Duncan Takes a Vacation

Chapter 28

          The rest of the day was very relaxing. We were going to go back to California the next morning, and Mom and Dad figured that it would be nice to spend our last evening visiting with the relatives.  I became sick at the thought of sitting around being bored to death.  Listening to Aunt Irma nagging Uncle Wally as he fell asleep is not my idea of an exciting night.  However, Pops will be there and his stories are very interesting.  But I figured it was the least we could do because Aunt Irma and Uncle Wally were nice enough to let us stay with them for our vacation.  So after dinner, we sat on the porch and talked for hours. 

          Uncle Wally's dozing must have been contagious because all the adults, even Mom, fell asleep.  At that point, the Twins mysteriously slipped away and disappeared.  I figured they were going to the outhouse.

          The sun had already set, and it was hard to see your hands in front of your eyes.  The darkness of the desert seemed to swallow up everything.  The only lights we were able to see were those from the house, but in the distance a light appeared.  It looked liked like the twins had finally made it to the outhouse, but when they didn't return for several minutes, I felt they were up to no good.

          I flew towards the light and noticed that the outhouse was completely dark.  The light came from the old shack.  I fluttered into the open doorway and saw the twins reach above the door and grab the key to the room containing the time machine.  They seemed to know exactly what they were doing.  I had a feeling that this was not the first time those two had been in this room.

          I fluttered unnoticed to a shelf in the outside room.  The twins unlocked the door and entered the forbidden workshop.  I was shocked that they would actually disturb someone's privacy.

          They looked around and naturally found the time machine, but I'm sure they had no idea what it was.  One of them said that Pops must have made another stupid invention. 

          They sat in the chair and started to twist dials and turn knobs.  In a way I hoped that they were able to start the machine and disappear into the past forever, but that wouldn't be fair to Aunt Irma and Uncle Wally.  They loved their kids even if we thought they were little monsters. 

          I didn't know what to do when the twins both sat in the chair and fastened the seat belt.  I figured there was no way they would be able start the machine until one of them pushed the giant button.  Then the other one turned the lighted dial.  Now what are the chances of those fools throwing the right switch?  Well, as luck may have it, one of them did. 

          Now what should I do?  They had no idea what they were doing and touched anything and everything.  If they went into the past, they would never find their way back.

          Suddenly, the time machine started to vibrate.  Red, white, and blue lights began to flash.  I hoped that the alarm would sound and the machine would lose power.  But this did not happen; everything was working perfectly. 

          I saw that the twins were in a state of panic and tried to unfasten the seat belt and jump off the machine.  But the belt was stuck, and they were destined to become time travelers. 

          They started to shout and scream for help and their pleading got to me.  How could I not try to help them when they looked at me with those terrified chipmunk eyes.  I really did know how to operate the time machine; I had seen Pops do it a number of times.  I felt I had no choice but to fly to them before they disappeared. 

          With a mighty leap, I sprang from the shelf and grasped onto the machine with my strong claws before it totally disappeared.  Lucky for them, I made it.  I was once again a time traveler, but this time the Chipmunk Twins were my partners.  What a bummer!