Chapter Six: A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes

Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock.

The steady sound of the many clocks welcomed those who entered
the lab as they had for their owner many times before. Concealed
here were things should not be seen by prying eyes. Such as the
time machine, several inventions, and…

And one particular photograph.

Anyone who saw it would think it strange. The town eccentric, a
local teenager, and a strange young girl standing and smiling in
front of a clock face that had been atop a tower in the town square
for more than 30 years.

It was a copy of the photograph Doc Brown had given Marty when
he returned to 1985 briefly to collect Einstein and make sure the
teen wouldn’t worry about where the scientist had gone. He had
kept one for himself. Of course. He would have.

Lisa found herself holding her own photograph – the one she had
taken in 2015 – standing beside a DeLorean. Not the DeLorean; a
DeLorean. The DeLorean had been run over by a train.

I wonder when he got a new car, she thought to herself, gently
running her hand over the cool stainless steel frame of the vehicle.

Her eyes fell upon the photo from 1885. She went over to the table
it was sitting on. She could remember how happy she was when
they posed for that picture. Doc had his hands tight on her
shoulders and the three of them (she, Doc, and Marty) were
smiling broadly.

And then…

A sudden noise jerked her out of her thoughts. It startled her so,
she dropped the photo she was holding. Luckily, it fell onto the
table instead of the floor, and it didn’t shatter. It did, however, jar
the other photo enough to fall forward.

Lisa went to investigate the source of the sound. She heard
muttering coming from somewhere in the lab. Moving to the door
that allowed entrance, the mutterings became clearer. All of a
sudden, the door swung open and Doc Brown entered the building.

The scientist was tinkering with what looked like a computer
circuit board as he walked in.

Lisa had to smile. Same old Doc. “Hi, Doc,” she said brightly.

The circuit board nearly went flying. He looked up and saw her
giggling uncontrollably. “Very funny, Lisa,” he said, giving her a
look of amusement-slash-exasperation.

“I’m sorry,” she said, a chuckle still in her voice.

Doc sighed. “No harm done.” He went over to the table Lisa had
been standing by and put the circuit board down on it. Noticing the
unfamiliar photograph, he picked it up, then glanced at his alien
friend for an explanation.

“Remember I took that when we were in 2015? I…wanted to give
it to you, but I never had the chance.”

They both knew why. Doc looked at the picture a moment, then
turned his dark eyes on Lisa.

She began to explain, when she was interrupted by the sound of the
clocks chiming the hour. Lisa covered her ears, and then suddenly
started to fade.

Clutching the photograph in one hand, Doc reached his other for
Lisa. Her lips formed words, but no sound came out.

“Lisa!” Doc shouted, his extended hand passing right through
hers.

Everything – the lab, the DeLorean, even Doc and Lisa –
disappeared.

End chapter six.

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