it worked.

years of toil paid off, in success.

he sat on the veranda of his house and sipped on a warm beer.

everyone had called him crazy. everyone ignored and rejected him.

but he had the last laugh.

"here's to bobby carter, genius," he yelled.

he had built the converter in his basement. taken all the ideas he had ever seen, ever read about, ever imagined.

it was just a piece of paper, the first time.

it had been sent and returned in just a matter of a few seconds.

the corners were singed and carbon dating confirmed the dust on it was millions of years old.

the it was a glass.

a plate.

a book.

item after item.

each one sent back to a specific time and returned, successfully.

then the dog.

it was just a stray i picked up from the pound.

an old dog, on it's last legs anyway, but i convinced the pound worker that i wanted to give it a good home for the last few days it had on earth.

i sent it back.

25,000,000 years.

just for a few seconds.

it came back, covered with snow, but alive.

it was then, the earthquake hit.

at least it felt like an earthquake.

i ran upstairs as the house shook.

i was sure it would fall around me.

it didn't.

but it shook and shook and shook.

the sky grew black.

i could smell smoke.

and the heat. it kept getting hotter and hotter.

i made it to the front door.

"fuck me."

~~~~~

the dog was laying next to my chair, on the veranda.

we watched the fires and destruction that surrounded us, but still never touched my house.

the only structure that was standing.

something had gone wrong.

it was all gone.

i petted the dog.

"not your fault buddy."

i felt something on my hand.

i looked at it.

a flea.

"fuck."

i looked around at all the destruction.

i looked at the flea.

was it possible?