A Pond of Time

She woke up that morning and she could feel the chill in the air. Feeling the brisk air, she knew that meant a fresh layer or more of snow and she refused to open her eyes. Even in April, it was still basically winter up in the mountains. Not opening her eyes, helped make it less real. She could stay in that dreamful state and feel the sun on her skin on the beach looking at the ocean and that big ship, she wondered if it was a pirate ship. She wasn't entirely sure where she was but she loved it there, somehow it felt like home. She knew that her parents would be ice fishing on the pond, and she hated it there. Ever since her brother drowned in the pond three years ago, she despised going out there. Her parents said that they felt more connected to him there, she only felt anger.

Her brother had loved the water and anything to do with it. He was always out there, even when he wasn't supposed to be. He had fallen through and never found. Her family called it a pond, but there was no explanation on never finding her brother's body, so some people believed that there had to be some sort of underground cave, but that had also never been found.

She got up and dressed and started doing her chores in their country home in the mountains of Colorado. She brought in fire wood and added more to the fire and did some cleaning. She didn't have homework anymore being that she was a senior and she didn't really have any classes left. The phone rang and she answered it with a unenthusiastic "Hello."

"Natalie?" said Jarod, her mom's boss, she recognized his voice right away.

"Hey Jarod, mom is out on the pond." Natalie said.

"Can you go get her? We have a big problem here and she isn't answering her cell." Jarod sounded nervous.

Natalie grimaced, she knew her mom would be upset if she didn't come and get her. "Sure, I will go out and have her call you."

"Thanks Nat!" Many people called Natalie, Nat. Her brother had started it when he was little because he couldn't say her whole name. She had always hated it, but she didn't mind it so much these days.

She put on her winter coat and went outside and headed to the lake. This walk always gave her anxiety. It had been three years since her brother and she still dreaded the walk. Not because it was where her brother had died, but she always heard this weird singing, like a church choir. They had been twins and she had never told anyone because it was obviously crazy but she had never felt that he was actually dead. Add that to the singing and she knew that if she told anyone, that would earn her a healthy stay in a padded room! No thanks! She walked onto the lake and started hollering for her mom, hoping that she would hear her before she had to walk too far out. She barely heard the crack of the ice over the singing in her head which was louder than it had ever been. Just as she looked down she saw the water coming up over her face! She felt the water encompass her whole body, but somehow she didn't feel cold. But even as she struggled against her winter coat she could feel herself getting deeper and deeper. She wondered if her mom had heard her and would soon be reaching down to grab her, but she realized as soon as she thought it, that she was already too deep to even see the ice anymore. How deep was this pond? She should have reached the bottom by now. As she thought that, she realized that she wasn't panicking and she also seemed to not be struggling to breathe. Well that's odd. Things seemed to be getting lighter, and bluer. She knew this wasn't her pond. But she was rising and she could tell the sun was out. How was that possible? She was carried up and to shore by the waves. Why was there waves? She stumbled ashore and started gasping and sputtering. She looked around and started to somehow realize that this was the same beach as in her dream. The rocks were the same and that was the same ship in the distance. Her brain started to panic, what was going on? How did this happen? Where was she? What should she do? Go back in and see if she can get back to the pond the same way? The questions were coming in faster than she could comprehend. Then she realized that there was someone walking towards her, almost running. Should she run? Stay? Was this a good person? Or maybe a pirate from the ship. Crap! What do I do? Stunned, she wasn't sure if she could run even if she wanted to. The person was close now and running faster! Soon he was right in front of her and they just stared at each other. And then he was right next to her and he grabbed her hand, smiling and said, "Nat!" And with that her brain shut down and she passed out.

She woke up and recalling all that had happened, she thought wow what a crazy dream! She opened her eyes and looked around, this was definitely not her room! She looked around and she saw him, sitting in the chair next to her staring at her. He didn't say anything, he just patiently waited. She stared at him and finally said, "What the hell is going on?"

"Well Nat, I am not really sure I can explain it. I fell in the pond and ended up on the beach. I was found by this sailor and have been working on this ship ever since." he explained.

"This is insane! Even if you were my brother Nate, he would have come home! He wouldn't have stayed away!" Nat yelled!

"Nat calm down! I am your brother! I couldn't come home. It's hard to explain, but this is one hundred years in the future from your time. The year is 2121." Nate said calmly. "Please sit and let me help you understand."

Nat sat down stunned, somehow she knew in her heart he was her brother and he was telling the truth. She wasn't sure about the hundred years part, or the future part but he was her brother.

"When I got here, I couldn't believe it. I had to find everything out the hard way. I found out that the government in America crumbled and now a days resembles a communist's country. I searched archive records for our parents and you. It was recorded that you drowned in the same pond April 6, 2021. Mom had a heart attack two years later and dad passed six months after her. There wasn't anything to go back to. I knew that if you had "drowned" like I did, then you would be here today, this is where I washed ashore. I found the captain who found me and I have worked on this ship. He recently passed and left everything to me. We are currently in Jamaica."

"I think my head is going to explode." She paused and took a deep breath, "mom and dad are gone?"

He took her hand, "yes, Nat I'm sorry! I wish I could have warned you somehow."

"So what do we do now?" Nat asked. "Just go on about our business?"

Nate sort of chuckled, "well we don't have much choice. We either move forward or we get taken over and we starve to death." Nate breathed, "Nat it's the future here, but it very much resembles the days in the Caribbean with pirates and stuff. They collapse of many governments hasn't given aid to many advancements and there is still a lot of fighting between countries. I make money by hauling supplies from country to country. Otherwise pirates would take my ship and kill us, trust me, they've tried!"

"Oh my god, this is crazy! Nate, I've missed you so much!" Nat said giving her brother a hug.

"Nat, trust me! We can survive together!" Nate said hugging her back.

Months went by and the twins continued Nate's business together and made a lot of money, but kept a low profile to not attract attention of those who might try to take it. They often times found themselves back in Jamaica in the spot where they had washed up. Remembering the old days at home and the craziness that had brought them both here.

One day while walking along the beach where they had washed up, one year after Nat showed up, as they were talking about their next adventure, a storm started up. It came about fast! As the waves began to go they tried to run back to the ship where they would be safe, they kept getting tripped by the water. "Nat don't let go of my hand!" Nate hollered at his sister. She said something, but all he could see was her mouth move, the storm was too loud. She tripped and was being carried out into the sea. Nate wouldn't let his sister go this time so he held on and fought against the waves and the current that was carrying them out. But he was loosing the battle, they were going under. They both felt it happening. Things were getting darker and darker. As they began to rise again, they knew where they were, the real question was; when were they?

Their faces broke the surface and climbed out of the pond. It was April, but the ice had broken into pieces so they could easily get to the surface. The air was oddly warm for this time of year and so they knew their parents weren't in the fish house. So they made their way to the house. They didn't talk, all the unanswered questions seemed to pass between them without words. They got to the door and wondered if they should knock or walk in.

Nate knocked and heard his mom yell at his dad to get the door. The twins father appeared in the doorway and stared through the glass at his children. No one said anything, and even if they did the door was still closed. Nate cautiously opened the door and said, "Hey dad, it's, um, been a long time." His dad jumped and hugged his son and then grabbed his daughter into his arms. "Dad, what year is it?"

"What do you mean, it's 2022, of course." The twins dad replied confused.

"Honey, who is at the..." their mom stopped in her tracks. She jumped and hugged her kids and husband. They got to the kitchen some time later and explained everything to their parents. Although they knew that since the kids had been declared dead, this wasn't a story that society would accept, they would have to just say that they had ran away.

"Mom, you need to go to the cardiologist." Nat said.

"What for dear, I feel fine."

"Mom trust me! You need to go." Nate responded.

"Ok." She said with hesitation.

Later the twins were sitting on the porch. "So did we end up in the future to save mom?" Nat asked.

"Why would we both need to go there to do that? And I was there for four years. I could've done that after the first six months. Maybe it's bigger than that." Nate said thoughtfully.

"Like what? Prevent the collapse of the government." Nat said with a laugh.

"Maybe," Nate responded, "maybe."