“If only people alive in 1986 made it back,” Tabitha said, “none of us would be here right now if it did.”
I’m not understanding this sentence at all. The people alive in 1986 made it back where/when?
Does “here” mean 1986 or Chicago?
Is “it did” referring to the 1986 people making it back? If so, then should it instead say “…if they did.”?
My guess is people time traveled back to 1986, then, if they were able to get back to the present (can’t remember what the present year is), they could have averted the whole time travel in the first place. Maybe I’m way off here, but if not, something like this might be clearer:
“If only the people alive in 1986 made it back to 2024 [or whatever year it is],” Tabitha said, “none of us would be back here in 1986 right now if they did.”
If this is true, however, and maybe you will explain later, I don’t see how this makes it happen that they would not be in 1986 now. And just the fact that they ARE there now, makes me think that the 1986 people did not make it back to the present to solve the original problem. I do realize I can’t analyze time travel stories too carefully or they tend to break down. But I am willing to suspend some disbelief for entertainment value.
Anyway, bottom line, I did not understand Tabitha’s statement at all, and maybe it’ll become clear in a future chapter, or maybe a small rephrasing would help me.
1.
“If only people alive in 1986 made it back,” Tabitha said, “none of us would be here right now if it did.”
I’m not understanding this sentence at all. The people alive in 1986 made it back where/when?
Does “here” mean 1986 or Chicago?
Is “it did” referring to the 1986 people making it back? If so, then should it instead say “…if they did.”?
My guess is people time traveled back to 1986, then, if they were able to get back to the present (can’t remember what the present year is), they could have averted the whole time travel in the first place. Maybe I’m way off here, but if not, something like this might be clearer:
“If only the people alive in 1986 made it back to 2024 [or whatever year it is],” Tabitha said, “none of us would be back here in 1986 right now if they did.”
If this is true, however, and maybe you will explain later, I don’t see how this makes it happen that they would not be in 1986 now. And just the fact that they ARE there now, makes me think that the 1986 people did not make it back to the present to solve the original problem. I do realize I can’t analyze time travel stories too carefully or they tend to break down. But I am willing to suspend some disbelief for entertainment value.
Anyway, bottom line, I did not understand Tabitha’s statement at all, and maybe it’ll become clear in a future chapter, or maybe a small rephrasing would help me.