Time Travel Institute (Cold Curtain)

Lightning Strikes

"Electricity is really just organized lightning."—George Carlin

June 8, 2148

"Hey, Alexander," Mia called through the barn door.

"Yeah?" Alexander opened it with a lever.

"Is Benjamin in 1918?"

"I just sent him through."

"And you're going to be worried about it for the next two months, right?"

"Yeah."

"To keep you from losing your mind, you are going to do things normal teenaged boys do."

"I'm not going to get drunk at wild parties."

"Yeah, teenagers don't do that as much as people say we do. You are going on a date with either Ethel Jean Blumburger or me, since you've never been on one before."

"I took you to Holy Spirit's pancake breakfast in October."

"Because we were bored, Benjamin was working, and it existed. That's about one step up from taking Ella and Daisy to see a movie."

"Okay, but I have to ask Mom."

"I already did, and she says it's a good idea, and my dad says it's fine, too. So do you want to go out with me or Ethel June Blumburger until Benjamin comes back?" She hoped to make him like her but thought he should have a choice.

"You?" Alexander asked.

"Thanks. I'd love to," Mia said.

June 21, 2148

"What if he gets taken as a prisoner-of-war? Did he check the POW lists? Did the Germans even take POWs?" Alexander asked while he and Mia ate supper.

"He's fine," Mia said.

"How do you know? He's 230 years away, plus some!"

"You are always worrying about Benjamin or Ella and Daisy or something. Calm down."

July 1, 2148

In the middle of the night, Alexander called Mia, who asked, "What?"

"What if he gets gassed, sent to a hospital, and can't get to the portal?"

"Alexander...If you don't stop worrying right now, I'm not going to acolyte anymore and you'll have to be a full-time fill-in."

"Aahhhhhhh."

July 4, 2148

Every 4th of July, the Watts had a cookout, where Mr. Abernathy may or not also have a jug of moonshine on the porch between two geranium pots and the hyacinth bush, which everybody knew about, including the police officer friends. Every child knew not to drink the funny smelling water.

Alexander spent the day making wooden signs and hammering them at intervals leading to the barn: "Approach barn at your own risk. Crazy experiments taking place inside," "No, seriously, stay away from the barn," "Do not enter. Unsafe," "Don't blame me when you get blown up, killed dead, or otherwise maimed," and "I can send you to the Black Death if I need." He taped up a paper sign that said, "Kids, this means you," too, but would take it down later.

"Telling kids in this congregation not to do something is the only way to get them to do it other than volunteering to do something goofy with them," Mia said.

"Then I'll do something goofy with them," Alexander said.

"What are you worried about? Herbert is impenetrable."