Time Warp

The year was 1942 when she disappeared. It was a cloudy day, threatening rain. The two friends were walking tighter down the streets, trying to get home. A lanky blond boy walked with a petite burnete who walked with her head high and a smile on her face. She had been delt a rough deck of cards, but she always managed to get out ok. She was always able to smile. That is why Steve liked her. Lucille King was one of the few people who got to know Steve. It was in elementary school when they first met.

Steve was being picked on by two boys in the schoolyard. Steve had always been thin and small, an easy target for bigger, meaner boys. Steve was on the ground and one of the boys went to kick him. A small girl had run over and tackled the boy. The two of them fell and Lucille had landed on top of the older boy. She grabbed him by the collar and shook him back and forth. They struggled together until a teacher came and picked her up off the boy. He had a bloody nose and hears running down his face.

Lucille skinned bother her knees and was sporting a bruise on her cheek. The teacher pulled the two aside and attempt to get the story. The two children kept bickering that nothing really got accomplished. Eventually the teacher decided they would have to stay after school and clap erasers as a punishment for fighting. The look of fear on Lucille's face did not escape Steve.

The next day Steve walked into the classroom and sat down next to Lucille. Today she was wear a faded blue dress. It was slightly frayed at the hems. He noticed her bruise was darker and her head was hung low. She wasn't smiling. He leaned over to see what she was drawing or writing when she snapped her head to him.

"What do you want?" She snapped and glared. Steve startled back, surprised by the outburst.

"Um. I just wanted to say thanks." Steve said. He noticed Lucille had started picking at her dress. "You got those boys away from me." Her shoulders relaxed and so did the you girl's face. She turned back to her doodle shyly.

"You're welcome." sHe almost whispered.

"Why did you help me?" He asked. Lucille looked at him with curious eyes, not understanding the question. "Why shouldn't I? I thought you were supposed to stop people from being hit."

"I thought so too, but no one ever does." Steve said quietly. Lucille looked to her paper before looking at Steve with a smile and bright, hopefull eyes. "Hey, do you want to have lunch with me? Maybe if we stick together, people will leave us alone!" Steve smiled at the offer and agreed.

From then on , the two were inseperable through the years. Even though their classes were split in middle and high school, they always studied together, hugn out, ate together, shared their dreams. When Steve found out about her alcoholic father, he would let her stay over at his house when the man got violent. Steve's mother was more than willing. When Steve's mother died, she was there to help him through it. The two were there for each other, through thick and thin.

It was a day in 1942 when Lucille disappeared and it was a day Steve never forgot.

The two were walking quickly to their homes, Steve had met up with Lucille earlier. She had been going to try and find a job with the military, like a secretary job. She wanted something better than being a waitress. She wanted to put herself through college, become a writer or something. She had ran into Steve afterward and they decided to get dinner and walk back. Now they were trying to make it home before it rained.

"So how do you think it went?" Steve asked as they crossed a street. Lucille's shoes clicked against the pavement.

"I am not sure. The man said they would call me when they decide. Who knows how long that is going to take." She said exasperated. Steve smiled.

"You are one of the best writers in our class. I'm sure you can get something." Steve offered. Lucille shrugged and tried not to shiver. It was getting late and the sun was going down. The wind had picked up and brought goose bumps to her arms. Steve must have noticed because he took off his warm brown coat and wrapped it around her. She smiled, greatful for the warmth. She had been wearing a brown wrap around dress that had a black belt around the waist and stockings. Not enough to block the wind.

The two continued talking as they walked down the busy streets. The sun had set and dark storm clouds loomed overhead. The two froze as a loud clap of thunder shook the ground. Lucille hated storms. Steve's small apartment wasn't far, but she needed to go home and cook supper before her father got home.

"Steve, I'm going to catch the bus home. I need to cook supper." She said as she took off his coat and returned it to him.

"Luc, are you sure you don't want to wear it until you get home?" She shook her head and smiled at him. "Steve, you are such a sweet heart. Surprised you haven't gotten yourself a girl yet." Lucille teased and Steve blushed. "Hurry home, before you catch cold." She said and reached up to give him a quick kiss on the cheek, leaving red lipstick behind. She turned and began to cross the street. The next crosswalk was a block away and the bus was already heading to the stop. She trotted into the street as it began to rain lightly.

Steve saw the car before it struck her. It was going so fast he didn't even have a chance to warn her. The car was seconds away from hitting Lucille when a bolt of lightning reached down from the heavens and struck her. Steve had to turn away and cover his ears from the resounding boom of thunder and crash of a car.

When he looked back up, his friend was gone. People gathered around trying to see what had just happened. There was no blood, no body and no Lucille.

It had just started to drizzle.

Lucille saw the car heading straight for her. She held her breathe waiting for the impact when a blinding white light flashed around her. She raised her hands to shield her eyes. When she opened them again, she was disoriented for a moment. It was so much brighter and louder. She was on a sidewalk somewhere. And it was pouring. Thunder boomed overhead and startled her into movement. She almost ducked to avoid the noise.

Lucille looked around, panicked. Where was she? Was she dead? Where was Steve?

She ran down the sidewalk.