Balmoral Junior High School - Crimson Green and White Yearbook (Calgary, Alberta Canada)

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47 . LITERARY I DID IT It was a cool spring morning. I was walking along the narrow rutted path by the top of the cliff and gazing below at the town in the valley. It had been severely bombed during World War two, as it was the location of one of Germany’s largest- munitions factories, and I marvelled at the completeness of its rebuilding and at its sleek modern architecture. • I sat down under a large tree and looked about me. I don ' t quite know how long I had been there before I got up to leave and walk the narrow winding path down the cliff to home. The sunlight glinting . off an object caught my eye. I turned, and there it was - a spherical object about fifteen feet in diameter sitting in the middle cf a grove of trees. It was made of metal, and had hinged to it what I took to be a door. Suddenly the door opened and a man emerged. He was tall and handsome, about fifty years of age with hair greying at the temples and the distinguished air of a statesman. I spoke to him and he answered me in a deep voice that spoke English of a unique quality which was indefinable. Being exceedingly-curious about his metal sphere, I asked him what its purpose was and what it would do. He replied in his unique English that it was a time machine, the most terrible weapon on earth, and that he was a being from the future travelling from that dimension into the past. I began now to be worried and in my head I tried to plan a route of ■ retreat for I thought him an escaped mental patient and had heard that these types were sometimes dangerous. Realizing that I couldn ' t escape him, I tried humouring him along and said jokingly that he must have a fine machine and wouldn ' t he please take me back with him to the past as I’d always wanted to meet my great grandfather twenty three generations removed. He seemed to see through my feeble attempts and became angry. He shouted he would take me with him but that if I went I must obey him to the letter. He motioned toward the machine. Thinking to humour him still further, I climbed in beside him and he closed the door. There were only two levers in sight. Although there must have been more machinery, it was covered with panels. He explained to me ' care- .fully the workings of the machine and told me to sit in the chair. As he slowly pulled back the lever I felt dizzy, and the stuffy closeness of the air was unbearable. I wished he would let me out and go back to his metal home. Suddenly he flung the door open and we were still in the grove of trees with the morning breeze rustling the leaves. I felt immense relief as the fresh air flooded in. I stepped out into the sunshine again. I could hear the birds singing, and I prepared to walk down the path, but he told me to stop. There was such a coldness in his voice that I halted immediately and looked around. He was walking over to me. He stopped walking and reminded me that I had promised to obey him if he would permit me to accompany him. As any idiot could see, we had not journeyed anywhere but were still in the same grove of. trees, I had not accompanied him anywhere, but I was afraid of his becoming violent if I did not play along wiun his game. I said very well, I would obey. He resumed his normal tone and gave me a few minor instructions, but once again the voice that had the cold ring of steel interceded and told me that under no circumstances must I harm in any way the inhabitants of the town in the valley, or the effects would be- disastrous. I promised him this, and proceeded down the slippery winding path with him close behind. I intended to take him to see a doctor friend of mine in the village the minute we were there. This man, I thought, was in the very advanced stages of schizophrenia. Continued on next page