It was Monday and Jessica and Emily, best friends, had holidays. At nine o’clock they met at baker’s shop. “Are we going to meet in High Park later?” Emily asked.
“Yeah, that’s a good idea. What about ... eleven o’clock, under The Old Tree” answered Jessica. “Ok, good idea, see you later” shouted Emily and went home for breakfast.
One hour later, Emily waited at High Park for Jessica. She looked all around her and saw The Old Tree. The Old Tree was an about two hundred years old tree, very big and high.
Emily looked all around her; it was almost half past twelve. Where was Jessica?
Suddenly there was a bright flash under The Old Tree. One moment later there was fog, black, dark fog. Emily had never seen black fog before. Then she could see another flash, again very bright. All at once Emily could saw a person who came out of the fog, which stayed.
Suddenly, Jessica was there.

“Look at that guy” she said to Emily. “He’s weird!”
The "guy" was the strangest boy the two girls had ever seen. He looked like about 14 years old but he was wearing old man’s clothes. He was standing in the middle of High Park in front of The Old Tree with the black fog around it; with his mouth wide open as if he couldn’t believe his eyes.
The two girls watched him for a few minutes and then began to walk away. Suddenly the boy turned his head and looked at Jessica and Emily with scared eyes. “Where am I?” he asked sadly. “Where is this place?”
The girls turned around and were shocked by the fear in his voice.
Jessica told him he was in High Park. The boy just shook his head slowly.
“High Park ... Toronto ... Ontario ... Canada” Emily tried to explain.

The strange boy just shook his head. Then he whispered scared:
“Which year?” “Ähm, 2012!” explained Jessica. “Why?” she asked surprised.
“Because”, and now the boy sounded braver than before, “I’m born in 1926, and I’m not ... ähm ... 86 years old!”
“Yeah, you’re right” smiled Emily. “And we still are in 2012, right Jess?” Jessica turned around; on the next park-bench sat a man with a laptop. That didn’t exist in about 1940. She nodded her head.
“How old are you? And what’s your name? And why are you wearing old man’s clothes?” she asked curiously.
“I’m 14 years old, my name is James and these clothes are my father’s clothes. I just wear them because we haven’t enough money for new clothes for me and my siblings. I’ve got three sisters and three brothers.” explained James willingly
“Hm, there were two flashes, with the first the fog came, and with the second you.” said Emily to James.
“Does this tree ...” she pointed at The Old Tree, “exists in your year too?”
“Yes!” James answered sadly. He pointed at the air behind the tree.
“In 1940 there isn’t a park here, it’s our garden, and there is our house. This morning I climbed on the tree to chill out of the hard work in our fruit orchard and then there was this awful storm. A flash stroke into the tree I was sitting on. Suddenly there was a first flash - everything was dark - and then there was a second flash - and then I was here!”
“Maybe we need such a storm in this year too? And when a flash strokes into the tree, you have to touch him. And then you can back, back in your time James!” Emily said.
“Probably, but ... No, I don’t think it works like this way” said Jessica.
“I think it works with the black fog over there. Emily said it came just one moment before you. James, what was the time the flash did stroke into the tree you were sitting on?”
“Hmmm, I think it was exact 12 o’clock, I’m sure!” said James.
“Well, now it’s ten to twelve. Maybe it works in 2012 like in your year: at twelve o’clock you have to touch the tree, and then you can back in your time!” considered Emily. “And now it really looks like in a few minutes coming a thunderstorm. Oh look, here’s the first flash! Oh don’t cry Jess, it’s only water, it’s just rain!”

Suddenly a very loud thunderclap frightened Emily, Jessica and James.
“Three minutes to twelve! Go into the fog, James and touch the tree!” shouted Jessica. “And if you’re able to do it, write us a letter and put it in the hollow trunk of the tree!” shouted Emily.
“Yes, I will do that. Thanks for your help; of course I’m going to write a letter for you ... ähm...”
“Jessica and Emily, Jess and Em!”
James smiled happy and then he went into the fog and touched the tree’s trunk. Suddenly the steeple-clock ringed. With the eleven’s stroke there was a first flash - James disappeared. With the twelve’s stroke and a second flash the black fog disappeared too.
Just one moment later, the thunderstorm was over and the sun shined like before the black fog came.
Jessica and Emily ran to The Old Tree. In the hollow trunk of it were a little packet and a letter. Both looked very old.
On the letter’s front stood:

To: Jessica and Emily (THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!)
From: James, 1940.