The First Time Traveller

Written by Anakin McFly

2nd February 1895
Hill Valley, California

They had heard the news... all of them. Every single dog in Hill Valley was aware that tonight was the night that HE was coming to visit. Einstein the Dog. The greatest of them all; for he was the world's first time traveller.

Every dog down to the smallest puppy knew his name, and his tale. Of how he arrived one night from the sky all in a blaze of light. They had all stared up in awe as the door of the flying train opened, and HE stepped out, his master following behind.

The dog from the future. 'Einie', as his friends called him.

A hundred years he had travelled, into the past to live with them.

And there, he had told them all the great stories of his life.

They knew, for instance, of that famous day that had yet to happen. Time and again he had told them about it. Of how his master had invented a time machine, and he, Einstein the Dog, then still barely out of puppyhood, had been the first to go in it.

There was no dog in the world who had been as scared as he was then, stepping into the strange machine. It had started moving faster and faster, with no one to save him, and yet he had braved it through, as any self-respecting dog would. Yes, even when bright flashes of electricity appeared all over the vehicle, he had stayed courageous, right to the end.

Arriving one minute in the future, Einie had become the world's first time traveller.

Sure, it was a man who had invented the machine, but due to the cowardice of the human race, the first time traveller was not one of man, but canine kind.

The dogs of Hill Valley all knew; and gazed up in admiration at their hero. Every puppy longed to be like him; a dog who had made such a great contribution to science.

And so, when the night came, they were all ready. Each and every kennel had been cleaned out, ready for inspection by the great Einie. For the first time in a long while, the residents of Hill Valley found their dogs strangely eager for a bath.

For each wanted to look his best when The First Time Traveller came.

He was escaping, the rumours went. He was going to run away from his home, steal the time machine and go back to the future from whence he came. But before that, he was coming to visit them. Them, the lowly, unimportant dogs.

And they were ready.

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Jules Eratosthenes Brown banged on the bedroom door of his younger brother. "Verne, get outta there! We have to go walk the dog."

There was a muffled response. Jules swung open the door to see his brother still lying on his bed and playing his Game Boy. Without looking up, Verne spoke. "What?"

"Didn't you hear me? Einie needs a walk. It's our turn tonight. Come on."

A few seconds passed.

"'K," Verne replied. Still holding onto his Nintendo game, he got slowly out of bed, eyes still fixated on the small screen.

"And put that away unless you want the whole town staring at you. Game Boys haven't been invented yet."

Barely 6-year-old Verne glanced quickly at his brother's footwear before returning his glance to the screen and retorting, "And neither have Nike shoes."

Sighing in exasperation, Jules changed his shoes and walked out of the house. "Come on, Einie."

There was a welcome bark as the dog bounced out after him, tongue hanging out as usual.

"Verne! You coming?"

"Yeah, uh... wait, let me save the game..."

About five minutes later, the two boys and Einie were walking around the park. The place seemed strangely full of dogs; and stranger still, none were barking. Instead, they were all standing in two straight lines to the side of them.

The only one barking was Einstein the Dog.

Verne shot a puzzled look at his older brother. The latter seemed just as bewildered.

"What's with all the dogs?"

"I don't know." Jules paused. "I don't like this. Let's go somewhere else. Come on, Einie."

The dog refused to move. He just stood there, barking away to his doggy audience.

"EINIE!"

No response.

And then there was a break in the barking; and suddenly, The First Time Traveller took off running.

"What the..."

"Come back, Einie!" Jules yelled, dashing after the animal, his brother running behind.

"What d'you think you're doing? Bad dog! Come back, Einie!"

Einie wouldn't come back. Oh no. He was going, he was.

As he ran, Einie went over his escape plan one more time. He would take the time train; and he would leave. Probably for the future. He knew some really cool dogs there. And he could become a secret agent in the worldwide battle between cats and dogs.

'Total Annihilation' – that's what his code name would be. He, Einstein the Dog, would be famous.

"Jules! He's heading for the train!"

"What on earth... EINIE!"

The dog turned. Did he hear something? Confused, he stopped running and perked up his ears.

Someone jumped him and yelled. "GOT YOU! Bad dog, Einie! Never run away again, you hear? Bad dog!"

Einie whined as Jules fixed a leash on him. No... how could they do this to him? They had spoilt all his plans, all his wonderful plans, all his wonderful, wonderful...

"There's always a next time," Einie thought, trying to reassure himself as Jules and Verne chained him to his kennel.

"Bad dog," Verne scolded again, before following his brother back into the house.

"Yup, there's always a next time," Einie thought, resigning himself to his current fate as he slumped down in his kennel.

And when that time came, he would be ready. No longer would he let those pitiful humans who called themselves his masters defeat him.

For he would never be defeated.

Not he, The First Time Traveller.

Oh no.

Not he.

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