"I can't believe we stayed so long working on that damn float," Samantha complained to her friends, Brooke and Melody. "Now we have to walk home in the dark. I hate walking in the dark. It's so spooky out here." "I can't believe you got grounded from the car, Sam," Brooke said to her, rolling her eyes. "Well, if Roger hadn't been such a pain, thinking he was my father, and told mom that I shouldn't have driving privelages just because I got one small speeding ticket, we wouldn't be in this mess. Not to mention of Mels car wasn't in the shop. I can't believe this all happened during the same week," Sam said as she kicked a small stone. "C'mon you two. Quit complaining. It's not gonna get us home any sooner," Melody told the two girls. They both looked up to find Mel at least 5 feet ahead of them. The three girls walked in silence towards their homes. When they got to Elke Avenue, they split up. Sam was halfway up her driveway before she remembered something and turned around quickly. "Hey! You guys wanna come over and watch 'Black Hawk Down'? Mom just bought it for the DVD player." "Sure! Let me tell mom and I'll be right over!" Yelled Brooke, who lived across the street from Sam. "Yeah, me too!" Mel called from the house next to Brookes. "Wait until after dinner," Sam told them. The two nodded and she watched as they walked into their homes before walking through her own door. "Samantha? Is that you?" called an all to familiar voice. "Yes Roger. It's me," she called back, rolling her eyes. "You're late for dinner. We've been waiting!" Sam again rolled her eyes as she took off her jacket and flung it on the floor. "And put your jacket up in the closet!" With a sigh, she scooped the jacket off the floor, placed it in the closet, and walked in the dining room where her mother, Roger, and her 8-year-old stepsister sat. "Hey Sammie!" Chloe said happily. Sam just smiled at the girl, still unaccustomed to having a sister. Especially one that seemed to idolize her. "I'm not that hungry. We had pizza at school while we finished the float,"Sam told the family as she grabbed a carrot stick that was on the platter in the middle of the table. "Oh, and Brook and Melody are gonna come over to watch a movie after dinner." "Samantha, I wish you wouldn't just invite your friends over without discussing it with your mother or me. I'm afraid that your friends can't come over. I have to be up very early in the morning to catch a flight out to California for a business meeting and I don't want you and your friends keeping me up all night with your giggling and gossiping," Roger stated sternly. "Fine. I'll just take the movie over to Mels. She has a dvd player," Sam said, thinking the compromise was fair. Unfortunately Roger didn't think so. "No, that won't work either. You'll be coming in at all hours of the night and it will disturb the sleep I need," Roger replied, shaking his head. "Why do you always feel that you have ruin my fun?! Do you get some sick joy out of it? I'm not gonna come crashing into the house when I get home. I know how to come in quietly!" Sam yelled. Roger never seemed to give her a break. "I'm not trying to ruin your life. I'm just saying that tonight is not a very good night for you to be out or for your friends to be here," Roger explained calmly. "Mother?!" All Sam's mom did was shrug. Sam sighed with resignation. That's the way it always was, and she was afraid the way it would always be. She and Roger would get into a fight, and her mother would just sit back and allow it to happen. Worse, she would always take Rogers side. "I can't wait until the day I can get out of this hellhole! Then who'll be around for you to torture? Chloe?" Sam asked acidly and with an unladylike snort, she stormed out of the dining room. She ran to her room and slammed the door, but not before she saw Chloe climbing the stairs. She got on the phone and called Brooke and Meloday on three-way and explained the situation. "No Way! How can he do that?" Brooke yelled into the phone. Sam smiled slightly. She knew she could always count on her friends to take her side. Suddenly there was a knock on her door. "GO AWAY!" Sam yelled at the person behind the door. But that person didn't listen, as usual. Instead, the door opened and Sam was staring at Chloe. "What part of 'go away' did you NOT understand?" "I just wanted to make sure you were okay," Chloe said shyly. "I'm fine. I'm on the phone though, so go away," Sam replied roughly. Chloe hesitated for a second before turning around and leaving. "Sam? You still there?" Melodys voice asked from the phone. "Yeah, I'm still here...sorry. Had an unwanted pest at the door." "Chloe again?" Brooke asked. "Who else? You know, yesterday, she was in my room going through my closet and wearing my brand new shirt I bought on Saturday. She clipped the tag and everything. When I yelled at her, mom came up and said that I should be nice to my new sister. Well, she's not my sister. I never wanted a step-father, much less a sister. I wish I could go live with my father... wherever he is." "Well, if you did, we wouldn't get to see each other anymore. So, I'm glad your stuck here," Melody kidded. Brooke giggled on her end and Sam smiled. "You guys are the best. I better go and do the dishes before Roger complaines that I never do anything in this house. I'll call you guys tomorrow. Hey! Since it's Saturday, lets go to the mall before work. I need a new sweater since Chloe took mine. Well, she claims she doesn't, but I saw her with it a couple of days ago. What do you two say?" before they could answer, she interrupted them. "Oh Shit! Never mind. I have to take Chloe to her mothers. Lets go after work." They all agreed and hung up. "Samantha! The dishes aren't going to wash themselves!" Roger called from the staircase. "Coming!" She ran downstairs, did the dishes, and then went to her room to watch 'Vertical Limit'. Somewhere in the middle of the movie, Sam drifted off to sleep and dreamed of a strange guy. He had reddish brown hair and green eyes and as she stared into his mysterious eyes , she felt an unexplainable urge to meet him, whoever he might be. Suddenly, someone shaking her woke her out of her wonderful dream. "Sammie? I had a nightmare. Can I sleep in your room with you tonight? Chloe's wide eyes were full of tears. "Yeah, sure. Hop in," Sam told the frightened girl. Chloe hopped in with a smile on her face, while Sam went to turn off her TV and the lights. She then climbed into her bed, exhausted. She didn't dream of the unknown man again, but she wouldn't ever forget his face. ~*~ The next morning, Sam found herself on the floor and Chloe sprawled on her bed. Upset at firts, Sam stood up ready to yell at the little girl, but stopped herself when she remembered the look of fear on Chloes's face the night before. "Chloe, wake up. You need to get ready to go to your moms," Sam said quietly, shaking the girl. Chloe stirred, but didn't weke up. "Don't make me wake you up the hard way." "I'm up. But I don't wanna go to mommys. Her boyfriend is no fun. All he does is yell at me and tell me I'm in the way," Chloe told Sam. Sam was stunned. "Have you told Roger that?" "No, cuz I'm afraid that daddy won't believe me," Sam looked at the little gir, who moments before she'd thought of as a nuisance. "I think you're gonna have to go today, because your dad went out of town for the weekend. But, you should tell your mom what you told me. Maybe she can talk to her boyfriend and tell him to stop making you feel bad. Okay?" Chloe nodded and then caught Sam unaware as she hopped up and gave her a big hug. The two girls ended the embrace and Sam helped Chloe get dressed and packed. "I'll see you Sunday at five o'clock," Sam told Chloe after dropping her off. Chloe nodded, looking scared. Sam gave her a big smile, which cause Chloe to smile. Sam got into the car and drove off after seeing Chloe go inside with her mom. "Hey guys! How is it today?" Sam called to Mel and Brooke as she walked into work a little bit later. The three friends had been lucky enough to get the same job at a coffee shop in the mall. "It's slow, thank goodness. I couldn't stand another day like last Friday. All those shoppers," Mel replied taking a sip of her cappucino. "Oh, and George wants you to take out the trash." Sam groaned. Why was she the one who always had to take out the trash. It was so unfair. "I wish George would just get over it. I'm so sick of taking out the trash just because I wouldn't date him," Sam complained as she grabbed the four bags that were by the back door. She opened the door and dropped all the bags when she saw an old man standing in the alley by the dumpster. "Can I help you, sir?" The man turned around fast, cackled and then ran away. "Psycho" Sam threw the garbage away and turned to go back into the shop, but a strange light caught her eye. "Hey, Mel! Brooke! C'mere!" she called. "Hold on. Let me put the out to lunch sign up!" Brooke yelled back. A few seconds later, Sams two best friends joined her at the door. "What is it?" Mel asked. "OOOOOOOOOH!" she cried as she saw the lights. Brooke stood there one eyebrow cocked warily. "What do you think it is?" Sam asked. The three girls were drawn to the strange light. They got closer and closer and were soon right in front of the source. On the wall was a swirling mist that emitted colorful lights. Suddenly there was a pop and a blinding flash of light, and the girls found themselves, not behind the mall, but on an unfamiliar cobblestone street, with two strange boys staring at them. "Whoa! This doesn't look like the alley behind the mall!" Melody stated. "No shit, Sherlock!" Brooke retorted, looking at her surroundings. "Don't be mean, Brooke. Right now we need to figure out just where the hell we are and how the hell we got here," Sam said. All three turned around looking at the place, trying to find something familiar about it. "Er...We'se can tell ya where ya are, but not how ya got heah," a male voice spoke up. Having forgotten about the two boys, the three girls whirled around to face them. "Uh, you're in Manhattan. In front of da Newsboys Lodgin House," said the blonde with glasses. "How the hell ya got heah, we don't know," said the kid holding the cane. "He's kinda cute," Mel whispered in Sam's ear. Sam rolled her eyes. How many times had she heard that from her? "Shhhh..." she told her. "HOW THE HELL DID WE GET TO MANHATTAN?" Brooke cried out, confused. "I don't know. But my mother is gonna kill me. I didn't tell her I was leaving New Jersey," Sam stated. "You two from Jersey? Ya know any of da Newsies ovah dere?" cane boy asked. "Newsboys? What's that?" Mel asked. "Ya don't know what Newsies are? We're da ones dat tell people how ta think, how to vote. Without Newsies no one knows nothin," the blonde told them, surprised that they didn't know who Newsies were. "Can I see that paper?" Sam asked. The blonde handed her the paper and what Sam saw on it made her knees weak. "1899!!??" she cried out just before fainting. "Whoa! 1899?! Is this a trick or something?" Brooke exclaimed, running to the falled Sam. She was gently pulled aside by the blonde boy and was about to tear into him, when she noticed that he was picking her up. "We bettah git her inside. We'll lay her down on one of da bunks," he said gently, indicating that all should follow. "Hey, Dutchy? Whatcha got dere?" a short italian asked, while pufffing on a cigar. "Awww, just some goil who fainted at da sight of me. Guess she couldn't handle how cute I am," the blonde boy known as Dutchy kidded. All the boys laughed. "Need ta git her upstairs to da goils bunk. Anyone up dere?" "Yeah, Lily is," a boy with a patch over his eye said. "Lily is me goil," Dutchy explained to Mel and Brooke. But he noticed that Melody wasn't really paying attention. She was busy staring at Spot, the cane boy as they called him. "Follow me." They made their way up some stairs and came to a closed door. "Lil? Ya in dere. I need ta bring someone in." "C'mon in!" a voice called. They walked in and the girls were surprised at how many bunk beds there were. "Hi, da name's Lily. Lil for short," the girl said spitting in her hand. Melody stepped back a bit, but Brooke just followed suit and spit in her hand. The two girls shook hands. Brooke and Mel introduced themselves and Sam, who was being placed on a bunk by Dutchy. "Umm...are we really in 1899? This isn't "Candid Camera" or anything, is it?" Brooke asked suspiciously, looking for the hidden camera. "'Candid what?" Lil asked. "Never mind. I guess this really is the real deal. Wow! No one is ever gonna believe us. How did we get here?" Melody asked no one in particular. "I GOT IT! Those strange lights. They must have been some time traveling thing. Hmmm...I wonder how we get back?" Brooke pondered. "Uh...what happened?" Sam's voice caused everyone to turn around. "Ya fainted," Dutchy told her. "Oh. Why?" "Uhhh...Sammie, we're in 1899. Those lights in the alley...must have been a time warp or something," Brooke explained gently, not wanting her friend to faint again. "I see..." Sam said slowly. "Well, I guess we need to figure out how to get home...before our parents get worried." Mel and Brooke agreed. "But, can we eat first? I was about to get a taco from the little stand next to the coffee shop when you called me to see the lights. I'm starving," Mel pleaded. "Same here," Brooke put in. Sam was hungry too. "We could take you to Tibbys. It's just down da street. Dey got decent food. Besides, some of da uddah Newsies will be dere," Lily piped up. The three girls agreed. "But foist, we need to get you outta dem clothes. You'll stick out like a sore thumb. She gave the girls each a button up shirt, one of hers and one of Dutchys and one of another guys. Luckily the girls were wearing black pants so they didn't need to borrow any. "Okay, lets get some food!" the four ran downstairs and gathered any stray newsies still around. Mush and Race were the only ones there and they went along with them. "So, where ya goils from," asked Mush. "Jersey," was all that Sam would say. "Hey, do you know Lizard? He and I used to sell papes together all da time when he was wit us here in Manhattan," Mush said excitedly. Dutchy leaned over and whispered something in Mush's ear. "No way! Youse from da future? Neat!" They all laughed at how much Mush sounded like a little child. "Well, heah we are. Don't let da boys scare ya. Deys a great bunch," Lily whispered to the girls. They all smiled and walked in. They were greeted with stares by many people. Most of them looked to be their age and some younger. "Hey! Lily! What do you got dere?" a boy with glasses asked, staring at Brooke. "Just some new people, Specs. Keep yer tongue in yer mouth!" She called back smiling. Specs blushed. "C'mon, we'll go find a table." As soon as they did, all the boys came flocking over asking questions. "Uh, excuse me...but I think thats my shirt your wearin', a voice said, tapping on Sam's shoulder. "Oh, sorry. Dutchy let me borrow it. I promise to give it...," her voice trailed off when she looked up and was met with the same eyes that haunted her every dream. Upon closer look, she knew that this was the man she dreamt about. And by the look on his face, he seemed to know her too. "Uh, do I'se know you?" he asked. This girl was absolutely beautiful, but then again, he had thought so when he saw her in his dreams. "Umm...I don't think so. My friends and I just got here today," Sam stuttered, not believing that she was face to face with the most gorgeous guy in the world. "I'm JD. What's yer name?" "Samantha...Sam for short though," she told him. They smiled at each other and shook hands, feeling a spark when they touched. "Hey, Sam! Some old guy is lookin atcha in da window," Dutchy called out to her. Sam looked out and saw the same old man that was in the alley just before they were warped to 1899. She shot out of her seat, knocking the chair over, and ran outside. "You! How the hell did you do this? How do we get back?" she demanded. "You want to go back, huh?" the old man cackled. "Are you sure?" Sam nodded. "Okay, all you have to do is go to the alley behind Tibbys and jump through the portal. But a word of caution. If you go back, you can never return here again. Think wisely before deciding. You wouldn't want to ruin your chances with the guy of your dreams, now would you?" he asked, just before he ran off. "How did he know about my dream? Must be a coincidence. He must have seen me in there with JD and just assumed that we were together," Sam said to herself. "Do you make it a habit of talkin to yourself?" a voice startled her, making her jump. She whirled around and again, was face to face with JD. "Uh, not usually. Only when I have no one else to talk to," she giggled. "Well, I'm here, so lets talk," he said grabbing her hand and leading her back into Tibbys. But before they sat down, Sam remembered the old mans words of going home. "Brooke, Mel! We need to talk. JD, I'll be right back." "What? Specs and I were just getting to know each other," Brooke whined. "You mean you were about to make out," Mel laughed. Brooked playfully hit her, but couldn't stop grinning. Sam stared at her best friend. She couldn't remember the last time Brooke looked so happy. 'Not since Joshua Georgson broke up with her,' Sam thought. "Listen, I found out how we can go home. But if we do, we can't come back here...ever," Sam explained. "Do we have to go back now?" Brooke asked. "No...I guess we could stay for awhile and then go. The old man didn't say how long we have though," Sam said slowly. "Well, we should stay for a couple of more hours and then go. Who knows when, or if, we'll have another chance like this," Mel told the two. All three agreed and went back to the tables they came from. Sam looked for JD and found him alone in a corner booth away from everyone else. "Whatcha doin over here by yourself?" she asked. "Waitin for you," he said smoothly, making Sam blush. "I hafta ask you a question. I hoid from Dutchy dat you'se from da future." "I am." "Then why do I feel dat I know you?" "The same reason I feel I know you too perhaps. I've dreamt about you many nights. It was always the same dream. I'm walking, then running, and then falling. But then you appear and help me up. But before I can say anything, I wake up," she explained. "I know whatcha mean. Only in my dream, it's before I get to kiss you," he smiled. Sam didn't know what to say. She had left that part out of her explanation, not wanting him to be embarrassed. "Well, I might have forgotten that part in my dream," she smiled at him. They talked endlessly about each other, not realizing that everyone else had left. "Wow, it's late," Sam said when she realize that it was getting dark. "You headin back ta da LH?" JD asked. "LH?" "Lodgin House," he offered. "Oh. No, I was going to...uh...talk to the owner. I'm um, gonna see if he has a waitressing job open," Sam stammered thinking of an excuse to be left alone for a bit. "Oh, I know da owner real well. I'll go wit ya," JD said, heading to the back. "No! UH, I mean, it's okay. I want to get this job on my own. Not because some nice person was able to help me. You go on back to the LH and I'll be there in a few minutes. I promise." "Well, it ain't very safe to walk alone on dese streets. Especially if you'se a goil. I'll just wait for ya," he said. "No, really. I'll be okay. I can handle anything that comes my way," she said bravely. "Well, okay. But if you're not at the LH in half an hour, I'm gonna come looking for you." "Deal," she watched as he walked out the door and then ran to the back. When she knew he was gone, she went to the front door and walked behind Tibbys. There, on a far wall, were the lights. Sam walked closer to them, when she realized that she needed Brooke and Mel with her. "Damnit. I hope these lights are here when we get back," she cursed. She began walking to the LH, when she realized that she didn't know where the LH was. 'Damn!" she thought. She kept walking towards the way they had come earlier, but everything looked so unfamiliar. "I wish I had a flashlight or something. I hate walking in the dark," She said to herself. Suddenly Sam stopped, thinking she heard footsteps behind her. But there was silence. So she kept walking on, but heard another pair of footsteps behind her. Freaking out, she began to slowly jog, but the steps got faster with her. She then took off in a sprint, thankful for her track training. But the steps were faster than hers. And before she knew it she was tackled to the ground. "Well, well. Looky at what I caught," a menacing voice spat. "W-who are you?" Sam asked terrified. "Oscar Delancy, at your service," the voice replied. He lifted her up and soon she was able to see his face. 'He'd be cute if it weren't for that awful sneer on his face," she thought. "I want to have me a little fun," he said and began pushing her into an alley behind them. It was then that Sam realized what he was going to do. To be Continued |
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