Stuck In Time With You

O2. Strangest, Strange, Stranger

    "Now is not the moment for inquiries! Come along!" I veer off the path we were on and continue to run until we are out of the forest, leading us near an old town. I am relieved at the sight of it, finally a perfect spot to elude the constables for the time being. I hastened to the town, bringing the gentleman with me, as we made our way to a nearby tavern. Before entering, I turned to him, "Pray, forgive me for that; you ought to be all right now to proceed on your own. I merely wished to prevent those constables from apprehending you as well—they might have suspected you of knowing me." The gentleman stood in astonishment for a moment, observing me as I prepared to enter the tavern, before halting me.

"Wait! I-I don't know where I am.. or—when?" He gazed about at the buildings surrounding us, baffled by the scenery. I observed the constables from earlier approaching into the town as they halted near citizens to interrogate them. In fear of being apprehended, I seized the gentleman's hand and led him into the tavern, "Alright, just—follow me." As we entered, I leaned towards the gentleman, whispering, "Remain close." I approached the bar where the proprietor of the establishment was polishing a glass cup with a rag. She cast me a surly glance as I approached her with an unfazed demeanor, extracting money from my corset. As I engaged in conversation with her, the gentleman accompanying me perambulated about the premises, absorbing all that surrounded him. It was akin to observing a foreigner adrift in a locale where he did not belong.

"A chamber, if you please. Merely for the evening." The lady regarded me with the same sullied expression, then cast her gaze upon the gentleman with whom I had entered.

"I possess but a chamber with a solitary bed," she growled at me.

"Fear not! We shall accept it." I offered her a slight smile for a moment as she huffed and turned to retrieve the key to the chamber. "And just a trifling request—" I chuckled a bit at the situation before proceeding, "Might you refrain from informing the constables of my presence for the evening?" She raised an eyebrow at me as she was about to hand me the key, pausing at the midpoint of my final sentence. She uttered nothing, merely glared at me, clutching the key tightly. I already understood her unspoken words with merely a glance as I proceeded to take more coin than I had upon me, "Indeed, I suppose that would incur an additional charge..." We exchanged hands thereafter. I turned and beheld the gentleman who, by a curious coincidence, cast his gaze upon me at the very same moment. I inclined my head to the side, signaling him to return.

We entered the diminutive and confined chamber, wherein a solitary bed, appearing to be of full size, was positioned centrally. A modest wardrobe stood in the corner upon our entrance, and a solitary window graced the wall on the opposite side of the chamber. The lady who managed the establishment entered, illuminating the candles and oil lamps within the room. She then departed, bestowing upon us a sassy glance before leaving the chamber and closing the door behind her.

"Indeed, she was most charming!" I remarked with a sarcastic lilt in a cheerful tone. The gentleman, still bewildered, surveyed the room, absorbing all its details. I turned to observe him as he paced about. "You are not precisely from this locale, are you?" I approached the bed and seated myself upon its edge. I could not help but smile at the sight of him; it was all too amusing for my taste. The gentleman did a double take at me before finally responding.

"What—Where exactly am I?" he exclaimed,

"I should say we are likely in the heart of Islington," I reply to him as I rise to approach the side of the bed. "We ought to procure as much rest as possible for the present, and thereafter, we shall part our separate ways in a couple of hours. Peruse that wardrobe for additional blankets, for thou shalt be sleeping upon the floor."

    He cast his gaze upon the wardrobe situated in the corner of the chamber ere turning his attention once more to me, "No-.. I mean— I asked the wrong question. What year is it exactly?" The gentleman appeared somewhat frightened, as his body quivered slightly. In that instant, I nearly believed I had encountered a madman. I stood there for a moment, uncertain of what to utter or undertake.

    I then commenced to laugh at his inquiry, "Is that a serious question?! For a moment there, I truly believed thou wert losing thy mind!" I continued to laugh as I pulled the sheets from the bed, striving to contain my laughter. The gentleman stood there in silence, promptly patting himself, disregarding the fact that I was laughing at him, as though he had misplaced something.

    "I need to go back.. The forest we were in!" He gazed upon me with apprehension. My mirth swiftly dissipated as I inclined my head in denial.

    My eyes flew open, scandalized by the sheer audacity of the man before me. "Are you quite serious!?" I snapped, my voice rising like a kettle on a stove, teetering on the brink of a full boil. "I have just spared you the indignity of arrest, and now—now—you've only just realized something's amiss? Oh, splendid! Truly, this must be my fault for indulging in an ill-advised bout of benevolence. How utterly foolish of me."

    I threw up my hands with dramatic flair, my skirts rustling indignantly. "By all means, if your ambition is to be detained, do carry on. I shall not stand in your luminous path to infamy. However,"—I punctuated the word with a sharp glance—"I am not budging an inch until sunrise." With that, I did the most rational thing a woman in my predicament could manage—I climbed into bed, plumping the pillow with a flourish that could only be described as defiant.

   The man, still lingering before the bed, grew visibly agitated, his brow furrowing with worry. "I need to get my—machine. I lost it in that forest we were in. You're the first person I've interacted with in the past—uh—what time is it?"

I adjusted myself, propping up against the modest headboard, carefully observing him this time. His stature was notably tall, perhaps around 180 centimeters, and his complexion bore a rich olive-brown hue that contrasted strikingly with his vivid, emerald-green eyes. His dark hair was tousled, no doubt from the frantic escape we'd endured earlier. His attire was peculiar: elegant khaki trousers, though marred with dirt at the knees—likely from our woodland venture. His footwear baffled me—plain white and black shoes, laced intricately at the center, as though stitched for structural integrity.

What arrested my attention most was his navy blue sweater, unfamiliar in both style and texture, adorned with subtle stitching along the left side. Curiosity propelled me from the bed. I approached him cautiously, my gaze fixed on the embroidered lettering. Reading aloud, I murmured, "Class of 2025, Stonemont Academy?"

A surge of disbelief washed over me as the words escaped my lips. My countenance betrayed my astonishment. "How is that possible?" I stammered softly. "The academy had only just opened its doors before the new year in August. That's entirely impossible."

The man released a weary sigh. "I am telling you, I am not from here." His gaze met mine, etched with the same unease he bore since our meeting, though now tempered, less shadowed by fear. I regarded him with skepticism, my mind torn between dismissing him as a charlatan or fearing he might be mad. Yet, his voice carried an earnestness, his posture a sincerity that muddled my judgment.

Drawing in a steadying breath, I inclined my head slightly, though disbelief still clung to me. "Very well, if your words are true, I shall aid you in retrieving your... machinery." The man's face lit with a joy so palpable, it startled me, but I swiftly tempered his elation. "On one condition."

"Yeah, no problem, anything," he replied hastily, his voice brimming with relief.

I fixed him with a stern look. "When this is done, we part ways. You shall keep clear of my affairs. I have troubles enough without adding yours to the mix." My words were firm, leaving no space for misunderstanding.

He nodded earnestly, though a suppressed grin betrayed his excitement at my agreement. A faint smile tugged at my lips despite myself as I turned back towards my bed. "Good. Now, fetch some extra bedding sheets from the wardrobe and make yourself comfortable. We depart with the dawn's first light." The gentleman proceeded forthwith, adhering to my instruction without so much as a murmur, placing the surplus bedding upon the floor beside the bed wherein I reclined. I took care to settle myself with utmost comfort, for the fleeting hours remaining of the night were precious indeed, and I was well aware that the next day promised to be exceedingly long.