I walked out of the room and saw that there were real monks! One of them came up to me and he introduced himself.
Monk: Hallo. How art thou feeling?
I: Fine thanks.
Monk: Thanks? What is ‘thanks’?
I: Never mind. What is your name?
Monk: My name is James. What is thine?
I: My name is Nick.
James: What a strange name.
I: Where am I?
James: Thou art in the Priory of St Martin of Tours.
I: Thank you.
James: Where do you come from?
I: I come from the future.
James: Did you come from the cliffs?
I: How did you know?
James: Because a woman came here about a year ago claiming she came from the future.
I: What was her name?
James: Her name was Alex. Strange name for a woman.
That was my mom all right. So my mom had survived the jump and now she had been living in the middle ages!
I: How old are you?
James: I am 13.
I: I’m 13 too! What are you learning in this abbey?
James: I am learning about the creation of the earth. God made the earth in seven days. He made everything from the sand to the people. I am trying to learn the Latin words by heart even though I don’t know what they mean. You see, I only joined the abbey because I can live a king’s life! I’m not supposed to have any possessions but now the abbot shares all the money that is supposed to go to charity.
I: In the future, people don’t take it literally that God made the world in seven days. They interpret it as a small amount of time but not that small. Science has proved that the earth was made by a huge explosion called The Big Bang. People evolved from apes. The evolution of mankind started around 5 million years ago.
James: That’s stupid! How can a giant explosion make life? Explosions cause death not life! It’s like if some sort of witchcraft made the earth.
I: In the future people will find out the world is a globe, not flat.
James: Now we believe that the earth is flat and it is surrounded by crystal balls moved by angels. That is how the sun moves around the earth. We believe that when we die we go to heaven or hell. There is a place called limbo where we get punished for our sins before going to heaven if we have only committed a few sins. That’s where un-baptized babies go.
I: How do you and your people travel?
James: People walk, ride or sail. Witches can fly on broomsticks and travel through time.
I: In the future, there are flying machines that can take you from England to Spain in an hour and a half. We don’t need candles any more. We have this thing called a light bulb that is connected to electricity and it glows brighter than a candle.
James: Really? In the future does everyone read and write?
I: Almost everyone does.
James: Only the church and the rich know how to write. All the books are written and copied out by hand by monks.
I: Aren’t the Lindisfarne Gospels written by hand? I saw them in the British Library in London. Oh… I guess you don’t know about that.
James: I don’t know what the British Library is, but yes, I have heard the monks talk about the Lindisfarne Gospels.
I: Have you read The Ecclesiastical History of the English People by the Venerable Bede? He was a monk from the St Paul monastery near Jarrow.
James: Well, there’s no town called Jarrow, but Bede was from the Kingdom of Northumbria. I haven’t actually read that book, but I have learned from monks who have read it.
I: What about the book that he wrote: The Reckoning Of Time? That’s supposed to teach monks about science.
James: Wasn’t he accused of heresy by the Bishop of Wilfred for writing that book?
I: Yes, but in my time he was closer to the truth than anyone else.
James: Well, we are only supposed to believe whatever the Church teaches us. But we are willing to die defending our beliefs. I bet in the future, no one is willing do die for his beliefs.
I: Actually, there are many people unfortunately, in the future who kill themselves and other people for what they believe in. We call them suicide bombers.
I: Tell me. Who has all the power?
James: Royalty and the Catholic Church do. They control everything.
I: Can people choose their jobs?
James: No. You have to have your father’s job.
I: In the future people can choose their jobs. We have prime ministers who we choose.
James: Choose? You mean you can decide who you want to be your leader?
I: Yes. They also have limits on what they can do. Everyone chooses someone and the person that has been chosen the most times wins. Everyone has the right to say and think what he or she wants to without consequences. In fact, a lot of people are not Christian. I myself am not Christian. I believe in evolution and other sciences.
James: Really? It’s been nice meeting you.
There was an ear-to-ear grin on his face. I could tell he was up to something. He had the look that Mr. Mane—my French teacher— had when he had found a way to get me into trouble.
I: What do you mean?
James: You shouldn’t have said all that. …WITCH!!!
I: Why did you shout that?
James: You’ll see.
Just then two-dozen royal guards appeared and the head guard said, “You will be burnt at the stake in an hour!” They dragged me away.
Outside an angry mob was waiting. I saw my mom in the crowd and asked her to save me. Someone threw a stone at my head and I passed out.
I woke up with a relief that it had been a dream. I lifted my arm to wipe the sweat off my forehead but my arms wouldn’t obey me. I opened my eyes and saw I was tied to a stake —my mom tied to one next to me—and the soldiers were lighting it!!!
By Daniel Hay