Emma's Six- The Final Year

The New Year

We welcome 2010 somewhat reluctantly. I only have a handful of months left before I go back in time, and I intend to make the most of every moment. Once again, I'm packing my bag for school and making sure I have all my homework with me. I did it all at the beginning of the holidays, so I didn't have to worry about it later. But now, things will get tough. All my teachers will want me to study for my subjects, but I fear that the only teacher I will impress is my history teacher. I'm studying so hard for that lesson, and that's not just because of the time travel thing.

'Emma, please don't tell me you're taking three biographies to school,' Jane says when she picks up my bag.
'They're all books on the Stuart and Georgian eras. Those and the Victorian era are the ones I know the least about, but it also seems those are the eras in which we're the quietest. I wonder why that is.'
'We didn't want to cause too much noise,' Anne explains, 'so we kept ourselves to ourselves until in 1895 you decided you wanted to start learning maritime law. It took you an entire year to find employment, and you were thankful White Star Line agreed to hire you in September 1900.'
'Okay,' I say. 'Thanks, Anne. At least I know I don't need to worry about those times as much.' That is a huge relief. There is less I need to focus on, and I can look at the topics I love. Still, it's worthwhile to have an idea of what I'm getting myself into.

I head into the living room, where Harry and James are comparing notes before they return to Project History. 'Need a hand?' I ask.
'I think we're good, but thanks,' James says. I leave them to their notes and walk into the kitchen to get a cup of tea.

Mum and Mummy are already there, sitting and talking at the kitchen table. 'Hey, Emma,' Mummy smiles, 'you all packed?'
'Yeah. I still can't believe this will be my last year at Park Vale.'
'Yes, it will be,' Mum agrees, 'so you better make the most of it.' It's doubtful my older self will happily go back to school after spending several hundred years living through history and learning everything herself. It's the last thing that would be on her mind.

'Two more officers will come through this year,' Mum says. Shoot, I almost forgot about that! Two more officers... who could they be? 'Charles should be one of them, that's if they're going from who died first to who died last with the surviving officers. The other will be a complete mystery.' I nod as I think about it. More of my past is coming through. That is putting more pressure on me to get history right. If I don't... I shake the thought away. I'll be fine; I must be okay.

I head up to the attic, forgetting about my tea, and find Clyde drawing. 'What're you doing?' I ask.
'I'm drawing the basis for a painting,' Clyde says, 'I'm creating fictional characters, and I'm going to give one of them a Sontaran blaster.'
'Very good. Mind if I join you?'
'Of course not. I always like company.' I sit beside Clyde and pull out a history book on the Tudors. Whatever I learn about the Tudors now will help me in a few months. It is what I will go through first, so I need all the help I can get. I guess I'll need as much help as possible with all of history. If my books turn blank, I'll be on my own and can only rely on my memory for guidance.

It's a couple of hours later that the queens find us. 'You still studying there, Smithy?' Anne asks.
'Stop calling me Smithy.'
'Come on, it suits you.'
'I don't think it does.'
'Anyway, last night before school. What do you want to do? Play a game, go on the computer?'
'Nah, I'm good.'

Jane gets a notification on her phone. 'Queens, I think another officer just came through.'
'It's rather late. Where are they?' Clyde asks.
'Mortlake Crematorium in Richmond. Guys, that must be Charles Lightoller!'
'Good old Lights made it through,' Anne smiles. 'We better go and get him- and alert Major Kilburne that he's got another student coming.'
'How do you think he will react to that?' Clyde asks.
'He probably won't be too impressed, but I don't think the officers control when or where they come back.'
'Right.' Clyde returns to his drawing as the other queens run out, and I get a notification come through on the group chat.