2056

PROLOGUE

It is 2056 and I am 53 years old. I may not look like it but I am sure that I am. I remember the day of my birth, February 17, 2003. I stopped aging when I was 13 years old. I have never completely understood what had happened and may never truly know but I do have the general idea. In 2016 a Super Collider was built and exploded and that's where I got my youth and abilities. With the touch of one hand I can absorb people's thoughts, memories and buried secrets. There were others like me. Later I became their queen for my youth, knowledge and ability to live forever if protected.

A trail of white silk runs behind me as I pace around the ruins almost stumbling on the rubble everywhere around me. I reach up for the small but delicate golden crown on top of my head and carefully tug it off. I look at it and a little tear runs down my face. How can I be queen of a kingdom if I have no subjects to look out for? All of them are either dead or imprisoned by my enemy Sarai. There was a war and it was ended days ago, but at a terrible cost. I slip my crown back into its place and continue to walk about, my lightweight cloak behind me.

I hear a clicking sound. I look around trying to figure out where it is coming from. The ground starts to shake as if an earthquake has just emerged. My body is thrown in odd places such as old corridors and closets in my palace. The pebbles and stones on the ground begin to shake.

I gasp as I see a silhouette of a person. I have not seen another in a long time. They point at me. I suddenly see a swarm of people in rusted armor flood into the ruins. They start to grab at me. I push them away and try to run but they are too strong. I am hauled onto my feet and being taken to the front of my palace. They grab my hair and yank it to where I am forced to look at my enemy. The person slowly walks into the light. I realize it is Sarai. Her hair is a greyish white color that is covered in dust and filth. Its tangles fall over her face. If not this close you could have thought she was rabid. Her rags are torn enough to see her wobbly knees. Her pale skin has bumps and bruises that move up and down her arms and legs. Her fingernails are filed into claws and her eyes are like black pits. It's hard to believe she was once beautiful and innocent as a flower. She is an enemy of mine and probably always will be.

She says one simple thing, "You will pay."

With the flick of her wrist she directs her soldiers to shove me in a type of sphere with a blue tint. Sparks of electricity ricoshae on and off of it sending me a powerful vibe. I feel like nothing compared to it as if it were abnormally strong. As if it were a lion and I were but a mere child. I am pushed to its floor. I stand up and look for an exit but there is no sign that anyone put me in here. I'm stuck. I bang my fists against the walls hoping they will shatter. It holds me back. It starts to spin and hover above the ground. I am forced against the wall of this bubble. The world around me starts to turn a blinding white. I shield my eyes and a moan escapes me.

The brightness dies down and I am lying on the ground. It is black and feels like stone but more bumpy. I'm in a street. I push myself up to which I am on my hands and knees. My dress is now tattered and ripped in many places. Some of the golden bands on my wrists are torn into. Dirt etches up and down my arms and legs. I can feel mud on my face. My brown hair drapes like curtains along with the dirt on my face. I lift my head and search for moving objects but all I see are people staring at me. Some are whispering. Someone extends their hand toward me. I cautiously take it. I see his face and his attire. He is wearing a suit and tie. I yank my hand away and take a few steps back. Everyone else does as well. I clutch my head and look to the ground. No one has worn anything like that since… Then it dawns on me. I went back in time.

ONE

I walk around in my new clothes that are now considered "normal." I am wearing a light blue shirt with a black quarter roy jacket with one silver earring in my left ear along with a golden ring on my right hand. My jeans are ripped at the knees and my hair has a little curl to it because of the humidity. I don't have any money so therefor I had to steal these clothes. There was no other way to make money. A girl who looks 13 cannot get a job, I try to convince myself.

I search for a type clue of what time period I'm in. I jog across the street my curls bouncing behind me. I head towards a gas station and dig in my pockets for a quarter. I can feel my eyes glow with success as I pull one out. I slowly unscrew the bolts that hold the glass onto the machine. I roll my eyes.

The past needs better technology.

I peel the glass away and snatch a newspaper. I put the glass back where it was. I don't even bother to put the bolts back in place.

No one notices anything here.

I hurry away to where no one will be. There is a small space between the gas station and another store. I squeeze myself into it and sit down. I start to read. Halfway through the article I realize I remember most of these events. I look at the very top and find my answer. It's 2023. It's September 15, the day that Syria is stopped. This is the day that everything goes downhill. The muslims kept on attacking the United States. All was lost until the military finally realized what had actually happened when the Super Collider exploded. They figured out that there were people with "superpowers." They took the best of us including me. They trained us until we reached our limits. When we were eventually shown approval, they took us to Syria to attack them. We won but both our countries were nearly destroyed. My hands ball into fists at all of the memories rushing back to me.

Sarai wants me to die today with this country. I have to figure out where I am. I scan the newspaper article again. I'm in Kansas. A thought comes to me. Maybe I can get my old friends to help me get home!

I try to find colleges and homes where I suspect they may be. I finally find a college that doesn't look like anyone of my friends would go but I need to try. It's Kansas University. I walk inside and I'm immediately pushed into shelves and lockers by rushing students. I pick myself up and brush myself off.

"Me'gan?"

I turn around at the sound of my name. It's a tall girl with extremely curly hair and glasses. Her hair is bound in a messy ponytail and her T shirt was a soft purple color that made my day brighten. Charlie. She was one of my best friends when I was younger. She was like a sister to me. I was looking for her and some of my other friends to help me get home so I can save my people. Then someone walks next to her. He almost looks unrecognisable but I know it's him. Carter. They both stare at me wide eyed. I run to them. They engulf me in a huge hug. I cling to them hoping this moment will never end. They finally released me and push me away shocked that I look like I'm 13. They never knew about me. I ran away when I knew. They start bombard me with questions making me clear my head.

"How are you this young?" Was the main of their questions.

"I'll tell you later. Right now we need to get out of the school and somewhere private." I try to usher them out the door but they refuse.

"We still have classes to go to. We can come at about 5 o'clock. Until then please don't go anywhere." Carter says. Charlie nods with him.

"But you don't understand! This is an emergency! You need to come with me so we're not destroyed!" I put my head down. "This is your last day on earth." I try to convince them but nothing works. They head to their next class shaking their heads as if I had said the strangest thing in the world. I run after them and grab them by their arms and try to drag them out of the university with me. They roll their eyes and take my hands off of them.

As they do, I reach out to them and use my ability on them and try to grab at the memories. They flood into my mind the good ones and the bad. Some are of us three walking to classes talking about the weird things in life. Some are of them staring at me while me and another friend of mine laugh until we feel like our lungs might burst. I start to smile at the thought of all of the memories that are now locked inside my head.

"Me'gan!" Carter and Charlie are shaking me back to reality.

"What did you do? It felt like you pulled something out of us." Carter says angrily. I silently tell them to come closer to me. We crouch on the floor. A bell rings and my ears pop. Charlie and Carter don't budge. Looks like they are going to stay and listen.

"Brace yourselves," I say before taking a deep breath. "I'm from the future." After saying this Charlie and Carter look at me doubtingly. "I'm serious! Do I look like I'm from this time?"

"No," they reply in unision. "It looks like you're from the past," Charlie says. I groan. This is going to be harder than I thought.

"I just came here a few days ago from 2056." They give me the same expression they did last time. I narrow my eyes at them. "Why doesn't anyone believe me?! I am not from this time period and I need to go home to save my people!"

"Your people?" Charlie looks at me with confusion laced in her eyes. "You need to come with me," I say. "What time is it?" I ask urgently.

"It is 10 past," Carter says. Good, I think. We have time to escape before our deaths. I pull them out of the building. They seem reluctant. I try to plead with my eyes so I don't have to say anything. I guess it worked because they are following me out the door.

I pull them to the alley near the gas station and begin to talk. "I need to get to ? so I can get some people I know to help me go back to the future. I know a mad genius named Eobard but he goes by Professor Zoom . I need you two to help me find him." That's all I say because that's all they need to know.

"What city are we in?" I ask before getting up.

"Lawrence, we are in Lawrence, Kansas."

I sigh in relief. "We are extremely close to where I need to go. Where is a car?"

"Where exactly are we going?" Carter asks. I reply with a grin on my face, "Central City."

TWO