You tried to remain calm, and on the outside you kept a straight face, but, on the inside, you were freaking out. You were back at a major event in history - the California gold rush - and you knew very well that even being here could possibly alter the timeline; how drastically it would effect history, was something you didn't know.
"Alright," You said to Thor and Loki. "I don't know how we're going to fix this, but before we do anything, we all need to change clothes." They both gave you a weird look. "We need to blend in with people of the time period so we don't attract any attention."
You were able to find a place where you obtained some clothes... by means that weren't exactly... legal, but in all honesty you really didn't care at the moment. You then rushed to where Loki and Thor were waiting for you. You had already changed your clothes, and you handed the remaining clothing items to them, while you quickly made them return to the alleyway that you were in previously.
"Why are you out of breath?" Thor asked you when you noticed that you were panting.
"Let's just say- that shop owner isn't- gonna be happy when he comes back."
"What in heavens name are these?" Loki said as he looked at the clothes you gave him.
"I stole them, alright." You said lowering your voice. "I didn't have any time to think about it! Now please, just change. I'll be waiting outside the alley." You turned around and walked back out of the alley.
You waited for a few minutes and then Loki and Thor both came out of the alley.
"This is ridiculous." Loki said. He obviously did not approve.
"Hey, I never said I liked the fashion sense of this time period." You replied. "But, at least we'll blend in better."
"Now the question is, how are we going to return to our correct time?" Thor said.
"I don't know." You said looking at the ground. "This is before all the advanced technology we have today was even invented."
"So what your saying is, we're stuck here?"
"Unless we can miraculously find another device that will send us forward in time... Then yes."
You three had absolutly no clue what to do, or even if there was anything you could do. It seemed to have just now hit both Loki and Thor that the three of you were STUCK in the 1800's, and you had no way to return to you own time. Thor acted more irrational then Loki, but they both now seen how bad the situation actually was.
It had quickly begun to get dark out, and you knew that you had to find a place to stay, because you certainly didn't want to be staying in the streets. But this was much easier said then done.
"Well, we can't stay at a hotel." You said.
"Why is that exactly?" Thor asked you.
You took your wallet out of your pocket and looked through it. "Because, all I have with me is my credit card." You told him as you took out the plastic card. "Credit cards haven't been invented yet." You put the worthless card back in your wallet. You looked again to see if you had any money stashed, but you only found about 50 cents in change. You never were one for carrying cash around with you. You always had your checks from work directly deposited into your bank account, and you always felt safer with just a credit card rather than a bunch of paper bills. This was one of the only times where that has come back to work against you. It's sad really. With the amount of money you had in your account - Plus the fact that everything back in this time was much cheaper - you probablly would have been among the rich people of this period.
"So we have nowhere to go?"
"We don't have any money and there aren't any free hotels."
From behind you, another voice spoke. You all turned around from where you were standing and looked to see who it was. There was a man standing there. He looked to be around his late 30s or early 40s.
"Sorry, I couldn't help but overhear." The man said. "You are in need of a place to stay?"
"We are... yes." You said. "Uh... Who are you?"
"My name is James." The man replied. "I operate a saw mill close by here."
"A sawmill?" You said. "Who'd want to stay in a saw mill?"
"Oh, No no! You wouldn't be staying in the mill." The man continued. "We have numerous rest houses around the mill which we own as well. You are welcome to stay in one of those."
"Oh... That is very nice of you, sir, but why would you be so kind to total strangers?" You asked.
"I believe in karma. If I do a good deed, perhaps good karma will come my way."
Seeing as it was the only option you had, the three of you decided to take the mans offer.
"Right then! Come!" He said to you three, motioning for you to follow him. "I shall show the way!" You, Loki and Thor followed behind him. "It's only a short walk from here!"
As you all followed James down the road, Thor said to you, "Should we be following this man? I have a bad feeling about this."
"Don't." You assured him. You then lowered your voice to make sure that James couldn't hear you. "That's James W. Marshall. He's the one who going to find gold tomorrow which is going to start the mass migration to California."
"HA! So good karma will come his way!"
"Heh, I guess."
Like James had said, it was only a short walk untill you reached the rest houses that he spoke of before. He led you to one of them, and opened the door for you. You all walked in, and James followed after.
"I'm sorry it's a bit small." He said. "There's only one bedroom, but the couch is big enough for two of you to sleep on." He walked through the hallway, and showed you where the bathroom was and showed you the kitchen. "There is some food and drinks in the fridge and cabnits. Feel free to help yourselves to whatever. We can easily replenish the suppy."
"We appriciate your kindness." Thor said to James.
James left you three to settle into the house.
Even if it was small, it was a place to stay.
Later in the night, James came back to check on you all.
"I'm heading out to town with some friends of mine. Do you guys fancy yourself a drink?"
"No thanks." You told him. "I'm not to big on alcohol."
"Neither am I." Loki said.
James looked at Thor. "What about you? You look like a man who'd enjoy a good drink."
Thor seemed hesitant to go with James, but he then remember what you had told him earlier. After a few moments, he agreed, and he and James left.
Loki laughed after Thor had left. "He obviously learned nothing from his drinks with Selvig."
"Huh?" You said. "What do you mean?"
"A while ago, he was on midgard and met Jane and Selvig. One night He and Selvig went out for drinks at a bar and apparently Selvig was so out of it that Thor had to carry him home."
"Oh dear." You said with a laugh. "Was he drunk too?"
"No. He can't get drunk."
"Really?" You asked. "How is that possible?"
"That's one thing that even I don't know."
Loki had sat down on the couch in the main room. You could obviously see that this whole situation must have been depressing him. You walked over and sat down on the couch next to him.
"Hey..." You said to him. "...I'm sorry this all happened."
"What, that we were sent too far back in time?" He replied. "That was Thor's fault."
"No, I'm not talking about that. I meant about Sliepnir." You sighed as your mood saddened a bit. "He was in my care and I took my eye off of him for just long enough for the scientist to get him. And just long enough... for him to die. In a way this whole thing was all the fault of my own."
"You cannot blame youself." Loki said to you.
"I know I shouldn't, but I do. I can assure you that I'm going to try and figure out a way to fix all of this. To get us all back to our correct time period, and then go back and stop Sliepnirs death. If there is a way... I'm going to find it."
There was a few moments of scilence.
"Heh..." Loki said as he gave a small smile. "...Thanks."
LOL. When When I wrote this I imagined Thor and Loki dressed as cowboys XD
Hilarious mental image right there.
ANYHOO! I am trying to keep this as historically accurate as possible, but I know there is going to be some inconsistencies. Sorry. AND YES! James Marshall being in his late 30s is ACCURATE! I did the math. He'd actually be 38 during this time.
(Ehehe, What kind of literature genre is this anyway? Historical sci-fi?)
LOL, Thor is going out to a Bar with James XD I wonder how that will turn out
AND! I FINALLY hinted at the Reader X Loki relationship XD Took me long enough eh?
I hope you enjoyed! I hope to have the next chapter done soon!
