PAST TIMES

Chapter 1: It would happen to me

Shoot! How could I have overslept!? I have a final in exactly five

minutes. Okay shoes, pencil, paper, key...

and I'm out. I swear on my life if this elevator takes forever I am going to scream. There is no way I will arrive on time

if I take the stairs. Life loves me that's why I'm on the tenth flood, that's why my alarm only goes off in the middle

of the night, that's why everything I get involved in blows....

That's how my day began. As one could tell, I wasn't all the way focusing on what was going on, just that I

needed to get to class and remember all we went over. Not to mention I had gotten like 2 hours of sleep after staying up all night studying.

The elevator doors opened and I darted in without thinking. How I wish that damn alarm had gone off earlier

and I had not been rushed. Then I may have noticed that the doors opened to no elevator but just the shaft, then I

might not have darted in, then I probably wouldn't have fallen. As I fell, time slowed. Well I thought it was slowing

because I hadn't hit the bottom of the shaft and died yet and it seemed like I'd been falling for some time, yet

everything sped up so I'm not sure what was happening. All I know is when I finally opened my eyes, for I shut them

when I began to get dizzy, I was no longer in the shaft. I was in the grand lobby. and I was okay, well I mean clearly

i wasn't okay because I thought I just fell down an elevator shaft and apparently didn't. Two men stood at the doors

that led into the old ballroom. You see, our dorm used to be a very rich academy in the 1900s, but now it was simply an old,

broken down complex with a lot of history.

The two men were dressed in old fashioned tuxes and the lobby, as I looked around, looked brand new and

incredibly fantasy and expensive. One of the men finally spoke up in a formal voice.

"Miss, pardon me, but are you alright?"

I didn't have time to answer because a young couple walked in. Both dressed very nice, but not of this time.

They were dressed from the past in elegant clothing. They were very proper and walked straight to the doors where

the men opened them. That is when I heard the wonderful music of Debussy. I recognized it immediately, he was one

of my favorite composers. I began to walk forward when I realized what I was wearing. I had a long royal blue dress

on. It was tight like a corset around my waist with a glimpse of cleavage in the scoop necked ruffled top. The

sleeveless dress' straps were around my shoulders and I had long white gloves. What the heck was going on?

I began to walk forward as I tried to piece together what was happening. The two men looked at me questioningly,

but opened the doors regardless. I entered to a blast from the past. The ball room, which hadn't been entered in decades,

was full of beautiful colors swirling around in a ryhthmetic form as the music played. The colors were dresses worn by

young girls that were being spun around by guys, all close to my age. What the hell?! was the only thing being repeated

countless times in my head. Nothing seemed to make sense. Its was strange too, because I thought maybe I was unconscious and

dreaming, yet somehow I knew I was awake.

I don't know how long I stood there, but I finally decided to walk forward. A young man approached me and I

could tell that even if I turned away he had every intention of confronting me. So I smiled instead of attempting avoidance and welcomed his company,

just to prevent awkwardness, and figured maybe talking to someone would help lessen the confusion that was overwhelming me.

He took a very formal and distinguished bow and spoke

"Would you pleasure me with a dance, madam?"