Searching

Late summer in 1947. Henry and Tanya had spent the last two months together on an expedition. The two archaeologists were in search of something, and it seemed they had finally found it.

Henry reached out and put his hand on the artifact, and it began to glow. Tanya maintained a safe distance.

“This is what we’ve been looking for,” Henry told her, “If we both touch this at the same time, it should swap our bodies. We can get back to normal!”

“What if I don’t want to go back?” Tanya asked.

“How could you not want to return to your own body?”

“Not everyone is as progressive as you. The fact that you allowed me in your class at college; the fact that you picked me as you teaching assistant; the fact that you hired me at the university after I graduated. This world is tough out there for a woman like me, and no one except for you will ever give me a chance. Being stuck as an old white man doesn’t seem that bad in comparison.”

Henry knew exactly what she was talking about. He had lived the past two months as Tanya. He had experienced the racism and discrimination first hand. He had given her every opportunity because she was the brightest student he ever had, and he wasn’t going to let other people’s racism get in the way of that; he had done his best to shield her from it, but he was one man. He knew exactly why she didn’t want to go back though. He laughed, “Okay. Fine. I understand. But we’re still bringing the artifact back in case you change your mind. Oh, and, for the record, I’m not that old.”