Trapped In Time: Love's Secrets (Adult)

Chapter Two

“Jolly old England eh?” Shannon smirked, pulling her short black coat tighter around her curvy frame. Oh who was she kidding, she was heavy but whatever, she had a big chest and was fairly physically active so she was going with curvy. The rain didn’t really bother her as it plastered her baby fine blonde hair to her head; she had grown up on British Columbia’s lower mainland, where rain was called “liquid sunshine;” she doubted her North East American friend was enjoying it though.

“It’s not so bad” Alissa grinned, pulling her hood over her ashy blond curls. Taller than Shannon by a few inches, she carried her little bit of extra weight well. Of course it helped she had a two year old slung on a hip. New moms were allowed to be a little overweight. Not that anyone here would notice or even care. They were in a very poor part of old Northern England miles away from Manchester, the one place they recognized and if the girls were smiling it was out of a genuine fear for their lives more than any good cheer.

The night before had been exhausting and terrifying. Standing around the side of a lonely fish and chips restaurant, the girls had fiddled with the time turner. Every time they turned the top ring once around the tiny hourglass, they went back an hour and would walk back inside to ask for the date and time. Shannon took the turner from Alissa and asked what the side bar was for, and after making sure both herself and Alissa and Alissa’s daughter Lyla all had their heads through the chain, she turned the side ring over to the right. Time sped up, whirling around them, days changed so fast they lost track of how many times they hurtled through a sunrise or sunset. Changing seasons belted them with rain, snow and sticky heat. When the turning slowed, and the world returned to its regular pace, the girls walked inside to ask the date and time. This time it was exactly a year earlier to the day.

“Well that will help us don’t you think!” Alissa said with enthusiasm while Shannon looked around stunned and anxious.

“Once we go back, will we ever go forward again?” Shannon asked quietly. “We’re going so far back Alissa, what if something happens? What if I never see my family again or my boys?” Her boys were actually two young Border Collies she had bred and loved almost as much as if they were her real kids. Leaving them to come do this had been one of the hardest things she had ever done, and she cried on and off the entire ten hour plane ride, clutching pictures of her dogs. Now that they’d actually just gone back in time, things were becoming too real. She wasn’t sure she could do this.

“Shannon” Alissa said gently and slipped the chain over her friend’s head once more. She turned the top bar upwards just half a turn this time and once again time shifted. “Come listen” she dragged Shannon back inside.

“Sir, what is the date and time?” Alissa smiled at the old grey haired shop owner.

“Are you girls drunk? Should I call someone? You just asked that an hour ago” the man answered looking half annoyed, half worried.

“Oh no, no problem. I think we got turned around a bit. I remember this place though, I think we’ll be fine” Alissa smiled politely and went back outside.

“Tourists” the man shook his round ruddy face.

                “We can go forward!” Said Alissa triumphantly. “I tried that at home once, but it was kind of hard to verify alone. Look, you just have to survive without me for like… six months, and then if things aren’t going well, I’ll take you back home.”

Shannon nodded, her wide eyes brimming with tears. “Okay, I’m just scared and homesick” she said softly. “I can do this though, and if we don’t find him, we’ll just go back home” she focused her dark blues on Alissa’s lighter ones and got a knowing nod back. “Well, let’s do it then I guess, 19 turns to the right, and we should probably stand over near the river so we don’t have a building land on us or something.” Shannon walked towards the meandering river and stood near an old oak tree, counting on it for safety.