On the Brink SCENE 2

Scene 2
Claire Hoshman had about the worst luck imaginable. She’d been fortunate to attend the University of Maryland with her best friend, Katie Blake, yet everything went downhill after graduation. In addition to the fact that her romantic life was zilch, her current occupation was a front desk agent at the Newark Inn. In fact, it wasn’t running so smoothly. Just moments ago, Claire dispensed a fresh room key to a slender brunette. The lady opened her door to find a 59 year old man changing. She shrieked and left in a fury, criticizing the hotel under her breath. When the manager discovered what had happened, he ordered Claire to leave for the day.
As she marched behind the hotel to retrieve her car, a speck of red protruding from an evergreen caught her attention. One stride closer brought her to the most mind-boggling words she had ever seen. Claire approached the item and gawked at the statement on the top right corner of the contraption. Her mouth fell open unconsciously, her head began to spin. Two feet in front of her read the expression, “T3-000. Travel Through Time”.
“Oh my god,” Claire muttered. She lifted her trembling hand up to the branch and clutched the pine needles, wincing when the sharpness woke her nerves. With one motion, Claire uncovered another section of the device, revealing a spotless window that reflected sunlight rays directly into her eyes. As she peered through the pane, a series of buttons were evident. A new wave of curiosity crashed over Claire, tempting her to pull the machine out of the tree. With one feeble yank, the contraption whined, not budging one inch. After all, Claire was known for her excellent sense in style, not strength.
Claire’s periwinkle eyes sparkled as a new notion entered her thoughts. With a bounce in her step, she hopped in her antique pickup truck and started the engine. A deafening roar awakened her adrenaline. Reversing the car, she powered the gas and glanced through the rearview mirror, focusing on that ruby object.
“Back…… back….. Perfect!” Claire announced to herself, confident that this plan was pure genius. An acceleration of the vehicle sent her soaring across the parking lot and straight into the evergreen. Magically, the automobile lightly bumped the Time Traveler, directing its momentum into the bed of the truck.
“Score!” Claire whispered extravagantly. She clutched an old blanket, despite its musty aroma of mothballs, and draped it over the device, humming a classic tune. She drove home to her loft with a satisfied grin displayed on her face.