Homework Blues

word count: 694 words

Anne Summers sat up in her large four-poster bed. She heard the church clock near by announce the hour. It was three o’ clock, on a dark stormy night in 1817, England.

At first she had thought it a dream, a mighty horrible one. And then she heard the scream again, and doubted herself no more. She must wake her father, but couldn’t bear to move an inch. It then dawned on her that Mr. Summers was in London. Her younger sister was asleep in the room next to hers. But of what use would Jane be? She would be scared and start crying, and might even be obliged to faint. There seemed no other option, however. If nothing else, maybe Anne could draw courage from Jane’s lack of it.

“If you would just keep still a minute, Jane, I am sure you shall believe me.”

“I am trying to, my darling Anne, but it does frighten me so. I do think it was cruel of you to bring me here. You are well aware that my nerves suffer terribly from any sort of upset,” and saying this Jane began to weep softly.

Anne could keep still no more. Inspite of her sister’s pleas she walked to the cupboard, and mustering all the courage she could, opened the door.

In the flickering candle light she saw the faces of two girls, not much older than herself, but looking quite unlike anything she had seen.

“Sandy, I think we’re in someone’s closet,” whispered one of them.

“Well, that explains the weird looking dresses. I thought we had landed in a theatre dressing room,” answered Sandy. They then turned towards Anne and smiled at her.

“I hope we didn’t frighten you too much. Hi, I’m Sandy and this is my friend Tasha. We were…what’s up with her?”

Anne turned to where they were looking. Jane had slumped on the bed after a gasp. Anne instinctively went up to her, and while reviving Jane, tried to gather herself. The ladies didn’t seem to be harmful. Though they spoke English, she barely understood them. Well, whoever they were, she must be a good hostess.

Soon they were all seated around a merry fire, drinking cups of sweet tea, Jane still looking pale and uncertain.

“So how did you get here, Miss…Sandy? I observed you are not wet from the rain outside.”

“Oh, no, Anne, we didn’t get here by road. We were just tryin’ to do our homework for school. Where are we, exactly?”

“This is just a little way from London.” Anne added, hesitantly, “Did you say that you attend a school?”

“Yeah, we have to. Don’t you?” answered Tasha.

“No, we do not. Our governess taught us everything. Jane has great command over the pianoforte,” said Anne. Jane’s manners were deplorable! How strange that girls could go to school. She had already noticed that they were wearing clothes much like her fathers. Good heavens! They must certainly be foreigners from a very far land.

“What work is it that you intended to do?” offered Jane timidly.

“We were to write ‘bout literature of the twenty-first cent’ry for our History of Literature class, but I’ve a feeling we kinda overshot. This seems a li’l before that period.”

“Indeed you are! This is just the eighteenth century. But where are you from?!”

“We are from the twenty-fourth cent’ry. We use time machines as a ref’rence guide. Time machines allow us to travel to the past; it helps us understand the period we study better. I guess there was somethin’ wrong with the one we used. Anyway, we better get goin’.”

“Will you be able to get back safely? I shall pack you some scones to eat on the way.”

“Aww, that’s sweet, but no thanks, hon! By the way, I love that dress of yours! It’s so glam!” said Tasha as they got back in the cupboard.

Anne was unsure about what glam meant, so she gave them a weak smile instead and bade them farewell.

The cupboard quivered and shook, and then became as still as ever. Jane gave it a terrified look before she fainted.