instalment 28

28

Petar and Davi arrived within seconds of each other back in 2010. As they entered Bear Camp, pandemonium broke out.
Beth held her hands up for silence, finally roaring “Shut it!” as a dozen people tried to get the first word in.
“You guys alone?”
“Of course, why not? What’s up, Beth?”
“Oriana and Robin have vanished, Petar. We had assumed they went with you two when they didn’t turn up the day after you travelled.”
“Oh, h*** and damnation. We’ve been two separate places, Beth. Petar, best tell your tale first; mine is even more unbelievable than usual.”
“Then that must be some tale Davi. Come on folks, get the tea going and we’ll compare notes.”
The gathering was now completely silent as Petar spoke of his probably last visit to the time Bear Camp was founded. There was much amused laughter when he told of a yet unborn child then that may have been the first Petar in the world.
Davi’s tale was greeted by astonished silence. Davi felt the shiver and aching acceptance of finality as he saw the place disintegrate again in his mind. The small crystal was a mystery in itself; nothing they tried brought any reaction from the thing.
“If it doesn’t work, Davi, what use is it?”
“At a guess, Beth, I’d say it WILL work - in another time frame, or when it gets in the right hands. Pure guesswork, but putting jigsaw pieces together I’d say 2189, and whoever is there at the lab. And our lady friends.”
“You think they were taken there, Davi? Mitchell?”
“Yup, in a nutshell. It fits more than any other harebrained idea. I hope they are OK though, Mitchell seemed more than a little nuts at our last meeting.”
“So, we wait for our next transport then. And hope it is 2189. Beth, have you any of that excellent berry juice you were working on? I feel a need for something more robust than plain tea.”
“Do I! Several skins of it, Petar. And I agree, we ALL need something more than tea right now.”
The several skins emptied in sombre mood and the folk retired to furs later instead of leaving for the night. Both Davi and Petar found the furs cold.

An extra short bit for you. Have you figured it out yet?