The year for inventing was finally here. 2021. People from all over the world invented thing all the time. From flying cars to moving houses, inventing was everywhere. People invented so much that it was the norm to invent. Everyone loved it, especially for teenage, Fred Harker. In fact Fred’s parents were the inventors of the greatest invention ever created. A time travel device to help humanity get closer to the past.
Fred Harker was the usual boy who would be curious and find amazing things. He lived with his grandparents because his parents had been lost during a trip and were never found. Fred was thinking of them ever since they got lost, but he was over it after a while. Fred moved with his grandparents to some place in Connecticut. He went to a middle school where 6th graders and 8th graders had very opposite personalities. 6th graders were small and scrawny while 8th graders were big and already shaving. Fred was in the middle, a 7th grader. 7th graders were not big or small, but “just right.”
One day, Fred came home from school with his friend, Ben and went straight to his room. He didn’t greet his grandma like how he usually did, so whatever it was, it was important to him. “Why the rush?” Fred’s grandma asked. “No time to explain, let’s go, Ben,” and of they rushed up the stairs and into Fred’s room.
“What’s up, Fred. Spill the bean,” Ben said. He was the kind of person who would always know everything about everyone.
“I think I have found something amazing.” Fred said as he pulled to what seemed like a box.
“What is that?”
“I think it’s a time travel machine,” Fred showed what was inside the box and out revealed another prototype.
“Dude, I thought there was only one prototype and that’s kept in the facility.”
“Guess there’s one more and it’s in my room. Don’t tell anyone that you saw this because the government might be foretold this and it will be gone forever,” Fred didn’t want the government taking the prototype because he thought that he could use the machine to find his parents. “I haven’t tested it yet, but I think you and I could go and save my parents. How’s that for an adventure?”
“Best idea ever, but how do we leave and come back without my parents and your grandparents finding out?”
“I have been doing a lot of research and it says that if you go back in time and come back, it will be like you never even left. So that’s covered.”
“Okay I’m in,” and they both shook on it.
Ben was still wondering when to leave and they both agreed on the end of the week, after school. During school, both Ben and Fred were amped to get home and try out their new machine, but Fred knew it was hard for Ben to shut his mouth about it. Ben was usually a blabber mouth and would tell everyone in the whole school about something interesting that happened to him. It always got people attention, so basically Ben was the popular kid. Every time started his sentence in, “You know what happened to me yesterday,” Fred would sneeze really loud so that Ben can hear him which shut him up.
It was finally the end of the day and the duo of friends rushed home. Fred made sure to greet his grandma this time, to be cautious and not have his grandma be suspicious.
“Typical teenage boys,” she said and she started laughing, remember of when she was in middle school. All the fun times she had and all the boys she grabbed with her beauty. “All the boys in the middle school chose me, but I chose my sweet little honeybunch. Now those were the times,” she said to herself and she went back to watching TV.
Fred and Ben laughed as they overheard her grandma’s conversation with herself and they went to Fred’s room.
“Can I see that machine again?” The machine was a round, white ball. It had buttons and an LED screen where it should the time and year of the recent time. Fred figured that the buttons were for typing in the year of what the person wanted to go to.
“Remember you can’t show yourself to people back in time. It will mess up the present forever.”
“Then how are you going to save your parents without seeing your parents or yourself?”
“We can figure that out together once we get there. We will have time right?”
“Hopefully. What if you change what happened to them, then your whole future, or present, is changed forever?”
“I will do anything to save my parents,” and he was right. Fred was so determined to save his parents that he would sacrifice anything to save them.
After the discussing, they were finally ready to save Fred’s parents.
“You ready, Ben?” Fred asked.
“Ready as I will ever be,” Ben was so excited, he burped, which was the normal thing he did when he was excited. Fred pushed the button of the year of when Fred’s parents were lost, 2017, and of they went.
The journey to 2017 was a horrible experience. For Fred, it felt like all his insides were being mixed together and he was being pulled in all directions. He also an irritating ring all throughout the path. It was really bad.
Fred and Ben arrived in the park near Fred’s house and the machine read 2017. There was a gentle breeze and the sun was shining. Birds were chirping here and there and the trees swayed back and forth. Fred had remember this day as if it were yesterday and he remembered it very clearly.
“It’s a little half past 12,” he said. Fred forgot about everything and started freaking out because it would be an hour before their parents would leave.
“Ben, we only have an hour. Think of something quick.”
“I have an idea, but it’s really risky.”
“Anything works for now because we are kind of in a rush.” Ben explained that they would wait until Fred’s parents would get open the car to get into, then when they say their final goodbyes, Fred and Ben would sprint into the car and hide. That way Fred and Ben would do something to their car and have his parents miss their flight. Just because they were under pressure at this point, Fred believed in Ben and went with his plan.
They waited till Fred’s parents got out the door and they did exactly what Ben said. They opened their car and then went back to the house to say their final goodbyes. It was Fred’s and Ben’s chance. They sprinted for the car, climbed through, and hid in the back with all the luggage. Then Fred’s parents climbed into the car, started it, and off they went to the airport. Fortunately, Ben had brought his pocketknife, which he carried with him everywhere, to bust the air out of the tires. Fred knew that his parents never used to carry a spare tire on a trip because they need space for the luggage so it was a perfect for them to put all the air out of the tires.
His parents stopped at a gas station, half way to the airport. They went out to stretch and also fill the car with gas. Fred and Ben were sleeping and hadn’t realized they were till they woke up from the smell of gasoline. They felt really tire but they remember that their job wasn’t done. When Fred’s parents weren’t looking, they jumped out the car and ran. But just before then, Ben had done a quick slice of the tire. He sprinted to a green bush where Fred was.
“What took you so long?” Fred asked.
“I was just making a few adjustments to the car. Hurry up and take us back home, I’m starving.” Fred punched in the number, 2021, and off they went. Fred really hoped that the plan had worked and that his parents were sitting on the couch.
They arrived back home and in their regular time. Fred checked the clock, it was still 12:51. He opened the door and quietly went downstairs, Ben following him. He looked around the corner and yelled, “MOM? DAD?” No answer at first. He yelled again. This time he heard a response and he knew that it wasn’t his grandma. Fred saw his mom outside the backyard talking to a friend. He started to cry tears of joy. All of a sudden the day was brighter. The sound of the birds were chirping louder and the smell of the air was just a little bit sweeter. Fred ran up to his mom and gave her a big hug.
“What’s up little buddy?” she asked. She didn’t realize the pain Fred went through.
“I’m just glad your home, Mom,” Fred said with sincere feelings.
“Haven’t I always been home?”
“Oh, you have no idea. Is dad here?”
“No he’s at work. Why?”
“No reason” Fred said as he let go. Ben was looking from a distance just happy that he was back with his family again.
“Come on Fred, let’s go play outside,” Ben said and Fred agreed to go. They walked out the door, Fred saying his goodbye with his football, and went to the park
“Go long,” Ben said
“Not too long, I want to be close to my family. Don’t want to lose them again.” And Ben threw the ball, Fred smiling the whole time.