Fading With Time

Chapter 7

Decisions and Revelations

                Elizabeth sat in stunned silence pondering over the word.  Could it have been talking about William’s letters?  It didn’t seem likely since they were no longer legible.  Could it have been talking about her letters?  That would only be the case if someone were reading them.  She hadn’t mailed them anywhere though, so she just didn’t know how that was a possibility.  It had been a little while since she had written.  She had been so busy with counseling, the new baby, and Ryan’s departure that she just hadn’t thought about it.

                Picking the little handheld recorder up she reached over to place it on the nightstand.  As she was pulling her arm away the forgotten letter caught her eye.  Thinking it a long shot Elizabeth picked it up knowing what she would find inside.  Taking the worn parchment out she slowly opened it unable to decide what she hoped she would find.  She carefully unfolded the paper not wanting to damage the fragile thing.  Disappointment beat its way through her body when she opened the lower fold to find it blank.  Chastising her foolish thinking she flipped the upper fold.  A shaken shriek left her lips as she dropped the paper to her lap.  She stared wide eyed at the aged parchment.  Where once it had been faded beyond being able to read it, now the words were black and bold.  She recognized William’s handwriting right away.  There was no way she could blame anyone for having tampered with the letter to mess with her either.  She didn’t think any of her friends, with maybe the exceptions of Courtney and Mikey would.  Courtney was back home however, and Mikey had been completely wrapped up in Lauren.  There were no culprits to consider.  She wanted there to be a reasonable explanation for what she was staring at because the thought that was trying to force its way to the front was so unfathomable that she shied away from it.  With shaking fingers Elizabeth picked the letter up to read it.

                                                                                                                                                September 10, 1917

Dearest loved ones,

                It brought me great comfort when each of your letters expressed your concerns for my well-being and your anticipation for my eventual return.  It brings me peace of mind knowing each of you will be there to welcome me home one day.  Many of my fellow soldiers have come to anticipate the letters that you send as well.  Several of us share our correspondence with the others.  I think it gives them a sense of home.  Not all of the men here receive letters you see, and I think they appreciate that those of us that do read them aloud for everyone to hear.  I must confess; however, it does cause some teasing because of the content of the various missives.  Thanks for that by the way Annie.  The guys love to here your childhood tales of woe.  I must also confess that I do not share all the letters I receive.  Perhaps it makes me a bit selfish, but there are some things I wish to keep for me.  I do not have much time to write this time as we are preparing ourselves to move forward.  Give my best and my love to everyone.  Take care of each other until my return.

Sincerely,

William Bennett

                Elizabeth read over the short letter many times feeling a little disappointed that it was rather anticlimactic after the ghostly build up.  She refolded the letter and placed it back into the envelope.  For a few minutes she just stared blankly at the object.  It hadn’t answered anything for her at all and in truth left her with a sense of unfulfillment.  She could always take out another but, she was afraid that the next one would still be unreadable.  She had so many questions spinning around in her head and no one to ask them to. 

                “Have you finally finished then?”  The voice came out of nowhere causing Elizabeth to cry out in fright.  Her gaze jerked up away from the letter and landed on none other than Annabel Bennett.  Elizabeth gasped in shock as she looked around her only now noticing she was seated upon a chair at a dinning table in the kitchen.  It sat in much the same place as hers did.  Where her table was a little round thing meant to seat two this was clearly a table meant for a large family.  There were six chairs situated around the large solid wood table.  Elizabeth couldn’t believe she was back nor had she noticed the transition in time.

                “When did I get here?”  Elizabeth asked making Annabel motion for silence as she looked around them.  Taking the letter from her and placing it onto the table, Annabel grasped Elizabeth’s hand waving her to follow as she led her from the room.  Annabel took Elizabeth out the front door leading her down the steps and to the path that should run through the willow grove.  Much to Elizabeth’s surprise however many of the willow trees were mere saplings.  She was used to seeing the large majestic tress from her time.  The young saplings were a jarring shock.  Elizabeth glanced all around them as the two of them walked.

                “What are you looking at?”  Annabel asked in curiosity.  Elizabeth shook her head in wonder.

                “The trees are so little it threw me a bit.  I’m used to seeing them fully grown.”  Annabel looked around her trying to imagine the trees as Elizabeth had seen them.

                “William planted these before he left for the war.  He had read somewhere that they should help with erosion problems.” 

                “Erosion?”  Elizabeth inquired as Annabel nodded pointing at the lake that was much closer to the property in this time then it was in her own.  “I don’t understand what’s going on.” 

                “I was confused myself until I wrote to Will.  He tried to explain things the best that he could.  Although I do not believe that he truly understands it all either.”  Elizabeth turned her attention to her companion ready to hear an explanation.

                “What did he say exactly?”

                “He wrote that somehow a person he had never met had answered his letters.  He accused me of showing them around to others.  I was naturally very offended that he would ever think I would do such a thing.”  Annabel told her.  There was a bit of heat in her voice that let Elizabeth know that while Annabel had put it behind her, his words had hurt.

                “I’m sorry that I caused problems between you two.”  Annabel waved her apology away smiling brightly as she did so.

                “I am not.  He wrote me later telling me he apologized for his previous letters and that other missives he had received from you gave him an idea of how it happened.  Of course, I bombarded him with questions wanting to know who you were and just how you were able to obtain his letters.  Imagine my surprise when he told me you found them in the very house, we lived in that in the future would become yours.”  Elizabeth cringed a bit at the hopeful look in Annabel’s eyes.

                “It’s true that I’m not from here.  I also did come across his letters in a trunk in the attic.  I was honestly surprised to see the previous family had left so much of their belongings behind in the house to begin with.  Truthfully, I wasn’t even sure I should read them as it felt like an invasion of privacy.  A friend of mine encouraged me to so since they were from so long ago.  I wasn’t exactly answering his letters either.”  Elizabeth admitted feeling guilty for having read the family’s mail in the first place.

                “You weren’t writing Will?”  Annabel asked in shock.  Elizabeth shook her head and sighed.

                “I needed someone to talk too and since there was no way to actually respond to your brother’s letters and I felt ridiculous writing a diary I used the letters.  I poured my thoughts and fears out in letters that I knew or thought I knew no one would ever read.  I have no idea how they made it to him.”

                “That’s interesting.”  Annabel stated while nodding her head in thought.

                “What’s more interesting is that in some of his previous letters William was answering my questions that I hadn’t even asked yet.”  Annabel smiled brightly at Elizabeth.

                “That makes sense.  The time we’re in right now is essentially the past to you.  Would it not be reasonable to assume then, that by the time you find the letters and begin to write him, he has already received every letter you will have written to him in the future?”  Elizabeth looked at Annabel skeptically as she pondered her words.

                “I suppose that could be true.”

                “Of course, it is.  It also explains the things he has told me about you.”

                “Like what exactly.”  Elizabeth asked feeling slightly uneasy about the whole thing.

                “I can not tell you.  I do not want to change anything that is going to happen.” 

                “Wait a minute.  I’ve read the letters that he wrote to the family and there was none of what your telling me in them.”  Elizabeth accused wondering if the young woman was trying to pull one over on her.

                “That is because he also sends us letters individually.  Which from the sounds of it were not with the other letters.  I wonder why that is?”  Elizabeth stopped in her tracks staring at Annabel in disbelief.  The young woman continued to walk a few paces before noticing Elizabeth wasn’t with her anymore.  Turning back to her, Annabel looked at Elizabeth curiously.

                “So, what do I do now?”  Elizabeth asked in shock as her world tipped on its axis.  Excitedly Annabel rushed back to Elizabeth’s side taking her hands in her own.

                “Do you know what this means?”  Elizabeth shook her head flabbergasted with her energy spike.  “It means that I can write to you too.”

                “How would you get them to me?”  Elizabeth asked pondering the house.

                “I could put them somewhere for you to retrieve.  It would have to be somewhere that would not be touched though.”  Annabel turned to the house as well looking it over as she mulled over the possibilities.

                “The attic!”  Elizabeth shouted.  Annabel turned to her waiting for Elizabeth to explain.  “There have been things done to the house over the years to upgrade it.  The only room that’s been untouched is the attic.”  Annabel’s eyes lit up as she turned back to the house to plot.

                “I can put them in that room on the right.  Under a loose floorboard or in a wall or something.  We can use it as cover too.”  She stated excitedly.

                “Cover?”

                “The times that you go back I can tell mom and Ruth that you were commissioned to do a portrait.  I just have to talk whomever I use into it.  I can send you the details as well as a pic to work from.  We already proved that things travel back with you.”  Annabel plotted with enthusiasm warming up to her topic.  Elizabeth thought back to the time she came back with the easel and painting.  A thought occurred to her.

                “It’s the stuff from the house.” 

                “What is?” 

                “The easel, the canvas, the letter.  They all came back with me because they exist in both times.”  Elizabeth pointed out.  She was annoyed that she hadn’t figured that out sooner.

                “So as long as you use what came with the house when you bought it, then there should not be any trouble getting the pieces to come here.”  Annabel’s body vibrated with the idea.

                “It’s a theory anyway.  We won’t know if it’ll work yet.”  Elizabeth reminded her trying to tone down Annabel’s reaction.

                “What are we waiting for?  We have to try this out!”

                “One problem.”

                “What?”

                “I’m still here.”  With Elizabeth’s reminder they both looked at each other with wide eyes.

                “You have never been here this long.”  Annabel pointed out with worry.  Elizabeth shook her head becoming a little worried herself at her current predicament.

                “How do we get you back?”  Annabel asked wringing her hands.  Elizabeth sighed in defeat.

                “I have no idea.”