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The Land of the Lost Continues with NEW ADVENTURES!
Founded by author Donnie Sergent Jr.
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Episode 0001
"Frozen Moon"
by Donnie Sergent Jr
This story is Copyright ©2008 Donnie Sergent Jr and may not be posted to any other website. If you wish to share this story, simply give the link to this page.
Holly swept the cave, like she usually did while her brother Will and Uncle Jack went to gather the various vegetables that only grew on the Sleestak side of the crevasse. Holly had matured way beyond girls her age after being subjected to the harsh environments of the Land of the Lost the past few years. She used to get upset about having to do “women's work” while the men did all the adventuring. She had slowly learned that “adventuring” here was not always the best thing to do. But, she always brought her courage and willingness to the forefront when asked to go on an adventure that needed her particular skills or size. Holly could never be known as “timid,” even at her young age of twelve.
Uncle Jack had been her father's replacement in the Land of the Lost ever since he came through a dimensional doorway as her daddy went back to their own time and place. At least, they had hoped he did. The huge earthquake had knocked their father, Rick Marshall, off balance while he was inside a pylon trying to open a time doorway home. Holly and Will had seen him fall forward into an open doorway and spin out of sight just before the doorway closed behind him. The background of the doorway looked like Earth, so they hoped for the best. Holly and Will missed their father dearly. Their Uncle Jack did a terrific job at filling their father's shoes, but it just wasn't the same somehow.
Holly was jolted from her thoughts as Will ran into the cave, “Has Uncle Jack come back, yet!”
“No”, Holly managed. “What happened?”
“Well, we were gathering green onions near the Lost City when three Sleestak came right out into the jungle after us! I don't know if we were more surprised or scared!” Will wiped the sweat and dust from his brow. “In any case, we both grabbed the onions we'd gathered and took off running back toward here. After only a few steps, Uncle Jack just disappeared!”
“Where did he go?”
“I'm not sure. I stopped and went back to where he disappeared.”
“What did you see!”
“There was a diamond-shaped doorway all gold and glistening. It was the shape of a pylon doorway, but without the pylon!”
“Then, what happened?”
“Well, the Sleestak came up right behind me and I had to run. I ran like never before. It's a good thing that the Sleestak are a bit slow. I lost them before I got to the crevasse. I came straight here after that.”
“Are you okay?”
“I guess so.” Will felt himself and looked himself over good. “I know that I'd be doing worse if I hadn't outran those Sleestak.”
“I believe that.” Holly thought for a minute. “Enik said that in order for someone to go through a doorway, another person had to come through into this world, right?”
“Yeah, that's what he said.”
“Did you see anyone come back through when Uncle Jack went through?”
“I didn't exactly have time to wait around and see, you know?”
“Yeah, that's true.”
Will grabbed Holly's shoulder. “Then again, who's to say that the person has to come back through the same doorway, right?”
“You know, I never thought of that. That's possible.”
Will dusted himself off and sat on a rock inside their cave. “All I know for sure is that Uncle Jack went through that doorway; that I'm sure of.”
Holly sat down beside her brother and leaned the broom on the other side of the rock. “I've already got the fire going and I've got a carrot and a radish,” both of which were huge in the Land of the Lost, “So we might as well get our bellies full before we go off on another adventure, which I have a feeling we're gonna do.”
Will looked down at the basket of green onions he was holding. “I guess you're right. Let's get a quick meal and head off to see what we can find out. I'm starved.”
Holly nodded her head and started cutting off pieces of various vegetables for their soup.
**********
After a quick lunch, Will and Holly did the only thing they knew to do. They went into the jungle and searched out various pylons. All were sealed up tight. Not even the usually open pylons yielded a doorway when they turned the small pylon key above the closed doorways. There was one more pylon to go. The “Pylon Express” pylon that had previously opened briefly to their world was the only one left. This was the pylon that opened when all three of the moons in the Land of the Lost were all aligned perfectly in the sky. Will, Holly and Uncle Jack had watched the sky constantly to see if the three moons were coming close to being aligned, again. It was all for naught. The moons seemed to run on a scattered pattern, yet, they knew there had to be a pattern of some sort.
“Well Holly, this is the last one.”
Holly only nodded, tears in her eyes just wouldn't stop, no matter how brave she wanted to be for her brother concerning Uncle Jack. Sometimes worry and fear just couldn't be hidden inside, no matter a person's age or wisdom.
Will looked at the pylon for a minute with a confused look on his face.
Holly noticed the look. “What's wrong, Will?”
“This pylon opened when all three moons lined up in the sky and had no key before.”
Holly looked to the pylon and saw the key there on the side, a small pyramid, or pylon, just above where the doorway should open. What do you think it means, Will?”
“I'm not sure sis. But, I know that if there is a key, there is a chance of the doorway opening.”
“I'm scared, Will.” Holly held to Will's arm.
“I am, too, Holly.” Will put on a brave face for his sister as his dad had taught him all his life to put his sister at ease when she was afraid. “But, I'm sure everything will be fine.”
“You don't have to try to be brave for me, Will.”
Will turned to face his sister. “You mean you knew?”
“I've known for a long time, but it always seemed to help you as much as me, so I never did say anything about it.”
Will shook his head. “You're one special young lady, you know that?”
Holly began to cry.
“I'm sorry, Holly. I didn't mean to upset you.”
“It's okay. It's just that that's what daddy used to say to me when he was proud of me, that's all. I miss him so much.”
Will pulled his little sister into a hug. “I miss him, too, sis. But, we'll see him again, someday. Okay?”
Holly wiped her eyes and nodded against Will's cheek. “Well, we'd better get on with this. I trust you, Will. You do what you think is best.”
Will nodded and studied the golden metallic pylon for a moment. It looked like a pyramid made of solid gold with the very tip cut off. The small key up on the side had a point, just like a pyramid. Do what he thought was best. The weight seemed to push down on him as he thought of what his father would have done. It seemed like forever. It suddenly dawned on him that Holly was his sole responsibility, now. There was no elder. There was no one for Will to ask for direction or guidance. He suddenly felt as small as a mouse. Then, as quickly as he'd gotten afraid, he began to feel brave. He was Will Marshall, son of Rick Marshall. A son who'd been instilled with his father's wisdom, and a wise man his father was. As Will remembered his father's drifting words of wisdom and bravery, his own courage grew like an inflating balloon inside his heart, gut, and mind all at the same time. He reached behind and took Holly's hand in his with a firm grip that told her that he wasn't about to let go for anything. Then, he approached the pylon and turned the small pyramid-shaped key atop where the pylon door usually opened and he and Holly jumped back in unison. The doorway opened! The diamond-shaped opening was dark, but inside, the matrix table filled with the glowing crystals of every color could faintly be seen. Will quickly wrote in the dirt just outside the pylon door the letters, “LOTL.”
“What are you doing?” Holly asked.
“Remember the last time we went in this pylon?”
Holly nodded.
“ It stopped at various worlds for a few seconds, then closed and moved on to another. I want to be sure we know which world is ours this time.”
“Good thinking.”
“Let's hurry.”
Will and Holly stepped inside the pylon not knowing what was in store for them. And, they would have no idea the gravity of the events that awaited them, indeed.
They both agreed not to touch a single crystal on the matrix table. That had gotten them in trouble more times than once in the past.
The pylon door closed behind them and everything went pitch black. Then, the matrix table lit up and the multi-colored streaks of light encircled them, just like their last journey inside this particular pylon. The last time, it was Will and their dad, Rick Marshall, who were paired up and Holly had gone alone.
Will and Holly watched the doorway as it opened to a world of fire. They could actually feel the heat through the doorway and backed up a step. No one went out or came in, so the doorway closed and the stream of lights encircled them once again.
The door opened a second time and all the trees were bent in hurricane-strength winds as the two were pulled toward the doorway. Each braced themselves with a foot to each side of the doorway. It, too, closed after a few seconds much to Will and Holly's relief. The lights began to dance, again.
The next time the doorway opened, there were torrential rains in the jungle outside and water began to flood into the pylon. Panicked, Will and Holly started splashing water out of the pylon with cupped hands until the door closed. After the door closed, the water seemed to drain away into nothingness. The lights swirled again and the doorway closed.
This time, the doorway opened into a frozen land, and like the others, it looked just like their own jungle. The two kids' eyes grew wide as they saw a frost-covered man wearing tan pants, a tan, long-sleeved shirt and sporting a backpack crawling toward the pylon. He was dragging two large duffel bags. A massive tyrannosaur was closing in on him with its head lowered for a fresh, hot meal in the unforgiving ice world around it. The man wore a ski mask toboggan that covered his face to protect him from frostbite. It was the same one that Uncle Jack wore when he went up high on Mount Kijar, not far from The Lost City, where there had been a snow cap at the top. He was the only one of the three that had one, so he went alone that day. They had learned much from that trip. Without thinking, Will and Holly screamed, “Uncle Jack!” in unison and stepped out of the pylon's doorway and drug Uncle Jack roughly inside just before the doorway closed on the scene of a tyrannosaur's gaping mouth and sharp teeth.
Holly grabbed Uncle Jack's pant legs. “The bottoms of your pant legs are frozen solid! Are you okay?”
It was true. His pant legs were frozen in perfect circles covering his boots.
They were just about to tend to their uncle when the doorway opened again and they saw Will's letters, “LOTL” scratched roughly into the dirt just outside. They quickly drug their freezing uncle out through the doorway, not knowing if the pylon would ever again open into their own time in the Land of the Lost. Rather than trusting their fate to something they didn't even understand, they chose something familiar.
Looking back to the pylon, they saw the doorway close and the pylon key disappear.
In near shock over what they'd just seen, they almost forgot about Uncle Jack. He was still shaking with cold of that foreign, frigid world. It was a comfortable seventy-five degrees here and he should warm up, but Will figured that they'd still better get their uncle back to High Bluff close to a campfire. Will put one of the cold arms around his shoulders and Holly did the same.
About halfway back to the cave, Jack managed a faint, “Thank you,” through his thawing mask. Holly assured him it was no problem and for him to save his strength. He nodded and hung his head once again.
**********
Back at High Bluff, Jack managed, with Will and Holly's help, to climb the stairs one at a time. As luck would have it, a familiar roar came from directly behind them.
“Grumpy!” Holly shouted. “Oh, no! Not Now!”
“Hurry!” Will bellowed as he half carried, half drug Jack up the steps to the safety of their cave.
Holly pulled all the harder and just as Grumpy, a huge tyrannosaur familiar to the Marshall family, got to the mouth of the cave, the two youngsters gave one final yank and slid Jack into the cave and out of Grumpy's reach. Grumpy was furious and bellowed a roar that vibrated the very rock that housed the small cave. Will and Holly picked up the flyswatter, which was a long, thick pole they used to lodge into Grumpy's open mouth to chase him away for a few days, until his walnut-sized brain forgot about it and returned. One at each end, they ran for Grumpy and lodged the flyswatter hard into his open jaws. Grumpy shook his head and backed away, trying to dislodge the huge pole by dragging his head along huge trees until he finally succeeded. After which, he gave a roar of aggravation and disappeared into the jungle.
Holly smiled bravely. “He'll never learn. Us tiny humans with bigger brains actually have the upper hand around here.”
**********
Holly had built a fire and Will had wrapped Uncle Jack in his sleeping bag.
Holly filled a bowl with hot soup heated up and leftover from earlier and offered it to her uncle. He took it thankfully, and lifted the front of his mask a little with a finger to expose his lips, still partially blue from the cold. He ate greedily and asked for seconds. Holly obliged him and then poured a bowl for Will and herself.
Will guessed that he would start the inevitable conversation and asked, “How did you end up in that frigid land anyhow?”
Holly's question followed, “Did you get there by going through the doorway while you and Will were running from the Sleestak?”
Uncle Jack smiled a little and put down his now-empty bowl. Once he started explaining, they would recognize his voice anyhow. There was no need to delay the surprise any longer. He shrugged off the sleeping bag, stood up and removed the ski mask.
Holly began to shake all over... “Daddy?”
Will Stood and took a step back, figuring this for a Sleestak trick, or something else sinister. “Dad?”
Holly leaped to her feet and started crying hysterically. “Daddy! I knew you'd come back! I just KNEW it!”
With his right arm around his long lost daughter, Rick Marshall beckoned his son, “It's really me, son. I've missed you both every single second I was gone.”
Tears filled the strong brother's eyes and he embraced his father babbling like a little child. “We've missed you, too, dad!”
Rick Marshall's own tears fell as he held tight the two things that meant most to him in all his life. His children were with him once again, under his guidance, and most importantly, under his protection. He promised them that they would never be apart for that long ever again.
The two children felt the firm, sheltering embrace that only their father could give. They had always felt safe with Uncle Jack, but not like this. This embrace was a bond and understanding of all for one and one for all, and Rick knew this, as well. He reassured them anytime there was any doubt about it.
Holly leaned back from her father's embrace, “But, how did you get back, daddy? Where is Uncle Jack? Is he okay? Have you been back in our own world, back on Earth?”
Will stepped back. “How did you end up in that frozen world? Were you there the whole time? Did you find another doorway?”
Rick Marshall smiled, “Whoa, whoa. One question at a time. I'll fill you in on a few things really quick, then I have to get some sleep. I'm worn out from fighting that cold, even though I was there for just a short while. Let's get this fire going a little higher. Go turn up the thermostat, Holly.”
“Oh, Daddy. You never could pull off a joke very well. I'll get some wood, though.”
Rick smiled and shrugged, “I thought it was funny.”
Holly added a couple of sticks of wood to the fire, and then went to get food for a bedtime snack. “I have some fresh cucumbers from yesterday's harvest. I'll slice some up, add them to the lettuce, radishes and onions, and we can all have a salad while we catch up. It'll be a good, light snack before bed.”
Rick's face screwed up. “Cucumbers? Radishes? Where did you get those?”
Will laughed. “I guess we all have some catching up to do.”
Rick laughed a weary laugh. “I agree. But, the most important thing is that our family is back together, again. I don't care if it is in the Land of the Lost.”
Holly smiled and hugged her father. “Me either, daddy. It's good to be together, again.”
Will hugged them both, “This is one time I'll have to agree with you, sis.”
**********
As everyone had a bowlful of Holly's salad in shelled out gourds, Rick started off the conversation where he knew the kids would want to start, Uncle Jack. “To explain about my brother Jack we need to go to how I got back to begin with. In short, he's perfectly fine.”
Holly and Will ate their salads with rapt attention on every single one of their father's words.
“When I went through the doorway from here, I ended up back on Earth. Not a single minute had gone by when I got back. As I was drifting in the vortex, I wondered in my mind if I was going home. The vortex or dimensional doorway or whatever I was in must have sensed my thoughts because I snapped out of it sitting in my chair in front of our TV. The inside of our house was just like it was the day before we left. No dust or cobwebs or anything. ”
Holly interrupted, “Was Comanche okay? Did you see him?”
“Yes, honey, I sure did. He was fine, just like you'd left him, and I left a note and some money in Walter's mail box next door. I told him to make sure that Comanche was fed his oats everyday and to make sure his water trough was always full. I told him that we may be away for sometime and if the money runs out, just buy the oats and I'd pay him when we got back. I'm sure old Walter will take good care of him. He's got horses of his own, you know?”
“Thank you so much, daddy!” Holly wiped her tears. “I love you so much and I'm glad Comanche's okay, too.”
Rick continued his story, “I about went into shock when I heard on the TV that the day we went on our rafting trip, the day I was currently in on Earth, was the day before that night's latest total lunar eclipse on Earth. The date and time was displayed on the news channel that was on when I snapped out of it. That was the final proof that I needed to conclude that no time had passed there since we'd been gone.”
Will's eyebrows drew down, “But dad, you've been gone a whole year.”
“I know, son. Jack told me when we were in the pylon.”
Holly was about as confused as her brother. “But, daddy, how is that possible? How can time just stop like that in one place and continue in another?”
“Well, sweety, I'm not exactly sure. I went to study lunar eclipses, like when the three moons line up here in the Land of the Lost, at the library as quickly as I could. I checked out a book about them and read it on the jet headed back to the Grand Canyon. I learned that total lunar eclipses on Earth come in groups. They can happen as many as three times in about a year and a half. However, there can also be none for two or three years in a row, as well. It's a complete miracle that our lunar eclipse and the Land of the Lost's lunar eclipse happened on the same day, even though they are two completely different universes. At least I believe they're different. I'm almost positive that these eclipses are the key to getting us all home, again.”
“That's amazing,” Will spoke through a mouthful of salad.
“Don't talk with your mouth full, son.”
“Sorry, dad.” Will managed, after he'd swallowed his salad.
Holly looked puzzled. “But, what does that have to do with our world and back home?”
Rick explained, “You see, Holly, when we went over the waterfall, it was the day of a total lunar eclipse. You know how sometimes you can see the moon in the daytime? It's kind of like that. Whether the eclipse had happened yet, or not, it opened a portal, a dimensional doorway, to The Land of the Lost. The way I saw it, if that was the case, I could schedule another raft trip later that same day and possibly be able to get back to you two.”
Will asked, “You mean you just went down river until you plunged over another dimensional doorway?”
“Not quite, son. As I rafted downriver, I saw a diamond-shaped golden glow off to the right side of the river. It was the shape of a pylon doorway, but there was no pylon. I either hadn't gotten to the huge crack in the stone canyon sides and the waterfall, yet, or the doorway had moved. Or maybe we were the only people to experience the opening and closing of the rocks, therefore being the only people to go over the falls and fall through the floating doorway. I believe that the doorway moved as the day went on. In the back of my mind, I even thought that these golden, shiny doorways in the sky could be what some of those UFO sightings could be all about. It was a possibility and that made me think that the doorway had moved all the more. So, I steered the raft in that direction and jumped through. Instead of landing where we did when we first came here, I was in a pylon, like our “Pylon Express” pylon that you used to rescue me. I saw what I thought was our Land of the Lost and jumped through to the outside world. Well, within about three days it started to snow. Then, ice formed on everything that had melted snow on it. That's when the blizzard came. The jungle and rock formations were different than here, so I didn't know where to go. I stayed close to the pylon with hopes that someone else would come through or open it. Just when I was about to give up hope, the doorway of the pylon opened and your Uncle Jack stepped out. He explained to me what had happened with him. He stepped through a time doorway without even knowing it. He ended up inside the pylon and helped me inside. He said that a voice inside the pylon told him that only one person could return to their own world and I immediately told him that I had to be with you two to protect and care for you. After much debate, he agreed. He said that he was going to be exploring today on a snowy mountain and that he had his ski mask with him. He said that I'd need it more than him, now. He gave me the ski mask and I'm sure glad he did. It probably saved my life. Jack and I shared a handshake and then he stepped out of the pylon doorway when it was on a park. I saw the letters WV on several shirts and guessed that it was West Virginia University's campus or a park nearby. The doorway then moved to the frigid world, again and wouldn't budge from that world. I thought that maybe you two were trying to find me, too. So, I stepped back into that world, the doorway closed and I waited near the pylon as much as I could. It wasn't easy staying in one spot with all the dinosaurs around, but I guess I was there when it mattered most. Not long after that, you two showed up and dragged me and my duffel bags inside.”
Will shook his head. “It's amazing that you survived.”
“I had a good reason to hang on.” Rick smiled. “Jack heard a voice while inside the pylon, but I didn't. I believe the pylon forced me out into that frozen land to try to tell me something in it's own odd way. Like it was trying to communicate with me in the best way it knew how. The frozen land being a metaphor for a frozen moon. Maybe it was just coincidence. It's hard to say for sure.”
Will swallowed the last bite of salad. “It's just all so surreal. There are so many possibilities and variables. Some of it's logical, but some makes no sense, at all. Well, I guess we're back to square one, except for the lunar eclipse information.”
“Well, son, I figure it's that the moon back home is frozen in place while we're here. And, if no time passes back home, like it hadn't when I got back, then there is always an open doorway to home here somewhere. We just have to find it. I think the doorway is in a different place every time, too. The pylon express was never used. No one stepped out of it when you and I were inside it. Uncle jack did step out and I believe that pylon will be useless now until the moons line up here, again. But, there has to be another time doorway open here somewhere that's connected to the doorway floating over the river back home. It may not be a pylon. It may be free-floating like the one your Uncle Jack stepped through when you two were running from the Sleestak.”
Holly chipped her way into the pouring conversation and asked, “Just what's in those duffel bags and the two extra sacks on your pack anyway?”
Will Marshall eyed the two large duffel bags and the two extra packs tied to his father's backpack at the top and bottom, but kept silent.
Rick smiled, “I tell you what. I'm worn to a frazzle and I think we could all use some sleep after this day.”
“But,” Holly began.
Will spoke up, “Let's let dad rest, Holly. We've been running around in seventy-five degree weather all day and dad's been in that freezing world and is probably worn out.”
“Thanks, son.” Rick put a strong hand on Will's shoulder and squeezed. “I am indeed worn out, physically and mentally. It's been a lot to digest in one day.”
Holly spoke hopefully, “But you'll tell us tomorrow what you brought in the packs and duffel bags?”
“You bet I will, Holly. You see, I went to the bank and drew out all of our money and made a few purchases before I headed to the private jet I chartered. Let's just say that I stocked up and bought a few extras for a surprise.” Rick looked at one and then the other of his children, “I know it's not winter back home, but I endured some cold weather on my way back to you two. That said, this cave in the Land of the Lost is going to be like Christmas morning back home tomorrow morning.” Rick smiled. “After that, we'll rest a bit and do some catching up.”
With that, Holly's eyes grew wide, as did Will's. It was only one night's sleep away, and as tired as they were, they knew it would be a quick night and exciting morning!
THE END of
Episode 1
“Frozen Moon”
by Donnie Sergent Jr
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Continued in
Episode 2
"From Home to Eternity”
by Donnie Sergent Jr
This has been Land of the Lost: New Adventures, under the LandOfTheLostOnline.com Project.
Founded by author Donnie Sergent Jr.
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