The Time Travelers' Club -- Chapter 92: Concerns

As the week flew by, Sam’s attitude towards Mrs. Steers and the Club began to change.  Between the trip to see Nazi Germany and throwing the orb that blew Bruno out of a window, he began to feel more confident and to understand the power of the books and incantations.  Even more, he felt braver and safer.

Sam sat at the kitchen table, snacking on some crackers.  The apartment was quiet.  His mom was at a meeting at the library and had left Sam alone.  Sam's thoughts raced.  His mind wondered back to the last day of school, before winter break.

Sam had passed Mr. Martin’s classroom.  Mr. Martin was sitting at his desk grading papers.  

“Hi Sam.  Come on in.  I’m just finishing up grades.”

“Can I ask you a question about something?” said Sam.

“Sure.  What’s on your mind?”  Mr. Martin leaned back in his chair.

“Can someone change history?”

Mr. Martin smiled in puzzlement.  “From my experience, no, depending on what history you are talking about.  If you made a mistake yesterday and want to correct it, you can try to change that, but no matter what it’s now history.  If you’re talking about changing the far past, forget it.”

Sam shook his head.  “I understand.  What if someone could go back and change history?”

“That could be disastrous, if it were possible.  Choices are based on previous choices and the knowledge and understanding of them. Why do you ask?”

“No reason.  I was just curious.”

“I can tell.  You have a great interest in history.  Not many kids your age do.  I will tell you this,” said Mr. Martin.  “History has all the answers.  All you have to do is look for them. Do you know what I mean?”

Sam pondered Mr. Martin’s words.  “Maybe.”

“Good. Someday it will make sense.  Any plans for winter break?”

Sam nodded.  “We going to stay with my Grandma and Grandpa Henry.”

Mr. Martin nodded.  “Great.  Have a good winter break.”

A thud from somewhere downstairs brought Sam back to the present.

Working up his confidence, Sam opened the door in the back of the laundry room. He went down the hall and to the top of the stairs.  Standing there, he listened for voices.   He could hear Mrs. Steers and Rose.  It sounded like a meeting in the front parlor.

“Any news?” said Xavier.

“None,” said Mrs. Steers.  “Somehow they knew.”

“Lottie,” said Rufus Leightstone.  “Do you think that… I mean… I don’t want to accuse the boy, but…”

“No, I don’t believe it,” said Rose.  “Sam wouldn’t.  I refuse to accept that.”

By now, Sam had made it down the stairs unnoticed. He could see Rose and Ari, but only heard the other’s voices.

“I didn’t,” said Sam, marching into the meeting uninvited.  Everyone turned to look at him.  Rose got up and brought Sam to the center of the room.

“I think that it is time we include our newest member of the Club in our meetings.”

Mrs. Steers started to argue, but Rufus Leightstone stepped in.

“I agree.  Master Henry isn’t just our newest member, but also the future of the Club.  Maybe he’ll be a future president of the International Council.”

With much hesitation, Mrs. Steers jumped in.  “I would like to say that I may not agree, but I do understand.”  She brought the group's attention to Sam.  “What say you?”

Sam didn’t know what to say, then he began.  “I want to be involved, but I also want to know what this is all about.  I’ve been kidnapped, slapped and punched around. And there’s that orb I made caused that guy to fly out a window…”

Rufus Leightstone jumped in.  “A most impressive orb.  I heard about it.  Master Henry, I’m going to be honest.  You have exhibited some impressive abilities to use the incantations in Namvelt’s book of time traveling and incantations.  We are very interested to see if you would also be able to use some of the ones that very few have mastered.”

“Like the painting in Jameson’s shop,” said Mrs. Steers.  “You saw that incantation.  Only a few members over hundreds of years have mastered that…”

Xavier jumped in.  “And communicating with the dead and ghosts.  I would love to see someone use that one.”

“Or how about that one that supposedly turns stones into gold,” added Rose.

Sam’s head began to spin, trying to take it all in. He had never thought that he would be able to create gold from rocks.  He shook his head and sat down.

“Are you alright?” said Mrs. Steers, concerned that he might pass out again.

“This is too much for me to think about,” said Sam.  "Do you really think I could do some of that?  Like talk to dead people.”

Mrs. Steers whispered.  “You already have.”  Sam's eyes met hers, realizing that she knew about his experience in 1886 London.  Nobody else had heard her comment.  Mrs. Steers winked.

“I think that it is time that we begin some formal training,” said Rose.  “I will be glad to train him in orbs.”

Before Sam knew it, an entire regimen of training and instruction had been organized.  Mrs. Steers had already taught him the basic time traveling incantations and now he would move onto the more complex ones.

Mrs. Steers left the room.  The conversation turned back to the Doctor's knowledge of the trip to Jameson, speculating about how they knew that they would be there.  Word of Bruno and Tinean’s sudden appearance at the shop had spread throughout the Club, causing a ripple effect of heightened security.

In a few moments, Mrs. Steers returned with a pile of papers.  She handed the hefty stack to Sam.

“This is my working copy of the history of The Time Travelers Club.  It’s a patchwork of information that I’ve pieced together from the research I’ve done over several years.”

“Well, I think we’ve covered everything we need to for now.  I’ll be off.”  Rufus Leightstone left.

“Sam, I will be back tomorrow,” said Rose.  “Let’s take a little trip away to practice our orbs.”

Sam’s eyes widened.  “Sure.  Oh, and I have a question.  I remember looking at the book about time travel while we were at Jameson's shop. There was a lot more than just incantations in it."

"Ah," said Mrs. Steers.  "You are correct.  Namvelt's book does have all the incantations that we know about and how to use them, but when he printed the book he added a lot of other information.  We're not exactly sure how he knew so much.”

Sam scratched his head.  “Oh.”

"Don't worry," said Rose.   "Let's just focus on your abilities for right now."

Feeling overwhelmed by all the attention, Sam headed upstairs with his book.   He was now officially involved with The Time Travelers Club.  There would be no turning back.  As he walked up the stairs, he thought about Dr. Herkeimer and the gang.

What are they all about?   What do they want with me?  It has to be more than just the books.