The Music of Time

Chapter Eight: Harriet

HARRIET

This is going to be a long trip. Sue's banned instruments for the travel period. That's four hours. We've gone longer living on cards and water, but for some reason, the minutes are dragging on like weeks. Some part of me says we're going to be here on this journey for much longer than four hours.

Josephine brings cards along to most events. Today is no exception.

"Josephine, do you want to play cards?"

"Sure," she pulls them out of her pocket and begins shuffling the cards, "What game do you want to play?"

"I don't really care," I shrug, "You can pick. Maybe B.S., if we have enough people."

Josephine looks around, tapping other corps members on the shoulders. Within a few minutes, she's rounded up a group of people, all eager to play. The only person she hasn't asked is William, maybe also Theodore. She hands me the cards,

"Here, Harriet, you can deal."

We've gotten about four people now. "Thirteen cards for each of us, right?" I ask Josephine.

She nods listlessly, and I deal out the required number. She seems kind of dazed. I don't think she was listening at all. I feel something tap me on the back. I turn around, finding myself staring face to face with Rose.

She's just not good. I'm not saying that's what she is as a person, although I wouldn't fully disagree if someone were to say that. She irks me. Josephine I know doesn't like her, although maybe they've resolved their previous enemy ship. Josephine's one to hold grudges. There are certainly more members of the corps who are more vindictive. Jo's more of the passive type. She'll just turn whatever you say back at her.

Rose is boisterous, loud, and more than occasionally obnoxious. She has a freckled face and green eyes. Each time I see those freckles, they make me more pleased with my plain, milky complexion. At least I don't look like a firetruck on legs.

"Come on, I want to join your game."

Terry rejects this, of course, so she turns to me. "Harriet, can I join?"

I cast a desperate glance around the other players. We've just started. "Um... yeah. I guess so. You know how to play, right?"

She nods. I can't turn her away without making myself look like a jerk. Terry's still not having it. He stands, pumping his chest as if he was trying to intimidate her. It isn't working. They fight until Josephine calms them down with a little teasing. Terry looks like he wants to vomit. I don't blame him - or I wouldn't, if he hadn't totally deserved it.

We play cards for a little bit longer. It's almost my turn. I'm putting down my cards, my mouth open ready to utter my lie when the table straight up disappears. I look up. There aren't any cards in my hand anymore. For that matter, this place isn't the bus. And there is music, weird music.

Authors Note: Harriet is Williams younger sister. She has been doing fife for her entire life.