story time

Time Misadventure

Chapter 1: Detour on Chanterbury Street
Like any other Saturday afternoon, Alex was staring at his usual lunch order- an unappetizing big cheeseburger on a ketchup red plate. He picked at the sesame seed bun, uninterested as he stared at the black and white checkered table. He pushed away the plate as a fly landed apon the top and stared at him. Alex found himself in a staring contest with the insect, weirded out by the multi-faceted eyeballs. It took Alex awhile before he noticed the fly looked very different from an ordinary fly...it was.. changing colours.
"Hello Alex," said the fly in a small voice. Alex blinked, looked around to notice that no one else had heard the fly.
"Um, hello?" Alex said hesitantly, cursing his innate curiosity into the talking of the fly.
"Do you want to go on an adventure?" The fly asked, eyes brightening
"Where the hell would I go with a talking fly?!" Alex practically shouted and chairs scraped to look at him. The fly lifted off the sandwich and buzzed in front of Alex's head.
"We're going to travel through space and time.. the space time continuum- such like that'
"I'm sorry-what the hell are you talking about?" The fly sighed.
"Oh, you'll never get it if we just sit here. Come detour with me down Canterbury Street. We have to pop into Cedrik's."
Cedrik's on Chanterbury Street seemed like your orinary store which Alex knew to sell all sorts of jellies and spices. In short, it was an odd place to go with a fly to on an errand. They walked (and flew) in silence and then as the passed a corner, Alex asked "So, why are we popping in at Cedrik's?"
"I have to get the STAM."
"Did you say spam? Do talking alien flies like that?"
"No, STAM. S-T-A-M, the Space and Time Adventure Machine."
"Cos that makes so much sense.." Alex mumbled as they arrived at the door. A burly man with a scruffy beard looked at Alex and then to the fly which had landed on his shoulder. Without a word, the man reacged into his pocket and pulled out a small plastic rocket toy. He grabbed Alex's hand and gruffly placed it there, saying "Careful!" and the disappeared into the shop.
"Right," said the fly, "Don't break that. Come on."
Alex's head was abuzz with questions and mysterious happenings. He looked at the strange object in his hand as they neared the end of Chanterbury Street.
"It looks like a cereal box toy. How are we going to travel in this? Well, obviously you can, being a fly." The fly gave him a look as they came to the brick wall that marked the end of the street.
"Press the red button." Alex raised his eyebrows and figured why not. The STAM expanded, the small plastic orb started bubbling and expanding, forming a larger version of itself- instead of plastic, there was a glass-like windows and the grey bottom formed of rubber became a smooth metal exterior. Where the red fuzz was inside of the smaller version had expanded into two comfy-looking chairs in front of a large, conplex control panel. Alex looked dumbfounded.
"I suppose I'll have to drive," said the fly. Alex looked at the fly in a mixture of suprise and confusion.
"Pardon?"
"Seeing as you're a human, I'm assuming you don't know how to drive it."
"Well, no, not really.. Sorry but how exactly are you going to drive it?"
"Hmm? Oh yes. Well I really must revert back to my normal shape."
"Your what?" The fly started shifting, and became in a swirl of purple light a human man. He had an old hat with a feather sticking out, brown scruffy hair and an unkempt apperance , and wore a clean pair of black trousers and a blue button-up shirt. To be perfectly honest, he really only looked like a man if you weren't paying attention. If you stopped snd looked, you would see that he was slowly changing colours, like the fly did. He smiled widely.
"So, um, introductions I guess. You can call me Norton, since you'll never be able to pronounce my real name."
"Right.. Norton.. quick question?"
"Yes Alex," said Norton, fixing his hat.
"Why me?"