Chapter 1: In Which Evelynn Loses Her Spot in Time
Evelynn’s heart pounded inside her chest. The soles of her feet slammed against the pavement, causing a hitch in her breath. Mucus crept up her throat. As she choked on air, a stitch began to cut into her side.
A thief only sometimes makes a good runner. She just hoped that this was one of those times.
Evelynn curled her fingers around the treasure in her pocket. A tiny bracelet, embedded with diamonds. They cut into the woman’s hand as she flew towards freedom. The familiar wails of sirens echoed in her ears and across the streets.
The smell of the city assaulted her nose. Dumpsters filled with sickeningly sweet garbage and the ever-present weed that hung in the air. Smoke and dust, gutters and cigarettes. After a while, everyone that lived there had the same persistent headache.
The headache certainly didn’t help now. Neither did the leering from men, the women’s glares for disrupting their days, and the pointing of small children. Police and their matters were left well enough alone, but grudges were held for disturbing folks’ small existences.
Evelynn gritted her teeth and kept going. That would probably be the only time those people ever saw her anyway, except maybe on the news.
Tangy iron clung to the roof of Evelynn’s mouth. She cut through as many alleyways as possible, where cars couldn’t follow. Shouts began to raise the further she ran.
Save your breath. I’ll only get faster.
Unfortunately, their feet quickened too. The beam of a yellow flashlight almost made the young woman pause.
Sounds wafted into the air as she ran. A trumpet player performing streetside, murmurs from the general populace and the screams of the police sirens all rang through Evelynn’s ears. Her eyes caught the gaze of a young boy, hardly a teenager, bundled in a torn coat. His eyes slid downwards. He turned away as she flew by.
Evelynn’s feet kept on pounding the pavement. Her heart pounded in her throat. It slowly crept further to escaping her mouth every second. The taste of iron began to sting her tongue, forcing her to swallow. She scanned for a way out, an escape. Evelynn dug her heels into the ground for a quick left turn, kicking off with her right foot. The aroma of various piles of garbage assaulted her nose. A small flag caught her eye. It belonged to an old gentleman, a veteran. Evelynn’s passing salute was sloppy, but the twinkle in his smile was worth it.
A hmmph came out of the young woman as she tripped over an old box. Regaining her footing was somewhat difficult, since her legs felt like jelly.
Focus, Evelynn, focus. She could taste freedom. Along with the pizza she had eaten the morning before.
The alleyway came to an end. Evelynn’s hand clutched her precious bounty in her pocket as she entered the street. She could feel the diamonds cutting into her skin. The dark grey jacket she wore was drenched in sweat.
Where could she go?
Dark hair flew up in her face. As she swiped it away, her eyes drifted to a woman holding a baby. Among the hustle and bustle of the cars passing by, the crying baby could still be heard. Evelynn cringed in sympathy, but there was no way to help. People didn’t take kindly to pity disguised in interference.
She kept running. Cars honked and blared as Evelynn held her hands against her ears, letting go of the diamond bracelet in her pocket for a moment. Blood smeared across her face from the hand that had clutched that bracelet so tightly.
The sound of sirens was faint now, but Evelynn knew that they weren’t far behind.
As her feet flew, they found relief. Soft grass cushioned her soles and propelled her forwards. The smells and sounds of the city faded further as she entered the local protected nature park.
The ‘Welcome to Delta Park’ sign filled her with hope. It was the largest park in the city. Getting lost in there would be easy, and that was exactly what Evelynn planned to do.
The stitch in her side pierced through her abdomen. Hopefully, it wouldn’t last much longer. Evelynn inhaled into the pain, releasing her breath as her feet pounded the dirt. The air was cleaned by the trees, and gave her a new-found energy. Trees encompassed the young woman on either side as she ran. The path had been stripped down through the ages with marathon runners and joggers and strollers.
As nice as the path felt on her aching joints, Evelynn knew that it was much too obvious. Cops would search the trails first. After a few moments, she found a quiet place to turn off the main path. Her steps slowed as she went, making sure to leave no evidence of her departure from commonly used corridors.
After Evelynn was sure that it would be near impossible to track her, she began running once again, creating distance between herself and the main road. She zigzagged through the trees. Sharp breaths filled her cheeks and lungs. The taste of copper lingered in her mouth, as if she had stuck a penny in it.
I can’t go much further.
A log blocked her way. Evelynn jumped on top of the rotting wood and felt it creak beneath her in a rush from the extra weight. Her hand went back to her pocket, where the diamond bracelet lay nestled safely. Relief filled her and she stepped down of the old tree, letting it lay in peace once more.
Panting, the thief arrived at a clearing. A small meadow of sorts, a safe haven. It felt peaceful, soft, and welcoming. Evelynn slowed to a walk, and then stopped completely. Her hand reached up and two fingers felt her pulse. Her breathing was labored and harsh. Ice cold air seared her lungs as she tried to calm her body.
It gave Evelynn time to look around. Mossy rocks lined the edges of the clearing, giving the area a faint supernatural feeling. Soft grass filled the center of the meadow. Flowers that looked like lilacs and bluebells danced ever so softly under the waning sun.
At the very end of the meadow, a beautiful gate stood tall. It was white, but old. The paint was chipping and it seemed to have stood there for as long as the park had existed. There were no chains, no locks.
Just the gate, halfway open in the soft breeze.
Evelynn looked back and forth. Silence filled her ears. The birds had gone to bed, and all that was awake now would be hunting or being hunted. Her footsteps fell on the oncoming night, and her hand brushed against the old metal gate. It was cool to the touch, matching the night air’s chill.
A zap went through her body, up and down her spine. The eery feeling didn’t go away as she stepped with one foot through the entry. Then the second foot.
Should I be doing this? Evelynn looked up as she stood beneath the gate. She could see the structural bars holding the gate in place. With a smile, her steps carried her to the other side of the gate.
Another zap caused her spine to shudder. It must’ve been some type of static electricity from the metal gate being used.
Evelynn looked behind her at the tall structure. The gate seemed younger on this side, as if happy to finally be used after so long. This side of the gate was rust-free. The dirt had been wiped clean and the gate could’ve been new.
Perhaps somebody took care of the gate. Whomever it was, they’d missed a side.
Evelynn turned away from her examination. The scent of fresh leaves invaded the woman’s nose, a pleasant change to where she had been merely an hour before. The stitch in her side eased with every step. Evelynn didn’t bother to run. Wherever she was, she felt safe.
But caution still took over in the way she weaved through the trees, emerald moss coating their sides. Everything was richer now. Greener. Deeper. It felt as if age and beauty were the same thing here. They simply existed in harmony on this side of the gate.
Hunger filled Evelynn’s stomach and mind. It had been too long since her last meal. She clutched the bracelet with hope. It would pay for itself soon enough with warm food and sleep. All she needed was a fence for the jewelry. But that would come later. First, Evelynn had to find her way out of the woods.
Exhaustion filled her features, and she stumbled time and time again. Her eyes drooped. The large trees beckoned her into their embrace, promising safety from the predators that roamed in the night. Evelynn was too tired to argue with them. A particularly old tree caught her attention. It was twice as tall as the rest, and the roots made a nest of soft moss and grass.
A couple of rocks dotted the makeshift bed, but they were quickly tossed to the side. Evelynn settled down, clutching the bracelet in one hand and pulling her jacket tight with the other. She curled up against the roots, making herself as inconspicuous as possible. The night wrapped around her, enveloping her in gentle whispers of promised dreams.
Evelynn accepted the invitation, and let her mind drift off to better days.
Morning came with the slow, gentle rise of the sun. The birds awoke in their nests as Evelynn’s eyelashes fluttered open as she lay in her own makeshift best. The trees had made good on their promise, and it had been one of the best nights the young woman had ever had.
A long stretch accompanied a yawn, and Evelynn felt her muscles burn with the effort of the previous day. The soreness would fade in time, but the memory of the past 24 hours would always remain.
She could get used to mornings like this. No loud noises, no disturbing smells on questionable items. No fear of what the day might bring. The only problem lay in her growling stomach, demanding nutrition.
So with a sigh and another large stretch, Evelynn stood to resume her hike. She decided that at this point weaving back and forth wouldn’t do much, so she walked straight. The park had seemed much smaller when she had first entered it, and Evelynn wondered why she hadn’t ever visited before. It was a hidden gem all on its own.
The thief saw a break in the trees, as if another clearing was opening up. A feeling of excitement welled up inside her, and Evelynn’s steps quickened. A small rock halted her progress for a moment, tripping her up slightly. But as Evelynn regained her balance, she looked up. And all she could do was breathe in awe.
Past the trees lay hills. Emerald hills rolling like the waves of the sea. Highlighted in limes and golds, and dotted with flowers. The grass was long and swayed back and forth in a hypnotic dance. The smell of fresh countryside bathed the world in its beauty. The sun smiled down, providing what it had with no cost.
Sheep grazed across the landscape, their soft bleats rising over the grass. As Evelynn traversed over the hills, a rather loud protest caught her attention. A goat had its hoof stuck. It tugged and pulled, but nothing seemed to be working. The goat looked at Evelynn with a look that she couldn’t ignore.
Its coat was a patchwork of brown and white, and reminded Evelynn of spilled chocolate milk. The closer she got, the more she understood his predicament. His hoof had been stuck in a small muddy hole. The more he pulled, the more trapped he became.
Evelynn began speaking softly. “Easy boy, hang on. Let me just get... ah, here’s a stick. Okay, stop squirming.” The goat settled slightly, pausing at the sound of her voice. The stick in question was just enough to push under his hoof. With a quick suction noise, it popped free.
The goat began to prance around, shaking his leg out as he went. He kicked and bucked and then began walking normally. The leg itself seemed to be fine.
“All that fuss. Next time, watch your step.” Evelynn smiled as she spoke, glad that the goat was okay. He glided up to her and nudged her hand. After a quick head scratch, he was off again. But this time he seemed to have a direction in mind.
“Oh, what a pretty home. Is that where your owner lives?” After a long time with no friends, Evelynn found the goat easy to talk to. They walked side by side towards an old cottage. Evelynn hadn’t noticed it before, but with her mind preoccupied she wasn’t surprised at her unobservance.
By the time they made it to the door, the goat was happily chewing at Evelynn’s jacket, much to her dismay. A soft crunch alarmed her, and she pulled out the bracelet for its own good. “I worked hard for this. Don’t you dare eat it.”
The goat huffed and began knocking his head against the side of the cottage.
It was a beautiful home, with ivy growing up the sides and flowers paving the front path. The lawn was filled with rocks, bushes and moss, but those flowers demanded all the attention. They bloomed in yellow, purple, red and blue. Different shapes and sizes filled the beds they lay in. Various herbs sprung up in between each patch of color.
The door opened. It creaked softly, and a head peaked out. It was a woman. Her grey hair hung in a braid past her shoulders, and a shawl was huddled around her.
Her eyes rolled as she spoke. “No, no more travelers. Good day, good bye, be gone... oh, Omar it’s you. Well, I guess if Omar came with you...” Her stance relaxed as the door opened all the way.
“Come in, come in. I’m sorry for the rude welcome. It’s just been so long...” the woman trailed off before returning to the confines of her home.
Evelynn followed, stepping carefully over the threshold. Soft light beamed through the windows, dancing across herbs drying on the ceiling. The sun lit up the room. A wonderful smell filled the cottage, most likely from the stew boiling over the fire. A loaf of bread was baking on a small rack near the coals.
“Tell me dear, how did you come to be here? You are dressed rather strangely. Oh, I have so many questions. Come eat, and then we can talk,” the older woman smiled. “My name is Brigit. What’s yours?”
Evelynn took a breath and began to recount her story. “Evelynn. As for how I got here, it all started when I ran away from home.”
The old woman motioned to a table. It was round and had a couple of chairs tucked underneath.
Evelynn sat, grateful to be off her feet.
“And where is home?” Brigit pulled out the second chair, sweeping her skirts with her hand as she sat down.
The two women faced each other. Evelynn noticed that while Brigit’s hair was white, her face seemed younger, more like her own. “Well, originally it was Colorado. My mom grew up there.”
“Colorado?”
“Yeah, I was over by Denver. In the suburbs.” Evelynn gave a halfhearted smile.
“What year is it?” Brigit seemed confused.
“What?” Now Evelynn furrowed her brow, matching Brigit’s emotion.
“What year is it?” She repeated the question.
“2023…why?”
Brigit nodded as if something suddenly made sense to her. “I’d forgotten. Please, continue.”
Forgotten? The year?
Evelynn let herself shrug off the weirdness of forgetting what year they lived in. It was obvious that somehow, she had teleported. They were nowhere near the city.
Maybe the older not-so-old woman was so far in the middle of nowhere that she lost track of time.
“Anyways, my parents and I got into a huge fight. I wanted to go to college for animal behavioral sciences. They didn’t want to pay for a ‘useless degree.’”
“That doesn’t seem like something you’d run away for.” Brigit stood up to check on the bread.
Evelynn nodded. “Not usually. But I realized I spent my whole life being what my mom wanted. Keeping the peace, raising my siblings, being a good kid. I hadn’t even kissed a boy. I was too busy making sure the kids ate and coming up with lies for CPS.”
Brigit turned away from the bread, wiping her hands on her apron. “CPS?”
“Child protection services. We missed a lot of school when my mom had too much wine. She liked needles and bringing men home.” Evelynn skirted around the subject.
Brigit nodded. “So, you ran away to be your own person?”
“Yeah, so when I turned 18 a couple of months later, I left. I bought a bus ticket and ended up in Chicago. Turns out, money is hard to come by.” Brigit set a bowl of stew in front of her. It smelled like heaven.
Evelynn blushed as her stomach rumbled. “I ended up doing odd jobs, and some of them were the seedy kind. Y’know, running drugs and things like that. I got into picking pockets while I was at it.”
“So that’s why there’s an expensive diamond bracelet in your pocket.”
Evelynn looked up, her spoon halfway to her mouth. “What?”
“I watched you shove it in there. I’m old, not blind lass.” Brigit nodded towards her jacket pocket. Evelynn’s hand was still clutching the bracelet in the folds.
“Umm, that’s an heirloom. Anyways, I got lost and need help finding my way back.” Evelynn shifted in her seat, anxiety clawing at her throat. Admitting to stealing the bracelet could lead to the authorities being called.
Brigit shrugged. “None of my business. Besides, your world and mine are very different. I’m afraid you’ve gotten lost in time.”
“No, I just got lost in the park. If you could give me directions...”
“Your park doesn’t exist here. This land is all forest. You are no longer in the 21st century.” Brigit pushed more bread across the table, but Evelynn no longer felt hungry.
“What are you saying?”
“My cottage is a wandering point for people like you. Nobody has come in a long, long time. The last woman to enter my cottage was from colonial times. Welcome to Ye Olde Scotland, Evelynn.”
