The Time Watchers (TW#1)

Friday

"Will this be suitable?" Asked one of the guys.

"Yeah, it's fine." I said awkwardly. I was uncomfortable around all these adults, and I just wanted to be left alone. The only thing that made me feel slightly better was that they let me have a lab coat. "You can go now." I waved a hand, shooing them away.

One of the men stayed while the others left, the man watching me intently. I scowled as I began to work on the 'Time Watch'. See, I was building a Time Watch, but I was also building something else. A teleporter, or I was trying to build one at least. I've made some a couple of times, but I was never able to make one that took me farther than a few states out. This'll be hard, especially because I'm surrounded by miles and miles of water. As I built my Time Watch, I was switching from that to my teleporter, trying to make it look like I was building the same thing. The guy who was watching me got pretty bored, and he began to snore in his chair. That gave me an advantage on my work, but not by much. There was still a camera staring blankly at me. As I worked, I tried to ignore the pain from my wounds that were given to me on a daily bases.

I wonder what mom would think about all of this... I thought, screwing in a bolt. I thought about my mom quite a bit, actually. Even though I hardly ever see her. We talk sometimes, on the phone, but I'm always too awkward to say much. When I was little, she thought going to a lab would be good for me. When she learned their real intentions, she didn't know what to do... I didn't either...

"Mr. Friday," said an annoyingly cold voice.

I tried to ignore Eric as he entered the little area.

"Your Time Watchers are pretty sneaky, I'll say that much."

Good, they got away. "Yeah," I muttered, switching from the watch to the teleporter and vice versa.

"Those little kids got away from my small party fast. They're smart, you were right about that."

"I-I'm right about everything," I said quietly, my social skills refusing to come out around the adult.

Eric let out a small laugh. "Sure you are." He reached over and tried to pat my arm, but I yanked away.

"Don't touch me!" I shouted, letting go of my things and backing away as far as the room would let me. That was another thing with autism: there's a certain spot we hate being touched. For some, it's their face, their leg, but for me, its my arms. I don't mind if kids tug on my arms, but with adults, no. No way.

"Calm, Dan, calm." Eric put his arm down, then looked at my work. "How's everything going?"

"Good," I said in an awkward tone.

"Yeah? How long will it be until the watch is done?"

"Today," And so will the teleporter.

Eric smiled. "That's good."

"Wh-What are you gonna do with it?" Man, adults make me so awkward!

"Science, research, tests, etcetera. We could change the world with this thing. We could make more of them. We could make peoples lives better with this."

"No," I shook my head.

"Why not?"

"I-It could ruin the world. Not make it better. If everyone has a watch, then they could ruin the past and future."

Eric shrugged. "Maybe." He turned and walked away, slapping the guy in the chair to wake him up. He whistled a tune, making me groan in agony and cover my sensitive ears.

"Stop whistling," I said in a hurt voice.

Eric chuckled and closed the door.

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