Time Fracture: The Continuing Adventures of The Professor and Kelli

Chapter Two

The following morning, Kelli awoke to find herself alone in the tiny bedroom with the dried-mud walls and wooden floors. Although the soft deerskin blanket kept her warm throughout the cold desert night, she could already feel the morning sun pushing the temperature upwards. She sat on the edge of the bedframe and put on her boots, as she had slept in her clothes.

"Well, good morning, sleepyhead!" Evelyn exclaimed with humorous sarcasm as Kelli appeared in the kitchen. "We have some desert grain and wild goat's milk if you're interested."

Kelli looked to the Professor who signaled that the non-appetizing sounding breakfast was actually quite good. She sat down to realize it was basically oatmeal. "I used to live on this before I was a grad student. I forgot just how much I missed it," she said after two spoonful's.

"Matthew left early to begin hunting for the day, and Eldon is taking his hover-cycle to his office in town, so Evelyn has offered to take us into the city in the family car," the Professor told her.

Kelli smiled at the pioneer-looking woman who wore her hair in long, simple braids. "We don't want to put you out..."

"Oh, you two are no trouble at all," Evelyn answered in her motherly manner, despite the fact that she and Eldon didn't seem to have any children. "I have to get by the glass-blower's shop to pick up my new set of drinking glasses that Eldon ordered for me, and Ellen from across the way asked me to pick her up some scroll-paper, so I was headed to town anyway. It's no bother, dear."

"Regardless, your hospitality is exceptional," the Professor added. "We appreciate all that you and your wonderful husband have offered."

Evelyn smiled sweetly. "We are just simple country folk, Perfesser. Don't expect those city folk to be as inviting."

"We shall indeed stay on our toes, Mrs. Garris," he answered.

"Why don't you two meet me out by the carport, so I can clean up without you being underfoot. Don't take it personally; I throw Eldon out after breakfast too."

The pair smiled at the busy woman and headed out through the front door. As they shielded their eyes against the early-morning sun, Eldon called out from the carport.

"Good morning, you two. I was just about to head in to the office."

The Professor and Kelli joined him by the freshly-cleaned hover-cycle. "It is very impressive when it's clean," Kelli noted.

"Yeah, I don't usually ride it to work, but Evelyn needed the car today. Since I am the local surgeon, I have to keep up appearances. I can't be seen riding through town on a dirty cycle!"

"Perhaps we will drop by your office and see you in action," the Professor offered.

"Excellent! I hope to see you!" He then straddled the large black hover-cycle and sped off across the desert floor.

"I wonder what this... city is going to look like," Kelli wondered aloud.

"I have been looking around, and since the framework on their house is wood, I believe we may be in for wooden buildings, but it's had to speculate without more data," the Professor offered.

"I'm picturing every western movie I've ever seen," Kelli joked.

"Possibly, but perhaps more advanced. I am assuming that they haven't discovered concrete, so no brick or rock buildings unless they use mud as mortar."