Page 170 of The Dawn

I shewed it tae Uncle Fraoch.

He nodded. “Aye, tis right.”

“Uncle Zach, ye want tae look it over too?” I handed it tae him.

He looked it over. “I am so damn proud, you’re a time traveler.”

Ben said, “He will be in a minute. He gets all the glory.” He brought my horse tae the center of the clearing. “Daena eat anything good without me.”

Liam said, “I daena understand anything about this situation, but I am makin’ out that ye want me tae touch that machine again.”

I said, “Yer other option is tae stay here, but I warn ye, I am not comin’ back tae this time, I’m returnin’ years earlier, ye will be stuck.”

Ben said, “Being stuck is nae fun.”

Blakely asked, “What happens if we are stuck?”

Uncle Zach said, “Well, the food sucks, there’s no television, and an over-turned cart can injure you terribly and there’s no hospital.” He exhaled.

Blakely nodded, “I don’t want to get stuck.”

I said, “Ben, tell yer mom that I am going tae either get medicine and get her tae a hospital, or rescue her before the accident. Make sure she kens I’m nae desertin’ her.”

“I will.”

Uncle Zach said, “She’ll understand, Archibald, she’s proud of you.”

I nodded, my eyes mistin’. “And tell Aunt Hayley I love her. Tell her I am solvin’ it.”

Uncle Fraoch nodded. “I will make sure she kens.”

I wanted tae say goodbye tae everyone, but I dinna want tae frighten Jack, so instead I held m’horse’s reins and repeated, “We ought tae go,” and straightened m’back and said, “Jack, tell Haggis I love him, and he is a cù math. Tell him tae hold on, daena die, he needs tae wait for me. Tell him I am goin’ tae get Da.”

Jack said, “I will.”

Liam and Blakely stood with me, formin’ a circle.

Ben and Jack and everyone else moved tae the trees around the clearing, Ben called out, “Kick some arse.”

Jack said, “Wolf King it!”

“Aye, I will,” I howled, “Aarh-ooooooooooh!”

Ben and Jack and Isla and Zoe and Uncle Zach and Uncle Fraoch all called out, “Arh-oooooooh!”

I said tae Liam and Blakely, “Hook yer elbows, daena let go.”

EPILOGUE II - ARCHIE

SOUTH END OF AMELIA ISLAND - PRESENT DAY

Ilumbered up slowly and brushed off the sand. We were on a windswept beach at the south end of Amelia Island.How many times had I landed here?

I muttered. “Och nae, that was worse than I remembered,” and glanced at the two people I had traveled with. They were beginning tae stir, but I dinna have a lot of time tae converse.

I glanced up and down the beach, twas familiar, bringin’ back memories.

I shaded my eyes and looked down the dunes.Was that our auld house down there?It had been a while since we had lived there. I missed it, it pulled at m’heartstrings tae see it, hulking on the dunes. Closed up.

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