“Well now that certainly presents itself as a rather large problem. Forgive me if I seem skeptical about your story but it is because I am.” Jane said to Samantha. Samantha looked down with an inquisitive look. The numbers were racing in her head. The past 12 hours have been incredible and unbelievable.
“Hey what's wrong with the kid’s story?” Io said as she towered over Samantha. Jane looked up at her with her cold eyes.
“Let’s say I need one last bit of proof before I devote my time to this charade. The associate of mine that is currently in Cell block D has gone out of his way to murder people and attempt to kidnap this young woman. Plus. The story I got is that this one here unintentionally created a time machine and traveled to the future. You can see where I am going with this. Minus. So to tip the scales I need one last bit of proof.” Jane said as she looked at Samantha. “If your story is to hold water, I do apologize, but please try to see things from my perspective.” Jane said.
Samantha remained quiet for a moment, thinking. Then her eyes suddenly widened.
“You require proof, yes? Then I do have it. Take me to the old church up the road.” Samantha said as she looked at Jane with confidence in her eyes.
The drive was rather quiet. The only thing that broke the silence was Samantha giving Jane directions. The church they came across was old and looked like it had been around for the past few hundred years. In fact it has been. It was the same church that Samantha visited before she left. She fumbled with the lock for a bit before sliding out of the car and onto the ground but she quickly recovered herself and moved towards the church’s doors. The church didn’t look that all different from a hundred years ago. New wood and some new paint perhaps but the overall structure was the same. Samantha knew it was the same church right away and ran up to the doors with glee. She grabbed the door handles and flew inside. Io and Jane followed after her. Evelyn, on the other hand, didn't really move from her car seat.
“Gonna be a long fucking day.” Evelyn mumbled to herself as she adjusted her seat in an attempt to get some rest. Evelyn looked around one last time before finally resting her eyes. The sun was up. Maybe she could rest here. Her eyes darted around for a brief second before closing them.
The church had seen better days. The air was heavy and smelled of mold and sweat. Samantha stood in the aisle all alone as she looked at the altar and the large cross that hung over it. She quickly made the sign of the cross and proceeded to move over towards the nearest air duct. The metal frame was old, worn and rusted. The screws looked like they have been replaced. Samantha reached out with her hands and tried to pry the metal frame off but it didn’t budge.
“No. Please God.” Samantha said as she pulled. But the frame didn’t bend. She let out a small cry. Just then Io walked up behind her.
“Stand back small fry” Io said with a grin. “I got this.” Io wedge her fingers around the edges of the frame and took a deep breath. In one swoop Io yanked the metal frame out from the wall. Jane stood in the back and stared at the scene in a sense of bewilderment.
“Property damage now. Lovely.” Jane said. Samantha and Io ignored her as Samantha dived to the floor and reached inside the vent. She let out a cry of triumph as she pulled her arm out revealing an old worn letter. For a moment she looked relieved and surprised but that suddenly faded when she looked at the writing on the front of the letter. It said, “To Ridley”. The world suddenly crumbled around her. Her brother never came back. Not even in a hundred and fifty years. Samantha stood up and walked over to Jane in silence. Her shoulders felt heavy. She handed Jane the letter.
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“Here’s your proof.” Samantha said in a dry tone as she walked over and sat in the nearest pew. Jane took the letter and looked at it. It was old, dirty and it smelled. Jane looked at it and suddenly felt a chill run up her spine. The paper was something she had never felt before. It was rough and felt stiff. Curiosity overwhelmed her as she opened the letter. She examined the contents and read the letter inside. The penmanship was something completely different. It wasn’t the standard cursive that Jane had seen before. It flowed like a wave from one end of the paper to the other. Io walked up to her and looked over her shoulder.
“Can’t read cursive. What's it say?” Io said. Jane blinked for a moment and then looked at Samantha sitting alone.
“It appears there is more substance to her claims then I could have ever imagined.” Jane said in awe as she carefully folded the letter. Jane at that point realized how lonely Samantha was. She has been thrust into an unknown world all by herself. No family, no home, with no one to reach out to for help. She slowly walked over to Samantha; her high heels echoed as she approached the pew.
“All right,” Jane said. Samantha quickly looked up at her; tears had begun to form in her eyes. “I’ll help you.” Jane said as she walked over and sat down next to her in the pew. “You certainly have a lot of catching up to do.” Samantha nodded and looked back at the wooden cross.
“Since he left, I prayed everyday that I would see him. That by the mercy of God, he would return home safe.” Samantha said with sadness in her voice. Tears had started to roll down the side of her face.
“Your eldest sibling. He never returned.” Jane said.
Samantha’s hands started to tremble. Jane's face remained neutral as well as her voice. Her body became stiff like stone as Samantha leaned over and embraced her with tears flowing from her and dripping onto Jane’s white coat. The sounds of her cries echoed all around the empty church.
Jane had been in situations like these plenty of times before when she was actively practicing medicine and her reaction had generally been the same. It didn’t change whether the patient had cancer or simply needed stitches. It made her unapproachable as a doctor and many patients were uneasy with her presence. Jane sat there motionless as Samantha cried.
Io walked up behind the two. Io saw what was going on and gave a look at Jane. It was the kind of look that would make anyone ,including Jane, feel guilty; even if Jane couldn’t see it. Io moved as quietly as she could and gently wrapped her fingers around Jane’s left wrist and carefully moved her arm over Samantha’s shoulders; finishing it off with a slight pap pap using Jane’s hand. Jane stared in silence as Io treated her arm as if she was a puppet but didn’t object as the results seemed positive. Regardless she still turned her head slightly and glared at Io in silence. Io took a step back with her hands up while wearing a playful grin. Samantha didn’t know what was going on but the feeling of some level of comfort in this strange and unknown world was enough to help pull herself out of the slump she found herself in.
Samantha took one last deep breath and suddenly sprang from the pew and started to pace back and forth rapidly with her head down.
“Situation. My ship is gone. I have landed here alone. Lets see, ship is gone. Need to find it but don’t know where to start. Thought it was on the beach but its gone. Strange man said was taken.” Samantha halted and pointed at Jane. “You know the location which the man may be referring to as the location of my ship?” Jane said nothing but nodded. Samantha continued pacing back and forth.
“All right. We need to stick together. Lord knows the authorities would surely find the man in the cell or if not he will surely escape and he certainly knows our appearances. Yes. Sticking together is best. Doctor, mind if we utilize your vehicle for the matter of transportation?” Jane again didn’t say anything but only shook her head. She was bewildered at the situation as it happened so suddenly.
“Excellent so our next course of action would be to locate my ship and figure out how to secure it as I am not sure what went wrong or even how the ship was able to move in such a manner. Right. We’re off.” Samantha said as she immediately turned and headed for the church doors.
Io turned towards Jane.
“Girls got a fire in her belly. Any idea what that was all about?”
“Clearly she suggests that we stick together and help her find what might be potentially a dangerous device. Seeing as she is the only one who built it, she would know the inner workings. If the device proves to be unstable as one would fear then there might be more trouble up ahead. If there is trouble then it should be our priority to aid in the dismantling of such a dilemma.” Jane said as she folded her arms. Io stood there with a puzzled look on her face.
“Did you know that everytime your mouth moves strange sounds come out?” Io said with a small smile as she kneeled down behind the pew. Jane let out a sigh.
“Never mind, we’ll need to come up with a plan to help her find her ship and not die from either the police or my colleagues”
“Okay, I got that. All right. Let's go.” Io said as she stood up and left the church. Jane took a moment to catch herself and quietly reflect.
“I desperately need some tea and a holiday.” Jane said as she slowly sat up and left the church.