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The traveler merely has to focus his thoughts on something unique in this life in the future, and the power of the mind will draw him back here, into his own sleeping body. But unlike a person emerging from a normal coma, our Time Lottery winners will be able to remember what happened, and anything they’ve learned will come back with them.”
    He took a final breath, as eager to move on as the audience seemed to be.
    “One more thing before we draw names. You need to know that nothing the person does in the past will affect things in our present. If someone goes back and decides not to have children in her Alternity, her children in the here and now will not suddenly disappear. So don’t worry. Each Alternity is separate and distinct, a world within itself.”
    Mac surveyed the room. They were ready. “And so the time has come.” He looked to Cheryl and offered his arm. Together they walked toward the revolving globe. He loved having her there to share this moment that was so important to him. That had been so important to them.
    Once at the Sphere, he pushed a button and the globe stopped its roll, causing the paper snowstorm inside to wind down. A small door stopped at Cheryl’s eye level, the pieces of paper plastered to its side. He opened it only enough for her to extract three tickets. She held them protectively against her chest.
    “May I?” she asked.
    He extended a hand, giving his permission. They moved to the edge of the stage, where she began.

    Bangor
    More than anything in the world, David Stancowsky hated being late. It had taken all his self-control not to hang up on the electrician who’d called him at the office just as he was going out the door. Once he left, he drove way over the speed limit—which was not a good idea on the snow-packed roads of Maine in January. But he had to be on time. Ha. Time waits for no man…
    He’d made arrangements to watch the Time Lottery drawing with Ray Reynolds, the man who should have been his father-in-law. He thought it would be appropriate. If David won, he would be going back to save the life of Ray’s daughter. He and Ray had stayed close all these years but Millie’s mother Rhonda was another story. After Millie’s death, she’d suffered a distressing surge of independence, and had suddenly decided she wanted to be on her own. It made no sense. Ray had done everything for her and as thanks she divorced him? David had heard that she’d remarried, but it was a sore subject that he didn’t bring up in Ray’s presence.
    David listened to the Time Lottery coverage on the radio. As he parked at the Woodside Retirement Home, he listened to a man telling about the history of the Time Lottery, how it had come about due to twenty-two years of research. It wouldn’t be long before they’d have the drawing. He had to get into Ray’s room, turn on the set…
    With a quick wave, David hurried past the receptionist and raced down Corridor B to Ray’s room. The door was open and he knocked on the jamb. Ray was napping in his recliner. The TV was off. David was torn between politeness and expediency.
    He flipped on the set, then shook Ray to waking. “Ray?”
    David’s attention was drawn to the television. The same man he’d heard on the radio was talking. “After a person has experienced his or her Alternity for seven days—a measure of seven days in the present, but an undetermined number of days in the past—TTC doctors will introduce a gentle electric burst to the Loop, and a strange phenomenon we call ‘Dual Consciousness’ will kick in.”
    Good. They hadn’t got to the drawing yet.
    With a groan, Ray sat straighter in the chair. “Oh. David.” He noticed the TV. “Is it that time already?”
    David pulled up a chair. “Just.” He found his Time Lottery ticket in his pocket and held it front and center.
    The man on TV continued: “One more thing before we draw names. You need to know that nothing the person does in the past will affect