TIMESCAPE

17

 Paige was going to be okay. She had several deep wounds in her abdomen and had lost quite a bit of blood, but she was going to live. When they arrived at the hospital, the medics had rushed her into surgery. Dante wasn't allowed to see her after that. Will left to talk to the professor. Katrina stayed with Dante until they got the update. The professor found them there later that night and let them know that everything was going to be paid for. He apologized once again for everything that had happened to her, and asked if he was going to see them next week.

"I have to," said Dante, "I signed the contract."

"I was mostly kidding about that. You're free to help or not. Remember, I chose people I could trust. And I trust you to make the right decision, and whatever that is, I'll respect it. although, I do wish that you would choose to continue." The professor shook Dante's hand and winked at him. As the professor left, Dante couldn't shake the feeling that somehow Professor Campbell knew what he was thinking. It was like he always knew the right thing to say.

Paige was safe, and her family had been contacted. There was nothing more Dante could do here and so he decided it was time to go home. they were walking away from the hospital, Dante turned to Katrina "Are you hungry?"

"I don't think I've ever been hungrier!" she declared.

"Do you want to get some food?"

"Sure."

"There's a place right around the corner. I think it's called Sam's Hamburgers or something like that."

"Hamburgers sound delicious. But also, food just sounds delicious right now."

They walked around the corner and into Sam's. The food didn't take long to get to their table. Soon, Dante was biting into a juicy burger, and it was the greatest thing he'd ever eaten. Maybe food always feels that way after near death experiences. It felt like he was eating for the first time. Katrina finished her burger before he did, he didn't think he'd ever seen a girl eat that fast.

They both ordered coffee and talked for awhile after. He liked talking to Katrina. She was easy to talk to, and their conversations didn't bore him. Before long, the conversation turned to the events of the day. "It still doesn't seem real," Dante said "And poor Paige. Part of me wonders if it's worth it, to do this week after week, all for some treasure. Is it really worth our lives?"

Katrina took a sip of her coffee "That depends on how much your life is worth to you. And if you've got anything better to live for."

"Are you going to come back?" Dante asked. He'd assumed the answer was no, but she'd never actually told him either way. And to his surprise, she said:

"Yeah, I am. I could use a little danger in my life. Are you?"

Dante wanted to say yes, because he wanted to see her again. He wanted to have adventures and the chance to help people and make a difference like he had today. However, he also wanted to live. So he said "I'm not sure."

Katrina smiled at him "Well, if you decide to do it, I'll see you there."

Dante drove Katrina back to her car at the professor's house and they said goodnight. As Dante drove home, he seemed to reenter an invisible barrier of reality. He was back in his old life now, he was no longer a time travelling adventurer. He was just Dante Howard, a fireman. And what did he have to look forward to? An arm wrestling match? Long days of sitting around waiting for something exciting to happen? Was that the life he wanted to live?

Dante knew the answer. The answer as no. And even if he couldn't bring himself to say it, Dante knew that when Saturday rolled around he'd be there, ready for another adventure.