Escape from Gorilla Island, Chapter 2

         Escape From Gorilla Island

 
     Chapter 2
 
        By Starla Anne Lowry
 
             (A sequel to "Return to Gorilla Island")
 
Also see:
 
 
Linda decided that, since their bus fares have been paid, it would not be wise to question the "why" of that action. The women evidently believed that the children were going to visit their grandmother, although it seemed strange that the women did not ask where the grandmother lived. Linda only hoped that they were not being kidnapped, but decided that matter would be handled when or if it came up.
 
Linda tried to think of the ancient saying, 'Never give a horse a gift in the mouth'.  Well no, that wasn't correct. She thought again and came up with, "Never look a gift horse in the mouth."  Yes, that was it.  What it meant? -- she did not know.
 
The bus continued on its route for a few hours, finally coming to a stop in a place called Atlanta.  "We will stop here for bus maintenance.  It will take about 45 minutes," stated the driver.
 
"Well," said one of the women.  "That gives us time to eat.  Are you children hungry?  I will be paying." 
 
Turning to George, Linda said, "Stay. I will bring you something to eat." George seemed to understand basically what Linda had said so he hid between the seats.
 
Following the women's lead, the children piled out of the bus and discovered a nice looking place with antique tables and chairs; that is, it appeared antique to Linda, coming from a more advanced civilization.
 
"What will you children have?" asked the woman.
 
Remembering the hamburgers from the garbage can and that being the only food that she could relate to from her study of past civilizations in her cooking classes, Linda said "Hamburgers will be just fine."
 
"Okay", replied the woman.  Speaking to the waiteress, she said, "We will have hamburgers and cokes all the way around -- and, oh yes -- a green salad -- a big one -- for one of the children in the bus who isn't feeling well."
 
'Cokes' thought Linda.  Wasn't that some kind of narcotic?  Surely the women wasn't trying to do something to their minds that was wrong? She was so concerned about that, Linda decided to question the drink.
 
"Oh, I am sorry. You must not be from around here.  Dear, Coke is a slang for Coca-Cola, but here in the south, it is a name for any kind of soft drink," aswered the woman. "In our case it is just Coca-Cola, which is a good beverage."
 
Linda decided that she was going to have to learn ancient English and possibly adopt the accent. Some of the words, she did understand and could use with ease -- others were strange and unfamiliar.
 
"What do gorillas eat when they are not in the jungle?" asked Linda.
 
"Well, roots, leaves, grass and stuff.  That is why I thought a large green salad might be the closest to the food that George would eat," answered the woman.
 
"Okay," said Linda.
 
When the salad was delivered, Linda took George's meal with some water and her hamburger and Coca-Cola to the bus and ate with George.
 
"Well, I don't know where we are going, but I am going to take care of you," Linda said to George. "We do not have our mothers any more and we need each other." 
 
Again, George seemed to understand.
 
Soon the bus was on its way again. Linda asked, "What was the name of the place we came from?  I heard the bus driver call the name of our last stop."
 
"We were in Miami and the last stop was Atlanta. Miami is in Florida and Atlanta is in Georgia. This bus is going on through Tennessee, but we will be getting off in Fort Payne, Alabama. We will meet someone there. By your questions, I believe you came from a long way.  Want to tell me about it?" asked the woman.
 
"You would never believe me," answered Linda.
 
"You would be surprised -- try me."
 
Not sure whether she should try or not, Linda began, "We had a time machine -- do you believe in time machines?"
 
"Well, I believe one can travel through time."
 
"Well, okay.  We came from your future -- a long time in the future. I don't know much about some of the things you mention, except what I read about in history books. Like hamburgers, for example. To us, it is an ancient food that we learned about in our cooking class.  We tried to make one, but it was not as good as the ones we had here."
 
"I thought so -- that is, about you coming from the future. Now, how did you know about Lizzie Jane?"
 
"Well, she is my great, great, great, grandmother and she wrote about having to leave to her playmate, who was George, and making a promise to try to return.  Since they say I look so much like Grandmother's photos and might pass as her, we decided to go back to try to keep Lizzie Jane's promise -- in a way."
 
"Did she write about two other girls with her?"
 
"Yes, their names were Shirley and Christie.  How did you know?"
 
"Well, I am Shirley and this other woman is Christie.  Lizzie Jane is getting married and we are going to have part in her wedding."
 
"You mean I am going to see my Granny Lizzie Jane?"
 
"Yes, you sure are," answered Shirley.
 
Linda had felt trapped in this time period and was wondering what she was going to do, but now she was going to see her great, great, great grandmother -- and Lizzie Jane will see George again.
 
 
Now that Linda was so excited about meeting Lizzie Jane, the trip seemed like it was taking forever. Finally arriving in Fort Payne, they found Lizzie Jane waiting for them with an automobile. There wasn't a bus route going through Carter's Bend, so Ft. Payne was a logical choice to meet.
 
Lizzie Jane watched the group exit the bus and asked, "Do all these belong to you?"
 
"No, but they wanted to come anyway," answered Shirley.
 
Lizzie Jane began to hug necks and her eyes fell on the small gorilla.  He made her think of George and a moment of sadness filled her heart.  "I used to have a playmate just like him", she said. "What is his name?"
 
"You ought to know.  You named him.  This is George."
 
"No, it can't be.  Impossible.  Where is his mother?"
 
Linda spoke up, "She was killed. The savages attacked and they killed her.  All she was trying to do was protect us. They killed my momma, too, so I knew I had to protect the children. George lead us to a boat and we went through a fog and here we are."
 
Lizzie Jane was really confused.  Who was this little girl and why was she speaking with a strange accent?  "Who are you?"
 
LInda spoke again, but with a trembling voice, "I don't want you to be angry, but I am your great, great, great grandaughter and these other children belonged to the other people who were killed by the savages.  We were playing with George when it happened."
 
Lizzie Jane said, "I just gotta sit down." She opened the back door of the automobile so she could have a seat.
 
After sitting there a moment, she said to Linda, "Come here. If you want, you can be the first member of my new family after I marry Jake and, of course, George can be a member, too."
 
"How about these other children?  I promised them that I would take care of them?" asked Linda.
 
Lizzie Jane thought for a moment and said, "Well, I guess I will start married life with a new family.  I will tell Jake before I say 'I do' and if he doesn't like it, there just will not be a marriage."
 
Lizzie Jane held out her arms to the other children. "Come on, you are all welcome."  The children ran into her open arms.
 
George just stood there, seemingly confused.  Lizzie Jane walked over to him and said something in gorilla language.  Whatever she said to him caused George to jump up and down in excitment.
 
Needless to say, the automobile was full.  The smaller children sat in the laps of the older ones, including George, as they headed to Carter's bend.
 
Lizzie Jane was thrilled and thinking about the shock Uncle Jed and Aunt Maudie would experience -- and how about Jake?  He might just pass out.
 
 
 
--To be Continued
 
 
© 2008 by Starla Anne Lowry
 
 
 
All characters and places are fictitious and any resemblance to places or persons, living or dead, are coincidental.

 

Starla, You Have Written One Heck Of A Chapter Here.

It will be interesting to see just what happens next. And what will happen to George?
May Your Light Forever Shine

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