My Short Stories

The Unexpected Trip

"Are you sure he's the one you want to meet?" The head scientist asked me. After years of working on the very first time machine we were the very first to finally have it completed. The time machine was able to take anyone forward or backwards in time, and I knew exactly where I wanted to go. "Positive"

The head scientist shrugged, and said "Suit yourself." He held a steady grip on the lever and began to count down. I felt butterflies in my stomach from nervousness, and took one final deep breathe. "3...2...1." He pulled the lever down, and I immediately felt myself launch forward. Lights of many different colors whirled passed me, and pulsated causing it to look alive. And just as quickly as I entered it was over and my trip came to a jarring stop.

As I looked around I was completely speechless. I was standing in the middle of a field with houses that were scattered made of clay and stone, and beautiful mountains behind the homes. The people within the village were walking from house to house going about their everyday lives. I approached the small village hoping someone could tell me exactly where I was. As I walked through the village I couldn't help but smile. Everyone was laughing and smiling, children were running around play tag close by their parents.

And not one person carried any electronic device, it was a really nice change. Eventually deeper in town I came across this young couple maybe in their mid 20's. They were feeding their mule, and stopped when they noticed my presence. "Hi, can we help you?" The man asked wiping sweat from his forehead. It took me a second to gain back my senses, and even longer to come up with words. "Hi I was just wondering where I was, and if you could give me directions."

The man stared at me up and down and raised his eyebrow suspiciously. "You're not from around here, are you?" I immediately tensed up wondering which option would be better for me, to lie and say I was or be honest and say I wasn't. "Uhm no sir I'm not. What gave it away?" I laughed nervously. "Any person who was from here would know that this is Jerusalem." My heart did a back flip, and maybe if I wasn't so shocked I could have done one.

"It worked." I said breathlessly. "What worked?" The man asked. "Uhm.. nothing. Do you know how to get to Bethlehem?" The man's suspicious gaze returned but ten times. "Yea we were just headed that way." Suddenly the woman who was standing behind him hit his arm clearly saying she didn't want me to tag along. "Give us one second." They walked a little way away from me, I could still see them but not hear them. I tried not to stare at them while they talked, but when I did look up the woman was aggressively pointing at me.

She felt my gaze and looked up sending me a scathing look. I quickly adverted my gaze and moments later they returned. "You can come with, but as soon as we enter the city we have to drop you off." I felt a huge sense of relief wash over me. I didn't have anything, no water food or transportation. "Thank you guys so much, I'm sorry if this is delaying your schedule." "It is." The wife quipped, and stormed away. My smile faded and I hung my head. Was relief worth feeling like a burden?

"Don't worry about her, she grows on you like fungus." The man said to break the tension, and I softly chuckled. "I hope so." "Oh I never got your name." "Yelena." "Well it's nice to meet you Miss Yelena. I'm Jack and that's my wife Deloris." Jack said.

~Later

"Alright I think that's it. Are you guys ready?" Jack asked packing the last sack in the back of the wagon. "Yep" I said enthusiastically, and eagerly hopped in the back of the trailer. But Deloris groaned and rolled her eyes. She climbed in the back clearly showing she was not happy about this. "Honey be nice." Jack said before hopping in the front to drive.

As we began to drive I decided to start a conversation with Deloris. "Your husband told me your name is Deloris. That's a really pretty name." She stared at me like she had someone better to have a conversation with. "I like your scarf, it matches the sky. Don't you think so?" The more I talked the more annoyed she became and the worse I felt.

"I'm sorry Deloris I won't be in your hair much longer." I said sadly. I turned away from her and began to watch the moving city. I didn't want anything to ruin this journey, and I didn't want to be sad when I meet him but Deloris isn't making this easy.

After what felt like eternity the silence was broken. "Hey." I looked up and my eyes met Deloris's. She didn't look annoyed or bothered but her eyes were soft like she wanted to apologize. "Hey me?" I asked pointing to myself. She chuckled and nodded. "Yeah you. I wanted to apologize for my behavior earlier, it wasn't right of me."

I did a double take. Not only was she speaking to me but apologizing. "Oh uhm its okay. All is forgiven." I said with a kind smile, and shrug. "If you don't mind me asking why were you so mad at me?" Her smile faded and her eyes turned somber. "Truth be told, I'm not mad at you. This morning my husband promised to make my favorite breakfast but all the ingredients went bad.

So we decided to go to a market close by the house but on our way out we discovered that one of our mules were very sick and he had spread it to all the other mules. So when we realized that they couldn't be helped we had to put most of them down. It was pretty emotional for me, so we went to the market.

While we were there a messenger came with a letter for me. It was a letter from my grandmother she had fallen terribly ill and is being hospitalized now, that's why we're headed to Bethlehem. And then when you came asking for directions it set me over the edge, and I am truly sorry." I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"I am so sorry Deloris." I said and grabbed her hand. We shared a soft smile. "We're almost there." Jack said from the front. "Hey you should have dinner at our house once you're done." Deloris said. "I don't know if I'll have time but I promise to try." I said.

Minutes later we arrived in Bethlehem, and they dropped me off in the center of town. I gave them hugs thanked them profusely and waved to them goodbye. I turned towards the town and it was more marvelous than anything. The houses were stacked on top of each other like apartments, and a wide open platform was filled with people bustling to their next location.

I began to squeeze past everyone, when I began to notice what looked like a group of huddled people  sitting down facing someone. I walked towards the group more and every hair on my body stood up when I saw who they were listening to. He was passionately talking using dramatic hand gestures and body language. "Hope in God for I shall again praise him, my salvation and-." He suddenly stopped and looked directly at me like he sensed my presence.

I was completely caught off guard because he looked at me with nothing but pure love and softness. His eyes alone felt like they were calling me. I don't know what came over but I just sprinted to him like he was water in the middle of a desert. We clashed into each other arms and he excitedly whirled me around and we began laughing wildly. "I can't believe it's you, and I'm here and you're here!" I exclaimed..