Second Chance by Chet Williamson Page B

an animal that might bite. "There's something wrong with everything around here."
    "We . . . we're stoned," Frank said. "That's all. We still must be stoned ."
    Woody shook his head. "I've never felt more straight in my life. We're not stoned, Frank. What we're seeing is real."
    "Yeah? What the hell are you saying—that we're actually getting younger ?"
    "No," Woody said gently. "It's not that. Not just that."
    "I think I know what you mean," Eddie said, gazing at the palms of his hands as if at the map of some unexplored country. "The cigarette pack . . . the missing rings, the watches, the clocks . . . and us , for Christ's sake." He looked up at Woody, his eyes haunted by the knowledge. "We've gone back, haven't we?"
    Woody nodded. "I think so. I think we've gone back. In time."
    "Oh for sweet Jesus Christ's sake," said Frank, at the end of his patience. " That's easy enough to bust a hole in." He went over to the little orange television, plugged it in, twisted the On knob, and turned off the amp . Woody was just about to tell him that the picture tube was dead when an image started to appear on the tiny screen.
    "We'll see how far in the past we are when a music video comes on." But it was not a music video that they saw.
    "Bill Cardill ," said Curly. "We used to watch him every Saturday night. But he hasn't been on for years."
    "It's a rerun then," said Frank. "A retrospective or something."
    "Listen." Eddie reached over and turned up the volume.
    ". . . so we'll show it to you again," said the man on the screen. "Man, ever since I was in that movie last year, you guys keep wanting to see this scene. I mean, have I got a Hollywood career ahead of me or what ? Okay, roll it . . ."
    A scene came on then from the original Night of the Living Dead , where the reporter, played by Cardill , is questioning the police chief.
    "He said last year," Curly said. "Living Dead came out in '68." Eddie nodded. "That means that this is 1969, if you can still add."
    "Shut up," Frank said, his eyes on the screen. "Now wait a minute, just wait a minute . . ."
    The scene ended, and Cardill was on screen again. "Don't tell me, you loved it. Well, Romero's planning a sequel, and maybe if enough of you write in, they might make me the star this time."
    "They didn't do a sequel until 1979," Curly said.
    "This is an old clip, that's all," Frank insisted.
    "We'll be right back to Vincent Price in The Pit and the Pendulum after this," said Cardill , and was replaced by a bald man standing in front of a row of cars.
    "Come on down to Randall Chevrolet today! We've got all the new 1970 cars and trucks you've been waiting for!"
    “Jesus," said Judy. "And I suppose they're showing a goddam retrospective of car commercials too, Frank?"
    "This is stupid !" Frank dug in his pockets. "Look! Look at these coins! We're talking eighties . . ." His voice trailed off as he saw what his hand held.
    Woody picked the coins off Frank's palm. Not one of them had a date later than 1967.
    "We're younger," and Woody turned to see Diane standing up, squinting at the others in the dim light. "We're all younger now. It's been happening as we've been talking. God, look at us. You're right, Woody. I don't know how, but we've gone back."
    "No," Frank said in a far softer tone than before. "It's impossible, it's irrational, it's   . . . unbelievable. And I can't believe it."
    "My hair is back," said Curly. "It's short, cut just like it was when I was swimming, but it's back. And that's real ."
    "Look at your wallet, Frank," Woody said, and Frank took a worn brown wallet from his hip pocket, a wallet that bore little resemblance to the Coach billfold Woody had noticed and remarked upon before.
    As Frank flipped through the cards, Woody caught glimpses of an Iselin student I.D., an activities card, a Selective Service card, a sorority photo of Judy, and an oversized green-yellow card that had been each twenty-one year old student's dearest possession.
    "Your Liquor Control