The Survivor's diaries
Chapter 1 - On this strange place
Wilson P. Higgsbury
Unknown place, 1921.
It is pitch black tonight. I'm next to a small fire that I managed to light with some effort by the "scout way", rubbing twigs together with some grass and wood. I am deeply glad I could execute this trick successfully, which I was fortunate to watch once in a projection I attended at a cinematographer.
The fire scares potential predators and keeps me safe. That's how it works in the place where I come from ... At least that's what all the books I've read about the history of primitive men say. From what I've observed, this world appears to be, in many ways, a crazy and dantesque version of the world which I come from ... Maybe it isn't even another world or dimension, but just some unknown part of Earth. I look to the sky: I could see the sun at the day, I can see the moon and stars at night. Unfortunately, astronomy has never been my forte, and I can't take from celestial bodies any information about my whereabouts.
The nature of this site is quite intriguing. Through the brief observations I've made of some species that inhabit this area, I can say I've never seen any exact mention of them in the publications I had in my hands. They're similar to species already catalogued by man, but they're also very different: for example, the Apidae here are as big as a human head and the lagomorphs have horns. Perhaps the discovery of these species will bring me my long awaited success and recognition in the scientific community.
Hahaha, how can I think of research and scientific community in a moment like this?
I'm in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by wild and hostile animals, hungry, lit only by the dim flame of a bonfire! I did not find any shelter! I don't feel safe enough to sleep!
Today, during the day, I saw human skeletons lying near their former belongings: Apparently I'm not the first person to be here and, if I'm not careful, I'll be dead soon!
I think about the worries I had a few hours ago and they seem laughable on the light of this new situation. When I was still at home, I said I was afraid of starving ... Now I see how blasphemous this statement was! When we're in civilization, there's always a way! But now I'm alone in the wild, and the threat of starvation and other deadly hazards exist in a real, brutal and immediate way.
Earlier today I examined a red berries bush. I pondered if they would be fit for human consumption, if they were or not poisonous or hallucinogenic. Unfortunately, I couldn't identify their species, and I felt sorry for not having a lab mouse to try them. Before I could take any decision, a huge bird, similar to a turkey but as big as a man, showed up and ate all that bush's berries with an impressive speed. I ran after it, but it was exceptionally agile! It escaped from me, and then proceeded to go to after other bushes loaded with berries to fill its seemingly bottomless stomach.
Well, at least now I know those berries are edible. And I sincerely hope this damn bird is too.
Then I felt a terrific thirst. I had to drink from a small but deep water pond, although I could see dozens of frog eggs floating on it. I drank it in my cupped hands while trying to not think about the possible microorganisms that were going down my throat along with the liquid.
I don't know exactly what day it is. I lost track of time when I was locked up in my shack, working. I just remember the year. I think I should count the passing days while I'm here.
I feel like writing about my life before coming to this place. Thinking about home will certainly help me to endure the pain of being forced to live as in the Neolithic period.
Anyway, maybe I'll die soon, that's the ugly truth, and I think it would be good to re-evaluate my life before I am forced to leave it.