The Ancestor
In our quaint little town, being a descendant of Alexandriya Hayes was not something one was admired for, especially after a recent shameful discovery. Allow me to elaborate.
The rumor around town was that Hayes along with Theodore Woolsworth destroyed the town our town in 1809. Some heroic survivors rebuilt it, but it was never the same again.
Hayes was a scientist who aimed to understand time better. Her arrival along with Woolsworth in the town early 1800s, triggered a minor conflict, which quickly snowballed into the bloodiest civil war our town had ever seen.
Although there was never any material evidence of this war, it has been one of our town’s legends.
The story goes, that the civil war began in 1809, but most records from that time had been wiped out. About a year ago, our town librarian chanced upon an old ticket tucked away in an ancient book. It turned out to be the only surviving document from the year 1809 and belonged to Hayes, marking her arrival with Woolsworth in our town, right around the time of the civil war.
Historians speculate that the arrival of Hayes and Woolsworth must have somehow led to the destruction of the Georgeton, as all other evidence suggested the denizens of this idyllic town coexisted in peaceful harmony before that.
I loved my town and wanted to do something for it, to make up for the accidental destruction caused by my ancestors. I still refuse to believe the destruction triggered by Hayes and Woolworth was deliberate, and even the historians cannot prove me wrong. I wondered how Hayes could have messed things up so much. Perhaps, it was a custom she was unfamiliar with, or could it be a strange object with magical powers she had brought from a foreign land? Or perhaps a poisonous plant. Perhaps it was some exotic animal? Maybe it was one of Hayes’ time machines? I often found myself imagining various possibilities.
I used to live in Hayes' house before everything started going wrong. It was beautiful, but full of mysterious odds and ends. One day, as I cleared the attic, I found one of Hayes' infamous machines. It looked like an enormous washing machine with a dial and a big red button above it. The dial pointed at 02031809. I didn't know what that number meant.
I approached it curiously, but didn’t dare touch it. Hayes was supposed have made time machines, and I didn’t want to mess anything up.
I stood over it and tried to figure out what it did. Stumped, I took a step back, until my curiosity got the better of me. I pressed the big, red button.
Then something happened. Almost immediately, a vortex burst through the machine and pulled me in. My heart started beating faster. The vortex deposited me into early 1800s England. I recognized it from all the stories I had read. People believed Hayes excelled in manipulating time, but I hadn't expected full-on time travel.
It was raining heavily. There was lightning and thunder. The sea was violently thrashing against the land. The air smelled salty. And then I saw it:- Hayes and Woolsworth departing on their journey to my town, to destroy it. Immediately, I knew the date: 02/03/1809, which was on the dial. I had to do all I could to stop them from destroying my town. No matter what the locals thought of me, I adored my life there, and frankly, I could hardly blame them for being distrustful after what my ancestor had done to them.
But now, I suddenly had the unexpected opportunity to undo the damage done by my ancestor. Maybe she would do some good this time. Then I noticed something: A book. I must have had it with me all along. I put it aside. Right now, I had to focus on stopping Hayes from reaching my town.
But how would I approach her? Would she listen to me, if I talked to her? No, that wasn't going to work. I needed to make sure Hayes could not leave England. I rushed onto the ship she was boarding. Hundreds of people were boarding, so I didn't stand out. I managed to sneak into the engine room and cause a leak, stalling the ship long enough to do what I needed to.
I sneaked around the ship until I found Hayes. She had kept her handbag aside; her ticket was sticking out. I took it so that she couldn't travel. Hopefully, she would choose a new destination. Then my town could be safe.
Before I could do anything else, a vortex brought me back to my time. I heaved a sigh of relief, until I realized everything I knew and loved about my town was gone. The area was empty of shops and residences. I saw some people surveying the land. "It seems there was a civil war here, around two hundred years ago. Thousands dead." someone declared.
08/05/1827
Dear Diary,
It seems that destiny brought me to these people. I have saved them in their hour of need. It was all thanks to Theodore, really, but I'm glad we came here. These people gained something from us. I feel proud.
Theodore and I had just escaped out of a war zone. We left on one of the last ships exiting of our beloved country as it was going up in flames. Theodore was a deserter, but he just did not care. He couldn't stand more fighting.
We thought we had finally reached a safe place, only to find that civil war had broken out here too. Fortunately for them, it wasn’t yet too late. Theodore’s experiences had prepared him so he could reach for just the right words and sentiments. He was able to convince the leaders of the two people here to be diplomatic.
And now, what a wonderful town these people have created. I love to watch them grow.
I’m glad that they chose to wipe their records and start afresh. They needed to do it so resentments would not fester. I’m happy they decided to unify and become something stronger and better.
Anyway, it’s time I go to bed.
Alexandriya Hayes
I realized that when they wiped the records, they mustn’t have realized Hayes’ and Woolsworth’s arrival had anything to do with the incident so the ticket survived. Hays had probably used it as a bookmark when she was reading the book. We misinterpreted the evidence put before us.
I felt remorse and regret wash over me. I should've known. I should've trusted Hayes' judgment. Hayes and Woolsworth worked together to build the town. I wished that I hadn't ruined Georgeton..
Then, I turned around to see if I could repair the damage I had done, but the machine wouldn't work anymore. So, I ran away, hoping to forget the thousands of lives I destroyed. I didn't know who to talk to. I lived a life of silence, until I wrote this.
I have entrusted this tale to you, and I hope you gain the wisdom I lacked. Most of all, I hope you keep the story of Alexandriya Hayes, Theodore Woolsworth, and my quaint little town close to your heart.
