An approaching stranger caused Melinda to pause mid-sentence, and glance up from her lecture notes. She studied the young man for a moment, as if trying to place him. Was he one of her students? Finally giving up, her face relaxed into a soft smile. “Can I help you with something?” 
“I have a letter for you.” He held out a white envelope, with nothing more than her name written upon it in black ink. Melinda merely stared at it, and as she opened her mouth to ask why he could not just place it in the box outside of her office, the man spoke again. “I was told it was urgent.” 
The lecture hall was suddenly filled with the sound of muffled voices and shifting bodies as the students reacted to those words. At first, Melinda’s brow furrowed with concern. Then her blue eyes widened as realization swept over her. She took the letter from the stranger’s hand. 
“Thank you,” she mumbled, and with a nod, the man took his leave. She watched him disappear, before turning back to her students. The smile that she offered them seemed real enough, though those seated in the front row could see that it was slightly strained. 
“Now, where were we?” 
The hands which held the envelope were shaking. 

The young woman with long blonde hair and stunning blue eyes stood alone in the abandoned lecture hall. An hour had passed, and her final students had left the lecture hall. None of them had dared ask if she was alright, or worse yet, ask what the note had said. They had simply regarded her with sympathy, giving her a wide berth as they made their way through the door. The stranger had delivered her a mysterious note, one which had shaken their professor up quite a bit. There was only one thing that it could have meant. Professor Reynolds must have received word that her mother had finally died. It was no secret that her mother was in the hospital with cancer, and that she had been for some time. Their professor often spoke of her mother, the fun the two of them had had together, and the many adventures they had embarked on. But her voice would always trail, as she ended with “and then the cancer came,” “and then she got sick,” or worse still, “and then she began to forget me.” Her mother must have died. That would be the only logical explanation. 

The professor inhaled deeply, closed her eyes, and exhaled. It was time. With trembling fingers, Melinda opened the envelope, withdrew the folded piece of paper, and opened it. Immediately, her gaze dropped to the bottom of the letter, where the sender’s signature would be located. [i]The Time Keepers[/i]. Her entire body relaxed. Not Mount Hope Hospital. “Thank goodness,” she breathed. But then her eyes narrowed. If it was not a note from the hospital, who was it from? Melinda began to read. 

So the students went on with their lives, moving to their next class, or if they decided their next class was not worth their time, back to their respective dorms, apartments or houses. But Melinda stayed. She read the letter again, and again, until the cryptic message was burned into her vision and onto her brain. The first time she read it, she had looked about the room for the culprit of the joke. Some mean student, perhaps. Or hell, maybe Ashton Kutcher and his camera crew. She waited for the words “you’ve been punk’d” to come from some corner of the room. But the words never came. She stood alone in the lecture hall, with a letter in her hands and a quizzical expression on her face. 

------------------------------

The ride to the island had been pleasurable enough. She enjoyed the rocking of the boat on the waves, and the feel of the wind on her face. She did not speak to the others, though part of her longed to. Why was she here? She had not applied for this job, yet she was being invited to join their team. Had others applied? Was this a mistake? But she remained silent. When the boat slowed to a halt, and the others began to move ashore, she scooped up her suitcase and followed. The mansion that they approached was breathtaking. The history nut could not help but appreciate the sheer beauty in the building, and the years of secrets it must hide within its walls. The trip suddenly grew a bit more interesting. Even if she learned the trip was a complete waste, at least she could stay in such an incredible building. 

Franklin's warning to stay out of the private rooms was quickly stored away without hesitation. Though Melinda was intrigued by the building, she had no desire to violate their privacy. She remained silent through this discussion as well, and gave Franklin a smile and polite nod as she moved past him and toward the bedrooms. The bedroom that she came upon first was exquisite, and she fell in love with it immediately. Dark woods, crimsons, and deep, royal blues made the small room warm and cozy. The bookcase in the corner called to her, but she knew she would have to explore it later. She had only an hour until dinner.

The woman wasted no time slipping into a short-sleeved grey dress with a thin, simple, dark blue belt. She ran a brush through her hair, added minimal makeup, and donned a thin black jacket. Satisfied with her appearance, she shouldered her black purse and moved into the hallway. She would arrive early to dinner, but that only meant more time for her to explore.