The Yankee Captain

You've Got To Be Joking

When we got in the elevator, Dr. Taylor pushed the 10th floor but instead of us going up we went down. From the outside this building didn't look like it facilitated a "down" button but in all the movies, there is always a basement lab. 

The elevator dinged  and the doors flew open. There was a very tall red-headed woman waiting for us on the other side. Dr. Taylor and I stepped out from the elevator and Dr. Taylor greeted the woman. 

"Ana, this is Ms. Nelson. Will you take her to get ready. Ms. Nelson, please excuse me, I need to talk to a few of the lab techs and I will be right with you to explain everything else. From there we will meet up with everyone else and away you all will go!" I just nodded and the doctor left me to Ana. 

"Hello." I gave her a weak smile. This woman was an Amazon. 

"This way." She said. People are not very friendly here. 

I followed the Amazon down a hall and into an open room. In the room there were racks full of clothes and mirrors arranged in a circle. There were chairs in front of the mirrors surrounded by hair products, curlers, flat irons, makeup, and other things. It looked like a starlet's dressing room. 

"Strip.", Ana ordered. 

"No way. Where is the bathroom?" I was not that big of a prude but I just met this woman!

"There isn't one."

"I'm not stripping in front of you."

Ana looked irritated and began to tap her foot but I refused to move. 

"Fine. Wait here." 

Ana left down the hallway we had just came through. I walked across the cement floor to the clothing racks. It was full of clothes specifically for the 1860's, men and women styles. There were a few pieces that would stick out like a sore thumb in 1864 but other than that, all styles were pretty accurate. Since we were tasked with doing a 'geological survey', I chose the most appropriate thing to wear. It was a long, grey skirt with a white blouse that would be tucked in at the waist. Simple is the way to go, especially in a time that so many had so little. 

Ana returned with a folded privacy screen.

"Here." Ana banged it on the ground and she open it. Walking away, Ana went to go sent in one of the chairs a few feet away. I started walking towards the screen when Ana spoke again. "Don't forget the under garments." I blushed then inwardly cringed. I hated corsets. 

I grad a light pink corset and some stockings. I knew the other pieces that I should wear, but honestly who was going to be looking under my dress for a hoop?

I went behind the screen and stripped. I was not going to take off my underwear, once again, no one would be looking so they can get over that. I put on the corset as best I could and then the stockings. I pulled on the skirt and called out to Ana. 

"Can you help me with the corset ties?" I asked her. All to aware of her probably rolling her eyes. 

"Oh now you don't care if I see you."

"Well I am not naked now, so no." I said through clenched teeth. I heard Ana get up and walking over. She immediately grabbed the strings and started to tug. I gasped allowed at the pain. Jesus, how could women wear these things? This corset was untraditionally in the way that it covered my boobs but thank goodness it did of Ana would have sliced them in half with her aggressive tying. When she was done my boobs were to my ears. 

"Thanks." I said breathlessly. 

"Welcome. Now hurry up, we need to do your hair."

Ana walked off. I slide into the crisp, white blouse and boots before sitting in the hairstyling chair. I looked at myself in the mirror and couldn't help but smile at what I saw. I looked like I had stepped out of one of the research books on my desk. 

Ana let down my hair from my horrible bun and sighed. She started hacking away and I tried not to cry out when she pulled my hair every time. Surprisingly it only took ten minutes before Ana was done and twisting my hair up to a low bun. She pinned most of my hair into the bun but when she went to grab for the hair framing my face, I objected. 

"Don't I like it like this." I said. 

"They are overgrown bangs. We should pull them back." She argued. 

"No thank you." I stressed and got up from the chair. "But thank you for everything else."

"Let's go then." Ana led me away from the makeshift dressing room and into a different hallway. The butterflies started to collect at the bottom of my stomach and I thought I was going to puke. We turned right twice and left once, passing many plain doors and rooms until we made it to a blue door. Ana put her hand on the knob and looked at me.

"Ready?", she asked.

I nodded and she opened the door.