September 8th, 2013 at 8:41 PM
Thanks aco and Blake !
Wanderers In Time - Entry 6
Grandfather began breathing very heavily and was sweating profusely as him and his group ran as fast as they could in the direction of David's footsteps. Eventually his legs gave and he collapsed on the ground.
"Grandfather! Can you get up?"
"Oh, I don't think so Peter."
"I guess I should carry you than. At least I will, until I faint also."
It was noon. The hot sun beat down on the desert floor as the temperature soared. The white sand glistened and shone into the eyes of the group, and the heat and direct sunlight exposure made it painful to even walk.
"Ok, here's where Peter must have been. And here's his communicator."
"Hmm, it doesn't seem to be damaged. There isn't even any sign of struggle at all, in fact. Like someone just came and carried him off."
"Oh, look at this. Tracks. And they aren't ours."
"They certainly can't be David's. They're way too large."
"Listen.... we need to return to the Machine... now. We can't endanger the rest of our lives -"
"Ohhhhh no, Grandfather. You brought us onto the Machine, now you're going to allow us to find David. And you can't walk. I'm afraid we can't do that, Grandfather." Matthew told Grandfather.
"Well, if that's how it's going to be, I suggest than that two of you go follow the tracks. Meanwhile, I'm going to lay down underneath the cool and wet sand and see if I can rehydrate myself." Grandfather answered.
"And if something arrives and you need to escape suddenly? Then how are you going to get up?" Peter asked Grandfather.
"Well, Peter, are you going to go with them?"
"No. I'm staying with you Grandfather. I'll help you lay down."
Peter laid him straight across the sand, and then pushed mounds of the cool, wet sand against him. The top layer seemed to act as an insulator, to prevent the moisture from escaping and maintaining a relatively constant temperature. With Peter and Clara watching after Grandfather, Matthew and Emily decided to follow the tracks.
"Hmm, we're climing a tall hill or something. Perhaps even a small mountain." Matthew remarked
"I don't know why whatever was here couldn't have just gone around it. This is brutal." Emily told Matthew.
"It looks like we're near the top anyhow."
"Then I suggest you go up to the top and look for anything. We may be more visible from up here."
"Good idea. Just wait here and yell if something happens. I'll let you know when its safe to come back up."
Matthew finished ascending the steep sand dune and looked at the valley below, and was thoroughly shocked at what he saw.
"Emily!"
"I'm coming!"
"Look... look at that!"
"What? Wow, a huge.. city!" Emily exclaimed.
"What.. just look at the size of that one center building! It's very wide at the base and has a massive spire going upwards!"
"Of course that's where they took him. The city. Just... fantastic. Now.. we have to go.. to the city."
"Why don't you look for any signs of life down there, Emily?"
"So how's that, Grandfather?"
"Much better, much better. I just wish we knew where the Machine was at. Then we could wait inside."
"I know. Hopefully Matt and Emily can find it."
"I'd go and see if it's reappeared, but neither of you can see the Machine in its adapted form from the exterior. Only I can."
"Well, except when it was in the state of the brick house."
"I didn't understand that... how come you all could see it that time? As a brick home?"
"No idea. I suspect it has something to do with the terrain. It was perhaps unsuitable for adaption. I mean, what is there for it to blend into out here?"
"Do you see anything, Emily?"
"Nope. No movement. Everything is just... still. In fact, it looks eerily abandoned."
"I don't think we're very well equipped either way to go down there."
"Ummm... Matthew?"
"What's wrong?"
"Uhh... what... is the Machine.. doing.. in the city..."
What? Let me see that."
"It's right next to that towering structure with the spire."
"Oh, of course. That's where we'll have to look for him. Inside that gigantic tower. This is just getting better and better."
"Well, I don't know what's down there! We can't just enter the city, what if they have guns? What if they hold us hostage too?"
"I sure wish Grandfather could see this."
"Perhaps one of us could report back to him, Peter, and Clara?"
"Hmm, good idea. Maybe you could stay here and keep guard."
"Alright than. I trust you won't be more than a few minutes?"
"Hopefully not. I'll be back."
The shadow appeared again - this time closer than before to Emily, watching intently.
"Grandfather? Peter? Clara?" Matthew shouted as he made his way down the hill.
"Ah, Matthew! Great to see you. What did you guys find out?" Clara asked.
There's a massive city over that sand dune over there! It's in a very steep basin, I don't know how possibile it would be to go down there.
"A city. Of course. That's the last thing we need." Peter remarked.
"Grandfather?"
"Yes, I'm feeling much better now. We'll all go together."
"I think we're interfering in something that's best left alone." Clara said, sheepishly.
"I think so too. Let me make this clear to all of you: we're going to the city to rescue David. That's it. Then it's straight back to the Machine." Peter told everyone.
"Oh, so you make up the rules now, eh? I intend to study that city as much as I can. But if you all want to return to earth than that's your choice." Grandfater said in a slightly rude manner.
"You're the only one who can operate the Machine. So we can't let you study it, can we? I'll help you out of the sand." Peter told Grandfather.
"Ok, we should be close to the top of the hill now. Emily? We're coming!" Matthew shouted.
"Hmm, where's Emily at? She's not answering you." Clara remarked.
"Perhaps she wandered off a bit." Grandfather suggested.
"Well, we'll check for her when we reach the top of the hill. Emily?!"
"Still no answer?"
"No. I hope she's alright."
"We're almost at the top now. She ought to be here. Why don't you go first, Clara?"
Clara than ran the final stretch up to the top.
"Oh... WOW! That building in the center of the city! Beautiful!" Clara exclaimed.
"And you know what else is just... beautiful?"
"What's that, Peter?"
"The same large tracks. There's new ones. Going where? None other than the city."
"Let me get a closer look here."
Grandfather then got out his binoculars, and looked closely toward the center structure.
"...the Machine!" Grandfather exclaimed.
"Yes, the Machine. It's in the city." Matthew told Grandfather.
"What's it doing there?" Clara asked.
"How'd they move it? That's what I want to know." Peter said.
"Both of you worried about that Machine so much. I'm worried about getting Emily and David. Where are they inside that city?" Clara told Matthew and Peter.
"Yeah, and what creature with oversized feet carried them off?" Peter asked.
to be continued...
Wanderers In Time - Entry 6
Grandfather began breathing very heavily and was sweating profusely as him and his group ran as fast as they could in the direction of David's footsteps. Eventually his legs gave and he collapsed on the ground.
"Grandfather! Can you get up?"
"Oh, I don't think so Peter."
"I guess I should carry you than. At least I will, until I faint also."
It was noon. The hot sun beat down on the desert floor as the temperature soared. The white sand glistened and shone into the eyes of the group, and the heat and direct sunlight exposure made it painful to even walk.
"Ok, here's where Peter must have been. And here's his communicator."
"Hmm, it doesn't seem to be damaged. There isn't even any sign of struggle at all, in fact. Like someone just came and carried him off."
"Oh, look at this. Tracks. And they aren't ours."
"They certainly can't be David's. They're way too large."
"Listen.... we need to return to the Machine... now. We can't endanger the rest of our lives -"
"Ohhhhh no, Grandfather. You brought us onto the Machine, now you're going to allow us to find David. And you can't walk. I'm afraid we can't do that, Grandfather." Matthew told Grandfather.
"Well, if that's how it's going to be, I suggest than that two of you go follow the tracks. Meanwhile, I'm going to lay down underneath the cool and wet sand and see if I can rehydrate myself." Grandfather answered.
"And if something arrives and you need to escape suddenly? Then how are you going to get up?" Peter asked Grandfather.
"Well, Peter, are you going to go with them?"
"No. I'm staying with you Grandfather. I'll help you lay down."
Peter laid him straight across the sand, and then pushed mounds of the cool, wet sand against him. The top layer seemed to act as an insulator, to prevent the moisture from escaping and maintaining a relatively constant temperature. With Peter and Clara watching after Grandfather, Matthew and Emily decided to follow the tracks.
"Hmm, we're climing a tall hill or something. Perhaps even a small mountain." Matthew remarked
"I don't know why whatever was here couldn't have just gone around it. This is brutal." Emily told Matthew.
"It looks like we're near the top anyhow."
"Then I suggest you go up to the top and look for anything. We may be more visible from up here."
"Good idea. Just wait here and yell if something happens. I'll let you know when its safe to come back up."
Matthew finished ascending the steep sand dune and looked at the valley below, and was thoroughly shocked at what he saw.
"Emily!"
"I'm coming!"
"Look... look at that!"
"What? Wow, a huge.. city!" Emily exclaimed.
"What.. just look at the size of that one center building! It's very wide at the base and has a massive spire going upwards!"
"Of course that's where they took him. The city. Just... fantastic. Now.. we have to go.. to the city."
"Why don't you look for any signs of life down there, Emily?"
"So how's that, Grandfather?"
"Much better, much better. I just wish we knew where the Machine was at. Then we could wait inside."
"I know. Hopefully Matt and Emily can find it."
"I'd go and see if it's reappeared, but neither of you can see the Machine in its adapted form from the exterior. Only I can."
"Well, except when it was in the state of the brick house."
"I didn't understand that... how come you all could see it that time? As a brick home?"
"No idea. I suspect it has something to do with the terrain. It was perhaps unsuitable for adaption. I mean, what is there for it to blend into out here?"
"Do you see anything, Emily?"
"Nope. No movement. Everything is just... still. In fact, it looks eerily abandoned."
"I don't think we're very well equipped either way to go down there."
"Ummm... Matthew?"
"What's wrong?"
"Uhh... what... is the Machine.. doing.. in the city..."
What? Let me see that."
"It's right next to that towering structure with the spire."
"Oh, of course. That's where we'll have to look for him. Inside that gigantic tower. This is just getting better and better."
"Well, I don't know what's down there! We can't just enter the city, what if they have guns? What if they hold us hostage too?"
"I sure wish Grandfather could see this."
"Perhaps one of us could report back to him, Peter, and Clara?"
"Hmm, good idea. Maybe you could stay here and keep guard."
"Alright than. I trust you won't be more than a few minutes?"
"Hopefully not. I'll be back."
The shadow appeared again - this time closer than before to Emily, watching intently.
"Grandfather? Peter? Clara?" Matthew shouted as he made his way down the hill.
"Ah, Matthew! Great to see you. What did you guys find out?" Clara asked.
There's a massive city over that sand dune over there! It's in a very steep basin, I don't know how possibile it would be to go down there.
"A city. Of course. That's the last thing we need." Peter remarked.
"Grandfather?"
"Yes, I'm feeling much better now. We'll all go together."
"I think we're interfering in something that's best left alone." Clara said, sheepishly.
"I think so too. Let me make this clear to all of you: we're going to the city to rescue David. That's it. Then it's straight back to the Machine." Peter told everyone.
"Oh, so you make up the rules now, eh? I intend to study that city as much as I can. But if you all want to return to earth than that's your choice." Grandfater said in a slightly rude manner.
"You're the only one who can operate the Machine. So we can't let you study it, can we? I'll help you out of the sand." Peter told Grandfather.
"Ok, we should be close to the top of the hill now. Emily? We're coming!" Matthew shouted.
"Hmm, where's Emily at? She's not answering you." Clara remarked.
"Perhaps she wandered off a bit." Grandfather suggested.
"Well, we'll check for her when we reach the top of the hill. Emily?!"
"Still no answer?"
"No. I hope she's alright."
"We're almost at the top now. She ought to be here. Why don't you go first, Clara?"
Clara than ran the final stretch up to the top.
"Oh... WOW! That building in the center of the city! Beautiful!" Clara exclaimed.
"And you know what else is just... beautiful?"
"What's that, Peter?"
"The same large tracks. There's new ones. Going where? None other than the city."
"Let me get a closer look here."
Grandfather then got out his binoculars, and looked closely toward the center structure.
"...the Machine!" Grandfather exclaimed.
"Yes, the Machine. It's in the city." Matthew told Grandfather.
"What's it doing there?" Clara asked.
"How'd they move it? That's what I want to know." Peter said.
"Both of you worried about that Machine so much. I'm worried about getting Emily and David. Where are they inside that city?" Clara told Matthew and Peter.
"Yeah, and what creature with oversized feet carried them off?" Peter asked.
to be continued...
