Evangeline

18th of February 2023

OM SCIENCES BUILDING

Dr. Evangeline Stone’s Lab

2:37am

Evangeline stood before the device with her arms crossed and a smug look on her face. She’d done it. She’d actually done it. Obviously, she couldn’t know for sure, but all the calculations were perfect. She’d spent the last fifteen years buried in this project; it had to work this time. As she stepped back and admired the beauty of the time machine before her, the door opened and her assistant rushed in.

“Dr. Evangeline!” Tamara sounded out of breath. She clutched the blueprints in her hands and took deep breaths. “Dr. Evangeline, this is a very bad idea.”

“What are you talking about?” Evangeline answered absentmindedly as she walked over to her desk and plopped into the chair. She picked up the tablet and began calculating the final steps. Tamara dropped the blueprints in her hands and rushed over to the doctor’s desk. She placed both palms down on the table and leaned toward Evangeline.

“I mean that tampering with the timeline could have serious consequences!” Tamara’s voice grew desperate, but Evangeline rolled her eyes. Tamara had always been a ball of nerves that frustrated her. On the other hand, Tamara felt that Dr. Evangeline was too nonchalant, and that attitude often led to dangerous outcomes, this being one of them.

“This isn’t something you should take lightly.”

“Does this look like a hobby to you?” Evangeline slammed her fists on the table and stood, glaring at Tamara’s audacity.

“I have spent more than a decade building this! Money and time, blood and sweat, calculations upon calculations! I have put my entire life into this, and you think this is something I am taking lightly?”

“You know that’s not what I meant!” Tamara grew anxious. She’d known Evangeline longer than Evangeline had worked on this time machine. She always admired her diligence, intelligence, and dedication. It was because she knew Evangeline so well, that she knew how stubborn and reckless she could be.

“This has become an obsession, and I am growing increasingly worried.”

“Ha! Obsession? Don't be so dramatic.” Evangeline chuckled and walked around the table. She slipped her arms around Tamara, who took a deep breath and pushed her glasses up her nose.

“You worry too much, Mara. You know the reason I started this in the first place. We could save him, and we could save all of our people. Think of the knowledge we could gain and the discoveries we could make in the process. You want the same thing, right?”

“I want that, you know I do!" Tamara groaned and rubbed her forehead.

“But what about the dangers—what if we do irreparable harm? Haven’t all the movies taught us anything? I don’t want to lose you!”

“Then come with me!” Evangeline pulled the woman close, holding her waist firmly with her palms as she searched her eyes for approval. “We can build a new life together! A life away from all of this mess.”

“I can’t do that.” Tamara’s voice broke as the tears welled. “My grandmother needs me. I’m engaged! There’s too much keeping me here…”

“Then I guess this is where we say our goodbyes.”

Evangeline dropped her hands and took a step back. The room was silent as both women stared at each other. After a moment, Tamara raised her hand and caressed Evangeline’s cheek.

“I won’t attempt to stop you any longer, but I will remind you. You have the richest and most divine skin. Your hair is big and prominent, like the clouds on a rainy day. Your lips are smooth like butter and sweet like chocolate. On top of all of this, you are strong minded and opinionated. When you go back, all of these qualities that make you the amazing woman you are will be looked down upon and painted in a light full of hatred. Are you sure you’re ready for this?”

Evangeline smiled and held onto Tamara’s hand. The realization that this would be the last time she saw her face or held her in her arms was difficult to bear. However, Evangeline had come too far to stop now.

“Other people’s hatred for my skin won’t stop me. It will only empower me to do more.”

Tamara smiled and planted a kiss on Evangeline’s lips. She'd once admired the strong-willed girl from afar, and considered herself blessed to have been in her life. They had been through so much, but the thread that held their fate together was about to be severed. It made Tamara sad. After a long, sweet kiss, Tamara pulled back and wiped the tears from Evangeline’s cheek.

“Who’s the first person you need to find?”

“Your grandmother.” Evangeline said, wiping Tamara’s cheek as well. Tamara nodded in agreement.

“Nana’s family was very rich. They bought and freed slaves. They played a big part in funding the civil rights movement and without a doubt, they would be affiliated with someone close to the King family. If anyone can get you in Martin Luther King’s circle of aids, it would be them. You get into that family, you get to Martin.”

“Hopefully in time to stop the assassination.” Evangeline sighed and pulled Tamara into a hug. Tamara wrapped her arms around Evangeline and nuzzled her face into Evangeline’s neck.

“I’m going to be okay." Evangeline comforted Tamara, who’d begun to cry. Her actions could very well alter the course of the Civil Rights Movement and other significant moments in black history, and of course she was terrified. She was also putting her life at risk. The reward far outweighed everything else, and it was for this reason that Evangeline could not stop now. She’d come too far—the light was at the end of the tunnel, and all she had to do was run to it.

As long as she didn’t trip, everything would be fine.