Status: Active
Undisclosed Desires
Chapter 2
He was scared.
For the first time in his life he was really scared and he wasn't sure what he was to do from now on. He didn't come back to the Inn he woke up at and neither did he try to enter any other building in the small town. He stayed away from the busy streets with people running their errands. They looked different. They talked different and on top of that the atmosphere in this place was different.
Billie Joe Armstrong felt like he woke up on some alien earth in different time and place.
The only logical explanation would be that he was still asleep and dreaming about the movie he watched with his wife a couple of nights ago.
It looked just like in a romance drama where the etiquette was strict, fashion was the only thing that mattered in the life and all they did was mastering the art of boredom, gossip and arranging marriages.
The woman were dressed in dresses closely-fitted to the torso just under the bust, falling loosely below. The shades were mostly soft and bright, but the older women were wearing darker shades. There was no women without a fashionable headgear, gowns and gloves.
The men were wearing coats cutaway in front with tails behind and had tall standing collars. They were wearing high boots and fashionable trousers.
This definitely wasn't what he was used to see in his every day life.
He wanted the nightmare to end, but the longer he dreamed the more his conscious was telling him this was not a dream and he was stuck in some place where he was the one who looked and spoke strange language. He had no idea how he got there and it scared him the most. Another question in his mind was concerning his band mates. Where could they be?
Billie stayed hidden in a lone alleyway, but he couldn't stay there forever. He was hungry and thirsty. He had to figure it out where he was and how he got there. The idea of a prank being pulled on him was long lost gone. No one would go to such extremes to fool him. It was too ridiculous. It was getting darker and colder and he had nothing to give him much warmth. He was still wearing his clothes from the concert, which by now felt uncomfortable.
When it got darker and the streets started to empty he walked out from his hide out. His curious eyes looked around. The buildings were so much different from the ones he was used too. The architecture could even look quite nice in a different circumstances. They looked just like in the movies... The houses looked different - some were rich and maintained while others were covered in very old red brick looking like they went through a lot.
Before he knew it he was out of the town and the green landscape was laid out before his eyes. The sky was clear of any clouds and the stars were looking down and blinking at him once in a while. He didn't see such a sky in a long time. It was so dark almost threatening, but at the same time beautiful with billions of stars scattered in some kind of pattern.
He tore his eyes away from the sky and looked around at the pitch black forest and he felt goosebumps rise on his forearms. He wouldn't even dare to go in there. The thought was too scary and he didn't want to find out what could he see or not see in those darkness.
He slowly retreated to the town with a hopeless expression on his face. The streets were not quite deserted yet. He'd eventually meet someone on their way somewhere, but the looks he received were either of surprise or fear. If he was to find his way back home he first needed to look like the people in this place.
He was heading back to the Inn having no other option. He didn't plan on staying the night on the street of the unknown town. Before he could reach the Inn he saw a carriage with two horses standing right before the entrance. He could recognize the man from the bar talking to some man wearing the clothing that was fashionable in this place. He looked like any other man. Billie made his way with no hurry towards the Inn hoping the barman wouldn't take much interest in him this time. He remembered the way he looked at him before.
But as soon as he approached them and was about to enter the building the barman looked at him and stood in his way.
"Is something wrong?" he asked with his eyebrows slightly raising while trying to act like this was nothing.
"Sir," the man bowed his head slightly. "I was afraid you might not return. I am terribly sorry-"
"Mr. Armstrong!" the fashionable looking man exclaimed suddenly and Billie looked at him surprised. He didn't recognize him at all. "I am so glad that I've found you! I feared you might not return!"
Billie merely nodded his head feeling confused. "We shall go now." The man gave some coins to the barman and he entered the carriage. Seeing no other way Billie Joe followed him. Just after the door of the carriage closed it started moving slowly.
The man was sitting in front of Billie with a relief slowly creeping on his features. His eyes were dark and were calmly staring out the window. His hair were slightly disheveled as he removed his hat. He looked very thin and his face showed he's went through some hard time lately.
He took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair mumbling something incoherently before looking over at Billie, who was by now very confused and uncomfortable. He knew he had a chance to ask the questions. The man seemed to know why and where he was.
"Mr. Armstrong..." the man shook his head tiredly.
"Do I know you?" Billie asked with a frown. "Because if this is some kind of a joke-"
"I will explain everything, I promise." the man said calmly in a deep voice and English accent. "But what do I tell my dear Mrs. Leighton!"
"Mrs. Leighton?" Billie mumbled with eyebrows raising. The man looked at him wide eyed.
"I don't think I've introduced myself yet..." he extended his hand for a hand shake. "I'm Avery Leighton. You shall call me Mr. Leighton."
"Billie Joe Armstrong" Billie said while shaking his hand. "Avery...I mean Mr. Leighton" he quickly said after seeing the look the man gave him. "Where exactly are we?"
"You don't know?" the man frowned. "England. Derbyshire to be exact..." the green eyed guitarist managed only to nod his head feeling his stomach sink in an unknown fear. The questions were piling up in his head, but at the same time he felt quite awkward in the company of the man wearing the weird clothing like he was from the 18th or 19th century. He didn't even look much older than Billie. He was rather younger. He couldn't help but think how ridiculous this situation really looked. He had no other choice, but to act along.
"So... how come I am here and not in my hotel room in LA?" he asked after a moment of silence. The only sound was of the horses and the carriage. "Are you shooting a movie or maybe is this some TV show that's supposed to make a fool out of me? Because this is really ridiculous...and not funny at all!"
Avery Leighton only eyed him in thought with slightly concerned expression. He looked like he was having a debate with himself. He suddenly shook his head in resignation.
"Sir William... Joseph Armstrong...?" he mumbled. "But what else...?" Avery looked up at Billie Joe once again and this time spoke to him directly. "I am afraid that by accident you came back with me. A very terrible circumstance... Mr. Armstrong."
"Came back?" Billie frowned turning his head to the side.
"I'm afraid so, Mr. Armstrong." the man nodded his head slowly. He still couldn't figure out what he was to do from now on. It was not how the situation was supposed to turn out. He's wasted a whole day to try and find this man that was sitting before him. Avery Leighton wasn't even sure to who would it be harder to explain the current situation. His wife, Madalene Leighton, or this lost and very confused man sitting right before him. All he knew it would not be easy and he was not the right person for this kind of situations. He never knew how to handle them.
"Just call me Billie." the guitarist said somewhat getting sick of the man referring to him all the time formally.
"Unfortunately, from now on you should get used to it."
"Wait, what exactly are you trying to tell me?" Billie asked somehow feeling like he didn't really want to know the truth.
Avery Leighton shifted uncomfortably in his seat and exhaled deeply before looking Billie straight in the eyes.
"It's 1797." his voice was barely above the whisper. "And there might be no coming back."
For the first time in his life he was really scared and he wasn't sure what he was to do from now on. He didn't come back to the Inn he woke up at and neither did he try to enter any other building in the small town. He stayed away from the busy streets with people running their errands. They looked different. They talked different and on top of that the atmosphere in this place was different.
Billie Joe Armstrong felt like he woke up on some alien earth in different time and place.
The only logical explanation would be that he was still asleep and dreaming about the movie he watched with his wife a couple of nights ago.
It looked just like in a romance drama where the etiquette was strict, fashion was the only thing that mattered in the life and all they did was mastering the art of boredom, gossip and arranging marriages.
The woman were dressed in dresses closely-fitted to the torso just under the bust, falling loosely below. The shades were mostly soft and bright, but the older women were wearing darker shades. There was no women without a fashionable headgear, gowns and gloves.
The men were wearing coats cutaway in front with tails behind and had tall standing collars. They were wearing high boots and fashionable trousers.
This definitely wasn't what he was used to see in his every day life.
He wanted the nightmare to end, but the longer he dreamed the more his conscious was telling him this was not a dream and he was stuck in some place where he was the one who looked and spoke strange language. He had no idea how he got there and it scared him the most. Another question in his mind was concerning his band mates. Where could they be?
Billie stayed hidden in a lone alleyway, but he couldn't stay there forever. He was hungry and thirsty. He had to figure it out where he was and how he got there. The idea of a prank being pulled on him was long lost gone. No one would go to such extremes to fool him. It was too ridiculous. It was getting darker and colder and he had nothing to give him much warmth. He was still wearing his clothes from the concert, which by now felt uncomfortable.
When it got darker and the streets started to empty he walked out from his hide out. His curious eyes looked around. The buildings were so much different from the ones he was used too. The architecture could even look quite nice in a different circumstances. They looked just like in the movies... The houses looked different - some were rich and maintained while others were covered in very old red brick looking like they went through a lot.
Before he knew it he was out of the town and the green landscape was laid out before his eyes. The sky was clear of any clouds and the stars were looking down and blinking at him once in a while. He didn't see such a sky in a long time. It was so dark almost threatening, but at the same time beautiful with billions of stars scattered in some kind of pattern.
He tore his eyes away from the sky and looked around at the pitch black forest and he felt goosebumps rise on his forearms. He wouldn't even dare to go in there. The thought was too scary and he didn't want to find out what could he see or not see in those darkness.
He slowly retreated to the town with a hopeless expression on his face. The streets were not quite deserted yet. He'd eventually meet someone on their way somewhere, but the looks he received were either of surprise or fear. If he was to find his way back home he first needed to look like the people in this place.
He was heading back to the Inn having no other option. He didn't plan on staying the night on the street of the unknown town. Before he could reach the Inn he saw a carriage with two horses standing right before the entrance. He could recognize the man from the bar talking to some man wearing the clothing that was fashionable in this place. He looked like any other man. Billie made his way with no hurry towards the Inn hoping the barman wouldn't take much interest in him this time. He remembered the way he looked at him before.
But as soon as he approached them and was about to enter the building the barman looked at him and stood in his way.
"Is something wrong?" he asked with his eyebrows slightly raising while trying to act like this was nothing.
"Sir," the man bowed his head slightly. "I was afraid you might not return. I am terribly sorry-"
"Mr. Armstrong!" the fashionable looking man exclaimed suddenly and Billie looked at him surprised. He didn't recognize him at all. "I am so glad that I've found you! I feared you might not return!"
Billie merely nodded his head feeling confused. "We shall go now." The man gave some coins to the barman and he entered the carriage. Seeing no other way Billie Joe followed him. Just after the door of the carriage closed it started moving slowly.
The man was sitting in front of Billie with a relief slowly creeping on his features. His eyes were dark and were calmly staring out the window. His hair were slightly disheveled as he removed his hat. He looked very thin and his face showed he's went through some hard time lately.
He took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair mumbling something incoherently before looking over at Billie, who was by now very confused and uncomfortable. He knew he had a chance to ask the questions. The man seemed to know why and where he was.
"Mr. Armstrong..." the man shook his head tiredly.
"Do I know you?" Billie asked with a frown. "Because if this is some kind of a joke-"
"I will explain everything, I promise." the man said calmly in a deep voice and English accent. "But what do I tell my dear Mrs. Leighton!"
"Mrs. Leighton?" Billie mumbled with eyebrows raising. The man looked at him wide eyed.
"I don't think I've introduced myself yet..." he extended his hand for a hand shake. "I'm Avery Leighton. You shall call me Mr. Leighton."
"Billie Joe Armstrong" Billie said while shaking his hand. "Avery...I mean Mr. Leighton" he quickly said after seeing the look the man gave him. "Where exactly are we?"
"You don't know?" the man frowned. "England. Derbyshire to be exact..." the green eyed guitarist managed only to nod his head feeling his stomach sink in an unknown fear. The questions were piling up in his head, but at the same time he felt quite awkward in the company of the man wearing the weird clothing like he was from the 18th or 19th century. He didn't even look much older than Billie. He was rather younger. He couldn't help but think how ridiculous this situation really looked. He had no other choice, but to act along.
"So... how come I am here and not in my hotel room in LA?" he asked after a moment of silence. The only sound was of the horses and the carriage. "Are you shooting a movie or maybe is this some TV show that's supposed to make a fool out of me? Because this is really ridiculous...and not funny at all!"
Avery Leighton only eyed him in thought with slightly concerned expression. He looked like he was having a debate with himself. He suddenly shook his head in resignation.
"Sir William... Joseph Armstrong...?" he mumbled. "But what else...?" Avery looked up at Billie Joe once again and this time spoke to him directly. "I am afraid that by accident you came back with me. A very terrible circumstance... Mr. Armstrong."
"Came back?" Billie frowned turning his head to the side.
"I'm afraid so, Mr. Armstrong." the man nodded his head slowly. He still couldn't figure out what he was to do from now on. It was not how the situation was supposed to turn out. He's wasted a whole day to try and find this man that was sitting before him. Avery Leighton wasn't even sure to who would it be harder to explain the current situation. His wife, Madalene Leighton, or this lost and very confused man sitting right before him. All he knew it would not be easy and he was not the right person for this kind of situations. He never knew how to handle them.
"Just call me Billie." the guitarist said somewhat getting sick of the man referring to him all the time formally.
"Unfortunately, from now on you should get used to it."
"Wait, what exactly are you trying to tell me?" Billie asked somehow feeling like he didn't really want to know the truth.
Avery Leighton shifted uncomfortably in his seat and exhaled deeply before looking Billie straight in the eyes.
"It's 1797." his voice was barely above the whisper. "And there might be no coming back."