Elizabeth's Portrait (Part 8)

August 5th 1669 New York, New York 5pm

Writing in a carriage is hard enough when you don't have anything in your hands except a quill and paper. However, writing in a carriage with a baby in your arms is impossible. As much as I've wanted to write for the past week, I just didn't have time to do it. The trip from Boston to New York is not a pleasant one even for a 'civilized' area the new lands are still rather uncivilized, at least for an English woman like myself. Watching Liz sleep is rather peaceful, it softens ones heart to life its self. Sitting in the hotel room now and looking over her is rather peaceful, especially knowing what it took to get her here.

July 29th 1669 Boston Massachusetts 12:01pm

People are truly cruel, this is something I've known for years, but it still sinks into you from time to time and rings true. Mary's body fell through the trapdoor and all you could hear is the deafening roar of the crowd in cheers. My arms starting to feel weak as I held back the string of a bow. An old weapon of choice for sure, but when you are good at it, it's better than any new weapon there is. My eyes seemed to go into complete focus on the rope holding Mary's neck, the sharp sound of a snap whistled past my ears as I released the arrow, as soon as it was away I began my descent into the crowd. The arrow struck true as it sliced right through the rope, the crowd erupted into a loud boom of boo's as I ran through them as fast as I could. I watched as the guards dropped down below. I could feel my breath quickening as I made my way through the crowd.
"Did anyone see you?" The nice gentleman asked me as I approached a carriage sitting at a close by alley.
"Not that I know of. Is my cargo all ready to go?"
"Yes, it is." He opened the door and helped me into the carriage. Where I saw the hooded girl sitting in the carriage.
I untied her hands and unmasked her. "So, what would you like your new name to be?" I asked as I picked up Liz then passing her off to her mother. "I was thinking maybe calling you Martha."
Mary looked up at me with tears in her eyes as she held her daughter close. "Whatever you chose." She said sheepishly. "Aren't you going to be wanted for this?"
"Why would I?" I smiled at her. "No one saw me release the arrow, and no one is following us. We're safe. But Mary Morgan is as good as dead. I promised you I would take care of your daughter, and the best way I could do that is by making sure that you could take care of her."
Mary sat and cried as she cuddled with her daughter. "So, Elizabeth and Martha" I sat down and tried to write, but writing while in a carriage just does not work.

September 1st 2010 7AM

The trip across the border was mostly pleasant, with the exception of the extremely weird weather that seemed to follow us where ever we went. This was one time that we really were feeling like we had a rain cloud on our actions. Our journey ended at the front steps of the University of Florida in Gainesville where we were going to meet an old friend of mine.

As we reached Smathers library I stopped and turned to the others. "Wait here, this shouldn't take too long." As I entered the library I could remember the last time I had been in it. It was 1930 when the place was new. Now it was a lot bigger, and remodeled. I walked through the large wooden door into the rather empty Library.

A voice came from out of the back of the library. "The student may become the master in time, but time doesn't move nearly as fast as the Master perceives it to."

"The Master only perceives time faster, because he's been around longer." I made my way through the desks and back to the man who was standing looking over one of the cases. "I met an old man once who suggested I stay out of history."

"Ah, but did he really say you should stay out of history?" He turned and I saw the man I had once met many years ago.

"I believe his exact words were..." He didn't let me continue.

"Exact words can be deceiving. He merely stated the facts. You had a choice to make." He turned his attention back to the shelf and began to pull out books from the shelves. Lying them on the table. "Every ripple one makes in the water, causes a bigger ripple to come about." I looked over the books he was lying on the table and couldn't help but smile.

"Actually this one isn't about me." I picked up "Journey to the Center of the Earth" and handed it to him.

"Ah, but it is a ripple." He pointed out Mysterious Island to me. "You may not know how much influence you've had, but you have had it." He placed one of many of the Sherlock Holmes stories in front of me, which made me smile even more.

"I understand you have some information for me. Something that will help me track down whoever it is that is causing these atrocities."

"One who doesn't listen, never learns anything." He sat down seven other books on the table, all of them having to do with weather and weather patterns over the past two hundred years. "If you listen, then you must chose what you learn, and what you refuse to know." I thumbed through the books he had laid out. Knowing that he understood what was happening, but it just wasn't clicking why he was giving me these books. My attention waned to the last book he laid on the table.

"Tom Sawyer?" I questioned the choice. "What does that have to do with me?"

"Nothing that I know of, but Sam was always one of my favorites."

"What happened to that old man who was content living in the middle of a lake where no one bothered him?"

"When no one bothers you, you become lonely. I figured it was about time I got back to civilization. After all, they will either destroy themselves, or each other. If it wasn't for people like you and Alan."

"I assume this all has to do with why I'm here?" He leaned over and picked up a cane, the top of which was made out of pure ivory. The same ivory I had watched as he carved it all those years ago. The rest of the cane had been replaced.

"Yes, it does. But you must be open to new possibilities in order to find and stop it."

"What am I trying to find?"

"Not a what, a who." The Ancient opened up a year book and pointed out one of the students. "Brilliant man, limited only by what is truly possible. And you know as well as I do, that more is possible than what most can imagine." I nodded and took a good look at the man.

"Any idea where I should start?"

"Only thing I know is that you should start looking for him, where you'd never look for anyone, ever. That is where you will find him."

"Thank you." I took the year book under my arm and began to walk out.

"One who loses their place in life, becomes a plot in a storyline. One who holds their place becomes a hero. Choices, choices, choices. Everything always comes down to what you truly want." I knew what he meant, and I hopefully had learned my place.

April 15th 1685 6AM Town at the Severn, Maryland

Life teaches us lessons and unfortunately we don't learn nearly quick enough once we've hit a certain age. They say that as we get older we lose the abilities to learn. It would actually seem that we just don't have as much reason to learn as we get older. When we're taught to speak and write there is nothing else to interfere with our learning. However, once you know how to speak and write, it's enough for your mind and you really don't care about any other languages. If you're taught another language at the same time as you are learning your first language, you pick up both languages.

It's funny how much you can learn when you want to. I have learned Spanish, French, Italian, as well as some of the African dialects in the 135 years of my life. It's not due to any special abilities on my part, just a lot of time and spending it in those places. You truly have to sink yourself into the language to learn it, once you have gotten so old.

However, little Eliza soaked up information like crazy from the time that I began to teach her till now. My 16 year old prodigy has soaked up every little bit of information she could from me. She speaks English and Spanish fluently, and has picked up a little bit of French. The most amazing of it all, she has learned the ancient language that I had picked up and can now read and write in it. Guess I have to keep my private diaries a bit more private from her.

"Auntie?" her voice flowed through the air as a lovely little whisper. Her long brown hair flowed across her shoulders as she entered into my room. "Mother wants to know if you are going to join us for dinner."

"Of course my baby girl." She looked so much like her mother I couldn't help but think about Mary coming into my room at the same age. Five years after I had moved in, and Mary still came in every day to see if I was going to join them for a meal. "Come here my angel."

"Yes Auntie?" She stood as if she was in attention to me.

"I want you to promise me something." I picked up one of my diaries and handed it to her.

"What is this?"

"That is my diary. I want you to read it and keep it. It is yours now. However, I want you to teach any daughters you may have to be able to read it as well. One day they will need to know how to read it, and as long as they do then they will be well taken care of."

"Okay Auntie." She smiled and held my diary close to her. "Anything else?"

"Not at all my sweet." I followed her down the stairs and into the parlor where Mary had set up for breakfast.

"Good morning Elizabeth." Mary said softly as she put down our plates of cakes.

"Good morning." I picked up my fork and began to eat, as did Eliza. I noticed my diary lying on her lap as she ate.

"The neighbors are talking about you again." Mary spoke very softly as if she was afraid someone was listening to her.

"What are they saying?"

"Same thing as usual when we've been somewhere for a while, talking about how you don't seem to age and that you must be some sort of magician to keep your face looking young."

"What did you say?"

"Nothing, they weren't talking to me, they did not even know I was there." Mary looked a little sad. "I think we need to move again. This time we'll say that I'm your Auntie."

"That would make you my cousin." Eliza giggled as she spoke and I couldn't help but smile with her.

"Actually, I think it's time that you settle down Mary." I couldn't help but feel sad at the thought of leaving them, but taking them with me would only keep making their life harder and harder. "I've been meaning to continue my journey through this new world, and I don't want either of you to get harmed in the process." I choked back the tears that I could feel about to burst from my eyes. "I love you both too much to keep you moving on with me. This is my burden, not yours." Mary and Eliza both had no idea what to say and just started to softly weep.

"But I wouldn't know what to do without you." Mary put down her fork and picked up her napkin wiping her eyes. "You've been my best friend, my only sister, and my daughters auntie. We would rather go with you then let you go." Eliza leapt out of her chair and grabbed onto me. I kissed her head and combed my fingers through her long soft silky hair.

"But if I don't let you go, then I face losing you, and I don't want to lose you at all. I want you both to be happy and you'll never be happy just traveling with me." Eliza looked up into my eyes, I could see her tears running down her face and softly wiped them off. "No crying over this. I won't be gone forever. I just need to keep moving around. I found you twice Mary, I'll find you again."

September 15th 2010

Several days of searching phone records, addresses, and other public media and Jessica finally found us a cold trail to follow. It's amazing how long she can stay at a task considering she's only human. Jessica surprises me more and more every day as I watch her enjoy fishing through the internet and books of all sorts. Funny though she is still hanging onto one of my books, not letting it go. Almost as if it means more to her than it does to me.

Our car pulled up to a small mobile home in the middle of Kansas.

"Smallville." Jessica said with a soft smirk on her face. "Well, small as it gets anyway." John was the first one out of the vehicle and quickly disappeared. "Does it creep anyone else out that he does that?"

I looked over at Jessica, as she spoke. "Not really, just worries me a bit that he knows how to do it. So, we have a brilliant scientist and he lives in a small mobile home with his mother?"

"From everything I can find on him, this is the last known place of residence. However, according to what I've found, he hasn't been seen since the start of the prime numbers." Jessica walked up to the door and rang the bell as Sundry and I followed. Jack seemed to chose the luxury of the car and was sitting back enjoying himself.

"Hello?" the older woman's voice came out from behind a screen door. "May I help you?"

"I hope so, we're looking for your son, Chris. When was the last time you heard from him?"

"Who are you?"

"My name is Elizabeth, this is Jessica and Sundry. We are investigators looking for missing scientists. Your son is the first one on our list." She slowly opened the screen and invited us in.

"I'm sorry, but I have no idea where my son is. Right after he graduated he left and then disappeared. Last thing he told me was that he would make sure I was taken care of, and true to his word my bank account has had a deposit in it from an anonymous source every week but he doesn't even bother to call me." I could see that she was very saddened, but as I was concentrating on the mother, Jessica was taking in everything in the trailer.

"We have his yearbook here, but it would seem that they have the wrong picture for him in it." Jessica opened the book and handed it to her. I looked around the mobile home and saw several pictures of a family, and Jessica was right, the picture in the book was not her son. "Do you know who that is?"

"Afraid not, I'll call the college immediately and find out why my son's picture is wrong."

"Don't bother, I will make sure they get word of it. May we see his room?"

"Sure, I haven't touched anything in it since the day he left. He was only home for a couple of weeks before some man came knocking on the door offering him a job." She stood up and showed us back through a hallway and opened up the door at the end of it. Sundry was the first one into the room, then Jessica. I stayed in the hallway as they had basically filled the room.

"Any friends you know of that might know where he is?"

"Chris was always a bit of a loner, no one wanted to hang out with the weird weather man." She smiled slightly and then returned her attention to me. "He was an odd child, obsessed with weather and weather patterns since he was very young. He went into college to find out everything he could about it."

"What about the man who came to give him the job? Do you have a name?"

"He said his name was James Moriarty, but even I know an alias when I hear one. He wasn't as young as my son, but no older than 32. He had long dark hair, blue eyes and a voice that echoed through my house even if he was just whispering. Decent looking man too."

"How long between the job offer and when he left?"

"Well, they went back to his room and when they came out, my son had his bags packed and told me that I would be well taken care of, and then left with the man in a limo much like the one you pulled up in."

As Jessica and Sundry exited the room I thanked the woman and walked out with Sundry and Jessica. "You realize she described Jack perfectly, right?" Jessica spoke up as she walked along side of me.

"One problem with that, Jack never does anything as himself. Must be someone else." Just as I opened the door of the limo the woman came running outside.

"That's the man, right there!" She pointed at Jack who was still just sitting in the limo.

"I'm sorry miss, but I have no idea what you are talking about."

"You're the one who came and took my son away all those years ago."

"You must be confused, I've never been here before." Before she could respond a storm quickly formed above us.

"Thank you for everything." I said as I pushed Jessica into the car and tried to do the same with Sundry who once again avoided being touched and entered the vehicle. As we all entered John appeared and quickly entered as well.

"Where to?" the limo driver asked. I started to think about it and Jessica quickly spoke up.

"California." Jessica smiled at me and I just nodded. "San Diego." The limo began moving down the road.

"Why San Diego?" I asked curious of what she had found.

"Seems that our weather man had a friend there. Someone who called himself 'Earthquakes' online. I figure with a name like that, we couldn't lose on finding him."

"I'd have to agree with that." as I spoke I heard a large bang on the top of the limo, I looked up to see a dent the size of a golf ball, then another and another as hail began tearing into us. "Stop under that gas station." As the limo pulled under the gas station the hail stopped.

"Guess it's safe to go now." the limo driver took his foot off the gas and the moment the front bumper was out of under the station a baseball sized piece of hail slammed into the bumper shaking the entire vehicle. Putting the limo in reverse he parked us back under the station, and once again the hail stopped.

"Why do I have this odd feeling about this?" I opened the door and got out of the limo, taking a look around. A dark cloud was forming above us as it began to rotate. "Guy's I think we need to find shelter." We all entered the gas station where the attendants were standing looking at the weather outside. "Excuse us, do you have shelter?" The young man answered us.

"This is Kansas, of course we have a storm shelter, but this wasn't predicted." The young woman who was obviously his wife looked at her husband.

"Is it ever?" She smiled and took his hand and directed us out back where there was two doors sticking out of the ground. "Everybody down into the shelter." I waited till everyone was in the shelter before following. As I took the first few steps hail began falling once again, pelting me I looked up and saw a funnel as it began to fall down towards the earth I shut the doors and locked them and headed down the steps. As I reached the bottom I started to feel light headed . The next thing I knew I had everyone standing around me.

"Elizabeth are you okay?" Jack asked as he held me in his lap, his hand running over my head. "You were bleeding pretty bad there."

I immediately jumped up off his lap. "How long was I out?"

"The storm is gone now sweety." the young woman answered me.

"That doesn't answer my question, miss."

"Just call me Suzy. Everyone else does. And this is Dan." She reached out and took her husbands hand.

"A pleasure to meet you both. How long was I out?" Jessica answered.

"About twenty minutes. You had us worried for a few, almost as if you stopped breathing."

"It happens." I answered and smiled at her. "But it never lasts very long." I took a deep breath and we all headed out of the shelter. What we saw left us all in awe as our limo was wrapped around a tree, but the station it was parked under wasn't touched at all.

"Looks like we need a new ride." Jack said as he pulled out his phone making calls.

September 19th 2010

It's amazing how fast one person with money can order rides from anywhere to anywhere else you want to go. A helicopter picked us up and because of a fierce storm brewing landed at the nearest airport. From there we actually flew with the airlines. At the beginning of this mission I didn't believe it was possible for someone to control the elements of nature but I now not only believe it but it's starting to scare me. Everywhere we go bad weather seems to follow but so far no earthquakes or volcanoes trying to blow us up.

People are so strange sometimes. Sundry still seems to almost flip a switch to become someone new whenever she likes. Jack is of course his own cocky ignorant self. I can't see how someone can think so much of themselves and yet try to make everyone else like them as much as they do. John has still yet to say a word. I'm beginning to wonder if he's a mute, maybe the cat really got his tongue. Then there's Jessica, confident, self reliant, and humble to a fault. So many things about her remind me of Mary and Eliza. The way she smiles, giggles, and pushes her hair back whenever she is embarrassed. I miss Mary and Eliza so much some times and this girl isn't helping that.

January 4th 1702

New fifty years, new identity. I've settled down back in Boston Massachusetts as Samantha Margaret Lewis. Two Hundred years have passed since I was born. Life really is what you make it and in my case I have to make up my life every few years. After being hung as a witch I spent several years touring through the new world seeing beautiful scenery that I never could have imagined. I made it back to England in time for my third visit home. I have decided to continue going home every fifty years for a reflection and a restart of my life. Now I just need to concentrate on teaching the newest generation of children.

"Madame Lewis." Mary raised her hand with an urgent look on face.

"Yes Mary?"

"May I be dismissed?" I couldn't help but smile at her, knowing what she needed.

"Are you done with your quiz?"

"Yes Miss Lewis." She sat dancing in her chair.

"You may go, be back soon."

"Yes Madame." She leapt from her chair and darted out the door. I stood from my chair and picked up her quiz grading it as I walked back to my chair. She had gotten all of the questions correct as always. A very intelligent child and I had yet to meet her parents till today.

The day passed without any real problems as the parents of my class began to filter into the room. Small class of eleven students all with their own little personalities. I had just started as the teacher of this small class and the parents were all very curious about me. The school set up some time for them to meet and approve of me as their children's teacher.

I looked over at the time. "Okay class, it's time for all of us to meet in the playground." Mary had not returned so I kept an eye on the class from the room waiting for Mary to return. I heard someone walk into the room as I looked out the window.

"Hello? Madame Lewis?" the voice seemed somewhat familiar but not.

"Yes?" I asked as I turned to see who was speaking with me. "How may I help you?" She seemed to stall and just stare at me for a moment before speaking.

"I'm Mary's mother," She began speaking and then paused for a moment as she stared at me even deeper into my eyes. "Mary say's that you are the best teacher she has ever had. I just had to meet you."

"A pleasure to meet you Madame?"

"Winston, Elizabeth Winston." She continued to just stare at me as I felt myself starting to tear up a little.

"Eliza?" I asked as I walked up close to her. "Is it really my little Eliza?"

"The only person who calls me Eliza is my mother and aunt," as she said aunt I saw a tear running down her cheek.

"I thought I said no crying over this." I felt the tears running down my own cheek as I wiped the one from hers. Her arms reached out and grabbed a hold of me hugging me tightly as I returned the embrace. She kissed me on the cheek and then released as she heard footsteps behind her.

"Mother?" Mary entered the room and walked up to her mother with a rather questioning look on her face.

"Mary, I want you to meet your Auntie." Eliza smiled at me and waved her over.

"My Auntie?" She looked questioningly at her mother. "But you don't have any siblings mother."

"You are right dear, but trust me, she's as much of a sister to me as anyone." Mary still looked rather confused but then began to smile. "Would you like to meet the rest of the family?" Eliza asked as she pat her daughter on the back moving her towards the door. When we walked out the door a man walked up to Eliza and put his hand on her back.

"Is everything all right dear? It looks as if you have been crying."

"They are happy tears darling, nothing to worry over." Eliza motioned for me to come to her and I did. I took a deep breath regaining my composure. "Richard Winston I'd like you to meet Eliz.." She paused and her eyes widened then she started to speak again. "I mean Samantha Lewis, Mary's teacher."

"A pleasure to meet you Samantha." He bowed and took my hand and kissed it as customs are.

"A pleasure to meet you also Richard." I replied as I curtseyed.

"Betsy, Sarah!" Mary yelled as she motioned two young ladies over. "These are my twin girls. Betsy and Sarah. Sarah is named after Richards mother and Betsy is named after my auntie when I was a little girl. Girls this is Samantha Lewis, Mary's teacher."

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance Madame." They spoke in unison as they curtseyed and then softly giggled to each other.

"Richard would you be a dear and take the girls over to the twins teacher. I'd like to speak with Madame Lewis." Richard kissed Eliza softly on the cheek and then patted the girls on their backs. Once they were all out of ear shot Eliza smiled and began to walk back into my small class. "I didn't think I'd ever see you again." She said as we walked.

"I knew I'd see you again." I said in confidence. "What of your mother?"

"She stayed home today. Not feeling too well I'm afraid. She has not felt well in a month's time."

"I'm sorry to hear it. I wish to see her as soon as possible."

"You are always welcome in my home." She said as she continued to just stare at me.

"You haven't stopped starring since you came into the room."

"I recognized you immediately, but didn't think it was possible. I have watched my mother grow old. I have seen myself growing older every day. Yet, you have not aged a day in sixteen years. In fact, you look as if you are younger than I am now."

"You knew that was the case as a child my dear."

"I did. But as I grew older I began to feel as if it was all a rouse. Perhaps my mother and you were playing on a poor little girl."

"I would never lie to you my little Eliza." I spoke as I kissed her forehead. "You turned out to be as beautiful as I thought you would." She grabbed a hold of my arm.

"Thank you so much Auntie." she smiled softly. "Guess you are my sister now."

"Everything changes."

"Except you as my mother always says."

"Even I change my darling. I just change inside where everyone else changes outside as well."

I believe we would have spoken for hours if it wasn't for the rest of the parents needing to meet me however they all began walking into the room. Eliza took my quill from my desk and wrote a note and handed it to me. "We will see you tonight then." She said then left the room. I picked up the note and recognized the writing immediately. She had remembered everything I taught her and was writing in the language that I write in.