As the disorientation began passing, Sam realized the loud noises were actually people yelling. Not only were there scattered groups of people yelling, it seemed that they were all roaming around a forest.
Sam further realized they were calling a girl's name.
"It doesn't look too good, does it?" a young girl, possibly in her early twenties, asked Sam as she approached from the side.
"Uh…" he said. "I wouldn't say that."
The identity-less woman sighed.
"I hope you're right," she said. "I'd hate for what I'm afraid of to happen. We do need to keep positive."
"Me too," Sam agreed. He hoped he was wrong, but he figured he didn't need Al to tell him exactly what the situation was. It was fairly obvious even without the aid of knowing the future that someone was missing.
The woman walked off and started yelling again. Sam looked around. Where ever this was, the forest was pretty dense. Sunlight barely made it through the top.
"Hey Sam," Al said from a nearby tree. "Over here." He motioned Sam to come over. Sam obeyed.
"Hey Al," Sam said. "What do you have for me?"
"Enough," Al said. "It's May 30th, 1980. As you can see, you're a volunteer with the rest of this search team."
"Who are we looking for?" Sam asked.
"Well, late last night before when you are," Al explained, "a young girl named Jenny Gates went missing in this forest while playing. The town and local police organized this search party to find her. Came together pretty quickly."
Sam sighed.
"But nothing good came of it, did it?" he asked. "Or I wouldn't be here."
"Unfortunately," Al said, "you're right. I remember hearing about this on the news back when this happened. The search party wasn't able to find her. Which was sad because she wasn't far away from where you are now."
Al paused for a moment to take a puff of his cigar.
"So I think it's fairly obvious why you're here," Al continued. "You have to make sure the rescue party finds her."
"How am I supposed to find her?" Sam asked.
"Easy," Al said. "Ziggy has the little girl's position pinpointed. All you have to do is follow me. Let's go."
Al turned and walked through a tree.
"Wait up," Sam said low enough for none of the other searchers to hear.
Sam jogged following Al jumping over a few fallen trees and limbs in the process.
"We're getting close," Al said.
As Sam followed, he began hearing quiet whimpering and crying. Seconds later, he spotted a small dirty figure sitting on a log.
"Jenny?" Sam asked. The little girl looked up and grinned happily through tears. She ran to Sam.
"That's her," Al said. "You better go tell the rest of the search party."
Sam took Jenny in his arms.
"Come on," he told her. "Let's get you back to your family."
Freezing and shaking, the little girl simply placed her head quietly on his shoulder.. It didn't take long for the trio to make it back to the rest of the search party.
"I found her!" Sam called out.
Everyone turned instantly and made their way to Sam and the girl.
"Way to go John," everyone congratulated.
"Lets get her out of here," one of the searchers said. Then he looked to the girl. "It's okay Jenny. You're safe and sound now."
Standing to the side, Al watched on as he smoked his cigar.
"Yes," he told Sam, "congratulations Sam. In the original timeline, that little girl died later on tonight. Her body was found a week later where you just found her."
Al smiled as the little girl was carried off to medical care and Sam disappeared in a blue aura.