Chapter 3:

"What's up with you? You've been acting weird since I found you out the back yesterday."

"... Ah what, oh nothing just thinking about something."

"What have you got to think about other than what your going to do with all this stuff. Do you believe how much stuff is here?"

"Yer I looked at some of it before you got here. I think its all authentic war stuff we should look on line to see what we could sell it for."

"That would be cool, have you decided what to do with the place."

"No idea but if we can get rid of this stuff I can figure it out. What time is your bus Jake?"

"In an hour... sorry I couldn't stay longer but dad was going mad down the phone saying he couldn't cope with the pile up." Jake's father had phoned the night before telling to get back home to help in their garage which Jake had over booked before left. "I'll be back on the weekend to help out and make sure your not stressing out."

"Me stress no way son you know I just flow through life ha." They both laughed and Jake shuffled off his stool and flung out his arms. "Alright mate I'll see you on the weekend." The two then exchanged a manly pat on the back an quickly turned from each other and Jake headed for the and Ben waved with his back turned to him. After a minute Ben turned to make sure his friend had left and then turned to look at the back door to the ally that had taken him on the strangest day only the pervious day. He then bolted to the front door to lock it and just as quickly headed to the yard. As he approached the gate in front of him he suddenly thought that he was acting crazily. Since the moment Jake found him in the back yard he had been reasoning with himself that he really had hit his head and every thing that had happened was a dream and he turned to head back inside, but something stopped him. "I have to try again to see if I'm going crazy... Plus there's no one here to see me going nuts." He once again stepped towards the gate and hesitated. After a deep breath he closed his eyes and stepped forward. After two moments he opened his eyes expecting to be milometers from the gate but to his complete surprise an open ally way.

"Hey Mr what you doing there?" Ben's head spun from left to right trying to see where the voice came from. He then saw a small boy at the end of the ally way.

"Ah ... Just lost I'm not from here."

"Where you going?"

"Ah... Nowhere just walking." Ben noticed that the boy's shouts were getting the attention of those passing by so decided to walk to the end of the ally. "Hey kid, you don't know where I could find a guy called Reg ... ah something? He's bald, black hair on the sides, he said he used to be a policeman."

"You mean dead head Deadman." Ben could not help but cough back a laugh at this. Quickly remembering the slight vacantness of Reg he could understand where the name came from. "Follow me Mr ." The boy ran like a wild thing and Ben not wanting to look like a fool coolly jogged in an attempt to keep up with his guide. The boy suddenly stopped in front of a house and pointed at the door. "He lives there in flat three I think."

"Thanks kid." He walked past the boy to the steps and ruffled the boys hair because he thought that was what people did to helpful kids in the 1950's. As he passed the open door he checked the names and it was there Flat 3: Deadman's. He then thought that he could not believe he had a partner. He didn't know why he would this but he could not imagine what kind of person who be with his new kind bubbling friend. When he knocked the door an average sized women with her blonde hair in rollers.

"Hello Miss is Reg in?"

"REG! Some young lad is a the door for you." The shouting was a new thing for Ben but the high pitched tone made his ear's feel like they were bleeding.

"Gor' Margie your hurting my ears. Alright Ben me lad how are you? How did you know where I live?" A somewhat vacant but warm smile crossed the man face.

"Hi Reg, yer I'm good. I asked around to find you, it wasn't that hard to be honest to be with you. I just wanted to find you to say thank you for helping me yesterday really."

"Oh that's okay son, only what anyone would have done."

"So, Reg do you know where I could find Gary and Phoebe so I say thanks to them too." He of course just wanted to find Gary to find out more about this whole thing that he still could not really make sense of.

"Oh sure lad, I'll take you to their flat, oh its up west I hope you have enough for the fair." He of course did not unless you counted a very crisp twenty pound note with an elderly Queen Elizabeth II on it. Unfortunately for this new time traveller believed no one here would take it as legal tender something he had not thought of before.

"Ah ... no sorry Reg. Maybe I could come back tomorrow when I've got some change on me."

"No that's alright my son, you can give it back in the morning, come on." The somewhat hunched man grabbed his coat and a flat cap and pushed the newcomer down the stairs. While travelling to where it ever it was they were going he couldn't help but think that was like waiting for paint to dry. He had never been on a tube as slow as this one and was glad he didn't have to do this here ... then ... now. Think of the tense really did confuse him.

"Here we are son." The pair stood in front of rather posh apartment building. "Come on Ben, we can't stand around all day." He followed Reg passed a guard at the front desk who nodded his head to a shining art deco style lift. When they finally reached a door Reg stopped dead and Ben almost went crashing into him. "sorry son." He pounded on the door and it was quickly answered. "Hello Phoebe, look who I've got."

"Ben my love, how are you? Come on in." The raven haired women's smile was completely welcoming the visitors stepped inside.

"Hi Phoebe, yer I'm good thanks. I aske Reg to fetch me to you so I could say thank you to you and Gary for all your help yesterday."

"Oh that's okay my love. Sit down and I will make us some tea." The tea was made so rapidly and so perfectly Ben was amazed. The trio chatted amongst themselves for a while until the door slammed. "Ah here's Gary now, sorry you had to wait he was picking up Michael from school. Gary come here and see who's visiting." First a boy that looked around twelve years old came running in and then the very tall Garry Sparrow. Ben looked up and smiled at what he hoped would be his time travelling teacher who was wide eyed and open mouthed.