Jonas watched as the crazy woman disappeared into his employer’s home. What the hell was going on? Why had he fallen from the sky into the back area of the house when just seconds before he'd been in the front of the house? How the hell had he gotten airborne in the first place?
After a couple of tries, he finally pushed himself off the ground, but found the world going out of focus for a moment or two before it returned to normal. If indeed this nightmare was his employer’s home, there should be a bench nearby.
He turned slowly and almost cringed when he saw the mold stained bench sitting where he’d placed it. Areas had been worn away by weather but it still looked as though it would hold him.
When he put his weight on his right foot, he realized he’d twisted his knee. Fucking great. He hobbled over to the bench, sat down and looked around.
For the hundredth time, where the hell am I? This was indeed his garden, or at least some overgrown monstrosity of it. The wall had crumbled; half the statues were missing, as were the flowers, replaced by weeds, and the gazing ball no longer held a place of honor. Looking toward the house, the stables were nowhere to be seen, he couldn’t see the herb garden from where he was sitting, but based on everything else, he was sure it was a mess. Grass grew in the cracks of the walk.This was his home, no doubt of that. He knew every inch of the grounds, had planted and cared for them himself, but what could have possibly occurred to cause this? Had he been ill? Had something happened to the Hucksingers when the air shimmered and the woman fell? Had they been accused of murder? And mostly, how was the dead woman now alive? Too many unanswered questions.
And then he looked at the home of the Honorable Robert P. Hucksinger, esquire, and smiled. That he found to be poetic justice. The man was such a tyrant for proper appearances. Always the best face forward, he always said. But how had the house gotten into this state?
Suddenly there was a roar of thundering sound from the sky above and he looked up through the broken trellis where just a short time ago there were climbing roses to see a giant silver vehicle flying by.
“Don’t worry, that’s just an airplane. You had airplanes in your time, didn’t you? They’ve just gotten faster and bigger in the past hundred or so years."He hadn’t heard her coming back and stared at her. He understood the words, but the meaning was beyond him.
For the first time he realized she wasn’t wearing the same clothes he’d seen her in when she’d flown at him dead. She was wearing something way too short, in soft colors and funny looking purple boots, but it all looked as though it belonged on her.
As she sat next to him, he looked into her deep blue eyes and realized he liked the gleam of amusement that shown in them. She was even more beautiful in life than death. And just what the hell did that mean? "The planes fly close here because I’m near the airport.”
“Okay,” she said, holding a photograph towards him. It was old, yellowed, and the corner had been creased back. He took it from her hand and suddenly felt everything spinning out of control again just as he thought he’d gotten himself grounded. “What…”
“Yup, I was pretty sure that was you.” She reached over and took his hand, turning it over. “See, your name’s written on the back. And the year, 1889.”
“I remember when this was taken, but how did it get so yellow in a year? Was it left out in the sun?”
Her soft hand touched his face and she turned him towards her so she could look directly at him. “Jonas, it’s been more than a year. It’s been one hundred and nineteen years to be exact.”
“What! You’re mad.”
Jonas pulled back from her and jumped up, pain shooting up his leg from his twisted knee.
Quietly she handed him a newspaper. Crisp, white and the only thing about it that was familiar was the name of it. It was thicker than any paper he’d ever seen, and there was a photograph on the front page, in color. Then, fear in his heart, he looked at the date. July 1, 2008.Chapter Two
7 comments:
Poor Jonas! That has to be quite the shock. I loved him checking out his surrounding and seeing some poetic justice in its dilapidated state!
Jonas held himself together extremely well considering Cheyenne's clothing. I expected him to choke! Personality coming out here indeed with his reaction to the awful state of the "garden" cum "back yard"...
The angles you use for your shots are wonderful!
Once again, thank you both (geez I didn't realize how often I didn't respond to Mao, yikes).
I had something else written for Cheyenne to wear, until I was looking through the clothing and saw that dress from the H&M stuff pack and decided it was perfect for her. Yeah, and he thought she was under dressed the first time he saw her. :)
The picture angles, wow, thank you! I had done so little back in those days, I didn't even know I could pick a time of day with a cheat, I had to keep waiting around until the right time. How much we learn as time goes on. :D
Loved the remark about the house and how his boss liked to put his best foot forward and all that! Hope we get to see that guy at some point, he sounds like an interesting character. :D
Jonas is something else, although I'm not sure the 'F' word was used back then! :D Maybe it was, who knows...
I'm already wondering if these two do develop a romance how the time thing will affect them, someday I'm sure things will have to be returned to normal!
Just wanted to say too that your writing really doesn't need the pictures, I can envision everything that's happening without them.
Thank you so terribly much, Emily. I started writing manuscripts in the 90's, no pictures to go with them, so my background pays off.
Ah, research is a wonderful thing. I can tell you with confidence, because I looked it up, the "F" word goes back much farther than we'd think even as a cuss word. I had to make sure, I really didn't want to use it if it was a new thing.
Wow! I would have never guessed that! It's kind of disappointing, you always think people were so much more proper in that time!
I guess like you said though, the meanings have changed over time. :D
I thought the same thing you did, Emily, that it couldn't go back that far. I don't really remember now, but I think even as a swear word it went back to the 1600 or 1700's. Amazing, huh?
Proper? You're talking about a time that had opium dens, the can-can and saloon girls, just to name three off the top of my head. :D It was a rather decadent time. But then, all times have had decadence. :D
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