Time Away

Chapter 1

Author's Note: That picture above is Lily. 

This book is dedicated to my little sister, Lily. August 18, 2014 - August 18, 2014. I love you.

Victoria got trapped in the past. Her time machine was destroyed, so she had no idea how she would get back to the year 4135. Until then, she had to get a job which was hard because Roman women didn't have equal rights, meaning it was almost impossible to get a job. She couldn't get married. That would cause too much chaos. Besides, she wasn't old enough.

But she did get a job. She was the nurse for the king's daughter. She was just a small baby. Her name was Priscilla. Victoria knew exactly what to do. To fix her time machine. She needed another person because when a time machine breaks it needs heat to repair it and two humans body heat makes the perfect amount, and something made of pure gold because gold could power up her machine, but she had lost her original piece of gold that she had had with her.

One night, when everyone was asleep Victoria was taking care of Priscilla when she took her, along with her crown which was made of pure gold.

Priscilla started to cry which woke up the king and his wife. They both came in and Victoria hid with the baby in her arms. "Priscilla!" the queen exclaimed. "Where is she? And what happened to the nurse?" The royal guards came into the room.

"Search for them. They can't have gone far," the king ordered.

When no one was looking, Priscilla climbed out of the window and ran to her time machine, which was on the outskirts of town. She got in and since there were two people and the crown, it started up, and Victoria pushed the button.

Lily was sitting in the room waiting for Victoria. If she didn't come back in five minutes, then Lily would go looking for her. But she didn't come. Lots of people had time machines, but everyone was too scared to use it. Victoria was the first one brave enough to do it. Lily did have one. But never used it. Now she had to do it. It's been ten minutes. Lily climbed in and pushed the button.

The time machine was in The Nothing again. Victoria remembered this feeling from when she used the time machine for the first time five years ago. Then she could see the sun again. She was back on Earth. But what was the year? There was a grocery store nearby so she walked inside and she knew exactly what year it was. "Hey! Don't be so selfish and try to wear a mask!" someone said angrily when he saw her. "Oh no! No no no!" Victoria said. Victoria ran outside with Priscilla in her arms. Outside there were a bunch of signs saying, Wear a Mask, We are all in this together and instructions on washing your hands. "I'm in 2020!"

Lily was in The Nothing. She had made Victoria put a tracker on her arm so if one of them were in trouble, they could always find each other. Now she was tracing Victoria.

Victoria climbed in the time machine again. She was in nothing again. But there was something out there. They got closer. It was another time machine. Lily was inside. They both exchanged a gasp before they flew in opposite directions. Victoria landed again. There was a big crowd of people. Thousands of people. They were all outside, cheering. "10! 9! 8!" the crowd was shouting, "7! 6! 5! 4! 3! 2! 1! Happy New Year!!!" A big ball dropped down. A big screen lit up that read 2008. Victoria ran away. Still holding the baby. She ran into a big building. Inside were apartments. Victoria went to the elevator and pushed a random button. It went up to the sixth floor and Victoria went to the first door on the left. On the door had the number 51. Victoria knocked on the door.

Lily landed in Ancient Rome. Outside there was chaos. Guards were running around shouting, "Don't stop until you have found the nurse and princess!" Lily went out and stopped one of the guards. "What is going on?" Lily asked him.

"The nurse stole the princess!"

"Who was this nurse?"

"I think her name was Veronica or something like that. And she said she was lost. And she didn't know how to get back. She said she needed to have a job until she could get home. But can you imagine? A woman? Having a job? Ridiculous!"

The guard ran away.

"Wait! What was the princess's name?"

"Priscilla! Where have you been?"

"Oh no!"

When Lily and Victoria were little, someone discovered an ancient Roman diary and everyone saw a picture of it. Many people learned many ancient languages from early on because history was a big deal. Lily knew Latin so she read it to the class because not even the teacher knew Latin. It said that the emperors' daughter Priscilla was stolen in the night and was never seen again.

Lily was always fascinated by the diary. But she never planned on actually going to Ancient Rome. She went back to the time machine to continue tracking Victoria.

Before anyone could answer the door, Victoria set Priscilla on the welcome mat and ran back to the elevator. When the doors were closing, a little girl of seven opened the door. "Mommy! Mommy! It's a baby!"

"Oh my gosh! Is anyone there?"

Victoria didn't hear the little girl's mom because she was already going down. Victoria felt ashamed because of what she had done. Lily would have never done anything like that. But that is what she was like. Victoria, however, was the person who always got in trouble. But that didn't matter. She had kidnapped someone and taken her out of her time zone. What would that be like? She didn't want to think about it. A silent tear rolled down her cheek. She ran out of the building and got in her time machine. She went somewhere that wasn't allowed. The year 2000002458 but no one called it that. It was nothing. There was nothing there. Victoria was planning on staying here for the rest of her life.