The Test of Time

1

I turn the key to my apartment and step in. I'm instantly greeted by the smell of cinnamon and vanilla, the way my home always smells this time of year. I throw my keys in the tray on the entryway table and head towards the bedroom. I kick my shoes off in the closet and breathe a sigh of relief at the freedom. I peel my work clothes off and throw them in the hamper before tugging on my comfiest pajamas. As I close the closet door I know that I should brush my teeth but I'm truly exhausted from the long day I just had. One glance at my bed and my feet are already pulling my body towards it. I pull back my blankets and flop down. After a few minutes of twisting around trying and halfway succeeding to get comfortable, I fall asleep.

"Elizabeth!" A woman shouts and I stir awake. "How many times do I have to tell you to stop being so foolish!"

I pull myself out of sleep and stare up at a middle aged woman wearing a Victorian style dress with her dirty blonde hair in a neat bun behind her head.

"Seriously, Elizabeth! You're going to ruin your entire reputation and more importantly, the reputation of our family! Do you want to end up a spinster?" She huffs and throws her arms in the air dramatically.

I take in my surroundings. I'm in a barn, laying on a pile of hay bales. I must of slept here all night because there's straws of hay stuck all over my dress. I look besides me and see an imprint where someone must have been laying next me. Images flash into my mind of sneaking out of my room and running to the farm. I remember my body tangled with someone elses before I'm brought back to reality by the woman in front of me striking a swift slap to my right cheek.

"Are you even listening to me? Just look at you, sleeping in a barn like some kind of animal!" She shouts.

Tears begin to well up in my eyes as I stare at the women with as much hatred as I can muster. "You will never understand," I spit. "You will never know the happiness that I feel. You could never even imagine what it's like to love your life and see a bright future. You're a sad old woman that's comfortable with her life and will never change." I stand up to leave and she grabs my arm.

"Don't talk to your mother that way. You need stability and a noble man to take care you. Happiness has nothing to with it."

"I'm not you, Mother. I don't want to be forced into something that I don't want. I'd rather live by my own rules." I turn to leave but her voice stops me.

"If you walk away from me right now, you better not come back. I'm done trying with you. If you want to ruin your virtue this way then go ahead, but I will not protect you any further." Her words hold no emotion and when I look back she's standing perfectly straight, nose in the air, with her hands together at her stomach.

"You weren't protecting me before, just keeping me hidden." I say simply, and walk away.

My alarms goes off promptly at 7am and I'm awakened by the soft sounds of an ocean. My heart is beating faster than normal because of the dream, but I'm used to it. I lay there for a moment just listening to the sounds of waves and staring at the ceiling. Most people forget their dreams, I've come to realize. I, however, remember every detail, every time. Then again they also don't always dream of a strange Victorian life, which has been all I've seen at night since I was little. I sigh and reach over to shut my alarm off and drag myself out of bed.

Once I'm showered, dressed, and ready to start the day I grab my purse and head out. It's a nice day out and I'm dressed in black tights, a brown pencil skirt with an army green blouse and cream colored cardigan, topped off with my favorite black flats. I head to the coffee shop down the street from my apartment and get my usual caramel frappe. The second I take a sip I feel ready to take on the world. I pull out of the parking lot and head downtown to work.