by Saxon Andrew
“They all look like they’re dressed alike.”
“I’ve not been able to determine where they come from. Perhaps we can solve that mystery later.”
“Their clothing is different.”
“I know; I thought they might be from your time.”
“No, no one in my time dressed like them.” Andy sighed, “Why are you all sitting here?”
The man said, “Because you appear to be the only one that has a clue about what’s going on.” The Roman tapped the man on the shoulder and he repeated everything he said in Latin. The Roman nodded and looked at Andy. The man then spoke in the Sioux’s language and the Indians turned and stared at Andy. The man turned back and said, “Do you know what’s happened?”
“Not really.”
“Then how did you know we all came from different times?”
“Duh, have you taken a good look at how everyone is dressed?” Andy heard the interpreters repeat what he said. He shook his head and decided to tell them what he suspected. “I initially thought I was dead.” He paused and allowed the interpreters to catch up. “I was attacked by a giant shark while I was underwater. At the last moment, something came between me and the shark and stopped it from attacking. I passed out and the next moment I woke up in this cave.”
The man finished interpreting and looked at Andy, “How were you attacked underwater?”
Andy reached over and picked up the air tank and put it on. He pulled the mask on and said, “This apparatus provides air for two hours while I’m underwater.” The room was silent. Andy took the tank and mask off and sat back down in front of the gathering. “How many of you were about to die before you came here?”
The interpreters asked the question and hundreds of hands went up. The man said, “It appears we were saved at the last moment as well and brought here. What does that mean?”
Andy pursed his lips and stood up. He walked through the groups out into the center of the cave and pulled an arrow from his quiver. “Tell everyone to make a large circle around me.” The groups stood up and formed a circle with Andy in the center. Andy took an arrow and drew a circle in the dirt. He then drew a line through the middle of the circle extending ten yards on each side. He thought for a moment and then stuck the arrow in the center of the circle. He looked at the Romans and said, “Romulus and Remus, the founding of Rome.” The interpreter spoke and the Romans all looked at each other and nodded. He went to the left and made a mark on the line about two feet from the circle, “Caesar Augustus.” The Romans nodded again and many of the others saw what Andy was doing. He went another two feet and said, “The destruction of Rome.” The interpreter told the Romans what Andy said and they initially stared at Andy in shock before they started shaking their heads. The Roman Leader looked at Andy with shock on his face and Andy tilted his head and nodded. He looked at the interpreter who blew out a breath and also nodded. Andy looked out at the crowd and said, “Tell me the year it is now.” People started calling out years and Andy made marks on the line in the dirt. He put a mark for the man speaking Latin that was close to the end of the line. He walked back and put a mark two feet beyond the fall of Rome and looked at the Samurai, “Tokugawa.” The Samurai Warriors began stepping forward and all put a mark on the line when they lived. Soon everyone stepped forward, except for the thirty that had no interpreter, and began making marks on the line. The English speaking man put the Indian’s marks on the line as they spoke to him. One of the marks was beyond the line moving into the past. Andy looked at the man, “Did that Indian hunt woolly mammoth?”
“He says he did.” Andy shook his head.
• • •
Everyone stared at the line and the pretty Asian interpreter said, “Where is your mark?” Andy looked at her and went to the end of the future line and made a mark just outside it. Everyone immediately knew they were looking at a man from the future. Andy said, “All of us come from a timeline that started fifteen thousand years ago and ends with my mark.” Andy allowed the people to take it in and then said, “There is something we all need to know about when we are now.”
The groups listened to their interpreters and the English man said, “Don’t you mean where we are now?”
“No, I don’t. It’s when we are now.” The interpreters repeated the exchange and Andy went to the timeline on the floor. He moved beside it to the mark he made on it and drew a small circle with a line about an inch long coming out of each end. He looked at the group and said, “This new line represents fifteen thousand years. I’ve reduced the original line to a smaller one. Interpreters, make sure your groups understand what I’ve done.”
The interpreters started talking with their groups and after ten minutes, everyone understood that the timeline had been reduced in size but still represented the same amount of time. While they were discussing the change, Andy went to the wall and picked up a saber. When everyone was staring at him, he put the sabre down on the circle and started drawing a line in the cave’s floor. He walked to the end of the cave, turned, and came back to the start. He turned again and continued the line to the end of the cave and came back to the start. He repeated the process until he ran out of room on the floor. He then put a mark on the line. He looked at the people staring at him and said, “That is when we are now. We’re a hundred and forty million years in our past.”
Many of the people fell to the floor. The English interpreter said, “How do you know this?”
Andy pointed at the cave opening, “The animal that stuck its head in the cave is called an Allosaurus and it lived in the late Jurassic Age. It was characterized by the horn on its head and a gripping arm with three fingers. The Jurassic Age happened between a hundred million to a hundred and forty million years ago.” Andy paused and said, “Someone, or something, has taken us into our past and dropped us off in a cave they prepared for us. Now you know as much as I do.” Andy paused, “At least this is the only thing that makes sense.” Andy looked at the Roman and Samurai, “When that animal lived, there were no humans alive. That’s why I stopped you from killing anyone else. I suspect the only humans in existence are in this cave.” Andy walked back to the wall and sat down.
The Roman watched Andy walk to the wall. He was a good judge of people and he knew Andy was done. He looked at the interpreter, “You should take the other speakers and go and talk with him without everyone present.”
“Why?”
“He is from a far future from me and I have to guess he knows things I know nothing about. Someone is going to have to bring order out of this chaos and I suspect no one will accept anyone but him to do it. You saw how everyone hung on his every word.”
The Interpreter said, “You could lead us.”
The Roman shook his head, “I might have if not for killing that man. Now everyone fears us and thinks I’ll only look out for myself and the other Romans.” The Roman pointed at Andy, “He stopped me from killing others and it’s a good thing he did. You need to convince him to help us determine what we need to do.” The other interpreters had gathered around the Romans and the English speaking man told them what the Roman said. A blonde woman said, “He’s right. No one would trust him to lead us after he’s shown how little life means to him.” The Englishman translated the blonde woman’s statement and she looked at the Roman, “No offense.”
The man interpreted and the Roman said, “None taken; you’re right.”
The man who interpreted for the Romans looked around and said, “My name is Joshua Kelly. Who are you?”
The Blonde said, “I’m Linnae, I’m from Sweden.”
The Asian woman said, “I’m Akira, I’m from London, England.”
Joshua’s head went back, “How did you learn to speak Japanese?”
“I was sent to the court of Queen Elizabeth from my family in Japan.”
A tall black man said, “My name is Ayo. I’m from Egypt.”
Joshua said, “When?”
“We were in the process of building a l
arge stone Pyramid when a block fell into a large group of us gathered on the side of the structure. I passed out a moment before the block hit me.”
An Asian man said, “My name is Cheng. I died fighting the Mongol invasion led by Temujin.
A black haired woman said, “I’m Naomi, I’m from a colony that was founded in North Carolina by the English. Before sailing to the new world, I learned Spanish, German, French, and Dutch at the University.”
Joshua said, “Why would you have gone to the new world with such good language skills? I know they had to be valued.”
“My husband was a religious leader. The Queen didn’t agree with his views. Where he went…”
Joshua said, “I understand. It’s good to meet all of you. Let’s go talk with the water man.”
• • •
Andy saw the interpreters talking among themselves and then they began walking toward him. He shook his head and knew he was not going to be left alone. They arrived in front of him and sat down. “What do you want?”
“First I want to introduce us to you. I’m Joshua.” The others introduced themselves and Joshua said, “And you are?”
“Andy.”
Naomi said, “Is that short for Andrew?”
“No, it’s short for Anthony.”
“I thought Tony was short for Anthony?”
“It is but my older brother got it before I was born. We were both named Anthony to honor our father; I was stuck with Andy.” Naomi tried not to giggle but couldn’t stop herself. Andy smiled slightly, “I know. It was either Andy or Ant.”
Joshua said, “Andy, what do you make of our predicament?”
“I’ve tried my best to find another answer to explain all of this but nothing comes to mind. Whoever did this to us has really ticked me off.”
“Why?”
Andy sighed, “Have you ever entertained the thought of going back in time and killing your father or mother?”
Ayo said, “I have.”
Andy looked at the handsome black man and said, “What would have happened if you did that?”
The group all thought about the question and Linnae said, “He would have never been born.” She paused, “And if that were the case, he could have never gone back and killed his parents.”
Joshua said, “It would create a paradox.” Andy nodded. “Are you saying that by sending us here…”
Andy nodded, “We could be jeopardizing the future of the human race.” Everyone you’ve ever known could be erased from the future, including you. Killing that Allosaurus will probably have an effect on the future. I should have thought about it before I did it but I wasn’t thinking clearly at the time.”
Akira said, “How were you so accurate with that weapon?”
“I went to school on an athletic scholarship. They paid for me to attend school because I have an athletic talent. I went to Georgia Tech on an archery scholarship. I am, I mean was, considered one of the best archers in my country.”
Joshua said, “Do you think we were brought here to destroy the future?”
Andy stared at the group and said, “You haven’t made the connection yet.”
Cheng looked puzzled, “What connection?”
Andy swept his arm across the cave, “Everyone here is of childbearing age. No one here is too old or too young to have children. We were put here to start a new civilization a hundred and forty million years before the first human appeared. The question is whether or not we’re going to do it.”
Joshua said, “What do you mean? Are you saying we should all just walk out of the cave and die?”
“No, that would also change the future. We will have to kill everyone inside the cave to prevent changing the future.”
Linnae lowered her eyebrows, “Is that what you think we should do?”
Andy looked at the pretty blonde and everyone saw danger in his eyes, “No! I take what I’m given and make the best of it. But you should discuss this with your groups and see how they feel about it. All of them have ancestors that will be put in jeopardy if we don’t just end it here.”
The interpreters looked at each other and knew there was going to be a huge problem explaining the concepts to people who didn’t even know about the solar system. Andy watched them walk away and saw the pretty Swede turn and look at him as she left. He wondered what her expression meant. He knew it didn’t matter what they decided. If he had to leave the cave, he would. The future could just take care of itself. There was a reason for what happened and he knew whoever had done it was not evil…they were desperate. He looked at the wall above him and saw a small indentation. He looked down the wall and saw the indentations appeared at regular intervals all the way around the cave. Something was behind the cave’s walls. That was an issue that would be looked at later.
Chapter Two
Andy sat next to the wall and wondered how long it was going to take someone to ask about how they were going to be fed. He looked at his watch and saw six hours had passed and he knew some of the people had to be getting hungry. He suspected no one was going to suggest leaving the cave to find their meals; they would probably end up being a meal themselves, if they tried that avenue. Well, first things first. He saw movement and looked to the right. The Swede interpreter was walking toward him. Andy saw she was devastatingly beautiful but he also figured she knew it as well. That was not a good trait. Beautiful women often used their beauty as a weapon, “What’s up, Linnae?”
“Something you said earlier started me thinking.”
“What is that?”
“You said that everyone here is of childbearing age. It also made me realize we are stuck here with no rescue from this nightmare. Do you see it differently?”
Andy sighed, “I don’t think someone would go to all the trouble to create this cave and transport us here if they were planning to remove us. I think we’re stuck here.”
Linnae nodded, “I thought as much. I also suspect that if we decide to move forward and build a life here, everyone is going to start pairing off. I was wondering if you would consider pairing up with me.”
Andy moved his head back and then smiled, “You do get right to the point.”
“Would you prefer subtlety? You impressed me as someone that would appreciate honesty.”
“Why do you want me? There are many men in here that are far more attractive than me.”
“I think you know the answer to that. Every woman wants the best father possible for her children. You’ve demonstrated that you possess the skills needed to defend a family and you also possess information that no one else has. You could teach our children the things they would need to survive. That’s two very important attributes in a mate.” Linnae stared at Andy and then said, “I also think you’re beautiful.”
“Now I know you’re being deceptive. I’m not that much to look at.”
“No, I’m not being deceptive at all. Beauty is more than just a face and body. It’s the underlying character that makes a person desirable. You could have taken control of us at the start and become our leader; but you choose to avoid it. You forced us to come to decisions among ourselves and you avoided directing us into doing things that we didn’t agree on. It’s those actions that tell me you have a good heart and don’t possess an enlarged ego.” Andy was surprised at Linnae’s remarks. He sighed and slowly shook his head. Linnae said, “What’s wrong? Do I not measure up to your standards?”
Andy decided that she didn’t know just how beautiful she was. “No, you’re beautiful, smart, and straight forward; I could go on and on.”
“Then what is it?”
“I loved a woman who betrayed me with my best friend recently. She broke my heart and I’m still suffering from the experience. I gave her my trust and love and she threw it all away. I just don’t know if I can trust anyone again.”
Linnae sat down beside him, “Are you going to wait a hundred and forty million years to get back with her?” Andy’s eyebrows went down and Linnae said, “That p
lace is now gone. She and everything you knew is beyond your reach. You should admit to yourself that you made a bad choice and now you’re going to have to learn to make new and better choices. How long were the two of you together?”
“About eight months.”
“You should always wait a year to be sure about any one you would consider spending your life with. You should see each other through all four seasons to really learn who you are choosing to love. If there are problems, they will show up within a year.” Linnae smiled, “In your case, it took eight months to rear its ugly head. I suspect there was evidence she was the wrong one before you caught them.”
Andy looked at the floor and slowly shook his head, “There was; I just refused to see it. I though Brad’s comments to her were just in jest and her smiles was only her attempt at being polite. I suspect they were seeing each other months before I caught them together.”
“So what did you learn?”
Andy looked in Linnae’s eyes and said, “I will never ignore signals of another’s infidelity. I suspect I will withhold my feelings until I have some proof my next love can be trusted.”
Linnae smiled, “You should give any new relationship a year.”
Andy smiled, “Are you saying I should take a year to see about you?”
“If you are willing to devote that year to really get to know me, yes I am. If you want to look around and make a choice; no. I know I am a very valuable person and, if you take the time to get to know me; you’ll see that I’m right about beauty being more than a face and body. I would never betray your trust and you could always count on me to protect your back. You’ll see my value if you take the time to look.”
Andy smiled, “And just how would you protect my back?”
“You’re going to teach me how to shoot that bow you used to kill that creature.” Linnae stared into Andy’s eyes and said, “Besides, you should want to do this.”
“Why?”
“I’m approaching you now because I know a large number of women here are starting to plan to see if they can get you to notice them. I see them staring at you when you’re not looking. If you make it known you and I are an item, you won’t be chased by every other female in the cave. It will spare you having to hurt anyone’s feelings. If you need time to heal, by all means, take it. Just take the time to get to know me. I really think you’ll see I’m all you’ll ever want or need in a mate.” Linnae looked out at the people in the cave and turned back to Andy, “You’ll not find anyone with my bravery or loyalty. You and I should be together.”
