Disclaimer: I do not own Back to the Future.
July 30, 1986
1:30 PM PDT
It was a sunny Wednesday afternoon, and Marty McFly was simply taking a stroll - as he really wished to enjoy the fresh air. His twin, Calvin, decided to join him. In fact, it was likely that Calvin had an even bigger appreciation for the sun. After all, he simply came from a darker world - where he didn't have much opportunity to see the sun.
"I wonder what Doc has up his sleeve, this time," Marty commented, sighing. "He said that he's made another breakthrough. What do you suppose that could be? I mean, I sure can't think of anything - that could possibly be more major than a time machine."
"I have no idea," Calvin replied, shrugging. "For now, though, I was simply thinking of how nice our week at Oak Ridge Lodge was. Even Dave seemed to enjoy himself, and you know how much of a workaholic he can be. Time really seemed to go by so fast."
"I've quite figured something!" Marty exclaimed, as he snapped his fingers. "With Doc and Chris both being here... You know how, essentually, they're the same person. In fact, both certainly have made some progress - as far as inventions go. Do you really think, by 2015, we might become even more advanced... than the first time that..."
"Well, I've never been to 2015," pointed out Calvin. "I was just thinking, though, that maybe Doc could have something to do with... I mean, even the first time around. He actually does have the potential for it, so I think that it very well could be possible."
"I haven't really thought about it, to be honest," Marty replied, somewhat sheepishly. "Now that you've mentioned it... Well, that very well might be possible. I mean, who's to say that it's not. At the very least, he could definitely be influential - as far as..."
"That's exactly what I'm thinking," replied Calvin, softly. "I must admit, though, that I really am worried about... Remember that trip that we made, to 2006? Nature sure is something that I... that I care rather deeply about. I mean, I grew up in a world that was full of pollution - and many predicted that Armageddon was around the corner."
"I certainly can see why you'd feel that way," commented Marty, sighing. "You rather do have a zest for life. I suppose, having grown up in that awful world, you can quite appreciate the small things. Things that, well, many of us tend to take for granted."
"Have you ever read Ray Bradbury's All Summer In A Day?" Calvin asked, softly. "In a way, I'm a little like Margot. I can feel the pain that she simply must be going through, when the other kids lock her in the closet. Her one chance to see the sun, and she..."
"It's too bad that there was no time machine," Marty replied, sadly. "I quite remember reading that story, and I just felt so sad. I mean, I was actually crying. I sure wanted those little bastards who locked her into the closet to be severly punished. I really felt bad for poor Margot. Making her miss the sun was a very shitty thing for them to do!"
"Yeah, you can really say that again," Calvin replied, emphatically. "When I was still in that other world, many people sure believed that the earth wouldn't last much longer. If you think pollution is a big problem in this world... Well, in our world, it was..."
"... turned up to eleven, right?" asked Marty. The boys both chuckled. After checking his watch, he added, "Well, Cal, I think we'd better start heading over to Doc's place. Jennifer and Sarah said that they'd meet us there. Y'know, I am curious about the..."
"... the breakthrough," Calvin finished, laughing. "Oh, Marty, listen to us! This sort of reminds us that we're... Well, you know. We keep finishing each other's sentences. A thing that really fascinates me, I must say. At any rate, I really wonder when we'll be able to let Sarah in on... Well, you know. It's really been a little over a month, now."
"Well, we'll have to see how Doc feels about it," Marty reminded his twin. "I know that Jennifer really is close to her, and they even used to go to the same school. That was from before Jenn's family moved to Hill Valley. I see no real reason to not trust her."
"Yeah, she's a very sweet girl," Calvin replied, dreamily. "Well, I guess we should turn around." As the twins did just that, he added, "Y'know, Marty, this has to be the best summer I've ever had. We just got back from a lovely family trip, not too long ago."
Marty smiled, as he thought of how his twin - who, in reality, was his interdimensional counterpart - simply seemed to have an appreciation for even the smallest things. He thought of how much he would take for granted, before Calvin entered his life - even in the new timeline, where his entire family was much happier and more successful.
oooooooooo
"It's so nice that you kids could all make it!" gushed Doc, as Marty and Calvin were at his house. Jennifer and Sarah Parker were also there. "Why don't you all come to my lab? I've sure been busy, the past few months. I was working on this machine, which is supposed to allow one to re-live a little of their past - without changing anything."
Calvin felt nervous, as he wasn't sure of how the machine would affect him. After all, he didn't grow up in this world. If he could live some of his counterpart's life, though - it would be nice. He figured that, even in the original timeline, Marty had a lot of fun.
"Are you actually serious about this, Doc?" Sarah asked, excitedly. "We should maybe re-live a moment from... from when Jenn and I still lived in the same town. There sure are times, y'know, when I miss being a child. I mean, we used to have so much fun."
"Well, Sarah, we can still have fun," pointed out Calvin. "To be honest, Doc, I'm feeling a little uncertain of how I feel about all this. I just didn't have that happy of a childhood. If we do this for only ten minutes, though - then I guess I'd be willing. We should pick a time, though, when I was in a boarding school. That wasn't so bad."
"How about ten years ago," suggested Doc, "on this very day? It'll make things a little easier. Basically, it's supposed to just send us into our younger selves - but you won't be able to change anything. You will be able to touch, smell, and taste everything."
"My summers were mostly spent at boarding schools," explained Calvin, as he thought back to ten years ago. "I suppose I'm simply okay with that, then - as long as I'd have the memories that I have right now. I guess I wouldn't be able to change anything."
"Why don't you all step into this room?" Doc suggested, as he pointed to his left. "It's a machine that operates on memory, not time. Few of us have a clear memory of the past. However, there is a section of our brain - which quite stores every nanosecond of what's occurred in our lives. The machine operates on that section of the brain."
"Whoa, this is heavy," gasped Marty, as Doc and the teens stepped into the room. "I admit that I really feel nervous. However, you're my close friend. Also, I'm excited to re-live a moment of my youth. I really hope that my memories of... Well, you know."
"All right, everyone," Doc announced, as he began to press some buttons. "I'm about to bring us all back to July 30 of 1976. After precisely ten minutes have passed, you'll return to this room. All right, put on these helmets - and then I'll go pull on the lever."
Calvin simply glanced at his twin, and then at the girls. He took in a big sigh, as he put the helmet on. He wasn't exactly looking forward to re-living a moment from the other world. Still, he knew how much the experiment meant to Doc. Also, in theory, it simply sounded like a neat idea. His life from before his father was murdered wasn't all bad.
"All right, everyone, brace yourselves!" Doc called out, as he reached for the lever. It really made Calvin feel nervous, as Doc began pulling the lever down. At first, nothing happened. Suddenly, Calvin saw that everyone - including himself - was shrinking.
"Great Scott!" gasped Doc, as he glanced around. "You all reverted back to becoming younger children." Running his hand over his face, he added, "How come I feel older, if you all..." Just then, he gasped, "Of course! It was the rejuvenation overhaul!"
"This really is weird," Jennifer commented, looking around. "I can't believe it. My voice sounds so... I can't believe that I sound so young." Turning to her cousin, she added, "Oh, Sarah, you look the very same way you did - when you..." To Doc, she asked, "I gather that this wasn't what you were expecting? This is just a very strange feeling."
"I don't understand what happened here," replied Doc, shaking his head. "This isn't at all what I expected. It's very true that I designed the machine to temporarily make us younger, but... Well, this certainly wasn't what I expected. This all came out wrong."
"Hey, this really isn't all bad," Calvin replied, as he thought of an idea. "I mean, this is the chance that I've always hoped for. Marty and I can go home, and we can live the life of young children. I think this is totally awesome! I get to become a kid, again!"
"That is entirely out of the question, Cal," protested Doc, shaking his head. "You must not let anyone see you in this condition. I'm afraid that you just have no choice but to stay here, while I try to figure out just what exactly went wrong. If you allow anyone see you like this, this might mean trouble for me. I'm sorry to rain on your parade."
"What if it takes a week, or something?" Marty asked, nervously. "We really can't just hide during all this time. Everyone will quite worry about us. This Friday, our band has a concert to perform. Why can't we have a little bit of fun, while we're all children?"
Calvin was in complete agreement with his twin. This simply seemed to be a real major let-down. He tried opening his mouth to speek, but he felt himself growing very dizzy. Everything around him became very blurry. Suddenly, he really lost all consciousness!
