Liquid Chocolate
By Flaming Trails
A Back To The Future Mini-Series
Disclaimer: I don't own Back To The Future. However, three of the girls featured here? They're mine. No touchies.
Chapter 1
Clara Clayton
Friday, September 4th, 1885
Hill Valley
10:04 A.M.
I made it!
Clara Clayton looked around the busy train station platform, smiling brightly. It felt good to finally be here in Hill Valley. Ever since she had made up her mind to go out West and become a schoolteacher, things had just kept going wrong. It was like the universe had been conspiring against her, trying to keep her stuck in Rogoville, New Jersey.
First, right before she was to leave for her first position in Anderson, Oregon, her grandfather had died. Andrew Clayton had been a proud but caring man, and had been one of the few people in her family to encourage Clara to follow her dreams. Clara had loved him very much, and had been devastated by his death. So it was only natural that she had canceled her trip and stayed to attend his funeral.
Unfortunately, her parents had seen her delay as encouragement. Clara and her parents had very different views on what was a woman's proper place in life. While Clara wanted to get out and see the world a bit before settling down, her parents thought that the only proper thing for a young lady to do was get married right away and start raising children. They had been extremely upset to find their daughter at 30 and still unwed. So while Clara was mourning her grandfather and trying to secure a new position, her parents had taken the opportunity to force yet another suitor on her.
Clara shuddered as she remembered the man. Basil Barkis had been one of the worst of the lot. He was slimy, greedy, and regarded her as nothing more than an heir-producing machine. All of his conversations with her had been pure torture, with him addressing her like she was a pet rather than a person. After three dinners together, it had gotten to be too much. Clara had snapped, thrown Barkis out of the house, and told her parents in no uncertain terms that she was going to go teach school and to not bother with any more suitors. They had reacted by promptly disowning her and kicking her out of the house, telling her not to come back without a proper husband. This had delayed her move even more, as she had been forced to find a job and a place in town -- not an easy feat in a place as small as Rogoville -- before managing to apply for the position in Hill Valley.
But still! She had overcome it all, and now, here she was, ready to begin her new life in the West. I can't wait to meet my escort. Hill Valley sounded like such a wonderful little town.
As the minutes ticked by, though, and people began leaving the station, no one appeared to fetch her. Clara looked around again, puzzled. Had they sent an escort at all? It seemed rather rude to just leave a lady standing at the station. Besides, how was she to find her way to the schoolhouse without someone to help her? I'd think, even out here in the West, they'd keep up with proper etiquette. It doesn't seem right that they wouldn't send someone out to help me.
She straightened her back. Well then -- if no one's going to help me, then I guess I'll just have to help myself. It's not like I'm a helpless woman, like so many men have thought. I may be a city girl, but that doesn't mean that I can't ride a horse or take care of myself. I can prove to everyone here that I'm a real frontier girl. She gathered her luggage and went up to the ticket counter. "Excuse me, sir," she asked politely, "but where's the nearest place where I can rent a horse and carriage?"
"Statler's Ranch is right over there, ma'am," the ticket man smiled, pointing.
"Oh, yes, I see. Thank you." Clara walked over and was promptly met by a rather plump, grinning man in a green waistcoat. "Well, hello there ma'am! New to town, I see. What can I do you for?"
"I'm looking for a horse and a carriage," Clara said, grinning back. "I'm the new schoolteacher. . . ."
Friday, September 4th
10:29 A.M.
What on earth possessed me to do this!
Clara Clayton tried desperately to rein in her horses. They were having none of it, too crazed with fear to pay heed to her pulling. Her carriage bumped over the rocky terrain, frequently knocking her hat into her eyes. Why did I think I could do this on my own? Why?
Because she was too stubborn for her own good sometimes, that was why. Once she made up her mind about something -- whether it be that she was going to have a certain kind of tea for lunch, or that she was going to move across the country to be a teacher -- she was determined to do it, come hell or high water. And she had really thought that the best thing to do was to try and "prove" herself to the townsfolk who hadn't bothered to send an escort. Now, she realized, what she should have done was gone to someone and asked them to escort her to her cabin. That way, she would have had some company, perhaps some pleasant conversation --
And she would have avoided that damned snake who had scared her horses like this.
Her hat fell into her eyes again. "Damn," Clara swore quietly. Though she normally frowned on foul language, she recognized that there was occasionally a time and place for it -- like right then and there. What could she do? The horses weren't going to respond to her commands, that was clear. And she certainly couldn't abandon the carriage without possible injury to herself. Wasn't there anyone out here -- anyone that could see and help her?
I have to find out, she thought as the horses took another turn. Otherwise I'm going to continue like this until we either go over a cliff or the horses finally exhaust themselves. She filled up her lungs and started screaming as loud as she could. "Help! Help me! Help!"
To her surprise and relief, she was rewarded with the sound of hoof beats coming her way, and fast. Thank God, she thought, trying to push her hat back up so she could see her rescuer. Unfortunately, the bumpy terrain made this nearly impossible, so she contented herself with listening for him and trying again to slow the horses.
The hoof beats drew closer. She could just make out underneath her hat brim the shape of a rather tall man barreling toward her, his arm outstretched. "Here! Here!" he called, trying to catch her.
Unfortunately, the chase seemed to upset her horses all the more, and they sped up. "Hurry!" Clara called, trying to work up the courage to let go of the reins and reach back to the man. She knew she had to get off the carriage, but holding onto the reins made her feel just a bit safer. Come on, Clara, let go, let go!
"Jump!" the man suddenly yelled.
Jump? Clara didn't know if she could for a second. Then she realized it might be her only option. Steeling herself, she released the reins and leapt.
A strong arm caught her and pulled her onto his horse. Seconds later, Clara heard a snap, then a crash. She peeked out from under her hat brim -- and was horrified to see the wagon, having dumped part of its load, plunge over the edge of a huge ravine. Oh my -- If -- if this man hadn't been here -- I would -- I would have died. Oh, thank God he was.
Not knowing she had just set the space-time continuum all a-flutter, she turned to her savior. "Oh, thank you sir," she began gratefully, pulling up her hat. "You saved my--"
Her heart stopped beating. Holding her on his horse was the most handsome man she had ever seen. He was an older man, with fluffy white hair, but with a young, kind face. His features were perfect -- a nice nose, a strong chin, a beautiful suntan --
And his eyes. Those big, liquid chocolate brown eyes. Clara felt herself getting lost in them. "Life," she managed to finish breathlessly, feeling a swell of utter adoration for this handsome stranger.
With a happy jolt, she realized he was looking at her in the same way. He doffed his hat. "Emmett Brown at your service, miss."
Emmett. What a wonderful name. Emmett Brown. Now what was her name again? "I'm -- I'm--" her hat fell over her eyes again, sparking her memory. "Clayton!" She pushed it back and added more calmly, "Clara Clayton."
"Clara." Emmett Brown suddenly smiled at her. "What a beautiful name."
And in that instant, Clara knew she wanted that smile to light up the rest of her life.