Passport

by Mark Justice

Jason Breen had never had an adventure.

Sure, he had been camping and fishing, flown on a jet and gone to Disney World. But that was all safe fun with no risk.

An adventure meant danger and excitement. You didn't know how an adventure was going to turn out. It wasn't safe and predictable like a roller coaster ride.

As Jason walked home from school on a Friday afternoon in Autumn, he was thinking that his hometown of Harmony, Kentucky was the place he was least likely to find adventure than any place in all the world.

"The most boring place on the whole planet," he said out loud.

"Huh?" Sara Schneider said. She was Jason's next door neighbor and also in his fifth grade class at Joe B. Hall Primary School.

"I said this place is Snoozeville. Where's the excitement? Where's the danger?"

Sara hitched her heavy book bag higher on her shoulder. "Well, I see danger in your future if you don't finish that report for World History."

Jason threw his hands up in the air. "That's another thing! It's Friday. Why do we have so much homework? How's a guy supposed to go exploring or investigate a mystery when he has to do a book report? I'm in the prime of my life, for crying out loud! These are my best years for exploring and stuff."

Sara rolled her eyes and laughed. "I forgot. You're going to grow up to be Indiana Jones."

"So?" Jason said. "You're going to fly in space like your idol Sally Ride."

"At least my idol is a real person!"

Jason didn't answer. Something had caught his eye. The sun reflected off of an object lying near a pile of leaves in the yard they were passing. He bent over to pick it up.

It was a small, shiny rectangle of thin metal, about the size of Jason's mother's credit card. There was no writing or pictures on the metal, front or back.

"What's that?" Sara asked.

"I don't know." As he turned it over in his hand, he thought the metal was starting to feel warm.

Suddenly, a light brighter than a camera's flash burst from the metal rectangle, causing Jason and Sara to blink. Jason tried to drop the card, but he found he couldn't let go of it. His fingers seemed frozen.

"Throw it away!" Sara cried.

"I can't!"

Jason saw spots in front of his eyes from the bright flash. But as the spots grew smaller and finally faded away, he could see that the metal card was no longer blank. Small moving shapes had appeared on the card's surface. Some of the shapes had smaller objects moving from right to left inside of them, like scrolling words on a computer screen. But if they were words, it was in no language Jason had ever seen. A box in the center of the card displayed odd symbols that changed every second, like a countdown. Only they weren't numbers, at least none that Jason could recognize.

"Look at this," Jason said, holding the card out to Sara. For a minute, he had forgotten that he couldn't let go of it.

"Wow!" Sara reached out to touch it, and Jason snatched the card away.

"Don't touch it!" Sara looked surprised and hurt until Jason shook his hand and showed her he was stuck to the card. "See? I can't let go."

That was when the card began talking.

Jason and Sara both jumped as the voice came from the card.. The voice was smooth and soft, like a mother telling bedtime stories to her children. It wasn't in English, though. They couldn't understand what it said.

"What language do you think that is?" Sara asked.

"English," the voice from the card said.

"No, it's not English," Sara said.

"That wasn't me. That was the card," Jason said.

They both looked at the shiny card.

"Language identified as English," it repeated. "One of the major languages of planet 4056. Known to its inhabitants as ‘Earth'. Third planet in star system 979. How may I be of service?"

"Huh?" a stunned Jason said.

"Repeat: How may I be of service?"

Jason looked at Sara. She shrugged. Jason said, "Let go of my hand."

The card fell from his hand to the sidewalk. It was a blank piece of metal again.

"You broke it," Sara said.

"No, I didn't. It just fell. I think it turned itself off."

They both stared down at the card, unsure of what to do.

"Maybe it only works when you touch it," Sara said.

"Maybe."

"So touch it."

"What if it gets stuck to my hand again?" Jason said.

"Then tell it to let go again," Sara replied.

Jason squatted next to the card. He reached out and used his fingernail to move the card around the sidewalk.

"Go on," Sara said. "I thought you wanted an adventure."

Jason could feel his face turn red. He wasn't going to act scared. Especially not in front of Sara. He picked up the card and stood up.

This time, he was ready for the flash of light. He closed his eyes and waited for it to pass. When it was over, the card said, "How may I be of service?"

Jason tried to release the card. He was stuck to it again.

"Why can't I let go?" he asked.

"Passport function requires physical contact with subject."

"Huh?" Jason said.

"It means it can't work unless you touch it," Sara said.

"What are you?" Jason said.

"Passport model Z-23," it said. "Upgraded with the latest temporal mapping and transport modifications to enhance your temporal/spacial excursion."

Jason looked at Sara . She lifted her eyebrows as if to say "I don't understand, either."

"Say that in English," Jason said.

The card was silent for a second. Then it said, "English is the language in use."

"No," Sara said. "Say it in a way we can understand. We don't know what you mean."

A beeping noise came from the card. It was silent for almost five seconds.

"I think you made it mad," Jason said.

"Passport is incapable of emotion," the card said. "I have reconfigured my technical specifications for clarity of meaning."

"So what are you?" Jason said.

"Passport model Z-23 is the latest upgrade of the popular intergalactic transportation system, allowing you to travel to any one of 500 known planets. And with the Z-23 temporal modification, the user may also travel backward or forward in time from any of those planets."

"Whoa!" Sara said.

"Wait a minute," Jason said skeptically. "Where did you come from?"

"Passport was manufactured by Zipkornin Amusements, Incorporated. Kranik sector, planet Garf." A strange piece of music came from the card. "Zipkornin Amusements. Where the fun just gets funnier." The card paused before adding, "My apologies. The commercial is programmed into my circuits."

"That's okay," Jason said. "So how did you get here?"

Jason and Sara heard the beeps again. It took a long time for Passport to respond. "I cannot answer."

"Is it a secret?" Sara asked.

"No," Passport said. "I have searched my memory and I am unable to find the information."

"You don't know how you got here?" Jason said.

"If I had emotions, I would be embarrassed," Passport said.

"So we can use you to go to other planets?" Jason said.

"Yes, but–"

"And other times?" Sara added.

"Yes, but–"

"Cool!" Jason and Sara said together.

"Cool?" Passport said. "Internal scans indicate my temperature is within normal operating parameters."

"No, silly," Sara said. "Cool means ‘good' or ‘great'. Something that's fun."

"Passport is updating database," the card said. The strange symbols on the front of the card started moving faster. That was followed by more beeps.

"So," Jason said, "can you take us on one of your trips?"

"Yes," Passport said. "But I must caution you. The missing information from my memory could be a sign of a larger problem,. I could not guarantee your safety."

Jason thought about this for a moment. He looked at Sara. She stared at him in concern.

"What if we just had you take us to another place for just a few minutes? Would that be okay?"

Passport said, "My current self-examination indicates full use of all transportation and temporal functions. There's a 90% probability of a safe journey."

"What about that other 10 per cent?" Sara asked.

Passport was silent.

"Hey, you can't have adventure without a little risk, right?" Jason said.

Sara looked unsure.

"What if we meet in the woods behind my house after dinner," Jason said. "Then we can decide."

"Okay, I guess," Sara said.

Jason looked down at the glowing card with all of its moving symbols.

"Passport, can I turn you off?"

"I can be deactivated at your command," Passport said.

"How do I activate you again?"

"Simply hold me in your hand."

"Okay," Jason said. "Go ahead and deactivate."

The card grew dark and, in an instant, it was just a piece of metal. Jason slipped it into his backpack.

"The woods after dinner?" he asked Sara.

She nodded.

They walked home in silence, both wrapped up in their thoughts about what lay ahead.

***

After a dinner at which he barely responded to his parents and sister, Jason told his family he was going out to play. He put on a jacket, retrieved Passport from his book bag and he walked through his back yard and into the woods.

Sara was already there. Even though she wore a sweater, she looked like she was cold.

"Are you okay?" Jason asked.

Sara nodded. "Did you do your World History homework?"

"How can you think of homework at a time like this?" he asked. "I couldn't think about ancient Egypt. I couldn't even concentrate on what my family was saying at dinner. All I could think about was this."

He pulled Passport from his jacket pocket. Jason and Sara both closed their eyes against the bright flash of activation.

"How may I be of service?" the card said.

"It's us, Passport."

"Subject: Breen, Jason. Subject: Schneider, Sara," Passport said. "Sara, you are to be commended on your math and science grades. Jason, your English grades need improving. Perhaps additional course work is required."

"Hey! How do you know that stuff?" Jason asked.

"During my idle period, I accessed your primitive information retrieval network and located your academic performance results."

"Huh?"

"He got on the Internet and found our grades," Sara said.. "And he's right. You stink in English."

Jason gave her an angry look. Then he turned to the card and said, "Forget about that stuff. We want to go on a trip." He looked at Sara. "Right?"

She looked down at the ground. "I don't know, Jason. This is a little scary."

Jason put his hand on her shoulder. "Sara, we have to try this. We're the only kids–the only people–on this whole planet–to get this chance."

"But it's so dangerous."

"Passport, can we take a fast trip? You know, just go somewhere for a minute or two, then come right back?"

"The length of the journey is entirely up to the user, Jason," Passport said.

"See?" Jason said to Sara. "We'll just try it out, kind of like a test drive."

Sara thought about it a moment, then said, "We've been friends a long time, right?"

"Forever," Jason said.

"If I said no, would you go anyway?"

Jason looked away from her and did not answer.

"That's what I thought," she said. "I'll go with you, but I get to pick the destination."

"Sure! Where do you want to go?"

"Passport, we can go back in time, right?" she said to the card.

"Correct, Sara."

"Well, since we all know Jason needs help with his school work–" She smiled at Jason to show him she was kidding "–can we go back to ancient Egypt?"

"Certainly."

"Oh, man," Jason whined. "I wanted to go see some cool aliens and space ships."

"We can do that later," Sara said. "Remember, this is just a test drive."

"Okay," Jason said.

Sara took in a deep breath. "Okay, Passport, let's go to Egypt."

"Please specify exact historical period," Passport said.

"I...don't know," Sara said. She looked to Jason for help. He just shrugged. "We just want to see some pyramids and maybe a mummy."

"Very good," Passport said.

A humming sound came from the card. A thin blue beam of light shot out from the edge of Passport. At the end of the beam was a large wall of light shaped like a door.

"Step though the doorway and let your journey begin," Passport said.

Jason reached out his free hand. Sara took it.

"Ready?" he asked.

"I guess I am," she replied.

Holding hands, the two of them stepped through the door of blue light...

...and stepped onto a tall sand dune. It was night, but the sky was clear and the moon was full.

"Oh my gosh," Sara said. "We're here. We're in Egypt. Look." She pointed to the bottom of the hill, where three huge pyramids sat in the silence of the night, flanked by several smaller structures.

"Okay," Jason said nervously. "I guess we better go back."

"Are you kidding? We just got here. We have to look around." Sara ran down the side of the dune.

"Sara! Wait!" When she didn't stop, Jason took off after her.

She had stopped near the entrance of one of the pyramids. Jason stopped next to her.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"A little exploring," she said. "Don't you want to see what's inside, Mr. Adventure?"

He felt his face start to turn red again. Sara was smiling.

"I'm just teasing," she said. "But what will it hurt to take a peek inside?"

The entrance to the pyramid was lit with torches hanging from the stone wall. From the shadows that danced inside the entrance, Jason guessed there were more torches in the passage. As he was about to speak, the shadows grew larger.

People! There were people about to come out of the pyramid!

The two of them stood frozen as three men dressed in white robes came out of the stone structure. The men glanced at Jason and Sara as they passed. Jason was afraid to speak until the men were out of sight.

"What just happened?"

"They ignored us," Sara said. "Are we invisible?"

"You are not invisible," Passport said. "As part of the Passport travel experience, I use holographic technology to make it appear as if you are dressed in a manner which suits the place and time."

Jason looked down at his jacket, jeans and tennis shoes.

"Don't worry, Jason. To the Egyptians, you look like another Egyptian."

"Hurry," Sara said. "Let's go in before they come back."

They stepped quickly into the pyramid. The passage was large and well-lit. The walls were covered with colorful hieroglyphs.

"Man, this is like a movie," Jason whispered. He didn't know why he whispered. It just felt right.

"It's creepy and cool at the same time," Sara said. She was whispering, too. "Passport, where and when are we?"

"You're in Giza,. By your calender, it is approximately 2600 B.C., during the Fifth Egyptian Dynasty."

"Sara! Look!" They had rounded a corner and found themselves in a wider passage. Against each wall stood many wooden boxes. None of the boxes had lids. Within each box was a figure covered in white cloth wrappings..

"Mummies! Those are real mummies!" Sara shouted.

"What are those boxes?" Jason asked.

"Sarcophagi," Passport said. "The mummies will be interred in them."

"Like coffins?" Sara asked.

"Correct."

"Yuck."

"Hey, why don't the boxes have tops on them?" Jason said.

Passport made a beeping noise again. "Unknown. Perhaps we are witnessing a ceremony that is not yet complete."

"You mean those guys are coming back?"

"It is likely," Passport said.

"That's it," Sara said. "Time to go home."

"Okay," Jason said. "Passport, can we leave from in–"

He stopped talking and stared at the wall. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.

One of the mummies was moving.

It stepped out of the sarcophagus and took a step toward them. Sara and Jason both screamed.

"Give me my Passport," the mummy said.

Jason looked at the card in his hand. "Huh?"

Passport began to hum. A yellow beam of light came from the thin edge of the card and covered the mummy. The white wrappings faded away, revealing a creature that might have been a man, except for his blue skin and three eyes. "Give me my Passport!"

"I have eliminated his holographic disguise," Passport said.

"How can he speak English?" Sara said.

"He can't," Passport said. "I automatically translate all languages for your convenience."

The blue man was walking toward them In his hand was an object which looked like a cell phone. Brightly colored wires stuck out from the back of the thing, and it looked like circuit boards from a computer had been taped to it.

Jason and Sara backed up.

"Are you his Passport?" Sara asked.

Passport didn't answer.

"Give it to me now!" the blue man shouted.

"Passport, get us out of here!" Jason screamed. The blue light came from Passport again and the doorway formed behind them. Jason grabbed Sara's hand. "Come on!"

As they stepped through the door, Jason turned his head and saw the blue man running toward them as they...

...stepped out of the door and into the woods behind Jason's house. The doorway closed.

Jason and Sara gasped for breath. When she could speak, Sara said, "Passport, who was that?"

"I don't know," Passport said. "Perhaps he has something to do with my missing memory."

"Can he follow us?" Jason asked.

"Unlikely. I masked our temporal signal."

"What was that gadget in his hand?"

"My predecessor. The Passport model Z-22."

"Wait a minute," Sara said. "I thought you were the only model that could go through time."

"The blue gentleman appeared to have made crude modifications to the Z-22."

Sara took Jason's hand. "Had enough adventure for one night?"

"I guess so," Jason said. "But I'm definitely going to try it again."

"Okay," Sara said. "But next time I get to pick where we go. How about Mars?"

Jason was staring toward his house.

"Jason? Are you okay?"

"Yeah," he said. "I was just thinking I better get the sand out of my shoes before I go home."

"Cool," Passport said. He paused and added, "Was that an appropriate response?"

Sara and Jason laughed. Passport made another of his beeping sounds.

They started toward their homes.

Jason had wanted to have an adventure. Now he thought he was going to have more adventures than anybody in history.

The End.

Copyright © 2003 Mark Justice

Mark Justice is a radio announcer and writer who lives in Kentucky with his wife and cats. He can be reached at markjustice77@aol.com

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