Finding Time

Chapter 4: Anna 1871 New Zealand

Anna found herself suddenly flying off a deserted road, landing into a field of grass. She tried pushing the breaks. She did not slow down.

A young man carrying grains on his back huffed at the end of his workday. He heard a loud, rushing noise and then jumped.

Something darted across the road both loud and mechanical.

He screamed.

"Ah! It's an alien from outer space!" he cried.

He darted in the opposite direction, looking back at the machine behind him. It was beginning to open, and so he broke into a dash.

Anna finally had stopped. Exhausted, she pushed the machine open. She found herself in an empty, country field. She turned, looking for the figure she thought she saw on the path.

Sure enough, he was ahead of her, running away.

"No! Wait" she yelled, running through the tall grass after him.

Not looking back, he hid behind a brush, believing she would not see him.

She ran to the bush, hearing him breathe.

"I can hear you," she said. "There's no need to be afraid, I'm not going to hurt you."

The young, brown-haired, and ashed-skin man peeked.

"You're... a human?" he stuttered.

Anna smiled.

"I'm sorry. I was searching around my parents' house. I discovered one of their machines and ended up here."

Anna lent the man a hand, and she took it.

"Anna."

"Kai."

"You look familiar!" exclaimed Anna, peering at him. "Have we met before?"

"I doubt it," he said, "Unless you saw me in passing and forgot."

"Well, what's your last name?"

"Otra."

Her mother's maiden name!

Anna fainted.

...

She slowly opened her eyes, finding the ground moving before her and watching darkness settle into the valley.

Kai was carrying her.

"Ah! Where are we going?"

"Back to my mom's house. You may meet my brother George and my sister Lois as well if they come back from the trip to town. I hope they like you."

She felt uncomfortable. Did her grandfather mean to marry her?

"I have to get back to the car!" said Lux.

"That invention of yours is miles away now, but we can go back tomorrow. It's raining now, and if I leave you in the cold you will get sick."

A wooden house with smoke trailing out of the chimney stood in the distance.

He opened the fence, passing by a field of grazing sheep.

He walked up the trodden path to the front door, opening it.

His mother, a burly woman wearing a dirty apron and white cotton gown opened the door.

"Kai Otra!" scolded his mom. "If you'd been gone for longer and came back tomorrow, I'd suspect you've been visiting the bars and would send your uncle to whip you. Who is this? One of those women that work there?"