1880-12-08 “Without A Point” for Kent (born 1998)

Four days had passed since Kent and Shay shifted from 2024 to 1880 swapping places in time with the versions of themselves there. As far as Kent could tell, there had been no point at all.

He and Hannah sat on the sofa in Merritt’s parlor talking. They mused through all of the things that had happened since the shift, finding nothing remarkable.

Finally, Kent summed it up. “If it has already happened, it has to be so subtle we missed it. Maybe someone saw us walking and paused for a second look… then… you know… butterfly effect. The pause had some ripple effect.”

Hannah agreed.

Kent, however, didn’t mind the shift. The Kent there had been courting the Hannah there a little longer than he and the Hannah from 2024, so things were more relaxed and she was a little more open about affections. They talked at length before coming to agree that the versions of each person were essentially the same person—an idea that was all but agreed upon among the 2024 group.

As they sat there that Wednesday night, something happened that seemed to offer support to the theory.

Hannah pointed at Kent’s Colt 45 Peacemaker. “When did double action take the place of single action?”

Kent looked at her. “When did you learn the difference?”

Hannah’s eyes bulged. “Wooo…”

“What?”

“I have memories from Hannah-1858… she’s in 1984… Me… I mean, she, Merritt, Kent, and Emma… All trained on firearms… Holy cow! And we’re all EMT’s… I mean… they are… They… teach survival… The people in that dream I had. Now, I have her… my… that Hannah’s memories… some of them…”

Kent looked at her. “Oh… wow…”

“What's the first thing,” Hannah snapped off, “you do on the scene of an emergency with a victim down?”

Kent paused hardly a breath. “Secure the scene. Make sure it’s safe before approaching… Oh… wow…”

“We are sharing memories, now?” Hannah shook her head.

Kent nodded. “This is probably worth getting Merritt and Emma in off the porch… It’s cold out there anyway… We have a lot to talk about…”