[ WP ] You find a device that turns out to be a time machine . But as you arrive , you realise that the machine 's date formatting is different to what you 're used to ...

& nbsp; & nbsp;'' A time machine, you say?'' I said, mockingly. 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp;'' Yes,'' the salesman said in a dark, mysterious voice. It was very dark outside tonight so I couldn ’ t quite make out his face. `` Step inside, and I can show you.'' 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; I weighed my options. It was obviously a trick, but what was the harm in trying it out? The man looked rather frail and weak, I bet I could take him if he attacked me. Worst case scenario, I make fun of the man for being so stupid. “ Okay, I ’ ve always heard my parents ’ wedding was beautiful, and I ’ d like to see it. ” 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; ” Very well, what year was it in? ” 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; ” It was in... 1982. August 20th. ” 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; ” And, the hour? ” 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; ” Around noon. ” I said. He was taking this all quite seriously. The man went to the control panel, pressed a few buttons and motioned me inside. I took the first step up and was quite amazed at how spacious it was on the inside. It didn ’ t look nearly this big from the outside. It was very warm in here, so I removed my overcoat and folded it over my arm. I crossed the doorway, and he sidled over to close the door behind me. It closed with a loud, metal **CLUNK**. I eyed him wearily as he passed me again, sure he was going to try to pick-pocket me or something, but, he didn ’ t. He just walked right back to the controls and pressed a couple more buttons. 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; “ Ready? ” he asked. I nodded. He pointed towards four metal seats beside me with large straps that go over both shoulders and buckle at the crotch. Each one was bolted to both the wall and the floor. 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; ” I ’ ll be fine, ” I said with an incredulous tone in my voice. 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; ” Suit yourself, ” he shrugged. He sat down at the seat behind the control panel and strapped himself in. At this point, I started to wonder if this guy was actually insane. I half-way made up my mind to leave, when he said, “ Brace yourself, ” and pressed a single red button on the far left of the control panel. 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; The ground jerked under my feet and I toppled over onto the floor, hitting my head on the seat next to me. The room spun madly and I clung onto the legs of the chair for dear life. My overcoat flew out of my hands and flopped around on the ground uselessly. I had no idea what was going on. Maybe this was some mad demonstration this guy had worked up for this machine. I closed my eyes and silently prayed it would stop. 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; As suddenly as it started, it stopped. The room was completely still. I opened my eyes and there was bright light gleaming through the window on the door. It nearly blinded me. My eyes slowly adjusted to the light and I could make out the salesman walking up to me. 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; ” You alright? ” he asked, helping me up. 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; ” Yeah. ” I rubbed my head where it hit the chair. “ What happened? Was there... an earthquake? ” I asked, knowing full well that ’ s not what an earthquake felt like. 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; The salesman grinned. “ I told you what it was. We ’ ve gone through time. Your parents ’ wedding should be happening any minute now. ” 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; I stared at him in disbelief. “ Okay, sure, ” I said consolingly, as one would say to a child who just told you they saw a monster in their closet. “ Sure, we ’ re back in time. Okay. I ’ m just gon na... go now, alright? ” 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; The salesman just smiled at me. “ Okay, suit yourself, ” he said again. “ You ’ ll be back. ” 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; Barely able to believe my luck, I picked up my coat, opened the door, and walked swiftly out of it. I already had my coat half-way on when I realized it was no longer cold, but balmy. The weather had changed drastically. The light that I saw didn ’ t come from a street light, but the sun itself. I stared up at it for a moment, mouth agape. I looked back at what the salesman had called a “ time machine ” but it was gone. I blinked the green dot from the sun out of my vision and started walking quickly to the street, out of the alley. 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; Every car that passed was an antique in pristine condition. I stared around at the people in amazement, and they glanced at me, then averted their eyes as if I were somehow indecent. Everyone was dressed in short-sleeved shirts and either short pants, or shorts. I however, had on an undercoat, gloves, boots, and thick, woolen pants. That ’ s not to mention the overcoat I was carrying and the layer of thick underwear and the t-shirt and jeans I was wearing under my clothes. I started sweating profusely, which made everyone even more nervous to be around me. 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; I ducked down into another alley and stripped down to my t-shirt and jeans. I just felt lucky that I always dressed in layers. I dumped all my other clothing in a nearby trash can after extracting everything from my pockets. Unfortunately, I still had to trudge along in my fur-lined boots. My t-shirt displayed “ Metallica ” with a picture of the entire band mid-note in a song. People still looked at my odd appearance, but not as nervously anymore. 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; I recognized where I was. I was in my home town, where I had just left, only it was like my parents ’ had always described it. Mom and pop shops lined the streets with people merrily going in and out of them, chatting. I couldn ’ t believe my eyes. If what the salesman said was true, then.... 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; I ran from the side-street to the main street and looked to my right. There it was, the church where my parents were married, only a few blocks away. I ran to it and burst through the front door. I walked to the back door, cracked it open, and peered outside to where it was held. 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; I could just barely see them, standing on a white, wooden gazebo with a man in a black suit between them holding a book. My dad was handsome, without his crooked nose he got from a car accident. My mom was beautiful with her long, brunette hair before it had prematurely grayed. I realized how hard I was panting from having run so far, and for seeing the unbelieveable. Nothing could ’ ve convinced me more than this sight right here. 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; I closed the door and paced the church, thinking hard. *Could he be telling the truth? Could I really be back in time? Is this a psychotic break? It sure doesn ’ t feel like it. If it can send me back here, where else can he take me? * I stopped in my tracks as the thoughts of where I could go exploded through my mind. *I could go back and see Jesus. I could go see his miracles for myself. Noah ’ s ark. The first fish that flopped out of the ocean. I could prove empirically what happened. No one would wonder anymore because I could give them absolute proof. * 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; I ran out of the church and back down to the alley where the time machine had vanished. To my dismay, the machine still had not returned. *He knew I ’ d be back. He has to return, he just has to! * As I thought this, I heard a loud **Whoosh** behind me and spun around. There it was. This magnificent machine. 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; The salesman opened the door and looked at me with one eyebrow raised. “ Well? ” 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; I laughed and panted while sputtering, trying to get out words. 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; ” Will you take it? ” he asked. 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; ” Will I take it?! ” I repeated loudly. “ Of course I ’ ll take it. I ’ m just wondering what it ’ ll cost! Something like this has to be worth millions of dollars! ” 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; ” Money? Honestly, I have no need for money. If I wanted money, I could simply go back in time and place stocks in the right company. Or get the correct lottery numbers. Or a dozen other ways to make money with time. No. I ’ m not looking for money, ” he said, eyeing me. 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; My panting started to subside. “ Not money... Then, what ’ ll it cost? ” 
 
 & nbsp; & nbsp; ” Nothing, ” the salesman said simply.
