Trapped in Time 1: The Time Takers

by Saxon Andrew

  Andy’s eyes narrowed and he looked up at the huge flying reptiles. He looked at Jenak and stood up, “May I hold that cutter?”

  “Sure.” Jenak handed Andy the long handle and Andy raised it and lowered it quickly. The handle didn’t flex. Andy looked up at the Pteranodons again and smiled, “How many of these long cutters do we have?”

  “Several thousand, counting those we took from the other cave.”

  Harvey looked at Andy, “What are you thinking?”

  “I’m thinking of a way to take a look at the other communities without having to hike there.”

  Andy went to the box and got in, “Jenak, I need you to follow me down. I have something I want to try.”

  Jenak looked at Harvey and shrugged, “I’ll come right behind you; send the box back up when you reach the bottom. Andy nodded and disappeared. Jenak looked at Harvey, “What do you think he’s talking about?”

  “I have no idea.”

  • • •

  Maxus walked over to Andy and Jenak and stared at what they had put together over the last ten days. Andy had delayed the scouts from leaving and told them their trip might prove to be unnecessary. Maxus stared at the small metal frame with two long triangles coming out of it. Another triangular shaped metal frame hung under it. “What are the two of you building?”

  Andy smiled, “I’ll tell you when I’m finished.” Maxus shook his head and walked away. “Jenak, make sure the two wings will fold in.”

  “I’ve put the pins in to lock them in place. They’ll fold easily when you pull the pins.” Andy nodded and went and checked the alignment of the long cutter handles that had been forged to create the frame. Jenak lifted the triangle flight control bars and said, “The cutters on the end of the tubes are all operational; the activation switches are on the side tubes.”

  “Good.” Andy looked around, “Where’s Arashi?”

  “He’s bringing the packets. He’ll be back in a few minutes.” Andy nodded and checked out the alignment of the long central spine that extended fifteen feet in back of the main frame. He grabbed the long tube and pushed it inside the hollow shell. It disappeared into the main frame. He pulled it out and smiled. The alignment was perfect. Karon walked up with a water pouch and Jenak took a long drink and handed it back to her. She hugged him and went over and sat down on the ground to watch their efforts.

  Arashi arrived and handed Andy ten archery uniform packets, “Andy, what are you going to do with these?”

  “See how far they’ll stretch.”

  Arashi nodded and watched Andy take two packets with an archer’s uniform inside and move to the end of a long tubular triangle, “Come help me with this, Jenak.” Jenak came around the frame to the end of the long triangular wing as Andy opened the packet and pulled the left sleeve of the uniform over the end of the wing. “Pull this with me.” Andy and Jenak grabbed the uniform and pulled it toward the center of the large frame. Andy saw the sleeve start to move up the wing and he looked at Arashi, “Hold it on the end and don’t let it slip up the wing.” Arashi went to the end of the wing and held the end of the sleeve in place. The fabric of the left arm stretched an incredible amount and in thirty minutes covered the entire frame on the left side of the construction.

  Andy held the uniform in the center and yelled, “Maxus, come help us!” Maxus came running over and Andy handed him the right sleeve,” See if you and Jenak can stretch this so that the right sleeve is at the end of the wing.”

  Jenak and Arashi grabbed the uniform at the body and pulled it toward the end of the other wing. It was easy at first but two more archers came and helped them. Once the sleeve opening was at the end of the wing, Andy and Arashi guided it over the wing tip. In another forty minutes, the sleeve was stretched over the other wing. Jenak said, “Hold the sleeves in place” as he walked over and picked up a triangle shaped cap and slid it over the end of the wing and clamped it down. He then went to the end of the other wing and clamped it down as well. He went to the center spine and put eight smaller clamps on each wing trapping the blue material against the frame. Andy smiled. “Jenak, fold the wings back.” Jenak pulled a pin out of the front bar of the metal frame and pushed the right wing backwards. It pivoted and folded tightly to the box frame. He pushed the other wing and it also folded back against the box. Andy grabbed one of the wings with his right hand, slid it inside the tubes and lifted the structure off the ground. He was amazed that the total weight was less than fifteen pounds with the wings pushed inside the tubes that formed them; the device was easily handled. Andy carried it toward the cave entrance and Jenak helped move it through the short corridor.

  Jitzi met him in the center of the cave and he pulled the wings out of their tubes and smiled as the blue material stretched out to cover them. He unfolded the wings and pinned them in place. Andy looked at the small Japanese woman as she said, “This is what you want covered with camomaterial?”

  Andy nodded, “Do you think you can do it?”

  Jitzi smiled, “The Camo-material stretches as much as the archery uniform; however, it can be cut and stitched. Give us a day; we should have it done by then.”

  “Thanks, Jitzi.” She nodded and walked toward a group of women walking around the large frame.

  “Tell me again what you’re going to do with this.”

  “Jenak, I built one of these during my first year of college. It’s called a hang glider and is used to fly using wind currents.”

  Jenak stared at the frame and shook his head, “I don’t see how this will do anything but just fall toward the ground. You don’t have anything on it to provide power to push it.”

  “Have you watched the reptiles flying overhead?” Jenak nodded. “They use the updrafts coming up the cliff walls to carry them up into the sky. As long as I stay near the cliff, I should be able to stay up indefinitely.”

  Jenak shook his head, “The reptiles flap their wings; these wings are locked in place. Are you sure this thing will fly?”

  “I am.”

  And you know how to fly it?”

  “I do.”

  “Why did you put so many cutters on it?”

  “I want a way to keep the Pteranodons off me.”

  Jenak shrugged, “Well, you have enough of them set up to cover most any approach toward you; I doubt they’ll see it if it’s covered in camo. I suspect if you take a whistle, you might not need them.”

  “I’d rather be safe than sorry. I’m also uncertain if they will be able to smell me and find me using that sense.”

  “What does Linnae say about this?”

  “I haven’t told her what it does. She thinks I’m building a shield to use against arrows.” Jenak started laughing. “What’s so funny?”

  “You’ll see.”

  Andy sighed, “I guess I should tell her and get it over with.”

  Jenak shrugged, “How do you intend to test it?”

  “I’ll take it to the top of the cliff and jump off.”

  Jenak stared at Andy, “Say what?”

  “It’ll work.”

  “And if it doesn’t?” Andy shrugged. Jenak rubbed the back of his neck, “I suspect Linnae might have a problem with your doing this.”

  “Jenak, we need a way to keep tabs on the other caves. This device will allow me to check up on them without having to walk sixty miles. The camomaterial will keep it hidden from the ground; we need this.”

  “We need you more than we need this thing you’ve built. If it does work, you need to train someone else how to use it.”

  “I do intend to build more of them, if this works out like I hope.”

  “When are you going to try this out?”

  “Tomorrow.”

  “Maybe we should tie a line to you just in case.”

  “It would interfere with the aerodynamics. Trust me, Jenak; I’ve done this before and I know it’s going to work.”

  • • •

  “Andy, I’m going to kill you if you kill yourself.”

/>   Andy looked at Linnae and shook his head, “You need to think about what you just said.”

  “I can’t; this is stupid. It’s a long way down and you think this thing is going to fly you down? I can’t bear to see you do this!”

  “I want to see if it works.”

  “Carrie, you don’t care about what happens to him.”

  “Yes, I do; I just hope it works. I want one of my own if it does.”

  Maxus and Togawa stared at Andy shaking their heads. Andy saw them and smiled, “Let’s get this done.” Andy looked at Jenak and Arashi, “Hold the wings until I buckle in the harness.” Arashi and Jenak extended the wings out of the tubes and pinned them together at the spine. Andy extended the main spine and slid under the hang glider and buckled the harness. Arashi and Jenak were having difficulty holding the wings against the wind blowing up the cliff wall.

  Andy stood up and Linnae ran forward and hugged him, “I never should have let you talk me into letting you do this.”

  “I’ll be fine.” Linnae stepped back and Andy stood up holding the control bar. He looked out at the ocean and ran forward and launched himself over the edge. The glider caught the updraft and immediately shot above the cliff and headed toward the forest. Andy moved his weight to the left and the glider banked left and began a slow turn that took it higher. He held the turn and his altitude increased rapidly.

  The group of Pangeans watched Andy climb into the sky and Carrie said, “I have got to have one of those!”

  Maxus stood and shook his head, “I thought he was crazy.”

  Togawa continued to stare at Andy getting smaller and smaller, “He is; would you do that?”

  Maxus smiled, “I might.”

  • • •

  Andy was still climbing and knew he should stay lower than ten thousand feet; he wanted to stay below the clouds. He came out of the bank and turned toward the vast plain beyond the community. He made a small dive to pick up speed and flew back over the cliff wall and was over the forest in less than two minutes. He flew over the vast plain and saw thousands of dinosaurs under him. He crossed the long line of trees and saw the carnivores moving along the edge of the forest looking for a good place to spring an attack. He saw an Allosaurus getting ready to attack a group of duckbills. He knew that plain was extremely dangerous but from eight thousand feet, it was beautiful.

  He sighed and knew he should go back and try to get Linnae to calm down. He looked at the plain again and saw something flash out of a distant tree line. He made a hard bank and came back around. He saw the flash again and marked it in his mind. He wanted to go take a look but he wasn’t wearing a camosuit. He banked the glider and headed back toward the community. He moved in lower than a thousand feet to stay below the cliff wall and the sea breeze blowing over it. He came in low over the forest and turned north. He saw the group that were on the top of the cliff were now on the ground watching him fly by. He banked the glider and came in over the north wall. He dipped the nose as he shifted his weight forward and came gliding into the clearing. He slid back lightly and landed on his feet as he leveled the glider. He wasn’t out of the harness but a moment before Linnae and Anna arrived and bowled him over. “Hey, hey! I’m fine.”

  “You scared me to death.” Anna pushed her head down next to Andy and groaned. Andy rubbed her head and she fell to the ground in happiness. Linnae wrapped her arms around Andy and he pulled her close.

  “Now that was interesting.”

  Andy looked up and saw Maxus and Rief standing over him. “I’m going to use this to go and take a look at our neighbors.”

  Maxus tilted his head and said, “I really wish you would train one of us how to fly this thing to do that.”

  “I can fly it.” Everyone turned and stared at Carrie. She smiled, “You shift your weight to move up or down or left to right, right?” Andy nodded. “I also noticed you made small circles close to the cliff to move higher.”

  “You can move higher using any updraft. If you see big clouds developing, they’re always caused by an updraft and they can be used to gain altitude as well. However, it’s not as easy as it looks.”

  “It never is; but I’d like to give it a try.”

  “Carrie, I’m not sure you understand just how dangerous this is if you don’t know what you’re doing.”

  Carrie smiled, “And just how does one learn how to do this?” Andy stared at Carrie and was at a loss for words. Carrie smiled, “Let me see if I can just make it glide here in the clearing.”

  Andy shrugged and buckled Carrie into the harness. “Run as fast as you can and lift your feet and just hang.” Carrie did as he instructed and Andy said, “If you want to go up, push your body further behind the bar.” Andy watched her and said, “To go left, shift your weight to the left vertical bar.”

  Carrie said, “To go down, I just pull my body in front of the control bar.”

  Andy was surprised; she must have watched him fly the glider, “Yes.” Carrie put her feet on the ground and lifted the hang glider and held it by the two vertical bars. Andy noticed a slight breeze blowing from the river toward the cliff wall. “Be careful and don’t let the breeze blow you into the cliff.”

  Carrie nodded and started sprinting. The wing filled with air and she lifted her legs and glided forty yards before she landed on her feet. Andy saw her smile as she turned back toward them and begin sprinting. As soon as her feet left the ground she turned the kite into the breeze blowing from the river and started to turn into it. She moved out over the trees and began a spiral as the hang glider was lifted higher and higher. Andy shook his head. Linnae said, “It appears she can fly it.”

  Andy continued to watch Carrie move higher and higher until she was above the cliff, where she moved the glider into the powerful updraft. She shot up into the sky at an incredible velocity and was a small speck in the sky in moments. Andy smiled, “Indeed she can. I wish I had told her how to turn on the cutters and land it.”

  The group watched several Pteranodons flying toward Carrie. Carrie saw them as well and she made a sharp dive toward the clearing. The huge flying reptiles followed her to the cliff wall but flew away as Andy blew his whistle. Andy watched Carrie make several sharp turns to bleed off speed and glide slowly south. In several more moments she was gliding toward them and landed standing up just in front of them.

  Andy smiled and looked at Jenak, “How long will it take you to build another glider?”

  “The first one was a learning exercise. I can have another one completed within five days now that I know what we need to do.”

  “Get on it and we’ll start scouting the caves north and south of here.” Jenak nodded and sprinted away to get Renak and Kaynex to assist him in the construction. He yelled at Karon that he needed her to assist him before he disappeared into the cave.

  Andy looked at Carrie, “How was it?”

  “Incredible; I want to go up again.”

  “We’ll go together in five days. If you want to fly around here to practice, go ahead; however, I don’t want you going beyond the forest.”

  Linnae looked at Andy, “Why do you say that?”

  “I saw something and I’m not sure what it is. Until we have both gliders operational, I don’t want to take any chances investigating it.”

  “Do you think it’s something dangerous?”

  “I honestly don’t know. I prefer to not take any chances.” Andy looked at Carrie, “Are you capable of following orders?”

  Carrie’s smile disappeared, “Yes, I can follow orders.”

  “Then stay away from the forest, that’s an order.” Carrie nodded and buckled back into the glider’s harness. She ran forward and the glider lifted smoothly off the ground and began rising in the breeze coming off the river. In less than a minute she was over the top of the cliff.

  Linnae looked at Andy, “What did you see?”

  “Something in the far tree line had a reflection. I don’t know of any natural substance that would cause that
large of a reflection from inside the forest; it has to be something metallic.”

  Linnae looked up at Carrie circling overhead and smiled, “I guess your glider is not as dangerous as I thought. Perhaps you’ll teach me how to fly one.”

  “As soon as we have three, you’ll be the next one.” Linnae hugged Andy and they walked toward the cave entrance. Andy looked back at Anna and saw her with her nose up in the air. He stopped and Linnae turned around and saw Anna sniffing the air.

  “What is she doing?”

  “I don’t know. It doesn’t appear she feels threatened.” Suddenly, Anna turned and ran full speed toward the river. She went through the opening in the wall and turned south. Andy ran after her but by the time he arrived at the wall she was out of sight. Linnae arrived a moment later and shook her head. Andy said, “I guess I always knew she’d leave.”

  Linnae stared at the forest and sighed, “I’ll miss her. She’s never left the walls before. Where do you think she’s going?”

  “I don’t know. I just hope she stays safe.”

  “Even a Raptor couldn’t catch her now; her sense of smell will help her avoid trouble.”

  “I hope you’re right.”

  Andy took Linnae’s hand and turned back to the cave. His heart felt heavy and he prayed Anna would survive.

  • • •

  Anna went into the forest at full speed and smelled the Raptors to the left. She was past them before they could react and she moved into the edge of the clearing and accelerated. She was twenty five feet long and her speed was incredible. She ran for a mile and stopped in the clearing. She gave a loud groaning roar and waited. A minute later, she saw him. He was beautiful and he could sense Anna was waiting for him. He ran out of the trees and joined Anna in the clearing as they began circling each other while bobbing their heads. They had to run three times to escape carnivores, but they eventually finished their dance and Anna rubbed her head against her mate. They spent the next twenty days together until he left her to return to the forest. Anna turned north and started back toward the community.