Page 95 of The Uprising
‘I’d love to be able to understand how it works. I feel as though I’m going crazy when I’m trapped in time,’ said George.
‘We will crack the time travel code, it’s just a matter of time; pardon the pun,’ said Eddie, peering back at them on video. My theory about the quantum time loops is that they are time’s way of pushing back.
‘What do you mean?’ asked Cara.
‘I recently read a novel by Stephen King:11:22:63, about time travel. He describes how time pushes back in a chaotic fashion when the characters try to change the timeline; which reminded me of what’s been happening with you.’
‘Oh, yes I’ve heard of that book,’ said Cara.
‘In simple terms, the timelines have unfolded in a certain way, and then there we go, showing up to re-live them and instigating new events with or without realising it,’ said Eddie.
‘Pass me your phone, please George, and I’ll look up Willow Manor while we’re on with Eddie. I couldn’t face it before, but I feel like I’ve begun to digest what’s happened.’
Cara began searching. ‘Nothing’s coming up for the hotel-nothing at all. It’s as if it never existed.’
‘It probably never did in this new sequence of events. The question is what do we need to fix to bring it back and is it worth it?’ said Eddie.
‘Worth bringing it back? It’s our family estate; of course it’s worth bringing back,’ Cara exploded.
‘But we must also consider the ramifications of changing what’s already been done. We might lose something even more important, such as one of you.’
Cara stared mournfully at George, who reached out and touched her arm. ‘I can’t see anything online except some links about the original estate. Hang on, let me click through and see where they lead.’
Cara scanned the content for a few minutes, and then read aloud, “Willow Manor, a Tudor Estate, once owned by the Cavendish Family, and considered one of the most beautiful estates in Yorkshire, fell into disrepair in the eighteenth century.”
‘Stop there,’ said Eddie. ‘That’s interesting.’
‘What is?’ said Cara and George in unison.
‘That tells us that in this new reality, the Willow Manor estate survived beyond the Pilgrimage of Grace.’
‘Okay, well that’s promising. But what happened after that? It doesn’t necessarily mean that George is out of danger, does it?’
‘True and that’s exactly why we must find out why the timeline reset now and caused Willow Manor to suddenly disappear,’ said Eddie.
‘Wait a minute... Eddie?’ said Cara.
‘Oh, I know that face. Tell me what’s just landed in that head of yours,’ he said.
‘I have a strong feeling that the timeline reset has something to do with Ralph.’
‘Ralph! Who on earth is Ralph?’ said George, looking at her, baffled.
Cara looked away from the phone and turned to face George. ‘Ralph is the blue-eyed guy who’s been following me through time. The one Eddie said must be a karmic warrior. His name just came to me... I can’t explain how but I know it’s to do with him.’
‘Do you remember in which timeline you knew each other?’ asked Eddie.
‘No. Maybe it’ll come to me. Sylvia said to watch our backs because he’s coming for us.’ Cara shivered.
‘You’re cold,’ said George, reaching for her, and rubbing his warm hands up and down her cold, pale forearms. He unfolded a blanket from one of the chairs and draped it around her shoulders. I’d better light the fire.’
‘A chill ran through me at the thought of him. It happened when we were in London too. I think there’s a lot more to this story than I realised,’ said Cara.
‘We can only go on what we have now, but we mustn’t drop the ball on saving George from the abbey. We must get him to safety in Tudorville; perhaps that will restore the timeline. My guess is it may be as simple as getting him out of the danger of being tangled up with the doomed rebels. Of course, we won’t know for sure until we do it,’ said Eddie.
‘Simple?’ said Cara. ‘I don’t think it’ll be that simple. Just the three of us; unarmed, having to break George out from under the noses of a band of angry rebels in the midst of a busy working monastery full of Benedictine monks.’
‘You have a point, but what choice do we have?’ asked Eddie.
