The Renewal (Parallel Past Series) Book 2

By Edward J Schneider

Chandra Jarvis has survived her plunge through the wormhole from her universe of 2150 into a parallel universe which is identical except that the year is 1850 and the location is the Old West in Southwest Wyoming along the Oregon Trail.

She survives much travail with the help of her futuristic suit of special fibers and a personal computer chip implant and falls in love with Sean Dillon, a handsome member of a wagon train on its way to Oregon City only to lose him to the woman waiting for him there with whom he is betrothed.
With a broken heart, Chandra’s last glimpses Sean, his betrothed and her family leave on a ship as it sails down the Colombia River on its way to the Pacific Ocean. Sean is to be married to her in a mission near San Francisco.

However, Sean, his wife to be and her parents never return to Portland as promised. Chandra is tormented by Sean’s seeming disappearance and decides to go to San Francisco to try to learn of her former love’s fate. She doesn’t get the answers she wants and returns home to Portland with her ward, Tom Quinn and decides to dedicate the coming years to being a loving parent to him. Can she embrace and adapt to ways of the west and find a new direction for her life without Sean Dillon? Will she find a new love?

Rejoin Chandra in her quest for those answers and more in this second novel of the Parallel Past time travel series.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Edward J Schneider
• Release date: May 24, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310625534

Edward J Schneider

Biography of Edward J. SchneiderI was born in 1941 in a little town in Southeastern Wyoming called Wheatland and am the middle of six children. I graduated from Torrington High School in 1941 and moved to the Los Angeles area when I was twenty-one years old and spent the next fifteen years going to night school, working as a chemistry lab assistant, a data control clerk, and a computer operator.Missing the sunsets, beautiful clouds, and the breathtaking views of far horizons—and the good people—I eventually moved back to Cheyenne, Wyoming. I worked for the state as a programmer analyst for the next eleven years. Making a move to Idaho Falls, Idaho I went to work for INEL. I also meet and married my wonderful wife Judy while there. In 1990 we moved to the Salt Lake Valley where I finished my career for the State of Utah and retired in 2006. After retirement we homestead in Bridger Valley, Wyoming for a number of years. Due to health issues and the need for nearby doctors, regretfully, we moved back to Utah to a city called Tooele where I presently live with the love of my life, my wife and partner, Judy.I’ve wanted to write novels for years but life kept getting in the way. I wish I’d started sooner but feel fortunate I still have time to do so. I might add, my children, grandchildren and even my dear mother-in-law, Luella love reading my books and that is one of the great joys of my life.

Book preview

The Renewal

A Parallel Past Novel

~Book Two~

A time-travel romance series

by

Edward J. Schneider

The Renewal, a Parallel Past novel

Copyright © 2012 Edward J. Schneider

All Rights Reserved

www.edwardjschneider.com

First edition eBook 2013

Smashwords Edition

This book is licensed for the purchaser's own personal enjoyment only and may not be re-sold or given away to other people. Unauthorized redistribution or reprinting of this book is prohibited and doing so constitutes copyright infringement. This book may not be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the copyright holder. Thank you for respecting this author's work.

This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.

Cover Design by James, Go-On-Write.com

Editing by Janet Green

www.thewordverve.com

Formatting by Bob Houston eBook Formatting

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Dedication

I would like to again dedicate this, the second novel of the series,

to my wife Judy M. Schneider,

who is my stalwart partner and my true love.

I must also include my editor, and friend, Janet Green,

who has encouraged and believed in me.

Words cannot express how grateful I am to her.

Foreword

Our story’s heroine, Chandra Jarvis, has been thrown, via a wormhole, three hundred years into the past from 2150 into the northwestern territories of the United States—the Wild West. A computer chip that was implanted at the base of her brain as a child helps her to cope. She has named it Sugar and it communicates with Chandra by vibrating tiny speakers imbedded in bone near each of her eardrums.

As a guide for the reader, we have depicted Sugar’s vibrating words (i.e., a humming or buzzing sound) in italics surrounded by tilde symbols: ~~ When Chandra answers with a whisper or subvocalizes, her words are italicized and surrounded by quotation marks.

In Book One of the series, Chandra meets and falls in love with a man on the Oregon Trail of the 1850s, ultimately losing him to another. All the while, she chooses to keep her future-world origins a secret, as she adapts to her new life. In this story, Book Two, we see Chandra’s perseverance and stalwart nature in action as she happens upon one of the most startling discoveries of her whirlwind new life.

May you find much pleasure in this romantic tale of Chandra’s time-travel adventures, as she copes with living and loving in the mid-nineteenth century.

Chapter 1

May 1851

Chandra snapped her text book shut. All right, children, that’s it. You can go home early. Sammy, you can get off the stool now, but you’re going to have to tell Katy and your dad what you did today.

Sammy grinned at her mischievously. Chandra found him to be a bit of a handful, but with his freckles and merry blue eyes, she couldn’t help but smile back.

The children happily exited the one-room school house, some whooping loudly—school was out for the summer. It would be short-lived joy, though, because many of them would put in long hard days in the farm fields or on ranches. The few teenagers in the group were less vocal and sedately walked out.

Smiling to herself, Chandra stepped out and locked the door behind her. One of the older boys retrieved her hobbled horse for her, hitching it to her buckboard. She thanked him graciously as always.

In the distance, she could see the groves of trees and buildings comprising Portland and her thoughts moved to her best friend Katy, who now lived not far from the school with her husband and two boys. In fact, Sammy and Johnny attended Chandra’s log-built school and she was often thankful for their company and to be able to see them regularly. They’d become like her own family and she loved them dearly.

Of course, there was another element to this relationship that benefited Chandra—it also kept her busy and not overwhelmed with the emptiness, somewhat thwarting the ache and fearfulness that accompanied her thoughts of Sean. Did he think of her often? What had happened to him after she’d left Oregon City? Was he safe? Was he happy? Sean, his fiancée Abby, and his future in-laws, the Saunders, had sailed away to San Francisco for the wedding, but had never returned. The people working for Mr. Saunders’s shipping line at the Oregon City office waited a few weeks past the scheduled return date. Having not heard from him or anyone in the group, the office was forced to close until Mr. Saunders’s fate could be learned.

The company’s two remaining ships had gone ahead back to Boston by sailing around the tip of South America before the cold winter weather arrived.

A few ships had arrived from Southern California to Oregon City on occasion, but when queried about the fate of the Blue Seagull, none had any news about her. For the rest of that winter, no one in Portland knew what had happened to the wedding party or the ship.

Mebbe they decided to go on to the east coast, although that isn’t like Mr. Saunders. He’s always been one to do what he says he’s goin’ to do, the mayor of Oregon City speculated to Chandra in answer to her inquiries. It takes so danged long for messages to pass from coast to coast. We may not know what happened to them for a long time. When Mr. Saunders’s ships reach Boston, the captains promised to send word by one of the wagon trains that’ll arrive here next summer. Until then, I doubt we’ll hear anything.

For a few weeks after Sean had sailed away, Chandra, already in Portland, had cried herself to sleep every night. The loss of him to Abby was sometimes too much for her to bear. When she learned of their disappearance, her sadness catapulted into fear, and she had to ask Sugar, her implanted computer chip, to put her to sleep at night so she could function during the day.

***

Katy pulled up in her buckboard and parked alongside Chandra at a crossroad. Katy’s new baby girl, Rose, lay in a wooden bassinet, wrapped in blankets and fast asleep. The women paused to chat awhile.

Katy said, I’m glad you got this teaching job here. I get to see you every day, and it’s so good for my boys.

Chandra grinned at her friend’s raspy, foghorn voice. Yeah, it took some talking to persuade the Portland mayor to build the school a few miles east of town, where it is more centralized among the farming population. He originally wanted to build it in downtown Portland, and it would have made it harder for Sammy and Johnny to attend.

She didn’t tell Katy that she had bribed him with some money from one of her diamonds.

Instinctually, she knew better than to tell anyone—not even her best friend—about her diamonds or the glass spheres.

Katy smiled back. You really didn’t tell a fib the night of Sean’s farewell dinner. You actually got a job teaching near Portland.

Chandra leaned to get a better look at sleeping baby Rose. She’s so beautiful! Look at those rosy cheeks! Her name fits her perfectly.

Tears of gratitude momentarily stung Katy’s eyes. I feel so blessed. She really is a beautiful girl, even if I do say so.

She reached across to affectionately pat Chandra’s hand. Somehow, I can’t help but feel that you had something to do with our good fortune.

Chandra shook her head and mildly scolded, Nonsense! I had nothing to do with it. Good people like you and your family deserve good fortune.

Katy gave her a mock glare. Speaking of deserving good fortune . . . you’re always so busy! Have you had time to meet a new man?

Chandra grimaced. Lord knows, there are plenty of them. I think there are only twenty or so available women for hundreds of single men. However, most of them are tobacco chewing, ignorant louts whom I have nothing in common with.

Katy grinned. You’re teaching English, among other things, but you still end sentences with a preposition. I find myself doing it too lately. Anyway, I know Sean was one of a kind. The chances of finding his equal around here are slim, but not impossible.

Chandra pensively agreed. You’re probably right, but . . . She faded off in thought for a moment then animatedly said, Now, I have something to tell you. I’m going to San Francisco to see if I can learn what happened to Sean and the rest of them. The mayor gave me a shipping schedule that is normally followed from year to year. A ship is due to arrive tomorrow from the Far East. After exchanging cargos, it will leave to go down the coast the day after tomorrow. I’m going to try to buy passage to San Francisco. There’ll be another ship returning in August that I can catch on the way back, in time for the new school year. That should give me time to learn if Sean and the Saunders family made it to San Francisco or not.

Katy looked alarmed. Surely, you’re not going by yourself!

Chandra flicked the reins at her horse. As they went their separate ways, she shouted, Don’t worry about me! Sailing on a ship can’t be any more dangerous than traveling the Oregon Trail. And I survived that!

Chandra arrived at the boardinghouse to her rented room on the outskirts of Portland. Mrs. Davis, the owner’s wife, leaned out the kitchen window. Supper’s going to be on the table in about an hour.

Chandra nodded and drove into the livery stable across the street. A tall, spindly man with a huge, tobacco-stained, handle-bar mustache sidled up to her, his spurs clinking on his cowboy boots. He removed his bowler hat and smiled, revealing very yellow teeth, riddled with decay spots. Howdy, Miss Jarvis. It looks like it’s goin’ to be a fine evening for a walk.

She finished unhitching her horse. Yes, it’s too bad I have to go to bed early.

He ambled to within a few feet, and was close enough for her to catch a whiff of his fetid breath. His face wrinkled in disappointment at her words. Now, why is that Miss Jarvis? It seems like ya never wanna have fun.

Annoyed, Chandra turned her head slightly to avoid the smell. I have to spend all tomorrow getting the school buttoned up for the summer.

Blind to her hints, he shrugged and scratched his head, looking over his shoulder as he ambled away. Ya must be a powerful good teacher, Miss Jarvis. It seems like ya never have a spare minute.

Chandra fumed to Sugar, "What is it with this creep? Do I have to draw him a picture? How many times have I deflected him?"

Sugar was like a living female, conscious being, to Chandra by now, though really it was a computer chip implanted at the base of her brain when she was a child. She’d named it Sugar herself.

Sugar responded in her usual humming-bee vibratory sound.

~~ To be exact, this makes eleven times. Please, try not to anger him. It wouldn’t be a good idea to get on the wrong side of him or the sheriff. They’re the only law around here. ~~

Chandra was a tall woman, and most of the available men, around five feet six inches tall on average, were intimidated by her height—that, and her no-nonsense manner. One of the few men in town taller than Chandra, Joe Hendrix, who was a deputy sheriff both in Portland and Oregon City, figured by default his height gave him first rights to court her. However, he revolted Chandra. Besides having bad breath and yellow teeth, he constantly had a wad of chewing tobacco bulging in his cheek and a talent for being a bore. "I’ve been meaning to ask you why he wears that ridiculous round hat instead of one like I used to see in old movie westerns."

Sugar hummed ~~ You’re thinking of what was popularly known as the ten-gallon, large-brimmed Stetson, a cowboy hat that mimicked the sombrero and which hasn’t made its debut yet. Actually, this round hat, called a bowler, is the favored hat for this time period. It doesn’t blow off easily in a strong wind with its narrow brim. Joe is very much in fashion because this style of hat has been around less than two years. ~~

Chandra walked into the boardinghouse and entered the dining room just in time for supper. She sat down, nodding to the other boarders and the owners of the boardinghouse, Mr. and Mrs. Davis.

After everyone ate, Mrs. Davis darted into the kitchen to get a huge coffee pot. She was a tiny, thin, middle-aged woman always on the move. On the other hand, Mr. Davis, a corpulent, phlegmatic man, rarely moved unless prodded by his wife.

Refilling Chandra’s cup, Mrs. Davis asked, Is that enough? Is it too hot?

It’s excellent, Chandra answered. Sipping quietly on the brew, she noted the puppy-dog stare of young Andrew Swenson. He was an extremely tall young man, several inches taller than her and most others in town. She turned to the blond giant and teased, Why, Andrew, you’ve eaten at least three helpings of everything this meal. Did you work up that appetite chopping down half the forest, today? A young, strong man like you needs his food!

Andrew, blushing mightily, stammered, Y-yes ma’am, if you say so. He lowered his head between his shoulders and hunched down, looking like he wanted to slide under the table.

Sugar scolded ~~ Go easy on him, will you? If his face gets any redder, the rest of his body will suffer oxygen deprivation. ~~

"You’re right, I shouldn’t tease him so, but at times, I can’t help it. He’s so sweet, likable and innocent. Back home, no male ever reacted to me with such awkward adoration or innocence. It shows how jaded our other world was. There are so few girls here. He’s a good kid, and I hope he finds someone someday."

With the sun low in the western sky, a small crowd gathered outside around the boardinghouse entrance. Mrs. Davis smiled at Chandra. Well, I see the nightly crowd is gathering to listen to your music. Are you going to sing tonight?

Nodding her head yes, Chandra said, I will, and afterwards I have something to say to everyone too.

She climbed the stairs to her room and grabbed her guitar standing in a corner by her bed. She walked downstairs and went out the front door to sit in a chair under the boardinghouse porch roof.

About twenty people had gathered, including Katy, her husband, and their boys. I told everyone that you’re leaving the day after tomorrow. They want to hear you sing before you leave. I hope that’s all right, Katy said apologetically.

Chandra smiled, sat down and looked at the crowd. Of course it is, although I was planning to tell everyone after the sing-along.

She motioned to the crowd. Gather around closer, she said as the children sat on the porch steps. The adults had brought small stools and chairs in anticipation.

Chandra sang a succession of Scottish and Irish songs and most of the crowd sang along with her. After an hour, she said, I have a long day tomorrow. Is there a request for the last song?

She heard several shouts of requests from the crowd, but it was the Portland mayor who had just arrived, who quieted the crowd and suggested: Let’s sing ‘Auld Lang Syne.’

Nodding in agreement, Chandra hit an introduction chord and led the crowd in a heartfelt rendition of the sweet but sad song. When she finished, everyone crowded around her, wished her the best, and said to hurry back.

A short stout woman hugged Chandra. My son and daughter love the way you teach, and I can never thank you enough for curing their diphtheria!

She referred to a diphtheria epidemic that had started last late fall. Chandra had nipped it in the bud—well, with Sugar’s help. In fact, she had encouraged Sugar not only to cure the few active cases but also to immunize the children in the surrounding area from all contagious diseases and to cure any tendencies toward diabetes, heart problems, Alzheimer’s, vitamin deficiencies, and all the known cancers.

Chandra’s thoughts drifted to a conversation she and Sugar had months ago about helping people. Sugar had hummed ~~ There’s going to be a pocket of very healthy, long-lived people here that will baffle the rest of the country if it ever becomes known. ~~

Chandra had answered, "That’s one mystery I don’t mind laying on the people of this world. Maybe it’ll spur the medical men of science out of their complacent ruts and cause them to find cures at a much earlier time than in our old world. Sometimes I wonder if I should come out of hiding and tell the world what we can do."

~~ We’ve had this discussion before. We don’t know the repercussions of tampering with this world too much. I can’t see any harm in helping on a personal, local level the way we have so far. If we tamper too much, then the future, here, may become unknowable to us and that could be detrimental to our survival. ~~

Chandra replied, "Yes, you’re probably right. As of now we know what’s coming in the future of this world up to the time we were forced to leave our former one. I’m sure our minor actions, so far, haven’t had a major effect on our future here. You mean we shouldn’t try to introduce or change important events because not only would it make our future here unknowable to us, but it could create a new and worse one."

~~ At this time, I advise not. I’m making it a priority to develop programs to study the possible influences of doing such things. I have huge computing powers, but may not have enough as there are so many variables. ~~

Chandra snapped out of her reverie when Mrs. Davis started shooing the people off. Land sakes, Miss Jarvis is tired! Everyone say goodbye and let her pack up. She has to go to the wharf tomorrow and buy passage to San Francisco.

Everyone waved goodbye and Chandra went to her room, packed and went to bed. She awakened early the next morning, had her tub filled with hot water, and took a long luxurious bath. It was during this quiet time that she decided she needed to be completely prepared for all possibilities—including that she might not return to