"The year is 1847, the place is the territory of New Mexico, the people are a tiny handful of men and women with a dream. Eleven months ago, they started out from Ohio and headed west. Someone told them about a place called California, about a warm sun and a blue sky, about rich land and fresh air, and at this moment almost a year later they've seen nothing but cold, heat, exhaustion, hunger, and sickness. This man's name is Christian Horn. He has a dying eight-year-old son and a heartsick wife, and he's the only one remaining who has even a fragment of the dream left. Mr. Chris Horn, who's going over the top of a rim to look for water and sustenance and in a moment will move into the Twilight Zone."Scouting over a rim, Christian sees a paved road lined with telephone poles. A huge truck rushes by and scares him. He falls to the ground and his rifle fires into his arm. He makes it to a diner, where Mary Lou, a former nurse's aide, treats his wound and gives him a bottle of penicillin. Christian sees a calendar, and realizes it's 1961. A doctor is summoned, and he finds Christian's story credible, considering his clothes, gun, and old-fashioned fillings in his teeth. The doctor realizing this is above him, calls the sheriff. Christian emerges from the back room. He has read an encyclopedia and learned that his son grew up to be a famous physician. As the sheriff arrives, Christian bolts from the diner. The sheriff and doctor give chase, but Christian tops the rim and is back in 1847, carrying the penicillin for his son. His rifle is all that is left in 1961, looking like it has been rotting in the desert for a hundred years.
"Mr. Christian Horn, one of the hardy breed of men who headed west during a time when there were no concrete highways or the solace of civilization. Mr. Christian Horn, family and party, heading west, after a brief detour through the Twilight Zone."