Time Matrix Trilogy- The Past
Chapter 1-Jake
Suddenly…we weren't in the cave. Instead, I was standing in the middle
of a forest. Everyone was there.
"So what's going on?" Rachel asked, not quite sure. Kara shook her
head,obviously confused.
"We're in some time period," was all she said, looking around. "I
don't know which one."
"Well, what should we do?" Cassie asked, still shaken up from her recent
experience.
"I guess we should split up?" Tobias suggested. They all looked at me.
I sighed.
"Splitting up would probably be a good idea. Rachel, and Tobias are
together. Cassie and me, and Ax, Marco, and Kara."
"No way am I going with Marco!" Kara complained. I shot her a look.
She shut up.
"I guess we go check out the town." I said. "Kara, put that invisible
spell on us." She nodded, and then blinked her eyes. Nothing happened.
She looked confused, then nodded and blinked at the same time. Still
nothing. She looked at me, confused.
"It's not working." She said at last. I cringed. This was going
to be a problem.
"O.k., then we'll have to sneak around," I said at last. We all left.
The town was really small and quaint. It looked like it was probably
in the sixteenth century. Villagers dressed in pilgrim like clothes
walked around, carrying buckets of water. We crept along side the
bushes. Suddenly, I saw me. I was dressed in incredibly old
clothes. I was looking around, then I snuck into a barn.
I looked at Cassie. "Follow him?" I asked her. She smiled.
"Follow him," she said.
Chapter 2-Rachel
It took us a total of three minutes to find people in this town that looked
like us. I was walking down the street, dressed in bland clothes,
with Kara, or at least a girl that looked like her. I could pick
up bits of
conversation.
"Did you hear they burned Goody Proctor?" I said.
Kara opened her mouth in a gasp. "You're bluffing!" she said
shocked. I shook my head no.
"They claimed they saw her dancing in the woods at night," I continued.
Just then, Tobias interrupted us.
"Anna, father wants you home, NOW!" then he raised his eyebrows.
"Something about the chickens?"
Kara-er-Anna cringed. "I must go then!" then she sent a sly
look at Tobias. "I'm sure you wouldn't mind walking home Truth?" we both
blushed. Then she took off, leaving me-er-Truth and whatever
Tobias's name in this time period was. He offered his arm.
I-I mean SHE… took it.
They walked slowly down the streets. Truth was being annoyingly shy,
and Tobias, who's name turned out to be Jeremiah, was trying to carry on
a conversation.
I groaned. "Were all girls this idiotic during the 1600's?" I asked
to no one in particular. Tobias chuckled.
"I hope not," he said. We were creeping along some trees, trying
to see better. They just walked on. They stopped a couple of
times to assist people with heavy loads, but other than that, nothing worth
mentioning happened.
Well then, I probably wouldn't know if anything was happening or
not because Tobias and I got, well, distracted when a farmer thought he
saw a blue deer. After we figured out that it wasn't Ax, Truth and Jeremiah
were no where in sight. I plopped down on the ground, joining
Tobias. "What are we going to
do now?" I asked him.
He looked confused. "I have no idea." He said at last. Then
he looked at me, concerned. "Are you o.k.?" he asked, concerned.
"Yeah, it's just.." I trailed off. I really didn't want to
go into my problems right now. Tobias really didn't accept
that decision.
"What?" he pressed. I sighed.
"What exactly did Kara mean when she said the worst is yet to come?" I
poured out.
Tobias shrugged. "I have no idea," he said. That really didn't make
me feel any better.
"Well, what did you see. If I have an idea of how bad it can be for
you…maybe I can imagine what it would feel like." Tobias dropped
his eyes.
"You don't want to know," he said at last.
"Trust me, Yes I do," I told him, forcing him to look me in the eye.
He sighed.
"I saw the time I told you I was trapped," he snapped. "It showed
everything. From the point I realized I was
trapped, to you bursting out in tears,
everything!"
I rocked back in shock. "How did you-" then I realized just how good
hawk ears were. I dropped my eyes. "Sorry," I said quietly.
Tobias reached for my hand.
"It's o.k." he said, whispering in my ear. I looked him in the eye
again. Suddenly, something connected. I can't explain what.
It was like this unknown force. Anyway, we leaned in to kiss-
"Rwa, Rwa, Rwarwarwarewa," a dog barked, snapping us back to reality.
I jumped up startled. It hunched up its back, and showed his teeth.
I was mad. Not that I could blame the dog, I mean, we probably smelled
like a million different unknown odors, but he could have chosen a better
moment to interrupt! I was getting really annoyed. I started
to morph my grizzly bear.
"Rachel," Tobias warned. "You're either going to hurt the dog, or
call some attention to ourselves." He was right. The farmer
that sent the dog in here (again, like I said before- UNCONVIENTINT TIMING!!!)
would probably wonder when a dog comes running out of the bushes, afraid
for dear life. Suddenly, as I was finished morphing. I noticed
I didn't see Tobias. Then, when I turned around, I saw why.
The farmer that sent the dog was standing behind me.
"T-Truth!" he said finally. "You're a witch,"
Then I started running.
Chapter 3-Cassie
We crept in through the back of the old barn, and hid behind some hay in
a stable. The old Jake paced restlessly back and forth. Suddenly…the
barn door opened and closed, and a shadowed figured entered. As they
walked into the light, I saw the girl looked exactly like me. I gasped.
Jake's look a like had stopped pacing, and was smiling.
My look a like rushed into his open arms and gave him a huge hug.
Then pulling away, she said, "John, we've got to stop meeting like this.
Your father will surely whip me if he ever finds out what we've been doing!"
John smiled. Then he backed up, and plopped down on the hay we were
hiding behind.
"You don't approve then, Miss. Beth?" he asked in a British accent.
It was cute. I had never imagined Jake with a British accent.
Beth just smiled.
"I never said that," she replied, then hugged him again. He grabbed
her, and pushed her into the hay with him. She giggled as he tickled
her, then put his arms around her. She leaned up against him, laying
her head on his shoulder.
"Let's run away!" John suggested excitedly. "It would be wonderful.
We could build a house on a big field where no one owns any land.
Then we could have tons of animals…You love animals." Beth looked
excited, then looked depressed. She got up, and took some hay from
her hair.
"I must get back to work now, before I am missed," she said, and gently
glided through the door. John stood up, then realizing she was gone,
plopped back down on the hay, nearly hitting Jake in the head with his
arms.
I shook my head deliberately towards the back door. He nodded, and
motioned "after you," we crept through the doors and into the light of
the setting sun. We slunk back towards the woods. There the others
were waiting for us…Correction…The others with the exception of Kara and
Rachel were there. Marco greeted us grimly.
"We have big trouble," he said darkly.
Chapter 4- Marco
I always knew Rachel was insane, but of course…she had to go and prove
it. Oh, and Kara. She probably could have figured that a time to
use telekinetic powers would NOT be in the age when they burned WITCHES!
Rachel morphed because she was annoyed which I can understand. Kara
morphed because she got angry and that's not even the worse part!
She was angry because she saw her self in this world as a girl who got
punished because of chickens. I KNOW!! She saw her look-a-like
twin in this world being punished for forgetting to close the chicken hatch,
and just went insane!! She used her telekinesis powers to lift up
Anna's father, and send him plunging into the depths of a water trough.
Of course, She got accused of it, and is accused of not only witchcraft,
but stealing Anna's face.
You ever wake up and know it's not going to be a good day? This is
beyond one of those days.
Anyway, We were now down by two. I explained that in a *slightly*
angry way to Cassie and Jake, who finally came back. Then we all
tried to think up a plan.
"I say we tell them to morph out," I suggested.
Tobias shook his head. "Uh Uh," he said. "They'd just go after
the real Truth, who's suddenly disappeared. If they find her, they'll
just accuse her. Plus, Kara can't morph. The only power this little
world let's her have is
Telekinesis. Don't ask me why."
Cassie looked confused. "Well, what are we going to do?" she asked.
Jake spoke up. "You said that their trial was tomorrow? Why
don't we borrow some old people clothes, sneak in there, and, um, and 'improvise,'
"
"Good plan except that the trial is out in the middle of town. They're
so convinced they're witches their prepared to burn them on the spot."
Tobias said. "Meaning there is no place to conceal battle morphs.
Jake shook his head, like he was trying to clear it up. "Then we'll
just have to hope no controllers are around in this time period."
"I know this sounds crazy, but I actually miss the "gung-ho" twins.
Their stupidity made me forget about my problems."
I saw Tobias laugh very quietly and sardonically. "Not half as much
as I miss them," he said under his breath, looking away. I don't
think he realized I heard him.
Chapter 5- Jake
I woke up right before sunrise to see Cassie attempting quietly to sneak
away from our campout. I lightly touched her on the arm, startling
her. "Where are you going?" I mouthed. She pulled me away from the
sleeping others.
"I heard some voices, I was going to check it out," she whispered.
I nodded.
"I'll come with you," I said.
We followed a thin trail, and kept getting closer to some voices.
The trail widened up into a clearing. We ducked behind some bushes,
and watched as the voices stepped out of the shadows. It was Beth
and John. They were arguing.
"Isn't this what you want?" John practically screamed. Beth was crying,
and had tears streaming down her face.
"No, but it's what's best for you!" she said, choking down a sob.
"What's best for me?" he said dangerously, tears threatening his eyes.
"I'm tired of everyone telling me what's best for me! I'm my own person!!
I love you so much Bethy," he said, sobbing as he said her name.
She brushed the tears off his eyes, tears threatening again in her own.
"I know, I'm sorry. But it would never work. I'm but a slave,
and you…you are one of the most respected family's in the town. I
would hate to drag you and your family through the mud, so to speak." Then
turning away from him, and staring up at the moon, she spoke quietly.
"The moon is so beautiful tonight," Then she closed her eyes
tight, knowing what she had to do. "It's over," she said, and turned
to walk away, trying not to cry.
John would have none of it. He grabbed her by the arm, and swung
her violently towards him. "Is that it? You stop loving me
like just like that?" he said angrily sobbing. This just caused Beth
to try to stifle the sobs, and
not really well succeeding.
"Sir please!!" she cried out. He released her.
"Is that all you think of me?" he asked quietly, sitting down on a log.
"Just as a master?" Beth wrapped her shawl tightly around her, then
sat down and joined him.
"No," she said, equally as quiet. "I think of you as John.
My John. The John that I want so badly to have, but can't." He smiled
faintly at the reply.
"Why?" he said at last. Beth closed her eyes, trying to get control.
"I'm but a slave," she said. "As was my mother and father before
me, and their parents before them-"
"But your free at heart!" he protested. Beth faintly
smiled.
"Yes, but only when you are in my heart. You free me, yet, all I
do for you is pose a threat."
"Then will get away from here!" John said, jumping up. "I'll steal
a horse and some supply's, and we can get out of here."
"We'll get caught. You'll get whipped. I'll get hung." Her
hands reached to her neck at that thought.
"We won't!" John assured her, brushing his finger under her chin.
She smiled.
"yes," she said finally. Then she got up, and jumped into his arms.
"let's get supplies," he said finally. They went off into the night.
All of a sudden Beth started singing this hauntingly beautiful song in
African. Suddenly, a light pierced the darkness. Beth pushed John
down behind a rock, but the holder of the light had already saw her.
"Beth," a voice rang out sternly. "Singing at midnight under a full
moon in the woods? You are under arrest, under the charge of witchcraft,"
John tried to protest, but she gave him a swift kick that knocked
him unconscious. And with that, they dragged her into the night.
Chapter 6- Tobias
It wasn't easy for me to fall asleep. I was worried sick about Rachel.
I know this sounds kind of bad, but I was more worried about Rachel then
I was about Kara. I have no idea why. I guess it's because
Rachel and I have been together longer.
The next morning, we all kind of stopped in at an empty house and "borrowed"
a few sets of cloths. After we had dressed over our morphing suits,
we set out for the town.
The town was a typical village. Wooden houses painted in bland colors
lined the streets. There were two or three unpaved road going down
the middle of it. The burning was taking place in the town square,
Which was a big wooden platform. People were gathered around it.
Up on the platform sat Rachel and Kara, chained up. Kara looked mad.
Rachel had her typical "I've got a stupid idea and I know just how to pull
it off," look on her face. I couldn't help but smile. Rachel
and Kara didn't need our help. Kara could probably use her telekinetic
powers to "convince" everyone that they didn't want to burn them.
Chapter 7- Kara
I grinned mischievously.
"Poor, Poor, Poor little villagers," I muttered to Rachel under my breath.
"What are you going to do?" she asked, half accusingly, half "Whatever
your going to do, DO IT QUICK!" I never got a chance to answer her.
"My fellow citizens!" Screamed out some really ugly bald headed man.
"We are gathered today to rid the earth of the devil's own companions.
Satan worshippers, the first evil, the sinners of the worst kind-"
"OK!" snapped Rachel loudly. "They get it! We're evil!! Quit
running your mouth!"
The crowd gasped at that, and I giggled. "Go Rachel," I muttered.
"They admit it!" The bald man screamed. "You are witnesses.
The witches admit to sinning,"
"Wait a minute," Rachel said out loud, confused. Then she turned
to me. "I never said we were witches did I?" she asked, clearly puzzled.
The people really didn't believe us. Instead, they removed the chains,
and tied us to the posts.
"Kara, this isn't good," Rachel said, watching as they lit torches.
"Your daaaamn right!" I said, watching wide-eyed as they attempted to light
the straw underneath the posts that we were tied on.
"Kara?" Rachel asked, now panicked. "Now would be a good time to
do whatever it is you were going to do!" she screamed, a little urgently.
Suddenly, I saw something that would change the rest of our lives.
They had just lit the hay as I noticed it. It was unearthly, it was
beautiful, and was everything I had ever wanted.
It was a water trough.
I picked it up with my eyes, and splashed it on the hay, getting me very
wet in the process.
"Thanks," Rachel said, spitting out a little water. "and would
you please warn me before you do that next time?"
"Don't mention it," I said, shaking my head from side to side trying to
get hair out of my face.
The crowd gasps. Then I got another good idea.
Chapter 8- Jake
"Ladies and Gentleman!" Kara screamed with delight. "Behold my great
power!" she watched, smiling, as the crowd reacted to her statement.
"Oh yes," Rachel said, with that "I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing,"
look in her eyes, "What a great power!"
"If you would be so kind as to untie me, I will keep my powers to myself.
But…If you don't…" she trailed off, sparking the imagination of everyone
that was watching. Cassie couldn't take it anymore. She ducked behind
the side of the house and burst out laughing. Tobias was pinching
himself, trying to keep the laughter down. Marco was staring carefully
out into space, trying so hard not to laugh he was red in the face.
I don't think Ax understood what was going on.
"Do you need more convincing?" Kara asked smartly. She turned to
Rachel, and gave a quick nod. Rachel smiled, and began morphing her grizzly
bear. That did it. People raced up as quickly as possible,
and began to untie them. Rachel morphed back to her human self, and skipped
off the stage.
"Hi guys, wassup?" she asked grinning. Tobias, Marco, and I all burst
out laughing. Tobias gave Rachel a long hug.
"That was great!" he exclaimed.
Our excitement was short lived when Kara's twin in this world, Anna, came
up to me.
"A moment of privacy with your friends, if you please," she said, a look
of knowing in her eyes. I nodded, and pulled her aside, behind a
house. The others followed.
"Yes," I said, looking at her, expecting to hear her story.
"I'm a visionary," she explained. "I get visions of different times,
and different futures. I believe we have a problem. I'm sure
you and Cassie are familiar with your representations? Well, tomorrow,
Beth will be burned at Stake, and John will try to stop it. You've
interfered. They heard you sleeping, so they went to a different
part of the woods to have the conversation you overheard. What happened
in the life before you interfered was totally different then what's going
to happen. John and Beth are supposed to run off, and live in the
woods in unknown Louisiana. Their daughter will grow up to play an
important part in the history of this country. So will my brother's
and Truth's son. If you can't make it so this is corrected, the whole world
as you know it will be altered. I cannot stay any longer. People
will start looking for me. I will help in anyway possible, but I
count on you to restore things to there normal position. God Speed,"
And with that, she was gone.
Chapter 9-Tobias
Beth was supposed to be burned tomorrow. We had until then to think
up a plan.
It took some arguing, but finally, we agreed what we could do. Rachel
and Kara would fake a scene in Town Square. Meanwhile, we'd use Ax's
tail to free Beth, and then, send Beth and John off into the sunset.
Upon figuring out our plan, we went our separate ways to look for some
berries for lunch, seeing how Kara and Rachel would be recognizable in
the town square.
I walked down the path slowly. Suddenly, a figure jumped out of the
bushes, and tapped me lightly on the shoulder. I spun around.
"Hey!" Rachel said cheerfully.
"Hey!" I replied. "You surprised me,"
"Sorry, didn't mean to," she said, now walking along side of me.
"So…" I said. "How are you? I mean- are you okay?" she didn't
look me in the eye. Then she sighed.
"I…guess," she said, trying to be convincing, but failing greatly.
"What is it?" I asked her, elbowing her slightly, and staring at her downcast
eyes.
"It's just," she started, shifting her gaze from the ground to the sky,
then bringing it to my eye level. "When I was about to be burned,
I was soooo afraid! It's like, 'Oh wow, I'm never going to get to
go to my prom, or get
married, or stuff like that'. For
the first time, since this war started, I felt like I wasn't invincable.
You'd think
when I died that would have done it, but
it didn't. I have this funny feelings something is going to happen
that's going to change our lives, but I can't quite place it." She was
quiet for a moment. "You don't know what it's like." She said, in
a soft voice. "I was so afraid I would never get to see my family
again. I was scared that the yeerks would find us out, and take over
the planet." She stopped walking then looked me straight in the eye.
"And most of all, I was afraid I'd never get to kiss you again,"
That took me by surprise. Rachel isn't a touchy/feely person.
She doesn't like to show her true emotions.
"Rach," I said, finally finding my voice. A strand of her long blond
hair had fallen in front of her face. I brushed it out of the way,
but instead of letting my hand fall off her face, I kept it there.
We slowly leaned towards
each other, our faces about an inch apart.
"Hey guys," Cassie called, again, jarring us back to reality. Rachel
and I sighed identical sighs.
"What is it, Cass?" Rachel called out, obviously annoyed.
"We have trouble!" was all she said.
Chapter 10- Cassie
It turns out, we had gotton our sources mixed up. Instead of being
tried and burnt tomarrow, she was to be burnt today. That put us
in a bit of a rush.
I took my place on the outside of the jail. Rachel and Kara were right
beside me. Jake was behind the building, giving out specific orders
to Ax. Marco was off, finding John, and preparing him for what was yet
to come.
The people started pouring in. Beth hadn't been lead out into the
square yet. Perfect timing.
"K,
Go!" I whispered to Kara and Rachel. They gave each other high fives
then stepped dramatically out into the center of the square.
"They shun us!" cried Rachel loudly.
"How they shun us!" Kara agree, equally as loud.
"Why do they shun us when they are witches themselves?" Rachel asked, still
loudly. The crowd gasped, and turned towards them.
"What do you mean?" a few of them shrieked. Rachel grinned, and played
it up.
"Satan worshippers are among this crowd!" she carried on.
I was playing close attention to the door. Suddenly, the jail master opened
up the door, and stepped outside, not taking his eyes off Kara and Rachel.
He soon joined the crowd. I crept inside the door.
The room was small and wood covered. Iron bars held back a small
room, where Beth was seated.
"My goodness!" she exclaimed upon seeing me. I ignored her as I crept
into the back office, opening a window, and letting in Ax and Jake.
Then I carefully crept to the front office, and locked the door.
When Beth took a look at Ax, she fainted. It was probaly for
the best. If she had screamed, it would have given away our cover.
Ax went to work, and believe me, to this day I still believe there are
no better things then those tails. They are really cool.
To make a long story short, Jake and me hoisted Beth through the back window,
and ran as fast as we can to the woods. She woke up halfway there,
and we had to explain to her part of the story. She finally accepted
it. She thanked us repeatedly. It wasn't necessary. The
look on her face when she embrace John was all the thanks I needed.
She walked over to me, and gave me a brisk hug.
"Follow your heart," she whispered to me. Then she got on the horse
with John, and they rode away.
Together forever.
The way it should be.
Suddenly, we were back in the cave. Everything was spinning again.
Out of the dark blue walls came the words that I had been longing to hear
ever since we started this adventure.
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.
Chapter 11- Rachel
The next day was a Saturday. It was hard to believe no time had elapsed
since we left. I was tired, and slept most of the day. I still
couldn't shake the feeling something bad was going to happen.
That afternoon, Tobias and I took a walk through the woods. It was
nice. It soothed my nerves. We carried on a little no nonsense
conversation. Finally, Tobias brought out the problem that was on
both our minds.
"Rach?" he asked, turning to me. I understood what he wanted.
I wrapped my arms around his neck, and pulled closer to him. AGAIN!
One inch away, and what do I hear?
"Go Xena and Birdboy!" Marco screamed.
"Marco!" I hissed, in a low, dangerous tone. He just stood there,
grinning.
I
looked at Tobias, my arms still around his neck. "Screw it," we said
at the same time, and kissed each other.
It was a very nice kiss.
Epilogue-Kara
That night, I had the worst dream possible. The lightning was all
around. Suddenly, the lightning zapped the ground, and out of the ground
grew my friends- Jason, Jez, Asia, and Matt.
Jason walked over towards me. "It's your time now, Kar," he said.
Then he gave me a hard kiss. I realized, it was the demon.
I woke up, and sat straight up. The walls echoed with realization.
They spoke of one word, and nothing else.
Death.
My death.
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