Impossible Journey, A Tale of Times and Truth

Walt takes long strides in order to join himself to the three as quickly as possible. He also begins talking quickly, hoping thus to divert attention away from his strange attire. "Gentlemen, forgive me, but I happened to be going this way, and I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation. What you say is very interesting. It’s certainly good to be optimistic but, have you considered the possibility that there could be problems with the new government as well--I mean, the chance that things won’t always be as great as you are expecting?"
"No, of course not!" replies the man who was talking just before Walt. "That’s one thing we all agree on--that with the new constitution and the institution of a Democratic form of government, the future will be wonderful. Why, what could possibly go wrong?"
"Well, civil war for one thing," ventures Walt.
"Civil war? Are you crazy?--In a country with such a birth of freedom as ours will have? It could never happen!"
"But it will happen--and more--riots, looting, crime and world wars"
"Hey! Who are you anyway? Where do you come from?"
Suddenly Walt is frightened and unsure of himself. "From a long way from here," he answers haltingly.
"That’s obvious," observes one man, turning to the others. "Just look at his clothes!"
Walt decides that it may be best to tell the truth, even if they won’t believe it. "I come from a long way from here both in space and time -- mainly in time. I come from your future. That’s how I know what’s going to happen."
"That’s ridiculous!"
"It certainly is! He’s obviously a hired spy sent by the British to beat down our moral while he finds out our secrets."
"But, we’ve got him now!”
They start to reach for Walt, who breaks into a run.
"After him!"
"Don’t let him get away!" And the chase is on!
************
Meanwhile, back at the ship, the other two time travelers have managed to complete all the necessary repairs, obtain the water from the brook, and mix the fuel. They are ready for take-off.
"I wonder how Walt is doing," muses Kerry.
"He’s probably having a good time, seeing the town while we work, th’ rascal!"
Just then, Walt’s voice comes over the communicator. "Help! I’m being chased! Get ready to start the engine for a quick getaway!"
Walt is still running on the road with his pursuers not far Behind. They almost capture him. But a fleet deer suddenly darts out of the forest and runs right between them and Walt, almost knocking them down. This gives Walt the advantage he needs to outrun them and reach the place where he had emerged from the forest.
"O.K.," he calls over the microphone, which he clenches tightly in his right hand, "Start 'er up. I’m coming."
The three men start to follow Walt into the forest but are surprised by the sudden burst of light and the noise made by the ship's engines.
"What was that?"
"I don’t know. Strange indeed! But let's not lose sight of him!"
Walt ducks behind the tree which hides the craft and then into the waiting open door. The ship takes off. The three men follow.
"Where did he go?"
"I saw him go this way."
"What happened? How could he just disappear like that?"
"Look! Up there in the sky!"
"What?"
"Don’t you see it? Looks like some kind of strange craft."
"You mean that over there?"
"Where?"
"There--Over there! Well, I’ll be-- it's disappeared too!"
"Yes, I think I saw it too, for only a second."
"Do you think--? I mean, could he have been telling the truth?"
"Or, are we crazy, or what?"
"Listen, let's not say a word of this to anyone, eh?"
"Of course not! They’d think we were crazy for sure."
************
And, inside the ship:
"Wow! That was close!"
"What happened?"
"They thought I was a British spy."
"Oh my goodness!"
"Interesting! And what did you learn? Anything interesting?"
"Well, before they noticed me, they were arguing about God and the Bible--well, mainly about whether or not God is in control of the universe. One fellow was for Washington and said that God is in control and so we should pray to Him and trust in Him. Another was for Franklin. He said--"
"That God created the world and then went off and left it. I remember that from my U.S. history."
"Well, that’s pretty much what we believe, I guess, if you really think about it. I mean, if God were really in control, He wouldn't need our help, now would He?"
"On the other hand, if He really were in control, there wouldn’t be all of the sickness and evil in the world in the first place. Then He wouldn’t need our help for sure."
"Enough philosophy, Fellows! Any guesses as to where we’ll land next?"
"You mean ‘When’, don’t you?"
"Of course! ‘When’!"