200 Words: "Timelapse" Part 4

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Part 2
Part 3

"Time Travel?" Carla asked. "That's a weird thing to ask. Is this for Professor Eisenstein's class?"

"Uh, yeah," Jim answered uncertainly. "I figure you're the biggest nerd I know," he added, smiling mischeviously, "so I figured you'd be the person to ask."

"Charming," she deadpanned. "What precisely do you want to know? What's your story about?"

"Uh, time travel?"

"Right. I got that," Carla said. "You know, Eisenstein hates sci-fi."

"Yeah, yeah." Jim waved his hand dismissively.

"For that matter," she continued, "I thought you did, too. You always end up with some more of that moody, pretensious bullshit you're always writing." Then, she added sheepishly, "Um, no offense."

Jim had to stifle a laugh. He had been a moody, pretensious bastard in college and he knew it. Far from being offended, he was reminded of what he'd always liked most about Carla, that she never held back.

"Anyway," Jim said, "what if this guy woke up and it's ten years ago? What . . ."

Carla interrupted, "Wait. He just wakes up in the past? Why? What happened?"

"I don't know. Look . . ."

"You don't know? Shouldn't you? If you don't know, who does?"

"Look," Jim replied, impatiently. "Would you let me finish?"