Returns with Confusion

[sweariwontdie]

Early Friday evening, Armand kisses Chris on the cheek and nuzzles baby Etienne and promises to come right back. He's thought of something he wants to get from the flat in Paris and meaning to try the plothole--it works for Marius and Cosette--as an easy means of travel he doesn't want to worry Chris. He only plans to be gone a few hours.

. . .The

Comments

[disheveledbear]

Shreve looked around the main room of the Mansion, looking for Melchior and Ilse's famous "closet that will give you anything you want." He didn't know quite what he would want to get from the closet-in all honesty, as interesting as this place was, he sort of wanted to go back to Harvard (how many days had passed since he had gotten here? How much Latin homework would that be to make up? And Quentin wouldn't be any help; he was always skipping class, to Shreve's worried unease). He wondered if "anything you want" could be an event, not just an item

[sweariwontdie]

The man was speaking very fast, but Armand thinks he understands him. One word catches his attention. "Magic?" he echoes. "This isn't England," he finally says.

[disheveledbear]

"Yes, magic," Shreve said. "At least, that's what I've been told-albeit by a man who speaks only in one-word phrases. And it would explain why I have no idea where I am." And why you don't either, presumably, he thought.

"This isn't England," Blue-coat said after a pause.

"You're sure? Well, that's a relief," said Shreve. "I was hoping I hadn't gone that far away." He had a sudden uneasy feeling that perhaps he was even further from Harvard than that, but tried to ignore it.

[sweariwontdie]

Armand bites his lip. "I don't think so any. It's not my brother-in-law's house. Near Richmond."

He laughs, a bit nervously. "It could be some other part of England. I hope it's not France."

[disheveledbear]

"Let's hope not," Shreve agreed, "since I'm pretty sure I dont even know who your brother-in-law is or you, for that matter.

"You know," he said, "my watch is set to Massachusetts time. If we look at the position of the sun, we can figure out the apparent solar time and see how many hours ahead or behind it is-that will give us the approximate longitude, at least." But when Shreve took his watch out of his pocket, he realised that it had stopped.

[sweariwontdie]

Armand bites his lip. "Oh dear..." He finally realizes he hasn't introduced himself. Better late than never, he supposes. "I'm Armand St. Just."

[disheveledbear]

"Shreve MacKenzie," said Shreve, and they shook hands.

He sighed. "I dont know what to do…I cant believe I forgot to wind my watch." Even if it wouldn't have accomplished anything, it would have been an interesting intellectual exercise. And he would have had fun figuring it out. Shreve looked sadly at Armand, slightly deflated.

[sweariwontdie]

"I don't know an it would help." He crosses to the window to see if he can see the sky. "Tis terribly confusing here."

[disheveledbear]

"You're telling me," Shreve said in a half-groan, following Armand to the window and looking out over his (Armand's) shoulder.

[sweariwontdie]

"Well there is sun anyway. Is there not something we can tell from that?"

[disheveledbear]

"I cant think of anything I could do without knowing what time it's supposed to be." Shreve looked at the stopped watch in his hand and shook his head.

[sweariwontdie]

"Is there a clock here?"

[disheveledbear]

"If there were, it wouldn't help," Shreve said. "I dont have anything to compare it to. If my watch were working, I would know what time it was in Cambridge, Massachusetts, which is where I'm supposed to be right now. I'd know how many hours ahead or behind it was here, which would give me the longitude (which would be a start). But I cant do that."

[sweariwontdie]

Armand doesn't really understand any of that.

"Well, we can always ask people. Again. More. Something."

[disheveledbear]

Armand didn't look like he understood. Well, from the way he's dressed, he's from the eighteenth century or something, Shreve thought. Back before time zones were even invented.

Wait, he thought, realising the implications of that. Is that it? Time travel? "Good idea," Shreve said, turning around to face the room and watching for someone to come by-hopefully someone who knew more than he did this time.

[sweariwontdie]

Armand stands up beside Shreve hopefully. "Are you from the New World then?"