.
While taking off the plate in the back and studying the inner workings of the antique camera, he cleared his throat in frustration over the ongoing fictional interview. “Sorry.” Tripp raised the Brownie and tried taking his first shot of the map. “I have a pretty good understanding of how this camera works. Problem is I don’t understand how—”
Bill gave him a withering look. “You aren’t paid to understand.”
“That’s true.” Tripp tucked the antique camera under one arm and picked up a cowboy hat that had some sort of device wrapped around its brim. “But I am paid to take pictures for Scientific Inquiries, and I’m pretty sure their readers are going to want to know how the professor jumped into a parallel universe. It is a science exploratory magazine last time I checked.”
“You tell it like it is. I like that.” The professor walked over to Tripp and motioned for his digital camera. “How about I take a picture of you with the box camera? Let the readers see what you’re going to use.”
“All right.” Tripp knew the old man was dodging his question. “After you explain your little vacation to—”
“I’ll ask the questions …” Bill tried to break in, but only managed to make things worse.
“Yes, but my name’s going on this article too and I care about my reputation as a serious photographer. I don’t do pictures from wonderland.” Tripp offered the professor an apologetic smile. “No offense.”
“None taken.” The elderly man in the safari suit nodded in firm decision. “The answer to your question is simple. I don’t know. It could have been a fluke, an accident, or wormhole in the fabric of time. But I can tell you the best science begins with a phenomenon that can’t yet be explained. Don’t you agree?”
The reporter coughed and fiddled with his notebook.
Tripp stared at both of them, then took off his dress coat and put the cowboy hat on his head. “Let’s take that picture.”
The professor looked visibly relaxed. He held up the digital, but lowered it just as quickly. “Take off that tie. Let’s replace it with a gambler’s string and maybe give you a gun holster.”
About five minutes later, Tripp stood in front of a mirror decked from head to toe in steampunked western gear. “I look like a …” He stopped short and just let it go. “This is a great costume, professor.”
“Here is the last bit for authenticity.” The old man dropped a coin in his hand. “That came back with me.”
Tripp rolled the silver piece between his fingers and studied the intricate engraving. Either there is something to this guy’s madness or he’s dished out a lot of money to make it look like it . Tripp held the box camera in one hand and the coin in the other. “I’m ready. Take the shot, professor.”
The digital flash was brighter than it should’ve been. Tripp stumbled backward and lost his footing. He fell in eerie slow motion. The room faded in a whirl of darkness. And instead of Tripp hitting the floor, he landed hard on a dirt road that smelled of horse manure.
The clicking of a gun made him turn toward his left. A woman in burlesque attire had a long barreled pistol pointed at his face. “State your business, or a hot piece of lead is going to split your head in two.”
Chapter Two
“Madame.” A young girl walked up to the poker table with mugs of brew. “A snitch was found out on the main drag. He’s being held in prison.”
A woman with flowing red hair looked up from her cards. “He should’ve been tied to a tree at sundown. We don’t take prisoners up with us, especially males. Beatrice knows better.”
The girl nervously handed out the drinks to the women at the table. “Sheriff Bea says he just dropped out of the sky … after the town lifted.”
Everyone threw their cards in the pot at the news. Their leader pushed back her chair and stood. “That’s impossible.” She pulled up her corset, buttoned her outing jacket and
While taking off the plate in the back and studying the inner workings of the antique camera, he cleared his throat in frustration over the ongoing fictional interview. “Sorry.” Tripp raised the Brownie and tried taking his first shot of the map. “I have a pretty good understanding of how this camera works. Problem is I don’t understand how—”
Bill gave him a withering look. “You aren’t paid to understand.”
“That’s true.” Tripp tucked the antique camera under one arm and picked up a cowboy hat that had some sort of device wrapped around its brim. “But I am paid to take pictures for Scientific Inquiries, and I’m pretty sure their readers are going to want to know how the professor jumped into a parallel universe. It is a science exploratory magazine last time I checked.”
“You tell it like it is. I like that.” The professor walked over to Tripp and motioned for his digital camera. “How about I take a picture of you with the box camera? Let the readers see what you’re going to use.”
“All right.” Tripp knew the old man was dodging his question. “After you explain your little vacation to—”
“I’ll ask the questions …” Bill tried to break in, but only managed to make things worse.
“Yes, but my name’s going on this article too and I care about my reputation as a serious photographer. I don’t do pictures from wonderland.” Tripp offered the professor an apologetic smile. “No offense.”
“None taken.” The elderly man in the safari suit nodded in firm decision. “The answer to your question is simple. I don’t know. It could have been a fluke, an accident, or wormhole in the fabric of time. But I can tell you the best science begins with a phenomenon that can’t yet be explained. Don’t you agree?”
The reporter coughed and fiddled with his notebook.
Tripp stared at both of them, then took off his dress coat and put the cowboy hat on his head. “Let’s take that picture.”
The professor looked visibly relaxed. He held up the digital, but lowered it just as quickly. “Take off that tie. Let’s replace it with a gambler’s string and maybe give you a gun holster.”
About five minutes later, Tripp stood in front of a mirror decked from head to toe in steampunked western gear. “I look like a …” He stopped short and just let it go. “This is a great costume, professor.”
“Here is the last bit for authenticity.” The old man dropped a coin in his hand. “That came back with me.”
Tripp rolled the silver piece between his fingers and studied the intricate engraving. Either there is something to this guy’s madness or he’s dished out a lot of money to make it look like it . Tripp held the box camera in one hand and the coin in the other. “I’m ready. Take the shot, professor.”
The digital flash was brighter than it should’ve been. Tripp stumbled backward and lost his footing. He fell in eerie slow motion. The room faded in a whirl of darkness. And instead of Tripp hitting the floor, he landed hard on a dirt road that smelled of horse manure.
The clicking of a gun made him turn toward his left. A woman in burlesque attire had a long barreled pistol pointed at his face. “State your business, or a hot piece of lead is going to split your head in two.”
Chapter Two
“Madame.” A young girl walked up to the poker table with mugs of brew. “A snitch was found out on the main drag. He’s being held in prison.”
A woman with flowing red hair looked up from her cards. “He should’ve been tied to a tree at sundown. We don’t take prisoners up with us, especially males. Beatrice knows better.”
The girl nervously handed out the drinks to the women at the table. “Sheriff Bea says he just dropped out of the sky … after the town lifted.”
Everyone threw their cards in the pot at the news. Their leader pushed back her chair and stood. “That’s impossible.” She pulled up her corset, buttoned her outing jacket and
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