But for a speck of time (first chapter)

                                       But For A Speck Of Time                                                            
       Flames roared out of the windows, sending heat across the road to where I was sitting. Everyone was crying.  I was surrounded by my classmates, teachers and friends as I watched my school slowly burn to the ground, sending smoke and sparks into the cloudy grey sky.

I felt very guilty. This was all my fault. Everyone was crying because of me. Sweet Maya was trying not to cry, but she looked like she could explode any minute. She leaned over and gave me a reassuring hug. “Its...Its...Its not your…” Maya choked up and we both started crying like infants. Finally, she pulled herself together and turned to look straight in my green eyes.“It’s not your fault Elena,”
“I should have been the one to die in the fire, not Ms. Redbird,” I started crying again. “It’s all my fault!” I buried my face in my hands.
“Stop thinking like that! You would have done the same for her!” Maya asserted.

Maya was right.

Ms. Redbird was everyone’s favourite teacher, like a grandmother to all students. She brought in her wonderful baking every morning, and just being in her presence was comforting. And she had to be the one to sacrificed her life to save mine. I still remember every detail of the incident clearly like it had happened just seconds ago.

The alarm went off, loud and terrifying, hundreds of panicked students ran down the hallways, and I was caught in the stampede, like a small fish in a current. My right foot got caught and a sharp pain went up my leg. I tripped and fell to the cold floor. Everyone was so focused on getting themselves out that I was left struggling on the ground. My ankle throbbed and black dots danced around my vision. “Help!” My cry for help was lost in the screams and the thundering of feet. I heard teachers commanding the students to calm down, but nobody listened. Smoke was already filling up the hallway, and I started coughing incessantly. The area was already evacuated, and I could feel heat coming from behind. I need to get out soon or… A tear ran down my cheek. No, I shook my head.  I’m so dramatic. They probably already know I’m missing and they’re heading this way right now. I held onto that thought and tried to stand up. My ankle bent sideways and I crumpled to the ground. When I did so, I  bit my tongue hard, and the taste of blood filled my mouth. I wanted to cry so badly, but I managed to somehow keep my tears back. Just a sprained ankle, you’ll survive, I muttered between coughs.
The heat was getting very hot, and I must have smelled great, because my shirt was soaking with sweat. My baby blue shirt was now a dark blue and my wavy brown hair was stuck to my forehead, and a thick strand fell over my high-cheek bones.
       
       Might as well start heading towards the door! I carefully stood up on my good leg and with my side and hand against the wall, and I limped towards the exit.
       
By the time I was halfway down the long hallway, I could literally see the flames at the other end flickering from the corner, spreading up fast. I still couldn’t stop coughing, and it felt like a fist was slowly squeezing the air out of my lungs. Suddenly, the doors burst open, revealing the silhouette of a woman. It was Ms. Redbird. I couldn’t believe my eyes! I was so happy that the dams inside of my eyes broke and tears flowed out in joy. “Ms Re….” The coughs attacked me again, but this time it felt like my throat was being ripped to pieces. Ms. Redbird ran up to my side and helped me up. I pointed at my ankle, and she nodded very confidently. “Hang in there sweetie. This is going to hurt a lot, but I need you to trust me.” I nodded again. Ms. Redbird’s beautiful blue eyes stared into mine. Her wrinkly forehead was glistening with sweat, her silver mop of hair was very messy and her glasses were uneven but she looked very confident in what she was doing. I would trust her with my life. She grabbed my waist and half-dragged, half-supported my body to the entrance. The fire was seconds from blocking the exit completely. My vision was very blurred now and I was beginning to see double but all I remember after that was Ms. Redbird pushing me past the fire, and the flames closing behind me, trapping her inside...

“Elena? Elena! Earth to Elena, come in Elena.” I blinked and found Maya’s face two inches away from mine. Her soft blonde hair was all over the place, and black streaks of mascara went down her cheeks. She reminded me of one of those creepy mimes.

“Maya, you’re mascara is dripping,” I whispered.
She reached her hand to her cheeks, bringing back inky makeup on her fingertips.
“Is it bad?” Her eyes turned serious.
“Not really,” I lied. “But you might want to wipe off a little bit,” I added quietly.  
“I thought I felt something go in my eyes,” She mumbled and fluttered her fake eyelashes.
Maya was very self conscious, especially when it came to makeup. She was pretty professional at that too. When we would have a slumber party with a couple of friends, she would always be the makeup artist, and we were never left unsatisfied.
She fumbled around, searching in her purse for a pocket mirror. I gulped. She would freak out in embarrassment if she knew what her face really looked like and I couldn’t let that happen.

“Oh, sorry Maya, I was just… Spacing out I guess.” I rubbed my eyes and straightened my back. I didn’t show it, but replaying the incident in my head made me feel like I was experiencing the horror all over again.

Maya and I rested our heads together and continued watching the fire.  All the memories of my years in high-school seemed to burn down along with the walls of the building. We watched the huge red flames swallow up the school in silence, waiting for the firemen to arrive. By the time the red truck arrived, it was already very late, and my mom would be getting worried.

“I’m going home now, I’ll text you later.” I forced a smile even though Maya knew me too well to oversee it as a fake.
“Are you going to be okay walking home by yourself with that ankle?  My mom can drop you off if you want,” she offered.
I shook my head. “Thanks Maya, but I’ll be fine,” I replied quietly. “They gave me crutches anyway,” I added.

After waving her off, I grabbed my purse and silently limped down the sidewalk alone. I could still see smoke rising into the night sky, through the leaves of the trees. As I limped back, I spotted Gingie, my neighbour’s cat strolling down the sidewalk, the moonlight reflecting on her glossy orange fur. I whistled lightly to catch her attention, and when I did, her ears perked up and she quickly raced over to where I crouched. I gently scratched her behind the ears and cuddled her in my arms. My dad used to call me  the cat whisperer. Every single cat I’ve met in my life, (which by the way is a lot), seemed to have become very attached to me. I remember the first time I met Gingie, without me realizing, she followed me all the way home. Gingie only lets me pet her, and when a stranger comes by to see her, the sweet gentle kitty transforms into a ferocious little tiger. You’re so lucky Gingie, you don’t have to worry about anything. You have a loving family to take care of you, and you can live your life however you want.

I thought this day couldn’t get any worse, but I was wrong. That horrible night, I got a phone call, and it was from the hospital.

       My mom got in a car accident that night, on her way home from work. The hospital didn't give me all the details, but according to them, Suza was in very poor condition, very banged up from the crash. She had broken ribs and a concussion from the impact. It must’ve been hard to understand what I was trying to say, because I was crying so hard, most of the words came out in sobs. When I cooled down, I asked them if I could bring her home.
“Yes, your mother’s injuries are major but she’ll heal, and I’m sure you would like to spend time with her,” the doctor talked in a kind teacher-like voice. Unfortunately, that meant I couldn’t move and go to another school. What was I going to tell Maya?

       I poured hot chowder into a big bowl and half-limped; half-walked down the dark hallway, and slowly creaked open Suza’s door. Resting on the bed was my mom, face pale and dark circles under her eyes. When I walked in she opened her eyes but immediately closed them shut.  
“Close the door, Elena! Please, I can’t stand the light,” Mom groaned and clutched her head with her long fingers.
I stumbled back and closed the door softly. The room was very dark, even her bedside lamp was turned off. I carefully walked up to her, and placed the hot bowl on her table. The delicious smell of chowder  drifted through the air. “Mom, are you feeling alright?” I asked gently.
“I’m fine honey, just a little headache is all.” Suza slowly picked up the soup and ate it like a proper lady, a gene I picked up from her side of the family.

Boy, my dad was the exact opposite.
He never had a meal without spilling a little on his shirt.

“Thanks for taking care of me,” Mom smiled.
I woke up to the annoying, incessant Maya texts.  I rubbed my eyes and looked at my slightly blurred screen.
Hey Elena!
R u there?
Guess what?
Hey u there
ELENA ANSWER ME.
U know, everyone from our school is moving, and I can’t cuz… well u know Y.
I’m gonna be home-schooled. U moving 2?  :0
I hammer-thumbed my screen.
About that… my mom got in a car accident last night…Tear face, send.
I got a reply exactly 1 second after I sent it. (She’s the fastest typer in the class!)
Omg… Idk what 2 say…

After texting for about an hour, Maya’s generous parents volunteered to homeschool me. Hanging out everyday with my best friend, with her mom as the teacher? It’s great! Every morning, after serving mom breakfast, I would walk over to her house around 10:00, and study for only three hours. Was this a teenager’s dream or what!? I felt so honoured to have such a great friend.

I thought my luck was gone forever, after seeing my school burn down, and my mom injured in a car accident. But again, I spoke too soon. And I’m not talking about the (awesome) new home-schooling. I’m talking about something much bigger and much more… magical.

I crouched down before the burned school. The walls had huge holes in them, the roof was gone, and some parts of the building were incinerated to piles of ash. The whole structure was blackened, and dead yellow grass surrounded the area. The perfect filming place for a horror movie. I took out a bouquet of daffodils and gently placed them on the ground. That was her favourite type of flower. I wiped a tear off my cheek.
“I’m sorry Ms. RedBird, it’s all my fault. Please forgive me.” I crouched there for a moment, remembering my favourite teacher. Meow? I turned around. A black cat sat at where the doors would have been. “Come here kitty.” I reached out one hand and rubbed my thumb and index together. I made quick kissy sounds. But the cat stepped back and walked into the school. I was surprised. Usually, they would walk up to me immediately, but this one clearly was different. “Kitty?” I slowly walked up to the entrance. The cat stopped and turned its head back. Meow? I walked up to it but it continued to trot down the hall. Maybe it wants me to follow it! I wondered what it wanted me to see. Perhaps a fellow injured cat or something. I cautiously followed it down the hall, every step creaking under my weight. The cat kept turning its head back to make sure I was following. Occasionally I would cough from the ash and dust.

Crack! I froze in place. “What was that?” Creeeeak! The ground underneath me seemed to slowly bend down. How could I have been so dumb! The whole school was unstable from the fire!!! I slowly took a step back but the floor underneath me gave way and I fell through the floor.

       I groaned in pain as my aching ankle started throbbing again. I don’t think I broke it this time, but it still hurt like heck. I looked around me. I have never seen this room before. It was quite big, but looked very unused and sad, with yellowing walls and peeling wallpaper. Food cans and boxes of biscotti filled the shelves, along with stale water bottles. I’m guessing it’s a storm cellar, but how could I be sure? It could just be a food storage room downstairs that I just never really noticed. When I was about to stand up again, a concrete pillar above came crashing down, I screamed and covered my head with my hands. Fortunately it didn’t land on me, but very close. It made a good-sized hole in the ground. Dust floated around me as I looked at the hole. Curiosity took over. I approached the crater and peered over the edge. The pillar provided a good bridge, allowing me to climb down to the stone ground. I took my time, and it took a good amount of effort to try not to apply pressure to my ankle. When I got to the cold rock bottom, I realized then that I was actually in a cave. It wasn’t as big as a classroom, but not that much smaller either. There were two tunnels on each side of the rocky black cave. But what really caught my attention were the ancient wall paintings, covering the walls in familiar symbols. Animals, hunters, herbs or grass, and the rest were complicated and unknown to my mind. Again, curiosity couldn’t just let me leave this magical place. Not after just discovering it. I wonder what I would find in those tunnels, maybe a sacred treasure or maybe… This was just a joke. A sacred treasure? Get real, Elena! I scolded myself, even though my pulse was racing with anticipation. I could literally hear my own heartbeats. I took a deep breath and walked down the dark tunnel on the right.

       As I walked down the tunnel, guilt and worry started building up in my chest. Was my mom worried? Is she getting hungry? I was her only family left, and I chose to go exploring in a never-discovered mysterious cave underneath the school, where I wasn’t suppose to go inside in the first place.
“I’m going to be in so much trouble!” I grumbled.

Well, I’m sure mom would forgive me… After all, if the thing at the end of this tunnel, supposing there was something even there… Suddenly, a blinding light appeared out of nowhere. I covered my eyes with my arms and squinted very hard. When I opened them again, I found myself at Highway 3. How did I get here? No idea. Panic started to rise up my chest.

“Why am I here?” I thought out loud. Some late-nighters turned their heads when they walked past in dark coats. I looked up at the starry sky.The Toronto lights were beautiful at night. Tall skyscrapers loomed over me, and a cool breeze swept across my back. Brr… I crossed my arms and walked down the street. I stopped in my tracks. On a small billboard in front of a convenience store, lit up, January 9th, Wednesday. Wasn’t that 3 weeks ago? I ran up to the nearest person down the street. With his geeky glasses and white smile, he looked friendly enough.
“Hello! I know you don’t know me but… Can you tell me what day it is today?” I asked politely.
He pulled out his iPhone and answered with a smile, “January 9th.”
I gave my thanks and continued my walk down the street.

“That’s strange,” I muttered. “That’s the night my mom crashed…”  Have I traveled in time? Was that the prize at the end of the tunnel?
Back down the street, a semi truck was speeding down the highway, the driver scrolling on a cell. At an intersection less than a block away, a familiar yellow car was parked, waiting for the lights to change. My mom sat in the driver’s seat, her eyes focused on the road ahead. “Mom!” I yelled but she was too far away to hear. She probably had her jazz music playing anyways.

The truth hit me hard. My mom was just about to be crashed into. How was this possible? Again, I had no idea, but I knew I had to get the truck driver’s attention before it was too late. I picked up an empty pop can and threw it at the driver’s window. I always had a good throwing arm in baseball. The driver had short black hair, a rough beard and sunglasses. The driver turned his head and yelled some insult at me but I pointed ahead. When he looked back at the road, he slammed on the brakes and skidded to a stop on the side of the road. I sighed in relief as my mom drove away safely. I stood there for a few awkward seconds. What do I do now? Am I supposed to go back to the cave… Or what? Before I could think much longer, my vision went black and I found myself back at the entrance of the cave. “That was weird…” I mumbled but I was sure I wasn’t dreaming. Everything was too detailed to be a dream. Now I was excited. I had found a time-travel to the past! A lot better than a treasure chest! That night was probably the best thing that ever happened to me.

As soon as I woke up, I left a text for Maya, asking her to meet me at the school.
“Honey, you look pumped up today! What’s happening?” My mom flashed her brilliant smile. She was frying eggs at her stove with her flowery apron and her wavy brown hair tied into a messy bun. “Sorry mom, I’ll fill you in later.” I smiled and sprung down the stairs. I’m so glad my mom didn’t have a concussion anymore. She was back to her cheery, sunny self again.  When I got to the school, Maya was already waiting, anxious to know what was going on. When we both got to the cave, which thankfully wasn’t found yet, I explained the time-traveling to her. First, she didn’t believe it. But when I finally convinced her, she immediately brought up the school.

“Could we save it?” Maya asked.
“Probably, but if we did, that would mean the cave would be trapped underneath the school again!” I imagined all the possibilities of things we could do in the past.
“Elena. You found it. You should make the decision.” Maya decided.
My mind wandered again. We couldn’t let someone find our cave. Let the wrong person in, and they could change all history and the future. We couldn’t let that happen. I also wanted, no, needed to save Ms. RedBird. I couldn’t  let this chance slip by.
“We have to save our school and save Ms. RedBird.” I concluded.
Maya gave me a gentle hug. “You’re making the right choice, Elena.”
Holding hands, Maya and I took a deep breath and plunged into the tunnel.