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Safe at First Base

Written by Mark H. Huston

"I tell you, I saw it in the movie. Plain as the nose on your face. And you have a large nose, Johan. The up-time device looked just like this—"

"Heinrich. Listen to yourself. Movies are like dreams; they are not real. This is reality." With that, Johan pointed over the edge of the precipice, a two hundred fifty foot drop, straight down. He backed away slightly. Johan was so focused on talking his brother out of testing his homemade copy of this absurd up-time device, he didn't realize his proximity to the edge. He could see the dirty brown ribbon of the river in the bottom of the valley. He swallowed and tugged at his nose, edging backwards. Heinrich was speaking again.

"—I tell you it was just like this. A harness that supports the man, ropes fastened to a harness, and the ropes attached to the cloth canopy above. I tell you, I will float down like a feather. A parachute, it's called."

Logic was not working. Johan knew that he had to try something stronger. He now tried screaming the obvious. "HEINRICH. YOU WILL DIE. DIE! COLD-DEAD-IN-THE-GROUND-DEAD!" He glared at his younger brother. Heinrich glared back, unyielding.

Time for the best argument.

"Heinrich," Johan said with a voice as smooth as sweet cream, "what would Mother say?"

Heinrich snorted, and looked at the ground. "It is not fair of you to bring our mother into this argument." He made a pensive, slightly confused face, but only for a moment. There was a pause, then he turned, resolute. "But I am sure that she would be proud. I will be the first person on the world to "base jump." Think of the fame, and notoriety that will come with this feat. Yes, she will be very proud. I am certain." The steadfast and unyielding glare returned.

"I cannot let you do this, brother."

"You have no say in the matter, brother. I am old enough. I am no longer under your charge. I have tested it once with bags of rocks, and it worked—mostly. Stand aside." Johan was caught off guard when Heinrich pushed him out of the way. He stumbled and fell hard onto his backside. He then watched in helpless horror as Heinrich took three paces back, then ran forward and flung himself out into the air, his patchwork quilt of a canopy trailing behind. The last thing Johan ...