Lost for a Day

As the chime sounded, I cracked open one eye to find the beginnings of sunlight beaming in through my window. Followed by the tone, a familiar voice spoke, that of our house’s automated alert system;

Good morning, a delivery drone has been detected. Please take notice of any parcels it may leave at the designated drop-off area.

“I had better get up”, I thought to myself, “before all hell breaks loose downstairs.”

I heard my nine year old jump out of bed. Scrambling down the hallway, rushing blindly past my open door, he met his brother, Aaron, and nearly collided with him as they fought to be the first down the stairs.

“It’s probably for me!” shouted Austin.

“It’s my birthday too, you know!” retorted Aaron.

Although the boys shared a birthday, they were far from being twins. Aaron is Austin’s senior by exactly three years. While most consider this fact to be quite the oddity, our household has become accustomed to the chaos that erupts every year on the same day.

The boys opened the front door and both stood in the entryway, peering skyward as the drone descended. The flying robot emitted lasers that fanned out, scanning everything in the vicinity to prohibit any kind of collision.

They watched as it sat a very worn and ragged box on the sidewalk leading up to our porch, then ascended back into the sky.

“Who’s it for?” asked Austin as Aaron grabbed up the box, trailing behind his older brother as they both rushed inside.

“Boys!” I called out as I walked through the living room, “Let me see that before you just open some random package left in our yard! And what is that smell?”

“What smell?” laughed Austin.

It was pungent and strong and then suddenly it was gone.

I took the box and sat it on the coffee table in our living room and took a seat on the couch, a boy on each side of me.

I then read the packing label out loud,

To: Austin Zickafoose

To be delivered no earlier than October 20th, 2028.

“That was yesterday.” said Aaron.

“What happened, Dad?” Austin asked me, “Did it get lost for a day?”

“I’m not sure.” I said, puzzled. “It doesn’t show our address and it seems the return address is smudged. I can’t make out who sent it.”

“Let’s open it!” exclaimed Austin, slamming his tiny fists onto the table.

“It could be a bomb.” joked Aaron, “Or some kind of deadly contagion, but I agree. We should open it. Go on, Austin, I’ll let you have the honor.”

“Stop trying to scare your brother, Aaron.” I chastised. “It’s probably just something for the two of you from one of your aunts or uncles.”

Austin moved forward to sit on the floor and began to open the tattered carton. Inside was a metal tin wrapped in newspapers. I paid no mind to them until Aaron began to read the headlines out loud.

MAN WALKS ON THE MOON

ATOMIC SUPER-BOMB, MADE AT OAK RIDGE, STRIKES JAPAN

KENNEDY SLAIN ON DALLAS STREET

RUSSIANS LAUNCH FIRST ARTIFICIAL MOON

I snatched a paper out of the box and opened it and to my horror I read,

GERMANS MURDER 700,000 JEWS IN POLAND

I gathered up all the newspapers as quickly as I could and each and every one was dated for the 1950’s or 1960’s, some even as far back as the 40’s.

“What is going on?” I thought to myself, “Someone spent a lot of time replicating old newspapers.”

Not once did I ever stop to wonder if they weren’t ersatz.

Now, with the cardboard box and newspapers removed, all that remained was the vessel with its lunchbox-style clasps on the front.

I must admit my curiosity peaked, perhaps even more than that of my offspring. Aaron reached for the clasps and I didn’t lift a finger to stop him.

I wasn’t prepared for what was inside. None of us were, actually. The three of us peered over the rim and what we found was absolutely unexpected.

A game. An old game and one I had never heard of.

“TAG?” I said picking up the box and turning it over. “Produced by Grimshaw Games. Copyright 1952.”

“You’re old, Dad, did you have this growing up?” Austin asked me.

“I’ll have you know” I said feigning agitation, “I was born in 1997!”

He shied away from me, raising his hands placatingly and cringing playfully at his remark. I continued to read aloud, “Other popular adventures from Grimshaw Games include:

I flipped the game box back over and slowly removed the top. Inside I found three odd looking watches, four sets of ridiculous looking dark sunglasses, an instruction book, a small notepad with a pen and a manilla envelope labeled Top Secret.

Austin’s eyes lit up at the sight and Aaron, the cantankerous pre-teen that he was, showed some interest in the game as well.

“Can we play?” Austin pleaded.

“Well” I started and was cut off by a thunderous boom. The sound of rain pounding on the roof followed immediately. “It doesn’t seem like we can do much outside today but before you two start dragging all that out, I’m going to go start a pot of chili. Your mother won’t be home from her trip until late tonight so we have to fend for ourselves.”

***

I opened the instruction manual and read it out loud. These boys were young, but they were far from unintelligent. Chances are they would be explaining this to me in a minute.

Thank you for purchasing TAG! We appreciate your business and support here at Grimshaw Games. Before you play, please make sure the batteries you are using are new and in good condition! Follow the instructions and do not, under any circumstances, open the envelope labeled Top Secret until you’ve been instructed to do so.

Rule #1: Determine two Seekers in the group, the remaining players are Runners. Where the game starts is designated as Home Base.

Rule #2: Each Runner must leave a clue to their location using the provided notepad.

Rule #3: The Seekers wear the TAG units labeled ‘A’ while the Runners wear the ones labeled ‘B’. Each TAG unit requires two AA batteries.

Rule #4: Every player dons a set of protective eyewear and the Runners set the dials on their TAG units and press the red button.

Rule #5: Using the clues left behind, the Seeker hunts down the Runners and must tag them.

Rule #6: When a Seeker finds a runner, he or she must grasp a firm hold on them and press the red button on their tag unit to be returned to Home Base.

Rule #7: Once all Runners have been found and tagged, the envelope labeled Top Secret can be opened. (But not before!)

“Aaron, go grab the pack of batteries out of the kitchen drawer.”

As he stood, Austin blurted, “So we’re gonna play!?”

I smiled, “Of course we are.”

My words evoked a giddiness in him that I knew wouldn’t last forever. Aaron was already losing interest in childish games and such, and I wanted my children to be children as long as they could. Because once they grew up, and they world showed them how cold and cruel it could be, they would put away childish things forever.

“Maybe.” I thought and smiled, “Or perhaps one day, with children of their own, they will look back at the joy it brought them to play silly games with their Dad and they will do the same.”

Aaron returned with the batteries, “There’s only four. I think we need six altogether.”

“Hmmm.” I said, strumming my fingers on my chin, “Austin, hand me the remote.”

As I was taking the back off to steal the life out of the television remote, Austin reminded me, “The rules say to use new and good condition batteries.” and he pointed at the instruction manual.

“It’ll be fine.” I assured him.

Aaron nabbed TAG unit A, declaring himself Seeker.

“Looks like the other Seeker TAG is missing.” I said, so Austin and I each took a B-labeled TAG unit and we all inserted batteries and strapped them to our wrists.

“Ok” I whispered to Austin, “Now we have to leave the Seeker some clues to where to find us.”

We each scribbled something on a piece of the provided paper and laid them face down, jotting our names on the back.

“Ready?” I asked them, getting eager nods of anticipation in reply.

Austin and I set the dials on our TAG units. There were three, one for year, one for month and one for day. In the middle there was a digital display for time.

“Now for the big moment.” I spoke, using my voice to hype up some grand event that was about to take place.

We all donned our dark glasses as Austin counted down.

“Three…”

“Two…”

I pressed the red button on my TAG unit prematurely and it glowed a faint red before fading out.

“Not enough juice.” I thought, “Austin was right.”

“One!”

A bright light encompassed the living room, blinding me through the glasses. The sound of isolated thunder erupted next to me, followed by what I can only describe as air being sucked into a large vacuum.

I pulled my glasses off to find Aaron doing the same.

“Aaron” I said as calmly as I could muster. “What just happened?”

We both turned to the spot where Austin had just been sitting mere moments before, only to find it empty.

The air crackled with static electricity where my youngest son had been sitting just moments before, and the smell of ozone wafted up my nose.

Keeping my cool, pretending to know that the phenomenon that just took place was part of the game, I reached for Austin’s paper.

“Well” I said, desperately trying to keep my voice from shaking, “let’s see what clue your brother left us.”

I flipped the paper over and scrawled on it, in Austin’s signature sloppy pen, were the words, “Best day ever.”

“Best day ever?” I thought. “What am I supposed to do with this?”

“What does it say?” asked Aaron, leaning over to see. I decided not to pretend, not to try and lie so I handed the paper to him, hoping he may have some insight.

He scoffed, “Every day is the best day ever to that turd.”

I sat, arms on my knees, looking at my feet, dumbfounded, and couldn’t even muster the strength to chastise Aaron for his name-calling.

“Dad” Aaron said, and I looked up, “the light on my TAG unit is glowing.”

I grabbed his wrist, perhaps too forcefully, and sure enough, the red light was glowing, albeit faintly. His TAG unit was much different than the others, in place of the digital display, it had a sort of miniature radar screen. We both watched as it pinged, waves moving outward from a central location, and an almost imperceptible dot faded in and out.

“He’s close.” smiled Aaron, “This is so cool!”

I wasn’t so sure about either of his statements.

We began to scour the house, and every time Aaron’s TAG unit would start to glow, and the radar would detect his brother, the dot would change locations and we would start our search again. Hours passed by and still no sign of my little one.

“Oh he’s good.” remarked Aaron on multiple occasions.

And then it happened, the thing I had been dreading since it all transpired; the sound of a car pulling into the driveway.

“Mom's home.” declared Aaron nonchalantly.

“Such innocence.” I thought. This kid was convinced his brother was the hide-and-seek world champion, but me, I thought something much, much worse.

My wife entered the house, laden with luggage and exhaustion evident on her face.

“Hello love.” I smiled, “I hadn’t talked to you since you left the hotel this morning, everything went well?”

“Yes, yes it did.” she smiled. “Where’s Austin?”

“He’s hiding.” said Aaron.

She shot me an inquisitive look, then looking at the game and all its parts, asked, “What is that?”

“It came in the mail for the boys.” I said, “The return address is smudged so if you find out who sent it, we need to thank them.”

She yawned, “Well, if you don’t mind, I believe I’m going to take a bath and turn in. I’m beat.”

She kissed me on my forehead as she walked by, heading upstairs to our bedroom.

“Well Aaron, are you ready to continue our search?” I turned to the chair he had plopped down in moments before to find him fast asleep. My stomach turned and a wave of nausea rolled over me, “At what point do I call the police and tell them my son is missing?”

I left Aaron to sleep and went into the kitchen. The chili had been cooking all day and under normal circumstances would have smelled heavenly, but I had absolutely no appetite. I pulled out a chair and slumped at the table, pulling out my phone.

I typed out ‘TAG! by Grimshaw Games’

Results not found.

So there was nothing on the internet about the game, that left only two other options: open the manilla envelope and if there was no help to be found there then I would come clean with my wife and go to the police. At this point I didn’t care if anyone believed me, I just wanted my little boy back home and safe.

I undid the clasp on the envelope and removed the papers inside,

The first page was blank, save for being stamped with the word ‘Classified’.

I proceeded;

It is assumed the reader of these classified documents has proper clearance. If not, then be aware your actions will be judged as treachery and conspiracy against the United States Government.

This training kit, under the guise of a child’s game, is to be used for its intended purpose only.

A TAG unit, otherwise known as a Temporal Anomaly Generator, is a prototype training device used for eliminating targets both past and future.

To do TAG training, at least two soldiers are required. Follow the directions included in the game, making sure to write down your location in the event that you cannot be found, so that an extraction team can secure you and bring you back to your appropriate time and location.

Please note: Until such a time exists that a better power source can be manufactured, TAG units run on AA batteries. The power drain is significant, so make sure they are new and in good condition so you don’t find yourself in need of being extracted.

I stopped reading there and let the paper fall from my hands. I checked my phone, it was after 10 p.m. so the only place that was open was the gas station a couple miles down the road. I grabbed my keys and was out the door without stopping to grab a jacket.

***

“Will this be all?” the cashier asked pleasantly as I put the batteries on the counter.

“Uhh, a pack of reds.” I said, then plucked a lighter out of the display and slid it forward. I had quit smoking two years prior, so my collection of cigarette igniters had diminished to non-existence.

I didn’t want to smoke in the car. It would be bad enough to tell my wife I had bought a pack, even worse to stink up our car, so I parked out front and lit one while standing on the curb.

The cherry glowed bright under the moon’s pale glow and as I exhaled, a thought occurred to me.

“Best day ever.”

I ran inside, woke Aaron and began putting new batteries in my TAG unit.

“Dad?” he said groggily.

“8 a.m, Saturday October 21st, 2028. Set your dial and come find us.” and I pressed the red button on my TAG unit.

The world blurred and an immense heaviness grasped me and then I found myself sitting on the couch but the sun was up.

Crack!

Austin appeared next to me, bewildered and I scooped him up. “Shhh! Don’t say a word!” I whispered. I looked at the clock on the wall.

7:59 a.m.

A chime rang out, followed by the message of an incoming parcel drone.

We have about thirty seconds…

Crack!

Aaron appeared and I grabbed him while holding Austin. “Press it!” I hissed and we were gone just before our past selves came downstairs through the living room.

***

Lindsay and both boys were fast asleep while I stood outside smoking. A large black SUV pulled up and out stepped an elderly man in military uniform.

“Adam Zickafoose?”

I flicked the butt on the ground, “Yes, do I know you?”

Then I looked at him, really looked at him, and realized it was Aaron, albeit much older and with a pain in his eyes I could never fathom.

“How’s Austin?” He asked shakily.

“Asleep in his room.” I exhaled deeply, “Aaron, it was you…why…how?”

“I joined the military after the accident that took Austin, the same one that forced you to take your life. I found TAG! on a back shelf in a storage closet, neglected and covered in dust. The need was dire, so I took it back far enough to avoid suspicion and arranged for it to be delivered today.”

He coughed, deep and rattling, “I inadvertently changed so much. I couldn’t put an address because everything is different now, but thanks to this” he raised his arm weakly, “I was able to find you.” I looked down and realized I was still wearing my TAG.

“Accident?” I asked, “You couldn’t have just gone to that day and stopped it?”

“No Dad, that’s not how that works. It was nice seeing you.”

The tears that ran down his cheeks told me that he had tried.