by Ron Rayborne
However, this situation was soon to change, geologically and climatologically speaking, when Antarctica’s separation from South America forming the Drake Passage, and the Tasman Gateway’s opening between Antarctica and Australia, will create a strong circumpolar current around the southern continent, thus concentrating the cold there. This will re-establish the Eocene glaciations and ice caps that will characterize the South Pole ever afterwards and lead to the coming worldwide change in climate. Already, Julie suspected, that the process was in motion - the coolness of the mornings suggested it. At 13 million years before the Anthropocene, the process will accelerate.
That night at dusk, Julie enjoyed the spectacle of the reddest sunset she’d ever seen, the volcanic ash coloring the sky just for her. Then, at twilight, she reveled in the brilliant contrast of reds, yellows, purples, blues, and a hundred variations in between, close up. Of lava as it poured into the ocean. She wondered if there were a more beautiful sight and snapped several pictures. Later, she lay on her sleeping bag in the open, well back from the cliff, having no fear of being eaten by anything, as there was nothing around to do the eating. The show was magnificent. The low-level rumblings, along with the glow and occasional ejection of lava, was better than any fireworks display she’d ever experienced as a child. Still, tired as she was, she slept soundly, volcano and all.
The next morning, Julie headed up coast for some further exploration, then back toward her cave camp when her chronometer alarm began to sound, reminding her that it was time to return to the Strong Box. Over the last couple of days she had thought more about what she had to do. She would hang out at her den a spell longer, then make her way back to the box, praying that she didn’t come across Jaqzen heading in her direction while en route. On the last day, she would make a dash inside, bolt the door and wait for transference.
The plan made her feel guilty, though. Could she really do that, just leave the ape-man here to fend for himself all alone? On the other hand, he was probably in his element here, she thought, with targets aplenty, shooting anything that moved. Shouldn’t leave him here then, to wreak his havoc on this virgin land. But if she invited him into the box he’d probably grab her and that would be that. So what to do? It seemed an unsolvable problem.
Julie lounged for the next several days at her secret hideaway. It was a good thing she headed back when she did, for it rained hard the first two of those days and she spent the time confined inside. The sound of the rain, though, was soothing, and she caught up on some much needed rest. Her waking time was filled with observing and recording the eruption, but also with writing in her scientific and personal journals. There would be a wealth of plant DNA specimens to take back and analyze and videos to study. She could fill an encyclopedia with the data she had gathered.
Topping her list were all the new species she’d cataloged, and in just two weeks time! Species that, for one reason or another, never fossilized or were never discovered in the fossil record, including a number of dry land Dromomerycidae, antelope types with fantastic horn structure, and who seemingly never drank, instead getting their water from the plants around them. One of the most bizarre species had two horns that completely encircled its head. Another had nine to eleven sharp horns that protruded straight out from the sides of its face, starting at one side of the bottom jaw clear around to the other with a gap at the throat. Another had antlers that, instead of on top of its head, wore them obliquely on the bottom jaw. Still another had horns that began at the shoulder and, increasing in size, went to the top of the head.
There were also some new species of horse and camel. One of the former she at first misidentified as a totally new animal, it looked and behaved so differently from the norm. For one thing, it was a loner, at least as far as its own kind was concerned, preferring either its own company or that of the dry land Dromos which it seemed to fancy, even sleeping with them under the boughs of giant oaks. Two, it actually had a small horn of its own, centered unicorn-style in the middle of its forehead, and a narrow, but thick rim of fur that ran the length of its spine like a Rhodesian Ridgeback’s. Another version of horse had even stranger behavior. These actually competed aggressively against other species of horse for good grazing territory, but they did it as a group, pack-like. Roaming, then charging as one, routing all others. Another interesting thing about them was that they had an almost lion-like mane that covered much of their necks. Finally, and quite surprisingly, they were apparently somewhat omnivorous, preferring to graze, but also sometimes scavenging from the kills of satiated carnivores. Julie watched these ones for a long time, captivated.
She was thrilled, too, when she’d discovered a species of pygmy rhino while spying an overgrown island close to the mainland a few miles north of the volcano. As it happened, she was only shooting some random pictures of the isle to be looked at later. When she did get to it though, and increased the resolution for a closer look, the group was unmistakable. Rhinos, except that they were all pygmies. She could tell by their size as they browsed next to some osteodontorns, which, fearing no threat, freely walked among them.
Lastly, were the animal types that were totally new to science. Rare individuals that usually lived solitary lives, like the furred thing she barely caught a glimpse of hovering on the edge of the forest before, seeing her, it receded back into the shadows. This one unnerved her, for her first impression was that it was almost primate in appearance.
In her treks so far, Julie had also come upon many objects that in her time would have been big news among the paleontological community. Bones of all kinds, shells and fossils, though these were from even older times, perhaps early Miocene or Oligocene. One, a Titanothere, jutted halfway out of solid rock, a shoulder blade stove in, and its left side rib cage smashed. Its head still raised in a look of defiance at whatever had been strong enough to do it in. A find like this, Julie thought as she caressed the skull, would be the highlight of anyone’s career, yet here it is, exposed to the elements. As such, it probably wouldn’t last another thousand years before finally succumbing to sun and rain, then back to the soil it would go.
The rain ended in the early morning hours of the third day. When the sun came up, it shone inside the cavern, driving a shaft of light into Julie’s closed eyes. Instinctively, she covered them with the crook of her arm, rolled over and tried to go back to sleep. The sound of an abrupt crack got her up. The old oak finally going? Though she did have a rope securely tied above, with loops for her hands and feet, still the possibility that the falling tree might rip it down as it went worried her. She looked out at the tree expecting to see it go, but except for a few dried leaves falling from it into the canyon, it made no move.
CRACK!
The sound was unmistakable. It was not the tree. It was a gun. Blast and ricochet. Jaqzen! Julie rolled into the shadows, her heart suddenly thumping. OH NO! She panicked. He’s here! He’s found me!
CRACK!
It didn’t sound like he was immediately nearby, but was also not too far away. She judged the distance to be about an eighth mile. It was coming from the midst of thick woods straight out from the river below. He was following it. She strained her eyes, but saw nothing moving. After a few minutes, there was another report of the rifle. Julie jumped. Jaqzen was getting closer, but why was he shooting? Was he so confident that he could give her this notice of his arrival, give her another chance to get away?
She didn’t know what to do. She had no weapon. Additionally, she was stuck in the cave, like a mouse in a hole without another way out. She wondered if she should try to make a break for it, but decided against it, then thought that if Jaqzen was going to get her he’d have to climb down to do it. She would make it hard for him. Course, he could just wait her out. Starve her out. No, she’d die of thirst long before hunger. Julie looked around for some rocks that she could throw. He wouldn’t get her without a fight.
Another blast, this one very close by. Then something moved within her view. Big. It was him,
emerging from an edge of the forest just upstream and walking in her direction. He held the rifle at the ready in both hands, advancing slowly. His pants were soaked from the waist down, having obviously waded through the stream, now a swift running river thanks to the rain. His hair was wild and his face unshaven and bronzed. He had a ragged tear on one arm of his dirty, long-sleeved camo shirt, which was encrusted with dried blood. Crazily, Julie felt an instant pity for the man and an involuntary urge to call out, to summon one of her kind. The only other human in this world. Then, no. She quickly suppressed the thought.
Jaqzen stopped, noticing something in the soil in front of him. He bent down, examining it, feeling as if for freshness, then lifted his head and looked around him. What was it, Julie wondered? Had he found some clue to her whereabouts? She never walked in the soft, wet sand near the hill, loath to leave footprints. It couldn’t be that. Looking down again, Jaqzen then stood and carefully glanced all around him. Had he found her? He looked up in the trees.
Julie ducked back into the shadows, then drew in her breath. Oh God! Julie realized, The rope! He’ll see the rope! Though it hung behind the oak branch, still, it was likely visible with the sun upon it. Indeed, Jaqzen’s gaze settled on the cliff face, looking keenly in her direction, eyes squinting, and a scowl on his face. He seemed to be looking for a long time.
I’m done for, she thought. Jaqzen turned his head and looked past the cliff into the trees on the other side, then back around again. Maybe he didn’t see her! He lifted his rifle into the air and pulled the trigger. BOOM!
Julie jumped. Then Jaqzen yelled out.
“I KNOW YOU’RE HERE, PINE. YOU CAN’T RUN FOREVER. I’LL FIND YOU! BETTER TO JUST COME OUT NOW!” He shot again, then continued his slow way up the river, soon passing out of sight.
He hadn’t seen the rope! Julie exalted. She was safe for the moment. But what if he spotted some clue that she was climbing the hillside? He didn’t though. Somehow.
Julie stayed until the next morning, hoping to give Jaqzen some distance before launching hard for the Strong Box. There was no more time to waste. Alas, it wasn’t to be. After walking on for the rest of that day toward the coast, Jaqzen suddenly turned and began to head back in earnest. Julie knew it from the PinPointer. He must have known that that was her plan, too. Of course, it’s what she’d do. So now it was a race to the box. Even if she made it days ahead of time, she planned to lock herself in and wait, hoping that Jaqzen wouldn’t be able to destroy it before retrieval time. To that end, she drove herself relentlessly, day and night, crashing through brush and leaving a very noticeable trail.
By the time she reached the ridge and Strong Box days later, Julie was utterly exhausted. Standing within the wooded shadows at the edge of a clearing, checking to see if Jaqzen was there, Julie was shocked to find him lounging against it, near the entrance, waiting for her, cigarette hanging out the side of his mouth, apparently having just eaten. In front of him, lying atop a bloody rock, was a hunk of flesh with his knife sticking into it. The front of his shirt was doused in gore. He’d eaten it raw. Julie suppressed a gag. Jaqzen’s rifle leaned on the wall beside him. There was a Gomphotherium tusk lying on the ground ahead that had been savagely cut out. The heads and pelts of other species were scattered around as well. Too, garbage was strewn everywhere, casually discarded. Broken glass and plastic obscenity from the future.
The bastard! Julie seethed, gritting her teeth. She wanted to do him some harm, but lacked the means. She glanced around her for something to use, then snapped out of it. She had to get into that box. Slinking back into the trees, she decided to wait until he slept, then race in.
He had that covered too. Julie stepped on a twig and it snapped. Jaqzen immediately took hold of his gun, glancing around him, laughing as he did.
“So you’re back, are you?” he yelled. “Heh, I knew you’d be! Well, COME ON, THEN!” He began to shoot randomly, a wild look of gleeful rage on his face. Then, standing, he lowered his pants and flung himself out. “Here I am. COME AND GET IT, BITCH!” he laughed roughly.
Julie turned away in revulsion. Jaqzen pulled his pants back up, then yelled, “If you want in here you’re going to have to go through me!” Laughing again. “IF you ask nicely, MAYBE I’ll let you in, otherwise you’re stuck here, baby, for the rest of your freaking life!” He fired a few more times, looking around, trying to see her.
“You made a mistake taking my guns, Bitch. Nobody, but NOBODY messes with my guns!” he continued. “But you didn’t get ‘em all, did ya?” Jaqzen shot again. “I’m gonna get ‘em back, Bitch. One way or the other.” He paused, then remembering something, pulled out a small black device from his pocket. “Hey! But I got something of yours. Yeah!” The EMP weapon Karstens had given her. She’d forgotten about it. “What were you planning on doin’ with this I wonder? Well, it’s in safe keeping now!” he laughed.
He looked around himself, at the gore. “Yeah, I’ve been having some fun. Guess I just like slaughterin’ little bunnies! But I’ll tell ya, if you wanna put a stop to all this madness, all you gotta do is just come on out!” He waited, but she remained where she was.
Then he said something that shocked her. Shocked her to her very core.
“Got news for you, Bitch. You’re mine.” Laughing again. “That’s right, you belong to good ol’ Deet. See, you were never meant to return. Nooo. No, no, no.” Jaqzen looked around again, peering into the growth, trying to find her, ready to spring at the first hint of movement. “You think you were chosen because of your supposed ‘superior’ intellect, do you? Just shows how dumb you really are!”
Julie listened solemnly, apprehension rising in her throat.
Now Jaqzen thrust out his head, arms behind him, bellowing. “Let me fill you in on a few things, Bitch! They don’t wantcha back! Probably kill you if you showed up. Can’t have you blabbing now can we? So, you wanna know why you were picked? It’s not because Jim Hodges is you’re friend, that’s for sure. Naw, you were picked for the same reason I was, we have the right blood type! Ever wonder why you rarely got sick while your loser of a husband caught everything? We were gifted with some sort of immunity, you and I. But don’t think we’re the only ones. Naw. They discovered that about a tenth of a percent of the population has it. That’s actually lot of people! So you should be grateful! I could have had any number of females. Now on top of that, they ran tests on you, found out that you’ve got something called ‘super-fertility.’ Great genes. Yeah! And you’ll pass on those gifts on to future generations. When they went looking for candidates, it was just a coincidence that they found someone who is knowledgeable about this time period, and that would be an obvious step up in survivability.” Jaqzen paused to scan the forest again. “I told ‘em though, I don’t need no help. But what can you do? Guess it was just meant to be!
“You see, me and you, baby, we were meant to be together. Me, the King, and you, my bitch. Anyway, that’s the natural order right? Just look around you at your beloved animals. Male’s always stronger, isn’t he, makes the rules, doesn’t he? Ain’t no women’s liberation in nature!” Jaqzen shouted, laughing again. “So you see, you’re here to stay, and I’m the only game in town, so maybe it’s time you get off your high horse, forget that reject of a ‘husband’ and got some common sense into your pretty little head ‘cause you ain’t going nowhere, and I never lose, and I never quit till I get what I want.” He ended his words with more laughing.
Stunned, Julie slunk back into the woods, vomiting behind a tree. Her mind reeled. No, it couldn’t be true. Karstens seemed such a good man. Honest. He wouldn’t do something like this. In the back of her mind, though, Jaqzen’s words confirmed a nagging suspicion. If all they wanted was a leaf gatherer, they could have picked anyone. Still, how could they have chosen someone like him, even if he had some special genetics, the man was a barbarian. He used to work for the government, though. Maybe he had connections. Or maybe he was lying.
Whatever the facts were,
though, there was one thing that was clear. She had to get back, try at least. For much as she loved the Miocene, the Anthropocene, her stinking, wretched, dying world of the future, was where her husband, her heart was. Once back, maybe they could find a way here again.
Julie contemplated looking for the rifles. But the day was closing, and even if she could remember where she threw them, the actual chances of finding one in the dark and returning to the Strong Box in time tomorrow morning was slim. Thus, the rest of the evening she simply watched through the trees and waited. Jaqzen made no attempt to find her, lest she dash past him and into the box. He just stayed there near the door, stuffing himself with his Gompho, belching satisfaction, blood dripping down the front of his shirt, not moving, except to urinate, which he did as vulgarly as possible.
There was no other way, she finally realized. She’d have to surprise and attack him somehow, maybe kill him, and she had to do it before tomorrow. It was the only way she’d ever see Tom again. Right now, though, overcome by extreme tiredness, she knew she had to get some shut-eye.
Julie walked off a way and found a hollow under a fallen tree layered with a thick blanket of white oak leaves. It was hidden well. She crawled inside, covering herself with them and fell immediately to sleep.
Julie slept through the next day. When she woke later that evening, she dashed to the forest clearing, heedless, frantic.
The Strong Box was gone, and so was Jaqzen.
Chapter 21