The Prior

POV: Elliot Foster

I wake up with a coughing fit, which is probably caused by the dirt in my mouth. Belle is asleep a few inches from my head. Cassidy and Max lay, asleep, against a tree. So, we all lived? I am relieved to see everyone. Especially Cassidy. I stand up and stretch my legs. Cassidy begins to stir awake and sits up. She turns around and looks at me. I smile at her and she lurches in one jump to be next to me.

“You’re alive?” she questioned. I couldn’t answer before I was more or less tackled into a hug. I stumble back a little, but catch her. She squeezes me so tightly.

“You’re alive! I thought something might have happened to you. I didn’t see you get onto a lifeboat or anything,” I tell her. She pulls me softly into a kiss. It’s like every problem I ever had just melts away when I kiss her. There’s no other way to describe it. Unfortunately she pulls away sooner that I would have liked and smiles towards Belle, who still lays asleep.

My plan seems to be working. She trusts me. She (almost) loves me. I have the power to keep her in check in a whole new way. But, I start to question if I’m taking it too far. I enjoyed that kiss way more than I should have. Am I breaking the rule?

“Do you know where we are?” she asks me. I shake my head. Last I knew, Belle was the one with the paper. Soon enough, Max wakes up.

“Belle gave me the paper earlier. We’re in 1865 now. If anyone recalls, that is when Abraham Lincoln was shot,” he mentions. Cassidy gives me this look of dread.

Belle wakes up, screaming. After a second, she passes back out. Cassidy runs over to her and tries to shake her awake again.

“It’s like she’s still in teleportation mode,” she says. We all know that between years we can’t wake each other up, it’s impossible.

“Maybe she’s dreaming?” Max questions.

“Maybe, but do you guys dream?” I question. Both Cassidy and Max shake their heads.

“I don’t either.”

We all sit and watch her, until she finally sits up abruptly, “Where am I?”

Cassidy grabs her hand, “It’s 1865.”

Belle shakes her head and pulls her hand back, “I’m sorry what? Who are you?”

“Belle, it’s Cass.” Belle scoots back, away from Cassidy. She grips into the ground strongly.

“Cass? Yeah, um, Cass, of course?” The words coming from her mouth say that she recognizes us, but the look on her face disagrees. Cassidy shakes her head.

“Belle. What’s the last thing you remember?”

“Um, it’s like my mind went blank. Sorry, what is going on right now?” she says. Max shoots both of us a nervous glance.

“Do you know your name?” I ask her.

“It’s Belle..” Good.

“What year is it?” she takes time to ponder the question silently. Her eyes look towards the sky, moving slightly back and forth.

“Um, I..I don’t know. 2000 something.” Cass glances around at us, with the same expression as Max.

“Does your head hurt?” Max asks. Belle shakes her head.

“No. I’m fine. Just remind me of how we got here. What year did you say it was?”

“Something is wrong here, very wrong,” Cassidy says, swallowing. I nod.

We start to explain things to Belle. She isn’t understanding things at all. At first, she unsuccessfully tried to pretend that she knew who we were. Cassidy made her fess up.

“Look we have to prevent Lincoln’s assassination tonight. We can’t spend all day trying to figure out what happened to her or explaining things. Two of us should go to save Lincoln and the other one should stay and take care of Belle,” Cassidy suggests.

“I should stay, I’m not on my A game, I haven’t recovered from my bullet wound,” I add. I can sense Cassidy’s frustration with the situation and don’t trust Max with Belle. Belle gasps.

“You got shot? Oh my god are you okay????” I chuckle a little.

“I’m fine, Belle.”

“So, it’s settled. C’mon Max, let’s go,” Cassidy says, linking arms with him. Max smiles wide. This is also my opportunity to sort through my feelings. I can’t let myself fall for her. I can’t let myself get in trouble with the leaders.