The Accidental Time Travellers

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Jack couldn’t remember a school holiday when he’d been up so early every day. Obviously Christmas Day was usually an early start, and probably would be for a few years to come, but the rest of the time he was unlikely to be awake before nine o’clock at the earliest.

And yet here he was again, awake at six o’clock. Not that he’d planned to be, he just woke up, feeling excited and unable to get back to sleep. He’d stayed in bed for a while, thinking about what they were going to do today, and wondering if it would work. A whole day into the future was quite different to twenty minutes, either into the future or the past. While he was sure the machine would work, he what he wasn’t so certain about was how long it would take, and how well the battery would cope.

Still, there was only one way to find out. It wasn’t as though they could have a trial run.

Although it would be interesting to stay behind and watch what happened when the machine went through time. No it wouldn’t. Nothing would happen so long as it returned to exactly the same point in time. If he was watching the other two, they’d just be there, and then still be there. He’d already told the others this. It was obvious, so why was he even thinking about it?

Maybe some breakfast and then some fresh air would help.

By seven thirty he’d had some toast and Marmite, and was sitting outside on a bench at the end of the garden, watching a couple of birds hop across the lawn. It was going to be cooler today, according to the weather forecast, but he’d still put on a pair of shorts. His legs were feeling a little cold, but that was only to be expected really, at that time of the morning.

I wonder what kind of birds they are? Robins and blackbirds were easy, but others he found a little more tricky. He’d have a look in his mum’s book of birds later. You never know, I may even be able to impress Anna with my knowledge.

A few minutes later Jess came outside, still wearing her pyjamas.

“Morning,” she said sleepily, scratching her head. “You’re up early again. If I’d have known we could have gone to the stables again.”

“How about tomorrow. If all goes well today we’ll need to be far from here tomorrow morning, so going to Freddie’s will be perfect. Anyway, I thought you didn’t want to be early today. You and Freddie both said nine thirty.”

“I know. I woke up and couldn’t get back to sleep. I don’t know why.”

“Me neither. It’s not as though we haven’t done this before. I guess it’s because we’re trying to go to another day. It just seems like that much of a longer trip.”

“Exactly. I was really excited when you first showed me how it worked. Now I’m much more nervous.”

“It’ll be fine,” he said, although he didn’t feel very positive about the whole thing. It wasn’t that he was worried about the trip, it was more that he had a feeling that it wouldn’t work at all. “Anyway, you’d better get dressed before Freddie gets here. Unless that’s the look you’re going for today.”

“I’ve got plenty of time; he won’t be here for ages yet. Anyway, I’m going to have a shower.”

She went back inside, leaving him alone again, with just the birds to keep him entertained.

And a squirrel, who ran to the middle of the lawn, stopped and looked around, then ran back the way he came, up and over the fence and into next door’s garden.

Well, that was a waste of time. Still, it was another distraction and helped to pass a minute or so.

Eight o’clock. Still another hour and a half to go. He decided he’d better go and check the time machine, and make sure all the components were OK and likely to be working.