Timeless Horizons

I couldn’t believe my Great Grandma Violet lived to be 101. She had such a long wonderful life. I was ecstatic that she left her house to me, but it was going to be hard searching through all of her things. She never had to say it, but I knew she favored me over all her other grandchildren. We always had a really close relationship. It felt like I lost my best friend. I would miss her so much.

I wasn’t sure where to start, but I knew I had to put my claim on things before my Great Aunt Mildred showed up. Mildred was so mad when she found out grandma gave her house to me. She was never a fan of me, and I could never understand why. It was like she hated me.

After I secured most of the important things to me downstairs, I decided to go check out the attic. I rarely went up there when my grandma was alive, so to me it was pretty exciting. I had also recently done some genealogy research on my family, and found out this house and my family had been here since the late 1800s. So I knew there had to be some pretty neat treasures up there. My grandma didn’t talk a whole lot about her time as a teen, so this would be my chance to learn more about her.

When I got up to the attic everything was completely covered in dust, cobwebs were everywhere. The room smelled of mothballs, it was almost to overwhelming. I managed to get past the smell and started digging around. I pulled a dusty sheet off of the most beautiful mirror with stained oak around the outside. I took a glance in the mirror and just starred at the heart shaped mole on my face. I hated that thing. Everyone always said it was so cute, except Aunt Mildred. She said it looked hideous.

I stopped looking at my so called hideously cute mole, when I noticed out of the corner of my eye a box that had my name on it. I turned around to investigate. Sure enough it did. I became overjoyed and super anxious to see what was inside. I swiftly opened it, only to knock most of the dust that was on top inside the box. The dust fell down and whaffted right up in my face. With a quick reaction I wiped it off with my shirt sleeve. Finally being able to see inside the box, I looked down and seen a ship in a bottle. Confused as to why Grandma Violet left this to me, I pulled it out to get a better look. It appeared to be your standard ship in a bottle.

I started to wipe it off, still confused because it didn’t seem to be anything special. While I was wiping it down I accidentally swiped the cork out. This weird howling wind sound started coming from the bottle. Dust started to get sucked inside the bottle, I panicked and I set it on the floor. Not knowing if I should run away, or watch and see what happens. Before I was able to make a move, I felt my feet being sucked towards the bottle. The rest of my body followed and I was sucked in.

The next few moments after that were fuzzy. All I remembered is having excruciating pain in my ears, and a light that could of caused a person to go blind. I hit down hard, like I just fell out of a three story window. It took some time to fully regain my sight. The only thing I could do was smell. I got the strongest scent of the sea, that thick salty air caressed my nose. Soon after that my vision came back.

Here I was standing on the very ship that was inside the glass bottle. Looking around I noticed everyone on the ship was dressed like it was the 1900s. Feeling out of place in my shorts and dirty dust covered shirt. I knew I needed a wardrobe change, and fast. Everyone on the ship starred at me. Suddenly three woman came walking up to me.

“Excuse us young lady, we seen you take quite the tumble. My heavens we hope you’re ok. You know you shouldn’t be out here in such clothing. Come with us, we’ll get you in the proper attire.”

I followed the women. They each gave me something to wear. One gave me a dress, a pair of shoes, and the last one gave me a coat.

Still in shock, all I could manage to say was thank you. Thinking maybe I ended up on some role playing party ship. I noticed we were docking by this old vintage town. The ship stopped moving, and everyone was getting off. I decided to follow everyone off the ship. The first thing I noticed was the name of the town. Kennebunk, the same name of my home town. A town in Maine where my Grandma grew up too. How was this even possible? This couldn’t be real.

I needed more information, so I started walking around. I came across a news stand, and took a peek at the date on the newspaper. March the 2nd 1915. Everything around me started to spin. I calasped to the ground. Disoriented and utterly confused, I felt someone help me get up, and take me into a nearby home. I was in and out of it after that. Hardly registering what the girl that helped me was saying.

When I finally came to, I sat up from the couch, and took a look around. Only to see the house oddly resembled grandma’s house. Then I hear the voice of the girl that helped me.

“Oh thank goodness you’re awake. I was starting to get worried. I’m not sure how much you remember, but my name is Violet. I helped you after you took a spell and fell down.”

“Your name is Violet? Where am I? What year is it?”

Violet looked at me like I was crazy. I knew I had to get myself together, before she really thought I was.

“I’m sorry Violet, it’s nice to meet you. My name is Elizabeth. I must of hit my head hard. Things are still confusing, I can’t thank you enough for all your help.

“You poor thing, well it’s a pleasure to meet you Elizabeth. You’re more than welcome to stay here with me and my sister Mildred.”

I thanked Violet for her kindness. She took me up to a spare bedroom, and gave me some extra clothes. I sat in there a while, and tried to process what was going on. I couldn’t believe I somehow went back in time, and to my grandma’s house of all places. I had no idea how long I would be stuck here, or how to get back? I had to play it cool. I couldn’t tell her I’m her granddaughter, otherwise she might have me locked up for being insane. I was also worried about Aunt Mildred, would she hate me here to? I was hesitant to go back downstairs, but hiding in there would most likely make me look strange.

I managed to get enough courage to go downstairs. I could hear talking, so I knew Mildred must be home. When I got down I seen Grandma Violet, Aunt Mildred and the most handsome man I have ever seen. I’ve never been one for love at first sight, but this man made my knees week. He was standing close to Mildred, so I assumed he must be her boyfriend. Violet introduced me to Mildred and Benjamin. I didn’t want Mildred to dislike me here, so I had to hold back my enthusiasm when I spoke to Benjamin. It was hard, his features were so striking. He was tall, had the most beautiful dark hair, and his eyes were like looking at two blue angels.

A few months passed, but my urge for Benjamin grew stronger. I knew Mildred would hate me, but I had to tell him. I wrote him a letter, and put it in his jacket pocket. I confessed my love for him, in hopes he would find it. I stated in letter to meet me by the docks at 8:00pm if he felt the same. I knew if Benjamin showed it could ruin everything. Violet and I had became the best of friends. We were inseparable, doing almost everything together. It was a risk I was willing to take.

I was so nervous, scared Benjamin wouldn’t show. It was 8:06 and he still hadn’t shown. My heart was broken. Standing there in tears, I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was him. Benjamin said he felt the same, but he was to nervous to tell me. We held each other, and shared the most passionate kiss I’ve ever had. I got goosebumps everywhere. It was instant love.

We were both worried about telling Mildred and Violet. Mildred was furious, so mad she ended up leaving town. Before she left Mildred made sure to point out my heart shaped mole, saying it was absolutely hideous. Violet, to my surprise was actually happy. She mentioned she already knew, and had just been waiting for the truth to come out.

Benjamin and I got married soon after. Everything was perfect, we were so in love and things couldn’t of been better. Until the year 1917, Benjamin left to serve in the war. I was devastated, I knew if he left he may not come back. Before he made his departure he gave me a gift. Inside was that same ship in a bottle I found in grandma’s attic. I was astounded by this, couldn’t believe after all this time it came back to me. I was hesitant because I didn’t know where to go from that point.

I tried to pop the cork back out again, but nothing happened. So I just went on spending as much time with Violet as I could.

It was early in the morning, I was sitting out on the balcony of the house when I noticed a familiar ship on the horizon. The same ship I came in on. I grabbed a box, the ship in the bottle, and placed it inside. I wrote Violet’s name on the box, to ensure it would get back to her. I left a very short note to Violet explaining how I had to leave, and I would always treasure our time together.

I made it just in time to the ship before it left, debating if I really wanted to go. What about Benjamin, leaving would mean never seeing him again. My heart ached, but logically I knew I had to go back. I popped the cork out, and heard that howling noise again. I was prepared for that god awful agony, so I closed my eyes and covered my ears. I slammed down on the attic floor. My body in pain from the reentry. I was finally able to get up.

Looking around at the dusty attic, I seen a trunk. I opened it and found grandma had saved momentums from our time together. I even found a picture of us from 1916. My heart filled with joy. Somehow in all these years she figured out it was me. I wondered if Aunt Mildred knew, or if she just hated me for my mole.

I didn’t know if I would ever find love again, but I knew nothing would compare to the love I had for Benjamin. Every morning I continued to sit out on the balcony, in hopes that maybe someday I’ll see that familiar ship on the horizon.