Prisoner in Time (Time travel) (40 page)

Geoff smiled in return. He thought for a moment, then his face lost all expression. Suddenly, sadness filled his eyes.

“I used to have a brother. His name was Bobby…”

-----*-----*-----*-----

With their haversacks on and their rifles slung over their shoulders, the two moved through the length of the camp with a purposeful stride. Carrying a determined expression on their faces, no one questioned their intentions. As they passed beyond the camp’s boundary and into the forest, they quickened their pace to take advantage of the available light. Following the Snake Cre
ek, they hurried along its well-trodden banks heading north. Three hours later, tired and thirsty, they stopped by the stream to rest.

“Man, it’s almost like a highway through here,” Geoff commented jokingly, as he slipped off his pack.

“It’s amazing what a small army will do to the landscape,” David concurred, doing the same.

“I wouldn’t call it a small army. They only had a couple hundred guys at the most… more like a large company of men,” he corrected.

“I overheard one of the Colonel’s talking earlier. What we saw was just the tip of the iceberg. It appears the Union general was just testing the strength of our forces before he decided to send in a couple of regiments,” David countered. “And it’s really a good thing he did that too because our side just happened to be passing by with enough men to crush him. It would’ve been a massacre.”

“Our side...” Geoff said matter-of-factly. “Funny, they’re no longer our side.”

David laughed at the irony. “I guess you’re right, although we might have a bit of trouble convincing someone with these Confederate clothes we have on.”

Geoff looked down at his gray woolen pants and jacket. His face turned puzzled.

“This isn’t good. If the Union guys see us like this, they’ll shoot us on sight.”

David reached into his haversack and pulled out a white cotton shirt. Grabbing the bottom, he lifted it in front of him and tore it in half.

“Here… tie this around the end of your rifle,” he said with a smirk.

Geoff grabbed the torn cloth and stared thoughtfully at it.

“You know, I’m really going to miss the Sarge.”

“Yup, me too. He kind of grew on you after a while,” David said. He laughed to himself then added, “Man, he must think we’re nuts.”

“Why’s that?”

“Hearing us talk about being from the future… man, he must have thought we were crazy or something,” David responded with a chuckle.

“Not any more,” Geoff responded cryptically.

“What do you mean, ‘not anymore’?”

“While you were gone, I told him our story.”

“You did WHAT?” he asked loudly, now deeply concerned.

“I told him our story,” Geoff responded defensively. “He asked and I told him… no big deal. It’s not like he can do anything with the info. The first person he tells will think he’s a nutcase.”

David thought about Geoff’s logic. He knew he was right, but still felt uneasy knowing someone else knew their secret.

“Just the same Geoff, let’s just keep our little secret to ourselves, shall we? You never know what someone might do with that information.”

“You don’t think the Sarge will tell anyone, do you?”

“I don’t know, but it doesn’t pay to take chances.”

-----*-----*-----*-----

Continuing north along the Snake Creek, the two moved through the dense forest quietly observing their surroundings. At times they saw breaks in the trees that provided a larger picture of the valley they traveled. On each side of the meandering stream, the floor of the narrow valley rose up several hundred feet to mountainous ridgelines that produced impassable barriers for travel.

As the light of the day began to fade to darkness, the two made camp for the evening. Sitting around the crackling fire, they dined on salted pork, hardtack crackers and coffee. Alone in the woods, they began to feel their isolation.

“Kind of scary, isn’t it,” Geoff said, his eyes searching the blackness.

“Which part?” David asked.

“The dark. We’re out here all alone in the dark. It’s kind of scary.”

“Oh that kind of scary. I thought you were talking about traveling back in time to one of the worst wars in our nation’s history, deserting one army, traipsing through a dense forest in search of another and barely having enough food in our packs to survive the night, let alone the next day, all the while trying to figure out how to save your brother.”

Geoff thought about David’s sarcastic response, smiled and replied, “I guess that’s scary too.”

As the fire continued to burn, David reached over and placed another piece of wood on it, causing a cloud of red ash and flames to rise up into the air. Lying back against a boulder, his mind began to think of his home life in the future.

“I really miss my family,” he said, breaking the silence.

“Me too,” Geoff shot back instantly.

“I’m betting my mom and dad are worried… again, like they were the last time,” he said, rolling his eyes in dread.

“At least this time they probably know why you disappeared. That’s got to count for something,” Geoff reasoned.

“I can imagine they’re probably poring through old data about the Civil War, searching for any news about the death of one David Warner. I wish I could send them some kind of note, telling them I’m ok.”

“Yeah, me too. I’m sure my parents are just sick right now. They lost one child and don’t know if they’ll ever see the other again,” he replied in saddened tone.

“Well, at least we’re away from the fighting. Our chances of survival have just dramatically increased,” David added.

Geoff thought for a moment, then asked, “Do you have any brothers or sisters?”

“Nope, I’m an only child. That’s what makes this so hard for them… and me,” David replied.

“I guess my parents are in the same boat as yours now. Unless I succeed, I’ll also be an only child.”

“Or worse,” David responded grimly. “Speaking of which, we really need to figure out a plan to save your brother. One that doesn’t include murder.”

“I’m listening,” Geoff responded.

“The way I figure it, all we have to do is prevent Ales Moore from becoming a hero. He doesn’t have to die. We just have to stop him before he makes his final run with the flag. The problem is, getting to him in the middle of a battle. He’ll be at least a couple of football fields away.”

Geoff nodded in understanding.

“And skirmish lines can stretch out over miles, being fought on a lot of different grounds. We don’t even know the exact location he’s in. During the battle, by the time we figure it out, he could have made his final run and be dead already, ending any chance to change your brother’s future.”

“It’s a toughie,” he said casually.

David stared at Geoff in confusion. His response seemed out of place.

“Geoff, what’s the deal man. You seem like you’re not taking any of this seriously,” he responded, his tone slightly annoyed.

Geoff stiffened his postured and forced a serious expression on his face.

“I
am
taking it seriously,” he said in a defensive tone.

David stared back, trying to read his eyes. Something seemed off. Suddenly, Geoff stood and turned from the fire.

“Where’re you going?” David asked, slightly offended by the teens rude exodus.

“To the bathroom… well, to the woods anyway. I’ll be back,” he said flatly.

As he walked off into the trees, David watched him go.

“Well that was kind of weird,” he said to himself still confused.

Reaching over, he poured himself more coffee, then settled back in by the fire. Staring into the roaring flames, he allowed his mind to wander.

-----*-----*-----*-----

Using the light of the fire, Geoff worked his way into the woods. He climbed up a small hill and looked back. Still seeing David sitting by the fire, he took a few steps further to gain more privacy. His foot caught the edge of a fallen branch and sent him tumbling forward. In seconds, he rolled down the back side of the hill and crashing into a tree at the bottom. For a moment, he lay on his back and caught his breath.

“What the hell, man,” he groaned. “Why does stuff like this always happen to me?”

He sat up and looked around. Suddenly, he felt a cool breeze against his foot and realized he’d lost a shoe in the fall.

“Friggin’ great!” he said aloud, feeling around his legs in the darkness.

Rolling to his knees, he slid his hands along the ground, continuing the search for his shoe. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he began to detect faint images in his path. Trees, rocks and leaves became visible in the half moon’s light. Moving too far off course, he turned around and headed back. Moments later, with his eyes fully adjusted to the darkness, he noticed an object laying in the path of his fall, slightly up the hill. He crawled up the incline and smiled.

“YESSS!” he said in soft, yet exuberant tone.

Sitting down, he quickly replaced his shoe, then stood. Looking up at the hill, he could see shadows of light that illuminated its crest. He looked behind him and suddenly had an eerie feeling, as if being watched. A strange shiver ran up his spine. He shook it off and headed up the incline.

Nearing the top of the hill, he heard David’s voice and laughed.

“Talking to himself,” he said, chuckling under his breath.

Suddenly, as his head peaked above the top of the hill, he heard a second voice. He froze in fear. Scanning the lit camp below, he immediately spotted David. Standing off to his right, several feet away, stood an armed man.

Panic raced through Geoff’s body. With the strange man’s rifle pointed menacingly at David’s stomach, he knew he had little time to think.

Quickly, he hurried back down the hill. At the bottom, he worked his way around the side and came around to the front. Moving slowly, he eased himself out into the open and crawled silently along the darkened ground. Methodically, deliberately, he moved. His heart pounded with fear and beads of nervous sweat formed on his brow.

Thirty feet from the man, he could just make out his blue uniform.

“Union,” he whispered under his breath.

His mind raced, as he crawled. He could hear the man speaking but with his back to him, he couldn’t make out what he was saying.

Twenty feet away, he could now hear the soldier clearly. He heard his threatening tone and searched the ground around him. Just a few feet to his front, he spotted a large rock. Carefully, quietly, he crept forward, inching his way toward the stone.

Seconds later, with his heart pounding wildly, he reached out his hand. Wrapping his fingers around the rock, he slowly began to stand.

Geoff’s eyes made contact with David’s. David’s attention turned past the soldier. Seeing David’s focus shift, the soldier spun on his heels, swinging his rifle around to fire.

Geoff hurled the heavy stone. David leaped from his spot toward the armed man.

Suddenly, the Union soldier let out a guttural groan as the stone impacted his chest. David lunged from behind, pouncing on the soldier from behind. The rifle fired but went wide into the trees. In a blink of an eye, the scene was over.