You're traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind; a journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of the imagination. Next stop: THE TWILIGHT ZONE. -Rod Serling

***

Lee Parker loved hearing about his family's roots. His Grandmother has decided that Lee's interest should be rewarded, so she gives him the wedding gown that once belonged to his Great, Great Grandmother, Leeah. What Lee doesn't know is that his life is about to take an unsuspected turn, especially when you visit a relative in... THE TWILIGHT ZONE.

***

It had been up there all the while that I was growing up, I remembered seeing it way back in the corner covered by a large plastic dry-cleaning bag. I had seen it many times but never had I seen it actually in a photo.

"That's your Great Great... Great grandmother's wedding portrait." She gently held it for me to look at her.

"Doesn't seem very happy..." I added.

"Back in those days, you didn't smile for a portrait." I gave her a questioning look to which she added, "Getting your portrait was a really big deal back in those days. And a wedding portrait was a very special occasion."

"She looks like she was upset." I laughed.

"Maybe she was..." Grandma slid it back inside the clear cover that was protecting it. "She was a mail order bride from the East Coast."

"No kidding..." I leaned over and looked closer at the tin photo. "She doesn't look very old." I pointed at her pretty face and looked at my Grandma.

"She was only 18 when this picture was taken, her husband was around 25... he was considered pretty old in those days." She smiled and began to turn the page.

I stayed her hand and moved the album so I could see it better, "She wasn't much older than I am right now... that's too freaky."

"It wasn't too weird back then, actually it was quite common." She pulled out an old note written long, long ago, handling it very carefully by its edges.

"She wrote this on her wedding day..." She held it so I could see.

"I thought the people back in those days were supposed to have such great handwriting... hers looks crappy, just like mine." I kidded Grandma.

"Don't be too hard on her... if you could read and write back then, you were considered really lucky. She was the only one in her new little family that could read OR write." She sat there smiling at me, "In fact, like most great women of her time, she would teach her children to read as well... I even think she taught Great, Great... Great Grandpa Sam." She touched me on my nose with the end of the paper, "Besides, writing with those quill pens wasn't that easy."

I looked at her picture again and the way the blacks weren't reflecting the light... it seemed that you could almost see the actual tin showing through the lighter colors. In fact, it didn't even appear that the blacks were black at all... more like a really earthy brown.

"At least she was pretty." I commented. Then realizing that Grandma still had the note, "What's it say?"

She lifted her glasses to her eyes and began to read the paper. "April Sixth, 1865...Dakota Territory." I raised my eyebrows at the date, as Grandma continued:

Dear Grandma,
What have I gotten myself into...
now look at me, only fifteen and married...
to an older man! He has been quite kind to me,
but I am very afraid of how this evening is
going to go... he mentioned that the homestead
was somewhere around four miles from the town.

I can see our little wooden frame house standing
out in the middle of nowhere... Did I say our?
Even the sound of those possessive words bring
dread to my heart... why... why? From the look
of things, it is a small farm, I can see a few
buildings and some cows grazing in a small
pasture. Here and there a chicken dashes...
How can I farm? I know absolutely nothing about
farming... I could just cry.

A farmers wife? What has happened?

"See... I told you that she wasn't very happy." I pointed at her portrait again.

"Well what do you expect, she was only fifteen and suddenly had herself thrust into the life as a wife... just days before, she was probably dancing and enjoying her friends... I'm sure she wasn't used to the life that she was going to be leading." She tucked the note back into the album.

"Well, at least she did have some family she could talk to..." I added as I glanced again at the album. Grandma smiled and let her glasses drop from her face where they hung suspended at her chest.

"I'm not following you Lee..."

"Well she wrote to her Grandma... at least she had someone she could talk with." I pointed to her note.

"I doubt if she probably ever saw her Grandmother again, remember that she was from the east..." I didn't see what she was getting at, she sighed and pointed out in space... "East.... where she grew up... west... where she was now. It took days and days to get letters across that amount of territory. That letter probably took a few weeks to reach her grandmother."

"Yeah, I guess you're probably right... she may not have even mailed it." I pointed back to the bottom of the yellowed page, "She didn't even sign it or finish writing."

"That's pretty observant of you Lee, I didn't even think of that." She took another look at the letter.

"I wonder why she kept it?"

Grandma smiled, "Many women of the west kept journals, maybe this was one she was going to start."

"Pretty short journal." I laughed.

Grandma frowned, "She probably never really had time to write... the kids came along pretty soon."

"How many did she have?" I asked.

"I think she had six."

"I would've figured she had almost ten or so..." I added.

Grandma paused at my comment then continued, "Oh that was a big family back then... for the territory. Most women died during childbirth without the modern medicines."

"Grandma Leeah must have had a really rough life way out there in the middle of nowhere." I commented thoughtfully causing my Grandma to smile.

"Don't feel too bad for her... she ended up loving her husband very much. In fact I think they were married almost 55 years when he died sometime around 1920." I whistled at her comment.

"Do you remember her Grandma?" I asked.

"Oh, yes. I remember her quite well... she didn't die until 1944. She was quite old by then... somewhere in her late ninety's I would suspect. I used to sit and listen to her talk about the old days and some of the ones that were to come... you see, she was a very special person." She smiled and laid the book down on the coffee table.

"How so?" I asked.

"She had an excellent memory just like you, she could recall facts and figures as well as anyone. Grandma always said that history was Great-Grandma Leeah's best subject. She just knew what was going to happen long before it actually did... had a uncanny ability to see into the future." She patted my leg and stood up. "She said that she knew that the War would officially end with the North winning and she surprised Grandpa Sam when she gave him the day, place and how President Lincoln would be killed."

"Why didn't she try to stop them?" I couldn't believe that she didn't try to contact someone about her premonition.

"Now think, Lee... if a woman in those days would have contact anyone about that kind of information... they would have laughed at her. Besides, Sam probably did laugh because it wasn't until later that month that Lincoln was assassinated. It would have probably been after the fact that they would have gotten word."

"So, you expect me to believe that she knew things were going to happen long before they really did?" I thought Grandma was pulling my leg.

"She knew all about both World Wars would start, and how they were going to end... she told me that one day man would walk on the moon. That was when I was just a little girl, but long after she was laid to rest... it happened. Her descriptions of future events were remarkable and...well, spot on. Almost spooky when we could see them play out right before our eyes."

"She should've marketed her gift." I looked back to the book, "Imagine what she could have made in the stock market."

"Oh... even though knowing finances back in those days was highly unusual for women... she was quite shrewd. She knew when to invest, what to invest in... and more importantly, when to sell. She even dabbled in Real Estate way back then... she piled quite a sizable sum of money onto some worthless desert out west."

"I bet Grandpa Sam wanted to kill her." I laughed at her buying up land in the desert.

"Well he knew by then to trust her judgment... from all of those years of being married to her. You know that land in the desert..." I waited for her to continue, "It later became a suburb of Las Vegas."

I whistled, "She must have been loaded with money by the time she died."

"She did alright, but most of it was divided up with her children." Grandma said walking into the kitchen. "It spread it out pretty thin... well... if you consider a million dollars each, thin. It would probably be well into the hundreds of millions in today's money." I widened my eyes.

"Wow! Did you ever see any of her money?" I was hoping some of it was still around.

"A little, most of it was spent sending my Grandparents to some of the best schools in the country. As we got older she even started to spread the wealth around to her Grandchildren and Great Grandchildren a bit as well. I owe my entire education to that remarkable woman."

I pulled a cup from her cabinet and filled it with ice, "So, other than your education... and those albums, that's all you got that was hers?"

"She had given me other things... most are in the attic." She poured my glass full of a fruit punch. "I even think she had written a longer journal at one time, but I really don't remember where they were kept."

"Journal? She might have written some of her future investments in those... I sure wish I could get my hand on them." I grinned while taking a sip.

"I suppose she might have written some of her thoughts down on them... if you knew where to find them." She gave me a thoughtful look. "Most of what I have are the photo's and a few trinkets of her jewelry."

"And her old dress..." I added.

"Now how did you know about that?" She gave me a sly smile, "You been snooping around in my attic?"

"No Grandma..." I laughed, "I just remember seeing it when you sent me once to look for something. It's always been a curiosity to me, ever since I first saw it covered up with plastic. I always wondered who it belonged to... now I guess I know since her wedding photo confirmed it."

She giggled at my squirming from under her gaze, "Some of it might be worth only a trifle... some of it could be very valuable... but it's only just odds and ends... remembrances and keepsakes."

"If they're valuable, you should really think about insuring them." I took a long drink from my glass and watched the ice spin as it floated.

"You know, that's probably not too bad of an idea." She began to look for a notepad. "How about if you and I go up there sometime tomorrow and catalog what she left for me. Maybe there's something up there you would like to have of hers." She tussled up my hair and laughed.

I could hardly sleep that night, my mind constantly mulling over the vast riches of my Great, Great... Great Grandmother. I was hoping to find a box full of precious stones or coin, or maybe her journal... now, that would be cool!

Soon enough, morning began to peek through the curtain of my window. I quickly bounded from my bed and pulled on my clothes, today being a Saturday, gave me quite a long day to rummage through Grandma's attic. I raced from the house and headed straight down the long walk towards Grandma's home. My normal thirty minute walk seemed to just fly past, and I was soon running across her lawn and up to the door.

"Hi Grandma!" I shouted through the screen.

"Up here!" I heard her shout back from the area of her attic.

I opened up the door and headed up her steep stairs, "Where are you?"

"In the attic... come on up!" I raced up the rest of the stairs and found myself in her hall. After a quick trip down a couple of bedrooms, I found a narrow stairs leading up.

"Hi Grandma... started without me I see." I kidded.

"I came up here about an hour ago... there's just so much stuff here." She brushed a stray gray hair from her face. "I had forgotten just how much clutter I had up here."

I looked around, "Just how much of this is Grandma Leeah's?"

"Not that much... most of what you see is mine."

She gingerly stepped down a path in the center, "Most of her stuff is back here." She pushed aside a dressmaker's form and motioned for me to head back using her path.

"This is all of her stuff... there really isn't that much." She bent down and picked up a round hatbox. Lifting the lid, she laughed as she picked out a yellow hat with a few feathers hanging from it. "This looks like it was from the twenty's. I remember playing with it as a little girl... that's probably why I have it now." She placed it back in and closed the lid.

I crouched down and began to root around in the boxes, "What are these for?" I held up what looked like records but they were way too thick.

"Those are Victrola records, they go with that old Victrola over there. It's kind of like a record player." She pointed to a cabinet next to the wall. It looked strange, like a tall box on thin gently scrolling legs, to the right of the cabinet a small bent handle came out. "You turn that crank and it winds up the little gears and springs... that makes the old records play."

"Was that Grandma Leeah's?" I asked.

"No... sorry, that's mine." She laughed, "I told you that most of this junk was mine."

I sat the record back into the box and pushed it aside, "Hey, check this out Grandma." I picked up a huge frame and showed the photo it contained to her, "This is another picture of Grandma isn't it?" I blew the dust off of the glass and used my sleeve to clean away the cobwebs.

"Yes... why yes it is." She turned it toward the little swinging light we had suspended from a long cord above us. "That looks like another wedding portrait, only this is much bigger."

"And she's alone." I stood up and looked over Grandma's shoulder at the ancient photo. "She was really pretty..." I added.

"Yes she was, I remember my Grandfather Charlie saying she had long lovely blonde hair... and eyes as blue as the sky." She looked lovingly at her Great, Great Grandmother's image. Then as if to clear up my confusion, "Grandpa Charlie was her youngest son." I nodded my head.

She looked at the image and then at me, "I hadn't realized it but you favor her quite a lot. You both have those light blue eyes and blonde hair... nobody could ever say you two weren't related. You're both very pretty people."

"Uh... thanks Grandma... I think." She giggled and handed the photo back to me. "Why did she become a mail order bride?"

"No one ever said why she did... maybe she just wanted to get out of the house. It was quite common for young girls to marry then, so to escape their strict parents and be off on their own." She pushed more boxes aside, "Here's another box of hers."

I helped her carry it to the aisle, "Looks like more photos." I said as I pulled the lid off.

"And here's some jewelry..." she said pulling out a small wooden box. "I think Great, Great Grandpa Sam made this box for her." She raised the lid and pushed around the gaudy jewelry, "Here's the broach she's wearing in her portrait."

I looked at the beautifully crafted item. It was a medium sized shiny blue stone with lacy golden strands of wire that were woven all around it in a gentle pattern. The broach itself was attached to a white lacy choker that tied behind her neck.

"Wow, that's really pretty." I said looking over Grandma's shoulder.

She smiled and laid it back into the box,

"I'll have to have them appraised for the insurance anyway... we had better keep these where we can get at them." I took the box from her and sat it on top of an old dresser.

"That's pretty much it, Lee." She said as she moved another stack of boxes, "Other than this." She pulled out the ancient dress still draped in the dry-cleaning bag.

"She must have been a really tall woman." I commented as she held the gown out.

"No... I think she was about as tall as we are." Grandma corrected me.

"But look at how long that is..."

I pointed to the skirt, which dragged the floor. "She had to be almost six inches taller than us, Grandma."

Grandma laughed and handed the dress to me to hold, "She wore it with all of these..." She grunted as she leaned across some boxes to pull out another bag.

"What's that stuff?" I asked her as I got my hand on the other end of the box and assisted her in pulling it into the aisle.

"Women dressed a bit more complicated in those days... see, first they would put this on." She held out a long garment, which was made from a light material, "Then they put this on..." She laid a short corset down that was intertwined with hardened stays and strings that laced down one side.

"They must have roasted in that stuff..." I laughed.

"Well it probably wasn't comfortable, I'm sure of that!" She laughed, "Over both of those, she would have worn all of these." She lifted up huge piles of lacy webbing that had been compacted from ages of being crushed in the box. "All of these would take up the extra length you're seeing... so you see, she probably wasn't any taller than you." She smiled and placed them back on the box.

"She wore all that crap full time?" I was surprised at the amount of items she laid out on one of the many boxes.

"Don't be silly, she only wore this stuff when she would dress up... most women would just wear a couple of petticoats under the dress." She laughed and pushed them into the boxes.

"Help me take these to the living room... I'll show you what I mean."

She took the dress from me and I gathered up the box and we both headed down stairs. When I sat the box down she sent me back up for the dressing form that we kept moving from one side to the other so we could gain access to the other boxes. Finally when I carried it back down she had me set it in the center of the room.

I glanced around the room, it seemed she had an item of Great, Great, Great Grandma Leeah's laying on each piece of furniture. "Go get the little wooden box full of her jewelry for me, Lee." Again I headed back up into Grandma's attic, grabbed the box and carried it back down.

Grandma had already placed the light undergarment over the form. "This would have been her underwear." It looked like a long nightgown to me... gathered up between the legs. Almost looking like baggy pants... I said as much to Grandma.

"Well, you're right... she would have worn that to bed as well." She continued straightening out the gown over the form.

"Looks like it would be hot to me..." I spoke aloud.

"Well... she probably wore it in the winter. In the summer, she might not have worn anything at all." Grandma laughed.

I wrinkled up my nose as a sudden image of my withered up Great, Great, Great Grandmother in the nude came to mind. "Then she would have had this on..." Grandma put the corset on and laced it in the back. "I don't think anyone has ever had this on since your Grandma Leeah wore this... so it should still be her size."

I tried to help by getting her the gown, "No... you just hold that, I'm not ready for it just yet. These are first." She began to pull out the gauzy items one by one from the box. "She would have worn these to give her long skirt body, and make it fuller."

I watched as she placed one after another over the last one until she ran out of them... each time she fluffed the last up before adding the next. "Now... we can put the dress on her."

I handed the antique gown to Grandma and watched as she pulled it over the entire ensemble, "Oh... isn't that just lovely Lee?"

"Yeah, it is pretty." I watched Grandma move around the front and push the box toward the corner but hesitated and reached back into the box. "Hey, look what I just found?" She held up a pair of shoes that had buttons running up the side toward the top.

She carried them over to the dress and propped it under the front so the toes just peeked out from under the gown. "Oh... it's so lovely Lee." I just stood there watching my Grandmother's excitement of seeing the dress in it's entirety for the first time.

She backed away and her gaze went from the floor, upward until she stood beaming. "What?" I asked.

"Try to look at me without smiling..." I thought it was a strange request but did as Grandma wanted. "From this angle, with you standing where you are... it looks exactly like Grandma Leeah's standing there."

I laughed. "Right Grandma... only I don't have her long blonde hair."

Grandma laughed as well, "Or her womanly curves."

I looked at the dress and walked around it, "This has to be in pristine condition, Grandma. It has to be almost museum quality." I gently touched some of the bead work lightly with my hand, "It has to be worth a fortune."

I looked up and noticed that Grandma had left the room, I laughed and bowed to the dress, "Well madam, may I have this dance?"

I grabbed the dress around the waist and made a slow circle until I stumbled over the shoes. When I regained my balance I quickly put everything back the way Grandma had it, and stepped away just in time.

Grandma entered back into the room carrying an old box, "I had put this away a long time ago... when your mother was young. I was afraid it would get her into trouble... I'm glad I kept it." She sat the box down on the floor and pulled a very long blonde wig from its bottom.

"What did my mom have that for?" I laughed, figuring I had something over my own mother for a change.

"She thought all the boys had a thing for long... long hair. I was afraid that she would wear it and end up in the family way, before she was ready. I hid it from her about thirty years ago." She laughed and handed it to me.

"What do I want that for?" I said as I tried to hand it back.

"Well... Lee, I was wondering if you would put it on?"

"The wig? You have got to be kidding Grandma!"

"Please Lee, I would love to see Great, Great Grandma again... to see how she looked young." I rolled my eyes and slowly put the long hair on my head.

"I feel like a rock star." I laughed and started to bob my head and play my imaginary guitar.

"This isn't going to work, hold still a minute." She picked up the old wooden box and carried it to me. "Here. Hold this!" She began to pull out some items and mess with the wig. "This wig must have set your mother back a pretty penny... it's made from real human hair!" She commented while stepping back.

"There, now stand behind the dress so I can see how you look." I did as she asked and waited for her to go back around to the front. She looked back up at me and gasped, "Oh... my gosh Lee. You look just like her."

"Great... that all I need." I crossed my eyes at her, causing a little laugh to escape.

"Oh come on... humor your old Grandma a bit." She motioned for me to straighten up and look at her.

"I feel so stupid." I grumbled, "What if my friends see me?" I gently lifted the wig from my head and laid it back on the couch.

"Party pooper." Grandma laughed and pushed her lip out in a pout. She glanced at her watch then at me. "Where has the time gone? Help me put this away and you'd better be heading home... it's already past six."

"I'll help you put it away after church tomorrow." I shouted behind me as I headed out of her house.

***

I came home from church with my parents and quickly threw myself down on the couch, we had eaten lunch at a local restaurant and I felt very full and sleepy. This was the normal routine with our family, church, restaurant and sleep... ever since I could remember.

Mom and Dad kept busying themselves around the house and I began to get a bit irritable at them for bugging me. Finally they stood in front of me and waited...

"Well?" They asked.

"Well what?" I replied annoyingly. I was fifteen and very tired. "Why do you keep staring at me?"

Mom turned toward Dad, "He forgot..."

"Looks that way..." Dad replied shaking his head.

"Forgot what?" I groaned... all I wanted to do was sleep.

"We're supposed to be on our way to Uncle Phil's." Mom crossed her arms.

"I took the day off tomorrow so we could take our time getting back." He smiled and patted my mother's behind softly.

I groaned, "Oh... man... I forgot. Crap! Do I have to go?"

"Yes." Mother demanded.

"If the boy doesn't want to go... then why should we force him?" Dad winked at Mom and slid his arm around her small waist. "I'm sure that we could get along just fine without your company."

I rolled my eyes at them, "Geesch... get a room." They both laughed and kissed.

"Yeah, well someday you'll want to kiss your honey in front of your kids... so get used to hearing them complain like you do." Dad laughed.

"Just wait... you'll see." Mom chuckled.

There was a heavy pause, "So, you going?" Dad's voice finally broke the silence.

"Do I have to? I'm really sleepy." I whined.

"That's what happens when you play those video games until the wee hours of the morning." Dad scolded.

"Fine... you stay here and sleep. We know how to have fun without you." Mom patted my leg.

"Yeah, you stay here and get some sleep... we'll see you sometime tomorrow!" Dad laughed at his own little joke.

I heard them slowly walk out of the house and lock the door behind them, "Stay out of trouble... and NO friends are allowed over."

I must have slept for an hour when the phone began to ring. I fell off the couch as the phone startled me, "Hello?"

"Hi Lee... It's Grandma." The voice on the other end said.

"Oh, hi Grandma. You waiting for me to come help you put that dress of Great, Great, Great Grandma's away?" I yawned and scratched my head.

"That won't be necessary Lee, I decided that since you were admiring that dress so much... well, I just gave it to you."

"Huh?" I said, her comment bringing me to my senses. "Gave it to me? Why?" I quickly glanced around.

"I want to keep it in the family, your father wouldn't know what to do with it... so I decided to give it to you." She smiled into the phone. "It can sit in your attic as well as it can in mine."

I didn't know what to say, she continued..."I'll come over in the morning to help put it away."

"Uh... that won't be necessary Grandma, I can get it. I guess we can sit it up in the garage until I can put it away." What was I going to do with an old dress?

"Oh... I already took care of that for you." Grandma replied, "I put it up in your room while you were at church." I looked straight up the stairs.

"Ok, thanks for the gift Grandma... I'll put it away as soon as I can. Uh... you going to be home later tonight?" I asked.

"No... I had to wait on Mr. Markling to finish working on my car... I'm heading up to Phil's now." She sighed.

"Why didn't you catch a ride with Mom and Dad?" I replied.

"I probably should have... but I don't like being a burden on anyone. I can manage, I'll just be a couple of hours late anyway. One quick phone call to Phil's and nobody will miss me for long." She laughed. "Well, I best be going... have a long drive to Phil's ahead of me."

"Okay Grandma, you take care. I'll see you tomorrow." I slowly hung up the phone, unsure of whether I should have volunteered to ride up with her.

I slowly walked up the steps and headed into the bedroom where I saw the dress just laying on the bed. Next to it, I saw the box that held the long blonde wig. Slowly, I let my fingers glide across the beading from her dress. I picked up the dress and pressed my cheek against the shiny material. I stood up and held it out, trying to figure just what I was going to do with it.

As I held it there, I happened to glance into the mirror on the back of my door. If it weren't for my short haircut, I would look like a young lady holding that dress... most of my body would have been covered. I looked back toward the bed where another box was laying, placing the dress down on my bed, I took the lid from the box, and carefully pulled the golden locks from inside.

I kept resisting the urges I was having, when I realized that my folks wouldn't be home until tomorrow... again I looked at the dress. Slowly a plan was forming in my young mind.

Again I lifted out the golden hair, I stepped toward mirror and placed it upon my head, Grandma had left all of the hair pins still in place as the hair was held up... still looking in the style of the 1800's. It was up, but still very loose. I stood there and smiled at my mirror, imitating the coy way a girl would have been. I walked across the hall and slowly pushed the door to my parent's room open.

On the other side sat my mother's vanity, I quickly slipped across and gingerly took up her liquid liner and placed some thinly and lightly around my eyes. I crimped my eye lashes until they curved gently upward, with trembling hands I began to lengthen and darken them with her mascara.

By the time I had finished, I looked very feminine. All of the makeup was light and not garish in the least... I was surprised at just how easy it had been done. I had only watched my mother put on her makeup, never having done it myself before today.

The girl in the mirror was very attractive, her narrow chin coming to a delicate point. She had a small nose, but an attractive one at that. I was about to stand up when I noticed mom's vanity drawer open, I gently pulled at the handle. Inside, it was full of small thin pieces of plastic shapes that looked like fingernails, next to it was a small bottle that looked like clear nail polish.

I opened up the little bottle and brushed some on my little finger, quickly pressing a small nail into place and holding it there. I smiled, as it looked rather real on my finger, one by one I continued on until I had every one in place. I slowly touched my slim hand to my face relishing the feeling of the delicate nails gently caressing my skin.

In only moments I had made my way back into my bedroom, there still lying on the bed was the gown. I walked toward it slowly as a tiger to its prey. Gently I fingered the round buttons on the back, forgetting any inhibitions, I began to quickly remove my clothes from my body except for my underwear. Slowly I put each item on just as Grandma had shown me. First was the light underwear. Then I swung the corset around my waist and frowned when I realized that I couldn't tie it from behind... well, that wasn't entirely true... I could tie it, just not draw it up like it needed to be drawn.

Then an idea came to me, I backed up to the post of my bed, and after a few moments, I had tied the pulls of the corset hooked on to them. I only had to lean away from the post and allow my own strength to draw it up for me. After a few extra tugs I reached around and slid the pull from the post. I was gasping for breath by the time I finally tied it off, but the look was remarkable. I slowly turned toward my mirror and raised my eyebrows in surprise, I now had a very feminine figure in the mirror.

The undergarment had been low enough in the front to allow the corset to gently push and pull my skin into a fairly decent amount of cleavage. I gently stroked the top of my chest and felt the slight rise and fall of my slight breasts. I smiled as I felt myself becoming aroused, I was going to let my imagination carry me away and would... er... handle that little problem later.

Again I started to layer the petticoats over each other until I had them all floating around my feet. I pulled out her shoes and was surprised as they effortlessly slid onto my own feet. I used an old antique button-hook of my Mother's to fasten them up to the top. It was rather unusual to be standing there wearing this strange ensemble, I shook my head and gently picked up the dress.

Sliding it over my head I pushed my arms through the holes and smoothed the material into place. It was quite lovely.

I reached behind me and after a moment had the top three buttons completely hooked and let my hands drop to my side. "Dang, Grandma Leeah... I bet you were some babe wearing this contraption." I ran my hands down the sleeves and straightened up the seams, I couldn't help but notice that the corset was giving me an illusion of a very feminine figure, "Gosh...I do really look like Grandma Leeah!"

I slowly turned my head around and smiled like I had seen her smile in the portrait. I couldn't believe how pretty I looked in the dress... or how much I resembled my ancient Great, Great, Great Grandma. I stood there looking for a moment...something was missing, then it dawned on me. "The broach!"

Lifting up my skirts I glided across my room and began to search the bed, sure enough it was there. I gently lifted it up and tied its long white lace string behind my neck. As I turned again to face the mirror my overhead light suddenly flashed and I heard a loud pop.

I blinked a number of times and tried to clear the white flash imprint from my mind. Slowly it left, and I was again able to focus, I realized that I had stumbled and must have fallen against the bed as now I was in a sitting position.

"That'll do it." I heard someone say.

I began to look around, I wasn't sitting in my bedroom anymore... but where was I? A little old man moved around to the front and motioned behind me. "Okay... now you come on up and have a seat." Then he looked at me, "Missy, you'll need to stand behind your husband for this photo." I slowly turned around and looked up, straight into the face of the man in the photo... it was Great, Great, Great Grandpa Sam.

I felt my knees weaken as he held my hand to steady me, "Careful now Leeah, I want you healthy for our first evening together." He smiled and pulled me close, gently kissing my upturned... and completely stunned lips.

I moved behind the chair, held on to the back and steadied myself, he had stepped around and took a seat. "Perfect!" The little balding man smiled as again a brilliant flash appeared before my eyes.

I blinked away the spot and was helped to the door by Grandpa Sam. There before the open door was countless buggies and coaches traveling back and forth along the street. A rider tipped his hat to me as he passed, "Good Afternoon Ma'am."

A trembling hand rose to my pinned up hair and slowly tugged at the base, I felt a sharp stab of pain... it was real hair. Looking down I saw the deep cleavage of my very female form.

Now everything became clear, I suddenly knew how my Great, Great, Great Grandmother could know all of those things before they happened. I swallowed hard and gasped with fear, I was her... she was me. I felt myself become light headed, "I have become my own Grandmother..." My trembling voice shook from the sudden realization.

I heard a buggy come rolling up, and a horse blew... suddenly a man appeared at my side, it was Sam. He took my hand and led me to the step on the boardwalk's near side. In one fluid motion he lifted me up and deposited me on the seat. "Light as a feather..." He bounded up beside me and leaned over and kissed me. "Let's see about fattening you up... if you get my drift." He laughed as he gave the reigns a snap.

I felt my eyes welling up with tears, 'Now I know why she looked so sad in the picture. Oh, Grandma... what have I done?' I thought to myself. As we rode on I sat in silence, still stewing in my fears and confusion.

I happened to glance at my tiny feet protruding from beneath my gown, there next to them was a pad of paper. I gingerly picked it up began to look for anything I could find to write with, I noticed a small clutch purse ornate with beading to match my dress hanging from my right wrist, inside I found a tiny traveling pen set, complete with a miniature vial of ink.

I began to write...

April Sixth, 1865... Dakota Territory,

Dear Grandma,
What have I gotten myself into...
now look at me, only fifteen and married...
to an older man! He has been quite kind to me,
but I am very afraid of how this evening is
going to go... he mentioned that the homestead
was somewhere around four miles from the town.

As we rode on, he mentioned that the homestead was somewhere around four miles from the town. Only he was the one to speak, I remained a silent captive of my fears. He continued to speak in his soft drawl, both soothing and comforting to my confused ears. I realized that he was trying to draw me into a conversation, but I wouldn't bite... I was afraid.

I can see our little wooden frame house standing
out in the middle of nowhere... Did I say our?
Even the sound of those possessive words bring
dread to my heart... why... why? From the look
of things, it is a small farm, I can see a few
buildings and some cows grazing in a small
pasture. Here and there a chicken dashes...
How can I farm? I know absolutely nothing about
farming... I could just cry.

A farmers wife? What has happened?

Only yesterday I was speaking with my Grandmother about the very woman I had just become.

I closed the pen up as we rolled into the farm yard, "Whatcha writing there Leeah?"

"Oh...nothing." I replied in my soft feminine voice as I rolled the paper up and slid it into my bag. How could this have happened... what caused it? Could I ever return to the time that I was accustomed? Despair filled my entire being with dread...How else could my Great, Great Grandmother have known the information she had... unless she could see into the future? The only way that it was possible would be if somehow I have become caught in a time loop and had become her... God this was confusing. I remembered my own Grandmother saying that she could foresee the future well into the 1940's... that meant that I would be stuck as her... long into our relative futures.

That meant, I was now my own Great, Great, Great Grandmother... for the rest of my life. I felt a tear begin to gather at the corner of my eye, all my family... my parents, Grandmother... all now gone to me. I would have to wait many, many years to even speak with my own Grandmother. I sighed, I will never be able to see my own parents again... well, not until I was born again. I sat staring at the shadow our buggy was casting on the ground when Sam's voice broke my depression.

"It ain't much... but we can call it home."

As soon his horse stopped, he jumped down and ran around to my side where I was trying to place a foot on the step and climb down without falling, I was having an impossible time seeing the step beneath me with such a full skirt.

"Here, let me help you down." He had his big hands around my tiny waist before I could reply.

He raised me up and held me there, my feet dangling about a foot off the ground. "I sure never did see anything as pretty as you are Leeah..." Slowly he lowered me onto the ground. "Uh... I... uh... ain't never been around many women folk... so you're gonna have to forgive me for not being a real gentleman."

He started to scoop me into his arms and I placed a tiny hand on his huge bicep, "Shouldn't you see to the horse first?" I wanted to prolong my eventual fears as long as I could.

He smiled and pushed his hat back, "You sure you ain't been raised on a farm?" He smiled and kissed the back of my hand. "My pappy always said, you can tell just how good a mother a woman would be if she takes care of the animals before anything else... if that's the case, you're going to make a perfect Mother."

For the life of me, I didn't know why I blushed... but, I could feel the heat on my cheeks. He quickly began to unhitch his horse, all the while he smiled at me. I found it hard not to return his smile. It only seemed a moment that he was finished and had begun to walk... or should I say stalk his way toward me.

"Uh... shouldn't you feed it. Um, that way... we'll have more time to ourselves." I wanted to keep throwing things his way... I definitely didn't want the evening he was hoping for to come.

He smiled and pulled a large scoop of oats out of a barrel, "Enough to take us well into the morning." He laughed as he dropped a second scoop into the big horses feed box.

"Now Mrs. Parker... let's see about making you my wife." He said as he gathered me into his arms and carried me across the yard toward the little house. With one hand he held me, the other he pushed the door open, "Here's our little home... the place where we're going to raise our youngins." He said as we quickly walked through the door and into the small living room. Here's where you'll wile away those long winter days making quilts to warm us.

Then into another room he carried me, "And here's where we'll wile away those long winter nights." He slowly lowered me down onto the bed. "It's been a long time since I have been with a woman as pretty as you." Slowly he leaned into me with a kiss. I laid in stunned silence as he straightened up and slid his jacket off, throwing it into a chair in the corner. Hooking his thumbs around his suspenders he slid them off his shoulders.

He must have known that I was afraid, as I laid there on the top of the bed trembling. He had his shirt unbuttoned and hanging on his shoulders when he looked down at me.

"I'm sorry, Leeah... I didn't realize that you never..." He looked around embarrassed and stepped out of the room. "I can wait... I ain't about to force myself on to any woman as pretty as you."

Slowly he turned and disappeared from my sight, I could hear him in the kitchen as he began to stoke up a fire in our stove. I sat up on the bed and faced myself in the mirror. I was definitely not the boy I had been only a few short hours ago... I was Leeah... and all woman.

He came to the door and stuck his head in, "You want a cup of coffee?"

"Sure Gr...uh, Sam." I nearly called him Grandpa.

He smiled and ducked back out of the room. I stood up and moved toward the door, leaning against the doorjamb. He was a quite handsome man, almost having the size and rugged good looks of a Tom Selleck. His forearms were huge from all of the hard work he had done during his life, skin darkened from exposure to the sun. He saw me watching him and smiled, making his mustache even wider.

I couldn't help returning his smile, he straightened up and sat the blackened coffee pot on top of the stove. "Been batching it so long... almost seems second nature." He laughed. He turned around and leaned against the hand-hewn table. "You create quite a vision standing there..." He said referring to me.

I felt my face flush, "Thank-you." I said as I folded my arms just below my chest.

"I wasn't sure if I had died and gone to heaven... when you sent me your picture." His arms rested on the table with each rugged hand firmly gripping the edge. "I couldn't believe my luck." His shirt fell away, exposing his tremendous physique.

I felt myself suddenly become aware of the effect he was having on my body, I couldn't let him see what he was doing to me. I turned and quickly stepped toward the window, always aware of his movement. I must have stood there for a half hour as he suddenly appeared beside me. "Your coffee... Leeah." I took the cup from his hand and slowly rose it to my lips. He was standing there staring at me, watching me blow across the surface in an attempt to cool the hot liquid.

He sat his cup down, then gently using the back of his hand began to glide it up the length of my arm. I felt my body tremble. I knew now why Grandma Leeah stayed with this man... she had become deeply attracted to him. But could I? Somehow the strangeness of being in such a odd position with Sam was rapidly feeling normal...was the old me fading away while Leeah's existence taking over? I was confused!

He slowly closed his hands around my cup and gradually took it from me, placing it next to his own. My mind raced with the fear of what he was doing, should I bolt for the door? He smiled and gently raised my chin, his eyes seemed to penetrate deep into my soul. Those old photos could never do justice to his eyes... so clear and blue. I began to tremble and took a small step back, my retreat being blocked by a chair.

We stood there for what seemed like minutes, him looking lovingly at me... while I fought with the realization that this man was my Great, Great, Great Grandfather. Then he slowly leaned into me and kissed my soft lips, his mustache tickling my skin. I realized then, that in this time...for the rest of my life, he was my husband... my Sam. He had to be, otherwise my own existence... my own immediate Grandmother's existence would be forfeit.

Slowly his arms encircled my slim waist, I had stopped resisting. I felt him working the buttons at my back until I could feel his hands near my waist. I felt the top of the dress fall open as his hands slowly slid it over my shoulders. I looked down as one hand tenderly pushed the gown's sleeves off of my arm.

I raised my eyes to meet his. "What's happening to us?" I whispered to him.

"What has been happening to husbands and wives who love each other for thousands of years." He smiled and let my dress fall into a heap on the floor.

Again he kissed me softly, this time on my slim neck. I felt him began to draw on the corset string, suddenly it loosened as he pulled it open. I felt the sudden release of my ribs and waist, almost causing me to gasp in comfort. He smiled and kissed the top of my chest and shoulders.

Deep within my being, I began to feel a longing for this man. Was I becoming a woman... in mind, as well as body? I could feel the young nipples on my chest suddenly become erect with arousal as he began to kiss lower. I let my head roll back and sighed deeply, slowly I felt him tug on the string of the broach. He pulled it away and laid it down.

He tenderly took my head with both hands and kissed me, then slid his hands up into my hair and removed the pins that were holding it up. My hair began to cascade down around my shoulders and breast, enveloping us both in its erotic tendrils. He suddenly scooped me up and began to walk us both toward the bedroom, all the while he never removed his lips from mine.

***

Just like that child yet to be born many years from now... Leeah's own fate was sealed that night, when Sam took her gently in his bed. She would find within time, the gentle swell of her belly would foretell the future of their little family...from those children, would be others that would carry on the heritage of her family's name... Leeah Parker's trip ended that day, her destination built on a little piece of land, located somewhere in the middle of... THE TWILIGHT ZONE.