Black to the Past

Chapter 32

After school the kids piled into three cars. They took Mike's car, Wilson's and Halle's. Brooke hopped into the back with the girls. Upon arriving at the library they split up. Brooke went to an inconspicuous place and took pictures of the old man who called himself Professor Harold. She then went to the librarian in the teens section. She waited until she caught the librarian alone and pulled out her phone, showing a picture of the professor.
"Do you know this guy?" Brooke asked the librarian quietly.
"Professor Harold," the librarian said just as quietly. "He's a nice old man. Been coming here for decades now."
"Is he crazy?"
"Why would you ask that sweetie," the librarian wanted to know.
"He approached my friends. Talks to them every time they're here. I just think that's weird that's all," Brooke confided in her.
"Some people are just friendly that way. I'm sure he's just trying to reach out to the next generation," the librarian told her then moved away to do librarian things.
Brooke settled down at the computer and tried to research his name. Without a last name it was nearly impossible. Old people just weren't online and didn't leave a digital footprint like the youth of today. She sighed. She wondered how long it would take for them to leave the library when she received a beep letting her know that she was getting a text.
-We're headed out - Halle
-kk - Brooke

Wishing now that she'd waited in the car, with Halle's keys she, had to sneak out either right before them or right after. Walking slowly out of the teen area of the library, Brooke saw the professor leaving out the building. The group of kids were right behind him. Halle swung her head over her shoulder and nodded to Brooke. Brooke followed closely behind. She had to be in the car and pulling out so that she could trail the group. She didn't think it was likely that they knew their destination.

Hopping into Wilson's front seat, Halle was feeling even more unsure of the plan. "Does what he's saying even make sense to you?"
"Yeah, kind of. He wants two of us to go to a time in the recent past while we're at this same age. That way if we don't get back we're still in the same timeframe that we were in before."
"Every movie we've ever seen says you can't see yourself if you go back in time, that's a real thing, Wilson," Halle argued.
"You heard what he said, Hal. This isn't a movie. When you leave the present you're gone. You are physically not here anymore," Wilson tried reasoning with her.
"You're acting like that makes perfect sense! That doesn't make any sense. If I leave, I'm not here anymore? What?!"
"You have to calm down, Halle. We'll have it explained again when we get to his Solarium. Didn't you always wonder about that place? I mean it looks like a house, but doesn't. And it's always been there, on the main road taunting us because it's a private drive," Wilson reflected.
"Yeah, I guess it is kinda cool that we'll be able to get in there and see what's back there," Halle agreed. "I'm gonna call Brooke."
"Good idea," Wilson told her.

"Hey," Halle started.
"Hey, I'm back here. Do you know where you guys are headed?"
"That Solarium on Cedar," Halle told her.
"Really?! I've always wondered what that place was. Does he actually live there?"
"Yeah, he said it's his house. He said he bought it in the 1960's. He explained how he was trying to put a bomb shelter in when he discovered the time machine."
"Wow! Now I'm kind of intrigued," Brooke admitted to her.
"Wanna take my place?"
"No thanks. We'll stick to the plan. At least now I know where you're going I can side swipe to the mall," Brooke joked.
"You'd better not. One hour Brooke, two tops and if we're not out you call the police," Halle warned.
"But you don't know how time travel works. Will you be right back?"
"I don't know. He says that we will. Either way, please don't leave me," Halle begged.
"I won't. I promise," Brooke said before hanging up the connection.
She was more weirded out by them traveling through time. What if their bodies exploded. This whole concept was beyond different.