Time Sniffers (A Sample)

I inch closer and I'm about a half meter away. In the path of the laser beam stands an obstruction. That's the only thing I can think to call it, for the light stops here. It never reaches the wall. On closer examination, I see a tiny pinprick of a hole. Okay, I know it can't be a hole. A hole in space. But, light goes in and doesn't come out. That's what happens in a black hole where the gravity is so great, it sucks everything-even light-into its center.

No way I've created a black hole in my basement.

"Bria-" Ryan starts, his voice chock-full of ominous warning. Calmly he adds, "Turn off the laser."

I nod, but I can't move or take my eyes off the tiny hole. And now it looks like it's expanding.

I hear Jace and Lauren make noises of concern. There's mumbling and cursing and other assorted sounds. Air slides past my cheeks and my hair falls into my face.

In this instant I know exactly three things: that I've re-created my mom's experiment, that I'm staring at a rip in time and space . . . and I'm in serious trouble.

I rush back and shut off the laser. The others sigh collectively. I have no right to blow up my friends or my house. Although, I believe deep in my heart this trial poses no danger. This is not the crystal my mom used in her final experiment. The vid-binder doesn't show that perilous day's journal entry, as she always wrote up her notes after the fact. But, it's safe to guess she had moved on to some other crystal samples on the list. I hope.

Lauren's fearful tone makes me swing back around. "Bria, it's still there!"

Sure enough. Ryan and Jace close in on the hole, but I yell at them to stop.

"Don't touch it! Or even get too close."

Ryan throws up his hands. "Now what? What if it doesn't go away? What if it starts to suck everything in, until your whole house, your neighborhood-even the whole world disappears?" I can tell he's on the edge of panic.

I look at Jace and he's studying the hole from all angles. "I don't get it," he says. "You can see it from the other side too." He shakes his head in confusion but he's clearly thrilled.

It does boggle the mind. At this moment, a surge of excitement courses through my whole body. This is beyond amazing and outrageous. Beyond even impossible. If I hadn't seen the holo-clip first, I'd have a brain meltdown. But now, I'm trying to remain calm and not jump up and down in hysteria.