The Legend of Garison Fitch (Book 1): First Time Read Online Free

meantime, I will call it...Bob."
    Garison walked around Bob as he spoke to the camera, "If you have watched my previous video tape, made three days ago, you are already familiar with my initial voyage into another dimension. You are also aware that it was only a two minute voyage due to battery drainage and that the video from two days ago is fundamentally useless. I believe I have solved the power problem by replacing the batteries with this: the Fitch-Plant, as I call it; I could never think of a good name for it, either. If any of you have somehow become familiar with the possible power output of a Fitch-Plant following my demise and the release of all my secrets, let me calm your fears. I have installed a regulator of my own invention to keep me from blowing up La Plata Canyon. I am also using the filament wire I invented for use with the power plant as conventional wiring would not withstand the power output. In addition..." The next few minutes were taken up with Garison explaining what he was attempting to do. Since most of it was of a highly technical nature, that part can be skipped over. Of all the people who could have seen that tape, only Garison would have understood all of it. We will, then, jump to the end of his presentation.
    "No matter how long I travel through the other dimensions, I will return here at the moment I left. Those of you watching on video tape will see only a brief disappearance of Bob and me, followed by our reappearance seconds later. In fact, you may not see a disappearance at all as the travel will be instantaneous to this dimension. Or should be. There's an element of uncertainty when dealing with variables of this magnitude.
    "Because of that, I have mounted a video camera on Bob's dashboard which I will use to video tape where I go. Or when I go, or however you choose to look at it." He laughed and added, "I guess I can't stay out more than eight hours because that's all the tape I have in the machine. I'll have to work on that for the next trip.
    "I am getting into Bob and strapping myself into the seat. The straps are more of a precaution than anything, because my previous trip contained no movement whatsoever. I felt as if I were sitting still the entire time—which, in a manner of speaking—I guess I was. However, I felt it best to plan for contingencies. If nothing else, there is the possibility of seeing things the human mind has never encountered and suffering from a—'visual overload', if you will. The straps will then, hopefully, keep me from falling over—should I pass out—and doing serious damage to either myself or the machine, were I to pitch forward and hit my head on the control panel.
    "I am now switching on Bob's camera which will monitor activity in the cockpit until and while we are in another dimension.
    "I am placing this oxygen mask over my face as a precaution, also. There are so many unknowns to this voyage that the installation of this seemed wise. I have, however, opted not to wear any sort of protective suit other than this leather jacket. I had considered wearing a helmet and a protective suit of some sort, but I decided to leave such clown suits to the cosmonauts. While my earlier test was far from conclusive, it is my thought that even the oxygen mask is unnecessary."
    He began to flick switches and said, "I am turning on the power plant, now. I am disconnecting Bob from the lab power source and preparing to transfer to internal power. In a moment, I will turn Bob on and allow him to get used to his new source of power. This will only take a second, then I will be ready to go. When I press this red button on the control panel, the voyage will begin. I would ask you to cross your fingers for me, but you will be seeing this long after the fact. And, even if you were here, by the time you got your fingers crossed, I would be back." He added, "Or, so it would seem to you." He turned briefly to the camera, giving the viewers he didn't know if he would ever