Timelines Collide

Chapter 19: Familiar Bond (Part 1)

I can't say it's any easier working with a healing pinky. It cracks like the screws do trying to secure them back into the engine. At least my finger knows to stay in place. I slid halfway inside the machine to make sure those bolts keep the hatch from falling off. 

 After the third try, I get them scrolling in with ease. The wind then becomes my greatest enemy, kicking dirt into my eyes and shaking the machine. Though it does help me notice a small detail in the corner of them. 

There are two windows that glare down upon me into the backyard. One of them is illuminating the same green light I've seen earlier while the other is more of a purple LED light. I swear squinting my eyes, I could see shadows appearing near them. The purple one has a more obvious one while the other window is trying to hide it. Their shadows serve as only a temporary distraction from what I should have seen coming.

I saw her beady little eyes watching me from her room when Luana escorted me down those stairs. She hides behind her twins' masterpiece, giggling to herself most likely thinking I haven't seen her yet. To her credit, I don't know how long she has been there. Thankfully, neither Lana has fully mastered the art of jump scaring me, unlike both Lincolns.

"Having fun their little one?" I yell out down to her, cutting her giggles down to atoms.

"Oh, come on. You ruined the fun," She yells back. Her words might have said one thing, though from what I see. The smile never leaves her face.

"Maybe next time they're kiddo." I chuckle at her while going back down to her level. Her eyes never leave me for a second the whole way down which seem to glimmer in her twin's shine. "So, tell me what brings you out here."

"Well...I know you don't want me to touch your things, but I have to ask you. Can I please be your assistant?"

How many times will I have to fight to say no to her? Probably hundreds more times until I stand a chance. Though taking a glance behind me, there's still a handful of work needed to stabilize this machine. 

Combine that with Lana's puppy dog eyes giving themselves a workout, it feels impossible no matter what type of thought process I put into it. With that in mind, I nudge my head back and forth almost three times, then give her the answer she was looking for. 

"Fine, we can work on the exhaust."

She yelps out a little yay as she dives for the toolbox that I left below the machine's legs. Her head almost hits the platform above at the rate her legs were hopping. Still, she beats me to it. Already placing wrenches and screwdrivers separately in the small grass. I smile and lay my back flat on the dirt as the wind has the grass tickle my backside. 

Grabbing the wretch Lana chose for me, her eyes watch entangled to me unscrewing the motor mount to reveal a mountain of circuits and gears. Lana laughs when what I hope was charcoal falls deliberately right into my pores from some of the gears. 

Sometimes I like to think my Lisa is more like her siblings than she cares to admit. Either way, I grab her maze of blueprints and get to work on fixing her "practical joke."

To pass the time, I ask Lana questions about her life, but mainly about her life in this reality. A past reality that many of my brothers would only share stories with me around scouting campfires. They all died for someone to get to this place and when I first woke up, it didn't take me long to see why. 

Oh boy, the excitement never leaves her voice as she tells me about the four major towns that light up the sky like stars, the endless fields of bright green grass and trees that surround this place, and all the advancements her mother is making as a scientist to improve the well-being of the valley.