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Trigger Warning: Mentions of cancer and eventual main character death.
I blinked a few times as I readjusted myself, slightly off-balance. I took a moment to take in my surroundings. Huge fronds – taller than me – greeted me. Their leaves swayed slightly in the wind, almost as if waving to me. I stared at them for a second, before my attention was diverted by a loud shrieking noise. I silently edged closer to Uncle Percy, turning a questioning gaze on him. “That was it?” I asked incredulously. “We just time-traveled?”. He nodded, his lips quirking upwards. “You are now officially a time-traveler.” He said proudly. I smiled broadly before shrinking back slightly as I heard another shriek. “What… what’s that?” I asked, grabbing onto his arm. “Nothing to be alarmed about, just the local wildlife.” He said brightly. My eyes widened in concern. “Where are we? Or perhaps the better question- when are we?” I asked, my brows furrowing. Uncle Percy merely grabbed a hold of my hand, guiding me through thick foliage.
After trekking through what felt like miles of jungle, the scenery abruptly opened up, leaving the two of us on a tall cliff overlooking a valley. “Welcome to Mammoth Valley.” Uncle Percy said, his arm sweeping out theatrically. I stopped, all breath leaving me in a sudden exhale as I stared, spellbound, at the sight in front of me. Hundreds of woolly mammoths moved slowly across the base of the valley, their shaggy coats a vivid contrast to the reddish clay ground. “Is that… are those woolly mammoths?” I breathed, my eyes misting over. Uncle Percy smiled as he nodded. “Every year, hundreds of woolly mammoths migrate through this valley on their journey north.”
Uncle Percy tapped me on the shoulder. “I’ll just pop back to get us our picnic, alright?” he said. “I’ll be right back.” I nodded absently, still spellbound by the scenery. I turned just in time to see a ball of light engulf him. With a bang, he disappeared. I blinked a few times, still unused to the strange phenomenon, before watching as another ball of light appeared, stretching outwards to reveal the figure of Uncle Percy, picnic basket and blanket in hand.
After a light lunch, I lay on the blanket, reveling in the wind’s gentle caress. As I rolled to the side to watch the woolly mammoths way down in the valley below, the truth of my reality hit me, escaping from its cage and wrapping its tendrils around me, slowly suffocating me. I closed my eyes, a deep, unfathomable sadness filling me. This was happening, I couldn’t deny it any longer. A tear escaped, unbidden, and carved its own path down the side of my face. Uncle Percy smiled sadly at me from where he was sitting next to me. “How’re you feeling?” he asked softly. I sat up, a sudden and abrupt anger bursting forth. “Why me?” I demanded harshly, jaw clenching. “Why did this happen to me? It’s not fair.”
I blinked a few times as I readjusted myself, slightly off-balance. I took a moment to take in my surroundings. Huge fronds – taller than me – greeted me. Their leaves swayed slightly in the wind, almost as if waving to me. I stared at them for a second, before my attention was diverted by a loud shrieking noise. I silently edged closer to Uncle Percy, turning a questioning gaze on him. “That was it?” I asked incredulously. “We just time-traveled?”. He nodded, his lips quirking upwards. “You are now officially a time-traveler.” He said proudly. I smiled broadly before shrinking back slightly as I heard another shriek. “What… what’s that?” I asked, grabbing onto his arm. “Nothing to be alarmed about, just the local wildlife.” He said brightly. My eyes widened in concern. “Where are we? Or perhaps the better question- when are we?” I asked, my brows furrowing. Uncle Percy merely grabbed a hold of my hand, guiding me through thick foliage.
After trekking through what felt like miles of jungle, the scenery abruptly opened up, leaving the two of us on a tall cliff overlooking a valley. “Welcome to Mammoth Valley.” Uncle Percy said, his arm sweeping out theatrically. I stopped, all breath leaving me in a sudden exhale as I stared, spellbound, at the sight in front of me. Hundreds of woolly mammoths moved slowly across the base of the valley, their shaggy coats a vivid contrast to the reddish clay ground. “Is that… are those woolly mammoths?” I breathed, my eyes misting over. Uncle Percy smiled as he nodded. “Every year, hundreds of woolly mammoths migrate through this valley on their journey north.”
Uncle Percy tapped me on the shoulder. “I’ll just pop back to get us our picnic, alright?” he said. “I’ll be right back.” I nodded absently, still spellbound by the scenery. I turned just in time to see a ball of light engulf him. With a bang, he disappeared. I blinked a few times, still unused to the strange phenomenon, before watching as another ball of light appeared, stretching outwards to reveal the figure of Uncle Percy, picnic basket and blanket in hand.
After a light lunch, I lay on the blanket, reveling in the wind’s gentle caress. As I rolled to the side to watch the woolly mammoths way down in the valley below, the truth of my reality hit me, escaping from its cage and wrapping its tendrils around me, slowly suffocating me. I closed my eyes, a deep, unfathomable sadness filling me. This was happening, I couldn’t deny it any longer. A tear escaped, unbidden, and carved its own path down the side of my face. Uncle Percy smiled sadly at me from where he was sitting next to me. “How’re you feeling?” he asked softly. I sat up, a sudden and abrupt anger bursting forth. “Why me?” I demanded harshly, jaw clenching. “Why did this happen to me? It’s not fair.”