Part 2 (2/2)
CHAPTER 3
John looked at the device. It was tiny for what it was supposed to do.
”How does it work?” he asked. John envisioned golden wires entwining black vortices of primal energy, X-ray claws tearing at the walls of the universe as if they were tissue.
”I don't know how it works,” John Prime said, irritated. ”I just know how to work it.” He pointed to the digital readout. ”This is your universe number.”
”Seven-five-three-three?”
”My universe is 7433.” He pointed to the first blue b.u.t.ton. ”This increments the universe counter. See?” He pressed the b.u.t.ton once and the number changed to 7534. ”This one decrements the counter.” He pressed the second blue b.u.t.ton and the counter flipped back to 7533. He pointed to a metal lever on the side of the disk. ”Once you've dialed in your universe, you pull the lever and-pow!-you're in the next universe.”
”It looks like a slot machine,” John said.
Prime pursed his lips. ”It's the product of a powerful civilization.”
”Does it hurt?” John asked.
”I don't feel a thing. Sometimes my ears pop because the weather's a little different. Sometimes I drop a few centimeters or my feet are stuck in the dirt.”
”What's this other b.u.t.ton for?”
Prime shook his head. ”I don't know. I've pressed it, but it doesn't seem to do anything. There's no owner's manual, you know?” He grinned. ”Wanna try it out?”
More than anything, John wanted to try it. Not only would he know for sure if Prime was full of c.r.a.p, but he would get to see another universe. The idea was astounding. To travel, to be free of all this... detritus in his life. Ten more months in Findlay was a lifetime. Here in front of him was adventure.
”Show me.”
Prime frowned. ”I can't. It takes twelve hours to recharge the device after it's used. If I left now, I'd be in some other universe for a day before I could come back.”
”I don't want to be gone a day! I have ch.o.r.es. I have to write a letter.”
”It's okay. I'll cover for you here.”
”No way!”
”I can do it. No one would know. I've been you for as long as you have.”
”No. There's no way I'm leaving for twelve hours with you in control of my life.”
Prime shook his head. ”How about a test run? Tomorrow you're doing what?”
”Picking apples with my dad.”
”I'll do it instead. If your dad doesn't notice a thing, then you take the trip and I'll cover for you. If you leave tomorrow afternoon, you can be back on Sunday and not miss a day of school.” Prime opened his backpack wider. ”And to make the whole trip a lot more fun, here's some spending money.” He pulled out a stack of twenty-dollar bills.
”Where did you get that?” John had never seen so much money. His bank account had no more than three hundred dollars in it.
Prime handed him the stack of cash. The twenties were crisp, the paper smooth-sticky. ”There's got to be two thousand dollars here.”
”Yep.”
”It's from another universe, isn't it? This is counterfeit.”
”It's real money. And no one in this podunk town will be able to tell me that it's not.” Prime pulled a twenty out of his own pocket. ”This is from your universe. See any differences?”
John took the first twenty off the stack and compared it to the crumpled bill. They looked identical to him.
”How'd you get it?”
”Investments.” Prime's smile was ambiguous.
”Did you steal it?”
Prime shook his head. ”Even if I did steal it, the police looking for it are in another universe.”
John forced aside a wave of panic. Prime had his fingerprints, his looks, his voice. He knew everything there was to know about John. Prime could rob a bank or kill someone and then escape to another universe, leaving John holding the bag. All the evidence of such a crime would point to him, and there was no way he could prove that he was innocent.
Would Prime do such a thing? He had called John his brother. In a sense they were identical brothers. And Prime was letting John use his device, in effect stranding him in this universe. That took trust.
”Twenty-four hours,” Prime said. ”Think of it as a vacation. A break from all this s.h.i.+t with Ted Carson.”
The lure of seeing another universe was too strong. ”You pick apples with my father tomorrow. If he doesn't suspect anything, then maybe I'll take the trip.”
”You won't regret it, John.”
”But you have got to promise not to mess anything up!”
Prime nodded. ”That's the last thing I'd want to do, John.”
Prime was sprawled in the loft. A hay straw clung to the side of his face.
John nudged him in the thigh.
He jerked awake clutching at his chest as if he were having a heart attack. No, John realized, Prime was reaching for the device, still strapped to his chest under his clothes.
”d.a.m.n, it's early,” Prime said, brus.h.i.+ng at his hair.
”Don't let my dad hear you cursing,” John said.
”Right, no cursing.” Prime stood, stretching. ”Apple picking? I haven't done that... in a while.”
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