Indian Summer -The Likes of Us

I shivered from the heavy gust of wind that flies through the sidewalks and alley ways of Manhattan. The noise of this city is almost deafening compared to the serene quite of my little home town in Maine. I pulled the hood of my short wool cape up over my head not even caring the mess that would be my curls when I pulled it back down. I quickened my pace down Chambers Street looking carefully at each of the building numbers to keep from missing number 97. I felt the cool metal of my silver locket press against my chest still unopened. I cursed as another gust of wind nearly caused my black wool skirt to fly up once more and silently thanked God for remembering to wear legging and knee high boots to ward off some of the chill.

As I passed by building 96 I held my breathe until my eyes connected with the beat up black numbers that told me I had finally reached my destination. Number 97 Chambers Street. I stood there staring at the building that was once the home of David Hosack but was now a shoe store with an apartment above it. I slowly reached my right hand toward the locket grasping it in my shaking hand. This is crazy, I must have gone mad to think that what I'm about to do would work. Time travel was just in science fiction it was mad up better left to TV shows and badly mad movies. I took and hesitant step back and felt the heel of my shoe touch the curb causing me to fall momentarily before catching myself. I took several steps forward so I could lean against the buildings brick wall.

I fiddled slightly with the locket as I examined it. The silver was tarnished from what must have been years of wear. The engravings of flowers and vines on its oval face still as clear as the day they would have been made. My thumb brushed against the latch causing me to shiver as an image of a man's hands reached about my shoulders to place an identical locket about my neck. I blinked rapidly and held the locket gentle in the palm of my hand and stared at it. I had already spent seven hundred dollars to get here and I might as well open the thing even if I might be bat shit crazy. I glanced about to check if anyone was watching and waited till a woman in a fake fur coat past by before placing my thumb on the latch. The weight of the locket seemed to increase as I held my thumb there unable to open it quite yet.

Suddenly thunder rumbled deeply in the sky before rain began to pour rapidly. I glanced up at the sky locket still in hand as lightning quickly ripped across the sky making me jump. Shakily I looked down and gently flicked it open, it was empty. Looking around me it appeared as if I was in the same time. I blushed in embarrassment and shook my head. How stupid was I to actually believe this shit? I took several steps forward waiting for the rain to begin drenching me as I closed my eyes tight. Slowly I opened my eyes and looked about the street and couldn't believe my eyes. The rain wasn't falling down! I slowly walked into the middle of the road looking around me at the sight of the rain falling up?! That's when my eyes locked onto the sight of myself looking down at the locket leant against the brick wall. I watched as the woman in her fake fur coat seemed to walk quickly backwards.

Did I eat bad mushrooms with my omelet this morning? This was friggin impossible right? I spun around and watched as time seemed to rewind itself. I watched as I walked backwards down the street as my skirt flew up. I turned once morning as was met with the taillights of a car rapidly came towards me. I screamed loudly and waited for the impact that was sure to come but there was none. As I opened my eyes to see what happened, the rewind seemed to speed up. I watched as buildings rose and fell. I watched as men, women, and children ran up and down the streets and as cars seemed to develop and the fashion changed. I looked down at my feet and watched as the asphalt below them faded away to pact dirt filled with horse hooves. I felt seasons change from summer to winter and winds rise and die.

Finally the flash of seemingly never ending time travel slowed and began to give way to a frigid winter air with snow covering nearly everything. I shivered as time stilled once more to its normal progression. I turned finally to face number 97 Chambers Street and let out a small gasp that let me see my breathe. The exterior of the town house was beautiful. The front window's curtains were left open to show off the candle laden Christmas tree. It all really happened! My family wasn't crazy, but, how did they know?

I don't know how long I stood out in the snow covered street, it couldn't have been more than an hour. I looked at my hands that had seemed to have taken on a bluish color and felt a shiver crawl its way my spin. I shakily approached the building taking the slippery steps carefully. I now felt my shivering increase. I've been out here far too long to be healthy.

I reached for the knocker slowly and tapped it lightly against the door and waited for a response. I waited my hands now under my arms to warm them up even a little when no answer came for several moments and leaned to my left to catch a glimpse of someone in what I assumed to be the parlor. It appeared to be empty. With another fit of shivers I reached for the knocker and all but slammed it down on the door. This time I heard a hurried set off footsteps come to the door before it opened. I was met with the sight of an older women in a grayish dress covered by a batter stained apron.

"Can I help you miss?" The women asked politely while looking at me with some suspicion when she saw what I was wearing.

"I-Is th-this th-the H-hosack residence?" I managed to stutter out now clutching my short cape tightly about my shoulders.

"Dr. and Mrs. Hosack are not interested in any 'services' that you may offer." She said firmly beginning to shut the door. I quickly placed my hand on the door preventing her from shutting it all the way.

"P-please ma'am I have nowhere else to go." I cried out probably a little too loudly, but, I knew if I was out here mush longer I would get hypothermia from the cold.

"Shhh! You'll disturb the family!" she chided me attempting to shut the door once more. That's when we both hear footsteps coming toward the door. The woman turned to look over her shoulder still trying to close the door on me.

"Maggie what on Earth is going on? The children and I can hear all the way from my study!" came a man's rumbling voice. I continued to hold the door open but it was becoming more and more difficult.

"I am so sorry sir. This woman of the street is demanding entrance into your respectable home." The woman I now knew as Maggie responded. I gasped shoving the door open enough to see the man.

"Excuse me, but, I am most certainly not a prostitute." I said proudly through my chattering teeth all the while looking at who I assumed to be David Hosack. He was a plump fellow with graying brown hair that lay on his forehead in a sharp widows peak.

"Maggie go to the children they should have been in bed an hour ago." Hosack said his welcoming brown eyes not leaving mine.

"B-but sir!" The woman cried in what I can only assume to be horror.

"Now Maggie" Dr. Hosack said firmly moving slightly so Maggie could pass by.

I watched as Maggie the maid walked huffily down the hall and disappear upstairs. Dr. Hosack moved to the side and gestured me inside. Still shivering I took a step inside and was hit by the warmth that can only come from a large fireplace somewhere in the town house.

"Follow me." Dr. Hosack said gently before closing the front door and stepping into the parlor that was to the left of me. I looked down at my soaked boots and then at the dry hard wood floor that was covered by a knotted rug, when I didn't follow immediately Dr. Hosack turned and gave a gentle smile while gesturing for me to follow.

"Come along child. Maggie's punishment will be cleaning up the small mess that you make." He chuckled before disappearing through the door way. I slowly followed behind still worried about the mess that I was bound to leave behind. As I entered the parlor I was met with the warmth of the large fireplace and the soft glow of the candles from the Christmas tree. December 24. The day that future…present…past me said I would arrive. Did it take me a month to travel this far back? I was shaken from my thoughts by Dr. Hosack guiding me to sit on the foot stool by the fire place.

"I'll take your cloak you will dry and warm up much faster without it." I followed the doctor's instructions knowing them to be true and carefully shrugged it off and laid it beside the fireplace to dry. I held my hands and to the fireplace and gently rubbed them to regain some feeling in them and watched as David Hosack pulled a small rope beside the fireplace before sitting down.

"So dear, what shall I call you?" I looked at him from the foot stool and noticed there wasn't single cruel bone in this man's body.

"My name is Charlotte Marie Bates, sir. I'm from Maine" he nodded to my response and looked toward the flames of the fire as they licked at the logs.

"Sir…" before I could ask my question I heard someone clear there throat behind us. I turned and watched as, what I could only assume to be a butler or sorts, walked in with a tea tray.

"Dr. Hosack you requested tea, sir." The man said, he sounded much nicer then Maggie.

"Yes, thank you Eustace. You can leave it hear and retire for the night." David said waving Eustace out with a small chuckle and smile. Eustace set the tray down on the small table beside Eustace and then left the parlor. I watched carefully as David prepared two cups in an all too familiar hand painted rose tea set. David handed me a cup and I quickly thanked him before taking a sip.

"I believe you were going to ask me something before Eustace brought us our tea." David said before taking a drink from his cup. I startled slightly from his sudden comment and looked down at the pocket of my cape that held the small silver locket.

"I was going to ask why you trusted me enough to allow me into your home." I replied now holding the tea cup in both hands my thumb tracing the familiar curve of the handle. I heard David shift in his chair and when I met his eyes he was leaning forward slightly.

"I don't trust you Charlotte. However I have met another person born out of this time. And you have his eyes."