Time Travel Institute (Cold Curtain)

A Test Squirrel

"If you young fellows were wise, the devil couldn't do anything to you, but since you aren't wise, you need us who are old."—Martin Luther

September 2, 2147

Benjamin took the bus as close to the Watts' house as he could and walked the rest of the way, to talk about time travel with Alexander.

"You weren't answering," Alexander said.

"Yeah, sorry."

"Do you want to go further back in time year by year or take a few big leaps back?"

"How long would they be?"

"Either, as long as they don't take more than a couple hours."

"If you go longer, you will be able to build up an immune system."

"Yeah, but I can't work and be sick all the time. Your mom can't, and she's not even contagious. What are you doing?"

Alexander was looking through the various tools and pieces of junk he had all around the barn, and kept handing things to Benjamin. "Ella came in here a couple days ago. Now I can't find anything. Herbert needs some wires changed. They're all—" he waved his hand vaguely. "Like that."

"Is it still safe to use?"

"Probably. I tested a squirrel earlier. It came back looking shell shocked, but alive."

"Shell shock!" Benjamin said.

"What about it?" Alexander asked.

"I can go to the First World War's trenches."

"What about the diseases, gas, and people shooting at you?"

"I will learn everything the soldiers did, and use a name that isn't on a killed, missing in action, or presumed dead list. If my name isn't on the list, I don't die."

"I'm pretty sure all of that would qualify as child endangerment," Alexander said.

"But nobody really cares what you do once you're an adult as long as it isn't against the law," Benjamin said. "I could go after my birthday."

"Okay."

"Hey, Benjamin." Ella stopped outside the open door. "Can you teach me to be a time traveler?"

"Yeah, if your mom says okay."

"Thanks!"

Mrs. Watts was in bed that day, particularly sickly, but she woke up to talk to Ella. "You're awfully young to gad around the past."

"Benjamin would probably be with me."

"And you're awfully young to be gadding around the past with a young man not related to you. Benjamin practically is a member of the family, but still. It's probably all right to go all over anywhere with him, but it wouldn't be with all guys. Sometimes it isn't a good idea to go get a piece of gum from the gas station with a guy. You should just get into the habit of being careful, whether it's somebody you've known since you were a baby or somebody you just met."

"Benjamin'd keep me safe."

"He might not be able to. He can't keep you from catching something or getting lost, and you might not know what to do in the past. Something could go wrong on this end and Alexander couldn't get you out."

"Of course he could."

"He's your big brother, but sometimes things go wrong anyway that nobody except God can control, and it's going to happen with time travel sooner or later. I'd rather you weren't caught in it, at least not until you are an adult."