Chapter 1
"OK, Pim, Phil, come on, now. I want to get going before we get stuck in traffic," hollered Lloyd Diffy. "Oh, hold your horses," said Pim as she headed outside with her bags and loaded them into the time machine. Phil followed slowly. He didn't want to leave after being in 2003 for 2 years, which meant he was now in 2005. He had made some real good friends, something he didn't have too much of in 2121, his best one being Keely Teslow. They did everything together, and Phil had kept the secret from her until he realized he could trust her. And she's kept it up to now. And now they were just now starting to become a couple when his dad finally fixed the time engine, which was really Pim and now they have to leave.
"Oh, Phil, I know you're upset, but this isn't our time," said Barbara.
"I just wish I could say goodbye to Keely before we go," said Phil with a sigh.
"We can't wait any longer for her to show," she said as she climbed into the time machine, Phil following.
"OK, time circuits on," said Lloyd. "Time engine is still working. 2121, here we come."
Lloyd pressed the button and the machine made a rumbling noise and Phil could see the vortex opening up and knew that the next time he would see Keely, she would be "really, really old." The machine continued rumbling, then started to shake uncontrollably.
"What's going on, Lloyd?" asked Barb.
"I don't know." He started to press buttons, then finally said "Everyone out" and they all ran out as the engine blew up.
"Great. Now we're never going to be able to go home," said Pim, as she marched into the house.
"I'll talk to her," said Barb, as she ran in the house after Pim.
Phil was happy, though. He wouldn't have to leave Keely behind.
"Hey, dad, I'm going to talk to Keely. Tell her the news."
"OK, son. I'm going to figure out why the time engine exploded."
Phil ran up to the school where Keely was giving the school news as Lloyd walked to the garage. What none of the Diffys realized, however, is that someone had been watching them the entire time through the bushes, who just now stepped out of them.
"So, the Diffys are from the future, huh?" said Principal Hackett. "Interesting."
