Turn part 1

  Circles.
  The gateway was circular and it reminded randy Heim of circles. It opened
in front of him. He saw light and was headed for it. He landed on a hill.
  "What the hell?!"
  Randy looked up and saw the pitcher.
  Professor Brown came out of the vortex next. Randy stood up and helped
Brown up.
  Richard Hall and Melissa Clark both fell out together. Melissa stood up
and kicked Richard. The wormhole closed behind them.
  "If you hit on someone before a slide one more time," Melissa said with
her fists balled up, "you've going to be sporting a black eye."
  Randy looked over at the pitcher. he had his hands on his hips and
frowned.
  "I...think we better go," Randy suggested.
  "Good idea, Mr. Heim," Brown said.
  "Hey!" the pitcher yelled. "What the hell are you doing sliding into the
middle of a game?!"
  "Run!" Randy yelled.
  The sliders started to run for the nearest exit. A few minutes later,
they made it outside the stadium. Richard sat on the sidewalk and laugh.
  "What's so funny?" Randy asked.
  "It's like we're in a rut," Richard said. "We travel from world to world
and within minutes we're running for our lives. What's next? Someone
steals the timer on each world?"
  Randy ignored Richard. he looked over at Professor Brown and Melissa.
They were looking outward. Randy followed their glance.
  Towers. Buildings. they seem to reach almost to heaven. the outside of
the buildings seem to be made of glass.
  "They're...huge," Melissa said.
  "Can this be San Francisco?" Brown asked. "The buildings seem
very...postmodern era."
  "It's not the only thing," Randy said. "That pitcher knew about sliding.
This seems like a world where technology got a needed emphasis. They're way
ahead of us in terms of technology."
  "And you got all of this from a pitcher and some buildings?" Richard said.
  "No way!"
  Suddenly, a taxi landed right in front of them. Randy saw the sides of
the taxi shifted as wheels came out of the sides. The engine in the bottom
guided it down to the ground. the doors on the sides lifted up by
themselves.
  "Okay, this is a futuristic civilization," Richard said.

  WHAT IF YOU DISCOVERED NEW WORLDS? WHAT IF YOU COULD FIND THESE WORLDS
WITHOUT LEAVING YOUR EARTH? YOU'RE THE SAME PERSON AND IT'S THE SAME YEAR,
BUT EVERYTHING AROUND YOU IS DIFFERENT? I FOUND A WAY TO TRAVEL TO PARALLEL
WORLDS!!!

  SLIDERS: ALTERNATE SPIN
  EPISODE 6-TURN
  (first part)

  "So how long are we here?" Melissa asked Randy.
  "It looks like a day," Randy answered.
  "Could it be?" Brown asked. "have we finally slid into an utopia? A
world where civilized people reign over the savages?"
  "Nah!" Richard said. "It's probably all window dressing."
  "Well, we know who the cynic is," Melissa said.
  Randy looked out the window of the taxi and looked down. The buildings,
even from this height, had no end to them. It was breathtaking.
  As if reading his thoughts, Melissa asked, "I wonder why the buildings are
built so high?"
  "Well, during the Renaissance, buildings were built high because the
people wanted to reach heaven," Brown said. "Perhaps these people think
the same way."
  "Perhaps," Randy mumbled.
  "God, do you always drive taxis?" Richard asked the taxi driver.
  Randy continued to look out the window.
  Randy watched as Professor Brown talked to the desk clerk.
  "Yes, Mr. Calhoun," Brown said as he talked to him, "we would like to take
Room 105."
  "What's going on over there?" Melissa asked.
  "It's just an amusement section I had put in last week," Gomez answered.
"It's taken me a while to get it put in, but the guests like it."
  "We have to try it out some time," Richard said.
  Randy turned to look at the section. He gasped. There standing in the
entrance was a dark-haired man. He was Randy's age and had a goatee. He
stared at Randy with hatred in his eyes.
  "Randy?"
  Randy looked toward the others. He looked down at the vase he knocked
over in his shock. It was in several pieces.
  "I..." Randy started.
  "What is wrong, Mr. Heim?" Professor Brown asked.
  Randy looked toward the amusement section again. The guy was nowhere in
sight.
  "Nothing," Randy answered. "Nothing at all."

  Randy stared out the window. The sound from the television was apparent,
but his mind wasn't into it at all.
  "Egghead, you could be watching the news like the rest of us!" Richard
yelled.
  "Huh?" Randy turned to look at Richard and the others.
  "Richard was just suggesting that you sit down and watch the news,"
Melissa said. "I don't know why since he wanted to check out the amusement
section."
  "It looks like fun," Richard said. "Sue me."
  "As if you had money."
  "Are you well, Mr. Heim?" Professor Brown asked. "You have been
distracted since we came here."
  Randy looked at Brown. He looked so concerned for him at that moment.
  "I guess..." Randy started. He paused. Should he tell him? "I
guess...I'm just in awe with the technology so far. It's pretty
mindblowing."
  "Yeah," Melissa agreed.
  "Yes," Brown agreed as well. "Perhaps our world will be the same way
someday."
  "If we ever get home," Richard said.
  Randy looked at Richard. "Let's not forget it's your fault."
  "My fault?" Richard's eyes narrowed on Randy.
  "Yes, yours," Randy said. "Who were you working for anyway?"
  Richard looked angrily at Randy. Maybe if you wouldn't had invented your
gizmo, we wouldn't be here."
  "Look around you!" Randy barked. "If people never invented anything, we
would still be savages. Maybe you should have a conscience!!"
  Randy headed for the door and slammed it behind him.

  "Hi! My name is Alex. How can I help you?"
  Randy smiled at the familiar face. On his Earth, he knew a man named Alex
his junior year of high school.
  "Is something wrong?" the blonde clerk asked.
  Randy shook the memories away. That was a different world (granted a
world he wanted to get back to). In this world, Alex didn't seem to know
Randy.
  "You just remind me of an old friend," Randy answered.
  "Oh," Alex said. He smiled again. "Well...how can I help you?"
  "I'm just looking through the amusement section," Randy said.
  "Yeah, it's great what old Gomez got," Alex said as he looked at
everything." He waved at some arcade machines. "We have the primitive
models." Randy saw him run toward the other wall. "Then we have the current
interactive model. Hell, he even gained the VR model...with hyperboard play
feel. Everyone likes that one the best."
  "Sounds like fun," Randy said. "Mind if I try?"

  Randy always wanted to try this. Now , with his enemy in front of him and
a lightsaber in his hand he was ready.
  "You can not conquer the dark side," the villain said.
  "Well...I think a wise man said...'you should not lower your defenses!'"
Randy said.
  With that, he lunge at the villain with saber in hand. the villain
blocked his attack. He pushed Randy back away from him.
  "Scared?" Randy asked.
  "Intrigued," the villain answered.
  He swung his saber at Randy. Randy ducked in time and tripped the guy.
The villain fell and randy stood over him with a grin.
  "I guess you should know," Randy said, "that i"m full of surprise."
  "I guess you should know," the villain said, "that I remember my Earth,
Heim and how you took it away from me."
  Randy paused. It gave the villain a chance to trip him. Randy's saber
flew across the room as he fell to the floor. The villain stood over him,
the saber at Randy's throat. He pulled his mask off.
  Randy looked at the face in front of him. Hatred was in his eyes.
  "You..." Randy managed to say.
  "Yes, Heim, me," he said. "I remember...EVERYTHING."

  Randy jumped off the bench. He tore the goggles and gloves off to find
Richard staring at him.
  "Hey," Richard said.
  Randy looked at Richard in shock. "What...are you doing here?"
  "Hello to you, too," Richard said sarcastically.
  Randy looked around the amusement section. Richard was the only person there.
  "Egghead, are you okay?" Richard asked.
  "I didn't know you cared," Randy said.
  "Melissa and Proper would worry."
  "What do you want, Richard?"
  "I wanted...to say sorry for before." Richard said.
  "Great," Randy said. "Did you see anyone in here before?"
  "No, why?" Richard replied.
  Randy looked around the amusement section again.
  Nothing," Randy said. "I guess I just need some sleep."
  "Sweet dreams, Egghead," Richard said. "I'm just going to try this stuff
out."
  "You try that," Randy said flatly.

  The wormhole opened onto a new world. randy fell through the vortex. He
jumped up from the ground and looked at the vortex. It closed behind him.
  "Melissa! Professor!" Randy screamed out.
  "There's no one here," the voice came from behind him.
  Randy turned toward the voice and found him beside him. His hands were
behind his back. He did not look at Randy.
  "Nowhere to run," the guy said. "Nowhere to hide. Just you and me back
on my earth."
  "This isn't my fault," Randy said. "you remember everything, right? Then
you know what your world was like."
  "Yes," the guy answered. "Russia and the United States had their Cold
War. Bombs were dropped. People killed. Only a few safe spots and those
were overcrowded. The United States fell. Russia fell. Dictators sprung
up. Then you showed up...for fifteen minutes."
  Randy looked at him. "Yeah. I saw the damage, but I couldn't do anything
so I gave you a chance."
  "You gave me a CURSE!" the guy said. "A curse that took my family away."
  The guy walked in front of Randy.
  "And for that," the guy said, "I will never forgive you."

  "NEVER!"

  Randy jumped up from his dream. He looked around to find himself back in
his room. Sweat fell down his forehead.
  "Oh, God," Randy mumbled.
  A knock at the door interrupted Randy.
  "Yeah?" Randy said.
  The door opened to reveal Melissa.
  "I didn't wake you, did I?" Melissa asked.
  "No," Randy said.
  "Have you seen Richard?"
  "He's probably still downstairs," Randy replied.
  "He's going to be tried on the next world," Melissa said.
  "And you?"
  "I've had a sound sleep. It doesn't sound like you did. What's wrong?"
  "Nothing."
  "Are you--"
  "I'm fine!" Randy snapped. "Why aren't you with Richard or the
Professor?"
  "Let's see..." Melissa said. "...you told me that Richard's amusing
himself...Brown decided to go out...that leaves you and me...two friends who
haven't really talked in forever."
  Randy sat up and looked at Melissa. "Friends...yeah...I forgot."
  Melissa looked angrily at Randy. "What's that suppose to mean? Are you
still holding a grudge because I wanted to remain friends."
  "Well, the Ben double does seem...convenient. tell me...when are you and
Richard getting together?"
  Randy saw the shock hit Melissa's face. Slowly, traces of anger showed
up.
  "That was unfair," Melissa said.
  "Was it?" Randy challenged.
  "I should have never even agree to that date."
  "Guess you shouldn't."
  Melissa got up and headed for the door.
  "I don't know what's wrong with you," Melissa said as she opened the
door, "but I wish I still had my best friend."
  Randy just watched Melissa leave his room. He wanted to go after her and
apologize for that he just said. He wished that he could explain...
  After the dream, would she trust him again if she knew the truth? Would
the others trust him?

  "And how are you enjoying your room, Mr. Heim?" Gomez asked Randy as he
walked into the lobby.
  "They're...great, Mr. Calhoun," Randy answered. "I don't suppose you seen
my friends?"
  "Mr. Brown still hasn't gotten back yet," Gomez replied. "And your other
two companions are in the amusement section."
  "Grreat. Thanks."
  Randy walked toward the amusement section. He hesitated for a second.
The dream came back to mind and the whole VR sequence. He pushed it away
and walked away.
  Richard was lying on a bench with gloves and goggles. He was pretty much
like Randy had been last night. There was no sign of Melissa at all.
  "How's it going, Mr. Heim?" a voice behind Randy said. "Need any help?"
  Randy saw it was Alex and managed a smile.
  "Actually...yeah," Randy replied. "Have you seen Melissa?"
&nbs  p; "Yeah," Alex answered. "She's in the interactive model."
  "Thanks..." Randy said and turned toward the room.
  And there he was waiting for him.
  Am I losing my mind, Randy thought.
  "What are you looking at?" Alex asked.
  Randy turned to look at Alex. "I was looking at..."
  Randy turned to look at the door to the interactive model. He was gone.

  Randy stood up as soon as the hotel room opened. He saw Professor Brown
walked in with a smile on his face.
  "This is quite a fascinating place," Professor Brown said as he walked in.
  "It is a true utopia here. They have discovered cures for diseases that
we are still struggling to control. War seems to be nonexistent. We even
have gotten as far as Saturn in space colonization."
  "I think we're in trouble," Randy said.
  "Oh," Brown said. "What?"
  "It's..." Randy started. He saw only concern in his eyes. "Back when I
was till testing my sliding machine, I made various jumps to a few places.
back then the timer was set for leaving me in a location for a specific
time."
  "Yes, we discussed this partly on the last few worlds," Brown said.
  "Well, when I called you and Melissa over to my dorm," Randy continued.
"I decided to give it one last test run before you two showed up. I set my
machine for fifteen minutes and slide...to a world where the Cold War took
its toll and the United States and Russia blew each other away. I saw the
chaos, the destruction...and I had to do something. But I had only fifteen
minutes.
  "There was a family fleeing for its life," Randy continue. We hid under
cover and I met one of the kids and...tried to give them the equation to
slide."
  Professor Brown looked at Randy. Randy saw the shock enter his face.
  "How...could you do that?" Brown managed to say. "Your device had not
even been observed long enough! How could you just give the equation out?"
  "You had to see the world, Professor!" Randy said. "People were dropping
like flies. I was trying to offer...to save at least one family."
  "Not knowing what the consequences would be?!" Brown barked. "How
reckless were you?"
  "I'm sorry, Professor," Randy said. "I thought I was doing the right
thing, but...he's here."
  "You have seen him?"
  "He seems to be everywhere," Randy said. "I don't know what to do."
  "I will tell you what to do," Brown said. "We find Melissa and Mr. Hall
and we get the hell out of here."

  Randy walked into the amusement section with Professor Brown. Alex was
gone again. Richard was still on his bench.
  "This cannot be healthy," Brown commented. "How long has he been on?"
  "Since last night," Randy answered. "I'll get Melissa. You find Alex or
Gomez and get Richard out of...wherever he is."
  Randy did not wait for an answer. He grabbed a hyperboard and went into
the interactive model.
  The wind came up to bite him as he fell away from the door. the ground
started to come up, but Randy put the hyperboard under him and turned it on.
  It arched up like it had a mind of its own and it flew up into the
computerized sky.
  "Wow!" Randy said.
  "Yes, fun, isn't it?" a voice said.
  Randy turned to see the guy flying next to him on a board of his own.
  "Hello," Randy said, "...Daniel."
  Daniel's face had the hint of a grin. "So...you actually remember my
name?"
  "How did you wind up here?" Randy asked.
  "Well...it wasn't the first world I landed on," Daniel answered. "Let's
see...Cannibal World...Killer Lottery World...Communist World...don't get me
started. Finally, it ended here...my only wish being my family was with
me."
  "Where are they?"
  "Dead. The local dictator found out I had been working on it, and
attacked us...my family was gunned down...because of your stupid equation!"
  Daniel looked at Randy. "Now...it's your turn."
  As simple as that, Randy's board started to slow down. Daniel's board
flew away.
  "Melissa!" Randy yelled.
  There was no answer in the sky.
  Randy stormed out of the amusement section. Professor Brown just sat by
Richard. Oblivious to the world, Richard was into his game.
  "What's going on?" Randy asked. "Why is Richard still under?"
  "I talked to Alex," Brown replied, "and it now seems there is a problem."
Brown looked down at Richard. Randy saw the fear in his face.
  "What?" Randy asked.
  "Alex told me that the only way to get out of there is if Richard decides
he wants to," Brown said. "Any outside attempts to wake him will harm him."
  "What if he doesn't get out of it before the slide?" Randy asked. "We
just might have to leave him? No!"
  "Yes, Mr. Heim! We just might!" Brown snapped. "Thanks to your
recklessness, it seems all of us are going to suffer."
  It felt like a punch in his gut. Randy had respected Professor Brown
since before he graduated high school. He couldn't let him down.
    "Come on," Brown said. "We need to brainstorm. Where is Melissa?"
  "He's got her, too," Randy said.
  Randy saw the anger cross Brown's face. He stormed out of the amusement
section.

  "That's it!"
  Randy finally saw a grin on Professor Brown's face. They had found an old
cafe among the buildings. It seem odd against them, but Randy felt at home
among them.
  "What is it?" Randy asked weakly. He was looking around at the people
walking by.
  "It might be possible for us...perhaps with...Alex's help...to create a
link into Mr. Hall's virtual world," Brown said. "He will be freed...and
no..."
  Randy looked at Brown. Sweat was forming on his forehead.
  "Are you okay, Professor?" Randy asked.
  "Yes..." Brown said with some difficulty. "Let us get back...to the
Dominion."
  Randy payed at the counter for the coffee he got for Brown. He watched
Brown who seem to be sweating more than he was.
  "What about Melissa?" Randy asked. "If this interface thing work, will it
work in her case?"
  "Only time will..."
  Brown's hands shot up to his head. His teeth came together as he
screamed. The sweat flew from his forehead. Randy ran to him, but one of
Brown's hands shot out at him. Randy fell to the ground.
  "Where...am...I?" Brown spit it out. He looked over at Randy and Randy
saw a sign of a smile.
  "Finally..." Brown said. "...not much time...you are in..."
  The shriek cut off his last words. Randy jumped up and headed for the
Professor. He was too late.
  The car hit the Professor. Brown fell to the ground.
  "Professor!"

TO BE CONTINUED...