The Story of Alexandra and Charlotte

Chapter 3: Gabriel Mclean

"Mrs. Mckenzie, Mrs. Mckenzie!"

"Oh! What happened to Alex?"

"She passed out while we were in the woods."

"What on earth does this girl is wearing? Put her here, please. I appreciate your effort, Gabriel. I'll take care of things from here. You must return home before dusk." said Mrs. Mckenzie.

"No, Mrs. McKenzie, not at all. Also, I spoiled the eggs earlier before she had it delivered to Emma's mother, so here are three bucks, Mrs. Mckenzie. I'll go back tomorrow then." I said before leaving Alex's house.

For now, I'll head home and return tomorrow to ask her a question. Where exactly is Alex if she's claiming that she's not her.  And who the hell did I bring home? Ugh, she certainly resembles Alex. It's seriously messed up my mind.

**********

My name is Gabriel Mclean, I'm seventeen years' old, five foot and eight inches tall. I have a soft black hair and dark brown eyes. I enjoy helping on our family farm and riding horses.

I told Alex yesterday that I want to be a lawyer. But I can't bear to think about leaving her here, though. Speaking about Alex, I'm on my way to their house to see if she's now okay, and also, to make sure that she is still the same Alex that I've known since we were young.

As I am approaching their house, I saw Alex wearing a shirt and a trouser with braided hair and tending to the chickens.

"Oh see, she's still Alex." I said to myself.

I couldn't sleep last night thinking I brought a wrong girl to Mrs. Mckenzie. I got worried for nothing.

I run towards Alex and greet her. "Good morning, Alex! Are you feeling better now?

"I remember you! I saw you yesterday at the woods before I passed out."

"Are you claiming that yesterday was the first time you saw me?" I said to the woman who resembles Alex completely but is pretending she knows nothing about me. What the hell is going on here! Where on earth is my Alex.

"Yup, and thanks for bringing me home. I mean to Alex's house. I have no place to go that's why I'm still here and you kept calling me Alex and brought me to her mom, and her mom didn't even ask me any question. It gives me an idea that I resemble her a lot, right?"

"Quit it, Alexandra! Stop messing with me."

"I'm not messing with you and I'm definitely not Alexandra."

"Damn it! What the hell are you talking about?"

"Language, young man!"

"Oh sorry, I just can't believe what you're saying to me right now. If you're not Alex, then who are you? Where's Alex?"

"I told you my name yesterday. My name is Charlotte and I'm from the future. And who are you?".

"And now, you're from the future? Oh, my dear, Alex. You're losing your mind. I told you not to eat the chicken's food and eat a regular meal on time." I said and firmly prodded her head. This woman is losing her mind. She's Charlotte and from the future? Nah! I'm not buying it.

"Ouch! What the hell. I'm telling you the truth. Okay, tell me something whether she has a scar that you know."

Okay, that's a good idea to check if she is Alex or not. "Alex was stung by a bee at her back, and it leaves a scar."

"Alright, I'll show it to you then. If you saw that there's no scar at all, it means that I'm telling you the truth." And she begins taking her shirt off. Oh my eyes! She's really showing her back at me, but wait, there's no scar at all. WHAT THE HELL? SO, SHE'S TELLING THE TRUTH.

"There's no scar at all."

"See, I'm not lying to you. Actually, I don't know how I got here. All I remember was seeing a garden with a door in the center of it, I opened it and then, I saw you."

"Alex and I saw a field full of flowers yesterday and I left her to get her some roses."

"Maybe, she opened the door the same time I opened it?"

"Perhaps, so where is she right now?"

"She's in the future! And, if you're saying that I look just like her, then, she must be with my mom."

"Then, we must hurry back in the wood so you both can go back to your own time." I said to this woman named Charlotte. 

***********

We both headed to the woods and while we were walking, I got curious what is it like now hundred years later.

"Charlotte, can I ask you a question."

"Sure, what would you like to know?"

"If you're claiming that you're from the future, how is it like hundred years from now?". I asked.

"Well, there has been a lot of changes thanks to internet and to all our inventors, scientist, engineers and to all our working professionals. When it comes to education, graduating high school is more of an expectation, rather than a privilege. Well, it's also worth mentioning that women have made a lot of progress towards equality. Women could finally vote. We can go to college and pursue our career goals. We can play video games and video chat online. We can read books on our tablets; Binge-watch movies and favourite shows on Netflix. We can post photos and videos online like Facebook, Youtube and Tiktok. Not to mention having access online to shop anywhere."

"Interesting!" Honestly, I can hardly get a grasp half of what she's saying. Internet? Facebook? Netflix? 

We're finally here in the woods, I hope everything turns out well. 

"Try what you did before so you can go back to your own time and Alex too." I said.

"Okay!" she replied. "Oh my gosh! It's not working, I'm still here."

"Try it again, woman."

"Tried it already for twenty times now, I'm tired. I want to go back."

"That's it, you're just going to give up?" I said, holding her hand tightly because I was so aggravated.

"It's not working, okay? Let me go!"

"No! Tried it again. Are you not worried not being able to see your mom again? Huh?"

"I am but it's not working. So let me go, you're hurting me".

"Sorry, sorry!" I was just so frustrated and worried to know that Alex is not here, and I don't where she is" and Charlotte started crying all of a sudden, and I don't know what to do. Despite the fact that she insisted she is not Alexandra, watching her cry breaks my heart. Perhaps because they share a facial feature.

"I am as frustrated as you are. I don't know where I am. I don't know everyone here. I want to go back to my own time, to my parents, to my friend Ava." she said while she's still crying."

Damn it! I feel such pain watching her cry like that.

I walked over her and gave her a hug. "I apologize for holding your hand with such force and for what has happened to both of you. Perhaps it happened for a reason. Please know that I'm here for you that I'll look out for you while you're here. I promise." I said. I don't know why my I'm doing this, maybe, because she looks like Alex, nothing else.

"I'll take you home to Mrs. Mckenzie. She's Alex's mother and she's a good person. Stay there while we figure out how you'll get back to your own time. For the time being, just pretend that you're Alex, alright?

"Okay, thank you." 

"By the way Charlotte, my name is Gabriel Mclean."

"Thanks Gabriel!" she said, and she gave me a charming smile that made my heart melt. Nope. That can't be. She just resembles Alex a lot. Whoa! What am I thinking.