"Feel It Begin"

Having found herself gone back in time to her High School years, Doris Schwartz had finally been found out. A visit from Ronald Reagan, the then President of The United States of America, to the School of the Arts had meant the security force had become suspicious when Doris’ driving licence revealed that although she looked like a middle aged woman she should actually be a teenager.

She was now sat in silence at the table in the teachers’ lounge. Outside the door she could hear the chattering of the teachers and students as they speculate about what is going on. Next to her is sat the school secretary, Mrs Berg, who had realised from the moment she’d seen the older Doris that something was wrong. Mrs Berg had been called into help with the investigation.

The security officer, Agent Crane, is on the phone informing colleagues of the situation and how this mysterious woman, who had lied to many people about her identity, could be a security risk and they may have to cancel the president’s visit.

Doris swallows hard and looks at Mrs Berg who gives her a weak smile while placing her hand on top of the younger woman’s to give it a comforting squeeze. Mrs Berg’s hand feels icy cold and Doris realises that the older woman must be as scared as she is. They both jump as there is a loud crash of thunder outside, followed by a flash of lightning which lights up the window. They both give a nervous laugh:

Mrs Berg: “Oh My, that scared me”

Agent Crane ends his telephone conversation, replaces the receiver on to the handset and then turns to the two women.

Crane: “Okay Miss, with the President’s visit, this is a very serious incident so I’d like you to explain what has been going on. Let’s start with your name.”

Doris hesitates for a moment she looks at Agent Crane and then at Mrs Berg, who nods gently as encouragement for Doris to tell the truth. Doris takes a deep breath and begins her tale:

Doris: “Well… you see… my name is Doris Schwartz and it all started a few days ago..”

For a moment she pauses as, actually she has no knowledge of exactly how long she’s been in the past and how much time has actually gone by.

Doris continues: “I suddenly found myself in the past at Julie Miller’s audition to get into the school. At first I didn’t know where I was as I’d never actually been at Julie’s audition when it originally happened. It was only when I saw how young Julie, Bruno, Coco and Montgomery were that I realised that something was odd. Oh yes and the fact that Mr Shorofsky who died a few years ago was there too….”

Agent Crane stops her: “wait a moment… Mr Shorofsky died a few years ago? But isn’t here at the school now?

Doris: “No, no, Mr Shorofsky died in 2002 so he’s very much alive here in 1983 but as I’m from 2010, he’d died a few years before to me.”

Agent Crane nods slowly not fully digesting what he’s hearing.

Crane: “Let me get this straight, you’ve travelled back to 1983 from 2010?”

Doris nods: “Actually I travelled back to a couple of years before 1983 and I have jumped backwards and forwards in time to various events from the years that I attended this school.”

Agent Crane is confused: “Would you mind explaining how you actually managed to travel back in time and how you’ve jumped backwards and forward?”

Doris pauses for a moment: “Well…erm… to be honest… I don’t actually know how I travelled back, just that I’m here. I didn’t want people to recognise me so I put the disguise on and I made up various names so they wouldn’t suspect. Then I tried to stop Bruno’s Dad from dying but that all went wrong and Bruno was hurt and didn’t want to be friends anymore and some how I’ve been expelled. So I’ve been trying to correct the past.”

Crane interrupts, “Wait a minute, wait a minute. Do you seriously expect me to believe some how, but you don’t know how, you have travelled back in time to stop someone dying, argue with your friend and to discover you’ve been expelled?”

Doris nods: “I know it sounds crazy but believe me it’s the truth.”

Agent Crane looks bewildered: “You’re right; it certainly sounds like you’re crazy!”

Doris feels frustrated: “I didn’t say I was crazy, but I know the situation sounds crazy”.

Agent Crane turns to Mrs Berg: “And how exactly do you fit into things?”

Mrs Berg smiles at him: “Well I’m a medium and I sense things. I knew this Doris shouldn’t be here and something was very wrong and the longer she’s been here the more things have been affected.”

Crane raises his eyes in disbelief: “You’re a medium, and you sense things?”

Mrs Berg nods “Yes, that’s right dear”.

Agent Crane pauses for a moment massaging his temple with his hand and letting out a loud sigh.

Crane: “You know I think I’m going to get you transferred to the hospital so they can check you out, because this makes no sense to me.”

Doris becomes concerned and starts to panic as memories of being in hospital after her nervous breakdown flood back into her mind:

Doris: ”What kind of hospital are you taking me to? I’m not crazy you know? I know it makes no sense but I’m telling you the truth. What are you going to do with me?”

Agent Crane can see Doris starting to get worked up and tells her to take things easy but Doris starts to panic and runs over to the door. As she opens it there is a gasp from the crowd waiting outside. The doorway is blocked by the agent in grey who asks her to go back inside. Doris refuses to listen and tries to push past him but he grabs her by the wrists and moves her back inside.

Doris screams: “Let me go, let me go, I’m not crazy and I’m not going to any hospital. Let me go I said…”

Crane rushes over to help his colleague bring Doris back into the room.

Doris yells: “Miss Grant, Mr Shorofsky, help me please”.

Lydia and Shorofsky exchange concerned looks but aren’t sure what they can do to help. Lydia approaches the teacher’s lounge but stops in her tracks.

For a moment she is startled because behind Doris she can see herself, Sherwood and Shorofsky. There is an arguement going on about breaking rule and setting up auditions.

Then she sees Greg Crandall and remembers the conversation was about Tracy the teenage Runaway that Doris befriended and tried to get her a place at the school. However, this all happened a couple of years ago and Greg had died last year. Lydia is confused and taken aback by her vision and suddenly her whole body feels cold.

She shakes her head believing she must be mistaken, then looks again but the agents slam the door shut and she can no longer see into the room.

Leroy, who has just been escorted back to the school after having all his clothes stolen, in a hold up at Caruso’s so is wearing only his underwear and a trench coat provided by the security forces, approaches her.

Leroy: “Are You Okay Miss Grant, You look like you’ve seen a ghost!”

Lydia turns to him still shaken by what she thought she’d seen.

Lydia: “I’m fine Leroy; I don't believe in ghosts, it's just this whole thing is a little unnerving, having strangers doing goodness knows what at our school.”

She turns round and looks at the faces of her colleagues and students. She claps her hands quickly a couple of times and addresses the crowd:

Lydia: “Okay people lets break this up and give them some room. I’m sure we’ve all got other things we should be doing right now”.

The crowd slowly begins to disperse as people move away to other parts of the building. Leroy looks back over his shoulder towards the teachers’ lounge and he too suddenly feels cold all over his body when he sees what looks like himself carrying some lunch and going into the teachers’ lounge”.

Confused he wonders what he was seeing, when a sharp voice calls his name.

Lydia: “Leroy I’ve already told you to put some clothes on, you’ll catch pneumonia in this weather!”

At that moment inside the teachers’ lounge, Doris hears the strange voice calling her again:

“Doris, Doris, can you hear me Doris?”

This makes Doris panic even more as she starts to think that maybe after all she is actually going crazy. She lets out a loud scream and as she frantically struggles to escape from the two security agents, Mrs Berg calls out to her:

Mrs Berg “You have to let go Doris. You shouldn’t be here let go and all this will be over. Doris you have to trust me.”

Agent Crane looks over at Mrs Berg: “What are you talking about?” Let go of what? Do you know something that you haven’t told us?”

Mrs Berg shakes her head: “No I don’t know anything. I’m just a ditzy old woman, so please take no notice of me, nobody else ever does.”

Agent Crane isn’t convinced but Doris continues to struggle and his attention turns back to trying to calm her down.

Doris is determined she’s not going to be taken to any hospital. However she begins to feel nauseas so stops fighting against the agents. Suddenly everything goes black as Doris passes out and collapses to the floor.

Agent Crane moves to the phone to call an ambulance. As he moves he notices Mrs Berg has a big smile across her face. Greg Crandall sits smiling back at her.

To be continued……