That's all in the Past

There was a bright flash, and then all was quiet. Tom Fellers looked around. Oh good, he though happily, I’m right where they said I would be. He breathed in the fresh air, sighing contentedly. The fresh air, the birds, the trees, the dinosaurs.

Well, Tom thought, I had better get going. I’ve only got one day until they bring me back to modern times. A small reptilian figure caught the edge on Tom’s eyesight. He swung around, bringing his rifle to bear, but he was able to refrain from shooting. It was only a harmless herbivore. Remember, he told himself, shoot only if threatened, and then only shoot to incapacitate. Even the accidental death of a butterfly could drastically, and even tragically, alter the future. Why am I here again, in such an unstable condition? he thought. To study rock formations, he reminded himself. And to get away from 24^th century city life.

Stepping carefully, making sure not to step off the “beaten path”, a path worn down by other time travelers seeking peace, Tom continued on towards the rock cliff that he had heard an studied about.

Tom was a stock broker, but he loved rocks and minerals, and had always wanted to become a geologist. This, however, was the only way for him to reach the “great outdoors”, and study rock formations in their natural place without destroying his lungs from smog. True, Time Travelers, Inc. was phenomenally expensive and made a terrific profit off of people like him, but he just could not help himself. Tom had chosen the Cretaceous Period, a time when the world was altering drastically, but life had not been destroyed by the great comet yet.

He knew the dangers: Tyrannosaurus Rex, Triceratops, Raptors, and the like. That was why he carried a hyper-velocity three-shot rifle. And he prayed.

Tom was in good shape. He had spent many years in the Space Marines, and was able to keep up a good pace. Soon, he was able to see the cliff he was heading for. He figured he ought to be there in two or three hours.

The walk was uneventful, except for one part towards the end. Tom had just finished his water break (he carried his own water, of course), when he heard the frustrating roar of a rather large sounding carnivore. He immediately picked up the pace, heading away from the sound, but still heading at the cliff. This caused him a minor delay, so he did not get to the cliff face until nightfall. Still, he thought, at least I am still alive.

Tom immediately crawled into his sleeping bag, out in the open. It was a well known fact among time travelers that tents caused animals such as lions, triceratops, and mammoths to attack. At first, Tom was restless, being used to a waterbed, but evidentially fatigue took over.

Tom started his observations early that morning, wanting to get as much work/fun in as he could in the half-day that was left. This, he thought unhappily, might be my last chance to check out natural rock formations. I’m running low on funds. Most rocks Tom could get his hands on were shipped in from places miles away from his home in the heart of the Chicago-Minneapolis-Kansas City megalopolis.

For hours, Tom walked along paths that went up and along the side of the cliff. Tom was simply enthralled with formations of rock that he had never seen before. He was overwhelmed by sedimentary and metamorphic rocks that he had known existed, but never dreamed of seeing.

“God I love time travel!” He exclaimed happily.

For Tom, time flew, and he soon discovered that he was hungry. He climbed down the rock face and went back to where he had stored he pack. He opened a pressure sealed pack of turkey and another pack of celery. As he ate he glanced around him. The forests look so peaceful, he thought. Tom glanced down at his watch. It was 13:45, Standard Time. He grimaced. Only fifteen minutes left until he was pulled back into modern times, and the boring life of a stock broker. When Tom looked back up, he saw a glint of something reflecting the sun. As he peered more intently, he saw it was an eye.

Tom could not tell what type of dinosaur the eye belonged to, but he feared that it was not good. Only ten more minutes, he thought desperately. He picked up his rifle and started to climb the rock face, hoping to escape those forbidding eyes. Then the beasts attacked. There were five of them. That was when Tom figured out that it was some type of raptor, and he knew that most raptors could easily jump the height needed to reach the first ledge.

Back to the wall, Tom fired all three shots into the attacking group, striking with every shot. He started to fall, and he knew he was doomed. Then he saw that his body was wavering, and starting to fade. This isn’t right, he thought. Then he knew. He had changed the past by killing three raptors, thus changing the future. Tom faded completely before his body reached the ground. Tom Fellers never existed.