Katy+Webber

Joseph pushed his thick rimmed glasses up his freckled nose and ran his hand through his bright orange hair. As always, Joseph was once again eating alone, segregated by his own IQ in the farthest corner of the lunch room. He had sat in the same spot for the past four years of his high school, usually contemplating his future, nearly always by himself. As a science and technology genius, today Joseph was putting the final pieces of a plan to make a time machine together in his mind. His curiosity about what his future held was becoming an obsession - what is his job to be? Who would he marry? What is ahead for him?  That night after school, Joseph would assemble the common items he would need to modify, in order to create his first time machine. It would take about a week to create this machine. The key pad from a phone to dial in the year and a lever from an old slot machine to activate the new contraption were easy to obtain. To make the machine work was more complicated. The energy needed to move through time was nearly impossible to obtain, but Joseph had a secret! His grandparents’ farm sat next to an old air force training flight ground. There was an old blinker there in which he found a small but very live container of plutonium. Enough to power one person through time. The excitement building in him was hard to contain and returning to his boring senior government class from his private lunch escape was nearly impossible, but he had to go to class. Tonight, he could begin. It couldn’t get here fast enough for him.  At last, the fine copper wire needed, for Joseph’s time machine had been scavenged from an old motor cycle motor. putting together the time travel pod was complicated with the heavy acrylic face window, reinforced body cage, and brightly lit control panel with dials and monitors, but the tiny wire was crucial for the moving of the time transporter. Finally, Joseph was ready to test the transporter. He wished there was a way to test the pod without a person being in it but who would believe him if he told them. He would miss his family if things went wrong. Trusting his research and instinct, with excitement and nervousness, Joseph crawled into the pod, gave one last long look around, and set the control panel for the year 2050.  Pulling the level, Joseph began to feel a very warm sensation in his feet that slowly moved up his legs and body towards his head. Then the rushing, howling, noise that nearly popped his eardrums began as he was squeezed through time into the future. Every inch of his body was in excruciating pain as he finally crashed into 2050. Unable to move, head pounding in pain, hair raised on his arms and body, Jason lay there exhausted. Time travel was physically hard! Slowly the pain went away and an overpowering need to sleep overtook. Curiosity and elation began to creep in, but exhaustion won and Joseph slept like a new born baby.  Warm and comfortable, Joseph began to hear the quiet thump, thump, thump, that kept intruding on his sleep. Trying to ignore it and continue to sleep, Joseph tried to roll over and cover his head but could not move or even wiggle. Thump, thump, thump, there it was again. Then abruptly, Joseph became fully awake. He had just traveled into the future and was still in the transporter and someone, or something was outside the pod thumping on it. Now what? Half afraid Joseph slowly opened his eyes to see what what was making the noise. Dark brown eyes were looking in to the window. A cute little dog was trying to get in. Oh what a relief! Trying to look past the dog before he opened the pod, Jason’s mind was actively looking for more problems, people, or other obstacles that may be outside his pod. His adventure was about to begin.  As he stepped out of the pod, the ground was not what he was expecting it to be. It was very soft with little green to be seen anywhere. He thought maybe it was a drought. There was one question though, ‘why is the ground soft?’ With this Joseph knew that it couldn’t be a drought and something was terribly wrong.  The dog still at his side, jumping up and down, wanting some attention, Joseph finally acknowledged him. The dog started walking and Joseph knew he wanted him to follow. As Joseph follows, he is looking around wondering where the dog may be taking him when he sees an unusual sight that he has never seen before. A couple cute little dogs seemingly having a conversation and pointing towards him. Joseph is afraid of what he has encountered. He thinks to himself, did I do something wrong? Is this supposed to be like this? He doesn’t know what to think. He is afraid that he may have got himself into a lot of trouble that he doesn’t know how to fix.  With thoughts running through Joseph’s head about his situation, he realizes that he may never be able to see his family again and becomes very depressed. What he thought to be a great idea was not so great anymore. Joseph now wishes that he could go back in time and change his mind on leaving. This future that he is in is not what he had planned to happen.  After walking five miles following the dog, Joseph sees something very extraordinary, something he has never seen before. He can’t tell if it is a human or some kind of animal. He then realizes that this must be the dogs owner, and it has to be some human like type of creature. Fascinated and curious he warily approaches the humanoid and requested a glass of water. Immediately and with a flourish, a huge black Great Dane appears with a tray strapped on his back and ice water in glasses setting on the tray. Cautiously Joseph takes the water and thanks the humanoid. While sipping the water slowly, Joseph had time to think about his situation, and observe all the strange surrounding. Awareness is dawning on him that the humanoid and the dogs know exactly what Joseph is wanting or needing before he even asks as a platter of fresh fruit and a serving of an unfamiliar hot dish is brought to a dining area and he is escorted there himself simultaneously.  Seating himself, enjoying a perfectly ripe apple, Josephs senses that something isn’t quite right. He begins to ask the humanoid what his name is. A very eerie howling noise comes from the oval representing his mouth. Joseph imitates the noises he is hearing as best as he can. The humanoid just smiles and pats Joseph on the head, like a small child or a dog. Strange indeed, so Joseph decides to call him Ralph since his attempt to call him his name seemed to fail. When asking about the dogs, he learns that the dogs have attained a very elevated spot in this society, as authentic humans have become extremely rare. In order to maintain a functioning society, the last remaining humans had created the humanoids from crossing a human gene and a canine’s trying to keep only the best characteristics in their final product. This new humanoid was able to hear exceptionally well, to the point of hearing a genuine humans thoughts. Hearing his thoughts, or reading his mind. Joseph new he was indeed in a strange new world. With that thought, the humanoid just smiled and acknowledged Joseph’s thought, freaking Joseph out and giving him goose bumps. No one had ever been able to keep up with Josephs mind in the past. He was the boy genius. Now the entire population in the world he had landed in was able to keep up with him mentally. Anxiety began to creep into Josephs awareness. He now realizes that they are all just as smart as he is and he is not on top like he used to be. Raking his hand through his hair, and trying to display a calm demeanor, Joseph asked Ralph just exactly what year he had landed in. Now Ralph’s laughter became rather annoying. Calming himself, Ralph responded that the year was 3050. More than 1000 years from Josephs targeted date. Again Ralph gave Joseph the amused rather secretive smile, Joseph could see huge canine teeth. He began to sweat and feel like he might be more than just a guest. Maybe their next dinner? Just What? Ralph’s smile dimmed a bit. Looking to the east towards where Joseph had landed, the little dog appeared again. He was jumping up and down again and so cute. Reaching down, Joseph picked him up and immediately felt a bit calmer. At last he was able to think a bit calmer. Astonished when the little dog asked Joseph if he wanted to rest for a while. Ralph just smiled and nodded. In deed it was the dog who had asked Joseph if he wanted to rest. Joseph just wanted away from Ralph, so he agreed. The dog who then told Joseph his name was Sonic, lead Joseph down to a beautiful pool surrounded by a waterfall and some very lush looking trees. Near the edge of the deep blue pool sat three white lounge chairs and a couple of large pillows. Joseph sank onto one of the chairs while Sonic sat at his side on a pillow and kept watch. Sleep came to him almost instantaneously. Slowly the sounds and lights from the surrounding area began to penetrate Josephs mind. He awoke refreshed and more relaxed than he had been. Then he realised Sonic was sleeping on the pillow next to him. Studying his surroundings, Joseph found that every thing in this world was a manufactured product, from the rocks around the pools, to the trees, and even the soft ground under their feet. Everything indeed was not the original thing. Stretching, and moving around woke Sonic up. Sonic came up to Joseph and wanted to be petted. Joseph complied, still thinking about his new future when Sonic again spoke, asking Joseph if he wanted to return to his own time. Taking only a split second to agree, Sonic led Joseph to another area in which an enormous lab was. Now Joseph just wanted to look at everything, but Sonic said they would only allow him to enter if he was set on leaving. Glancing around, Joseph realized this new world was not the place for him and agreed to leave. Looking saddened, Sonic led Joseph into the lab and to the most elaborated time machine he had ever seen. There was a chamber just the right size for him to lay in with an extra little pocket near his feet. Wondering what that was about, Joseph asked Sonic. Sonic said he could take a dog home with him should he choose. Now Joseph began to really smile and asked Sonic if he would like to come to his home and be a nonspeaking dog in his time. Sonic again began to jump up and down, agreeing he was excited too! Now Joseph knew what the future held and he was able to take a small piece of it home with him. He was completely satisfied. Both Joseph an Sonic climbed into the chamber. Closed the door, dialed to the year 2012 and pushed the button to begin their journey home. Joseph began to feel anxious about the melting and pain he would soon feel. However with Sonic by his side, this process didn’t happen and he was pleasantly transported back to the deserted air force base near his Grandparents home. Sonic was right there beside him. Acting like a normal dog. Only Joseph knew what a special dog he really was.