A Watch In Time – Chapter 2 – Part 1

A WATCH IN TIME

A Full Length Short Story by Golden Keyes Parsons

Chapter Two – Part 1

Click here to read Chapter One

 The door creaked. Someone moved into her bedroom. Lily Kate Monroe peered through the slits of her squinted eyes and held her breath. It must be early morning. She waited for the person to move into view. It was the servant girl from her dream — Tildy. She remained in 1861. She was still dreaming. Or was she? Lily groaned and sat up.

“Miss Lillian, you feeling any better today?” Tildy moved from window to window opening the shutters to allow the bright morning sunlight to flood the dim room. “You ready for breakfast?”

Lily’s head started to swim again, and she shaded her eyes, lying back on the pillow. “I … yes … I mean, no … I mean … oh, I don’t know what I mean.” She sat up and swung her feet over the side of the bed, shoving them into a pair of slippers Tildy had placed beside the bed.

What she wouldn’t give for a cup of Starbuck’s. “I need to see David.”

Tildy paused in her fussing with the bedcovers. “He’s gone, Miss Lillian. He didn’t want to disturb you since you weren’t feelin’ well. Parade’s at 10 o’clock downtown. He said he’ll see you there.”

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Lily stood at the side of the road and watched the replica of the static sepia photos she had seen in her history textbooks of the Lone Star Guard. It passed by in full color, the pounding rhythm of marching soldiers stirring up circles of dust around their booted feet. Young men, some as young as 16, were hopeful and eager for their quick, sure victory. She shook her head as they tramped in front of the cheering town citizens. Holding a handkerchief to her eyes, she blotted the tears that refused to stop. After the rousing formalities she clung to David, who continued to assure her that he would be fine. And then he marched away with his company — head held high, brandishing his weapon, the embodiment of manhood and patriotic pride.

The black driver pulled the buggy up in front of the house and assisted her exit from the quaint vehicle. She stared at the slave and wondered what his name was. “Thank you.”

“Yes’m.”

When is this nightmare going to end? I must be losing my mind. Flinging the wide-brimmed hat that Tildy had insisted she wear on the bed, she grabbed the album and went to her mother’s room. She hefted the lid of the trunk open and tossed the book onto the top of dresses and crinolines that lay folded neatly inside the chest. Lily started to search through the garments — for what she didn’t know — something, anything that could give her a clue. The album fell to the floor and landed at her feet.

Beep, beep, beep, beep. Huh? The microwave?

Jumping to her feet and stumbling over her hooped petticoat, she ran to the kitchen.

David stood at the sink holding his hand under the running water. Without looking up at her, he asked, “Do you know where the bandages are?”

“D — David?”

He turned the faucet off and tore a paper towel off the holder above the sink. He pulled his shirtsleeves down, covering his tattoos. “Who else were you expecting? Whoa! Where did you find that get-up?”

Lily looked down at the voluminous skirt of the day dress Tildy had helped her don only hours ago. She wiggled her foot clad with the front-laced Balmoral boots. Sitting  at the kitchen table, she buried her head in her hands.

“What’s wrong, Sis? Are you OK?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think so. You’re not gonna believe this.” She took a deep breath. “I … I just traveled through time to 1861.”

David  stared at his sister as he tossed the paper towel into the trash. “Sure you did.”

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Join us next Friday for the continuation of Chapter Two.

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