Taken About Time

Chapter Three - My "Body Type"

Amelia P.O.V 1st person

We were steered down endless corridors, joining with other groups, and finally into what looked hall of changing rooms.

It looked new but at the same time well used.

"Alrigh'!" One of the guard's began booming in the sort of voice you could tell he used often.

I gripped Leah's hand apprehensively, and tried to keep my other hand as normal as possible.

Seriously A? You're in this situation and that is what you care about? He won't even notice, and if he does he'll justify it. Look around you.

But still.

"Guys clothes to the righ', girls clothes to the lef', yer can wear what yer want but hurry up!" The guard in front of us ordered.

Reluctantly I let go of Sam's hand.

"I'll see you at the other end?" I tried to stay calm.

"Yeah," he cracked a uneasy smile . "See you on the other side."

We were forcibly directed into the room on the left. Which was nothing but four bland white walls.

There was a woman at the front on the room on a small stage, dressed in a pink jumpsuit.

"Hello darlings." She smiled at us, her voice and smile sickly sweet after the door had closed shut behind us.

A murmuring rumbled through the crowd

I leaned over to whisper in Leah's ear, my panic rising. "I'm not sure we'll make it out alive."

Her face was white. "If we don't, I love you and I should have told Michael how I felt."

I saw Kasey's head through the crowd. "Next time we move, try to get closer to Kasey." I murmered.

Leah nodded nervously.

The murmuring died down and the woman on stage began to talk again.

"Now, you're going to be divided into three groups. Tudors will go with Maria over here." She pointed to a scowling guard to her left. "Victorians will go with Maisy over here." She pointed to another scowling guard in front of her. "And the Elisabethans will go with Lisa over here." A third scowling guard waited beyond her pointed finger.

"And don't worry. This clothing has especially been made to suit all body types." She giggled.

The woman in the middle (Maisy?) snapped her fingers and guards appeared, surrounding those of us in the middle.

"That wasn't very much information." I whispered.

"Silence slave!" Maisy(?) yelled. "I won't hesitate to stun you."

Slave, huh? Well, at least we're not going to die.

We were marched out the door, down the corridor and into another room where upon entry we were all handed brown coloured dresses with the texture of a sack and belts that matched.

I decided it would be a good idea for me to get to know the people around me.

"Hi," I said to the timid (and rather dirty) looking girl next to me. "What's you name?"

She jumped. "O-oh! Alice, miss."

"Okay... I'm Amelia."

She looked a year or so younger than me, but very shy and quiet. 

"Tis nice to meet you miss Amelia."

She spoke weirdly different. I narrowed my eyes.

"Where are you from Alice?"

"My apologies miss, but I do not know. I am unable to read,  you see. But I can tell you, my master's land is large and rich."

My eyebrows rose. Master?

"What country?"

"England, miss."

I must have looked shocked because she quickly added.

"I'm sorry if that offends you miss, I did not mean to displease you."

"Just... don't call me 'miss' please. Just call me Amelia. That way we're more like friends."

I noticed that she already had her dresses on and neatly tied up.  While almost everyone else was struggling.

"Can you help me put the dress on?" I asked.

"Of course mi-Amelia." She moved over and easily dressed me as if she did it every day.

"Woah, can you help me too." Leah asked.

"Of course miss" Alice replied, moving over to help her.

"Call me Leah," Leah replied. "Thanks."

"Alice?" I asked cautiously. "What year is it?"

"I'm not sure, Amelia. I never really get told much." She caught herself before calling me 'miss' again.

"Tell me, who is on the throne?"

"Why, the great Queen Victoria, long live the queen." She replied, half automatically, half curiously. "Do you not know?"

I turned to Leah who's eyes were as wide as mine.

"I think I know what's going on."