If he convinced her he was a time traveller, by making a dramatic entrance, she would be fascinated enough to think of him as more than a mere stranger, back at a time when she was closer to his age and was still single and available.

He activated the device, and saw everything turn into a kaleidescope of images around him. Then he heard sparks coming from the machine, just before it reached the destination. He appeared in the dormitory behind the bed in 1966 on the correct day, as far as he knew, but the machine had reduced itself and him to tiny size! As Miss Corlani had not personally tested all of her methods of time travel, she was not aware that the technology involved in breaching the fourth dimension could also run the frequent risk of altering the first to third dimensions of the time traveller involved.

“I guess this is the risk of playing around in the 4th dimension,” he thought, “Now I’ll also have to appeal to Colleen on the grounds of needing her help.”

He walked under the bed and saw her seated by the window, with her hair up in a bun.

Dillon stepped into view until Colleen saw him. She stood up and looked down at him.

“You’re the smallest little boy I’ve ever seen,” she said, “I read a lot of fairytales, and I’ve always been interested in the strong possibility that the little folk actually existed. I’ve hoped to meet a leprechaun for some time.”

He thought quickly. If she liked fairytales about little folk, then she might like him more if she assumed him to be one of them, than if she learned he was a time travelling boy who had accidentally shrunk himself.

“It’s nice to meet a girl your size,” he said.

“I’ve just finished my final year of school. I’m going to teacher’s college in a few months’ time, until I’m ready to become a teacher. For the next three months, I’m on holidays by myself. I’ll take you home with me now. I’ll have the house to myself for the next week or so.”

Colleen picked him up and put him on the vanity unit.

“It’s nice of you to let me come with you,” he said, “Thank you.”

“Think nothing of it. I expect you’ll make a delicious holiday dinner for me at some stage. I’m sure I’ll be able to gobble you whole in a single mouthful. I don’t think you’d want to be bitten. I’m Colleen.”

The fact that he might not want to be eaten at all didn’t seem to weigh into her considerations. The announcement stunned him.

“I’m Dillon,” he said.

Colleen carried her bag under her left arm and carried Dillon in her right hand. He looked up at her high long neck and her full lips and the look of carefree indifference to his plight in her eyes. She had been a prefect for a whole year, and would one day be a schoolteacher. And she was now going home to enjoy her holidays with him as an upcoming meal!