She ran into the other room and stood in the middle of it, looking all
around, breathing hard. Belle leaped down from the dresser, her doze
finished, and rubbed against Julia's leg.
The water in the bathroom was running.
She hadn't shut it off. But she had. She had.
The water started again. It stopped. It started. It stopped.
"How quaint."
There is someone here!
"Who are you?"
"Vassi."
"Vassi?"
"I'm chief historian, research division. It's my first trip in time.
The scientists have been playing around with this thing for years and
they've only just let us take it over."
A time traveler! Julia stood very still. Her eyes searched the room
slowly once again. The window was open about three inches. Too small
for anyone to squeeze through. The door was locked from the inside.
There was absolutely no one in the room. In her desperate state, she
was hunting for an out. She was involved in a fairy story. Her body
started to relax.
"I can't see you, Mr. Vassi."