed dead and for me, it's 2023, February 24th" I reply, my happy demeanour changing even more-so

"So..." he sits at the bottom of the door frame, and I join him and sit on the front porch, directly ahead of the door. He sighs and says "Well, I guess there is no point in going back, not like we even could"

My head shoots up "There is a point to going back, and why can't we?" I ask, fear visible in the tone of my voice.

"Well, I found out that the machine just... won't" he stands up and gestures for me to walk inside where I see a massive chalkboard, as well as a couch. He grabs something from a shelf and I sit on the sofa, where I see him start to write on the board.

"From this point in time," he then points his chalk towards a year which is on a line which he drew on the chalkboard. "the time machine struggles to produce enough "time energy" to travel even 5 minutes into the past!"

I interrupt "yes, but the previous time in the car said "Nov 25, 1986, 05:00?" 

He says to me in a very informative tone "Those circuits are prone to interference, it's a miracle that they even worked at all!"

I begin to shake slightly "So you're telling me, that I'm stuck here... in 1986?"

He lowers his head and responds "Until we find a way to produce enough time energy, which is nearly impossible I might add, yes you are stuck here in 1986!"

I slowly tear up and stutter "C-can you try and find a way? Like, review every bit of info you have please?"

He responds "I will, but it'll probably be no use since I've reviewed it a thousand times"

I begin to silently cry more. Is this it? Stuck in 1986? Out of my time... forever? What about my parents? They'll be concerned for me for sure, and... I won't be able to see them for another 36 years. My breathing then begins to quickly increase as I fall to these thoughts. Will I ever be able to talk to Vulpe again? Is this it for me? Is my life complete?!?

I feel a hand on my shoulder and a voice say "It's gonna be ok" then Uncle Willem hugged me, and we just sat there for a while. After around 10 minutes he breaks the silence and says "We should enlist you into school, since if you are gonna be stuck here for a while... why not learn?"

I look at him and say"What about like, a birth certificate? and also previous academic records! Since I can't just go to school with no records!" 

After a moment he says to me "Well, I know a guy who can forge them so I'll pay him a trip later today and he should finish them by tomorrow"

I do a quick double-take and ask "You know a guy!?!" with confusion very evident in my voice

"Well, I had to figure out a way to rent. Since you need so much info to rent, like a birth certificate!" He said with a slight tone of anger in his voice, then after a quick moment he looked up and asks "Did you bring any clothes?"

I smirk and say in a proud tone "Yes I did"

I then hear Uncle Willem say "Wow, I didn't expect you to be so prepared for this!"

I reply "Ya, well I had to fi-" Then I remembered what was in the paper, about the officer's daughter. And how Willem was charged with the crime, so I say "actually, I have something slightly important to tell you."

"What is it?" I hear him ask in a curious tone.

"Ok, so in a couple of days... you will be accused of... kidnapping Skye McMackester and be going to prison for... I don't know how long" I look down

Then I hear him say "So I need to find a way to get the Time Machine working before..."

I reply hastily "T-the 30th"

"So I have about 5 days to find the fault with the time machine... cuttin' it close!" He says with a smile. Then he also says "Well, you should go to school just in case I uh, can't fix the time machine"

I reply "Ya..." with a slightly sombre tone in my voice.

"Also! I need to show you your room Tom" I hear Uncle Willem say, "since you will be here a bit longer..." He then began to walk to another room so I followed him, we ended up in a tiny room with a reasonably sized bed and a small desk. He then turned to me and said "Welcome to your home... away from home"

"Thanks, Uncle Willem, it's a nice room," I say with a smile on my face

"You're welcome!" He replies, "I gotta go and get your "real" documents, so I'll be back soon"

 "Bye!" I say with a somewhat happy expression, after a moment Willem turns around and walks out. Once he does the smile fades quickly and I slowly sit down on my bed. Thinking about the entire situation I've gotten myself into. And how my family may never see me again, or none of the less at this age. But also the hope, that Willem can fix the time machine and return us to 2023. Where I can pretend like this never happened, and be normal.