stranded, but not lost

call me Iarnă

 So many thoughts were racing through my head. Where am I? How did I get here? How do I get home? I had to start by sorting out my priorities.

Honestly, there was a part of my that was excited. This was something that happened in Marvel movies, in fanfiction. Yes, I have fallen down that rabbit hole for sure.

I noticed that I was still standing in a defensive position with my revolver clutched tightly in my hands, and people were starting to give me reproachful looks. Realizing how I must look, I put it back into my leather holster.

Having never been to New York before, I had no idea whatsoever where to go. Because of this, I decided trying to ask a passerby and get a better idea what to do.

Then it struck me. What if I was no longer in the same time, either? Looking around, it looked very modern, so perhaps it was the same time, and if not, only a few years in the past or future.

I made sure to remember that the day I was still in Texas, in Big Bend National Park was July 29, 2019, and I was 12 years old. My birthday is April 7, 2007. I can do this.

Walking briskly to a coffee shop, I tapped the shoulder of a woman in a suit walking past. "Excuse me ma'am, what day is it?", I asked her politely. She gave me a funny look before walking past. I sighed. People were so rude these days.

Looking back around, I noticed a dark haired man standing near an alley, seemingly just watching the people go by.

I walked up to him, and as I did so, I noticed his hair was pulled back in a man-bun and his right arm was completely covered in cloth. Weird. Even though I was getting strange vibes from this man, I decided to walk up to him, as he looked like he wasn't in a hurry.

"Excuse me sir, what day is it?" Asking politely, I took another look at his face and saw that he looked remarkably like Sebastian Stan, no, actually, more like Bucky. Whatever. I shook it off.

"July 29, kid." He said gruffly, as if his voice hadn't been used in a long time.

I blinked. Maybe it was the same time? I needed to know the year, though. "Er, what year is it?"

The dark eyed man looked at me strangely before replying, "2008."

I gasped, tears coming to my eyes as I tried to will them back. I will not be weak. But... If this man was telling the truth, I travelled back eleven years into the past. In 2008 I was one year old.

The man's gaze was unforgiving and cold, I noticed. He didn't seem to give a crap about me. "What's your name kid? How old are you, fifteen?"

The fact he thought me three years older than I was brought a smile to my face. See, I was 5'8", though since I was Korean that did give me a bit of a baby face, which threw a lot of people off.

I let out a halfhearted chuckle. "Tanager Richards-Lee. And I'm twelve."

He looked at me with disbelief. "No, really?"

"Yup, people do that all the time. I can't really prove it, as I don't exactly have my birth certificate on me, but believe me, I am twelve." I told him.

He shook his head. "Well, Tanager, where are your parents?"

Keeping a straight face I replied, "They were killed in an accident along with my little sister. I've been traveling on my own for maybe a week or two."

Whistling, he looked thoughtful. "Hey kid, want to come with me? I can take you to my organization. You won't be safe, exactly, but you won't be on the streets."

Narrowing my eyes at the man I nodded. This whole situation was sketchy, and for all I knew he could be a sex trafficer, but I had my weapons, and it was better than being out on the streets or caught by CPS and put in a likely abusive foster home. I've heard the stories.

"What is your name, anyways? I told you mine, you should return the favor, at least."

He looked lost for a second. "Call me Iarnă. But only when we are alone."

Looking at him incredulously, I replied, "You want me to call you Winter? Sure, I guess."

Iarnă looked surprised again. "You know Romanian?"

"Well, I'm not fluent, but I know a bit." I admitted.

"I'll teach you," Iarnă offered. I smiled.

"Thank you, Iarnă."