Jackson and Isabella spent the rest of the day together. They went out to lunch at the café in town, and they sat in the garden during the warm afternoon drinking coffee and watching the birds.

  “I’m never letting this out of my sight again,” Isabella said, pointing to the pendant, So where did you find it?”

  Jackson pointed to the hill which they could see clearly across the nearby field, “It was on the top of the hill partly buried.

  Isabella frowned. “You climbed that hill. I told you once never to go there, but now I’m glad you did. Actually I thought I had left the pendant at home that day Katherine and I went to the hill.”

  “Why did you not want me to go there?” Jackson asked her, “Because of what happened to you?”

  “Well yes, but I also remembered that my science teacher at school once told the class that McPherson’s Hill is the highest ground in this area, so during storms lightning will be attracted to the hill, and the sheep somehow know this too because they never graze on the hill.”

  Jackson looked out over the field. There were several dozen sheep wandering around the base of the hill, but as he had noticed previously, none of them were on the hill itself.

  “My mother said the pendant would protect me and keep me from harm,” Isabella continued, “Maybe that’s why the lightning didn’t strike me dead that day, but somehow sent me off to this limbo I am in.”

  “My darling you said this morning that you have been in this house the whole time sleeping in your bedroom upstairs,” Jackson said, “But there is no furniture up there, no bed for you to sleep in.”

  “Come with me and I’ll show you,” Isabella said, standing up.

  Jackson followed her up the stairs to the landing, then to the second door on the left, Isabella’s bedroom. They stood inside the doorway looking at the bare room.

  “See,” Jackson said, “Nothing, no furniture.”

  “Hold my hand,” Isabella instructed him, “Now touch crystal heart with your other hand. Okay, you’re doing it. Now look closely at the room, concentrate hard. The bed there, chest of drawers there, cupboards over there, and a tall lamp in the corner.”

  Jackson did as he was told. He concentrated and imagined the room was furnished. Nothing happened at first, but then the room faded from his sight for a moment before resolving itself into a cosy warm room. There was a single bed with an ornate timber bedhead, two pillows and a white quilt adorned with blue flowers. There was a large chest of drawers and a cupboard just where Isabella had said they were. The floorboards were beautifully varnished and polished, and a tall electric lamp with a pink shade stood in the corner casting a warm glow.

  “Oh wow!” Jackson exclaimed, “This is amazing. What a beautiful room. But how am I seeing this?”

  “It’s the crystal. I told you it had magical powers.”

  As Jackson took his hand away from the pendant the room instantly reverted back to its bare neglected state.

  “I am having a hard time believing this,” he muttered, “but I don’t care. Just as long as I have the woman I love back with me.” He pulled her in closely for a hug, then they kissed.

  Jackson and Isabella spent the next five days together, going on walks, driving in the car, having lunch at their favourite café, or just sitting on the couch talking or watching shows on Netflix.

  She still disappeared in the evenings to go to her bedroom upstairs, but returned every morning for breakfast.

  Jackson once suggested that she sleep with him in his bed, but she gave him a severe look and told him that it would not be appropriate behaviour for a lady and a gentleman to share a bed unless they were married. She was, of course, still living to nineteen thirties morals and standards.

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  Then one evening she dropped a bombshell on him.

  “Jackson, my darling,” she said with tears in her eyes, “I think our time together will end tomorrow.”

  “What do you mean?” he asked her, astonished, “Are you going away somewhere?”

  She held him close. “I’m going home tomorrow, I hope.”

  “But you are home. This is your home.”

  “Yes it is, but it’s in the wrong time. I want to go home to my parents and my sister, back to 1936.”

  “How will you do that?”

  She pointed to the crystal. This will take me home. I’ve been watching your weather forecast on this wonderful tv device you have. The man said there will be thunderstorms tomorrow afternoon in this area. Lightning will probably strike the hill. If I am on top of the hill with the crystal heart when the lightning strikes, it will take me back to my home in my time.”

  Jackson was devastated. “But Isabella are you sure it will work? And if it does it means we will be apart again. I don’t want to lose you. I love you so much.”

  “I love you too,” she said, hugging him harder, “but I have to do it. I have to go back to the home where I belong.”

  Jackson tried again to talk her out of it but she was adamant, and he couldn’t blame her. She was living some kind of life in limbo, never knowing when she would suddenly find herself many more weeks or months in the future. She couldn’t go on like this. He was selfish by wanting her to stay with him. He would do the right thing and let her go no matter how much it hurt.

  The next day dawned bright and sunny, but the air felt sticky and humid. There was no doubt about it, thunderstorms would develop later in the day.

  They spent most of the morning in each other’s arms whispering words of love to each other.

  At midday they went outside.

  “Look,” Isabella exclaimed pointing to the east, “That’s a thundercloud coming in this direction. I have to go to the hill to be ready.”

  They walked to the gate in the fence where they stopped for a final embrace.

  Jackson couldn’t bear it, how could he let her go? He loved Isabella with all his heart. But then an idea came to him.

  “Wait a moment,” he said, “My love, I wouldn’t be able to live without you once you’re gone, so how about….how about I come with you?”

  “Come with me? You mean come back with me to 1936. I don’t know if that would work because then you would be out of your time instead of me.”

  “I’m desperate, please let’s try,” Jackson pleaded.

  Isabella looked at him with shining eyes, “Yes, Mr Jackson, let’s give it a try. If we both hold the crystal as the lightning strikes I think it will work. We’ll both go back to 1936 together where we can be together forever. Come, we must hurry. The storm clouds are getting closer.”

  Jackson reached to open the gate, but stopped at the sound of a man’s voice from behind them.

  “Stop right there. No one’s going anywhere!”

  They whirled around to see a man standing a few metres away. Jackson recognised him. It was Don Robinson.

  “What are you doing here?” Jackson gasped in surprise.

  “I’ve been watching you and your friend for a few days now,” Robinson replied grimly, “You have something I want. The crystal. Hand it to me.”

  “You’re crazy,” Jackson snapped at him, “There is no way we’re giving you the crystal.”

  A smug smile came across Robinson’s face, “Oh you’ll give it to me all right,” he sneered, “My friend here says so.”

  With that he quickly pulled an object out of this pocket and pointed it at the startled couple. It was a wicked looking handgun.