The Age Altertron by Mark Dunn

know.”
“You don’t know where you are?”
“No, I don’t, Mom.”
“What does it look like?” asked the Professor, speaking on the upstairs telephone
extension.
“It doesn’t look like anything. Is that you , Professor?”
“Yes, it’s me, Petey. Now try very hard to give us some kind of idea as to where
you are.”
“Okay. It’s very foggy. And there are clouds.”
“And vapor. Is there vapor?” asked the Professor, jotting the facts down in
his pocket notepad.
“Yes sir. Vapor and clouds. Oh, and fog. And also some steam.”
Mrs. Carter could not help herself. She cried out, “Is my girl Lucinda with
him? Ask him if Lucinda is there!”
Mr. Ragsdale nodded. “Petey, Mrs. Carter would like to know if her daughter
Lucinda is there with you.”
“Well, it’s not easy to see everyone. There is too much vapor and clouds and
fog and steam. I think she’s here, though. Let me ask. LUCINDA? LUCINDA
CARTER, ARE YOU HERE?”
A tiny voice replied, “I’m over here!”
“Yes, Dad. Tell Mrs. Carter that she’s here.”
“What about Armstrong’s kids, Darvin and Daisy?” asked Mr. Craft. “Ask about
them.”
“Did you hear that, Petey?” said Mr. Ragsdale into the phone. “Are Darvin and
Daisy Armstrong there with you?”
“Gee, I don’t know, Dad. I’ll find out. DARVIN? DAISY? ARE YOU HERE?
“They’re right here!” replied Lucinda. “I’ve got them with me . ”
“They’re here too, Dad,” said Petey. “Say, Professor, what’s going on? What
are we doing here? When do we get to go home?”
“We’re just starting to put all the pieces together, Petey. I’m afraid it will
take a little time to get everything figured out. Now, do you have the sense
that you are in a room, son? Or out-of-doors somewhere?”
“There are no walls that I can see, Professor,” answered Petey. “Not even a
ceiling or floor. It’s like we’re all sort of floating in space .”
“Most curious,” said the Professor, making notes. “And how old are you, Petey?
How old are the other children?”
“The same age we were yesterday, I guess. I can’t see much of a difference in
the way we look except that you can kind of see through us like we’re ghosts
or something.”
“Ghosts!” Mrs. Ragsdale shrieked. “That can only mean one thing!”
“ Corporeal transparency could have many possible causes,” said the Professor
in a calming voice. “Now, Petey, how did you find the telephone?”
“Gee, I don’t know, Professor. It just sort of appeared. Hey, are Rodney and
Wayne there? They’re not here with me.”
“Yes, Petey. They’re here,” answered Mr. Ragsdale. “But they’ve been turned
into infants and I don’t think they know how to talk on the phone.”
“Yes we do!” said Wayne, offended by the put-down.
Mr. Ragsdale made a shh sign with his finger and his lips, and then spoke into
the phone. “Thank goodness there are telephones wherever you are, son. Now you
take good care of yourself until the Professor can put everything back the way
it was.”
“I will, Dad. In fact, I’m doing more than just taking care of myself .
It looks like I’m the oldest one here. And the tallest. I’ve never been
in a place where I was the oldest and the tallest. I guess it’s up to
me to look after all these children until we get to go home.”
“That’s a fine thing, Petey. You make your mother and me very proud.”
Mrs. Ragsdale pulled the phone receiver over to her mouth so she could say something
else to her son: “Is there a number there where we can reach you?”
“I didn’t understand the first part of what you said, Mom.”
“A number , Petey. A phone number.”
“Yes, there’s a phone here. I’m talking on it.”
“No, you don’t understand, honey.” Mrs. Ragsdale began to cry. “Oh Drew—I can’t
think of another way to say ‘phone number.’ Is there another way to say it so
that it doesn’t have a ‘b’ in