Link To The Past

Chapter Sixteen

Would it be enough for Thomas to stay?
Yes. These thoughts were what ran through his head all day. While Kristine went to school Thomas stayed at her place and occasionally went outside to sit on the front porch. There he saw paved roads, sidewalks, houses only standing about fifty feet away from each other.
Thomas was so used to waking up to the sound of birds, the footsteps on the wooden floors, the horses, chickens, and other animals. Lately, though, he had been waking up to the sound of cars driving by, police sirens, and other noises that were foreign to his ears. Small patches of grass laid smoothly where the cement had not been caked on.

It had only been a couple days and already Kristine was telling him everything there was to know about the twenty-first century. His mind was blown away by all the information! What was this thing called "Internet"? It had so much to offer.
He kind of liked it.
Thomas then realized someone calling out his name and he looked up to his side and saw Kristine's mother. "I'm going into town. Stay here. My husband should be getting back soon." With that, she got into her white car and was off within seconds.
Thomas had desperately wanted to go visit Kristine at her school. He had gone with her when she was dropped off a couple of times and thought for sure he had the way to get there memorized well.

Kristine sat in her last hour of class, looking up at the clock that never seemed to move fast enough.
Damn clock! She thought. Go faster!
She laid her head down on the desk for a moment and closed her eyes. She suddenly remembered bits and pieces of what happened while she was at the Martin household.
Kristine sat straight right after that and ran her fingers through her hair a couple of times to help calm herself down and looked down at her "early American history" book.
A little smirk came to her face. Thomas would love this, she thought. Finally, the bell rang. It was time to go home!
She first walked to her locker, putting away some of her books and then strapping her backpack on.

On her way out, she headed right to the front gate of the school and who did she find waiting there? One of the biggest bullies in the whole school.
Oh great, She thought.
He stopped leaning up against the wall and took a few steps towards Kristine. "Hey, Kristine!"
She scoffed at him. "Go away, Moron!" She brushed past him and waited for her ride.
"Don't be like that, Kristine. I only want to talk."
"About what? How big of an ego you have? No thanks!"
"Touché." He walked closer to her.

Kristine moved further to the side to get away from his reach. "Did I not make myself clear? GO AWAY!"
"Hey! Don't yell at me!" The bully moved up fast and pushed her back some.
Kristine's backpack was heavy though and the weight of it made her fall flat on her bottom. "Ouch!" She let the straps slip off her arms and quickly stood up and pushed the bully back.
The look in his eyes grew fierce.
Kristine didn't think that someone smaller than him had ever stood up to him before.
"You have some nerve!" He wrapped his arms around her and then tried kissing her!
Kristine was not about ready to let that happen though and brought up her knee fast and hit him where the sun didn't shine.
He made a loud grunting sound and backed away from her for a moment but then shot back up after her.
He cursed at her and even slapped you hard across the face. Blood dripped from the corner of her mouth.
Kristine was in too much shock to bring her senses together until a familiar voice rang out.

It was Thomas, and there he saw Kristine get slapped. This site stopped him dead in his tracks, but only for a moment. His fists clenched, eyes narrowed and his temper rising. "Keep your disgusting hands off of her!" He yelled.
The bully turned around. "Who the hell are you?" he said in an irritated tone.
Thomas decided to skip the introduction and get right to the butt-kicking.
He took long strides, pulled back his right arm and punched the bully at full force.
The boy nearly fell unconscious, but he managed to slip out of it. He shot up fast and threw a nasty punch too sent Thomas stumbling a few feet back. Thomas took the bully by the shirt and slammed him up against the gate wall. "Who am I, you ask? My name is Thomas Martin and that girl over there is my friend. If I EVER see or hear about you laying another hand on her, I will not hesitate to hunt you down and break every bone in your legs! You got that?" Thomas loosened his grip and let the terrified bully go and watched him run off.

"Thomas!" Kristine yelled out his name and that's when Thomas turned to face her, bring her into an embrace. "How did you find my school all on your own? Oh, thank you so much!" She released him from her grasp and that's when Thomas saw a thin line of blood on the corner of her mouth. "He hurt you." He wiped away the blood with his thumb.
Kristine shook her head. "Don't worry about me, Thomas. I'm a smart girl. A few more blows below the belt would have done him in." She laughed a little. "C'mon. Let's go home." She took his hand and the two walked side-by-side the rest of the way back.
One word really caught Thomas's attention though: Home. Where was home exactly? Back at the farm? Or was it here with Kristine?