Chapter Nine
AFTER UNQUILL FINISHED explaining, an explanation during which Kenneth interrupted anyway, Savannah sat on the edge of the bed she'd slept in, her eyes wide. No one spoke.
Kenneth leaned against a wall, fatigue coming over him. He didn't know why he felt tired after he had just finished sleeping.
Savannah said, "The 73rd century? You haven't gone, I don't know, crazy or something? This isn't a dream, right? If it is, it's not a very good one. I'm very sore, and I don't want to be here with this smelly head."
Kenneth waved a hand in the air, dismissively.. "It's not my fault if your sense of smell doesn't appreciate me. I can't do anything about that."
Savannah put her hands on her hips. She said, "Well of course I can't appreciate anyone who smells as much as you do. Smelly head."
"Now, now, please don't argue," Unquill said. "You two have to work together on this. One of you alone won't suffice. Both your minds are needed for this task."
Savannah turned away from Kenneth. "How hard can it be to find one man when you can see through all of space and time? I'll do it myself."
Kenneth turned from Savannah and said, "If you apologize for calling me smelly, I'll work with you, Savannah. Not before."
"Why should I apologize for something that's true?"
Unquill wrung his hands together. "But, but, but, this isn't the way married couples behave. At least, not in-"
Savannah suddenly whirled to face Unquill. "Married? Are you kidding? You really are crazy! This really is a dream!" Her face clouded and her words tumbled forth in a staccato burst of annoyance mixed with anger. "I'm a kid. I mean, he and I are kids. Married? There's no way. Absolutely not. Forget it. I mean, it's out of the question-totally out of the question! Never in a million years!"
"Then I shall take you both to the year 1,000,001 and you can be married."
"I'm thirteen years old! Thirteen-year-olds don't get married! And what makes you think I'd want to even be with old Smelly Belly here, anyway?" She paused long enough to cast a baleful stare at Kenneth.
Kenneth rolled his eyes. He snorted derisively. "Uh-uh. You gotta be kidding me. No way in hell am I marrying her." He paused, letting his annoyance at the situation subside. Then he suddenly spoke again, his voice tinged with resignation. "Look, I can't say I like the idea much either. I don't want to be around her any more than I need to. Even I know there's not much of a choice. But we might as we look for this dude or whatever. We've got nothing better to do." He paused again before changing the subject.
Anything to stop talking about marriage.
"Hey, you don't have video games here, do you?"
"Ah, no, I'm afraid we don't."
Savannah fumed, "And I bet you don't have horses either. You know, the ones you can ride?"
"Horses? I, um-"
"Never mind," Kenneth said. Then, turning to Savannah, he spoke in a softer, more conciliatory tone. "Look, can you stop insulting me? We don't like each other. I get that. That won't change. At least for now let's do this as fast as we can so we can back to our old lives. Okay?"
Savannah didn't answer. She turned to Unquill. "Can you take us back if we finish the job before the time expires?"
"Not I-but the Temporal Constabulary can. The answer to your question is yes. You can be returned to your own time whenever it is convenient to do so. All that is required is to make a request with the agency, which they will grant. Then, everything takes care of itself."
"Hmph, fine. Whatever," Savannah said. "Let's just do it then. I'm tired of arguing. Where do we begin?"
"With sleep," Unquill touched each of them at the nape of the neck. Kenneth felt his consciousness suddenly deserting him. "I'm afraid that I can't let you stay awake too long on the first day. The strain of-"
Journey Through Time (A Time Travel Adventure Collection Part 1) Page 9