New York City, USA

October 10, 2013

3:17 pm

Javits Center, Manhattan

"I can't believe how exciting this is!" cried Lizzie as she tossed her brown hair back and pulled her camera close.

"Neither can I! I never thought it would be this much fun!" replied her best friend, Cat.

"We're actually at ComiCon! In New York!"

"You two are dorks," said Kaylie.

"Shut up, you're just as much a dork as we are! You nearly destroyed what hearing I have left when you saw Jensen Ackles."

"Meh," replied Kaylie.

"Is it time to have lunch yet? I'm starving."

"You're always hungry, Lizzie."

"Shut up Kaylie, you're a fatass too!"

"Ladies!" cried Cat.

"Ok, should we stay here and pay $20 a person or go find something outside of the convention?"

Cat shrugged. "I'm good for anything. I don't really want to leave though."

Lizzie checked her schedule. "I mean, there's not really anything going on the rest of the day that any of us are interested in. All the best stuff is happening tomorrow."

"Let's just go then," said Cat, stifling a yawn.

"I know a pizza place nearby, and you two can just take the subway back to your hotel," said Kaylie.

It was a chilly October afternoon when the three friends left the convention and headed for an early dinner. It was Cat and Lizzie's first time in New York and the entire week preceding the event had been full of sightseeing and both of them were tired. It was only the very first day of the convention and they both seemed happy to get away and head back to the hotel. Little did either of them know that in just a couple of hours, they would begin to question everything they knew about the world.

"So I'll see you guys tomorrow."

"Yeah, we'll probably be there around nine," replied Lizzie.

Lizzie and Cat left. They hopped on the subway and sat, exhausted, on the seat. Cat yawned.

"This vacation has been awesome so far but I'm going to need another one just to recover," said Lizzie as she rested her head on Cat's shoulder.

Cat nodded.

The train jerked and came to a sudden stop. Cat and Lizzie looked at each other.

"What was that?"

"I don't know," Lizzie said as she stood up. She glanced around her and then realized the train was now empty. "Wait a minute, there's no one else on the train!"

Cat stood up and looked around. Moments before, the train had been full of people but it was now completely desolate. No doors had opened.

"What the hell is going on?" cried Lizzie.

"I don't know, but let's get out of here NOW!"

Lizzie ran toward the door and attempted to pry it open but it wouldn't move.

"Oh my gosh, what are we going to do?" said Lizzie, sitting in a nearby seat.

Before Cat could answer, the doors opened. Lizzie and Cat looked at each other and ran off of the train. Hand in hand, they ran out of the station as the train rumbled down the tracks. Outside it was still cool but everything looked different.

"Where exactly are we? What stop was that?" said Lizzie, her voice shaking with emotion and fear.

"Um, Lizzie, we're not in New York."

"Must have gone further than we thought. Where are we .." she stopped as she glanced around her. "Oh my gosh, are we even in America anymore?"

"I think we're in London," replied Cat.

Both of them stood there, frozen. Neither of them spoke a word.

"How?"

"I don't know, Lizzie! I don't know how we started in New York and ended up in London!"

"Something is terribly, horribly wrong."

"Why is it so quiet? Shouldn't there be more people?" said Cat.

"What time was it when we got on the subway?"

"I don't know, like six?"

Lizzie looked at her watch. "It's showing me 6:37 right now. That means it's 10:37 here. That is if my watch wasn't damaged in..whatever the hell we just went through."

"Wait, how did you know that?"

"The time difference is four hours from New York to London. Don't ask me how I know."

Cat shrugged it off. "What should we do?"

"I think we should find a place to stay and get this sorted out," replied Lizzie.

"Where should we go?"

"I don't know, we'll go ask one of the locals."

The girls headed into a nearby cafe, arm in arm. Lizzie walked up to the cashier.

"Excuse me, hi. We just need some help. We're a bit lost and we need to find a hotel nearby. Can you tell us what station that is that's down the road?"

"That's Paddington Station there. Do you need a cab?"

"We really need a hotel first. We're exhausted and it's been a very long, surprising day."

"Not much nearby but here's one that's farther out, and it's a bit less a night," he replied, scribbling an address onto a napkin.

Lizzie took it. "Thank you sir. How would we call a cab?"

"I'll call one for you, you both look quite lost. First time in London?"

Lizzie nodded. "Can I get a coffee please?"

The cashier smiled and poured her a hot cup of coffee. "Anything for you, miss?" he said, looking at Cat.

"A hot chocolate, please."

He handed Cat her chocolate. "No charge for you, we're about to close anyway. I'll call the cab for you and you can stay until it comes."

Exhausted, Cat and Lizzie both nodded as they sipped their drinks.

London, UK

October 11,2013

10:05 am

Equity Point Hotel

Cat climbed out of bed and went to Lizzie's bed. She considered waking her up but thought better of it. She turned on the TV and sat down. The sound was glaringly loud and she nervously glanced at Lizzie as she turned the TV back down. Lizzie stirred but didn't wake.

Cat flipped through the channels for a few minutes and decided to leave it on the morning news. She went to the bathroom to shower before realizing she had nothing with her save for the backpack she'd carried to the convention with her. No toothbrush or extra change of clothes. Just a few hundred American dollars, a hoodie, her wallet, some stuffed toys, and a few things she'd purchased at the convention.

"Of course," she said to herself as she sighed and sat back down. "Of course I didn't bring anything I'd actually need." She glanced around the hotel room. It was white, everything was white. Just the headboards were a different color. Cat thought it felt like a hospital.

Lizzie rolled over and mumbled.

"What?"

"Timeisit?" replied Lizzie, blinking the sleep from her eyes.

"Just after ten in the morning."

"Ughnf."

"Lizzie, we don't have anything with us. Not even a toothbrush. Not any clothes. Nothing. What are we supposed to do?"

"I dunno, go shopping?" replied Lizzie as she sat up. She turned to look at the TV. "What're you watching?" she said as she stared in disbelief at the screen.

"Just the morning news, why?"

"Cat. Look at the screen. LOOK AT IT."

Cat turned and looked at the TV. "This has to be a joke, right?"

"I sure as hell hope so," said Lizzie without taking her eyes off the screen.

"It's not real, it can't be…" Cat trailed off.

In large, bold letters across the ticker they both read:

Reichenbach Hero, Sherlock Holmes, discovered alive

"Cat, tell me I'm not seeing what I think I'm seeing."

"It's not real, it's a joke! It has to be a joke! A sick joke!"

"Ok, let's just calm down right now. Let's recap, calmly."

"We got on a train in Manhattan and got off the same train in London."

"And now Sherlock Holmes is alive."

Cat didn't respond.

"Cat? Are we both having the same dream?"

"If we were having the same dream, we'd both still be asleep. Asking me if we're having the same dream wouldn't do you a bit of good."

Lizzie stood up and walked to the bathroom. "There's toothbrushes in here. I say we brush our teeth and go shopping for a few things because we're going to find Sherlock Holmes and get help."