A Home Away From Home and Other Stories

found me and I could have sent Jarek to his home straight away. As it is, opening the gates is going to make things a bit tricky around here for a while. Never mind. ' He stopped at a small shed and beckoned to Jarek. 'You need to go in here and out the door in the other side. Don't look back and move as quickly as you can.'

  'Thanks,' Jarek said, 'and thank you Brad for helping me.'

  'But can't I go as well, just for a while?' Brad asked. 'I'd love to see what another time is like.'

  Mr Garrett shuddered. 'There's been enough damage done around here as it is without you rippling things even more. You're going to forget all this anyway, as the only way I can fix it is to move time back a few days. Now come on Jarek, off you go.'

  He gave Jarek a friendly pat on the shoulder and opened the shed door for him. It was pitch black inside and Jarek looked very doubtful but took a deep breath and entered. 'I won't forget you,' he said to Brad. The door closed behind him with a click. Mr Garrett looked at Brad then told him to sit down. 'This sometimes gets a bit shaky and I don't want you falling over,' he said.

  Reaching into his pocket he pulled out the cylinder again and pushed several buttons on the base. There was a jolt like an earthquake and Brad closed his eyes as a wave of sickness passed over him.

  He opened his eyes to find himself standing on the footpath beside his sister.

  'That new boy in your class is weird.' Fliss wrinkled her nose as she hitched her schoolbag more securely on her shoulder.

  'Brad frowned. He was sure there was something he half remembered. 'Oh, he's okay,' he answered absently. 'Anyway he's moving on. His father got a new job or something so today was his last day at school. Come on, let’s get home before it rains. I'm absolutely starving. I feel as if I haven't eaten for a week.'

  The Chime Child

  Jasper was a chime child. Not only was he born as the clock was on the last stroke of midnight, it was also the last day of the year. This gave him special powers over time. His parents were delighted with their good fortune. Mr Greenaway rubbed his hands in glee when he saw his newly born son.

  'He's going to make us rich,' he chortled. 'They'll all be lining up to get time shifted to suit themselves. We can charge a gold coin every time he does it.'

  'But only until he's ten years old,' his wife cautioned. 'That's when the government will take him away from us.’

  'We'd better make the most of it while we can, then,' Mr Greenaway said with determination.

  Jasper was not treated like an ordinary baby from that moment on. He was never left alone. His parents, with the help of their two older sons Drake and Gilbert, kept a constant watch on him waiting for his powers to emerge. Mr Greenaway consulted books and discovered that the talents of chime children varied. Some came into their powers as late as six or seven years while others started early and were changing time practically from the cradle. It was only when the children turned ten that they were required to attend the government time programming school.

  Much to the Greenaway's disappointment, their son was a late developer. It wasn't until his eighth birthday that his parent's frustration got the better of them.

  Jasper had come down to breakfast with an excited fizzy feeling. He knew this would be a special day for him and he was hoping it would include a motorbike. Jasper loved motorbikes. He looked at books with pictures of motorbikes. He ran to the window and stared whenever he heard a motorbike driving down the street past the house. He kept a notebook in which he carefully wrote down the number plates and colour and type of every motorbike he had ever seen. His dream was to have a motorbike of his very own. Each day when Jasper walked home from school he detoured past the motorbike shop and looked yearningly at the display of bikes outside it.

  One day he had seen the perfect motorbike. It was just the right size for him and was vivid electric blue, which was his favourite colour. Large silver exhaust pipes were mounted high on either side and shiny chrome mudguards capped sleek silver wheels. Jasper's mouth hung open as he gazed at it. There was a large sign propped up beside the motorbike, which said;

  Bargain. Only 40 gold coins

  'Do you think Dad would buy that for me?' he asked Drake hopefully.

  'Not a chance,' Drake scoffed. 'He hasn't got that sort of cash to spare. Anyway, Mum would say it was far too dangerous. They don't want you risking your life until you make them some money.'

  'It's not my fault,' Jasper cried indignantly. 'I've tried.'

  Drake had to admit he was right. Jasper had tried. As soon as he was old enough to understand what was expected of him he had done everything he could to try and shift time. He muttered strange words. He waved his arms in mysterious signs. He tried closing his eyes and chanting then doing it again with his eyes open. Nothing worked.

  Mr Greenaway was baffled.

  'I can't understand it,' he said to his wife. I know chime children all do things in their own way but to have reached eight years old without a result. Do you think that maybe he is mentally defective?'

  'Of course not!' Mrs Greenaway was scandalized. 'He'll do it when he's ready.'

  'Well it had better be soon,' grumbled her husband.

  Jasper walked home from school deep in thought. 'I really want that motorbike,' he muttered. He thought all through dinner and was still thinking when he went to bed that night. When he woke up the next morning he gave a cry of joy. 'I know what to do,' he grinned. He rushed into the kitchen where his father was eating breakfast.

  'Dad, Dad, you have to buy me a motorbike,' he said excitedly.

  'I don't have to do any such thing,’ glared his father. 'Pass me the marmalade and let's not have any more talk about motorbikes.'

  'But Dad, if I have a motorbike I'll be able to change time,' Jasper spluttered.

  'What was that?'

  Mr Greenaway dropped his toast, which landed on the floor with a splat.

  'I've thought about it and I reckon if I was sitting on a motorbike I could change time. I know I could.'

  'That's wonderful, dear,' said his mother enthusiastically.

  'Hmm.' Mr Greenaway was more cautious. 'Why don't we go down to the motorbike shop and try it. You can sit on the bike and see what you can do.'

  You could go after school,' Mrs Greenaway suggested.

  'No, no, Mary. It's far too important to bother about school. We'll go right now. After all, this might just be the breakthrough we've been waiting for. Come along Jasper. Put on your jacket and come with me.'

  Jasper and his father walked to the shop. At least Mr Greenaway walked while Jasper hopped and danced around in excitement.

  'I haven't heard of chime children needing things to help them, but maybe you're a special case,' Mr Greenaway mused.

  Jasper didn't care how special he was. He was determined to get the motorbike. They reached the shop just as Mr Cartright, the owner, was setting the bikes out on the courtyard in front of the shop.

  'You're here early today, young Jasper,' he remarked. 'I usually see you on your way home from school, not before it.'

  'We want to buy the blue motorbike,' Jasper blurted out.

  'Ah, that's a good choice.' Mr Cartright nodded sagely. 'Good fuel consumption and the motor turns over sweetly. I tuned her myself last week.'

  ‘Can I sit on it? Please?' asked Jasper.

  'Of course. You have to see if it's right for you. On you get.'

  Mr Cartright held the motorbike steady while Jasper climbed on. He grasped the handlebars and switched on the motor with the button by his thumb. A satisfying roar arose from the engine and Jasper could feel it throbbing between his legs.

  'Come on now, son. You need to try something out,' his father reminded him.

  Jasper beamed and concentrated his mind. This was the point at which he had decided to pretend the place was wrong and that he need to ride the bike to find the best place to work his time changing skills. He had figured that it would be good for at least six months of riding around and that even if the bike had to go back it would
have been worth it. But to his amazement, something in his head clicked into place.

  'Shift us all twenty minutes,' he said.

  There was a shuddering sensation as if the whole world had moved sideways and Jasper found himself sitting on the motorbike inside the shop. Mr Cartright opened the door with his key and walked in then started in surprise.

  'Jasper! How did you get in here?'

  'I shifted time,' Jasper said happily. He looked around for his father but there was no sign of him. The shop phone started to ring and Mr Cartright shuffled over to answer it.

  'What? Oh, hello Mr Greenaway. Yes, Jasper is here and he's sitting on a motorbike. Okay, no problem.' He turned to Jasper. ' Your father will be along as soon as he has finished his breakfast. He said he's coming to buy the motorbike for you so I 'd better get it fueled up and ready.'

  Jasper was overjoyed. He reluctantly allowed the bike to be loaded onto a trailer and Mr Cartright promised he would deliver it later that day.

  Jasper went to school fizzing with excitement and could hardly wait to get home that afternoon. His joy was short-lived. Mr Greenaway had bolted the motorbike firmly to the floor of the shed and expected him to get straight to work.

  'I've put ads in the papers plus a sign at the gate,' he said briskly. 'We'll be charging a gold coin for every transaction so make sure you do them well. Repeat business is very important in any profession.’

  'But what about school?' Jasper protested. 'I wanted to ride my motorbike to school to show all the kids,' he added sulkily as