Science Fiction

109

Compilation of parts one through seven of a serial adventure story. Meet John and start on his journey.

In this serial adventure, "John Smith" is introduced as an amnesiac on the battlefields of France during the Great War. Realizing that he is more than he seems, John travels through a mysterious portal to a parallel Earth, one locked in an ice age. Still coming to grips with his strange abilities, John meets friend and foe alike as he explores this new world, the first of many John will visit.
 

Excerpt
...“They’re coming!” I shouted in warning. Layla must have heard me because she looked briefly back over her shoulder and reapplied the stick to the mammoth’s flank. Personally, I did not think the animal needed or could heed any further encouragement as it already seemed to be going at full tilt. Indeed I noticed no increase in speed, despite Layla’s prodding.

I quickly came to the conclusion that we were fleeing for our lives. Not one to sit by passively, I raised my Springfield and did my best to draw a bead on the creature closest to us. It was a futile attempt, and after my third shot went wide of its target, I lowered the rifle.

The cluster of ‘others,’ had already closed half the distance between us, and I doubted that the mammoths could maintain their sprint much longer. I did the one thing that came to my mind. Furs and all, I rolled from my travois, tumbled sideways for some distance and came to a stop.

Between the cushion offered by the snow on the ground and the padding provided by the furs, I was none the worse for wear. The sudden tumble and stop from some twenty miles per hour left me a little dizzy, but I was otherwise unscathed. In the back of my mind I hoped that my ammunition belt had come off with me.

I do not consider myself either an unusually reckless or exceptionally brave individual. I quite easily admit that I felt fear in the split second before I left the temporary safety of the travois and put myself squarely in the path of our pursuers.

If you expect that next I stood, threw off my fur coverings and faced these ‘others’ standing tall to divert their attention, I am sorry to disappoint. Not only did the furs continue to provide warmth and insulation against the cold, both air and ground, but my prone position made aiming a much easier task. Also there was the thought that attracting the attention of more than ten creatures that were not hesitating to chase something the size of a full grown mammoth was at the very least imprudent.

Instead, I remained prone and directed aimed fire towards the creatures as they approached. I fired twice at the nearest target, but then was forced to reload. As I thumbed rounds into the rifle, the first creature slowed before stumbling from its feet and crashing to the ground. It rolled before stopping and I noticed briefly that...