William's Match

Williams's breath froze in puffs. His shaking hands fumbled as he soldered. With a quiet tinkling, the circuit board he was building shattered on the floor. He cursed the cold.

William finished his drink then scrounged for parts. Long crystals glowed in waves overhead, lending no favor to the workroom. Clinging to metal-coated walls were hundreds of shelves, each lined with dingy boxes, many spilling their secrets. Conduits snaked between the shelving, across the ceiling and floor.

His father had built the massive underground bunker decades before William was born. Having visited "Top World" a few times; William preferred the solitude of home. Here, he was free to tinker and experiment without distraction.

He completed his search and went back to work. Three tubes of coffee later, he held the finished product. As he zipped through winding tunnels on his hover-bike, he welcomed the warmth of the upper levels and plotted his time-trip.

In the timeroom, a large cylinder stood surrounded by computers, crystals, and oozing life-like gel. He placed the circuitboard into an ancient computer. The room vibrated in a steady hum then quit. Miserable archaic piece of junk! He kicked at the swirling ooze. The humming returned. William fiddled with gadgets then entered the tube. In moments, he had transported to his destination and returned with a new load of goodies.

He zipped to his room as quick as possible. A magnetically forced display rotated across the wall, showcasing his collection. He added his latest prize, a novelty match. The two inch re-usable match read: Joe's New New York Bar and Grill, open since 2083. His young face glowed. It was perfect!