Temporal Observation and Development LLC does not have day care. So when Jim had an emergency trip to Melborne on the same day that Nanny Janet broke her ankle and had to go to hospital, July 20, 2088 suddenly became my “take the baby to work day.”

I only took my eyes off the child for a second. That was long enough though for her to toddle over to the control rack for the temporal displacement modulator and reset every dial and switch on the bottom three rows before taking off her left shoe and tossing it five feet up onto the displacement feed platform.

A power surge created an overmodulated wormhole vortex that appeared with five flashes of red lightning, a single clap of thunder, a whoosh and then dead, shocked, horrified silence.

The lights went out at the very same instant.

“Jesus Christ! What was that?” My boss yelled from his office, but I cut him off with a hysterical sceam.

The lights popped back on and there sat baby in the middle of the room, giggling.

I never did find her shoe.