Chapter Nine- C
"Jack?" I called from my end of the tent we were putting up.
"Yes?"
"I don't know about this..." I stopped.
"What do you mean?" he asked as he glanced over the tarp at me.
"I'm... I'm scared."
"Don't be. It's an exciting new adventure," he smiled.
"That's easy for you to say. What are you leaving behind? Who in this world and time cares about you? More importantly, who do you care about?"
"My clients," his smile was gone, "and right now, that's Aspen. I need to go where she is and bring her home to her family."
"You've got a strong sense of duty," I murmered.
"I suppose you could say that. But what about you? What is your duty and who in this world do you care for?"
"I guess my duty is to find Aspen, too. And she's my best friend, but I'm still afraid. I don't want to do this! It's going against everything, my mind, my better judgement."
"Perhaps, but what about your heart?"
"Not that," I frowned, "but Woods, what if she doesn't want to come home? What if she's fine where she is?"
"I highly doubt that, Caroline. Even if that is the case, we will never know unless we find her."
"I guess," I thought about who I was leaving, perhaps forever, "and, as you were saying before, I'll miss my mom and dad, brother, and my boyfriend."
"Oh, tell me about them. No matter how painful it is, you need to keep reminding yourself of why you want to come back. Who you are coming back for. Once we are there (wherever there is) and need to return, will power will be our main force besides the science and math we have already applied. Tell me what you like about them."
"My mom and dad are very caring. I mean, yeah, we get in fights sometimes, but everyone does, right?"
"True. All have quarelles in their days, even with those they love, but few have true love which helps them forgive."
"That sounds like it came straight from a famous author like Shakespeare or Austen," I said, smiling. He had gotten me in a slightly better mood.
"Nope, that is pure Jack Woods. You may quote me if you'd like," he grinned, "But we keep straying from the point. Tell me more about your family."
"Oh, right. Like I said, my parents are caring and they give me and my brother the best they can. My brother is eighteen, two years older than me. He teases me a lot, but I know it's just because he loves me. And my boyfriend. His name is Zack. He's an artist, and he's drawn loads of pictures. They're pretty good. And then there's Aspen..." I paused, taking a long shuddering breath. "She's been such a great friend for the longest time. I just miss her," he came over and gave me a hug.
"It'll be all right. We'll go and get her and bring her home. You'll see."
"I just hate not knowing where she is," I sobbed.
"I know."
"But you don't!" I pulled away. "You don't know what it's like. You yourself said that you never really had any long-lasting, serious relationships with anyone."
"Who do you think ended all of the small, short relationships I did have? Not me! I loved and was crushed and loved again until I had no more love to give. Caroline, just because I seem like a man who had no life and no love to you, that doesn't mean I was always that way. I did love. I did care. I did know. So don't you dare judge me," he strode off quickly, leaving me dumbfounded.
"That is Jane Austen," I muttered.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
ASPEN- Chapter Eight
Chapter Eight-C
After about a week of deliberating, debating, and thinking Inspector Woods and I decided that we should go to the site of Aspen's disappearance and sort of scope it out. We had packed his car full of food and clothes. We were prepared for an elongated study of the fourth dimension.
"I am so intrigued by this opportunity to discover one of the points that the fourth dimension touches in this three dimensional world," he said while driving us out there.
"Okay well don't get your hopes up. I'm not so sure I want to be there when it opens up or whatever it does. I don't really want to get chucked into another time or worse. The only reason I'm doing this is because it's going towards finding Aspen," all I could think was that this guy was a huge weirdo. I mean I could understand his talk, it wasn't that hard, but gosh what a dork.
"What do we do if we get... you know pulled into the fourth dimension?" I asked.
"Go along for the ride."
"You were the one that said that there were so many dangers and effects of the fourth dimension that could possibly KILL us!" he nodded eagerly, "So why are you so enthused to test them out. I'm pretty sure no one's insurance covers time travel."
"Because the chance of us catching that instantaneous rip in that dimension is one out of a zillion. It seems to me that it should be quite impossible that your friend ended up doing so, especially on accident."
"Alright. Still if Aspen found that one in a zillion chance that means that even though it is highly improbable, it is still possible for us to find it too. What is our game plan for that one in another zillion?"
"Well if we die, we do not really need a game plan, I think that is one of the few situations in which all you can do is go along for the ride. If we don't, we find out what time we are in, where we are, and if Aspen landed there."
"Good plan. And, dude, really? Take off the weird spy glasses. They make you look like a bug," I said once we pulled up to the cabin. He pulled them off of his face quickly and tossed them in the back seat. He looked hurt.
"Nice place," he said, shutting his door.
"Thanks. Now do you want to see this portal thing or not?"
"Yes please, where was she about?" I walked over to the edge of the trees and looked in. Then I backed up to where I had been standing when she disappeared. I again walked towards the woods and walked in about fifteen feet.
"Right here," I said. He walked to the spot. And sat there for a second frowning at the ground where I had pointed.
"Why such a random location?"
"Nothing in nature is random. There must be a reason it is here."
"Good thinking. Now we can discover why here or we can test the portal, and possibly find out if it is still active."
"I go with the second."
"I also. Now let's begin," we decided that we would place something on the spot, but have it be big enough so that if my estimate of the spot was off we would still be in the neighborhood. We agreed on a tarp he had in his trunk. We staked it to the ground. Then we would stay at the cabin and look every once in a while to see if it was still there. It sounds really simple and kind of stupid, but hey it worked. After about a week the tarp was gone.
That day at breakfast we talked about what to do, "We can either put something else there and see if it goes too, or we can go there ourselves and see where we end up," I suggested.
"I say we time travel," he said sipping some coffee.
"Well, what if a bear just took it or something, though. I mean couldn't that be a possibility?"
"I suppose so, but I checked the area and there were no signs of animal intrusion. I don't think animals had anything to do with it," he said.
"Oh, well you can start putting up the tent out there, and remember once we're out there, there is no coming back. We need to stay near the spot because we still don't know how big it is exactly, so stock up on food and stuff."
"Okay, I think I will have to go shopping for more food then," he said as he stood up, pushed his chair in, dumped the rest of his coffee down the sink, grabbed his keys and walked out the door.
I had been thinking about what he was really like. I had discovered that his first name was Jack. He was weird, nerdy, dorky, and completely not cool, but... well there was something more than that. Don't get me wrong, I didn't start liking him or something. But he was brave at heart. With that much time on our hands, we talked a lot. He had said that he figured he would never get married, he hardly ever had any relationships, because of his work he explained, and those he did have were short and never worked out. He said he didn't mind, since all he had ever wanted to do was be an inspector and solve cases. So he figured he had all he needed or wanted. I could tell that he wanted more from life, but he didn't know who could give it to him. I had started to feel kind of bad for the guy. But the main thing on my mind was finding Aspen. I cared about her more than this new guy even if he was a sad dude.
After about a week of deliberating, debating, and thinking Inspector Woods and I decided that we should go to the site of Aspen's disappearance and sort of scope it out. We had packed his car full of food and clothes. We were prepared for an elongated study of the fourth dimension.
"I am so intrigued by this opportunity to discover one of the points that the fourth dimension touches in this three dimensional world," he said while driving us out there.
"Okay well don't get your hopes up. I'm not so sure I want to be there when it opens up or whatever it does. I don't really want to get chucked into another time or worse. The only reason I'm doing this is because it's going towards finding Aspen," all I could think was that this guy was a huge weirdo. I mean I could understand his talk, it wasn't that hard, but gosh what a dork.
"What do we do if we get... you know pulled into the fourth dimension?" I asked.
"Go along for the ride."
"You were the one that said that there were so many dangers and effects of the fourth dimension that could possibly KILL us!" he nodded eagerly, "So why are you so enthused to test them out. I'm pretty sure no one's insurance covers time travel."
"Because the chance of us catching that instantaneous rip in that dimension is one out of a zillion. It seems to me that it should be quite impossible that your friend ended up doing so, especially on accident."
"Alright. Still if Aspen found that one in a zillion chance that means that even though it is highly improbable, it is still possible for us to find it too. What is our game plan for that one in another zillion?"
"Well if we die, we do not really need a game plan, I think that is one of the few situations in which all you can do is go along for the ride. If we don't, we find out what time we are in, where we are, and if Aspen landed there."
"Good plan. And, dude, really? Take off the weird spy glasses. They make you look like a bug," I said once we pulled up to the cabin. He pulled them off of his face quickly and tossed them in the back seat. He looked hurt.
"Nice place," he said, shutting his door.
"Thanks. Now do you want to see this portal thing or not?"
"Yes please, where was she about?" I walked over to the edge of the trees and looked in. Then I backed up to where I had been standing when she disappeared. I again walked towards the woods and walked in about fifteen feet.
"Right here," I said. He walked to the spot. And sat there for a second frowning at the ground where I had pointed.
"Why such a random location?"
"Nothing in nature is random. There must be a reason it is here."
"Good thinking. Now we can discover why here or we can test the portal, and possibly find out if it is still active."
"I go with the second."
"I also. Now let's begin," we decided that we would place something on the spot, but have it be big enough so that if my estimate of the spot was off we would still be in the neighborhood. We agreed on a tarp he had in his trunk. We staked it to the ground. Then we would stay at the cabin and look every once in a while to see if it was still there. It sounds really simple and kind of stupid, but hey it worked. After about a week the tarp was gone.
That day at breakfast we talked about what to do, "We can either put something else there and see if it goes too, or we can go there ourselves and see where we end up," I suggested.
"I say we time travel," he said sipping some coffee.
"Well, what if a bear just took it or something, though. I mean couldn't that be a possibility?"
"I suppose so, but I checked the area and there were no signs of animal intrusion. I don't think animals had anything to do with it," he said.
"Oh, well you can start putting up the tent out there, and remember once we're out there, there is no coming back. We need to stay near the spot because we still don't know how big it is exactly, so stock up on food and stuff."
"Okay, I think I will have to go shopping for more food then," he said as he stood up, pushed his chair in, dumped the rest of his coffee down the sink, grabbed his keys and walked out the door.
I had been thinking about what he was really like. I had discovered that his first name was Jack. He was weird, nerdy, dorky, and completely not cool, but... well there was something more than that. Don't get me wrong, I didn't start liking him or something. But he was brave at heart. With that much time on our hands, we talked a lot. He had said that he figured he would never get married, he hardly ever had any relationships, because of his work he explained, and those he did have were short and never worked out. He said he didn't mind, since all he had ever wanted to do was be an inspector and solve cases. So he figured he had all he needed or wanted. I could tell that he wanted more from life, but he didn't know who could give it to him. I had started to feel kind of bad for the guy. But the main thing on my mind was finding Aspen. I cared about her more than this new guy even if he was a sad dude.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
ASPEN- Chapter Seven
Chapter Seven-Aspen
I knew that in my time I wouldn’t have been allowed to marry someone at the age of sixteen, but... Well, it was different with Leland. I don’t know how to say it, but when we talked we had so many of the same ideas and goals for our lives. We just struck something up in each other. It sounded like the movies and I looked like a teenager who did something really stupid just because she could. But that is not what it was like at all. I loved Leland so deeply that I cannot explain it. And it was not just infatuation. I was just thankful that my case would not look so unusual to the people in Leland’s time. After all couples back then were married at our age. Some younger. I knew I would have a good life with Leland. Especially since it didn’t look like I was going home any time soon. You have to remember that it had been weeks for me to get to know him and we had spent almost all of that time together. I was so unsure of how to get home and even though I loved my parents and C I didn't really have anyone else to miss. No boyfriend, no real friends, and not many relatives that I knew.
I knew that in my time I wouldn’t have been allowed to marry someone at the age of sixteen, but... Well, it was different with Leland. I don’t know how to say it, but when we talked we had so many of the same ideas and goals for our lives. We just struck something up in each other. It sounded like the movies and I looked like a teenager who did something really stupid just because she could. But that is not what it was like at all. I loved Leland so deeply that I cannot explain it. And it was not just infatuation. I was just thankful that my case would not look so unusual to the people in Leland’s time. After all couples back then were married at our age. Some younger. I knew I would have a good life with Leland. Especially since it didn’t look like I was going home any time soon. You have to remember that it had been weeks for me to get to know him and we had spent almost all of that time together. I was so unsure of how to get home and even though I loved my parents and C I didn't really have anyone else to miss. No boyfriend, no real friends, and not many relatives that I knew.
ASPEN- Chapter Six
Chapter Six-Robin
Aspen and Leland had started to spend more and more time together over the next few weeks, and I wasn’t sure what I felt about it. I was at a loss of what to think.
Will Scarlet came up to me once when they returned from a walk and nodded at them grinning, “Young love. Such a sweet thing,” I looked at him out of the corner of my eye.
“I suppose you could say that. What should I do about it, Will,” I knew that I could trust Will. He was, of course, one of my few confidants.
“Leave it. Well, no. Talk to Leland. Just see how he responds. Then leave it,” I knew Will Scarlet did not have much knowledge of these things, so I asked a few others. I was the leader of the camp and I felt the need to do something. But just what was the right thing?
“Marian?” I came to her after my talk with Will. “You have noticed Aspen and Leland spending so much time together, haven’t you?”
“What, darling? Oh, yes, isn’t it just adorable? They are so charming together. What about it?”
“Well, don’t you think I should do something?”
“Like what, Robin? They are perfectly fine. Personally, I think it is sweet that they caught on so well. If Leland comes to you just answer him truthfully as you would to me. But I suggest not going to him. Just let him know that you are there if he wants to talk to you about anything,” now how was I going to do that? I love Marian, but sometimes a man has got to take things into his own hands. This was one of those times.
“Leland,” I said on one of the occasions when he and Aspen came back from archery. “May I have a word with you?” he walked over. It was evident by the look on his face that he was still thinking about Aspen. He had a goofy smile plastered on his face and an extremely dreamy look in his eyes.
“Yes, Robin?” he asked, still in another world.
“Leland, you are in love,” that got him to look at me clearly.
“I’m not... I mean I can’t be... in love? I mean I like her. Who wouldn’t? She’s kind, caring, charming, smart... beautiful,” he glanced down then looked back up with a flushed face. “What should I do?”
“Well, my opinion is to not leave her guessing. Tell her.”
“How am I supposed to do that?” he asked looking confused.
“We will do a little role play. You can be her and I will be you. Now, let us begin. I walk up to you,” I said walking to him slowly. “Aspen, I love you,” he raised an eyebrow, then really got into his character.
“Oh, Leland! I love you, too,” he said airily. “Let’s get married. Yes, Friar Tuck can marry us right now and we will live happily ever after,” he looked at me to see how I would respond.
“Leland, this is supposed to be realistic role play.”
He looked at me innocently, “I know,” I sighed.
“Let’s try this again. Now you can be you and I will be Aspen. Begin.”
“Aspen, I... I think...”
“No, never say ‘I think’ in a situation like this. Make it known and evident that you are serious.”
“Alright, Aspen, I love you. Now, from what you tell me of your home I do not know how I will ask your father, but I will ask you. Will you marry me?” I was slightly stunned.
“Yes,” I heard from behind me. I whipped around to see Aspen standing there. “Yes, I will marry you. Yes, yes, yes, yes!” she ran to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Yes,” she whispered.
“You were there the whole time?” Leland asked.
“Yes,” she turned to me. “Oh, Robin, couldn’t Friar Tuck marry us? Soon?”
“I... well... I think...”
“Never say ‘I think’ in a situation like this,” she laughed.
“Yes, I believe he could,” I managed to say.
Aspen and Leland had started to spend more and more time together over the next few weeks, and I wasn’t sure what I felt about it. I was at a loss of what to think.
Will Scarlet came up to me once when they returned from a walk and nodded at them grinning, “Young love. Such a sweet thing,” I looked at him out of the corner of my eye.
“I suppose you could say that. What should I do about it, Will,” I knew that I could trust Will. He was, of course, one of my few confidants.
“Leave it. Well, no. Talk to Leland. Just see how he responds. Then leave it,” I knew Will Scarlet did not have much knowledge of these things, so I asked a few others. I was the leader of the camp and I felt the need to do something. But just what was the right thing?
“Marian?” I came to her after my talk with Will. “You have noticed Aspen and Leland spending so much time together, haven’t you?”
“What, darling? Oh, yes, isn’t it just adorable? They are so charming together. What about it?”
“Well, don’t you think I should do something?”
“Like what, Robin? They are perfectly fine. Personally, I think it is sweet that they caught on so well. If Leland comes to you just answer him truthfully as you would to me. But I suggest not going to him. Just let him know that you are there if he wants to talk to you about anything,” now how was I going to do that? I love Marian, but sometimes a man has got to take things into his own hands. This was one of those times.
“Leland,” I said on one of the occasions when he and Aspen came back from archery. “May I have a word with you?” he walked over. It was evident by the look on his face that he was still thinking about Aspen. He had a goofy smile plastered on his face and an extremely dreamy look in his eyes.
“Yes, Robin?” he asked, still in another world.
“Leland, you are in love,” that got him to look at me clearly.
“I’m not... I mean I can’t be... in love? I mean I like her. Who wouldn’t? She’s kind, caring, charming, smart... beautiful,” he glanced down then looked back up with a flushed face. “What should I do?”
“Well, my opinion is to not leave her guessing. Tell her.”
“How am I supposed to do that?” he asked looking confused.
“We will do a little role play. You can be her and I will be you. Now, let us begin. I walk up to you,” I said walking to him slowly. “Aspen, I love you,” he raised an eyebrow, then really got into his character.
“Oh, Leland! I love you, too,” he said airily. “Let’s get married. Yes, Friar Tuck can marry us right now and we will live happily ever after,” he looked at me to see how I would respond.
“Leland, this is supposed to be realistic role play.”
He looked at me innocently, “I know,” I sighed.
“Let’s try this again. Now you can be you and I will be Aspen. Begin.”
“Aspen, I... I think...”
“No, never say ‘I think’ in a situation like this. Make it known and evident that you are serious.”
“Alright, Aspen, I love you. Now, from what you tell me of your home I do not know how I will ask your father, but I will ask you. Will you marry me?” I was slightly stunned.
“Yes,” I heard from behind me. I whipped around to see Aspen standing there. “Yes, I will marry you. Yes, yes, yes, yes!” she ran to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Yes,” she whispered.
“You were there the whole time?” Leland asked.
“Yes,” she turned to me. “Oh, Robin, couldn’t Friar Tuck marry us? Soon?”
“I... well... I think...”
“Never say ‘I think’ in a situation like this,” she laughed.
“Yes, I believe he could,” I managed to say.
ASPEN- Chapter Five
Chapter Five-Aspen
I talked to Leland the next day after I had gotten a good night’s sleep, “Leland, were are we?” he looked at me quizzically.
“Sherwood Forest near the town of Nottingham in the kingdom of England belonging to King Richard the Lionheart currently ruled by the wretched Prince John,” I sat down, confounded. He sat next to me. “What is it?”
“Leland Turner, if that information is correct, you are looking at the latest time traveler from hundreds of years into the future. I don’t know how it is possible, but it must have happened,” he looked at me, stunned.
“Are you alright? Are you sure you didn’t hit your head in the night or something of the sort?”
“I am perfectly fine, but what I am trying to tell you is that I accidentally time traveled and landed here.”
“I know my knowledge does not fail me and that you look like a sane person. I believe you. Now what do we do?” I was pretty surprised at his trust and believing.
“I don’t want to tell anyone else, because I don’t want to get looked at as an imbecile or insane maniac. Right now I don’t want to try going back to my time, because first of all I have no idea where I would start, second I may mess it up, third, I may sound nasty toward my family, but I want to spend some time here first before going home. I’m not sure I want to go back just yet.”
“I understand,” I looked at him and smiled. “What?” he asked looking embarrassed.
“Thanks.”
I talked to Leland the next day after I had gotten a good night’s sleep, “Leland, were are we?” he looked at me quizzically.
“Sherwood Forest near the town of Nottingham in the kingdom of England belonging to King Richard the Lionheart currently ruled by the wretched Prince John,” I sat down, confounded. He sat next to me. “What is it?”
“Leland Turner, if that information is correct, you are looking at the latest time traveler from hundreds of years into the future. I don’t know how it is possible, but it must have happened,” he looked at me, stunned.
“Are you alright? Are you sure you didn’t hit your head in the night or something of the sort?”
“I am perfectly fine, but what I am trying to tell you is that I accidentally time traveled and landed here.”
“I know my knowledge does not fail me and that you look like a sane person. I believe you. Now what do we do?” I was pretty surprised at his trust and believing.
“I don’t want to tell anyone else, because I don’t want to get looked at as an imbecile or insane maniac. Right now I don’t want to try going back to my time, because first of all I have no idea where I would start, second I may mess it up, third, I may sound nasty toward my family, but I want to spend some time here first before going home. I’m not sure I want to go back just yet.”
“I understand,” I looked at him and smiled. “What?” he asked looking embarrassed.
“Thanks.”
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