Chapter 1

Day 1

You know the stories about traveling back in time where the guy somehow has everything he needs? I'd always fantasized that if that ever happened to me I would be prepared. Instead, I am here, wherever here is, with a .22 pistol and a small box of ammo, a 12-gauge shotgun loaded with 3 rounds of bird shot, lost in the woods around some of the biggest trees I have ever seen. I also have some dried fruit, two candy bars, a compass, signaling mirror, signal flare, 50 feet of parachute cord, a book of matches and a space blanket in a daypack, plus whatever I have in my pockets.

My name is Alex and I fell through while I was bird hunting and ended up here. We had decided to have a family reunion during the quail season up at Lake Tahoe so everyone could do his or her own thing. Some went to Tahoe and others went fishing. Several others and I decided to go bird hunting on the ranch where we were staying. I was walking in line with my family and friends when suddenly I stumbled on something. I felt that I was falling but I remember my feet never moved. I looked down to see what I tripped on and saw evergreen needles instead of the thigh-high grass that I expected to see. When I looked up, I was here. I've had the obligatory survival training for being lost in the woods, but somehow I don't think that staying in place and waiting for help is the correct response in this case. Towns are most likely to be on a river so I will follow the streams down.

I am your average young California nerd: 23 years old, 5 ft 10 in, weighing around 180 lbs, unattached and mostly unemployed. I have a B.S. in Electronic Commerce, a 5-year-old car and about $15,000 in student loans. I grew up in farm country so I'm not in terrible physical condition.

This place looks like what I had always heard that northern California was like before logging started; fairly open forest with trees so tall that you can't see the tops, along with the occasional clearing full of snowberries and brush. I've been walking for the last 4 hours and have seen no signs that anyone has ever been here. No trash, clear-cuts, roads or power lines. The air is clear and there's no trace of the omnipresent smog that I am familiar with. The only thing I've heard has been myself moving through the forest.

After I had my bout of panic and got over the shock of suddenly being here, I tried to find some of the people I had been with. Nada, zilch, nothing. I checked my cell phone and no signal. This close to Lake Tahoe I should have 5 bars. Now the only question is where or when I am.

It will be dark before long so I'm going to try to find a deadfall and burrow in for the night. Hopefully this is a dream and I'll wake up in bed at home.

Day 2

God! I'm still here, so I guess I have to accept that this is real. Besides, I cannot believe that a dream could leave me feeling so stiff, sore and hungry.

After taking care of my business, I realized that I only had a few sheets of toilet paper left. What would I do after I used the last sheet? Suddenly it hit me that I was lost in ways that I would never have imagined. Would I find anyone before I ran out of something essential?

I guess I had better eat something before long. I don't know if I should try and shoot some of the game I've seen around here or not. I've never seen so much game in my life! I've even seen elk, antelope and big horn sheep (were they in California before the Gold Rush?). I'm going to try and shoot one of the birds I see because I don't think a .22 would take down any of the big game that I've seen.

I got two birds (Grouse I think) and started a fire to roast them. I used all three of my shotgun shells and threw away the shotgun. It's worthless without any ammunition. I had a hard time starting the fire since I don't have any paper to spare to start it with. I finally managed to start some twigs burning but only after using 5 matches. I remembered afterwards that the survival-training instructor said that I could find dry rotted wood in old logs to start fires easily. I have to find some before I try another fire. After I'm out of matches I don't know what I will do. A fire bow maybe?

I guess the pundits were right. Hunger does make the best sauce. The birds were delicious, even if a bit underdone in the middle. Time to continue downstream, because I can't stay here alone. Eventually I will either find a road or reach the sea.

Day 3

I found a river today! I was surprised how open the ground around the river was until I saw the signs of a recent forest fire. The only river I remember in the area is the American River. This looks a lot bigger and deeper than I remember though. I wonder if there are fish in it?

I managed to bend one of my key rings into a large hook and baited it with apiece of cloth and a few grubs that I found. I managed to pull some of the strings out of the parachute cord and tied them to a long stick I cut with my pocketknife. I hope this works!

I managed to catch a large perch. I want to save my matches so it's sushi tonight for dinner. At least I found enough small limbs to make a bed to lie on tonight. Hopefully I won't be as stiff tomorrow. Luckily it's been dry so far. I wonder what time of year it is and what the weather is going to be like in the near future?

Day 4

I saw my first sign of human life today! Someone has been on the river besides me. I found the remains of a fire ring and ashes not too far from where I slept last night. I was beginning to believe that I was the only person alive. I feel like I have to pace myself so I don't have an accident in my eagerness to find someone. I was so afraid that I was alone wherever here is.

I found cattle droppings and what looks like wagon wheel ruts and followed them for the rest of the day. Toward the end of the day I found a single wagon off the trail with a yellow cloth tied to the top. I recalled something about a yellow flag being used to show that something was wrong, but I couldn't really remember what it meant. It made me nervous so I was cautious about going up to the wagon. As I came closer I noticed something strange about the items on the wagon. There was no sign of anything plastic or aluminum anywhere around. Either these guys were really into period costuming or like Dorothy after the cyclone: "I don't think we are in Kansas anymore, Toto."

When I got closer I noticed the outside of the wagon bed appeared to be covered with something black while the cover appeared to be an off gray canvas. There were no animals or anything else around, other than fire pits showing where other people had been. I figured the wagon had been abandoned and was about to continue following the tracks when I heard a moan and peeked in. There were two bodies lying on a mattress wrapped in blankets. It smelled like an outhouse and the bedding was soiled with their waste. I suddenly remembered what the yellow signal was for! It was to show that there was infectious disease present. I was about to bolt when I saw one of the bodies move. I saw that it was a small girl. I couldn't leave someone that young by herself without help.

I entered the wagon and checked out the people. The other was an older woman who appeared in really bad shape. I looked around and saw a ragged blanket hanging on a chest. I grabbed it and placed it on the ground near the wagon. I then pulled both of them from the wagon and checked them out. Both were running a high fever and had soiled themselves badly.

I looked in the wagon and found some cloth, which I wet in a nearby stream and used to wipe down both women. I knew I needed to get the fever down so I unwrapped the blankets and received my next surprise. Both were wearing what looked like woolen nightgowns. I dithered while trying to decide if I should remove them, when the girl moaned. Cursing at myself for hesitating, I stripped both of them and washed them with the cool water. When I washed the women, I had to revise my estimate of their ages. The girl, while small in stature, definitely had curves, while the older one didn't show any signs of wrinkles or sagging that would indicate middle age.