Hope springs eternal

Kelly leaned back on her seat and closed her eyes. She couldn't wait for the plane to take off, flying always soothed her pain. She plugged in her headset to listen to some soul music. She could feel herself drifting off.

It was good she had fastened her seatbelt earlier, she didn't want this interlude interrrupted afterall rest was not easily attained these days.

She felt someone settle in the seat next to her. She hoped this person wasn't a talker, she was not in the mood for talking. She just wanted to drift till she got to her destination...or not. Her life had no meaning at the moment.

It had all started a year ago, the day she found that necklace in that wierd antique shop on Willow street. She had felt drawn to that place that fateful night that would change her life forever. She had carressed it like a long lost lover, carefully cleaning the dust accumulated on it over the years. She felt connected to it.

She had dreamt of strange faces that night and every night ever since. She dreamt of terrifying events that she dreaded going to sleep at night...funny the dreams only came at night.

She had felt close to losing it. She had no friend to talk to...she had always being a loner. Who needed friends after her terrible experience with Racheal...nevermind she was just 10 at the time.

Her studio apartment was her solace...her escape from a world of pain and now she had brought pain into her well-organized life and it was impossible to undo the pain.

Grandpa Roland had brought his curse on them. She had never believed the curse and now it was real and impossible to ignore. It is true what they said...the sins of the fathers shall be visited upon the children. In this case it was the sin of her grandfather that was warring against her. She believed the necklace lost and now she had found it and the trouble it had brought her parents before they died.

There was just one solution to this problem according to the lady with the mysterious mirror...the one Aunt Hilda had taken her to. The strange lady said the stolen necklace must be returned to the owner which was impossible.

Grandpa had confessed to stealing it from an old lady who would surely be dead now. Her situation was hopeless. If only time travel were possible!

Then she heard of the test flight a week ago and she was one of the first volunteers. This was the second trial of the experiment. She was fast changing her mind...time travel would be possible just because of her.

She said a quick prayer when she felt the plane take off...this time she would be able to return the necklace to the rightful owner...or so she hoped.

The plane was in the air. She could feel her heart pounding hard in her chest. Any moment now it would happen...and it did! There was a turbulence just as it had the last time though this time it showed no sign of stopping and then the plane was going down, nose first. She saw her seat patner screaming her head off just as she was.

"This was it," she thought. "The end of my life. At least, i would not end up like grandpa in a madhouse. This is a better way to go". She closed her eyes and welcomed death.

Then all became still. The plane had landed miraculously! She breathed a sigh of relief and slowly opened her eyes and then screamed in excitement.
It was a success! The time travel experiment worked!

She felt tears of joy roll down her eyes. She was in the past...a hundred years in the past and she could end the curse and protect her kids from nightmares. Finally, she was a few short steps to freedom!

Image designed by me on textgram.

This story is my submission for the 24hourshortstory contest by @mctiller