Sandcastle for Pegasus

by Bob Avey

  “The next thing I knew, I was back on the beach, just outside my hotel room. I hadn’t started on my walk yet. I knew I was getting a second chance, so I simply went back to my room and avoided the walk, preventing the mugging, which prevented the abduction. I’ve told no one until now. I did alert the police that something bad was going on there. But since I couldn’t tell them where, exactly, it had happened, I don’t think they ever did anything about it.”

  Martin took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “So, you traveled back in time just by thinking about it?”

  “I guess you could say that, but I had God’s help. Nothing like that has ever happened again.”

  “Oh yes it has,” Martin said. “Because that’s exactly how I do it.”

  “It all seemed so surreal,” Grandpa said, shaking his head, “I tried to put it out of my mind. After a while, I wondered if the whole thing had just been an elaborate dream and, in fact, I’d never gone for that walk, but had fallen asleep, thinking about it. I guess down deep, though, I always suspected it would come back to haunt me.”

  Martin considered his words. It was all starting to fall into place in some weird way. “We’re all tangled up in this thing somehow, Grandpa. You were born August 12, 1943, which is also the date of the original Philadelphia Experiment.”

  “I’ve heard of that. The government was trying to create an electromagnetic bubble that would render a ship invisible to radar.”

  “They did much more than that. They actually teleported the USS Eldridge to a different location, but later the ship came back a total disaster with crew members injured both mentally and physically. And it didn’t stop there. Exactly forty years later, on August 12, 1983, I will be born, and the time-travel experiments conducted at Montauk, New York, Project Phoenix, which is what you stumbled into in 1970, will culminate with success by interlocking in hyperspace with the USS Eldridge and Project Rainbow during the Philadelphia Experiment in 1943. Two Project Phoenix staff members from 1983 will travel back to the USS Eldridge in 1943 and shut down the generators, which created the magnetic bubble, causing the time tunnel to collapse.”

  “That’s mind boggling, Martin, but something tells me you didn’t travel all the way here just to tell me that.”

  “You’re right,” Martin said. “In 2020, which is my real time, some controversial abortion legislation will be proposed by some powerful politicians. My son, Luke, your great grandson, will be instrumental in stopping the legislation. But these politicians are determined. A powerful doctor they are associated with plans to travel back in time and prevent Luke from being born, a devious form of murder.”

  “So, you’re saying you are not alone, there are others who can travel through time, as well?”

  “In a manner of speaking,” Martin said, “only not in the same way. And it’s not as widespread as I might have made it sound. To the best of my knowledge, there are only three of us.”

  Grandpa Frank puffed on his cigar for a moment then said, “And I take it one of the other two, if not both, plans to go after Luke?”

  “That’s right, and it’s looking like it’s up to me to stop it.”

  “Three is a fairly exclusive number,” Grandpa Frank said, “so finding this person shouldn’t be that difficult, right?”

  “Finding him is not the problem. It’s stopping him that’s troubling me. I’m not sure how to go about it. I’m not even sure I can, if I’m up to the task.”

  Grandpa Frank blew out a cloud of smoke and let it hang in the air for a moment. “If you’re asking for my advice on how to proceed, I’d say take the same approach as the people at Montauk, and go back to the starting point of the trouble to stop it before it starts.”

  Martin nodded. He’d already come to the same conclusion. “That’s good advice, Grandpa. But it’s not as easy as it sounds. Everything has to be executed in just the right way. My efforts could actually backfire and make things worse, have a negative ripple effect across time.”

  “I understand,” Grandpa said, “that your task isn’t an easy one. But the worst thing you could do is to freeze up and do nothing.”

  Martin felt a nervous smile come across his face. “You’re right, Grandpa. And that’s exactly why I came here, to talk to you. The way you handle things, taking them head-on without hesitation has always been an inspiration for me. I wish I could be more like you.”

  Grandpa Frank smiled. “Maybe you are, Martin, but you just haven’t learned to accept it. True confidence comes from knowing God, and in believing you are following a path that is pleasing to Him.” He paused. “On that note, I’d like to ask you something rather personal. I’ve tried to raise Billy in a Christian way, but he is rebellious in that matter. How does he turn out? If it’s not for me to know, I will understand.”

  “Well,” Martin said, “I wish I could give you good news on that front, but the truth of the matter is my father was at best agnostic. He wasn’t a bad father. He always treated me and Mom well and provided for us. But, no, I wasn’t raised in a Christian home.”

  “What do you think, Martin? What are your beliefs on the subject?”

  “To be honest, I had a rocky start, but I’ve turned it around. I believe your influence had a lot to do with that. Luke fought me on it at first, but I think he enjoys going to church. And I’m pretty sure he understands the concepts.”

  “How old is Luke, in his time that is?”

  “He just turned seventeen. He’s mentally challenged, Grandpa. But he’s a good son. You would like him.”

  Grandpa Frank smiled. “I already do. So, tell me, is his mental condition the reason he’s in the crosshairs of this other traveler?”

  “It’s at the heart of the matter, yes, as is the abortion legislation.”

  Grandpa Frank shook his head. “People never cease to amaze me with the depths of their evil.” He pulled an old lighter from his desk and relit the cigar which had gone cold. A few puffs later, he said, “And since you came here seeking advice, let me offer some. The best way to face any adversary is on a level playing field, and you level the field with knowledge, by learning as much as you can about them, both their strengths and weaknesses. You insinuated that your traveling technique is different. Tell me a little about what you mean by that.”

  “Of course,” Martin said. “To the best of my knowledge, both of the other travelers travel as themselves. For instance, if you were to travel in that manner, no matter how far back or forward you went, you would remain yourself—thirty-five-year-old, Frank Martin Taylor. You would exist in the time period you went to and, I guess, cease to exist in your current, or real time and place. I, on the other hand, actually become my younger or older self. If I travel back to when I was nine years old, my mind will be in that nine-year-old Martin Taylor.”

  Grandpa Frank blew out smoke while wrinkles creased his forehead. “Are you limited, then, to your physical existence?” He paused, the obvious answer dawning on him. “If you travel back to a time before you were born, you become your closest relative?”

  “You’ve got it,” Martin said. “Right now, my mind is in fifteen-year-old Billy Taylor, who will be my father someday. A bit mind boggling, isn’t it?”

  “Absolutely it is, but also quite intriguing. But more importantly for your situation, you could use that to your advantage when facing this other traveler.”

  A sound coming from outside the house drew Martin’s attention, and he turned to see through the slightly imperfect glass of the Tudor-style office window, Grandma Phyllis, attending the flowerbeds. Martin realized—not for the first time, but in a way that hit home a little more fervently—that this was all quite real, and he was actually here in 1978, living in it and experiencing life as he never had before. And
Grandpa Frank was living up to his reputation. He was a businessman and a good one. He had an uncanny ability to take whatever situation was in front of him, no matter how out of the ordinary it might be, and just run with it, which was one reason Martin had come here.

  “That thought has crossed my mind,” he said turning away from the window. “I have gone back for a meeting with him as my nine-year-old self, and I don’t think he would have recognized me had I not told him who I was.”

  “Why would you do that, give away your edge so easily?”

  “It was my intention to do so,” Martin said. “I thought I could reason with him when he was younger and perhaps get to him before he had become so jaded. And I think I almost succeeded. I’m convinced he has some good in him. It just keeps getting overridden by the dark side of his nature.”

  “Unfortunately, that is the typical human condition, Martin. Without God in our lives, we are all at the mercy of our own desires. Does this adversary of yours have a name?”

  “Of course,” Martin said, “but I worry, even though coming here and talking with you seems so good and right, how much damage have I done, what things might you do differently, what decisions might you make that you wouldn’t have, because of my interference? I love you, Grandpa Frank, more than you will probably ever realize, and I don’t wish to do anything that might cause you harm.”

  A tear formed in Grandpa Frank’s eye and dripped down his cheek. He turned and wiped it away, trying to hide it. “Actually, Martin, I don’t know what to tell you, but I can say you’ve brought me great joy today. I can’t tell you how many nights I’ve lost sleep, worrying over, Billy and what might happen to him. Now, I can see I ended up with a wonderful grandson. It looks like my son must have done something right.”

  “Thanks, Grandpa, but unfortunately, like my father, I will never be half the man you are.”

  “Oh, I wouldn’t say that. From where I’m sitting, you sound like you’re quite the man already. Your behavior and the things you’ve said have made me enormously proud. Now, let’s get back to the problem at hand, that of saving my great grandson. Even though you’ve tipped your hand with the age thing, you still have the element of surprise on your side. And if you could determine how to go in as a relative, especially one who doesn’t resemble you, you would have a tremendous advantage.”

  He paused, the gears of his mind obviously spinning away with possibilities. “Have you considered whether it has to be a relative? If that turned out to be the case, endless possibilities would be opened.”

  “To be honest,” Martin said, “that thought had not occurred to me, but my gut feeling is that the host needs to be a relative.”

  “Well then, like those people involved with whatever was going on at Montauk, you need to determine the exact date and time of your own Philadelphia Experiment. If you could do that, the next step would be to find the closest relative, even if it turns out to be you, and then go back and stop it before it happens.”

  “Sounds easy enough, doesn’t it?”

  “On the contrary, Martin, it will likely be the most difficult thing you’ve ever attempted. But I have faith you will find a way to pull it off.”

  “Thanks, Grandpa, and I wish I shared your faith. Once I get past my self-doubt, if I ever do, the problem will be in determining how far back to go.”

  “I’m not sure I understand what you mean by that.”

  “I’m saying I could concentrate only on my family and saving Luke. The trouble is I know of at least one other problem he has caused. Luke has a friend, and the traveler managed to go back and cause her to be stillborn. I’d like to correct that as well.”

  “Then maybe you should.”

  “Yeah, Grandpa, maybe I should. But God only knows what else this man has done. How far do I go before I cross over the line and stop being the good guy, and start being the villain in someone else’s world?”

  “That’s a good question, and one that would only be asked by a good person. I don’t need to remind you that people don’t ordinarily travel through time, Martin. I suggest you take it to the Lord in prayer. He has gifted you with this power, and He will guide you in how to use it.”

  “Thanks,” Martin said, “I’ll do that. But I’m afraid, Grandpa Frank, afraid of failing, afraid of causing more harm, afraid of affecting people and places I don’t even know about. I honestly don’t know if I can do this.”

  “That’s perfectly understandable given your situation. To be aware, even afraid of the outcome of your actions is not only natural but expected. But you must rise above those fears, Martin. You must act. Think of what could happen if you don’t. Has the Grandpa Frank that you know ever backed down from anything?”

  “No,” Martin said, “not that I’m aware of.”

  “Then it just stands to reason that neither will his grandson. You can do this, Martin. You have to.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  MARTIN

  Saturday, May 02, 2020, 11:30 a.m.

  Martin could not contain the fear and doubt swallowing him in the moments following his visit with Grandpa Frank in 1978 anymore than he could describe his current location—a place void and mostly nondescript, much like the time tunnel he’d been in earlier, except much quieter due to the lack of the crackling electrical field.

  Martin had left his grandfather’s house suddenly as if he’d been directed to do so by some outside force. He guessed in some way he had. In doing so, he had left his father, young Billy Taylor, alone in the library with Grandpa Frank. He felt somewhat guilty over that. Grandpa Frank would figure out what had happened soon enough, but his father would be as lost and confused as ever.

  A thought from somewhere in the depths of Martin’s mind kept reminding him that he had little time.

  He wasn’t without direction. Even before leaving Grandpa Frank’s time and place, he had considered his next move, and whether he could gather the courage to do anything. Somewhere along the way, the idea had occurred to him that whatever Doctor Stewart had done to eliminate Candy Barnes, it would have near Luke’s appointment on May 04, 2020. With this in mind, a date of May 02 formed in Martin’s thoughts, and almost instantaneously the void changed into something different.

  As if he were inside a computer simulation, Martin witnessed the fabric of his familiar world in 2020 materialize around him.

  . . .

  Within seconds, he sat in the driver’s seat of the Audi he’d been driving when he and Luke had been involved in the accident. To avoid another such problem, he had to adapt quickly and take control of the already moving automobile. Thankfully, Martin was alone in the car and wouldn’t have to explain to anyone what had been going on, and why he was driving so erratically.

  It only took a few seconds for Martin to assess the situation and determine exactly where he was, giving him a clue to where he’d been going in this time and place. He was heading east on Highway 412 and remembered he’d gone on a metal detecting excursion that day, sponsored by the treasure-hunting club he belonged to. He paused. He didn’t even own a metal detector, much less belong to a club. A friend had mentioned the hobby and Martin had been interested, but he’d never followed through. He didn’t give the aberration much thought. It was like the changes at Tanner’s place, with the gate and the Harleys.

  The first chance he got, he pulled off the road onto an intersection near the town of Inola, turned back, and drove west to Broken Arrow and then on to Tulsa.

  Approximately thirty minutes later, Martin pulled off the highway and into the parking lot outside the office of Doctor Stewart. Coming here was starting to resemble a bad habit, but it was where his mind had directed him. It was Saturday, and the office would be closed, but as soon as Martin s
ighted the black BMW near the back of the parking area, he knew he’d made the right decision.

  Martin leaned back in the seat and tried to relax. He’d simply wait until Doctor Stewart came out of the office and then follow him. It was what he had to do. Another random thought had told him so.

  As much as someone like Martin could be, he was confident Doctor Stewart would choose this day to travel back to May 17, 1995 to make an attempt on the life of Candy Barnes. Martin’s encounter with the current Doctor Stewart in 1999 was proof the doctor could travel through time, and he didn’t do it in the same way. All Martin had to do was find out how Stewart accomplished the travel, and if it was by some kind of machine, destroy it. Barring the possibility Stewart had a travel device in his office, which Martin doubted he did, following the doctor when he left the office should provide some answers.

  Once again, fear and doubt threatened Martin’s resolve to see this through.

  If Doctor Stewart does come out of the office, and you are able to follow him, what then? What will you do?

  But the kind words and sound logic of Grandpa Frank flowing through Martin’s mind brought back his determination. A shift had occurred in his thinking. He was finally beginning to see through his self-doubt. The fear that held him back was diminishing.

  He couldn’t slink off into a corner and hope someone else would take care of everything because there was no one else. The problem had been placed on his shoulders by design, and only he could alleviate the pressure.

  A lifetime of being timid had filled Martin with enough self-disgust to fuel an army, and it was breaking free, perpetuated by the realization that Grandpa Frank was right. The only one holding him down was himself.