Plausible Deniability

“’Just…for kicks, I suppose.’

He shrugged his shoulders, the sociopathic little hood and just sat there.

‘What else do you want me to say, man?’

Just for kicks.

I probably shouldn’t have hit him.

Now it’s our  job, it’s time to get out there and do some tinkering of our own, try to repair the damage. Now it’s time for me to try to fix his mistakes, before the door swings closed and the past is reset. Before we forget what we knew, only remembering what now is. Every moment spent in the past scatters an uncountable myriad of possibilities – a moment of eye contact too long, a misplaced glance or a pause in conversation.

A cough in the wrong place.

A wristwatch in the wrong time.

You’d be surprised how many people do it. After all they only have to google the recipe, turn on their 3D printer and click “Print.” Your very own time machine. Just enter the date and the co-ordinates. Ready to go.

You’d be surprised just how many people want to go back and shake hands with Goethe, high-fived Jesus or sit in on the assassination of Caesar. How many have written letters signed “Nemo” to Scotland Yard, how many have dreamt of holding the blade themselves. You’d be surprised how many think they can go back with an assault rifle and conquer Rome.

Or maybe you wouldn’t.

When some idiot tries to bag a Tyrannosaurus and leaves his shell casings and his beer bottles behind – or his human teeth and bones wrapped in coprolite fossils, waiting to disprove evolution from sixty million years in the past – when some idiot alters the course of History we step in.

The Paradox Repair Unit.

Welcome aboard. “

At least that’s how I remember it at the moment – although it was a stroke of luck, him finding that Saxon treasure…

 

Written (quickly) for this week’s Trifecta Writing Challenge prompt – Time (an opportune or suitable moment.) As well as this week’s BeKindRewrite prompts: Plausible Deniability, Just for Kicks, Hood and Paradox Repair. Comments and criticism always welcome (YES, I KNOW, ANOTHER TIME TRAVEL STORY!)