Chapter 12:
The trio fell out of the vortex and landed on the ground in an alleyway. Michael stood up and brushed himself off and helped Rebecca and Sam up.
"So... Where are we?" Sam asked.
"No idea. Let's look around." Rebecca replied.
The sliders walked out of the alleyway and onto the streets. Michael looked around at every street sign.
"Why are you checking every sign out?" Rebecca asked.
"I have a pretty good memory of what it looked like on our world, so I want to check for landmarks." Michael said.
"Ah... Wait a minute!" Rebecca shouted.
"What?" Sam asked.
"Sam, you've lived in San Francisco all your life, right?" Rebecca asked.
"Yeah. Why?" Sam said.
"What's that?" she asked pointing at a storefront.
"That... It can't be!" Sam said.
"What can't be?" Michael asked.
"That's Sonny's Pizza." Sam said.
"And..." Michael started.
"It closed down in 2005... After the owner died." Sam said.
"I guess this is a universe where it didn't close down..." Michael said.
"You know... I had my 8th birthday here. In fact..." Sam started and took his phone out and scrolled through the pictures until he stopped on one that had a child in a pizza restaurant with a cake in front of him. "I still have the picture. It was taken... right there. Where that group of kids are."
"Looks like another kid gets to have his birthday in the same spot." Rebecca said.
"Let's go in and check the timer. I'm a bit hungry." Michael said.
"Great! I still have cash from the last world!" Sam said and they walked inside.
They walked up to the counter and placed their orders and sat down at a booth. Rebecca watched the birthday party in the back.
"That kid looks really happy. It's adorable." Rebecca said.
"We have a week here." Michael said. "Let's hope that it's not too strenuous."
"When I had my party, it was just about now that they started singing "Happy Birthday"." Sam said.
Suddenly, the children in the back started singing the song. Sam turned around in shock and went back into his phone.
"What's wrong?" Michael said laughing. "Don't like being psychic?"
"No... It's just that..." Sam said holding his phone up towards the birthday party.
"Say cheese!" an older woman, who Michael and Rebecca assumed was the birthday boy's mother said.
"Look at this," Sam said and Michael and Rebecca looked at the phone and gasped, as they saw the same image repeated in real time in the back of the restaurant.
"We have to get out of here." Michael said. "Can we take this to go?" he asked the guy at the counter. He grabbed the pizza box and ran out.
"So... This is also a time machine?" Rebecca asked.
"No... I mean... it's not supposed to be!" Michael shouted.
"Well it is. And this means... It's 2001." Sam said.
"Out of the question." Michael said. "History has to take it's natural course. If 9/11 doesn't happen, a bigger terrorist attack could happen because the airport security wasn't tightened."
"Well then... I guess we lay low for the week we're here and then slide out without causing any problems." Rebecca said.
"Good idea." Michael said. "Let's get to the hotel. Might be better off there."
"I'll... I'll meet you there." Sam said.
"No way. I know what you're thinking. This isn't even our universe, I bet. There's a possibility that there's a universe where time is reversed by 12 years." Michael said.
"Dude, you have no idea what happens in a few days." Sam said.
"Would you mind enlightening us?" Rebecca asked.
"I'd rather not talk about it." Sam replied.
"No explanation, no changing the timeline." Michael said.
"Fine... It happened, or I guess will happen in a week. I do something monumentally stupid." Sam said.
"Embarrassing stupid?" Michael asked.
"Nearly fatal stupid." Sam said frowning.
"Let's go to the hotel, and you can tell us all about it." Rebecca said.
The trio walked to the Dominion Hotel, and checked in. They walked up to their room and sat down on the beds.
"Okay, Sam. Tell us the story now." Michael said.
"I was eight. And... Me and my best friend were playing in the park." Sam started.
A young Sam was sitting in the park, another child was hanging from the monkey bars, and dropped off.
"So, Sammy, what do you want to do next?" the boy asked.
"I don't know, Carter. What do you want to do?" Sam replied.
"I have an idea. We should go over to the river." Carter said. "We can play Huck Finn."
"Great idea!" Sam said jumping up. "Should we tell our moms?"
"Of course not! They won't let us go. We'll be right back anyway." Carter said. "Look, they're talking. We'll be back before they glance at us."
"Okay." Sam said and they walked out of the playground and into an area of the park that was gated off. "Should we be going in here?"
"What are you, chicken? It's just a gate." Carter said.
"Fine..." Sam said and they climbed over the gate.
The two boys walked over to the river and stood at the edge of the grass, staring into the water. Carter stood behind Sam and grabbed his shoulders abruptly.
"Aah!" Sam shouted turning around.
"You're such a baby, I wouldn't push you in." Carter said.
"You can't be too safe." Sam said.
"Whatever. I'm going to try to climb to the other side over that tree branch." Carter said pointing to a tree with a branch that went across the river.
"That doesn't look very safe." Sam said as Carter began climbing the tree.
"It'll be fine..." Carter said, as a snapping noise was heard and Carter dropped into the water. "Aah!"
"Carter! I'll save you!" Sam shouted and ran into the river, pulling Carter out. "Wake up, please. Please, wake up!"
Carter lay motionless on the grass. Sam stood up and ran toward the gate waving his arms.
"Mom! Help! Carter's hurt! I think he might be dead!" Sam shouted.
Sam turned to Michael and Rebecca. He looked down at the floor and closed his eyes.
"He survived. His mom and mine were able to resuscitate him. But... he was never the same. Neither was I, do you know how hard it would have been, to be eight, and see your best friend almost die?" Sam asked.
"I can't say. And I understand why you want to help this world's version of you. But is it our place to meddle?" Michael asked.
"It is if it can save two innocent kids. Carter was a jerk sometimes, but he was better before he almost drowned." Sam said.
"Well, do you remember how long after today it happened?" Rebecca asked.
"If I remember correctly, it's in almost a week." Sam replied.
"Six days?" Michael asked.
"Actually, yeah!" Sam replied.
"That's when we slide. If you do something, you'd have to do it before then, or do it quick." Michael said.
"So, you'd let me do it?" Sam asked.
"I understand why you want to. And I'm okay with it as long as you don't try to give this world's you an advantage with lottery tickets or sports bets or anything like that." Michael replied.
"Agreed." Sam said.
"We should all go check up on our kid selves." Rebecca said.
"I would, but mine is in New York. You can check yours though." Michael said.
"You can always make a phone call." Rebecca said.
"Good idea. But I think it's better I didn't." Michael said.
"Suit yourself." Rebecca said. "I'm going to drop by my house, and see how my kid self is doing."
"I'll go with you." Michael said. "Might as well see what you were like back then."
"I have to contemplate some stuff. I'll be here when you get back." Sam said.
"Okay!" Rebecca said. "See you later!"
Michael and Rebecca walked up a street and came upon a house. Rebecca stopped and stared at the house.
"Is this it?" Michael asked.
"Yeah." Rebecca replied.
"What were you doing around this time?" Michael asked.
"I don't remember." Rebecca replied as the door to the house opened and a little girl walked out.
"I guess we know now..." Michael said laughing.
"Hide!" Rebecca whispered and ran behind a tree.
"Why? If this is Earth Prime or a world that it Earth Prime 12 years ago, then she will never know me." Michael said.
The little girl walked off the porch as Michael turned around and pretended to check the other houses. She walked over to the tree that Rebecca was standing behind.
"I know who you are." the girl said.
"You... do?" Rebecca asked.
"Yeah. You're me. I can tell because you're super pretty and you look like me." the girl said. "Do you have a time machine?"
"Oh... Well..." Rebecca started.
"Is that our boyfriend?" the little girl asked.
"What? No!" Rebecca said, and Michael smiled.
"Too bad." the little girl said.
"Why?" Rebecca asked.
"You two seem like you like each other." the little girl said.
"Yeah..." Rebecca said. "It's a long story."
The front door opened again and a woman walked out. She ran over to the little girl and grabbed her.
"Rebecca! How many times have I told you not to leave the house without telling me!" Rebecca's mom shouted.
"I'm sorry mommy." the little girl said.
"It's okay. I was just worried about you." she said turning to Rebecca. "Thank you for keeping her in front of the house. She has a habit of leaving the house."
"No problem. I had the same problem when I was a kid." Rebecca said.
"Let's get you inside, Rebecca!" Rebecca's mom said as she walked inside the house.
"What? I can't be your boyfriend? Why were you so shocked that she suggested it?" Michael asked.
"Shut up." Rebecca said. "Me and you? It'd never work!"
"And why not" Michael asked.
"Because! We're from two different worlds! Literally!" Rebecca replied.
"Okay, you got me on that one." Michael said as they started to walk down the street.
Michael sat on the bed, tapping his fingers against the timer. He glanced down at it and looked at the time left.
"Well, we have a day left. Do you have a plan?" Michael asked.
"Yeah. I'm going to get there in time to save Carter before he does something stupid." Sam replied.
"What if he doesn't listen?" Rebecca asked.
"He'll listen. And if he doesn't, I'll make him." Sam replied.
"Let's just make sure that if you do it, we can open the portal far away from kid you, even if this isn't our universe, it could pollute their natural flow of time." Michael said.
"You've watched way too much science fiction..." Rebecca said, smirking.
"Whatever." Michael said.
"Listen, I have to go alone. This is my thing, and I need to do it alone, just like I was that day." Sam said.
"Fine. But we'll be close enough to run in if something goes wrong." Rebecca said.
"Fair enough." Sam said.
"Let's get some rest." Michael said. "It's been a long week."
Sam stood in front of the park. Michael and Rebecca stood at his sides.
Sam sighed and looked up at the sign.
"It's time. You guys can wait in the trees near the river. It's enough of a hiding spot and it'll give you a view of everything." Sam said.
"Okay, good luck." Michael said.
"Remember, you only have 10 minutes." Rebecca said.
"Got it." Sam said walking into the park.
Sam approached the fence and looked at the river. He sighed and walked to a bench and took out a newspaper. He put the paper in front of his face and pretended to read.
"So, Sammy, what do you want to do next?" a voice asked. Sam gulped.
"I don't know, Carter. What do you want to do?" Young Sam replied.
"I have an idea. We should go over to the river." Carter said. "We can play Huck Finn."
"Great idea!" Young Sam said jumping up. "Should we tell our moms?"
"Of course not! They won't let us go. We'll be right back anyway." Carter said. "Look, they're talking. We'll be back before they glance at us."
Sam stood up as the two kids passed him and ran to the fence near the river. Sam trailed behind, periodically stopping to check his watch. Sam walked to the fence and walked through the part near the bushes, so he could remain hidden. He stood behind the tree adjacent to the tree Carter would climb.
"Here's hoping this works..." Sam said.
"Whatever. I'm going to try to climb to the other side over that tree branch." Carter said pointing to a tree with a branch that went across the river.
"That doesn't look very safe." Young Sam said as Carter began climbing the tree.
"No!" Sam shouted as he ran out from behind the tree and Carter fell from the tree branch. Sam caught Carter right before he landed in the water.
"Carter! Are you okay?" Young Sam asked.
"Yeah... I think. Thank you, dude." Carter replied.
"Don't mention it. Don't try anything this stupid again." Sam said and began to walk away.
"We've got less than 20 seconds!" Michael said hopping over the fence with Rebecca.
"But they're still here." Sam said.
"Guess we're not going to be as conspicuous as I had hoped." Michael said.
"Let's get out of here." Rebecca said.
"Here we go." Michael said aiming the timer at the fence.
"Hey, Carter, Sam. Don't tell anyone about this, okay?" Sam asked.
"Uh, yeah... Sure!" Carter and Sam said in unison.
The portal opened and the three sliders jumped through, and the portal closed soon after.
"That was really weird..." Sam said.
"Yeah, let's never come to the river again." Carter said as they ran back to the fence.
To Be Continued...