Hexad: The Ward by Al K. Line Page A

be any time travel any longer anyway." Peter was lost in thought, going through the exact same problems Dale and Amanda had gone through no end of times.
    "That's what did happen though. Once we put things right, like properly right, then everything disappeared and all that remained was one universe, one past, one present, and a future that was yet to happen." Dale moved his head to the side as if listening, then dismissed it and turned his attention back to the room.
    "Except it didn't, did it?" said Amanda. "I think us digging up the tin has messed things up again. We were told not to do it but we did it anyway. And doing the jump has made it begin all over again. There are other versions of us, maybe even the proper, real us that is all there is supposed to be, right now jumping and going out having all kinds of crazy stuff happen to them.
    "Actually, come to think of it, maybe we are one of those alternate realities. Maybe we popped into existence exactly because the real us didn't quite set things right as they forgot to jump back and meet themselves and write that damn book."
    "Bloody hell, now you've got me all confused too," said Peter, putting his head in his hands.
    "Welcome to our world," said Amanda, "and don't forget that—"
    Crack.
    Meow.
    "What the bloody hell was that?" Dale jumped up from his chair and ran to the kitchen. It sounded like plates were shattering on the floor and someone was trying to break glasses.
    Amanda and Peter jumped up too, but before they could catch up with Dale, Wozzy ran into the room, chased by Dale.
    "The bloody things been nicking all the food out on the side. I think he peed in a glass too. You dirty little cat. Come here, you."
    Dale bent and chased after Wozzy but he was too fast. He jumped up onto the coffee table, almost knocking over the half empty mugs, heading straight for the Hexad.
    "Quick, grab the Hexad, if he sets it off we'll know all about it. He will, anyway." Amanda lunged for the table, trying to grab the Hexad before Wozzy got to it.
    Peter lunged for the cat but missed. Instead, he knocked heads with Dale just as Dale grabbed hold of Wozzy by his red collar. Amanda managed to get a hand on the Hexad just as she too knocked heads with Dale and Peter.
    Wozzy clawed at Dale like his life depended on it, and then reached out a paw to scag Amanda.
    He missed and tapped the blue dome of the flashing Hexad.
    0 blinked. All four of them vanished.

 
     
     
     
     
     
    Definitely Spooky
    37 Years Future
     
    "Ugh, gerroff me, Peter," shouted Dale, trying to push Peter's sock away from his face. "God, your feet stink."
    "Don't blame me. If you'd told me we were going on a trip I'd have put my shoes on. Ugh, my bum hurts."
    "Mine too," said Amanda, as she got to her feet slowly, thankful she'd landed on her backside and not her head. "That was lucky, we could have jumped anywhere, we could have been up in the air or anything." Amanda looked at Dale and Peter trying to untangle their mess of limbs like a crazed octopus.
    "Yeah, real lucky," muttered Dale. He pushed Peter's hand away from his head as he was using it to get leverage to stand up.
    "That damn cat, I can't believe he did this," said Dale.
    "Well, it's not really his fault, is it?" said Peter. "You shouldn't leave things like that hanging about."
    "What!? We didn't even know we had a cat," said Amanda, scowling at Peter. "Come to think of it, where is he?" Amanda didn't have to look for long, Wozzy crawled out from underneath Dale's legs and leapt into her arms, clinging to her ruined blouse like a baby monkey.
    "I think he likes you," smirked Peter.
    "Lucky me." Amanda stroked Wozzy anyway. She didn't blame the little guy, not really. How was he to know? "Well, at least this explains the poltergeist problem. It's been him all along, nicking sausages, knocking stuff over, that was him."
    "Yeah, but I bet it hasn't been him moving the furniture and digging up plants in the garden," said Dale, finally getting