1895 Story. Murdoch Mysteries.

Chapter 1: 2022

Evelyn Jones (Monday, history class)

"Evelyn! It's your turn!" Mrs. Langley's voice cut through Evelyn’s thoughts, bringing her back to the present. Her history teacher waited with raised eyebrows, along with the entire class.

"Uh—yes, sorry!" Evelyn cleared her throat, her cheeks flushing. "I'll start by saying that time travel doesn’t exist... It’s just a conspiracy theory, an ideal that will never be achieved." She hesitated, looking down at her notes, then a sly smile tugged at her lips. “Or maybe... we’re just not supposed to know. After all, time travel would be the most dangerous weapon in history if it existed—something too powerful to leave in anyone's hands. So, if it did exist, it’d be hidden away where only a few people would ever know...”

The class stared in fascination, a few murmurs breaking the silence. But Evelyn, her heart still racing, just sat back down, hiding a secret she’d never share with anyone. After all, she was only beginning to understand it herself.

---

Two Days Earlier: (Backstage at the theater)

"Dear ones," Miss Morgan's voice trembled with excitement. "The moment has come. In a few minutes, you’ll be on stage, and I know you’ll be amazing!" Her hopeful smile brightened the room. "Remember, if you forget a line, just improvise—help each other. You're a team!"

Evelyn felt a rush of warmth at Miss Morgan’s words. There was something about her that always made everyone feel at ease, even when nerves threatened to take over. Tonight, they were stepping onto the stage in costumes that looked straight out of 1900, complete with intricate hairstyles and high collars. The applause was going to be thunderous—she could already feel it.

Anna, her childhood friend, burst into the room, carrying a bouquet. "Yn! Look at you! The star of the show!" Anna’s eyes sparkled with pride.

Evelyn laughed, grateful her friend was here. “You’re my biggest supporter. Could I be luckier?”

Anna winked. “Just promise you’ll remember me when you’re famous.”

---

(End of the Show)

“Bravo! Bravo!” The audience's cheers and applause filled the hall as the cast bowed. Evelyn felt like she was floating, overwhelmed by the standing ovation. The whole team beamed, glowing with a sense of accomplishment.

Backstage, Miss Morgan hugged each of them, her eyes misty with pride. When she reached Evelyn, she whispered, "You were wonderful, dear. Could you do me a favor and grab the blue bag from storage?"

Evelyn nodded, watching her teacher disappear into the crowd of students. The mystery of a blue bag intrigued her, especially since Miss Morgan hadn’t said what was in it.

---

David Hemilton (Monday, math class)

David stared blankly at the chalkboard, f(x)=18...95. His mind was elsewhere, replaying the events of Friday night. Time travel. Could it really exist? And if so, how had he ended up part of something this big?

"David?"

He snapped out of his thoughts, noticing his teacher’s stern gaze. "Oh, yes... the answer is 95?"

The teacher nodded, satisfied, and moved on, but David was still consumed by what he’d experienced. The show, the prop room, the strange girl he’d run into—and the mirror.

---

Flashback to Friday: (Backstage at the show)

"David, I have to leave early. Can you handle packing up the props?" Paul gave him a quick pat on the shoulder before disappearing into the crowd.

"Yeah, got it." David watched his friend disappear, his eyes shifting back to the stage as the curtain opened, and the lights dimmed. The lead actress caught his eye—her confidence, her charm. Who was she?

As the show ended and the audience dispersed, David went to work, hauling boxes of costumes down to the storage room. He was nearly blinded by the load in his arms, maneuvering his way down the narrow, dark staircase.

---

Evelyn

Evelyn crouched down, peering at the dusty shelves in the dim light. She finally spotted the blue bag Miss Morgan had mentioned. "Gotcha!" she whispered, reaching for it when something made her pause—a dinosaur costume, of all things, hanging on a nearby rack. She smirked, imagining her teammates in the ridiculous outfit.

Then came a loud crash behind her, and she turned just in time to see a tower of boxes spilling toward her.

---

David

The boxes slipped from David's grip, toppling forward with a series of bangs and crashes. "Oh—no, I didn’t see you there! Are you okay?" He reached out, hastily moving the boxes aside. His heart skipped a beat as he took in her face—a girl with bright, curious eyes that seemed to see right through him.

Evelyn let out a small laugh, brushing herself off. "I’m fine. Just didn’t expect anyone else here... What about you? You look like you’re wrestling a mountain."

David laughed nervously. "Guess I’m more of a hazard than a help.” Then his gaze shifted to the mirror she was staring at—a tall, strange-looking one with buttons around the edges. It was out of place in a storage room.

“What’s that for?” Evelyn asked, her voice steady and cautious as she pointed to the large red button.

“I don't know, but it looks interesting,” David replied, his eyes glinting with curiosity as he stepped closer. “What do you think it does?”

Evelyn frowned, crossing her arms. “I think it’s best if we don’t find out. Red buttons never end well.”

David grinned, undeterred. “Come on, isn’t a little danger part of the fun? Aren’t you curious about what it could do?”

Evelyn rolled her eyes. “Curious, yes, but also sensible. We should really leave it alone.”

But David’s curiosity was already overpowering his caution. Ignoring her warning, he leaned forward and pressed the button. The red light flared, followed by a piercing siren that echoed through the storage room. They stumbled back, covering their ears, squinting against the blinding flash.

When the light faded, the room looked… different. The shelves were bare, the walls a drab gray, and a stale smell filled the air.

Evelyn blinked, disoriented, her gaze falling on the date displayed on the mirror’s screen: 13.11.1895.