Week 11.5 – The Plan, Revealed

Wow! Finally caught up, just in time to go on a one-week hiatus till the new year. You’ll thank me.

Previously: Twain had filled the stolen cup with special secret juice and set it outside to charge in the sunlight. And now…

Twain refused to explain any further, just sat by the window occasionally peeking out the curtains to make sure the cup was undisturbed. They passed the time by watching The Price Is Right. Finally, Twain looked at his phone and said, “Time’s up.”

He opened the door and retrieved the cup. The amber liquid had darkened to a greenish color, and when Twain shut the door, Digger could see a faint cloudy glow playing just over the cup, like a tiny, sickly Aurora Borealis.

“This,” said Twain, staring fixedly at the aurora swirling over the cup, “is the Cup of Your Regret.”

“What?”

Twain looked at Digger. “That’s its name.”

“That’s a terrible name,” Digger said. “I’m not drinking out of that.”

Twain shook his head impatiently. “Look, haven’t you ever done something you later wished you hadn’t? Something you regretted?”

“Who hasn’t?”

“Well, this lets you go back and fix it,” Twain said.

“What, like time travel or something?” Digger asked.

“Exactly.”

“Oh, well then, I’m absolutely not drinking it,” Digger said.

“Why not?” Twain asked.

“Because time travel never helps,” Digger said. “It never helps.”

“You don’t know that,” Twain said.

“I know that,” Digger answered. “You think I haven’t been around this particular block before? You either can’t fix what you wanted to fix, or else you fix it, only to find out you screwed up something else worse,  and that’s only if you’re lucky and don’t end up destroying the world as you knew it.”

“But this isn’t…”

“Seriously, no. Just no,” Digger said. “Geez, if I’d known time travel was all you were talking about, we could have gone to see Doctor Cyber and saved some time and a few criminal charges. He has a time machine that’s just as useless.”

“Yeah, but where and when would you have it take you?” Twain asked. “The cup knows. Or maybe it’s your own mind that knows somehow. But if I read the legends right, the cup takes you to the exact time and place that needs fixing. No blundering around changing other things.”

“Really? And what happens when it’s fixed. Do you just come back automatically?”

“Not sure about that one,” Twain said. “There’s supposed to be some kind of sign or marker.”

“What?”

“When I say ‘some kind of,’ it usually means I don’t know,” Twain said. “But you’ll supposedly know it when you see it.”

Digger shrugged. “Well, that’s clear as mud. Doesn’t matter anyway, I guess, since I’m not drinking it.”

“Why not?” Twain asked. “Are you a coward? A scaredy cat?”

“Yes!” Digger answered. “Which is why I’m still alive.”

Twain rubbed his chin and contemplated the cup in his hand. “Damn, I really wanted to watch someone else try it before I did it myself. Then again, I don’t know that you’d actually have to drink it.”

“What are you talking about?” Digger asked.

Twain smiled at him. “You’ll thank me.”

“Wait,” Digger said as the liquid splashed in his face.

Will Digger actually travel through time? And if so, where will he end up? Join us NEXT YEAR for the next exciting episode!

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