The next chapter is here! Enjoy :)
After about another hour of walking through the woods in the dark, they finally stopped to rest.
They found a small opening among a clutter of trees next to a large boulder. The four of them sat down to finally rest their bodies from all the walking and running they did earlier.
The humans were wondering if they should bother starting a fire. They all were too exhausted to get up and collect the things they need to make a small fire.
There was a large full moon out and hardly any clouds. It gave them just enough light to see one another. Plus, they were all sitting pretty close together in a circle.
"I don't think we should bother with a fire. We're all going to be sleeping very soon." Alan said.
"Good idea." Kristin added.
"I second that." Pete said, as he made himself more comfortable leaning against the moss-covered boulder.
"This area of the woods is quite large. It would be a lot of ground for Urko and his men to cover. But once it is light, I suggest we move on." Galen stated.
"Question is, where?" Kristin asks.
"I don't think any of us are really sure yet. Just take it one day at a time. Though, when it is safe, I'd like to go back to the ship and get that magnetic disc." Alan declared.
"You really believe it will help you and Pete?" She asks.
"I like to think there is always a chance." Alan replied.
"Yeah, if you say so." Pete retorted, not believing it was possible to get back.
He already firmly believed long ago that this was home now for them.
Even Kristin was starting to believe this was it for them too. Though she tries not to think about it because it hurts too much. At this time, she rather keep her mind occupied by exploring this new world and its inhabitants.
The young woman was curious to see how humans live here. Besides the old man, Farrow, she still hasn't really seen many humans. Mainly because they were all too busy being shuffled from the council chamber to the jailhouse.
Alan didn't even reply back to his friend's retort. He just settled back against the boulder not too far from him.
Both men closed their eyes and started to relax. While Kristin and Galen just sat together in silence for a couple minutes, seemingly at a loss for words at this time.
Then a thought hit her.
She reached for the side pocket on her capris and undid the snap that held her pocket closed. Then she pulled her iPhone out and held it in front of her.
Kristin pressed the little round button in the bottom and the screen lit up with an image of some magnolia flowers on it. The flowers were taken with her camera then she downloaded some of the pics on her phone.
Seeing the bright light of the screen, is what caught Galen's attention. It was certainly very strange to him, seeing a source of light coming from the object.
"Is...that the thing from earlier from when you were in the cell?" He asks.
She gave him a small smile, "Yeah. You still want to know about it?"
Kristin swore she saw his eyes light up and he scooted closer to her. The look on his face was rather cute, he looked like a kid on Christmas.
"Of course." Galen replied.
She shuffled in a little closer until their arms were practically brushing against one another.
The young chimp watched in fascination as she touched the flat screen and saw a few things shown on the screen in front of them. The pic of the flowers in the background were very stark in contrast and clear.
"It's called an iPhone. In my time, people use it as a source of communication to talk to one another. It didn't matter how far away they were either; we'd still be able to talk." She explained.
Galen looked from her to the phone, then back to her again. He furrowed his eye ridges in confusion.
"But...how is this possible?" He asks.
"You remember how in that book you had, there were all kinds of different machinery, and it was run by humans?" She inquires.
"Yes. Are you saying...this is some other kind of machinery that humans were capable of?" He asks.
Kristin nodded, "Yeah, I come from an age that is quite technologically advanced. Humans were very well versed in science and technology. Brilliant minds were creating something new each day."
Galen nodded in understanding, though he noticed something about what she said.
"What do you mean I? What about Alan and Pete?" He asks.
"Alan and Pete are not exactly from the same time period as me. They came from the year 1980. While I came from the year 2024. There is roughly a forty-four-year time difference between them and me.
They came here in a spaceship. But...I didn't. And I'm...unsure how it is I got here to be honest. Though like Alan and Pete, I don't think I'll be able to find a way back to my time again." She said.
A small lump formed in her throat at admitting this. But she tried to push it back down and explain a little more about the piece of tech in her hand.
"That is certainly surprising, I thought, well we all thought upon bringing you in that you all came here together in that ship." He told her.
Kristin shook her head, "No, they only arrived here shortly before I did. They actually saw me arrive. Afterwards, we decided to stick together. Seeing as we were all lost in an unfamiliar place.
Which I'm grateful for. Because the last thing anyone would want is to be completely alone in an unknown place. Though...I never would've guessed that said unknown place would be in another different place and time entirely.
Still can't quite wrap my mind around it. Hell, still can't believe it's possible. But...here we are."
"I'm just sorry that upon arriving you had to endure being hunted down. I'm sure that certainly didn't help your situation." Galen replied.
"Nope, definitely not. Though I think it wasn't so much the idea of being hunted. But by who. Considering apes like you don't exist in either my timeline nor Pete or Alan's." She said.
"It's something that I can't quite grasp either. Since we were always told that apes always ruled the world since the beginning. That we were always the dominant species." He stated.
"Still, it's apparent that apes are dominant here and now. Something that doesn't seem to be changing anytime soon. Though what Alan did say in that council chamber was true." Kristin told him.
Galen tilted his head, "What part are you referring to that he said?"
Her light gaze shifted fully to him, "That all intelligent creatures should learn to work together."
In the past, the young chimp may have scoffed at such a notion. But seeing the level of intelligence and reasoning he has seen in these humans, has him wondering if the world would be better off if they all worked together.
It was a thought that has been nagging him since the three alien humans spoke at the council meeting with the council chair members. A thought he brought up with Zaius once they were alone again in his study.
Of course, when he brought it up with the old orangutan, he had a rather adverse reaction to the idea. It seemed quite clear now that Zaius possibly feared these humans.
For what they can do. What they are capable of. And what they could show the other humans here.
"I'm beginning to agree, that this could be a better option for all of us too." Galen told her.
"How...is it that you're so different from them?" She asks.
"In what way?" He inquires.
"It's just unlike them, you show a level of understanding, compassion, and open mindedness to new things." Kristin says.
"Can't say I was always like that. Only seems as of late that my views have slowly begun to change. In the beginning, I can't say I was much different from them." Galen informs her.
"Yet you show, it is possible for your kind to change. And it's a good of start as any." She tells him.
He gave her a small smile and she smiled back. There was a brief moment of silence between them, before she spoke up again.
"You see, you tap this green button right here with the odd, thin shape in it." Kristin stated, as she demonstrated by tapping the phone icon.
He watched in interest as the screen changed. Then there was what appeared to be a list of names with a series of numbers underneath them.
She proceeded to tell him they were her list of contacts. People she would talk to both regularly or from time to time. Then she taped another strange symbol near the bottom of the screen and it changed again.
This time to some sort of number pad with individual numbers on them. She stated this is how you call other numbers to places that are not in your contacts.
When you press the contact name or put in a number, you would hear a series of beeps she stated were called a dial tone. And the person on the other end would answer the call on their own phone.
Galen asked how this was accomplished.
Kristin tried to explain it as best as she could. Though it was a little challenging telling him about signals, cell towers, and satellites in space.
Though Alan and Pete who had been silently listening to the whole conversation chimed in with their own input about what they were and what their primary functions were.
Galen seemed to understand most of it. Though it was still a little hard to believe how anyone was capable of creating and distributing such things.
"Apparently her phone has many other functions to it as well, besides calling people. The other functions are quite neat too." Pete added.
The young chimp perked up again intrigued. Then he turned his attention back to the young woman seated beside him.
"You mean, there is more?" He asks.
"Yeah, you see, these other symbols stand for other various things. This green one here with the little speech balloon in it is for something called texting. It's another way to communicate.
Instead of calling, people type in messages and send them out to the other person or people instead. There are some people who prefer to utilize this variation of communication over calling." She explained.
Then she showed him how it worked. He watched as some kind of pad somewhat similar to the number keypad pop up below a blank screen up top.
This keypad had all the letters of the alphabet on it. Then when she hit a series of other buttons, it showed numbers, and other things you could add to the messages.
He got a kick out the emojis and other various pics. Practically chuckled at the shit emoji with a face.
Galen enjoyed it even more when she handed him the iPhone and let him have a turn at tapping on various letters and symbols. She almost had to conceal a chuckle at how excited he got while he tapped away at the flat screen.
'He really does have a childlike reaction at times to how things work. And it's very cute.' She thought to herself with an amused smile on her face.
"Try not to get too carried away with that. There is still more to show you." She said, with some laughter in her voice.
He turned to her with a slightly surprised look.
"You're kidding." Galen said.
"Nope, here, I'll show you." She told him, then gestured for the iPhone.
Even Alan and Pete found the young chimp's reaction to the phone's functions amusing.
Kristin must've spent the next twenty minutes or so showing him the camera, photo library, the search engines like Duck Duck Go and Google, and YouTube.
She's unsure how, but these apps still are somehow getting a signal. Perhaps from the satellites above that could still be orbiting the planet. Not to mention that the charge on her phone still was at one hundred percent for some odd reason or another.
One of the last things she showed him was the iTunes Library App. Though instead of saying anything, she tapped on a song and let it filter around the area.
Galen jumped with a slight yelp as he eyed the phone with music now coming out of it.
No one knows what it's like
To be the bad man
To be the sad man
Behind blue eyes
And no one knows what it's like
To be hated
To be fated to telling only lies
But my dreams they aren't as empty
As my conscience seems to be
I have hours, only lonely
My love is vengeance
That's never free
"That's remarkable. It...it plays music too. It almost seems like this little gadget does everything." Galen stated, in amazement.
Kristin paused the song.
"Yeah, it really does do a lot. It's all thanks to the brilliant scientists who created it. As I said earlier, humans in my time were working hard every day to make things that could improve our lives and make things more efficient for everyone. Though, it wasn't just my time. It's been that way for the last century or so. Alan and Pete could tell you that." She told him.
"Yes, it is the same in our time too. And from what Kristin has said, it looks like the improvements we made in our time must've doubled within the next few decades. Which prove men were continuing to make better and more efficient means of technology." Alan said.
"As well as more breakthroughs in modern medicines as well." She added.
Kristin really wanted to tell them that they have found cures for various cancers in her time. But it would've been hard explaining that the government tries to keep it under wraps and not share it with the rest of the nation.
A lot of it has to do with the fact that the U.S. was currently overpopulated as it was. In their view, if the cures got out, the populations would be even more out of control.
And she really didn't want to get started on the political issues they have been having that have been really throwing the nation even more off kilter within the last decade or two.
So much greed, so much corruption, it was sickening.
Kristin hardly watched the news as it was. Because all it did was show her how even more fucked up the world was becoming. How humans treat each other was appalling.
In a way, she could almost understand what Zaius meant when he pointed out how we eventually destroyed ourselves. Before the apes took over as the dominant species.
She could understand his fear in it and the possibility of it happening again if humans became more aware of what they were capable of in the past.
Yet, at the same time, how Zaius, Urko, and the others were going about it were wrong. For it was not right to keep humans on a tight leash and suppress them with all these strict socialist-like laws they have put in place for them.
"You mind playing the music again?" Galen asks, breaking her from her thoughts.
She gives him a small, lopsided smile, "Sure."
Kristin hit play again on the current song playing.
No one knows what it's like
To feel these feelings
Like I do
And I blame you (you, you, you)
No one bites back as hard
On their anger
None of my pain and woe
Can show through
But my dreams they aren't as empty
As my conscience seems to be
I have hours, only lonely
My love is vengeance
That's never free
"The lyrics sound familiar. Isn't this 'Behind Blue Eyes' by The Who?" Pete asks.
"Yeah, the song is originally by them. But this is a cover of the song by another band called Limp Bizkit. Personally, I think this version is one hundred times better than the original.
This version has much more feeling and depth to it. The lyrics reach you on a more emotional level in this version too. This version is quite popular." She informed them.
Galen listened to the lyrics. Despite the words sounding melancholic, it was a decent tune to listen too.
The song itself lasted for around three minutes, before moving onto the next song. Kristin figured she would just leave it on for a little longer. Seeing as everyone seemed to enjoy it.
The music helped ease their minds. And it was a little piece of home for the three humans.
This wouldn't be the first time she left the music running for a little while. She has done it at least once before for Pete and Alan when they requested it.
She had her old rock playlist playing for them that featured some of the greatest rock bands from the sixties, seventies, eighties, and nineties.
Kristin herself was a rock and roll girl and listened to a wide variety of rock bands both old school and new.
They must've listened to handful more songs before they called it a night. Then she turned it off and they settled down to sleep. They all stayed pretty close to one another.
Galen laid down about a couple feet across from her.
They found themselves facing one another from where they lay. The two made eye contact with one another, just silently staring at each other.
"You know, you say I'm different. But you are too." He quietly tells her.
Kristin was unsure what he meant by it though.
Different...in what way? She wonders what he meant by it.
"Hopefully, different in a good way." She lightly teased.
"Oh no, in a very odd and outlandish way." He teased back with an amused grin.
Kristin rolled her eyes.
"Anyone tell you that you say the sweetest things to women?" She joked.
"All the time. It's why I have quite the pick of dates." Galen joked back.
She let out a small, silent chuckle. And Galen's grin just widened.
He really was a sassy one, that's for sure.
Something she would continue to see the more and more she conversed with him for the next several days. After about a week, and no signs of Urko and his men, Alan decided it was safe enough to go back to the ship.
Kristin was amazed they were able to find their way back to it. But they somehow managed to do so.
The three humans entered the ship, while Galen lingered around the doorway, looking around for signs of anyone coming. Alan made a b-line to the counsel at the other side of the seats and went to work trying to open it.
"Look at that kook, he really thinks that flight record is going to get us back home." Pete says.
"How much longer?" Galen asks.
"Five, ten minutes maybe." Alan replied.
"And when are you going to give up that pipe dream?" Pete inquires.
"When I see my family." He quips, while never taking his eyes off of what he was doing.
Kristin didn't say much. She really felt bad for the guy. He was very determined to get back to his family. And she didn't have the heart at the moment to tell him otherwise. Pete really wasn't helping matters either.
"They'll be looking for us here. I'm surprised they haven't come already." Galen nervously stated, while looking around.
"It's been a week, Galen. They probably stopped looking by now." Alan told him.
"Zaius! Urko! They never stop looking. Never." He blurted out in slight frustration before leaving.
The two men shared a look. Then Pete turned around and started to head for the exit after the upset chimp.
"Wait, Pete. I got this." Kristin said, then she went out after Galen.
She stepped out of the ship and saw Galen casually sitting on the wing of the ship.
The young woman walked over and sat beside him. He was clearly upset, and it had a lot to do with the predicament they were all still currently in.
"Hey, you ok?" She asks, softly.
He sighed, and turned his gaze to meet hers, "I'm sorry. You see, I had family too. I had friends too."
Kristin reaches up and places a hand on his shoulder, "You still have friends, Galen. You have us."
Galen gave her a small smile.
"I know, it's just..." He trailed off and started looking around with a worried look.
"What's wrong?" She asks.
"Horse...horses. Only apes have horses." He said, hurriedly.
Her eyes widened and she whipped around and looked back inside the ship.
"Alan! Hurry up! We have no time! They're coming!" Kristin yelled.
Pete, turned to his friend and saw muttering something under his breath. Then with a quick twist, he was able to get the small hatch open. He then reached in and pulled out the small, magnetic disc.
"C'mon, Alan! Let's go!" Pete hastily told him, before he quickly exited the ship.
Alan didn't need to be told twice. He quickly pocketed the small disc and left. He met the rest of them right outside and they all fled back into the safety of the woods.
Not several seconds later, Urko, Zaius, and his men came riding up on their horses. They stopped right by the ship.
"See if they were here! And take care of the ship!" Zaius ordered.
The gorilla guards quickly jumped off their mounts and went to go check for any signs of the humans and chimp.
As the four ran through the woods they stopped short and rested when they heard a loud explosion behind them. It didn't take long at all to realize what had just happened.
"The ship?" Pete inquired.
Alan nodded, "Afraid so."
"Alright, Galen. Which way? It's your world." Alan added.
Galen gave him a small smile.
"It's your too." He said.
Then shifted his gaze to Kristin and Pete.
"And yours." He added.
"Alright, let's just start walking." Alan said, then got up and started walking away.
The other three followed stead and did the same and they started to head deeper into the woods.
"Almost feel like Bilbo Baggins. 'We're going on an Adventure!'." She quoted with a small chuckle.
The two men knew what she was referencing, and they too shared a small laugh.
"I don't know who this Bilbo is that you speak of. But yes, it is starting to feel like an adventure." Galen says.
"Well then, come along then, Frodo. Don't dawdle." She teased him.
The young chimp gave her a funny look when she called him 'Frodo'.
The look on his face made her laugh. And he couldn't help but laugh a little with her. In a way, he found her laugh to be contagious. As well as soft and melodic.
Even Pete and Alan couldn't keep the amused grins off their faces as they all trekked ahead.
They may have lost the ship and possibly their one-way home. Yet, they still walked on in high spirits together.
I don't own the lyrics to the song in this chapter. The lyrics 'Behind Blue Eyes' belong to the band, The Who. But the song used in this chapter was the cover song produced by Limp Bizkit.
Until Next Time ;)