Thirteen year old Lynnie Wilhem sat hidden in the tree, watching as everyone went inside the school for class. She knew she should go as well, but she didn't care. Why bother? School was boring, it didn't challenge her. Sure she got into trouble for skipping but so what? She didn't have any parents and the orphanage was too busy to properly deal with one troublesome orphan.
"Hello sweetie."
Lynnie looked down to see a woman with lots of curly caramel-coloured hair looking up at her. "Um, hi?"
"Shouldn't you be in class?" The womna had an English accent.
"Yeah."
"So why aren't you?"
"It's boring."
The woman smiled. "I quite agree."
Lynnie blinked. Most adults never said that. "You do?"
"Yes. Mind you, I was somewhat of a troublesome student, so my opinion might not be valid. What's your name?"
"Lynnie Wilhem," Lynnie replied.
"Well Lynnie, what's your thought on history?" The woman asked.
"Boring as hell."
"Language," she chided, her smile betraying her tone. "What about space?"
"I'm never going to walk the moon if that's what you're asking," Lynnie snorted, confused.
"What if you could?"
Lynnie stared. "I just said-"
"I know what you just said," the woman said. "I'm saying that if you wanted to, you could walk the moon. I'd take you now, but seeing as we don't have any spacesuits, I'm afraid we'll have to settle for something else. What do you think?"
Lynnie jumped down to stand in front of the strange woman. "I think you've gone mad."
"Lynnie, what time in history have you always wanted to see?"
"Why?"
"Just answer, please."
Lynnie sighed. It was either this or school. "I've always been interested in the sinking of the Titanic. Don't know why that's relevant though."
The woman lifted up her arm and pressed a few buttons on some weird black watch-thing. "Atlantic Ocean, Titanic, April 9th, 1912 it is. Hold on." The woman gripped her wrist and suddenly they appeared on the deck of a large ship. Lynnie gaped openly at passing people; the men wore old-fashioned suits and the women wore old-time dresses. A quick look skyward revealed four smokestacks, only three of them releasing smoke.
"What the hell..."
"Language," the woman smiled. "You wanted the Titanic; I gave it. I made sure that it wasn't on impact day."
"How?" Lynnie breathed.
The woman held up her wrist. "This," she said, tapping the big black watch. "Is a Vortex Manipulator. It is a simple and fast way of travelling through space and time." Gripping Lynnie's hand and pressing the buttons, they appeared in the schoolyard again. "Same day as we left. Cool, isn't it?"
"Extremely," Lynnie managed to breath.
The woman smiled. "I knew you'd say that." She took off the Vortex Manipulator and handed it to Lynnie. "Here. Take it."
Lynnie balked. "What? Why?"
"Because I've seen your future, Lynn Amelia Wilhem, and it is amazing. You need the Vortex Manipulator to begin it though. This moment in time is a fixed point, meaning that it can never be changed. If it were to be changed, the effects would be catastrophic."
Lynnie grew nervous. "So if I say the wrong thing I could blow up?"
"More like the universe," said the woman. "But no. The fixed point is when you take the Vortex Manipulator. After that it's all up to you. Just, don't meddle with any important history, okay? And be careful not to offend any of the aliens you meet." The woman started to walk away.
"Wait!" Cried Lynnie. "Aliens? What aliens? And how do I work this thing?"
"You'll figure it out," the woman called back, not turning her head. "And when you do, if I were you - I'd take the next year off and travel." She turned the corner of the building and was out of sight.
Lynnie looked down at the Vortex Manipulator. Attaching it to her wrist, she began to eagerly fiddle with the buttons. She suddenly found herself standing inside a log cabin, one that reminded her of the kind that pioneers slept in. Glancing down at the screen on the Vortex Manipulator she quickly understood.
Date: July 17, 1863
Time: 10:09 am
Location: cabin
Planet: Earth
Lynnie grinned. Definitely pioneer. Spotting a wooden chest she opened it to find a pale blue dress with an apron and a bonnet inside. She quickly changed out of her shorts and t-shirt, exchanging them for the pioneer garb. Not a moment too soon, an elderly pioneer woman entered the cabin. She jumped slightly at the sight of Lynnie.
"Oh, hello young lady," she greeted. "Are you the girl that's replacing Mary until she gets back? Poor thing, sick with fever. Her mother told me she feels awful for leaving me alone to do all the baking for the fundraiser on Saturday."
"Er, yes, I'm Lynnie Wilhem," Lynnie introduced, struggling to hide her accent. "My family was passing through to meet some relatives for the fundraiser when my Ma caught wind of your predicament. She sent me right over with instructions that I'm to stay and help you until Saturday."
"Are you alright girl, your voice seems a bit strange," the old woman said. "You're not sick, are you?"
"Just a bit of dust from the wagon," Lynnie lied. The old woman nodded.
"Well then, help me with the pies then. We've got no time to waste."
Lynnie smiled and thought I've got all the time I want.