Rose Bloom

Chapter 5: Time Travel

Mary’s eyes fluttered open at sunrise. It took her about two minutes to realize where she was and what had happened. Tracy had looked really freaked out last night. Mary couldn’t stop wondering what she had seen that had scared her that much. She had tried to ask, but Collin had told her it was better to let Tracy alone, and after all he did know Tracy much better, so Mary had to agree. And now that it was morning she could try to find Tracy. But the palace was huge! She could never have found that room by herself. Maybe Tracy would come to get her. So Mary waited five minutes…then ten…then fifteen…then half an hour. But nobody came. Then all of a sudden, Collin burst into the room, without knocking.

“She’s gone! Gone! I’m so sorry I didn’t knock, but I freaked out. Tracy, she just… disappeared. I’ve looked everywhere for her, but it seems she has vanished.”

“Take me to that room we were last night! She must be there. Or at least left a sign.” Mary said just as desperate as Collin. Tracy was her only chance to get back. She couldn’t even think what she’d do without her.

So they rushed to the Practice Room, searching for Tracy. When they got there, everything was in a terrible mess. The table had all sorts of spilled potions and ancient spell books, and everything else was in disorder. But in the middle of the table there was a small note.

“Read it, it must be from her!” Collin said and when Mary stared at him, he added “That’s right; I don’t know how to read, I’m too poor!”

“Oh, I forgot you don’t have schools here. Still in the Middle Age.”

Mary ignored Collin’s ‘what?” and started reading the note.

Dear Mary and Collin,

 By the time you’ll read this note, I’d be long gone. I’ve used that ancient spell to be able to go back in time for 24 hours. Nobody has ever made this spell before, but I have, probably because I actually can travel in time. And before I leave, I’ll tell you why. I saw something peculiar when I looked in the past last night. Something to do with a hag, a cottage and Mary’s necklace, and I feel I have to know more. It might be important. Don’t ask me why. I just feel it. And if I don’t come back in 24 hours, show this note to the king and the queen. They’ll know what to do. Hopefully…

  Love, 

        Tracy

“I don’t like that ‘hopefully’ at the end…” said Collin.

After writing the note and hoping everything will be ok, Tracy put the mixture all over her face, and read the spell she had after two hours found out what it meant. A portal opened in front of her. It was midnight. She had worked for hours to make the spell; she really wanted it to be perfect. She had read all the instructions and she was prepared for anything. She walked right through the portal, making time go exactly to the day she had fixed. It was the day she saw in her second vision. She was ashamed to admit to herself she was very scared. But it was something she simply had to do.

The spell worked! She was in that cabin she had seen only that it was midnight there as well. As the people there were sleeping, she started exploring. She knew that while you were in the past, you were invisible only when you weren’t touching anything. Nobody could see you, but they could smell you and hear you. So she had to be more than careful. She crept around slowly, looking for clues in the dark. The place was as normal as any other house. But there still was something there that made Tracy want to stay more. In a drawer she found family pictures with the man, woman and boy she had seen in her visions. And in every single picture the woman had the bloody necklace. In other drawers she found drawings. She couldn’t understand what they resembled because (1) she was in the dark and (2) they were all soaked. She couldn’t find anything else, so she went upstairs. But all the doors were closed, and if she wanted to open them she’d make some noise, and she’d become visible for a moment. She could find nothing better to do than sleep on the armchair until the people living there would wake up. She was exhausted because she hadn’t slept a minute that night.