Boys' Club

By E. G. Walker

Teen-age Anthony dreams of communicating with other planets. With his buddies, he builds a communicator. When they activate the device, they discover they have invented a Time Machine. They are able to travel back in time, meet celebrities and see history as it happens. When a government agency threatens to shut down their activity, a mysterious source comes to their aid.

• Language: English
• Publisher: E. G. Walker
• Release date: May 11, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301726950

E. G. Walker

Esther G. Walker, thirty-five-year desert resident, writes stories under the pen name E. G. Walker. Her short stories have been published in national and local magazines, including the Los Angeles Times as a regular contract writer for the children's page. Esther teaches at the Braille Institute in Rancho Mirage, California, conducts "Esther-size" classes at the Coachella Valley Recreation District; she taught "Creative Writing" at the La Quinta Senior Center. She retired from Esther's Typesetting in 1996 and began a second career as a writer.

Book preview

Boys' Club

By E. J. Walker

Copyright 2002 E.J. Walker

Smashword Edition

Discover other titles by EJ Walker at Smashwords.com

ISBN: 9781301726950

dedicated to the many

neighborhood children

who inspired me

to write this book

I watched

I listened

I wrote

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

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Table of Contents

Chapter 1..........Science Project

Chapter 2..........The Clubhouse

Chapter 3..........The Laboratory

Chapter 4..........The Communicator

Chapter 5..........Surprise

Chapter 6..........Who Shall It Be?

Chapter 7...........A Nonsense Visit

Chapter 8...........Curiosity Puts Miles in Danger

Chapter 9...........Who's Next?

Chapter 10.........A Solution to The Problem

Chapter 11.........Summer Vacation

Chapter 12.........Is It Magic Or A Dream?

Chapter 13.........Summer Doldrums

Chapter 14.........It's A Classic

Chapter 15.........Help

Chapter 16.........The Last Transport

Chapter 17.........The End or The Beginning?

Epilogue

Chapter 1 - Science Project

Do you think people are out there? Anthony asked.

The sky seemed alive with stars. Anthony, Eric and Jesse watched the moon rise over the palm trees.

Aliens? Yeah! Eric answered. I don't guess they'd be like us.

I wish I knew for sure, Anthony said. I'm going to find out.

Okay, Einstein, asked Eric. How ya gonna do that?

What about building a sound system. To broadcast to the stars?

Jesse joined in, That's not even original. Lots of people have already tried that.

I know, Anthony replied, but I haven't .

It wasn't long before Anthony had a chance to put his wish into action

Chapter 2 – The Clubhouse

Jesse told Anthony, My dad said if I clean up the trash in our second shed, I can have room for my junk. We could use it for a clubhouse.

Jesse's dad, a landscaper, had two sheds on their lot. One storehouse was full of lawnmowers, chain saws and other equipment of his dad's trade. The other was filled with old, rusted and abandoned tools.

Anthony was excited. We could use it to build my Communicator.

Your what? asked Eric.

You know. The thing we talked about. To talk to the stars. A Communicator.

Yeah, Jesse answered enthusiastically. Let's do it man. Can we - like - keep it a secret until we make contact.

Yeah. Right! Like a secret club? Eric asked.

* * *

Saturday morning, the plan was underway. They cleared junk from the shed and dragged rubbish to the neighborhood dumpster.

Later, Anthony showed them the plans for his Communicator. Anthony was an excellent student who loved computer games.

That looks like some kind of--like--`Star Wars' junk," Eric said. Eric was slender, the tallest of the three and an ardent soccer player, very athletic looking with dark hair and penetrating eyes.

Or E.T., Jesse said. Jesse was wearing his at-home costume - white ragged tee-shirt with stylish baggy pants that threatened to slide off his slim hips.

Eric got busy with markers and paper. He decided that his part of the project was to make a sign for the door.

KEEP OUT

BOYS CLUB

We'd better put a padlock on this door, Jesse suggested.

Anthony studied some electrical connectors and conduit. Don't throw that away. I need that stuff.

Anthony showed them a list of the things he needed.

For the next few days after school, the three boys carried equipment from home until the inside of the shed had a collection of used electrical and construction items, covered with a blue plastic tarp.

Chapter 3 – The Laboratory

Anthony took an extension cord from Jesse and added it to the pile.

I think that’s all of it! Read off the list, Anthony ordered.

Eric was sitting cross-legged on the ground making check marks on a long list. Three extension cords? Do we really need that many?

Anthony reminded him, We’ve got to get our power from more than one house, else our parents will catch on when they get the electric bill.

What about the umbrella? Eric asked. What's that for?

Y'know, like the antenna. It'll work. You'll see. Anthony sounded confident.

Jesse leaned over Eric's shoulder to read, Two rolls of aluminum foil. Boy! Was my mom ticked when she couldn't find her aluminum foil. We got an old TV antenna. Wish we had a satellite dish, but I s'pose this will have to work.

Eric continued, A beach umbrella—oh yeah, I said that. A patio chair. A stroller. Where'd that come from?

Jesse raised his hand. It was in the shed. Mom was going to put it in a yard sale, but I kept it. I thought you might need the wheels to rotate that antenna.

Anthony looked at the discarded computer keyboard. I'm not sure this will do much good.

I got a rubber mat from my dad's truck Jesse added, looking at the check marks on the list. My dad says you can't work with electricity if you're grounded. The rubber keeps you from getting electrocuted.

Then Jesse grumbled, Awww, Maaan! I gotta go. I'm supposed to be baby-sitting my sister.

Don't bring her in here, Eric warned. No girls, no little kids, no parents. That's the rule!

When are we going to start building? Jesse asked.

Guess we're ready. Spring break is as good a time as any to start. Anthony announced. Be here tomorrow morning!

Chapter 4 – The Communicator

What's it really going to do? Eric asked.

Anthony shrugged. Maybe we can contact outer space. He laughed, Or maybe there are people living beneath the earth, elves or something.

Eric joked, Right! Who'd believe that? He made fierce monster gestures as he grabbed his own neck and growled, But there could be demons. Just hope we don't get demons!

In the next few days, there was much hammering and sawing as a rough stand took shape. A bulky computer, looking naked without its cover, was the center of the design.

Each day the project grew until it began to look like a Frankenstein laboratory. There were projecting pipes and tubes wrapped in foil, twisted around by electric cords hanging from conduit taped to the rafters.

There was a television monitor which the boys hung precariously from the ceiling beams. Anthony directed the operation paying special attention to the antenna rising above the inverted beach umbrella. He had mounted it on a base with a wheel from the stroller that acted as a Lazy Susan rotating the entire piece.

Jesse's father had taught him to help with repairs to the landscape equipment. He self-consciously put on the safety glasses as he soldered wires in place at Anthony's direction.

It took several days before the boys had the