Prologue

It was the eleventh of Spring, when he heard the most devastating news that came to him.

One of their good neighbors went to his school to inform the little child.

The 1800s sure was full of surprises, schools were invented, it was also the birth of the battery, arc light and so on.

He was attending the public school in Massachusetts that time, thirty students were enrolled, twenty five were actively attending it.

His teacher who wears a Lowell Mill day dress, walks to him, her piercing hazel eyes looked at him and said, "Samuel, can you please follow me outside?"

The confused child nodded nervously, before he stood up and followed her.

Their neighbor in the name of Florence, looked at his teacher and nodded. His teacher returned inside to give the two their privacy.

Florence knelt down, her dress touched the emerald lawn that stretched throughout the neighborhood; she heaved a dejected sigh, her hands holding his fragile shoulders, hesitating to break the silence as the innocent boy looked at her. She felt her eyes blurring, the clear, warm tear was forming in it, before he could see it, she pulled him to a hug. Tightly, before her tears escaped her eyes.

She tries not to sob, Samuel is a smart boy, at his young age he knows something is not right. His warm, small hand rubbed Florence back, while his other hand stroked her soft, brown hair.

Not long , she stopped. She pulled away and wiped the tears on her face. Samuel gazed at her with confusion, "Why are you crying, Ms. Florence? What is the problem?"

A second has passed before her sad coffee colored eyes stared at him. Her voice cracked and stuttered, "Y-Your... mom s-she's..."

Samuel silently looked at her, listening at every word she said, "She's what Ms. Florence?" his sweet, nervous voice asked her.

"She passed away, Samuel" she looked down after saying the word 'died'.

He smiled, disbelief is visible on his face. He shake his head, he started to stutter as his tears start to form, "N-no. You're l-lying. Tell Me Ms. Florence..."

She stayed quiet, looking at her hands on her lap. Both were closely shut, she shook her head.

Samuel felt his world crumbled, his legs felt weak as he fell down. His face touching the grass, there he sobs, Ms. Florence don't know how to calm the boy.

After the funeral, he was left to his father, his mother died of pneumonia.

Years passed by his father was still depressed, though it's been years, it felt like it was yesterday.

He was only fourteen in age when he started working, supporting his father who ceased to age.

One night, after his shift, his father called him.

"Samuel..." he started.

There was a feast on their table. As he approaches his father there lies a key, a diary and a pocket watch.

He sat and looked at his father, "I also have some questions for you , father."

"I think before you could ask those, everything will be answered tonight"

His father gently pushed the key first to him, "This key opens the basement which you will use when you needed it most..."

The key was heavy. It was made of gold, he didn't touch it yet. His father gave him the diary, Samuel' eyebrow rose, "You want me to take note of my life everyday?"

His father chuckled, "It depends on you, I also have my own diary. You could use that to trace your life. These are linked to each other, Sam"

He lastly gave him the pocket watch and started lecturing him:

Samuel, please don't be surprised at these revelations. You may lost everything except these three. The key opens a secret door in the basement which depends on you; are you going to allow humans to enter?

The diary, you need it to trace the day, month or year, it is a mysterious diary only given to generations. There is a bunch of it in the secret door. They'll appear to you if you plan to have a family.

Lastly this pocket watch, it will let you travel anytime. Literally, any TIME.

Sam we're immortals... There are a few of us living in this planet

Samuel was shocked at his father’s words, before he started chuckling.

"Nice story, father." He mocked.

He get a plate and started feeding himself. His father started eating too, he was very calm while Sam was nervously shaking.

"When you're done, meet me at the entrance of the basement." his father ordered.

Sam just nodded. It took him a few minutes before he got to the entrance of the basement.

His father showed him that he said were all true. There was a safe in the room, "Use it well."

His father pointed him to the mysterious door, "Before you enter this place, be sure you have the key, the diary and most importantly the pocket watch..."

"What if I forgot one of them?"

"My sister do forgot one, and in a snap she disappeared. I don't know where is she, if she' still alive... No one knew what will happen. Shall we?"

They entered the mysterious door. "You will feel pain after I chant. If you happen to need this room with a mortal, consider their age or else they will turn to ashes. I will start now, listen carefully."

Sam nodded.

His father started chanting:

To thee I bestow my soul, salvage thou people in here. I beseech thy salvation.

I bestow my baneful life to eternity.

Grant me your benediction

*****

Its been a month when World War I was declared, his father joined the army, and he was left inside the house. Windows were tightly shut by wooden planks. He doesn't know if his father will return.

He was two hundred in age, his father was almost thousands. He can still recall his father's order, "If you want to leave, do it. Don't worry about me. Go in a year where peace is at hand..."

His diary dated February 1915. He was doubting on leaving his father.

It took him hours before he decided on entering the room with the diary clipped in his armpit, the pocket watch on his left hand, and the gold key inside his pocket and chanted the same.

He felt a thousand of needles piercing his body, he thought he was about to die.

After a few hours, after recovering from the pain, he took a glimpse of the place where he was transported...

There's a newspaper at the doorstep...

September 1940.