Riley's Journey Read Online Free
took Riley’s arm, leading her to the door at the far end.
“Go on ahead through this door. I’m going to go outside and drive the van around and pick you up. There’s some heavy equipment in there that we need to take as well and it’ll be easier to load it straight from the dock area.” She looked at Riley strangely. “There’s a note inside the pack that needs to be delivered to one of the members of the research team when we arrive. Remember to give it to him.”
Riley nodded, more mystified than ever. “Do you have the equipment I’ll need for my research?”
Dr. Collins’ lips tightened perceptibly. “Everything you need is either in the pack or we’ll load it at the dock out back. You’ll have everything you need. I’ve planned for every contingency.” She turned to go, but then stopped. “I hope this turns out to be a good thing for you. I really do.” Without any further comments, she hurried off.
It was a strange thing to say, especially coming from a woman who had barely spoken to her for two weeks.
The door opened and Riley stepped through into a long dark corridor. The door shut immediately behind her. Mystified, she moved down the hall towards a lighted area at the end. This was getting weirder and weirder! Her stomach was queasy and she was feeling dizzy, probably from nerves.
As she reached the end of the corridor, air pressure inside of the corridor decreased dramatically and her breath left her in a whoosh. Lights flashed and rivulets of color danced in front of her eyes. She felt like she was floating. It only lasted a few seconds and then she was standing out in the open, outside the facility, she assumed. Stretching as far as the eye could see was a frozen wilderness, broken up by forests of evergreens and stands of rock. She turned back, expecting to see the research facility—but the landscape was empty ! No door, no facility—absolutely nothing! She was standing alone in the middle of nowhere. Suddenly afraid, she called out. “Dr. Collins!” She yelled again. “Dr. Collins, where are you?”
Her voice echoed in the distance, unanswered. She tried again, yelling louder this time. “Dr. Collins, Miles, Jonas, anyone! Can you hear me?” Still nothing. An eerie silence pervaded the wide open expanse. A large bird circled overhead, spiraling as he hunted, but nothing else stirred. She was growing more frightened by the moment.
The pack suddenly seemed too heavy, and unhooking it, she dropped it to the ground. Opening it, she searched through the contents for a cell phone or a walkie-talkie or some sort of communication device. The only things she found were a very large pack of jerked meat wrapped in soft chamois, some type of skin bag holding water, several knives of varying sizes with bone handles, the blades made from some dark rock—flint perhaps—a large soft skin for who knew whatever purpose, a long thin braided rope or string with a fishhook made from bone or shell, a wooden bowl and cup of poor design and shape, as well as wooden eating utensils, a wooden comb, miscellaneous unidentifiable objects that seemed vaguely familiar, and a large manila envelope with the name, Nathan , written on the outside. Pretty pathetic! Angry as well as frightened, she tore open the envelope, hoping it held some answers as to why she was here. The short note read:
My Dear Nathan, I have not abandoned you. I can’t bear to think of you there alone. You deserve so much more. The young woman, Riley, was chosen from a select group of applicants. I make no apology for my actions. I do this out of love for you. Forgive me and ask Riley to forgive me as well. Take care of her and yourself. There will be no more communications. The funding for my research has been pulled and the facility will be closed in the near future. I have included with this note, a map detailing areas where Cro-Magnon man might be found. May God Bless and Keep You. Your Loving Aunt, Bethany.
Cro-Magnon? Give me a
“Go on ahead through this door. I’m going to go outside and drive the van around and pick you up. There’s some heavy equipment in there that we need to take as well and it’ll be easier to load it straight from the dock area.” She looked at Riley strangely. “There’s a note inside the pack that needs to be delivered to one of the members of the research team when we arrive. Remember to give it to him.”
Riley nodded, more mystified than ever. “Do you have the equipment I’ll need for my research?”
Dr. Collins’ lips tightened perceptibly. “Everything you need is either in the pack or we’ll load it at the dock out back. You’ll have everything you need. I’ve planned for every contingency.” She turned to go, but then stopped. “I hope this turns out to be a good thing for you. I really do.” Without any further comments, she hurried off.
It was a strange thing to say, especially coming from a woman who had barely spoken to her for two weeks.
The door opened and Riley stepped through into a long dark corridor. The door shut immediately behind her. Mystified, she moved down the hall towards a lighted area at the end. This was getting weirder and weirder! Her stomach was queasy and she was feeling dizzy, probably from nerves.
As she reached the end of the corridor, air pressure inside of the corridor decreased dramatically and her breath left her in a whoosh. Lights flashed and rivulets of color danced in front of her eyes. She felt like she was floating. It only lasted a few seconds and then she was standing out in the open, outside the facility, she assumed. Stretching as far as the eye could see was a frozen wilderness, broken up by forests of evergreens and stands of rock. She turned back, expecting to see the research facility—but the landscape was empty ! No door, no facility—absolutely nothing! She was standing alone in the middle of nowhere. Suddenly afraid, she called out. “Dr. Collins!” She yelled again. “Dr. Collins, where are you?”
Her voice echoed in the distance, unanswered. She tried again, yelling louder this time. “Dr. Collins, Miles, Jonas, anyone! Can you hear me?” Still nothing. An eerie silence pervaded the wide open expanse. A large bird circled overhead, spiraling as he hunted, but nothing else stirred. She was growing more frightened by the moment.
The pack suddenly seemed too heavy, and unhooking it, she dropped it to the ground. Opening it, she searched through the contents for a cell phone or a walkie-talkie or some sort of communication device. The only things she found were a very large pack of jerked meat wrapped in soft chamois, some type of skin bag holding water, several knives of varying sizes with bone handles, the blades made from some dark rock—flint perhaps—a large soft skin for who knew whatever purpose, a long thin braided rope or string with a fishhook made from bone or shell, a wooden bowl and cup of poor design and shape, as well as wooden eating utensils, a wooden comb, miscellaneous unidentifiable objects that seemed vaguely familiar, and a large manila envelope with the name, Nathan , written on the outside. Pretty pathetic! Angry as well as frightened, she tore open the envelope, hoping it held some answers as to why she was here. The short note read:
My Dear Nathan, I have not abandoned you. I can’t bear to think of you there alone. You deserve so much more. The young woman, Riley, was chosen from a select group of applicants. I make no apology for my actions. I do this out of love for you. Forgive me and ask Riley to forgive me as well. Take care of her and yourself. There will be no more communications. The funding for my research has been pulled and the facility will be closed in the near future. I have included with this note, a map detailing areas where Cro-Magnon man might be found. May God Bless and Keep You. Your Loving Aunt, Bethany.
Cro-Magnon? Give me a
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