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Dream-State: Part Two
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Dream-State: Part Two |
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Christopher
Moderator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-08-02
Posts 8296Purgatorial Incarceration 
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***** “Dr. Chabot.” “Yes Mintze,” Kris responded to the dark haired woman who met her at the edge of the clearing they temporarily called home. The young woman cast a quick look at Jarris, then nodded her head, indicating she wanted to talk in private. Jarris smiled and walked a few paces away. He looked about at the sprawling mass of tents and equipment. It was impressive in its own primitive sort of way. That so many people would come to a remote region such as this, divesting themselves of the amenities of civilization to explore a time long past still amazed him. It showed the connection mankind had with those from his past. A connection he shared. Thirty-eight people inhabited this island at the moment. Thirty-three of them various scholars of the past. The other five were technicians, people there to ensure that all the equipment remained operational. They were like two separate cliques. Each group had their own timetables and viewed the other as unstable. Though the smaller of the two groups, the “techies” were dominant. It didn’t do to upset the people who could get you back home. Jarris smiled to himself thinking about what he’d found. Honest with himself, he realized in the scheme of this expedition’s paradigm it wasn’t really that big. But what he had found guaranteed him another publication... with the press meets and lectures that were sure to follow. He reveled in the public attention. It served to satisfy a barely recognized need to be affirmed. One he hated, but nonetheless needed to feed. He glanced again in the direction of the couple talking and saw that Kris was walking back to him. The expression on her face told him the conversation hadn’t been pleasant. “What is it Kris?” She shook her head once, then nodded. “Professor Alizar’s missing.” “So,” Jarris responded. “That’s nothing new. You complain about him almost as much as you complain about me.” “I know,” she answered back. “But he was due back two nights ago. It’s like him to stretch his time by a few hours, but not by days. I worry about that old guy. He’s got it up here,” she said, pointing at her head. “But his heart sometimes gets carried away with him.” “So what are we going to do?” “There’s not much we can. I’ll send some people out to see if they can find him, but you know as well as I do,” she said, shooting him an accusing glare. “That if someone doesn’t want to be found, they won’t be.” Jarris smiled at her jab, then sobered. “You think that’s the case? I hope so. I hope he isn’t hurt somewhere. Even though we’re all trained for this, it’s still dangerous out there.” “Oh, I don’t think he’s hurt Jarris,” she said glancing at the jungle. “But believe me, he’ll wish that was the case when I find him.” Jarris grimaced, already feeling sorry for the old man. He knew he’d had to face her wrath more than once. It wasn’t something he looked forward to anytime soon. “Let’s talk about this more later,” Kris whispered to Jarris. “Here comes Geoffrey.” ***** As if he didn’t even recognize that the two were in the middle of a private conversation -or uncaring- the thin man strode a swath through the campground, stomping straight toward them. “Dr. Chabot! Did you find him? Oh yes, I can see you did. Did you tell him? What does he...” “Slow down Geoffrey,” Jarris said with a humorous grin on his face. He grabbed the young man’s arm and steered him in the direction of the mess tent. He shared a brief glance with Kris before turning his attention back to Geoffrey. “Start talking. I need something to eat and drink and you can fill me while I get it.” Geoffrey rolled his eyes and heaved an impatient grunt. Jarris knew the young scientist thought things such as food and water were far less important than whatever discovery they’d made that day. But he went along anyway, talking so fast Jarris had a hard time keeping up. “Slow down, slow down,” Jarris insisted between mouthfuls of a peanut butter sandwich. “So you found a mountain, excuse me, a hill. What’s the big deal?” Geoffrey’s eyes bulged in apoplexy. He fidgeted in his seat then stood up, having a hard time restraining the natural energy built up in his body. It was one of the main reasons the young man could never be behind a desk or in a school room teaching, even though he had one of the most brilliant minds in the field. He needed an outlet for the adrenalin which overran his system at times. Field work provided that outlet. “What it means Jarris,” Geoffrey humphed. “Is that we’re on a non-volcanic site. The evidence of a hill here means that... Well, we don’t know what it means.” “Then what’s the big deal?” “What Geoffrey’s trying to say Jarr,” Kristalyn interjected. “Is that the hill has to be made. There is no other explanation for its existence. Without volcanic activity, this island should be all but flat save for the effects of wind and storm erosion.” “Ok, straighten this out for me,” Jarris asked. “Put it in layman’s terms. You two are the geological experts here, not me. I thought that islands by their very nature had to have volcanic origins.” Kris looked at Geoffrey and nodded. “Ok,” Geoffrey said, attempting to show patience. “What we said about non-volcanic has to be placed in perspective. Of course the very beginnings were volcanic. You don’t have a land mass in the middle of the ocean without some form of volcanic activity in the past. But see, this is what is called a coral island. It’s an island, but instead of being made of lava, it has a base of dead organic materials, hardened over time. Now usually, coral build-up is found in the shallower depths of the ocean where it’s built up through the centuries. But back in the mid-eighteen thirties, there was some study done on the island of Tuvalu. Our old friend Charles Darwin theorized that the coral was built on slowly receding volcanic rocks. He believed that at one time the lava came to the surface, or at least near it. As the foundation sank, so did the coral. But also at the same time, new coral was being added on top, maintaining a land mass devoid of rock and made entirely of bone as the case were. “Of course it was just theory at the time, but later that century it was proven. A group of scientist, funded by England’s government, took core samples from deep underground.” “Ok,” Jarris said slowly. “I’m with you so far.” “Ok,” Kris picking up the narration. “So what you have is a mass of dead sea life which turns rock hard and forms an island. Since there is no volcanic or seismic activity, there is little variation in the horizontal structure of this new island. Now some is added here and there by the onset of plant life and storms and such. But nothing like what we’ve found today. The normal birth of a mountain or hill is either through volcanic eruption, of which there is no evidence on this island, or tectonic shifting. And since we’re basically sitting on a giant pillar in the middle of the ocean right now, it stands to reason that if had been an earthquake large enough that it could form such an anomaly, this island wouldn’t even be here.” Jarris finished off his small meal in silence, mulling their explanation over in his head. It was a little disconcerting to think that they were above over a mile of water on a slender pile of dead animals. Without a word he went and washed his plate and cup. He talked briefly for a moment with Claris, the “camp cook” before returning to Kris and Geoffrey. “Fine,” he said shortly. “I buy that the hill shouldn’t be there. But what makes it so special?” So a bunch of natives built a hill. Big deal. Maybe it was some sort of burial mound or something.” “Sure,” Geoffrey said sarcastically. “And the pyramids were built by Hebrew slaves carrying the two to seventy ton blocks of stone up by hand.” “Geoffrey...” Kris said in a warning tone. “Jarris, maybe we should show you. Then perhaps you could understand better.” “I think that’s a good idea,” Jarris said glaring at Geoffrey, who was studiously looking another direction. ***** |
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Dusk Treader
Moderator
Senior Member
since 1999-06-18
Posts 1187St. Paul, MN |
Chris this I'm loving this so far... I love Jarris and Kris so far, great character's you've molded. I'll be waiting for part three. Abrahm Simons "Flew too high and burnt the wing Lost my faith in everything" - Trent Reznor, "Somewhat Damaged" |
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Ruby dagger Member
since 1999-08-01
Posts 76Wyoming, MN, U.S.A |
You are soo mean to leave us hanging like this! Luv Kelly "Everyone has to grow old, but it's a choice to grow up" -Vernon Lee- |
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Janet Marie Member Laureate
since 2000-01-22
Posts 18554 |
Geoffrey’s eyes bulged in apoplexy. He fidgeted in his seat then stood up, having a hard time restraining the natural energy built up in his body. It was one of the main reasons the young man could never be behind a desk or in a school room teaching, what a cool characterization!! i went back and reread the first one to keep the feeling going... this was the perfect next chapter.... i can feel it building... great writing Chris, even if ya did leave us hanging  MORE PLEASE later, jm There are places inside our souls ... that have never been touched. There are places inside our hearts ... that need to be loved this much. ~Janet Marie~ "What the caterpillar calls the end ... The world calls a butterfly" ~Lao Tze Tao~ ~Butterflies are meant to be free~ |
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Butterflies_dont_cry Member Elite
since 2000-03-06
Posts 3733Michigan |
Chris* Part One left me feeling like the dog had chewed up my only copy which I could salvage with some tape and imagination...and now Part Two leaves me hanging again...lol but it's EXCELLENT so I'll wait!! You are on a roll...ya big tease! I love your images and your choice of words...you have a gift!! My patience meter is in the red though  |
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Nicole Senior Member
since 1999-06-23
Posts 1835Florida |
“Slow down, slow down,” Jarris insisted between mouthfuls of a peanut butter sandwich. “So you found a mountain, excuse me, a hill. What’s the big deal?” Geoffrey’s eyes bulged in apoplexy. ~AND~ “Sure,” Geoffrey said sarcastically. “And the pyramids were built by Hebrew slaves carrying the two to seventy ton blocks of stone up by hand.” hehehehe Love the wit, m'friend.  |
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Poet deVine
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-26
Posts 22612Hurricane Alley |
Let's get these together! |
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Jana Tovey Member
since 2000-05-30
Posts 257USA |
Can't stop now...going on tho the next... |
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