Professor Time

Chapter 1

Bowed tapped his fingers anxiously on the faded wooden table, checking his phone every few seconds. He was supposed to meet Jag, Jasmine and Musa at their usual hangout spot half an hour ago but no one had shown yet.

He blew out a tired breath, wondering what could be keeping the group. Just as he was about to give up and leave, the café door burst open with a jingle. In stumbled Jag, out of breath with a massive stack of books in his arms.

"Guys, you'll never believe what I found cleaning out my grandfather's attic..."

Jag's words trail off as three more figures pile into view behind him - Jasmine, Musa and an elderly bespectacled man. Their cryptic smiles leave Bowed bursting with questions.

Jag breathlessly explaining that among his grandfather's years-old collections was a strange machine unlike anything they've seen. As he's dragging the large contraption out, that's when the Professor appeared and began asking questions, eventually revealing his own involvement.

From there, Professor Time could offer more context for the curious device. Perhaps his grandfather and the Professor previously collaborated on theoretical time travel research. Now, with some adjustments, the machine appears fully functional for real world tests.

Bowed's eyes grew wide as Jag explained what he found among his grandfather's decades-old archives - a hulking machine unlike any appliance they'd seen before. As Jag struggled to haul it outside, that's when the elderly Professor approached, bombarding him with questions about its design and power source.

"What do you make of it, Professor?" Jasmine asked excitedly. The old man cleaned his spectacles, inspecting the odd device closely.

"If my theories prove correct, this contraption...may offer a window beyond our perception of time itself," he said slowly. Gasps rose from the group. Only then did the Professor agree to disclose his own research partnership with Jag's grandfather decades prior, aiming to solve the riddles of time travel.

"It seems their work bore fruition at last. With some adjustments, I believe we can test its capabilities," the Professor said.

Bowed and his friends were immediately eager to experiment. But the Professor cautioned patience. "We must prepare properly before revving any engines of eternity. One misstep could prove—"

"I think we're all willing to take the risk, Professor," Jag cut in with a smirk. The others voiced agreement.

The Professor sighed. "Very well. But you shall heed my every instruction..."

With the group's enthusiasm winning over any hesitation, Professor Time knew further protest was fruitless. Their adventure had begun.

"Let us move this device to my laboratory immediately. There we can undertake preliminary checks and calibrations before any temporal excursions," the Professor decreed.

Jag and Bowed eagerly hefted the bulky machine, grunting with strain. Jasmine skipped ahead to hold open doors. Musa trailed behind, thumbing buttons curiously.

"Careful!" Professor Time cried. "One wrong move could—well, we'll avoid thinking of possibilities for now."

Soon they reached his cluttered workshop. Rolling up sleeves, the Professor got to work examining blueprints and installing additional components. The friends watched like hawks, absorbing his every word.

Days passed in a flurry of tests and adjustments. At last, the Professor pronounced the device space-time ready. "A preliminary jaunt back one hour should cause no disruption. But only a brief test—and gloves must be worn at all times."

Bowed smiled nervously. "Here goes nothing..." He pulled the lever. Bright light engulfed them. When it faded—had it worked?

As the light show dimmed, Bowed blinked rapidly, eyes adjusting. He surveyed his surroundings with shock. Everything looked precisely the same!