The Month Ahead

Well, this month has been interesting. I hope you enjoyed our time on the Mayflower. I didn't, I'll admit. I was terrified! I don't like ships.

Okay, as a heads up, my writing style is about to change. I've got someone new helping me out with my writing. (Finally! I've been needing someone to give me a hand on my English and writing!) Also, Trevor and I decided we are going to change the format of the Month Ahead posts. We're no longer going to tell you what the stories are about. That way it's a surprise.

Ready for our next adventure? I'm not sure I am, but here we go, anyways...

March 2015

Week	Topic	What to expect
1	Rebels! : The Revolutionary War	An introduction of the Revolutionary war, some historical facts, today in history and a little known fact.
2	Outlawed Works: Books on the Revolutionary War	We'll give you three books/series about the Revolutionary War for you to read that we think you'll enjoy.
3	Story Post	Trevor, Dominik and I head to the 1770s.
4	Story Post 2	Trevor, Dominik and I head to the 1770s.
	Story Post 3	Trevor, Dominik and I head to the 1770s.

Hmmm, what could be happening in this photo? Looks to organized for a battle! How many of you readers know what this painting is about?

Revealed: Part Seven

Previously on Trevor Trekker's Terrific Time Travel Tales, Voyage of the Unknown:
We glanced over at Dominik, who was wide awake as well. "It's a storm," he repeated. "We must've hit bad weather."
"I want to go home!" Marin wailed. "I don't want to be on a ship in a storm!"
Past Trevor got onto his feet unsteadily. "Don't cry, Maureen!" he exclaimed cheerfully.
"Marin!" I growled. "Her name is Marin."
"Whatever." He waved it off. "The Mayflower doesn't sink. It says so in the history books. You don't have to worry at all. This is going to be fun!"
I was about ready to slap him-- which means I was ready to slap myself.
We had bigger things to worry about, though, when a flash of light exploded in front of us, and a figure we knew all to well appeared.
"Mykola!"


I had known he would show up on my radar sooner or later.
I'd thought I was capable of killing him as a child. I was about ready to do it, too. Trevor had been nothing but trouble to me. If it weren't for him, my family would still be alive. He'd refused to try and save them, to try and figure out a way to bring them back. Now it was my turn to return the favor.
But I couldn't do it. I'd killed before, but no matter who it was, I could not kill a child. I had my chance. I'd seen the eight-year-old boy playing by himself at the playground in Bowerhope, Scotland. I could have done it. I should have done it.
I could not. I may be able to kill, but I was not able to bring myself to kill a child. Even if that child was Trevor.
So I switched tactics. I went back to the Civil War time period, only to find Trevor, Dominik and Elizaveta had managed to escape, thanks to future Trevor. How they'd gotten their hands on 4T, I had no idea. It meant they were able to wrestle the time travel contraption away from me in the future. And I was not going to let that happen!
Improvising again, I went back to my hideout, used my TTGS to locate where the time line had been tampered and found that the three trouble makers had gone to 1650.
And that's exactly where I'd found them.
The light burst around me. I stumbled back, surprised to find the ground beneath me pitching like a bucking horse.
"Mykola!" three voices exclaimed at once.
Several people from the other side of whatever we were in screamed and screeched. Some of the men leapt to their feet and stood in front of their women. Obviously they'd never seen a time traveler before, surprising because Trevor was never very subtle when he did these trips.
I put my hands out against the wall to steady myself, then glanced over at my quarry. Oh... and another Trevor is here, too. 
"So, we meet again," I growled, more out of annoyance than anything devious. "Did you really think you could hide from me?"
"Hey wait a second..." whichever Trevor it was lit up with recognition. "Mykola! It's you! I haven't seen you in four weeks!"
Okay. Obviously that's Past Trevor. 
"Shut up, McIntire," I snarled. I turned back to whom I now realized was the Trevor I was after. "I'm surprised you managed to get 4T away from me. Even more surprised you'd come here instead of heading back to your home. What are you hiding?"
Trevor from the future had managed to get to his feet, Dominik standing next to him, his fists clenched and ready to fight. Behind them, Marin cowered, staring at me with her big blue eyes. If I didn't know any better, I'd say she looked exactly like my little sister.
The thought brought back memories from the past. Memories of the night my family had died. I shook my head and steadied myself as what I now realized was a boat made another plunge. Trevor was the reason my family was dead. Trevor would pay.
"We're not hiding anything, unfortunately," Trevor moaned. "We were looking for 4T-2, but haven't managed to find it."
I searched his eyes. He was lying. He had to be lying!
He wasn't lying.
"You mean to say you made a second 4T and I didn't know about it?" I hissed.
"Well of course you didn't know about it, you were considering killing me when I left! Why would I tell you I made a second one?" Trevor huffed.
"Where is it?"
Past Trevor glanced from Future Trevor to me. "Am I missing something here? Because I thought I told you I forgot where 4T-2 was. It's lost."
"Yes, Trevor, very helpful," Future Trevor muttered.
A scuffle noise sounded behind me. I whirled around and put my hand in my pocket, ready to fire. Several of the men from the ship, whom I believed were what I'd learned were called pilgrims, stood ready to fight me.
"What is the meanin' of this?" one of the men demanded. "Who are ye? What doest thou doing here?"
Fantastic. Just what I needed. A distraction.
"Get away from me," I warned. "I'm trying to conduct some business here."
"You appeared out of nowhere, and Thou thinks we shall leave you to torment other passengers?" a man with a beard huffed.
I'd had enough of this. I whipped out my gun and fired it at a water barrel. The women and children screamed. Several of the men stepped back. I turned and fired it again at a food barrel, grain spilling out of it.
"Now you see that I mean business!" I roared. "I have multiple shots in this pistol of mine, and I will not hesitate to use it. Now back off!"
They glanced at each other, then stepped away. I made sure no one was going to try to be the brave man, then turned back to Trevor.
Except he was gone. All of them were gone.
I cursed and looked all around the deck, but the truth was inevitable. They'd slipped away.
I am going to do something really bad to him when I get my hands on him! I'd search this ship high and low, even if I had to go onto the main deck in the storm to find him. He would not get away.

~oOo~

Twenty minutes later I discovered that Trevor and the others had escaped off the ship, a box that I later realized had contained the second 4T-2 lay next to the grain barrel I'd shot, and I was left without a clue as to where they'd gone.

The storm raged around me. The wind howled, the boat bucked, lightning flashed.

"I will find you, Trevor!" I yelled in the wind, more to myself than anyone else. "I will find you and I will make you pay!"

He would pay for what he'd done to my family and to my life. I would make him suffer.

And I'd start with that woman he was crazy over. Let's see how much he enjoyed having those he loved being taken away from him! But I'd have to devise a carefully laid out plan...

Voyage of the Unknown: Part Two

There are days I just want to wring Past self by the neck and tell him what a bad decision he's making or that he's made. Then I remember that's me that I would be strangling....

-Trevor's Journal

It was hard to explain to the crew and the other passengers where I was from. Harder still why my "brother" had been bothering Mr. Standish with silly questions and making faces at him. But the hardest thing was when Past Trevor woke up and saw me.
He'd leapt up and started going on and on about 4T and time traveling and things no one in the 1600s knew anything about. Yeah. Not good.
"Trevor! How good to see you!" he'd exclaimed, giving me a bear hug. "Oh, you have to tell me everything I've done since I was here last!"
How do you explain something like that to people who haven't even invented a repeating gun yet?
Luckily Dominik had stepped in and announced that my "twin brother" wasn't right in the head. "He has a peculiar condition," he'd said.
After that we were able to explain it off. But we knew better than to stick around the other passengers. Past Trevor had a bad habit of asking really dumb questions that made everyone mad at us.
"Why did you board the Mayflower?" "Do you think the ship will sink?" "What would you do if the main beam cracked?"
It was hard to keep Past self in check. Of course when we'd gotten him aside and asked where 4T the Second was, he had already forgotten from the pounding he'd received from Myles Standish.
"What did you say to make him so angry?" Marin moaned. "If you had kept your mouth shut, we'd be able to get 4T-2 and leave! Now we're stuck on a boat in the ocean and we might drown!"
"What did you say to the man?" Dominik had demanded.
Past Trevor scratched his head. "To be honest, I don't remember," he admitted. He glanced at me. "Do you remember?"
"No. Because you're me, and you don't remember, therefore I don't remember. All I know is you were the only person who knew where 4T-2 was!" I'd groaned.
There was no use whining about it. We'd have to do our best to find the watch.
The Mayflower set sail. Marin got sick several times for the first day or two. Past Trevor and I searched the ship top to bottom, despite the curious looks we received from the other passengers. Dominik checked it twice as thorough.
One week went by. Two weeks went by. No watch. And we all knew that Mykola could show up any time.
This is just embarrassing. I paused and tapped my pen, glancing around the hull. I was writing in my journal by lamplight. Marin lay with her head on my lap, asleep. Dominik leaned against the wall, arms crossed and snoring. Past Trevor, whom we'd dubbed "Ian" because that was his and my middle name, scribbled his name on the wall over and over again, chuckling to himself as he did it.
I can't believe that this is how I used to act, I penned. Past Trevor asks some of the craziest questions. He's inconsiderate, he's very selfish and he really doesn't think much about anything else except what he wants or what he's thinking about. 
Past Trevor hadn't met eight-year-old Marin yet in Czechoslovakia. I hadn't bothered to mention to him who she was.
"Oh, a time travel friend?" he'd asked me, cocking his head a little and eyeing Marin and Dominik. "Splendid! It's fun to travel with others!"
I decided not to correct him. He'd find out soon enough who she was. In fact, it was after this voyage that I'd traveled to the occupied Czech country.
To be honest, when I see how Past Trevor acts and compare him to myself now, I realize how much Marin has changed me. I re-positioned myself as the ship began to rock more than usual. A couple of the other passengers stirred. Someone muttered something about the weather turning sour. Marin is who brought me out of myself. Marin taught me to realize there is more to life than doing whatever I want. Marin is the one who brought me to Christ. Marin has done so much for me... and yet I may lose her now to her brother, Dominik.
I stopped writing and sighed, then put my journal away. I didn't want to think about this anymore. If Marin does leave with Dominik, you should be happy for her, I scolded myself. To want to keep her with you is selfish. 
I cared for Marin. I loved Marin like my own child. I wished she really was my daughter, so I wouldn't have to worry about someone coming along and taking her back home with them.
I glanced down at the sleeping girl, her fingers curled around her hair and her knees tucked up to her chest. She was using my leg for a pillow. I reached down and brushed back a strand of hair behind her ear. Oh Marin. How can I live without you in my life? How can I go on without you there to brighten up my day?
"Whatcha thinkin' about?"
I jerked my head up and narrowed my eyes at Past Trevor. He responded with a lopsided grin, grabbing the beam above him as the ship began to rock even more.
"Stuff. Stuff you wouldn't understand," I snapped.
"You know, since you joined me on this voyage you've been a grump and very judgmental towards me," Trevor sniffed. "What's gotten into you? Last time I saw you, Future Self, you were really fun."
"I'm Future Self from four years away," I reminded him. "A lot has happened to me in four years. I don't have time to play around. I have responsibilities."
Marin moaned. I grabbed her by the arm as the boat made a sudden violent pitch and she began to slide away.
In an instant her eyes popped open and she leapt to her feet, only to fall back down when the Mayflower rocked the other way.
"Careful, Marin!" I exclaimed, catching her before she fell onto the hard wooden deck.
"What's happening!" she cried. "I was asleep just a second ago, then the ground started moving, and, and--"
"Storm."
We glanced over at Dominik, who was wide-awake now as well. "It's a storm," he repeated. "We must've hit the bad weather."
More people began to awake. I heard a couple of children began to cry. "What's going on, Mama?" one little boy sobbed.
"At this rate, no one's going to sleep tonight," I murmured.
A sudden peal of thunder woke the rest of the passengers up. Several people screamed in terror. Marin clutched my arms and buried her face in my shirt.
"I want to go home!" she wailed. "I don't want to be on a ship in a storm!"
Past Trevor got to this feet unsteadily. "Don't cry, Maureen!" he exclaimed cheerfully.
"Marin!" I growled. "Her name is Marin."
"Whatever." he waved it off. "The Mayflower doesn't sink. You don't have to worry at all. This is going to be fun!"
I was about ready to slap him-- which means I was ready to slap myself.
We had bigger things to worry about though, when a flash of light exploded in front of us, and a figure we knew all to well appeared.
"Mykola!"

To be continued under the title of Revealed: Part Seven

Voyage of the Unknown: Part One

I'm beginning to think perhaps I would have been wise to hide 4T in an area where I could find it easier... or at least, I should have written down where I hid it.

-Trevor's Journal


"Come on, Trevor, we're about to board!" Marin urged me.
I snapped my journal shut and stretched, looking around the harbor for the first time. It was a beautiful sunny day. Everywhere we looked there were people. Women cried as the hugged their friends goodbye, Men shook hands, children jumped up in down, excited for the voyage, and sailors tied down cargo in preparation for storms and other sea-faring disasters.
"Wow," I breathed. "I remember this all like it was yesterday."
Dominik, who had remained silent until now, gave me a look. "Haven't you been here before?" he asked in his thick, Czech/Russian accent.
I should just call him a Slavic, seeing how it takes way too long to call him a Czechoslovakian Russian. 
I squared my shoulders and nodded. "Aye, I've been here before. But not in a long, long time."
"We're not going to sail on the ship, are we?" Marin glanced at the semi-large cargo ship, the words Mayflower etched on the side. She twisted a strand of her blond hair. "I don't want to sail on the ship. It frightens me."
"We're just getting on, finding the watch, then teleporting out of her," I assured her. "We'll probably be done way before the ship even begins its voyage."
"I take it that means you remember where you put your watch, Mr. Trekker?"
I eyed Dominik thoughtfully, unsure if his previous statement was a challenge or a snarky question.
I still couldn't decide if I liked him or not-- after all, not a day earlier he'd helped Mykola take us hostage. Then there was the matter that he was, in fact, Marin's brother. I didn't like the prospect of him deciding Marin belonged back in 1944 with him. I couldn't imagine my life without my adopted daughter.
"I remember," I huffed. "Somewhat..."
Marin stared at me. "I know that voice," she mumbled. "That's your "I'm not sure where it is but I'm going to pretend anyways because I want to look like I know everything" voice. You don't remember where it is, do you?"
"Relax! Past Trevor is here, and he's the one who hid the watch in the first place! He can show us where it is." I paused. "That is, as long as we find him before he gets knocked out by Myles Standish."
"What!" Marin exclaimed.
I didn't have time to answer her. The line had begun to move forward and we were six passengers away from boarding. There was no time to explain. We had to find 4T!

~oOo~

Forty-five minutes later, we'd neither located 4T or Past Trevor. I couldn't remember for the life of me where my Past self had spent time on this day, which was bad, considering my Past self was myself and myself could not remember where myself was.

We had to find him. We needed to find him before he annoyed Mr. Standish to the point he landed a nice punch in the face. Unfortunately neither Past Trevor or myself were very good at withstanding fights. One punch and I was out of it.

"Well Mr. Trekker." Dominik glanced in my direction, a frown on his face. He crossed his arms. "Why don't you try to remember were your Past self was staying. Maybe he's there."

We'd searched the tiller room, the upper and the half deck, along with the large hold and even Captain Christopher Jonese's quarters. Hopefully he didn't realize three of his passengers had snooped around there. That would not be good. 

"Well, we haven't checked the main deck..."

"Well, let's go there!" Marin exclaimed, taking my hand and pulling me along. "I want to be off this ship long before it sails. I have such a bad time with getting sea-sick."

At this, Dominik smiled. "I see you fear the ocean as much as I do, little sister."

"I could never be a sailor." she shook her head. "I am terrified of water and drowning... and I don't like getting sea sick."

"I think we're more alike than I realized."

I frowned, following the brother and sister up to the main deck from the large hold. They were starting to bond. Not good, Trevor. Not good!

What if-- what if Marin wanted to leave the island? Dominik was more flesh and blood than I was. I just brought her under my wing when her mother was killed. Dominik was her brother, what if she felt a responsibility to go back to their time period with him?

What was holding her back? I was just Trevor. A time traveler, true, but Marin wasn't interested in getting in danger or high adventure in other places. She liked quiet, calm and laid back things. What could I do that would want her to stay with me?

Ilene.

The thought popped into my head from nowhere. I tried to shove it out of my head, but now it was stuck. No, no, no! Not Ilene! I-- I couldn't! I'd never garnered up the courage to even talk to her, let alone get to know her better. Ilene didn't even know me, why on earth would she want to marry me?

But if Marin had a mother... perhaps she'd want to stay with her adopted father.

"Trevor, you okay?"

I snapped out of my train of thought. "Huh, what?"

"I asked if you remembered where Past self stayed," she said. Marin bit her lower lip and frowned. "You don't look that great. Are you getting sick?"

"Naw, I'm fine!" I waved it off. "Sooner we find Past self, sooner we'll find 4T,  and he sooner we get out of here. Future self told me we needed to hurry. Mykola could show up any time, and that would be disastrous." I pointed to the far back end of the main deck. "This way. This is where Past self should be!"

We didn't get more than five steps before we became aware of shouts and a scuffle above us on the upper deck. Someone shouted. Another person yelped.

"Uh oh," Marin breathed.

Dominik raised an eyebrow. "That sounded like you, Mr. Trekker."

I sucked in a deep breath. "That's... because it was. We need to get up there before Past Trevor gets knocked out. Once he gets knocked out... he'll forget where he hid 4T!"

Shipwrecked Reads: Books on the Journey to America

Corny title, right? I couldn't think of anything better.
Well, I must admit, it's hard to find good books on the pilgrims that aren't too boring or too... well, weird. Yes, weird! There are some real strange books out there on different time eras, they don't make a lick of sense.
Luckily, we were able to find you some books anyways. We hope you enjoy them!


Sarah's New World: The Mayflower Adventure
By Colleen L. Reece

Sarah Smythe has lived in Holland her entire life. But that's about to change. Her parents are taking her and her brother, John, on a journey to America--the New World--with plans to stay permanently.

Sarah must leave behind the town, the home, and the friends she loves, for an uncertain and dangerous new life across the ocean. What does her future in America hold? How will she adjust to life with the other Pilgrims? Will God bring their ship, the Mayflower, across the Atlantic?

Let the Sisters in Time series take you back to 1770--where you may find that Lydia Lankford isn't that much different than you! Recommended for ages.

What we like about this book: Actually, Marin and I have never read this book. We do trust the author, though, and she makes fantastic stories. She's a good writer and her books are Christian based. We think you'll enjoy this book (in fact, any of Colleen's books) and love her characters!

Audience: Girls

Age Range: 8-14



A Journey to the New World
By Kathryn Lasky

What was it like to be a twelve-year-old girl coming to America on the Mayflower in 1620? Author Kathryn Lasky tackles this question in her fictionalized diary A Journey to the New World: The Diary of Remember Patience Whipple. Through Remember's diary, upper elementary and middle school students get to join the pilgrims and experience their Atlantic crossing, their settling in Plimoth, and their celebration of the first Thanksgiving.

What we like about this book: Marin remembers that she enjoyed this book because Remember, or "Mem" as she refers to herself, was a very personable and very real character. Mem gets herself into trouble, is annoyed by younger boys and struggles with emotions she doesn't understand. 

Cautions: There are some perils and sad scenes. This book is realistic on many aspects, telling how it really happened and not sparing details. Which means some of the scenes describe how the pilgrims died. Ask parents what they think before you read this book.

Audience: Girls- but boys would probably find this book amusing

Age Range: 9-15




Stories of the Pilgrims
By Margaret B. Pumphrey

Faith, bravery, perilous journeys, hardships---the stories of the Pilgrims make for exciting reading! This illustrated text follows the Pilgrims from England to Holland to the New World. You will meet William Brewster, Miles Standish, John Alden, Massasoit, and others, and learn how our nation was founded on Christian principles. Includes comprehension questions throughout.

What we like about this book: Don't be fooled by its text-book styled summary- this book is well written and full of good stories. It's a great book to accompany the other two books we mentioned- because this book isn't fictional. It's real. Full of stories that really happened, I can tell you right now that reading this book will make you feel like you are there. Trust me- I was there!

Cautions: None that we can remember.

Audience: Boys and girls

Age Range: 8-13

Sailing to America: The Pilgrim Voyage on the Mayflower

September 6, 1620
Trevor's Journal
Marin, Dominik and I are dressed in these very interesting pilgrim outfits and are about to board the Mayflower with the rest of the pilgrims on this historical day. The Pilgrims already tried two times to leave England, and both attempts failed because the other ship they were to use, the Speedwell, kept leaking. They finally ditched the Speedwell and are just going to use the Mayflower instead.
There are a 102 people in line to get onto this ship that's headed for America- crew not included. With the crew included, there's about another thirty, which brings the grand total up to 132 people getting on this ship. Can you imagine- 132 people are going to ride this ship for 66 days, together, in a ship that's only about 100 feet in length from the tip of the prow (that pointy thingy at the front of the ship) to the tip of the stern. (the back part of the boat.) Let's not even mention the rest of the dimentions- but I will anyways, for history's sake. I think the deck is about twenty-five feet across from side to side, and that's at the widest point. There are three levels on the boat, but guess what? The ship can only hold 180 caskets of wine at a time. Apparently this is a merchant's ship.
These people are braver than me. I'm coming along because I have to get 4T2. (Trevor's Time Travel Teleport 2) I hid it on the Mayflower four years ago, when I made the first voyage on the ship. In fact I need to keep an eye out for myself, he no doubt will recognize me...
Ahem, back to the subject about the Mayflower. That is why I'm writing in this journal, so I don't forget any of the facts about the ship this time. I forgot them all last time!
Ah, I see Mr. William Bradford is here. He's a good man. He later was the one who came up with the idea of creating a Mayflower Compact. This was because Mr. Bradford was worried when he noted that a lot of the men didn't care one bit about the rules of the Pilgrims. Actually, a lot of these people that are in line today are not Pilgrims at all. We've got three groups here today- Separatists, (aka, the Pilgrims) Sympathizers (they're not Separatists, but they feel bad about the persecution that's happened to them. More on that later) and Hired Hands. Hired Hands are just along for the ride and to help out.
Knowing how the voyage is going to go once we get on sea, I remembered that Mr. Bradford was upset that a lot of the men didn't care about rules and wanted to have their own liberty and do what they want. So when we reach Massachusetts (we actually aren't trying to go to MA, we're trying to get to north New York, but a storm blows the Mayflower off course and we end up in Cape Cod) Mr. Bradford is going to have everyone draw up a compact that sets the rules for the community they're going to settle. Every male head of the family is going to have to sign that compact, if they want to go on land. Actually Mr. Bradford is quite smart- they had to sign it before they went to shore. That means a lot of them signed it probably because they wanted to go to shore, but it worked out in the end, didn't it? The compact became the first form of democracy.
It's almost time to board the ship. I'm a bit anxious, I just want to find 4T2 and get off, but we may end up stuck on the ship if I'm not fast. To be honest, I don't actually remember where I stuck that watch. Somewhere where I didn't want anyone to find it. But now I can't even remember where it is! Probably shouldn't let Marin or Dominik know that.
Oh, you know those pictures you see of pilgrims wearing black and white clothes with weird belt-buckle hats on their heads? That's not what they wear. It's a common misconception. They wear a variety of colors. One lady here, Mrs. Mary Ring, is wearing a pink blouse, a brown skirt with flowers on it and a brown hat. I find it odd that all the pictures you see of pilgrims in the future depict them wearing only black and white. How dull. In truth, they're fine with a variety of colors, which is nice. Black and white is very grey.
I'm going to have to go now. People are starting to board. Marin's pulling my arm, telling me to stop writing. In conclusion, I'll address that topic I mentioned earlier: The sympathetic people who are boarding this ship are not Pilgrims. They don't have the same beliefs. I believe some of the Pilgrims refer to them as "strangers", but not all of them. They're just wanting to make a new life in America, just like everyone else. See, you learn something new everyday, don't you?
Time to board. Hopefully we'll find 4T2 and be off of this ship lickedy-split...


Little Known Fact: Most people don't realize that the Pilgrims did not name Plymouth, Massachusetts, for Plymouth, England. In fact, the Pilgrims didn't name it at all- previous explorers did! It was sheer coincidence that the Mayflower departed from the harbor Plymouth in England and ended up in Plymouth harbor Massachusetts. Remember, they weren't originally aiming for Massachusetts, but New York. 

Today in History: To be honest, nothing exciting happened on this day. Someone named Gustaf Bonde, a Finnish-Swedish politician, died. And today was a Tuesday 395 years ago. Not too much happened. Perhaps the children of 1620 are doing a history lesson, even as we read this... who knows? Someone must have been, for by 1650 there were half a billion people living in the world. So you can know that 395 years ago, some child who may even be your age was doing a history lesson. Just like you!