BEEP!

Jae's alarm clock went off; it was approximately 7:30 in the morning. She reached over to hit the snooze button.

Why did I set my stupid clock today? It's Saturday...oh, yeah; I'm going to Middleton Place today.

Jae groaned.

Well, at least I won't be going alone...

"Jula! Get up! It's time to get ready!" Jae called from the doorway of her sister's room.

"But Jae, it's Saturday." replied Jula sleepily.

"Jula, we're going to Middleton Place. You can sleep later."

"Oh, right."

"Don't tell me you forgot already. You were totally psyched about it yesterday."

"Oh I didn't forget; I just didn't think we'd be going right when the tours started."

"Well I have to work later today, so there was no other time we could do it. Now get up."

"Fine, punk." Jula replied. "Who's driving?"

"Mom. Dad is going to need the truck for another day or so. Now hurry up."

"I'm hurrying. God!"

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It was 8:55 when Jae and Jula arrived at Middleton place.

"Do you girls want me to stay, or do you want to just call me when you're finished researching?" their mother asked as they got out of the car.

"We'll call you." Jula replied.

"Alright, I have run some errands, but my phone should be on. I'll see you two later."

"Bye, Mom." said both of the girls in unison.

"Alright, let's go pay and get in!" said Jula excitedly.

"And I thought you were tired." replied Jae.

"Yeah, well... that was earlier. This is Middleton Place."

Jae laughed.

"Yeah, it sure is! Now let's go and get in!"

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Interesting oil paintings... I can't believe it; they actually date back to the 18th century... It's too bad that the House Museum is the only remaining part of the original mansion that once stood. I wish I could have seen what it looked like back then..

Jae stood observing an oil painting of Henry Middleton. Slowly, the painting began to shift, as if peeling back the layers of age it had endured, but she did not notice.

"I wonder if Jula has seen this yet. It's a very fine piece of work." Jae muttered quietly to herself. "I should go get her."

But as she turned to leave the room, Jae noticed that something about her surroundings looked different...rooms in the House Museum part of Middleton Place that will take you back in time if you're not careful...

Could it be?

"Nonsense. That's stupid." Jae chided herself, and left the room.

"Jula? Jula, where are you?" Jae called as she wandered through the house looking for her sister.

Odd. Where has everyone gone off to?

Leaving the House, Jae went back out on to the grounds, where she found an exceedingly large group of people standing outside; it was night time.

Uh, I wasn't staring at the picture for that long. At least I don't think so.

"Jula?" Jae began to get worried. "Jula this isn't funny anymore! Jula, where are you!"

Suddenly, Jae felt an ironclad grip on her shoulder as someone took hold of her and turned her roughly around.

"Will you stop your yelling already!" hissed an angry voice from above her head.

Looking up, Jae stared up and met a devilishly chilling pair of icy blue eyes; she'd seen these eyes before, in her history book at school. True enough, she had never really taken in the picture, but she never forgot the cold, unhappy, life-freezing gaze; it belonged to Col. William Tavington, of His Majesty's British Green Dragoons.

Don't be stupid. That's not Col. Tavington. He's probably a reinactor. And if he is, he's definitely playing the part...

However, before she could take in any more of him, her thoughts were interrupted by his sharp voice.

"Are you deaf? Stupid, perhaps? Now answer me: What in God's name are you doing here, dressed in...in...scandalous-looking trousers and a shirt, not a dress? And as if that isn't enough, you're yelling at the top of your voice, disrupting some of our guests!"

Jae's eyes were wide, her mouth slightly open.

"Sir, I lost my sister, and am trying to find her. I'm sorry for upsetting you and your guests." she replied, getting annoyed.

The reinactor's eyes narrowed.

"Forget it, I'll just use my phone."

"Phone? What are you talking about?" he asked suspiciously.

Jae looked at him and began to laugh.

"Come on, cut it out."

"Cut what out?" he demanded, grabbing my arm.

"Oh come on, drop your act."

The reinactor growled, "That's it, you're coming with me!"

He began to drag Jae forcefully away, towards a more secluded part of Middleton Place.

"Col. Tavington?" a man who spotted them asked as Jae was being pulled along at a breakneck pace. "Who is she?"

"No one you need to worry about captain. She's just being an irritating little brat. Nothing I can't handle."

Colonel Tavington...Colonel Tavington? Is everyone always so in character here, or... Oh my god! No! This so can NOT be happening to me! I'm stuck in the 18th century!