Questions & Answers:

Previously…Emily moved next to Abby and proceeded to ask a question.

The Woods:

"What era are you from child?" Emily asked.

"Come off it Emily? How do we know that she can even understand us?" Abby asked.

"Yeah, for all we know, she could be from a past that doesn't understand English." Connor said.

"And who are you to think not one bit like a regular person? You are the first people I've seen nye alive. Is this Eden?"

"No, this isn't Eden. This is the present, 2012. How old are you?" Matt asked.

"And who might ye be? My name is Kady Jessop. And I am from year 1649 England. This still is England, tisn't it?"

"Yes, this is still England. 1649? What are you doing all the way in this time period? Your folks must be worried about you." Abby said.

"I came a lookin' for my birth parents. They dropped me off in 1649 the day I was born and told my folks nothing bout them. My folks probably ain't worried about me. When I left through the anomaly all those weeks ago, my dad was kilt by some kind of monster that came through the anomaly I left through. I left a note telling my family that I'd been taken and that if they came a lookin' for me, I'd be killed. They didn't listen to the note cause when I woke up in my secret place, the men were a searchin' the woods lookin' for me."

"And you said we were the first people that you'd seen alive. What did you mean by that?" Becker asked.

"I still don't know yer names. So till you tell me yer names, I ain't saying anything else."
"Sorry about that. I'm Matt; this is Abby, Connor, Becker and Emily. Emily is like you. She's from the past as well." Matt said.

"Past England you from aye? What era?"

"You probably wouldn't recognize it. By the looks of your clothes, you haven't been in your own clothes in a long time."

"My folks made me where a dress all thy time. T'was uncomfortable, but the day I left I took a pair of my dad's breeches and two of his warm coats. When I went through the anomaly to the past I ran fast to the next anomaly and went through. No animals bothered me in the past. When I got through the next anomaly to the town, I knew something had happened. I took what I needed to survive the anomalies and because nobody was around, they couldn't stop me. Until I know that tis a good place to stay, I ain't saying any more."

"Then I guess we'd better be on our way. Into the truck you go. You're coming home with us." Matt said.

"I'm not your pet you know."

"We know, but we can't have you running around modern day England looking the way you do. You look like you could use some clean clothes and some good food and maybe a shower." Connor said.

"What's a shower?"

"It's like a bath, only you stand up to wash yourself off and the water flows over your body." Abby said.

"Like a waterfall?"

"Yea something like that, only it's indoors not outside. And there is a whole lot more privacy." Emily stated.

The ARC:

I got into the truck Matt showed me to and sat down. I had pulled the gun bag off and set it at my feet with the duffel bag on my lap. The bow was still in my hand and the arrow sling still on my back where I had put it when I took the gun bag off my back. Abby got in beside me with Connor and Matt in the front seat. Emily, Becker and the rest of the team got into the surrounding vehicles and the drive to where they worked began. It was weird being in the truck. I thought it was just a machine that people used for anything they wanted. But according to what I was seeing, it was much more than that. Abby started talking again.

"Undoubtedly you've never been in a vehicle before. They are a means of transportation, so one does not have to walk or run everywhere. We use them all day, nearly every day and you get used to them after a while."

"Tis not the getting used to that I am worried about."

"Then what are you worried about Kady?"

"Tis a different time then I am used to. Everyone that I ever knew is either dead or the town I grew up in no longer exists."

"Well, that's pretty easy to look up. When we get back to the ARC…"

"What is the ARC?"

"It stands for Anomaly Research Centre. When we get back, another one of our team mates can look up on the computer the town you grew up in and see if anything weird happened around the time you disappeared. If so, then she'll continue to look through history to see if you've popped up anywhere you weren't supposed to be."

"What is a computer?"

"It is a thing where you research different eras. You'll see once we get you back to the ARC. By the way, how old are you Kady?"

"I turned sixteen nye two weeks ago. I was fifteen when I left. Though I did leave in a rather troubled time."

"What do you mean by that?" Matt asked.

"Had I not left when I did, I would have been the first in town to be accused of witchcraft and surely hung. I left so they could not hang me. T'was better that I left; best that I didn't hang for nothing."

"Why would you be hung if you weren't a witch?" Connor asked.

"T'was because of my gifts. My mum and dad thought it had something to do with my birth, though they did not tell me much of my birth parents. But I knew, if it came right down to it, they would throw me to the wolves then keep me in their house just to save their own nickers."

"You must mean necks." Abby said.

"What's the difference?"

"Well, a neck is connected to your head and shoulders. And your nickers are your underwear."

"Oh, I see the difference now."

"So, you grew up in 1649 England, but how did you learn such good English between the time you stepped through the anomaly in 1649 to now?" Matt asked.

"I took some books and learned to speak the way others spoke. Though the books I was a reading were more on the survival requirements, but it still taught me to speak better English, as you say."

"Well, that explains a lot. Our boss is going to want to talk to you as well; though I highly doubt he'll be sending you back." Matt said.

"Did the anomaly from yester close already?"

"It did, a few hours after you came through. By the way, what were you running from?" Abby asked.

"I was a runnin from a raptor, the ones with the giant claw on their right foot. I don't rightly know what kind of raptor it t'was, but I knew better to not get caught for food would I have been."

"Sounds like you were running from a Velociraptor. They can be really mean when it comes down to it and you were right to run from it. Raptors aren't known for not killing their prey." Connor said.

"That's good to know I think."

They had pulled into an underground area and the truck was shut off. They helped her out of the truck and then they all headed for the lift, something I had never seen.

What Next?:

As we got off the lift, I was taken aback at how many rooms were in the building and at the size of it. It was much different than what I left behind as well as what I was used to seeing. There were not that many people that were dressed in the clothes that I was now running around in. It truly was amazing to see so many people working together and not as each other's slaves.

"Do you people not have slaves to work for you like we did back home?"

"Slavery died out thousands of years ago. Most likely right after you journeyed through your first anomaly. We still have maids and butlers, but they are paid for the work that they do and only the really rich can afford them at their price." Abby said.

"I see and where is this computer you were talking about?"

"Jess is at it right now. If you'll follow us we can show you where to put your belongings and the weapon in your hand will have to go with the rest of our weapons." Matt said.

"I see, well, I will have at least one weapon on me. It was my dad's knife that I snitched from him back before I left. Anyways, I got the feeling that it was meant for me. It never did seem to be from the time I left. Everyone always marveled at it when they saw him using it, always asking where he got it. He never answered them but sideways glances at me told me the knife should have been mine and that he had kept it for himself. I think it belonged to my birth parents."

"Well, much more talkative are we?" Emily asked.

"Yeah, well I'm out of your fast moving carriage."

"Didn't like it did you?" Connor asked.

"How could ye tell?"

"It's easy to read someone's face when they've never been in a truck before. Our boss is going to want to talk to you after we get you settled. And Jess is still looking into where your village was located. If it's no longer standing then there was a good chance that whatever came through the anomaly when you left scared 'em away and the village could have been abandoned." Abby said.

"So I might still have kin out there, after all this time? They could have survived the trials and everything that came with 'em?"

"If your last name really is Jessop and if as you say something happened the day you left, then it should be in the history. Jess will let us know what she finds out. In the meantime, this will be your new room and you're welcome to leave to go explore the city with one of us accompanying you." Becker said.

"That would be most exciting. Most of thee villages and cites I saw in the anomalies were either of the future or of the past, well your future and your past. Is there not somewhere I can get changed? This room looks a tid bit small for me to change in."

"It will have to do, but Emily can help you get changed into clothes from this time if you like." Matt said.

"That would be most appreciated."

"Well then, we'll leave you girls to it then. Connor, Abby can I have a word with you two please?"

"Coming Matt."

Abby, Connor, Matt and Becker left the room in which Kady was now home to. She looked around the room and then back at Emily who had gone and gotten some clothes for her to change into.

"So, how long 'ave you been in this era, Emily?"

"Almost a year. You get quite used to it after a while. And since you work for the government, they will eventually set up housing for you. But at the moment, I'm in a room next to this one. Matt's apartment that I normally stay in is getting sprayed for bugs."

"Ah, I hate buggers. Especially the giant ones. Good thing they never knew I was in their time period or I wouldn't be here at the moment."

"Aye, how come they didn't know you were in their time period?"

"One of my many gifts, which is why most of my neighbors thought of me as a witch. My parents said I was just gifted with talent far beyond the years of my fellow neighbors. I figured it had something to do with my birth parents. Thee doesn't miss yer birth era?"

"No, not really considering my husband was going to put me in an asylum, sort of like a prison back in your time period because he thought me crazy with all my stories of the future."

"Tis sorry to hear that, truly I am."

"It's alright. Kady, what happened to your arm?"

"I had a run in with a creature that tried to eat me. I got away of course 'cause I was faster, but it was able to swipe me. I've cleaned it and bandaged it so it should heal proper."

"Well we do have a medical facility here and Lester will want to know that you are alright before he allows you to leave with one of us."

"Tis alright, I figured he would have me poked and prodded while I was here."

"Right, ahh…what's that?"

"Sorry, he must've crawled in from one of my many travels through the anomalies. Hey, what are you doing in 'ere little guy. You should have stayed in yer own time."

"Lester isn't going to like having another animal running around here, that's for sure."

"Got any place I can 'ide him for now? He tended to stay wrapped around my neck and shoulder when we was back in his time. I think he was a loner of his group so he tended to stay near me. Thought I left him there though."

"Abby is in charge of the animals. Though Connor could probably tell you what kind of animal it is."

"Tis okay, I kind of don't want to know, ye know. It's hard to say, but I think I'm his only family at the moment and he seemed drawn to my necklace, like he'd seen it before. He comes from the future, so I don't think Connor would be able to tell me what kind of creature he is."

"Well Matt is from the future so he might be able to tell you. Come on, we need to get that arm of yours looked at and maybe put your creature in the menagerie for now."

"Alright, if he must go to that place, then he must but I don't think he'll let anyone touch him. He's quite fond o' me."

We walked out of the room with Creature clinging to my neck and his tail wrapped around under my shoulder. He was looking around wildly at everything he was seeing and it was odd to see it as well. When we rounded the corner headed towards the medical facility, we ran into everyone else.

"Ah Emily, we were just on our way to get you guys. Lester wants to talk to Kady about her staying here permanently. What is that thing?" Abby asked as she finished talking to Emily.

"I don't rightly know. I call 'im Creature and he has taken to the name. He slipped into my bag when I was leavin' his era. Probably best if I keep him with me."

"Okay, where were the two of you headed?" Connor asked eyeing Creature.

"Medical Bay, Kady has a cut on her arm that needs a look at. Seems she had a little runnin with a future creature and just barely got away from it."

"May I ask when you were injured?" Matt asked.

"The day I came through thee anomaly to this time. I was a runnin from it when I noticed the anomaly. Guess it didn't like me being in his time."

"No, those creatures eat humans and anything that moves so I guess it was a good thing that you were able to get through the anomaly." Becker said.

"Good to know, won't go a lookin' for them next time then."

"What time era is your Creature friend from?"

"The future as far as I know. When I picked him up he was all alone. His tail is wrapped around me shoulder and he always sit on me neck. I figure he's closely related to a monkey, but I can't rightly say."

"We could always test his blood to figure out what he is related to. But Lester isn't going to want that thing out and about. It's probably a good idea to hand him over to me so I can put him in the menagerie." Abby said reaching for Creature.

"Not unless you want to be in medial next to me. Creature will bite and scratch anything that he perceives as a threat to me. I think he thinks I'm his mother so he protects me no matter what."

"Ah, nice to know; let's not let him near Rex then." Connor said.

"So, here's the Medical Bay Kady. We'll go get Lester for you so you won't get lost when they are done with ya."

"Thank you for your kindness."

"Don't even think about it."

The group left Becker with me in the Medical Bay. Apparently they didn't want to leave me alone, ever. I was sort of getting used to it, but not by much. I let the doctor take a look at me and kept Creature away from him at the same time. Creature seemed content to let those around me look me over and take some blood to see if I was truly okay. When they were done with the samples and re-bandaging my arm and telling me it would heal, Becker got a call over the radio telling him to bring me to Lester's office; apparently the Boss didn't want to leave his office at the moment. Becker looked at me and shrugged his shoulders and then gently guided me out the door and to Lester's office where the rest of the team was waiting.

"Ah, so nice to meet you Ms. Jessop."

"Call me Kady; Ms. Jessop was my mother and I never really liked being called that."

"Alright, Kady it is. This is Jess, she's our computer girl. She was doing some research into your background to see if the village you grew up in was still around. We'll talk about your Creature friend later. I'll let Jess explain." Lester said.

"Hi, Jess."

"Hi, Kady, so I think I found the village you lived in in 1649 but I can't really be sure without any more details from you. I looked all around that time period for anything unusual and I believe I have found something but it'll have to be shown on the computer so if you'll please follow me." Jess said as she walked out the door and to her computer which was in the middle of the room. Everyone followed her with me in the middle. I did kind of not want to attract any more attention to myself now that Creature was with me.

"So this is a newspaper article pertaining to the day that you left. It says a fifteen-year-old girl vanished into thin air as if the work of witchcraft and that when her parents involved the townsfolk to find her they came upon some kind of creature that attacked and killed the girl's father. It also says that the creature eventually went back to wherever it had come from but that the villagers feared the girl to be taken by a witch and that the creature was conjured by a witch and thus thinking that the creature would come back, abandoned and fled the village. Most of the people survived but nobody ever talked about what happened in that village."

"Did you find any more mention of any of my kin anywhere in history?"

"The name Jessop was mentioned many more times throughout history and there is a young woman with the name of Jessop who says that a story handed down generation to generation tells of a Kady Jessop that disappeared in 1649 shortly before her father was killed by some creature from the woods. Now I've managed to locate her, she is currently residing in London and when I called her to ask more about the story; she said she would only tell Kady the whole story. So you must have popped up somewhere in her time period before or shown up near a Jessop property sometime after you left 1649. She knows that you are still alive and she says she has information on your birth family. Something that has been passed down to her through a lineage not known."

"So I have a distant relative that thinks I am still alive? But I have not brought any attention to myself if I were ever in a future village or town. I made sure not to bring attention to myself for fear of being killed. I took what I needed and left through the next anomaly."

"Yes but how did you know where the anomaly was going to open?" Becker asked.

"A necklace given to me at birth that even Creature was drawn to lets me see where the next anomaly is going to open. I know that my birth parents are from some future, but which future I do not know."

"Alright, well I think it is best if Creature stays here while you and the team go talk to this relative of yours. Does it bite?" Lester asked.

"Creature wishes to stay with me. I will make sure no one sees him, I promise."

"Alright well if you must insist. Matt, make sure you don't lose her and make sure if this woman does know something about Kady, not to let her tell anyone else what she knows, even if you have to bring her in for some further questioning."

"Got it, come on guys, we have an interview to attend."

Who is this mysterious woman who knows that Kady somehow survived going through the anomalies? Will Kady ever find her birth family?

More to come in next chapter…

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