Time Agent | ONC2024

11. First time.

(This chapter is dedicated to kaiddanceandowliecat and their magical fantasy story, A Mischievous Tale of Magical Mayhem. Although not actually an entry for this year's ONC, due to the expected length of the story, both authors are always very generous in their support of others!)

"You hear that?" asked Sophie, who had sharp hearing. "She's talking about us. That's what we should call ourselves. The Millennials."

"The Millennial League," suggested Jean-Pierre, thinking of his favourite superheroes.

"The Millennial League," agreed Marcel, thrilled to be included in something so adventurous.

~~

Their friendship waxed and waned over the following years. From the close bonds of kids and football to the separation of high schools and puberty.

When they met again at university, they smiled in recognition and picked up their friendship as if it had never faded.

Sophie was enrolled in Mechanical Engineering, and what she really loved to do was make watches and tiny clocks. She had made one for herself which told the time and date, including the year. As soon as the boys saw it, they wanted one for themselves and she gave them one each for their 20th birthdays.

Jean-Pierre had shortened his name to Jean, and enrolled in Modern History, specialising in French subjects. He had grown out of his boyhood insecurities and his good looks and outgoing personality made him hugely popular in the gay community.

Marcel, now wearing contact lenses, had chosen Politics. It was Marcel who introduced the others to the Norman Separatists, a radical student group dedicated to protecting Norman rights through non-violent action and civil disobedience. Once again, they called themselves the Millennials, but this time they dropped the 'League'.

Sophie was the first one to discover she could time travel.

~~

At first, she thought it was all a dream. Lying in bed, on the verge of drifting off to sleep, she'd been interrupted by Tulip scratching at the door to come in. She got up and let the golden labrador into her room.

"Come on in then, though you know you have a perfectly good dog bed downstairs."

As usual, Tulip wagged her tail and ignored her, settling down on the mat beside the bed. At least she no longer tried to get up on the bed, she was far too big for that to work any more.

Sophie hopped back into bed and closed her eyes.

The next thing she knew, she was walking downstairs, still in her pyjamas. The house was quiet but then she heard the familiar sound of the front door opening. Someone went out and pulled the door to behind them but she didn't hear the sound of the latch clicking into place. Tiny feet made click-clack sounds on the wooden floor and Sophie hurried forward. She pulled the door closed just before the puppy reached it.

"That was close!" she scolded the tiny black poodle who stared up with big reproachful eyes. "You know you can't go outside. You could have gotten lost or run over."

"Sophie? Is someone with you?" her mother's voice came from upstairs. Startled, Sophie spun around... and found herself back in bed in her room upstairs.

That was weird, she thought, yawning. She felt so tired. She moved her feet, carefully tucking them around the familiar weight at the foot of her bed.

"Sweet dreams, Izzy," she murmured, drowsily. Izzy slept on, curled on the end of the bed in her favourite spot, her breathing audible in the quiet room. She was getting old, thought Sophie, sadly. But twelve was a good age for a poodle.

The next morning it was if she had double vision. She could see Izzy on her bed as large as life, grey muzzle resting on her paws, but one part of her knew Izzy had been lost twelve years ago. She'd disappeared one night when Sophie had been foolish enough to leave the front door ajar.

She rubbed her forehead. She could still remember the grief, and the guilt.

And what about Tulip, her beautiful golden labrador? Her thirteenth birthday present, when Dad had decided she was old enough to take care of another dog. She remembered going to the kennels and choosing her from the litter as clearly as if it were yesterday. But the mat was empty beside her bed. Where was Tulip? She sprang out of bed and ran through the house in her pyjamas, calling and searching, but there was no sign of her. No big dog basket in the kitchen. No toys.

Had she only been a dream? She couldn't believe it, the memories were so vivid.

In a daze, she returned to her room. Izzy was where she had left her, asleep on the bed, her paws twitching as she chased an imaginary rabbit.

Sophie reached out to lightly stroke the soft hair, half expecting to feel a rougher texture, and shook her head. Was she going crazy? She had to have been dreaming.

She took off her watch, surprised to see she was still wearing it, and put it on the bedside table. She must have gone out like a light last night, if she'd fallen asleep wearing her precious watch.

She stood under the shower for a long time, hoping to clear her thoughts. Usually, her dreams vanished into mist within minutes of her waking, but this time the images were staying with her. Flashing back and forth like a kaleidescope. Izzy. Tulip. Izzy. Super weird. She rubbed her forehead and took a couple of deep breaths. The images of Tulip were gradually fading, her life with Izzy superimposing.

Coffee. She needed coffee. That would clear her head once and for all.

Sophie dressed in jeans and an olive-green shirt, pulled on her boots and fastened her watch on her wrist. She frowned. Had she accidently reset it when she slept? The time and day were correct but the year had slipped back to 2008. Her breath caught in her throat.

2008, the year when Izzy was lost.

A cold chill ran icy fingers up and down her spine as she remembered.

Last night, she had gone downstairs and shut the front door.