and how that journal had led to the chamber of stones and a mind-boggling trip more than a hundred years into the past. If there was one thing he should have learned from all of this, it was that he should leave spiders alone.
Kevin adjusted the regulator of the brass oil lamp on a nearby nightstand and walked across his bedroom to a window that overlooked King Street. He pulled back the drapes and saw a nearly full moon rise above the pyramid-shaped mountains to the east. In less than twenty-four hours, one lunar cycle would end, another would begin, and a door would open.
There was never any doubt he would revisit that door. Sometime on Wednesday, probably just before supper, he would pack his small suitcase and tell Andy, Sadie, and Maude that he was leaving to catch his eastbound train. He would tell them that he would travel to western Montana, return in a week, and announce his long-term plans. He would insist on going alone.
He would walk east on Bank Street toward a bridge and a depot, but instead of maintaining that heading he would turn south on Fourth Street, proceed to Garnet, and circle around to the Johnson property and the chamber. He would then hopefully pass through a portal one more time and resume his potentially rewarding, if not entirely satisfactory, life in 2013.
Kevin knew he didn't have a choice in the matter. Though he wanted to remain in 1910 a few more days, he knew an extended stay wasn't worth the risk. He was not at all certain that the time portal was completely reliable.
He also knew he was beginning to alter the past. He had certainly changed the life of one Sadie Hawkins, and though he didn't regret that intervention one bit, he didn't believe it was his place to rewrite history as he went along. His science fiction adventure had run its course.
That didn't make leaving any easier. He hadn't merely wandered through Wallace like a tourist visiting an unbelievably realistic exhibit at the Smithsonian. He had actually met people and made friends. He had formed attachments – not unbreakable attachments, but attachments nonetheless. He would miss these people.
Kevin walked from the window to the bedroom door, opened the door slightly, and looked and listened for signs of life on the second floor. He saw that Sadie's room was dark and guessed that she was already fast asleep.
He hoped that Maude would give Sadie the time she needed to get back on her feet and eventually find the life she deserved. He would put in another good word for her in the morning.
Kevin glanced at the next room down and saw that it too appeared dark. No light streamed from the bottom of the door. No noise filled the hallway. He figured that Andy was probably asleep as well. He had looked unusually tired at supper.
There was always a chance, of course, that he was not asleep at all. He might be enjoying Maude's company in the widow's large first-floor bedroom – or, worse yet, enjoying Sadie's company in the bedroom next door.
Kevin winced at the image of that. He didn't want to consider the possibility. He didn't think Sadie could do such a thing, not so soon after her rescue from a brothel. Then again, what did he really know about her? What did he know about any of them?
In the end, he concluded, it didn't really matter. Their affairs were their business, not his. He had his own issues to consider, including some that needed immediate attention.
Kevin returned to his bed, extinguished the flame in the lamp, and hoped that the spider on the ceiling had found a new place to haunt. He pulled the covers and drifted off. His last night in 1910 was in the books.
CHAPTER 22: KEVIN
Wednesday, February 23, 1910
Kevin brought his second Excellent Adventure to a close around 8 p.m., just as a full moon began its pleasing drift across a cloudless sky and Asa Johnson's house finally went dark. He had delayed his final approach to the chamber of stones by more than thirty minutes to ensure that he would
Kevin adjusted the regulator of the brass oil lamp on a nearby nightstand and walked across his bedroom to a window that overlooked King Street. He pulled back the drapes and saw a nearly full moon rise above the pyramid-shaped mountains to the east. In less than twenty-four hours, one lunar cycle would end, another would begin, and a door would open.
There was never any doubt he would revisit that door. Sometime on Wednesday, probably just before supper, he would pack his small suitcase and tell Andy, Sadie, and Maude that he was leaving to catch his eastbound train. He would tell them that he would travel to western Montana, return in a week, and announce his long-term plans. He would insist on going alone.
He would walk east on Bank Street toward a bridge and a depot, but instead of maintaining that heading he would turn south on Fourth Street, proceed to Garnet, and circle around to the Johnson property and the chamber. He would then hopefully pass through a portal one more time and resume his potentially rewarding, if not entirely satisfactory, life in 2013.
Kevin knew he didn't have a choice in the matter. Though he wanted to remain in 1910 a few more days, he knew an extended stay wasn't worth the risk. He was not at all certain that the time portal was completely reliable.
He also knew he was beginning to alter the past. He had certainly changed the life of one Sadie Hawkins, and though he didn't regret that intervention one bit, he didn't believe it was his place to rewrite history as he went along. His science fiction adventure had run its course.
That didn't make leaving any easier. He hadn't merely wandered through Wallace like a tourist visiting an unbelievably realistic exhibit at the Smithsonian. He had actually met people and made friends. He had formed attachments – not unbreakable attachments, but attachments nonetheless. He would miss these people.
Kevin walked from the window to the bedroom door, opened the door slightly, and looked and listened for signs of life on the second floor. He saw that Sadie's room was dark and guessed that she was already fast asleep.
He hoped that Maude would give Sadie the time she needed to get back on her feet and eventually find the life she deserved. He would put in another good word for her in the morning.
Kevin glanced at the next room down and saw that it too appeared dark. No light streamed from the bottom of the door. No noise filled the hallway. He figured that Andy was probably asleep as well. He had looked unusually tired at supper.
There was always a chance, of course, that he was not asleep at all. He might be enjoying Maude's company in the widow's large first-floor bedroom – or, worse yet, enjoying Sadie's company in the bedroom next door.
Kevin winced at the image of that. He didn't want to consider the possibility. He didn't think Sadie could do such a thing, not so soon after her rescue from a brothel. Then again, what did he really know about her? What did he know about any of them?
In the end, he concluded, it didn't really matter. Their affairs were their business, not his. He had his own issues to consider, including some that needed immediate attention.
Kevin returned to his bed, extinguished the flame in the lamp, and hoped that the spider on the ceiling had found a new place to haunt. He pulled the covers and drifted off. His last night in 1910 was in the books.
CHAPTER 22: KEVIN
Wednesday, February 23, 1910
Kevin brought his second Excellent Adventure to a close around 8 p.m., just as a full moon began its pleasing drift across a cloudless sky and Asa Johnson's house finally went dark. He had delayed his final approach to the chamber of stones by more than thirty minutes to ensure that he would
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