Time Castaways #1

“Sweet!” said Corey. “Are we in a limo?”

  “Once again, the Vermillion is determined to impress you three,” said Captain Vincent. “She’s clearly pleased you’ve decided to stay.”

  “And I made a new hat just for the occasion!” said Brocco, who was driving the limo wearing what looked like a classic chauffeur’s uniform, except the hat had a band of purple sequins, which matched his purple sequin jacket.

  “Wait, where’s Ruby?” said Matt. Everyone looked around. The whole crew was there except Ruby. “Where did she go?” Matt started to panic. It wasn’t as though there were many places she could hide in this vehicle.

  “Don’t worry, I’m sure she’s here somewhere,” said the captain. “Wait, listen.”

  They all grew quiet. There was a thumping sound coming from somewhere and a muffled yell. “I think she must be inside the seats somewhere,” said Jia. “Yes, look!”

  At the very back of the limo the seats were moving slightly with the thumps. “She’s in the trunk!” said Corey. Matt scrambled to the back of the limo and pulled on the seats. The middle section came forward and an arm shot out.

  “Get me out of here!” shouted Ruby. Matt grabbed her hand and pulled. Ruby flopped onto the seat, her face red, her eyes a little stunned. “Am I doing something wrong?” she asked.

  “It can take a little time to learn where best to stand during transformation,” said the captain. “But don’t worry. The Vermillion will never harm you.”

  “That’s reassuring,” said Ruby. “So where are we?”

  Matt looked out the windows. They were driving along a bridge over a large body of water. In the distance he could see buildings and skyscrapers that looked very familiar.

  “Hey,” said Corey. “What are we doing in New York?”

  “You’re not taking us home, are you?” said Ruby. Matt thought it was interesting how quickly she’d warmed up to the idea of staying. He suspected the sword lesson had something to do with it.

  “We’re not home,” said Matt.

  “What do you mean?” said Corey. “That’s New York! I can see the Statue of Liberty!”

  “Yes,” said Matt, “but this has to be New York years before we were born. See the Twin Towers?” Across the water were two towers that Matt recognized from old pictures of New York but knew no longer existed, not since September 11, 2001, almost six years before Matt was even born. His parents had taken all of them to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum and often tried to convey the horrors of that day, how it changed everyone and everything, but Matt never knew what things were like before, so it had always seemed somewhat removed from him. Now, seeing the towers with his own eyes, he felt a strange closeness to those events.

  “Still, how come we’re in New York?” Corey asked. “We’ve lived here all our lives, remember? I thought you were going to take us someplace exciting.”

  “Trust me, this will be very exciting,” said the captain. “It’s not always about location, you know, but certain events going on at the time of travel.”

  “What year did we travel to?” Matt asked.

  “Nineteen eighty-six!” said the captain.

  “And the date?”

  “October twenty-fifth.”

  It sounded familiar to Matt for some reason, but he couldn’t put his finger on what it was.

  Brocco drove the limo through the streets at what Matt thought was probably an unsafe speed. He wondered what they’d do if the police tried to pull them over. Did the Vermillion provide Brocco with a driver’s license? Did he even really know how to drive? It didn’t appear so. He ran a red light and nearly hit a woman crossing the street with her dog. Cars honked and slammed on their breaks. Everyone was squished together as he took a corner very fast and knocked over a metal garbage can.

  Jia closed her eyes and grimaced. “That’s going to cause some damage,” she said.

  “Where does everything go?” Matt asked. “All the stuff on the ship, I mean.” The limo was quite spacious and fit all of them comfortably, but still, there was no way all the things they’d been carrying in the ship could somehow fit inside of this vehicle.

  “You know, I haven’t the foggiest,” said the captain, as though he’d never given it a thought before. “I assume it all goes somewhere as it always reappears, at least most of the time. A few things do tend to go missing every now and then.”

  “Like my hammer,” said Jia bitterly.

  “Santiago is quite good at finding things after transformation, though,” said the captain. “So if you need assistance finding anything, just ask him.” Santiago came out of the captain’s pocket and climbed onto his shoulder.

  “What is with that rat?” asked Corey. “I mean, is he like a super-rodent or something?”

  “Something like that,” said the captain. “He’s been on the ship even longer than I have, I believe. He’s very useful.”

  “What about that crazy cook?” Matt asked.

  “Agnes?” said the captain.

  “Yeah, where’s she? Was she in the trunk with you, Ruby?”

  Ruby shrugged. “I don’t think so, but I couldn’t see anything.”

  “You know, I’ve no idea where Agnes goes either,” said the captain.

  “Could she shrink somehow?” Ruby asked.

  “Maybe she anatomically disassembles when we travel,” said Matt, “and then reassembles when we return.”

  “Maybe that’s why she’s so cranky all the time,” said Jia. “She gets blown into bits whenever we travel.”

  “I believe Agnes was simply born that way,” said the captain. “Though it does make one curious . . .”

  Matt almost wanted to experiment with going to different parts of the ship when they traveled the next time, just to find out, but then he thought maybe that wouldn’t be wise. Whether he shrank or disintegrated, it would probably be extremely uncomfortable.

  Matt looked through the windows again, almost feeling that they were back home in New York and nothing was different at all, until he saw it and his heart skipped a few beats.

  “Is that . . .” Matt squinted and then his eyes widened. “Is that Shea Stadium?”

  Shea Stadium was the old Mets stadium. It had been torn down when Matt was just a baby. His dad had managed to snag a couple of the old stadium seats, which were now in his and Corey’s room.

  But now Shea Stadium stood intact and towering. Matt thought it sort of looked like a giant blue metal Oreo cookie. It gave him the strangest feeling, even stranger than traveling to Paris in 1911. It was like reliving an old memory.

  “October 25, 1986,” said Matt. His heart started to beat a little faster as he realized where they were going, what they were about to see. He looked to Corey. Corey didn’t seem to understand.

  “What?” he asked.

  “I thought a familiar activity might also help with your brother’s time sickness,” said the captain. “And since he’s so passionate about baseball . . .”

  Ruby groaned. “Oh brother, we’re going to a baseball game?”

  “It’s Game Six of the 1986 World Series!” said Matt.

  “Whaaaaaat?” said Corey. “Game Six?! The Game Six? No way! No freaking way!”

  “So?” said Ruby.

  “Dude, it’s the greatest baseball game of all time!” said Corey.

  “First of all, I’m not a dude,” said Ruby. “Second of all, it’s lame.”

  “I agree with Ruby,” said Albert. “I read about baseball in a book once. It sounds like a poor, lazy imitation of cricket.”

  Ruby, clearly disliking the idea of being in agreement with Albert, glared at him. “You can’t judge a sport by reading about it,” she said. “I’ve at least given it a fair chance.”

  Albert’s cheeks turned pink. He pushed his glasses up his nose and looked out the window.

  “How did you know?” Matt asked.

  “Well, Brocco asked if we could take another trip to New York to get you a certain baseball cap,” said the captain. “Said
you needed it for your new wardrobe.”

  “I told him you were too stubborn to take the other,” huffed Brocco, “and you look unfinished.”

  “So, knowing you cheer for this particular team,” said Captain Vincent, “I asked Wiley to do a little research, find out when a good game would happen.”

  “It was no trouble,” said Wiley. “I searched my library, did a little digging in some of my books from the future, and boom! Number one Mets game of all time, no argument, was October 25, 1986! Must be an exciting game.”

  “It is!” said Matt. “It’s the game where they’re tied and they go into extra innings and then Bill Buckner—”

  “Don’t spoil it for us!” said Wiley. “I didn’t read all the details, and I’m not from the future, remember? Let us be surprised a little.”

  Matt was thrown to the right as Brocco took a sharp left and swerved through the crowds of people. He pulled over to the side, driving the front wheels on the curb. A traffic regulator started walking toward them, shaking his head, and waving his glowing stick for them to move. “Everyone out!” said Brocco. “I have to avoid the constable!”

  They opened the doors, and everyone piled out of the car. As soon as the captain shut the door, Brocco pulled away, just as the traffic person tapped him on the hood.

  “How will he know where to find us?” Matt asked.

  “The Vermillion will find us. The compass is like a magnet to her.” He patted his shirtsleeve.

  Matt felt swallowed up by the crowd as he moved toward the stadium.

  “Nice shirt,” a guy walking next to him said, and his friend snorted with laughter. It was only then that Matt realized with sickening horror he was still wearing the clothes Brocco had put on him earlier that day. Here he was at the greatest Mets game of all time and he was wearing a My Little Pony T-shirt! He glanced at Ruby, who was still wearing his Mets hoodie that she’d taken from the closet the morning they left. He almost demanded that she give it back to him, but it was chilly and he didn’t think she’d want to part with it.

  Wiley split off from them and disappeared in the crowd.

  “Where’s Wiley going?” Matt asked.

  “To procure our tickets and uniforms,” said the captain.

  “Oh,” said Matt. In all the excitement he hadn’t thought of that detail. Tickets to this game had to be very difficult to get and expensive at this point, maybe even impossible. “If he’s not able to get them, it’s no big deal,” said Matt. “I just think it’s awesome that we’re even here.”

  “I have complete confidence that Wiley won’t disappoint,” said the captain.

  Crowds of people streamed toward the entrances in their Mets or Red Sox shirts and hats, with painted faces and signs.

  They passed a man sitting by a light pole, shaking a McDonald’s cup. The captain reached in his pocket, took out two twenty-dollar bills and stuffed them in the man’s cup.

  “Thank you, Mister! God bless!”

  “You’re quite welcome,” said the captain. “God bless.”

  When Wiley returned, not only had he managed to get tickets, but also jerseys, jackets, hats, flags, and a sign that said Go METS! It’s your TIME! Matt quickly grabbed a jacket and zipped it over his T-shirt. He slipped on a hat, too, wishing once again that he had his old one. It fit him just right. This one was stiff and squeezed his head a little, but he was glad to have it anyway.

  “Can I see the tickets?” Matt asked.

  Wiley pulled them out of his inner pocket and held them out to Matt. He gaped at them.

  WORLD SERIES

  1986

  Mets

  VS.

  AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONS

  GAME 6

  He was going to see Game Six! It was like it was his birthday, only it was happening before he was ever born. Matt thought about all the games his father had taken him to on his actual birthday, but none of them were nearly so exciting. Matt felt a shot of guilt just then. He shouldn’t be belittling his parents’ gifts. If the Mets had been in the World Series his dad probably would have found a way to get them tickets. It wasn’t his fault he couldn’t time-travel.

  They entered the stadium. The tickets weren’t scanned like they did in their time. Instead they were simply checked over with a flashlight to make sure they weren’t duplicates or fakes. The attendant waved them in.

  The smells of hot dogs, pizza, and cotton candy drifted beneath Matt’s nose. He sniffed deeply and smiled. It was all so familiar and yet new and bewildering. Ruby held on to Matt’s jacket as they pushed their way through a sea of bodies that seemed to be going every direction but the one they were.

  Their seats were incredible. Second row. Right behind first base. They had to be sitting around some movie stars or other celebrities, but Matt was too young to know who they might be.

  “How much do you think these seats cost?” Corey whispered to Matt.

  “Thousands. Each one,” he muttered.

  “It’s kind of nice traveling with rich time pirates, isn’t it?” Corey whispered to Matt.

  Matt agreed there were definite perks.

  “Which team are we wanting to win again?” said Jia. “Oh yeah, the Mets.” She pointed to Matt’s new hat. Matt took it off as everyone stood for the National Anthem. Paul Simon sang in a high, slightly nasally voice without any embellishment or variation.

  Albert snorted at the performance. “He’s supposed to be a famous singer? Americans certainly have strange taste.”

  “You really need to stop commenting about things you know nothing about,” said Ruby. “Paul Simon is an American icon and quite famous throughout the world.”

  Matt smiled at his sister. He knew she didn’t care for Paul Simon any more than she did baseball, but he felt like she was defending their family and country’s culture. Matt’s parents loved Simon and Garfunkel. Mr. Hudson especially. He had gone to one of their concerts in Central Park when he was just about Matt’s age. He said it made him want to be a rock star, which the whole family thought was hilarious as Mr. Hudson was hopelessly tone deaf. He couldn’t even sing “Happy Birthday” in tune.

  Finally the game started. Matt knew how Game Six played out, inning by inning, so while he watched he explained to Jia and the captain what was going on, the rules and strategies of the game. The captain seemed mildly interested, but Jia concentrated on the game very hard and asked a lot of questions.

  “There! He hit the ball, why didn’t he run to the base?”

  “It was a foul ball,” said Matt. “It has to stay inside the lines.”

  Matt knew neither team scored in the third or fourth innings, so they used that time to go get concessions and use the restrooms.

  The captain doled out twenty-dollar bills to all of them like they were just plain slips of paper, and they were allowed to order whatever they wanted—hot dogs, burgers, pizza, popcorn, candy, drinks, and ice cream. Matt ordered a hot dog, licorice rope, Cracker Jack, and a root beer. He wrapped the rope around his neck and carried the Cracker Jack beneath his arm. They worked their way back to their seats, except on the way Matt was jostled by someone in the crowd and he dropped his drink. Root beer splashed up his pant leg and all over his shoes.

  “Oh man, I’m so sorry, little dude.” The guy quickly swept up his drink. “What is this, root beer? Here, let me get you another one. Nick, man, go get a root beer, will you?”

  “It’s okay,” said Matt, “It’s no big—”

  Matt froze. The man in front of him, the one he had bumped into . . .

  It was his dad, a teenage version, only a few years older than Matt was now, but it was definitely Matthew Hudson.

  Ruby gasped beside him. Corey, in a barely audible voice, said, “Dad.”

  “What’s that?” said their dad. “You looking for your dad?” He looked around to see any adult who might be with them. They’d been separated from Captain Vincent and the rest, but somehow the Hudson children had remained together and now they were standing righ
t in front of their teenage father, who had no idea who they were. Matt studied this younger version of his dad. He was wearing tight jeans with holes in the knees and a new Mets jersey that Matt knew was still hanging in his closet, even though it didn’t fit him anymore. His hair was classic eighties style, poofy on top and a curly mullet in the back. He had a playful glimmer in his eyes that reminded Matt of Corey.

  “Are your parents nearby?” said the young Mr. Hudson, still looking around.

  Corey laughed, but Ruby elbowed him in the ribs so he turned it into a cough.

  “Yeah,” said Matt. “Our dad’s here. And we know where our seats are, so it’s no big deal.”

  “Okay, I’ll just wait with you until your dad gets here,” said their dad. “I’m really sorry about your drink.”

  The kids all looked at each other, none of them quite sure what to do. Their dad’s friend returned with a large cup in one hand and an ice cream in the other. Mr. Hudson took both and held them out to Matt. “Here you go!” he said. “Have an ice cream too. It’s on us.” Matt struggled to get both in his hands with all the other stuff he was carrying.

  “There you are! We’ve been looking for you everywhere!” Matt turned to see Jia pressing through the crowd, the captain right behind her with a cotton candy in his hand.

  “I was getting worried!” said the captain. “Thought we’d lost you in this madness.” He caught sight of their father. He looked at him quizzically, like he was wondering what he was doing there.

  Their dad shifted uncomfortably. “Hey, sorry. I accidentally knocked into your kid and spilled his drink.” The captain said nothing. Matt thought his expression was not so friendly. His dad seemed to think so too because he added quickly, “I got him a new one though, so no harm done? Well, have fun, enjoy the game.”

  “Go Mets!” said their dad’s friend, and they hurried away, disappearing in the crowd. The captain kept staring after him, his brow creased in confusion.

  “That was our dad,” said Matt.

  The captain started from his stupor. “Really? You don’t say. How very . . . interesting.”

  “Weird is what it was,” said Corey.

  “Did Dad ever tell you he was at this game?” Ruby asked.