End of a long road
Chapter 10

Moonbyul's POV

As the basket came to a rest I could see boxes in the room, in the dim light that streamed in through the windows. For a moment, I mused how this particular room almost always is a storage room. At least until 2018, when it became a laboratory.

Eager to get going, I grabbed my bags and hopped out of the basket. With a strange feeling, I then walked, the basket retracted back up the wormhole which soon after seemed to vanish. This was the farthest back I had ever gone. Previously, I only gone as far back as 1902.

I slung my bags over my shoulder and went to the rear door. This time, it looked rather new. I quietly unlocked the door and stepped out into, Friday, April 29th, 1869.

I promptly stepped into mud as well. The alley behind the building, which was paved in later years was not in 1869. I had guessed it had rained during the night causing the dirt in the alley to turn into a very large mud puddle.

"Mud, ugh how wonderful." I grumbled as I locked the door and headed out.

Coming around the alley, the first thing I spotted was a light horse drawn carriage, known as a digcart. It's driver, who looked to be a laborer of some sort, paid me no attention as he urged his horses down the cobblestone street.

It was then I noticed the smell. Being in 1869 and horses where a common form of transportation, I got a nice whiff of horse . First mud, now the wonderful aroma of horse .

Looking around I could see the street was pretty deserted, as it was just after 6 in the morning. Only now the city of London was waking up and going about it's day. Having a very long way to go, I looked at the old buildings and started to walk. Every other time, I came out here from Herford, I took the underground. Sadly that hadn't been built yet and I had to walk. I could catch a horse drawn cab, but wanted to save my money.

Besides the obvious differences in the fact that there were no cars or anything modern, one thing really stuck out. It was the people. As I walked, I started to see many laborers walking in crude clothes to their work. You could see that many of these people had a hard life. I could see it etched in their faces and in their eyes.

In my research I had seen pictures of men working long hours under the most miserable conditions. These were those men. Many of the older ones looked tired and worn out. I also noticed that people in 1869 London, often didn't smell all that great. Many smelled of sweat and misery.

They paid me little attention as I walked. With my clothes, I appeared to be just another out of work soldier. Only upon closer examination would one notice the long hair and soft feminine features. But not to tempt faith, I avoided looking anyone in the eye.

It was odd; I kept expecting to find myself walking off a film set to find lights and cameras just around a corner. But this was no film set. The horses, buggy's, wagons, cobble stone streets and the workman were all the real deal.

I even spotted a crudely dressed e in a well-worn and torn red velvet dress. Her make-up was crudely done and she looked to be a solid veteran of the streets. She was leaning up against a building, waiting. It then occurred to me that Jack the Ripper in about 19 short years would begin his reign of terror right in this neighborhood.

Besides the workman, I spotted many poor and destitute. I spotted a group of children dressed in rags, playing tag in an alley. They looked filthy and their hair looked very unkempt. Not wanting to attract attention, I just averted my eyes and kept going. I also noticed more then one beggar.

I can see now why Charles Dickens wrote the poor and misery of the down and out. It was everywhere. Many would choose to ignore it, but he obviously didn't.

Being hungry after walking for an hour, I passed a number of food vendors at crude little stands. For 2 pence I bought an apple and a small loaf of bread. Someone had some sausages, but they looked rather nasty. Of course, being in Victorian England, I had to get acquainted with the completely insane money system they have.

They had 20 shillings to a pound, 12 pence to a shilling. There was a florin which was 2 shilling, a half crown which was 2 shillings and 6 pence, there was the farthing, the quarter farthing and the 3rd farthing, the half farthing, the half penny, 3 pence, a groat and a Joey which was 4 pence, a bob and of course a guinea which was just over a pound. They had coins of all dominations and sizes, not to mention there were slang words for nearly every coin they had. It gives me a ing headache, just thinking about it.

I ate along the way and just blended in. Thankfully almost everyone paid me no mind. One or two did give me strange looks as I was wearing a US Army coat, hat and boots.

About 2 hours into my walk, it started to rain. It's England, it has to rain. I think it's a law or something. I could have fallen for the girl with the blonde pixie cut hair and the huge s who bartands at the pub I hang out at. But noooooo... I had to fall for a girl who lives in 1869. It's probably better anyway as the girl with the pixie cut seems to love very built and rather stupid men. But I am a bit biased, as I pretty much think all men are stupid.

I was about half way to my goal and thankfully the rain had paused for a time. I was in a working class section of London when I heard from behind me.

"Hey you're an American. I recognize that uniform."

Stopping I spun around to see a guy, with brown hair who looks to be around his 20's, in crude dirty clothes coming up behind me. He studied me for a moment then his eyes suddenly went wide, "Hey...you're a girl!"

I scowled at him and snorted sarcastically, "Aren't you a bright one."

He seemed put off for a moment, but smiled revealing his very ugly looking teeth. I don't think he owns a toothbrus