Chapter 7: Starting Time, Part 7

The desserts looked scrumptious when placed in front of them. Katya took a forkful and brought it to her nose. Strawberries always reminded her of a time, yet she couldn't remember when.

"Speaking of Dawn," she said, "your mom gave me permission to help her train with movement in space as well as time."

"‘Displacement' is what we call that. It's rather undesirable," he said.

"That's just it; I don't think it is undesirable. I think it can be mastered and used, and Dawn's the perfect person to do it. Will you help me with her training, Cy?"

"Sure, why not," he agreed reluctantly.

After the bill was paid, they walked out to the parking lot. It was a warm yet breezy night. Katya stopped and turned to look at the restaurant. She grabbed Cyrus's hand and held it tightly.

"Hey, Cy," she started, "let's travel back."

"For what purpose?" he asked.

"For fun. Jumpin' juniper, you are your parents' child, aren't you? Sometimes I like to pick one spot and watch the changes surrounding it. Come on. You won't even have to concentrate that much. Just hold my hand, and I'll take you."

"All right, I do like holding your hand. Let's see; this joint was built about four years ago."

"Then that's where we'll start. Now hold tight."

At that, she closed her eyes, and in a blink of a second, they were standing in front of the half-constructed restaurant. Cyrus thought that he had never experienced a jump so smooth and quick. It was a cooler evening than in the present day.

"This is totally boss!" she said. "Now take in the atmosphere of the time. Let it become part of you. Look at the cars, the styles. Soak it in, Cyrus. Cool beans! Now let's jump back one more year."

Again, she closed her eyes, and they were standing in a grown-over field. There was nothing on the site where the restaurant would one day stand. But there were other businesses in the little strip mall.

"All right, let's go back farther. How about twenty more years? I want to see that vidi store. Are you all right?"

"Sure, I'm fine," he answered. "But it's called a video store. Let's push on-I mean push back."

Once again, they popped out and back in as smooth as silk. They stood in front of a brightly-lit blue storefront. On the front in big yellow letters, they read the name "BLOCKBUSTER."

"Check it out, Cy," she said, excited as a school kid. "Look at the cars now. This is before you were born. Before your parents were married. Oh, let's go in."

"In where?" he asked.

"Into the video store," she answered. "I've never experienced one."

"But what about the way we're dressed. Won't they notice?"

"I doubt it," she said as she pulled him toward the door. "People had all sorts of strange clothes in the early twenty-first century."

As they walked inside, a woman called out, "Welcome to Blockbusters." Katya looked around at the racks and racks of movie titles. She picked one up and read, "Mean Girls, starring Lindsey Lohan."

"What do you suppose this one is about?" she asked. "Lohan...wasn't she part of the tragic Hollywood..."

Just then they noticed a man talking on his cell phone, obviously with his wife. "Hi, baby doll; it's me. So which movie should I get? It's between, Meet the Fockers, The Bourne Supremacy, or I, Robot. Well, what are you in the mood for? Oh, all right, how about 50 First Dates? Be home in a minute. I will drive carefully."

"Unbelievable!" Katya said. "Come on, let's go back outside and travel farther. What do you suppose was here before the video store?"

"All right." Cyrus was now getting into it. "How far back this time?"

"Let's go another ten years," she answered.

After the jump, they were amazed to see a grocery store that bore the same name as the restaurant: Gromer.

"Wow!" said Cyrus. "Who knew this? Let's keep going. I have to admit, my travels have always been so controlled. I've never just done it for fun, even when I was a kid. I feel so free when I'm with you."

At this Katya leaned over and kissed him on the cheek gently. Then something unexpected occurred. They started traveling back in a rolling fashion rather than a jump. They watched and marveled at the world around them changing backward in fast motion. All at once, the grocery store faded one brick at a time and then was gone. Farmland was all around them as far as they could see. They started traveling back, faster and faster.

"We better stop," Katya said. When they finally did come to a stop, it was midday and hot. In the far distance, they could see a farmhouse and barn.

"Wow!" Cyrus said, still squeezing her hand tightly. "I have to say that traveling with you is a completely different and new experience for me. Where did you learn to time-travel like that?"

"Um, Cyrus, I've got news for you. I've never traveled like that in my life."

"Never?" he asked.

"Never," she answered. "What year do you suppose it is?"

"I don't know. The road's still here, but there aren't any cars or people. Hey, look over there."

Katya turned and saw that he was pointing at a fox. The little red mammal was foraging the field for food. She smiled at it and then back at Cyrus.

Just then they heard the sound of a motor and along the road came cruising a single Model T Ford.

They ran to the roadside and Katya called out as the driver approached. "Excuse me, sir, what year is it?" The man looked confused as the vehicle reached them at its slow, steady pace.

"Why, it's 1923, harvest time," he answered and then smiled at their youth.

"Thank you, mister," Katya answered.

They both knew that the farther back a pilgrim traveled, the longer they sometimes had to stay in that time period before their set point kicked in, allowing them to make the jump forward again. There was always the fear that a pilgrim might get stuck in the past, possibly forever. Anything over a hundred years got unstable. That was why pilgrims hadn't yet attempted to visit ancient Egypt or to witness the birth of Christ. Katya and Cyrus were now thirteen years over the hundred-year mark.

"Do you think we'll make it back all right?" asked Cyrus.

"It's a little risky, but I'm not worried," Katya answered. "Just think: the Elgin National Watch Factory is in full production right now-in fact, all the things that made Elgin famous. I've studied it."

"Like what?"

"Aside from Elgin watches, there's Borden's dairy where Eagle brand milk was invented, the great Elgin National Road Race, Fox River ice houses supplying Chicago with ice all summer long..."

"Yeah, but think of this, Miss Small Town girl," retorted Cyrus. "Right now, in Chicago, it's the roaring twenties, with speakeasies and flapper girls doing the Charleston."

"Oh, you mean like this?" Katya started dancing a perfect Charleston as if she had just come from a dance lesson, singing as she danced.

"Where did you learn to do that?" he asked.

"Beats me. I used to dance it all the time. But think about this: speakeasies are fun until the cops show up to raid the joint. You ever tried running in heels?"

"No...I..."

"Well, it's not fun. Once, me and two other dames got thrown in the slammer for the night. That's not fun either." Katya stopped dancing and looked at Cyrus' confused face. "I must be a strange sort of girl to you. I'm sorry."

"Strange? Yes!" Cyrus answered. "But you're exciting, and when I'm with you, I feel like I'm exciting, too. Katya, will you be my girlfriend?"

"Nope."

"Why not?"

"Well, I'm a girl, and I'm your friend, and I like you more than I like anyone in the world."

"Then what's the problem?" he asked.

"Cyrus, you have lots of girlfriends, and there are things about me you just don't know, and I'm not ready to tell you. Besides, I am time-displaced. I may one day remember from whence I came and then I'll return to my own time."

"Do you think this might be your time?" he asked.

"I don't know," she answered. "I know I spent some time here in Boston, but I just don't know."

"Well, I'll help you. Do you think we'll have trouble getting back?" he asked again.

"I'm not worried," she answered. "Come here and hold my hands."

He faced her and grabbed both of her hands. They looked into each other's eyes, and their lips touched lightly in a soft kiss. All at once, they were standing in the Gromer's Charhouse parking lot.

"That was incredible," Cyrus said.

"What, the kiss or the mini-pilgrimage?" she asked.

"Both," he answered. "What do you want to do now? It's still early."

"That time jump made me tired-either that or it was the huge meal we just ate. How about coming to my place and watching some TV. Is that too boring for you?"

"Not at all," he said. "That sounds great."

Back at Katya's small house, they decided that the movie called for popcorn. It was an oldie featured on circuit 7: Avengers 15, Even an Android Can Cry.

Katya put on some music as Cyrus followed her into the kitchen. She explained that the song was called "Twilight Time" by the Platters. Cyrus had never heard it before. He watched as she poured oil into a pot, heated it, and added loose kernels of popping corn. She covered the pot and shook it over the stove burner. Cyrus was in awe because he'd never seen anyone popcorn this way before. Then she added coffee and water to her percolator, and soon the aroma filled the kitchen. Cyrus was fascinated by the water perking up into the little glass bulb on top. It started out clear, but as it perked, it turned brown.

"How do you know when it's done?" he finally asked her.

"When it's not water anymore, silly," she answered as she melted butter and poured it over the popcorn. "When it becomes coffee."

The movie was Katya's pick because, as she explained to Cyrus, she was mad about Marvel comics. She also said that she was an MMMS member. They sat down close to each other on the couch and enjoyed the best coffee, and popcorn Cyrus had ever tasted.