Time Travel Institute (Cold Curtain)

Broken

"Good, better, best. Never let it rest. 'Til your good is better and your better is best."—St. Jerome

August 8, 2148

For the past twelve hours, Mia, Ella, and Daisy had taken each part of Herbert out and replaced it, mostly relying on matching memory. Sometime near ten o'clock, Alexander staggered away, went to the bathroom, and came back to the barn with a Jello mix, which he opened and ate. It was sitting on the counter and as soon as his brain registered food, he turned back into a vegetable.

"Alexander. Hey." Mia poked him. "Hey. What's this?" She held up a part of Herbert's guts bigger than her head.

Alexander mumbled something, staring vacantly at Herbert.

"At least he's talking now," Daisy said.

"Thingy," Alexander mumbled.

"Okay...Where do you keep replacement things?"

"I don't see a box," Ella said.

"They're all alphabetical and I don't see it! Benja—" Daisy began.

"SHH!"

"Euhhhhhhhhg!"

"Sorry!"

"Alexander, listen carefully," Mia said. "Where did you get the thingy? From Lowe's? What's another tool place?"

"Farm 'n' Garden?" Ella asked. "Big Green? Finnegan Family Farm 'n' Family Fun?"

"Vacant Lot?" Mia asked. "Big Depot? Please say you didn't make the thingy. ...Oh Lordy, he made the thingy."

The girls groaned.

"And...I think I just pulled out something we've pulled out before..." Daisy whispered.

"Ugh!" Mia tossed the thingy into a corner. "WHY? Not you, Daisy, just, WHY?!" She texted her best friend: I really need you at 317 Windsor Lane. Prepare to weld or forge or whatever. I will pay you for labor. "Hopefully, we have reinforcements coming."

"How goes the wo...Oh," Mrs. Watts said. "It's going awfully, isn't it?"

Mia, Ella, and Daisy nodded.

"Well, Ella and Daisy, you need some sleep, and Mia, nobody but you can boss you around, but you are welcome to sleep or make coffee or both."

"Thanks," Mia said. "I'll just get some coffee and then sit with Alexander. He's in shock. You look terrible."

"I've been about eight times better. I'll help, but mostly with ordering whatever supplies Herbert needs."

"Hi," E.J. said. "What's the emergency?"

"During the thunderstorm last night, Herbert was struck by lightning and is completely ruined," Mia said.

"Oh my gosh. Did he go to the hospital? 'Cause I can't—"

"No, Herbert is a time machine. In here."

Mia led E.J. inside the barn.

"What's up with him?" E.J. asked, pointing to Alexander, who had started staring without blinking. It freaked Mia out, so she shut his eyes, laid him down, and covered him with a blanket.

"That's Alexander Lee Watts, my boyfriend, the inventor of time travel, and one of the founders of the Time Travel Institute."

"I thought he'd be...older?"

"He's not. He's that age. So this is a thingy, and we need a new one?" Mia hefted it up.

"What is it?"