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Return to Gorilla Island, Chapter 1

Submitted by Starla Anne on Sat, 04/12/2008 - 00:55

In the early 1950's, Lizzie Jane and two other girls accidentally traveled to the past through the Bermuda Triangle. One of the girls was kidnapped by some giant savages and she was rescued by Lizzie Jane. Knowing that the savages would be looking for the girl and her rescuer, the girls found a way to leave the Bermuda Triangle and back to their own time. Before she left, Lizzie Jane made a promise to a little gorilla friend that she was not able to keep...

Return to Gorilla Island

Chapter 1

"Fulfilling Lizzie Jane's Promise"

By Starla Anne Lowry

In the early 1950's, Lizzie Jane and two other girls accidentally traveled to the past through the Bermuda Triangle.

One of the girls was kidnapped by some giant savages and she was rescued by Lizzie Jane. Knowing that the savages would be looking for the girl and her rescuer, the girls found a way to leave the Bermuda Triangle and back to their own time.

Before she left, Lizzie Jane made a promise to a little gorilla friend that she was not able to keep, as follows:

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(Excerpt from the story, 'The Adventures of Lizzie Jane') --

Lizzie Jane (said), “I believe the savages are after us. They seem to have a taste for humans, so if we are gone, I don’t think they will bother Momma and George. They would be too much of a burden to carry back and I think they have plenty of gorillas where they live.'

“So, I checked to see if the last group to come ashore had a boat – and they did! My suggestion is that we paddle out to sea and, that way, we can protect Momma and George.”

“So, how would we get their attention away from here?” smirked Shirley.

“We build a bonfire. I know it isn’t night so they cannot see the light against the nighttime sky, but we should be able to build one large enough so they can see the smoke,” replied Lizzie Jane.

“Shirley, it is worth a try,” pleaded Christie. “I don’t want see Momma Gorilla and George hurt and you know Momma Gorilla will try to protect us.”

The girls thought about the matter for a few moments and Shirley said, “Okay, let’s try it. The savages probably have already missed Christie and on their way here to find her and whoever helped her get loose.”

Lizzie Jane tried to explain in gorilla language the matter to George, but he shook his head and objected. Lizzie Jane explained why and in gorilla language told him, “I will always be your sister and I want to protect you. I promise that I will try to find a way to come back – Okay?” She actually meant those words.

(End of excerpt)

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(This story starts in the future when time travel has become a possibility):

"Momma, do you think it will work?" asked Linda as she and her mother traveled to the university's research center by air-car.

"I certainly hope so," replied Mary. "You and I have been practicing for years the art that my great, great, grandmother learned in the jungle when she got lost in the Bermuda Triangle and went back in time. She always felt terrible because she was not able to keep a promise made to her little gorilla friend, so that is why we are trying to retrace her tracks. Besides, I have a photo of Granny Lizzie when she was about your age and you could pass for her twin. That is what gave me the idea of this trip. Hopefully her little friend will see you and think it is Granny Lizzie so possibly you could let him down a lot easier when you leave, it not being so sudden. Granny always thought that, if she did not go back, he would be so heartbroken, so we are going back to fulfill that promise."

(Lizzie Jane's adventures had been handed down by word-of-mouth and in written form, so the basic events were well known down through the generations.)

"But time travel hasn't been around long. Are you sure that Dad was able to pinpoint the location of the island?"

"He is positive he has. He plotted the longitude and latitude of the area where the bones of the T-rex was found that Granny Lizzie killed and the calculated the movement of the earth since that time. Also, by using an unmanned time travel procedure, he was able to determine the time that Granny Lizzie left the island."

"Isn't science wonderful? Discovering so many things? And being able to figure out where a land mass was millions of years ago?"

"Just think -- going back where Granny Lizzie Jane was when she traveled though time and carrying with us modern weapons -- like the ray guns dad is loading in our luggage. Of course, we will still have the fun of using our bow and arrows like Granny did. It will be a great vacation but, this time, when we do leave the little gorilla, we can we make our leaving in a softer, more pleasant manner."

"Well, here we are," said Mary as she landed her anti-gravity vehicle in the parking lot of the university's science laboratory. Mary's husband, Jim, was waiting for them and smiled as they loaded their luggage into the modern elevator which carried them to the basement where the time machine was located.

"Remember Sam, we will use our telecommunicator when we get ready to come back. We will come back in about an hour in our time after we leave to make sure we don't bump into ourselves," barked Jim as he gave the final instructions to the operator of the time machine. Jim knew that they could stay in the past for an indefinite period of time, arrange to come back to the present and only a short time will have passed.

The operator pushed some buttons and pulled a switch. In a flash the family disappeared.

Within minutes, the head of the research agency burst into the room with an important order: "Get Jim back here right way. We have got to send him into the future to save our planet. Our history records that he was the one who did that and we cannot change history." He paused and added, "But, there is no historical record of him ever returning from that mission."

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There was a whirling sound and a strange sensation as the trio began their long trip back into the past. They held hands as darkness closed over them and suddenly flashes of light appeared and continued for an undetermined time as the time machine carried them through the centuries with lightning speed. The date had been estimated by examining the bones of the T-rex Lizzie Jane had killed and had been preserved in an airtight case in a museum. Science writers had to revise their books after it had been determined that mankind existed earlier than they had originally expected.

The darkness arrived again as the machine slowed down and they found themselves in a clearing with a dense jungle all around. Jim carefully raised his ray gun and looked around for danger and seeing none, he looked around for any evidence of which way to go. In the distance, he saw a mountain range that had many shear cliffs and decided that would provide the opening to the sea, leading to where he could find the mother and baby gorilla.

Walking along a jungle trail, a few huge creatures were seen. Jim had to kill a snake as large as a 1950 automobile with his ray gun. Keeping a watchful eye, they made it to the mountains and, within a short time, found the narrow passage that should lead them to the young gorilla and his mother.

Coming upon the path blocked with huge boulders, Jim said, "This must have been where Lizzie Jane caused an avalanche that separated the savages, so we must be on the right path."

Walking around the base of the mountain on the side next to the sea, the family looked for a likely cave entrance which might lead them to the gorillas. From the ancient records of Lizzie Jane, Jim had determined that there wasn't any other gorillas on this side of the mountain.

"According to my calculations, we should be here about a week after Lizzie Jane and her friends left," Jim stated as they searched for a cave.

Finally they discovered what they thought might be their destination, a ledge half way up the tall mountain. They remembered Lizzie Jane mentioned that she was able to see the seashore from the lofty height where she had lived for about a year. Also, there was a wide well traveled path leading up to the ledge. Hoping it was the right place, the family began their ascent.

Reaching the top, a small gorilla spotted Linda and began to jump up and down, seemingly with joy, clearly thinking it was Lizzie Jane. He started to run toward her, but stopped in his tracks when he saw Linda's father and mother, Jim and Mary.

Hearing the commotion, a huge giant gorilla appeared from inside the cave. Linda had not been taught gorilla language, so thinking quickly, she pointed toward the giant momma gorilla and the small gorilla and to her mother and herself.

George, the name that Lizzie Jane had given the small gorilla, seemed to understand, ran and grabbed Linda and gave her a big hug. Jim and Mary stood there smiling, knowing that their plan was working.

George pulled at Linda, trying to get her to go down into the jungle and play. Mary nodded her approval, so Linda and George ran down the path into the bushes. Momma Gorilla watched everything and appeared to be pleased with what seemed to be a tear in her eye.

Jim suddenly stated, "I feel kind of strange". With that remark, he faded out of sight as Mary watched. Something was wrong. Mary did not know that Sam had pulled him back through time, leaving Mary and Linda alone.

She was struck with fear when she realized that she did not have the telecommunicator that could send them back to their own time. Jim had it in his hand when he disappeared. Another shocking thought -- She did not have the ray gun to fight off any danger that may appear. All that was left was the archery supplies they had brought to make Linda's visit more realistic.

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Back in his own time, Jim wanted to know "what in the world was going on!"

The head of the reasearch facility, Cecil Martin, spoke. "We have an important mission for you and we needed you right away."

"Don't you realize that my family is back there in the past with no way to get back?" screamed Jim.

"My orders from our leader was to only use the time machine for this emergency situation. I did not have the authority to bring anyone back but you."

"You and your silly orders! I want my family back here -- right now!"

"Cannot be done. I cannot go against official orders."

"Well, I am not going anywhere until I know they are safe."

"We must send you into the future on an important mission. Our planet may depend upon your success. Our representatives report that the history of that time indicate that you were sent there and was successful in saving earth. No other person can do it. That is why we have to obtain your services. This mission is of utmost importance -- so much so that we are not allowed to use the time machine for any other purpose until properly notified. Also, do you not know that when you get back here, we can send you back to your family and, in whatever age they are in, you will only have been gone a few minutes?"

"Well, since you put it that way..." Jim began his sentence, thinking that in returning to the pre-historical age, he would only have been gone for a few minutes.

"Good, let's get started," said Mr. Martin.

Jim was briefed on what would probably should be accomplished and, within minutes, he was on his way to a future age.

After Jim disappeared, Sam looked at Mr. Martin and said, "You said there wasn't any record of Jim ever getting back here."

"I know. But, if I had told him that, he would refused to go and the future of earth is worth sacrifice -- even the sacrifice of family," replied Cecil Martin. "Besides, their history states that he was sent to that age, so we could not send anyone else. History cannot be changed. You know that."

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Back in the pre-historic age, Mary sat on a hewed out bench inside the cave that Lizzie Jane and the other girls had made. Momma Gorilla, understanding that Mary was the mother of the girl she thought was Lizzie Jane, seemed puzzled that Mary seemed to be so sad and was crying, speaking in a language she did not understand -- the human language.

Linda and George were playing in the jungle, unaware that the young girl and her mother were abandoned, probably for the rest of their lives, in a strange world that neither Linda or her mother understood -- the world which Lizzie Jane had talked about so much.

----To be continued

All characters and places are fictitious and any resemblance to places or persons, living or dead, are coincidental.

Well Starla, You Have Certainly Placed Them In A Pickle

Submitted by stanman on Sat, 04/12/2008 - 01:19.

Now it will be fun to see what happens. But since there is no evidence that their remains are in the past, I am guessing that they return and even though Jim might not return, he can go back and rescue his family. Then they can return. Who says that the records can't be wrong?
May Your Light Forever Shine

Or, since Jim is in the future ...

Submitted by John in Wauwatosa on Sat, 04/12/2008 - 09:48.

He knows he has been lied to and his family put in danger by the people at the time machine.

He could save the future and use a machine in that time to travel back and rescue his family and return to a different time and not upset the records. Mind you he will want to get even with these liars. There is the greater good but they could have been honest plus it's a freaking time machine, thy could have waited a few minutes to send him back with spare equipement then fling him into the future. Or sent someone else with the supplies. Short sighted jerks.

Plus if he had access to the machine he likely was authorized to use it.

Interesting start. Would like to know what happened top the shipwrecked girl, the one ehose diary they found, Lizzie and the girls that is. Her parents are likely dead but as a child they might have made a captive, potential mothers are valuable. Maybe Lizzie's decendant can carry on in her tradition and save that girl or others?

John in Wauwatosa