There was a lot more I was going to stick in this chapter but since I got a
computer ban (which meant I couldn't even write the chapters in advance) I
had only got what I had started of Chapter Three. Hopefully number four
will be up soon! :)
Chapter Three
When I opened my eyes it was still all black. There was a heavy weight on my stomach and wherever I was seemed to be spinning. I couldn't remember a thing. Then all the information came rushing back so fast it gave my brain a shock and I nearly forgot it all again. Was I dead? I sat up and looked myself over. No telltale glow. Well, that was strange. Maybe I had been reincarnated or something. I looked down and realized that couldn't be the case since I was in my body. It was then I noticed what I was lying on.
Okay it wasn't anything freaky like eyeballs or anything but hay! Yes you read that right, hay. What the hell was I doing sitting on a pile of hay? Then I heard a rustling noise and wherever I was filled with light. I looked over, temporarily blinded, but not deaf so I heard what the person said. That's when I figured it out. Well not entirely but if someone says, "Miss Susannah, you're up. Come now and get changed into your good dress ready for our trip to the ranch," you could figure out that you might have gone back in time. That would explain the hay (I was probably on a wagon or something) the weird proddy things that were making me extremely uncomfortable (which embarrassingly enough was my new time travel hoop skirt) and a few other little things like the heavy feeling on my chest (a baby goat.)
But that didn't explain how I got here. I mean my last memories were of being shot. How that translated into going back in time I do not know. But apparently I was and I had to figure out why I was here to get back. Just like what I had done with all those other ghosts I'd mediated. Which shouldn't be too hard.
Okay think Suze, think I told myself. What should I do first? I was making a plan when curiosity got the better of me and I walked over to the curtain and pulled it back revealing who had spoken to me. Hey, I might have been dreaming everything else.
A thin, pale boy with blonde hair turned around from his position at the top of his seat to smile at me. "Good morning Miss Susannah, are you feeling better?"
Me being the conversationalist I am said, "Huh?" with an expression of my face that could have rivaled any bimbo.
"You said you felt like you were coming down with something. A stomach ache or something remember? I told you to get some rest because you have to look your best for the ranch owner. Master Phillipe is counting on you."
The boy had explained some of my questions but had then gone on to totally confuse me with new questions. This mediator business can be no fun. It must have been some sort of mediating flaw that had landed me here. I really wished Doc or Father D had come with me so I had someone to talk to and give me advice. I tried to get my questions about where I was answered without sounding like a total numb skull.
"Oh, my head hurts," I moaned, "I can't remember anything." I sounded like a total prima donna which was exactly what I was hoping for. Amnesia? As if, that only happens to really lucky people the day before a geometry test. Not to us mediators.
"Who is Phillipe? What's your name? What am I doing here? Where am I going?"
The boy's face turned really pale. I wonder if I had asked too many questions. But that little worry was soon squashed when the boy said, "Miss Susannah you can't remember? That's awful. Master Phillipe will fire me for sure. Please try and remember. Please?"
I was getting slightly fed up now. Couldn't he just tell me something so I could pretend that I had suddenly, and miraculously, remembered everything? Why do people have to make your life so difficult?
"Maybe you could jog my memory? It might help me remember." I said, playing the amnesia victim down to the core, my voice weak and pitiful. It was a good thing this boy didn't appear to be very bright or he might have guessed my game earlier.
"Master Phillipe is your uncle, Miss Susannah. You were abandoned by your father and he took you onto his ranch. He's gone away to look at new land for his ranch so you'll be staying with his best friend, Ricardo de Silva."
That jolted me. I remembered the name from somewhere. I knew a de Silva (duh) but I was certain I had heard of a specific Ricardo de Silva somewhere. Then it came back. Doc showing me My Monterey and telling me about Jesse's father- Ricardo de Silva. Now I was understanding things a lot better. I had gotten shot and gone back in time (this part I was yet to understand) to 1850 and for some reason me and Jesse were going to meet. With both of us alive this time.
The boy was looking at me closely, "Do you remember Miss Susannah?" Okay now it was time for my startlingly recovery.
"Yeah, I do remember that but I'm still foggy. Who the hell are you?"
The boy recoiled, "Really Miss Susannah. You must not use language like that at the ranch or else you will disgrace Master Phillipe." He paused then added, "Do you not remember me? I am Clyde, Master Phillipe's head servant. Do you remember now?"
"Yes I do. Thank you, um, Clyde for helping me. I can't believe I forgot all my life history like that." I laughed, a really cheesy laugh I might add, but it satisfied Clyde who turned back to the horses. "Whoa," he said as pulled on their reins.
"Are we here?" I said peering around at what looked like the biggest ranch I had ever seen in my life. There were cattle grazing under trees and horses playing out in the sun. Which really freaked me out. What if I had to learn to ride one of these things? Would it take me as long as it was taking to get my driver's license?
"Yes, this is the de Silva ranch." I realized I had made a blooper because Clyde was staring at me like I'd grown a wart or something equally hideous. "What?" I said defensively.
"I thought, Miss Susannah, that you had got your memory back. How can you not remember the de Silva ranch? You have been here on numerous occasions."
I flushed. It was so damn easy to make one little slip up. "Well the sun was in my eyes. Who's going to be here this week? Everyone you told me is still here?"
"Well Mr and Mrs de Silva, their daughters and Miss Susannah, this is quite exciting. Their son will be staying with them this week. Please be on your best manners as we would like to make a good impression on him."
It relieved me to think Jesse would be there, but what if he didn't remember me? Would I be severely stuffed or what? I climbed out of the carriage holding onto Clyde's arm. It took away some of my dignity but these hoop skirts were not an easy thing to navigate out of carts. On the plus side it hid my butt.
I walked down the path leading to the big ranch house with Clyde dragging my suitcases. From the looks of things old time Susannah liked clothes just as much as normal Suze did. I had decided to stick with Susannah, no matter how much I hated being called that, because I thought it would be more proper to use it. But as soon as I ditched this western movie I was back to Suze. If I got back to my time.
The door flung open and a tall, stately man with black hair slightly greying at the sides stepped out. "Hello Susannah," he exclaimed with a small nod to Clyde, "How are you doing, sweetheart? Let me take your bags and show you to your room." Then with another nod to Clyde, "Thank you, that will be all Clyde. Give Phillipe my best wishes," and with a small murmur of agreement from Clyde put his arm around my shoulder and steered me into the house. Another few seconds and I would have probably knocked his head off about the whole sweetheart thing.
When I entered all I could think was, "Where's the electricity?" I looked in horror at the old stove in the corner and the bath tub sitting next to it. I was in for some major culture shock. A homely woman with tight dark blonde curls entered the room and gave me a big hug. "It's so nice to see you again Susannah. I'm sure you'll have a great time. Connie was looking forward to this for a long time." She leant over and whispered, "Be gentle with Elizabeth. She's had her heart broken and is not very co operative these days." Then she straightened up and said, "Ricardo, I'll show Susannah to her room and you can tell the girls she's here."
Jesse's father walked over to the door and yelled, "Girls, Susannah is here." Three girls came racing out of their rooms followed by an older girl who was walking more slowly. By the looks of it, Jesse's fifth sister was not going to grace me with her presence.
The youngest looking girl bounced up and down at my side chirping little kid things. She looked the youngest of the four so I guessed she was six since Jesse had written about his sisters in those letters to Maria, the ice bitch. The other three looked a bit older and I had no idea what the fifth sister looked like. All of them had Ricardo's and Jesse's striking dark looks except for Connie who was fair like her mother.
Just then I heard a door creak from where I had just come in. I turned around expecting the older sister. But instead I was confronted by Jesse, looking very alive and as hot as usual.
Chapter Three
When I opened my eyes it was still all black. There was a heavy weight on my stomach and wherever I was seemed to be spinning. I couldn't remember a thing. Then all the information came rushing back so fast it gave my brain a shock and I nearly forgot it all again. Was I dead? I sat up and looked myself over. No telltale glow. Well, that was strange. Maybe I had been reincarnated or something. I looked down and realized that couldn't be the case since I was in my body. It was then I noticed what I was lying on.
Okay it wasn't anything freaky like eyeballs or anything but hay! Yes you read that right, hay. What the hell was I doing sitting on a pile of hay? Then I heard a rustling noise and wherever I was filled with light. I looked over, temporarily blinded, but not deaf so I heard what the person said. That's when I figured it out. Well not entirely but if someone says, "Miss Susannah, you're up. Come now and get changed into your good dress ready for our trip to the ranch," you could figure out that you might have gone back in time. That would explain the hay (I was probably on a wagon or something) the weird proddy things that were making me extremely uncomfortable (which embarrassingly enough was my new time travel hoop skirt) and a few other little things like the heavy feeling on my chest (a baby goat.)
But that didn't explain how I got here. I mean my last memories were of being shot. How that translated into going back in time I do not know. But apparently I was and I had to figure out why I was here to get back. Just like what I had done with all those other ghosts I'd mediated. Which shouldn't be too hard.
Okay think Suze, think I told myself. What should I do first? I was making a plan when curiosity got the better of me and I walked over to the curtain and pulled it back revealing who had spoken to me. Hey, I might have been dreaming everything else.
A thin, pale boy with blonde hair turned around from his position at the top of his seat to smile at me. "Good morning Miss Susannah, are you feeling better?"
Me being the conversationalist I am said, "Huh?" with an expression of my face that could have rivaled any bimbo.
"You said you felt like you were coming down with something. A stomach ache or something remember? I told you to get some rest because you have to look your best for the ranch owner. Master Phillipe is counting on you."
The boy had explained some of my questions but had then gone on to totally confuse me with new questions. This mediator business can be no fun. It must have been some sort of mediating flaw that had landed me here. I really wished Doc or Father D had come with me so I had someone to talk to and give me advice. I tried to get my questions about where I was answered without sounding like a total numb skull.
"Oh, my head hurts," I moaned, "I can't remember anything." I sounded like a total prima donna which was exactly what I was hoping for. Amnesia? As if, that only happens to really lucky people the day before a geometry test. Not to us mediators.
"Who is Phillipe? What's your name? What am I doing here? Where am I going?"
The boy's face turned really pale. I wonder if I had asked too many questions. But that little worry was soon squashed when the boy said, "Miss Susannah you can't remember? That's awful. Master Phillipe will fire me for sure. Please try and remember. Please?"
I was getting slightly fed up now. Couldn't he just tell me something so I could pretend that I had suddenly, and miraculously, remembered everything? Why do people have to make your life so difficult?
"Maybe you could jog my memory? It might help me remember." I said, playing the amnesia victim down to the core, my voice weak and pitiful. It was a good thing this boy didn't appear to be very bright or he might have guessed my game earlier.
"Master Phillipe is your uncle, Miss Susannah. You were abandoned by your father and he took you onto his ranch. He's gone away to look at new land for his ranch so you'll be staying with his best friend, Ricardo de Silva."
That jolted me. I remembered the name from somewhere. I knew a de Silva (duh) but I was certain I had heard of a specific Ricardo de Silva somewhere. Then it came back. Doc showing me My Monterey and telling me about Jesse's father- Ricardo de Silva. Now I was understanding things a lot better. I had gotten shot and gone back in time (this part I was yet to understand) to 1850 and for some reason me and Jesse were going to meet. With both of us alive this time.
The boy was looking at me closely, "Do you remember Miss Susannah?" Okay now it was time for my startlingly recovery.
"Yeah, I do remember that but I'm still foggy. Who the hell are you?"
The boy recoiled, "Really Miss Susannah. You must not use language like that at the ranch or else you will disgrace Master Phillipe." He paused then added, "Do you not remember me? I am Clyde, Master Phillipe's head servant. Do you remember now?"
"Yes I do. Thank you, um, Clyde for helping me. I can't believe I forgot all my life history like that." I laughed, a really cheesy laugh I might add, but it satisfied Clyde who turned back to the horses. "Whoa," he said as pulled on their reins.
"Are we here?" I said peering around at what looked like the biggest ranch I had ever seen in my life. There were cattle grazing under trees and horses playing out in the sun. Which really freaked me out. What if I had to learn to ride one of these things? Would it take me as long as it was taking to get my driver's license?
"Yes, this is the de Silva ranch." I realized I had made a blooper because Clyde was staring at me like I'd grown a wart or something equally hideous. "What?" I said defensively.
"I thought, Miss Susannah, that you had got your memory back. How can you not remember the de Silva ranch? You have been here on numerous occasions."
I flushed. It was so damn easy to make one little slip up. "Well the sun was in my eyes. Who's going to be here this week? Everyone you told me is still here?"
"Well Mr and Mrs de Silva, their daughters and Miss Susannah, this is quite exciting. Their son will be staying with them this week. Please be on your best manners as we would like to make a good impression on him."
It relieved me to think Jesse would be there, but what if he didn't remember me? Would I be severely stuffed or what? I climbed out of the carriage holding onto Clyde's arm. It took away some of my dignity but these hoop skirts were not an easy thing to navigate out of carts. On the plus side it hid my butt.
I walked down the path leading to the big ranch house with Clyde dragging my suitcases. From the looks of things old time Susannah liked clothes just as much as normal Suze did. I had decided to stick with Susannah, no matter how much I hated being called that, because I thought it would be more proper to use it. But as soon as I ditched this western movie I was back to Suze. If I got back to my time.
The door flung open and a tall, stately man with black hair slightly greying at the sides stepped out. "Hello Susannah," he exclaimed with a small nod to Clyde, "How are you doing, sweetheart? Let me take your bags and show you to your room." Then with another nod to Clyde, "Thank you, that will be all Clyde. Give Phillipe my best wishes," and with a small murmur of agreement from Clyde put his arm around my shoulder and steered me into the house. Another few seconds and I would have probably knocked his head off about the whole sweetheart thing.
When I entered all I could think was, "Where's the electricity?" I looked in horror at the old stove in the corner and the bath tub sitting next to it. I was in for some major culture shock. A homely woman with tight dark blonde curls entered the room and gave me a big hug. "It's so nice to see you again Susannah. I'm sure you'll have a great time. Connie was looking forward to this for a long time." She leant over and whispered, "Be gentle with Elizabeth. She's had her heart broken and is not very co operative these days." Then she straightened up and said, "Ricardo, I'll show Susannah to her room and you can tell the girls she's here."
Jesse's father walked over to the door and yelled, "Girls, Susannah is here." Three girls came racing out of their rooms followed by an older girl who was walking more slowly. By the looks of it, Jesse's fifth sister was not going to grace me with her presence.
The youngest looking girl bounced up and down at my side chirping little kid things. She looked the youngest of the four so I guessed she was six since Jesse had written about his sisters in those letters to Maria, the ice bitch. The other three looked a bit older and I had no idea what the fifth sister looked like. All of them had Ricardo's and Jesse's striking dark looks except for Connie who was fair like her mother.
Just then I heard a door creak from where I had just come in. I turned around expecting the older sister. But instead I was confronted by Jesse, looking very alive and as hot as usual.