British Isles 1819

British Isles 1819

Dear Diary,

This is my 831st try with the time machine. Each experiment before was beneath my touch. I am cock-sure that my calculations have been nothing less than accurate. After a belated cup of tea and stroll around the pond I have concluded that my scientific research of kinetic energy will surpass anything anyone here, especially in London, can overcome. The testing of such a device I will endeavor. Furthermore, I wish myself luck.

Yours truly G.A.T.

New York City 2022

“I got my 23 and Me results!” Said Savannah as she made herself comfortable on the couches outside the Regency Era Exhibit. It was after hours at the history museum and Savannah along with her co-worker Ezra, who also worked in the archeology department, were working late. “So what are you expecting to find?” Ezra asked before draining his decaf coffee. “It’s intriguing to know.” Savannah said as she ripped the package open. “The stories of those who came before us. I mean think about what they could have achieved. Think of the things they could tell us if they were here right now.” “That reminds me, I need to call the tour guides for the exhibit opening tomorrow. The Regency Era needs tour guides with empire silhouettes.” Savannah scanned the results both laughing and gasping but equally enjoying the results. “I have ancestors from the exact same town Jane Austen was from.” Ezra gilded over his seat and read the results with her. “Who’s that?” Ezra pointed at a name marked Grace Townsend. She was a name off the coast of England in the small British islands near York. “I don’t know. I’ve never heard of her through my family. I’m related to her though. However, it’s a bit peculiar that she lives by herself on the coast. Not many people resided there during the Regency Era.” “Look at you learning a thing or two from our exhibit. I guarantee she has some good stories to tell. All alone living in the British island caves. Creepy.” Savannah arched her brow. “Creepy? You’re the one after six IPAs decided to make out with a 200 year old skeleton.” Ezra defended himself. “It was a dare!” 

British Isles 1819 

Dear Diary,

By Jove it worked! It’s bloody brilliant! The apple successfully passed into the next dimension into the future! If my calculations are correct, which they indeed always are, with the kinetic energy and my physical circumference, I’ll be in the future almost immediately. Those who have called me a Bluestocking, you can go to hell. 

Yours again, etc.

New York City 2022

Ezra decided to prepare for tomorrow and leave the museum for the night. Savannah made her way to the basement of the building to their offices. She passed retired exhibits such as the Charlie Chaplin Exhibit and the World’s Fair Exhibit. But as she passed the World’s Fair artifacts she noticed one of them was misplaced. Most were behind their glass cases and wound up with protective cloth and string but the wooden sign with chipped paint that read “Time Machine” was uncovered from its protective sheet. Savannah knew no one would be here tonight except Mateo the night guard but he was on the guest floors. He wasn’t technically allowed down here without a special code. Savannah pulled the rest of the sheet off the sign to reveal a large booth that resembled an outhouse. It had fluorescent bulbs on the outside and had wiring that looked complicated even for her PhD education. She threw the sheet back onto it with a large hoist, gathered the rest of her belongings and made way for her office down the quiet corridors. But suddenly she heard a sound like the soft flutter of a moth. She flicked on the light again and noticed a fluorescent bulb behind the cloth was shining for a few seconds and then going dark. Savannah got closer. There was nothing behind the booth programming it. There wasn’t even a plug to an electric socket. Just then a few more bulbs began to shine on and off. It was beginning to look like a slot machine. Savannah pulled off the cloth to reframe any bulbs from creating a fire hazard. Soon enough all the bulbs were lit at once. A pile of steam rolled out from the top pipe that sat on top of the booth. A beeping siren startled her heart as she anticipated something was about to happen. The beeping grew louder and the steam was billowing out now. The booth started to shake like a washing machine on too heavy of a load. Moments later it all stopped. Savannah swallowed hard as she was tempted to open the door to the booth. Was something in there? She thought. A crack pierced through the silence. The door opened gradually. A soft hand edged its way through the opening. A woman opened the remainder of the door in an empire silhouette dress. She was extremely pale and looked eerily similar to Savannah herself. She was holding a green apple and began to cough uncontrollably. Savannah screamed. “What are you doing down here?” The woman took a step back. “Me?” She seemed just as confused. Savannah tried again. “Are-aren’t you one of the tour guides for tomorrow?” The woman looked around the room in astonishment. “I believe it worked. I’m here.” In a daze the woman walked the room slowly inspecting each artifact laid behind the glass. Savannah’s instincts kicked into drive. She grabbed an iron lantern loosely covered from a table just beside her. She threw it at the strange woman as hard as she could with both hands. It slammed into the glass table shattering sharps onto the ground. The woman whipped her head around. “What the bloody hell was that for? You’ve nearly cut me.” Now she was British? Savannah was even more confused. She sort of felt like throwing up. “Who the hell are you?” Savannah said, clenching her stomach. “Let me excuse myself from this mess you’ve created.” She said as she stepped over the glass with a crunch. “I’m Grace Townsend. Your cousin.” And before another moment passed, Savannah had fallen to the ground in a faint. 

“My dear cousin, do awaken.” Savannah blinked a few times. Her eyesight was still a bit foggy but she noticed right away the figure before her. A ghost or an actual human Savannah didn’t know but she didn’t want to ask to find out. She tried getting up but felt too weak. She was being held by her cousin on the sofa in her office. “How long have I been unconscious?” Savannah croaked. “About 15 minutes.” Grace said while trying to hold her up on her own. Savannah rubbed her head. Her mouth felt incredibly dry. “Thirsty Cousin? Let me fetch you some fluids. Do you have a pail or a well nearby?” “There’s bottled water under the Keurig machine.” Grace walked to the station hesitantly. Underneath the Kerig was a shelf lined with Smart Water. “Smart Water. Is this a modern discovery about enhancing your neurons in the food you drink?” Savannah gulped most of it down. “It’s just water. I don’t even know. And I don’t even know what’s going on. Who really are you and why are you even here?” Grace delicately pressed her hands together. “I’m Grace Ann Townsend. I’m your cousin from Stevenson, Hampshire. I am a gifted prodigy. I make inventions and I invented a time machine with the help of my assistant Robert Bastings to come to the future.” “I think I’m actually high right now.” Savannah said softly, trying not to panic. “I do think it’s quite a coincidence that I met face to face with my own cousin. However, according to my calculations I knew you could be here waiting for me.” Savannah could finally stand again although she was seeing a few stars. “And how exactly did you know this? You’re from the year 1819.” “It’s rather simple. Bastings is a psychic medium. He can tell the future to an extent. He informed me of the time machine for the World’s Fair in 1909 and then about my cousin who would be in the right place at the right time years later. I mean don’t you see what we could achieve here? You can teach me everything about the future. Haven’t you always wanted that?” Savannah tried to think rationally. Was this really happening? She’d heard conspiracy theories about time travel before and was hopeful but she didn’t think it could actually happen. Instead of fear she began to feel a bit curious now. “Don’t you think it’s rather odd how similar we look?” Savannah asked while inspecting her cousin’s face. She poked around her features on her face. “I don’t think it’s odd, Cousin. We share an extremely high amount of DNA I can conclude. How much? I am not certain.” “I am” Savannah pulled her 23 and Me results from her jacket pocket and handed it to her cousin. “By Jove! Where in heaven’s name did you get this?” “It’s called 23 and Me. It’s proof of our ancestry.” Grace read the results in infatuation. “Grace Townsend, cause of death, unknown. It’s a pity they don’t know. Bastings told me he knows when I’ll die but has swore an unofficial oath by all mediums that he can’t reveal that. However, the question mark is a bit intriguing on here. I wonder if we can find out.” “You’re a bit sick you know that right?” Savannah sassed. Grace ignored her and handed back the results. “Why is it you’re even here, Grace? Why come all this way? There has to be something or someone driving you.” Grace looked indignant. “I need proof. They don’t take me seriously there in Yorkshire or London for that matter. I think it’s mostly because I’m a woman. But there’s this man. Edward Crawly. He’s a professor of Kinetics in London. He refuses to hear any of my hypotheses. He tells me that women aren’t capable of learning such high levels of science. It could drive us to hysteria. If I could, I'd plant a facer on the old daft bloke.” Grace threw the half empty smart water across the room. It hit the light fixture on the wall and cracked onto the floor. “We really should learn to control our tempers.” said Grace. “I just need a bit of proof is all. Something to demolish all he’s ever tried to prove. My findings need to be better.” Savannah pulled out her cellphone. “Here, just take this back. It’s a cellphone. You can call people through a radio wave to the nearest cell tower. It can be proof enough as it is.” Grace observed it precariously. She handed it back to Savannah a bit disgusted. “What is that awful device? It’s raked in negative energy.” Savannah stopped herself and then nodded in agreement. “No, Cousin. I can’t bring that back with me. What exactly will it prove if I cannot call people through it? I just hope I can return. I’ll need your help though. Bastings is already expecting my arrival.” Grace gathered papers from the desk into her hands. “I need to memorize findings on psychics. Specifically kinetic energy. Do you happen to know where the nearest library is?” Savannah sat in her wheelie chair and clicked on her Macbook. Grace wheeled Savannah back and forth a few times observing the invention. “I see, so the chair moves to reach maximum potential for the user.” Savannah eyed her. “Sorry. Carry on.” Savannah typed onto Google: Kinetic Energy findings 2022. “Here. this is everything you’ll probably need.” “Impeccable!” Grace said literally pushing Savannah out of the chair and taking her spot. “This is better than a library book. However, it’s quite bright.” “You’ll get used to it or probably have to wear glasses overtime. The time! Grace, you know you could really be a huge help for our Regency Era Exhibit tomorrow. Grace?” Grace was deep into reading the findings on the screen. “I suppose you can let me know when you’re done.” Savannah said, resting her eyes for a moment on her office couch. While Grace was deep into reading about the subject of orbital velocity she clutched her hand and winced. Her index finger that was once flesh had turned fuzzy and began to disappear. It quickly spread to her other fingers. “Just brilliant!” Screamed Grace awakening Savannah. “What time is it?” Savannah looked at the desktop. It was 2:36am. “Grace, have you finished up?” Grace quickly pressed the off button on the computer. “I’m sorry? Oh yes, yes I’m finished. I should be going. Bastings is waiting for me.” Grace walked them back to the booth talking quietly under her breath. She sounded like she was counting out loud. “Well this was an odd night but I’m glad I got to meet you, Grace. Send me a postcard.” Grace looked bewildered. “It’s just a saying. Nevermind. Anyways, how can I assist you?” Grace opened the booth for her. “I just need you to check the floor panel for me. I have to calibrate the wiring in the back but there needs to be kinetic energy and motion before the process can proceed. “Alright.” Savannah shrugged as she gathered herself inside the booth. It was a bit cold and smelled like rotten wood. “My dear cousin I need you to face the back wall.” Grace said through the outside of the booth. “Sure thing. Just tell me what to do next.” A few moments passed. Savannah noticed it was fairly quiet. “Grace, what do I need to do next?” There was only silence. Savannah turned around and saw the door slam shut and heard a lock snap from the outside. “Grace, what are you doing? Let me out!” The lights began to flicker and a small slither of steam popped out of the top of the booth pipe. “I need more evidence, Cousin Dear. And I can’t do it in a half day’s time. We can’t be in the same time period at once otherwise it will wreak havoc on my health. I need your help. When you get to England let Bastings know I’ll be in the future a bit longer.” “What!” Savannah shrieked pounding on the door. “No! Get me out of here! I don’t even know what Bastings looks like.” “He’s a short man you can’t miss him.” A hum sounded from the booth. “Grace Ann Townsend you let me out this instant! I’m not time traveling for you. I don’t even know how I’ll get back. Will I?” The booth started to bounce like a washing machine again. “Just give me more time, Cousin. Please? I need that Edward Crawly to lose shamefully. Send Auntie Clara my best.” And just like that the loud siren sprang into beeps and gray smoke filled the booth leaving Savannah in a violent coughing fit. The booth moved in a forceful direction, near impossible to tell where it was leading. It felt like she was in an elevator ride making mismatched stops. Then after what seemed like hours the booth jolted, making Savanah fall through the door onto the ground under a gray sky and a chilly breeze which couldn’t be mistaken for anything other than the autumn season in England.