A Smell of Jet Fuel

by Andrew Dana Hudson

• Release: July 2021
• Format: Short Story
• Genre: Science Fiction
• Audience: Adults
• Content: Definite Time Travel
• Original Language: English

Well, she wasn’t a contemporary, that much was clear.

VARIANTS

1 English variant

TAGS(SPOILERS!)

Time Periods

• Circa AD 2000 to 2099
• Circa AD 2100 to 2199: The tourists come from the 22nd century, some year after 2140.

Timeline Models

• Branching Timelines: Each tour seems to create a new branch, since there are many tours that don’t meet each other. But it’s not explained. Also, there may be many other timelines where Sitra does not seek asylum since Brad asks, “Why now? I’ve led this same tour dozens of times, and you never came before. Why are you suddenly here now?”
• Fragile Timeline: Something Sitra’s family did made a vastly altered future.

Time Travel Methods

• Time Vehicles (motorized): The machine appears to be a city bus.

Themes

• Escape through Time: Sitra’s mother
• Time Cops: Government time regulators are mentioned.
• Time Travel Agencies, Safaris, and Tourists: Time Tours, Inc.

Real-World Tags

• 9/11

Groupings

• Lightspeed (periodical): July 2021

TIME TRAVEL ITINERARY (SPOILERS!)

1. From the offices of Time Tours, Inc., mid-22nd century ⋙ to an unspecified location, the 1960s. Note: Sitra’s mother escapes to the 1960s with her two children.
2. From the offices of Time Tours, Inc., mid-22nd century ⋙ to the 107th floor of the South Tower, 11 September 2001. Round trip. Note: Brad’s tour.