Washington D.C
1988
The wind was blowing gently. The sun was shining, and the clouds were moving through the sky. Amy and Susie were sitting on a bench. No, the bench wasn't made of wood and cheap metal. This bench was carved out of solid granite. Amy and Susie weren't the only ones visiting the World War Two Memorial. Many other tourists, descendants of those who fought, and people who lived in D.C were all paying tribute and their respects to every name carved onto the stone pillars.
In total, there were twenty-seven pillars. In the center of the memorial was a large and round fountain. The water spout shooting up out of the fountain rose up to about four feet into the air, splashing back down into the water below. Parents and their children could be seen tossing coins into the fountain, making a wish as they did so.
"What was it like grandma?" Amy asked as she looked over to her left at Susie. Susie looked back down at Amy.
"The war?" Susie questioned.
Amy nodded her head. Before Susie answered that question, she sighed heavily. Just recollecting the memories of what she went through back then. The painful memories of seeing her friends being killed during a conflict or fight, made her realize just how bloody the war actually was.
"It was far worse than what the school-books teach you," Susie answered, "the war changed my life forever. Not only did I lose the love of my life, but countless others did too. Everyone lost someone or something they loved. I just happened to lose the man I'd one day call my husband."
"What was his name grandma?" Amy asked.
Susie suddenly went into a trance, getting lost within her head. She stared off into the distance. Amy looked over at her and lowered her eyebrows. Was Susie okay? Was talking about the war, making her upset and sad?
"His name was Egor," Susie answered, "he would've been your grandpa if he had survived."
"What happened to him?" Amy asked.
Amy's mind was cluttered with questions. She was particularly interested in learning more about what her grandma went through, what the war was like, and learning more about Egor. Who was he? How did he die? Did he sacrifice himself for someone else? Was he captured?
"My, my," Susie said, "well aren't you just full of questions."
Amy shrugged her shoulders.
"What? I can't help it. I want to learn more about what the War was like. That's all," Amy responded.
"Egor was a one-of-a-kind gentleman," Susie responded, "a man full of wisdom, compassion, and bravery. Did you know he was the one that founded the Tinkerers?"
Amy raised her eyebrows. She was amazed by the fact that Egor was the one behind the Tinkerers' existence and their unforgettable legacy.
"Really?" Amy said.
Susie chuckled at the fact that Amy was amazed by what Susie had just told her.
"Oh yeah," Susie responded, "after his family perished at the Auschwitz Concentration Camp and after his daring escape, he became fixated on finding a way to change the world. He didn't want anyone else going through what he did. Eventually, he landed on assembling a group of brave people. You know them today as the Tinkerers. But he never lived to see his vision of the future become reality."
"What do you mean grandma?" Amy asked.
"He was recaptured by a german ground squadron and taken back to Auschwitz," Susie answered, "they starved him. Over-worked him. And in the end, forced him into the gas chambers. We were only ten months into our relationship when he was taken from this cruel world. If he would've lived, he would've become your grandpa."
Amy looked away from Susie, glaring down at the ground. For some reason, she was upset and sad. She could've met Egor if he were still around today. Now, the only thing she could do was learn who Egor really was. Susie saw that Amy was upset. Because of that, Susie wrapped her right arm around Amy's shoulders, pulling her closer to her.
"You may not know who he was, but you'll get the chance to meet him someday," Susie said, "you may not know him now, but that doesn't mean you won't ever meet him. One day, you will though. One day."
San Diego
Present Day
Amy and Frank were both up in the attic. Carl and James were downstairs playing videohames together. The two of them were digging through boxes. Hanging down from one of the wooden beams, was a single cord with a lightbulb and a string. It was on, giving off enough just enough light for them to see.
"I don't think it's up here honey," Frank mentioned as he stopped digging through his box. He was giving up on helping Amy find what she was looking for. He got back up onto his feet, walking over to where Amy was sitting.
Amy sighed as she set a framed photo of Susie down on the floor. She began rubbing her forehead. Maybe he was right. Who knew if it was up here or not. Amy couldn't give up now. She had already dedicated two hours of her night to searching the attic, box by box.
"It has to be," Amy said, "where else could it be? Everything up here belonged to her."
Frank stared down at Amy and sighed heavily once. There was a moment of silence between them. Amy then lifted her head and looked up at Frank.
"If you think it's up here, than continue looking," Frank said, "but it's getting late. Don't stay up too much longer."
Amy smiled faintly and nodded her head.
"I won't," she responded.
After that, Frank held his hand out. Amy grabbed his hand, with him pulling her back up onto her feet. Once she was back on her feet, Frank pulled her in closer to him. He set his right hand on Amy's hip, while still holding her hand with his free hand.
"Can I ask?" Frank said.
"Ask what?" Amy responded.
"Why'd you wait thirty-two years to do this?" Frank asked.
Amy looked away from him. She sighed heavily.
"Do you want to know why?" Amy questioned, "because I just wanted to forget about those memories."
"The memories of you and your grandmother?" Frank said.
"Yes," Amy said, "I thought that if I forgot about those memories, I'd one day lose interest in finding the answers. But, after today, I couldn't help myself. I let my curiosity get the better of me."
"But isn't this what you wanted?" Frank asked, "to find closure?"
"Yes."
"Then don't give up hope just yet. Who knows, maybe I was wrong about the thing you seek is up here after all," Frank responded.
"I'm not going to stop searching until I find it," Amy responded.
Frank smiled. He began rubbing Amy's arms with his hands. Up and down he went gently.
"Well if you find it, let me know," he said, "I'm going to go and get the boys ready for bed. Then I'm going to bed too."
Frank moved his head closer to Amy's. They both shut their eyes as they kissed a couple of times. After that, they both stared into each other's eyes.
"I love you," Frank said.
Amy faintly smiled back at him.
"And I love you," she responded as Frank was walking backwards towards the foldable stairs. The stairs went all the way down to the hallway below. He carefully began walking down the steps. Once he was gone, Amy was now alone once more. She put her hands on her hips. Looking around the attic, Amy noticed that there were so many boxes piled up everywhere.
As she looked over into the left side of her attic, she saw a green rocking chair. She stared at it. As she was doing that, she began to daydream of the memories her and Susie shared long ago.
"Tell me more, grandma," Amy said as she was looking up at Susie. Amy was sitting on Susie's lap. Susie had her arm around Amy. Susie giggled and slowly shook her head. She raised her left pointer finger and pointed it at Amy.
"Now, now," Susie said, "you should be in bed by now. It's getting late."
"But I want to hear what happens to the Tinkerers," Amy said as she began begging Susie to finish the story she was telling. But she wouldn't budge. The clock on the wall read 8:45p. It was well past Amy's bedtime.
"I know sweetheart," Susie said, "but we'll pick up where we left off tomorrow night. I promise."
Amy suddenly came out of the daydream she was experiencing. She rubbed her eyes and blinked a few times. The green chair in the corner was empty once more. No one but herself was present in the attic. After she came back out of that daydream, she looked down at her right hand.
She suddenly remembered that she was holding an extremely old camera in her hand.
"Why were you so important to my grandma?" Amy questioned.
As she was closely examining it, she had found a button on the back of the camera. It piqued Amy's curiosity. So, she decided to press it. But when she did that, the camera magically opened up by itself. The green light she had seen earlier flashing in the window, came back again.
The lens of the camera began glowing the bright green. As she was trying to piece together what was happening, she looked down at her left hand. When she had done that, she saw that her hand was beginning to disappear. Her entire body was starting to turn to a bright green dust. The green dust was being sucked into the camera. Not long after, she had entirely been sucked into the camera. Once she was gone, the camera fell to the floor.
BANG!
After it had hit the floor, it folded back until it was entirely closed. It then stopped glowing the bright green.
"Honey?" Frank questioned, "Are you alright? What was that?"
Frank didn't get a response. After waiting momentarily for a response, he finally gave up. He decided to climb up the stairs. As he made his way to the top of them, he quickly realized that the attic was empty. Amy wasn't here. Frank looked all around the attic.
"This isn't the time for games sweetheart," Frank said, "just come on out of wherever you are."
Again, there was nothing. Not even a creaking sound.
"Amy?" Frank said, "where'd you go?"
Amy fluttered her eyes as she awoke. When she had opened them, she was looking directly up into the bright blue sky above. She quickly sat up. Standing by the end of her feet was a young, blonde-haired, brown eyed woman. This woman was wearing a red dress with a white polka dots pattern on it.
"Madam?" The woman asked, "allow me to help you back up."
The woman held her hand out. Amy hesitantly grabbed it. The woman then pulled her back up onto her feet.
"The name's Emma," she said, "Emma Fischer."
As Amy was brushing her shirt and pants off, she replied back to Emma.
"Amy," she responded.
"Nice to meet you, Amy," Emma said.
Emma suddenly noticed the necklace around her neck. Hanging at the bottom of the necklace was a green and silver ring. She covered her mouth as she gasped.
"Oh my," Emma said, "you're one of them aren't you?"
Amy glanced over at Emma and tilted her head slightly, raising one eyebrow.
"One of whom?" Amy asked.
"The Tinkerers," Emma responded, "say...why aren't you wearing your ring?"
Amy looked down at the ring on her necklace.
"Should I be wearing it?" Amy asked.
"That's the only way," Emma said.
"The only way to what?" Amy replied.
"Victory," Emma said, "Don't you remember? Pearl Harbor was attacked nine months ago. The country declared War on Germany not long after the attack."
Amy suddenly realised that something was very wrong with where she was. Her surroundings were different. She couldn't quite smell the salty ocean anymore.
"Wait a second," she said, "what year is it?"
Emma chuckled and faintly smiled.
"1942," Emma responded, "welcome to New York City."