Jolt

The First Time

For the next few days I was in and out of consciousness. I was released from the hospital when my throat was back to normal. I started going back to school and I made myself go to every swim meet to keep my mind occupied. I think about that day in the locker room a lot, I tell myself that it was some random experience and to not worry about it but I knew better.

The next time that this happened I was on my way home form school. I was walking home when I felt a familiar jolt through my body. I started to panic, this cant be happening again. I quickly put my hands right in front of me so that i didn’t strangle myself again. As long as my hands are not around my neck I should be fine, I became so overwhelmed with pain I fell to the ground so hard I must have knocked myself out. 

I awoke what feels like seconds later in a bed. Someone must have seen me fall outside and brought me inside. I got out of the bed and smoothed the blankets out. The bed faces the door and  I can see the short hallway that leads to what I think is the kitchen. When I walk in the kitchen, they have a tea  kettle over an open flame instead of a stove. The style of this house looks like it has never been updated. I heard a door open and close around me, I turned to see who it was. It’s a women who is wearing a dress that is ankle length with long sleeves and huge puffs on the shoulders. Its tight to the bust but show no skin. It looks like something you would see on Pirates of a Caribbean. Her hair is into a tight bun to the back of her head with small curls by her ears. She looked like she's in her late 30's early 40's.

"You are awake." It wasn’t a question but I answered anyway. 

"Yes." I said. 

I didn’t say anything else because this is all way to weird. She's probably into live action roll playing or Kingdom event kind of stuff. I decided to ask her about her clothes.  

"Why are you dressed like that?" I asked. 

"What are you on about ?" She asked me confused. 

The kettle started to scream, she quickly took it off of the open fire. She placed it on the table."Tea?" Was all she asked. 

"Yes please" I said. I decided not to push any further with my question. 

"One lump or two?" She asked. 

"What?" I asked confused. I was to distracted by my own thoughts, to register the question.  

"Sugar, one or two?" She said again. 

"Two, sorry." I said feeling like I needed to apologize. 

"Its quite alright." She said while pouring the hot water into two tea cups. She doesn’t look familiar, I think I would remember her. 

"What's your name?" I asked. She handed me my cup of tea.  

"Its quite hot. You can call me Margaret, I'm not one for formality." She said. "Who might you be?" 

"I'm Riley Jude." I said extending my hand for her to shake. She shakes it. "Do you have any kids?" I asked. Maybe I know her kids from school.  

"Yes I do, but she does not live with me." She said taking a sip of tea. I might not know her daughter then. "Why do you ask?"  

"Well I just wanted to know if I knew her, did she go to the high school down the street?" I asked. There's still a chance I might know her. She looked at me concerned.  

"You must have hit your head hard. There is no high school down the street." She said. What! How is their not a high school down the street? That makes no sense. 

"What do you mean? I was walking home from school, down the street. Didn’t you see me fall outside on the street?" I asked. I don’t dare to tell her what happened that lead to me falling, she'd think I was crazy.  She furrowed her brow. 

"No, I found you outside. You might have fainted or something. I got someone to help bring you inside, to make sure that you would be okay." She said.  

"Wait you didn’t see me fall? You just found me?" I asked. It makes sense, she could have just come across me while she was walking. 

" I did not see you fall. I came across you while I was walking by River Thames." She said. River Thames what's that? Where am I? I wasn't next to a river when I fell. I don’t think I'm anywhere close to where I fell because the closest river is in the next town over. I got up and walked over to the door to find where I was. I opened it and came face to face with a women. She smelled so bad I had to take a step back. 

"Hello" She said with a frightening grin. I took another step back from her. Margaret walked up to greet her.  

"Hello Mrs. Thomas" she said with a smile. 

"Hello." She greeted. "I'm glad you're awake" she said to me. 

"Thanks." I said. She raised her brow at me. She's a frightening women.  

"Who do you live with?" She asked. 

"My parents?" I said questionably. Why is she asking me where I live? That’s creepy. 

"Where?" She asked 

" In Tree Hill" I said because I don’t think that’s where I am. This lady freaks me out. She looks scary and she smells like death its self. She looks at Margaret  I notice that behind Mrs. Thomas it looked nothing like home. I knew I wasn’t in Tree Hill.  

"Mrs. Thomas a word?" Margaret asked. She nodded her head. They went outside. I ran to the nearest window. Where am I don’t recognize this place. Margaret walked back inside. I need answers and she's the one to give them to me. 

"Where am I?" I demand. She looked at me concerned.  

"London" she said. 

"London?" How did I get here? This cant be real. 

"Come sit down" she patted the seat next to her. I obliged, wanting answers. 

"Mrs. Thomas and I think that you have amnesia." She said 

"What I don’t have amnesia" I said "I'm fine" 

"What might the date be?" She asked 

"April 26" I said. I know the date, I don’t have amnesia. 

"April 26, 1896, and where do you live?" She asked. Did I hear her right? 1896 that means I some how traveled back in time or I'm dreaming. It would explain why Margaret is dressed so weird, if I wasn’t dreaming. 

"Riley." Margaret said trying to get my attention. 

"Yeah?" I asked, "Oh right. I'm not sure, anymore." I said. it wasn’t a lie, I'm not sure how I got here or why but his whole amnesia role might help me for now.  

"That’s okay dear." She said patting my back. " Mrs. Thomas says you could work for her with room and board. You help her with the children at her orphanage, until they get a new home." 

I do need a place to stay until I get back to my own time or wake up, and I'm great with kids. 

"When do I start?" I asked. 

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