Testing the Limits of Time

Chapter 7: The Turning Point

"That was close," she whispered, leaving out a sigh of relief.

Kody grinned. "Too close. Let's get out of here before our luck runs out."

They came out of the closet and made their way back to the entrance where Tyler and Jamie were waiting anxiously.

"Did you get it?" Tyler asked.

"Yeah, we got it," Skylar nodded. "But Jefferson was in there. He almost caught us."

Jamie shook her head. "It's no surprise that you guys are crazy. But you did it. That's what matters." She smiled.

They hurried back to their base. They had just prevented another major historical disaster, but the tension of the circumstances had left them drained.

"We did it, but we need to stay vigilant. The Revisionists won't stop here. We need to be ready for whatever comes next," Skylar said.

"Agreed," Tyler nodded. "But let's take a moment to catch our breath. We've earned it. A little break does not harm, does it?"

They sat together, catching their breath as they observed a few minutes of silence. They were no longer just observing history; they were a part of it. And the boulder of maintaining the integrity of the past weighed heavily on their shoulders.

After a brief respite, Skylar looked up, "Alright, team," she said, determined. "Let's get back to work. There's a lot more to do, and we can't afford to let our guard down."

The group agreed. They were ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead, knowing that the past and future now depended on their actions.

Making their way to the square, Skylar and her friends blended in the crowd to hear the Declaration of Independence be read officially for the first time. The square was overwhelmed with excitement, and the air was filled with the fragrance of summer flowers and freshly baked bread from nearby vendors.

Adjusting her bonnet, Skylar looked at her friends standing right beside her. Tyler, Jamie, and Kody looked equally anxious as her. Despite the countless hours invested in preparing and learning about the customs and language of the time to avoid attracting attention, the group was very conscious of every action of theirs.

As they made their way through the crowd, they overheard bits of conversation. People were talking about the rising tensions with Britain, their hopes for independence, and their fears for the future, the same way they talked about it the first time Skylar and her friends visited this place.

"This is it," Skylar whispered to her friends. "This is the moment we've been waiting for."

They managed to squeeze through a spot near the front, where they could see and hear everything clearly. A man stood on an improvised stage, unrolling a large parchment. With their attention fixed on the man, the crowd went silent.

"Hear ye, hear ye," the man began. "The Declaration of Independence, as drafted by our esteemed representatives."

The crowd erupted in cheers, and Skylar felt a surge of pride. They had played a part in making this moment happen. Without their intervention, the forged document could have changed the course of history.

As the man proceeded to read the Declaration, Skylar felt a lump in her throat. The words were incredibly powerful. They were a call for freedom and equality. She glanced at her friends, witnessing the same emotions reflected in their eyes as hers.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident," the man read, "that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness."

Tyler leaned over to Skylar, muttering, "This is incredible. Pinch me; I think I'm dreaming."

Skylar smiled and wiped a tear from the corner of her eye, unable to find the words to express how she felt. It was one thing to read about these events in a textbook, but to be there, to feel the energy of the crowd, was something else entirely.

Even Jamie, the ever-cynic, had tears in her eyes. "This is why we're here," she said softly. "This is why it matters."

"We did good, guys," Kody grinned. "We did really good."

The reading continued, and each word stood as a declaration of hope and determination on an individual level. Skylar found herself swept up in the emotion of the moment. She looked around, feeling a deep connection to every person around her, each one of them united with the other in their desire for a better future.

When the reading finally ended, the crowd erupted in applause and cheers. People hugged each other, wetting each other's clothes in their embrace. Skylar and her friends joined in, feeling a sense of accomplishment and pride.

As the crowd began to disperse, Skylar knew it was time to return to their own time. They had done what they came to do, and now it was time to go home.

"Ready to go home?" she asked her friends.

Tyler nodded. "Yeah. Let's do this."

They gathered around the portal, holding hands. Skylar took one last emotional look at the square with teary eyes. They had just witnessed one of the most important moments in history, and now they had to leave it behind.

As they stepped through the portal, they felt a strange tug, as if they were being pulled through a tunnel. When they emerged on the other side, they were back in their own time, on Time Street.

With relief also came a pang of sadness. They had accomplished their mission, but it was hard to leave such a pivotal moment in history behind.

Tyler looked around, struggling to take in the familiar surroundings. "We did it," he said. "We really did it, guys."

"Yeah, we did," said Jamie, wiping away a tear. "But it feels...strange. Like we left a part of ourselves back there."

Kody put an arm around Jamie's shoulders. "It's okay to feel that way. What we did was necessary. We made a difference." He fixed her hair by putting a strand of her hair behind her ear while she composed herself.

There was a mutually felt sense of pride but the responsibility of their mission also loomed large. They had witnessed firsthand the impact of their actions, and it was a reminder of the power they held. "We need to be careful," Skylar reminded the group. "Every action we take has consequences. We must make sure we're doing the right thing. We have changed the course of history, and now we must live with the knowledge of our influence."

They had accomplished something incredible, but it was just the beginning. There would be more challenges ahead, more moments where they would have to make difficult choices.

But for now, they could take a moment to appreciate what they had done. The auspicious moment of preserving was theirs and theirs only. It was a feeling that would stay with them forever.