Camping Adventure

"There it is!" Marshall found the North Star in the handle of the Little Dipper. He was camping with three other friends in Rocky Mountain National Park. "Just think, the light from that star started its journey three hundred twenty-three light years ago."

 "You're the physics major, not me," Maurice spoke as he stood to stretch. He lived in the same dormitory as Marshall. They both loved the outdoors, especially hiking and camping. "I'm going to my tent;  I'll see you in the morning." Maurice loved to write and was planning to write a short story about their camping adventure.

               "I'm going to call it a night as well." Mark was covered in a wool blanket, stretched out by the fire. "Do you want me to douse the fire?" He asked as he climbed to his feet. Mark attended Colorado State University, as they all did. He wanted to be a famous photographer and hiked the wilderness every chance he got. Marshall had known him since they were in the second grade.

               "No, I'll get it. I want to stay out here for a little longer. The stars a so beautiful," Marshall replied. Cities, even those as small as Fort Collins, Colorado, created so much light pollution that it was difficult to see the stars. It was the study of stars that introduced Marshall to physics.

               "Those two don't appreciate science the way we do," Mac commented. Mac's real name was Sean McLeod but everyone called him Mac. Mac hoped to get a biology degree then enter Medical School.

               Marshall appreciated biology, but he thought physicists were the only true scientists. Physics held all the secrets to the universe. Mac was in Marshall's physics class.

 "Are you ready for the physics final?" Mac asked. The final was three weeks away but as a pre-med student, Mac was concerned about all his tests.  

 "I guess. I mean I know that I'll answer all the questions but I don't truly understand the Theory of Relativity." Marshall hadn't been able to find anyone who could explain the famous theory in terms that he could understand.

 "You don't have to understand it. You just have to know how to do the calculations properly and get the right answers. In a few years, you can go to graduate school and study the theory to your heart's content." Mac stood, "I'll put out the fire, both of us should get some sleep."

               The fire sizzled when Mac poured water over the hot coals.

 "I'll see you in the morning. I want to enjoy the stars a little longer." Marshall returned his gaze to Polaris, the North Star, and Ursa Minor.

 "If I traveled at the speed of light, it would take me three hundred twenty-three years to reach that star, but that's Earth time. My time spent traveling would be much less while I'm traveling." Marshall thought of the one question that he wished he could answer. "Is it possible to fly faster than the speed of light?" The North Star didn't answer.

               A meteor must have fallen from the Ursa Minor constellation. "I wish I had more answers," Marshall instinctively wished on the falling star. "Maybe I should take Mac's advice and just concentrate on getting a good grade."

A flash of light appeared through the trees, then three bears walked towards a petrified Marshall. 

 "We can show you the answers, but you have to come with us." One of the bears spoke and it sounded like English.

 Marshall finally got his hands on his can of bear spray and fumbled to take off the lid. His finger was on the trigger when the second bear put his face inches from Marshall's. Wait it wasn't a bear; the face looked human.

               "Are you half man and half bear?" Marshall asked, his finger was still on the trigger of the bear spray.

               "Don't be silly. We don't live on Earth. We are from the seventh planet that orbits the sun. You call that sun Polaris." The second bear-man answered.

               The third bear-man continued, "Come with us."

 Briefly, Marshall thought he could run, but he remembered that bears were faster than Humans. Then he thought of his three friends sleeping peacefully in their tents. They would be helpless against the bear-men. That thought was followed by a different one, what if these beings were really from another planet?  He wouldn't turn down the chance of a lifetime. "Lead the way," Marshall concurred.

Marshall saw a large metal disc hovering above the trees. A blue light was beaming down from a hole in the bottom of the disc. The bear-men stepped into the light and Marshall followed.

               The sensation of being inside a vacuum cleaner hose was brief. In less than a minute. Marshall was inside a chamber filled with blinking instruments.

               "We are about to lift-off," a forth bear-man informed them.

 The bear-man number one shoved Marshall into a chair so he could secure him with a shoulder and lap belt. "The lift-off will be a little bumpy but nothing compared to ride when we switch to faster than light travel. That is downright uncomfortable. I'm called Burma and I'm happy to have you aboard."

 "Ready," Burma told the others.

 Marshall thought lift-off was rough until they switched to full power. That was horrid. After a few seconds, the space ship settled down to a smooth ride. 

               "How is it possible to travel faster than the speed of light?" Marshall asked. "I thought the immense weight of a ship and its inhabitants would make this high speed impossible."

               Bear-man number two answered, "My name is Basco. I'll give you two things to think about. First, the weight of something depends on the gravitational forces surrounding it. There is no gravity in space. Gravity only exists between two objects. Our space ship is traveling alone so we are immune to gravity until we come upon another object. The second thing I want you to think about is the nature of space itself. We have learned to fold space, much like you would fold a piece of cloth. Because of this folding, we are not traveling the same distance as a ray of light."

               The third bear-man interrupted. "We have reached our first destination. Planet M is on the screen for viewing." He looked at Marshal and said, "My name is Bozz and I chose this planet for you to observe."

 A lush green planet filled the screen. The forth bear-man continued the narrative. "My name is Sid, and I'll tell you what happened on Planet M. This planet was filled with intelligent life until a deadly plague started infecting the population. The leaders of M made a difficult choice and let the infection ravish the population. now there are only a few intelligent being left. On the screen, you will see a small group. No one else is left on planet M."

               Burma said, "prepare to visit Planet V."

               Marshall blinked and another planet filled the screen. This planet looked as if it had been destroyed by fire.

               Sid continued, "Planet V also faced a worldwide infection. Knowing the history of Planet M, the leaders ordered all inhabitants to stay indoors and avoid contact. This worked for a short while, but the residents became restless. They started leaving their homes and attacking each other. They fought and killed for food and water. Sometimes they just fought and killed to relieve the boredom. Only a few inhabitants are left and they are at war."

               Burma said, "Planet S is next."

 When Planet S came on the screen Marshall saw explosions and fires. Sid explained, "This planet wasn't destroyed by disease but by overcrowding. The inhabitants constantly fought, using weapons that became more deadly each generation. Eventually, a nuclear war ruined the planet. The inhabitants have mutated beyond recognition."

 Burma said, "Each one of these planets is inhabited by our race."

 Marshall was stunned. After a few minutes, he asked, "Is there no hope? Could you turn back time and correct the mistakes?"

               Burma answered. "That is the reason we invited you to join us. We know how to fold space but we can't fold time. We need to find someone with new ideas and a willingness to try new things. Please join us in our quest."

 Marshall was overwhelmed, "Let me go back to Earth and finish my studies. I might be more helpful when I know more." Then as an afterthought, he added, "I need to tell my friends and family goodbye. I might not see them again."

               The bear-men exchanged a silent glance. "Prepare to return to Earth."

Marshall walked into the clearing where he and his friends pitched their tents. His friends weren't there.

               "Hello! Excuse me!" Marshall called out to a woman carrying a bucket of water. "Have you seen three guys? They were camping in this spot."

               "I'm camping here with my family. No one else has been to this campsite." The woman replied.

 "How long have you been here, maybe they just left," Marshall spoke to her retreating back.

               "We've been here all week. I haven't seen anyone else." The woman sounded irritated.

 Marshall's phone had gone dead during his adventure but he checked it again anyway. The screen was dark. He started walking to the Park Ranger's station. Luckily there was a ranger inside. At first, Marshall wasn't sure the man was a park ranger because his uniform was different, but his name tag read "Park Services." The rangers probably had lots of different uniforms.

 "Could I use your phone? I need to make a call and my phone has died."

               "Sure, mine is fully charged." The ranger handed Marshall his phone.

               Marshall called Mac, there was no answer.

               Marshall called Mark, there was no answer.

               Marshall called Maurice, there was no answer.

               Marshall called his parents, there was no answer.

               Marshall called his physics professor, there was no answer.

               He turned to return the phone and noticed the date. It was sixty years in the future.

 "Um, do you mind if I use your phone to do a little research. My friends aren't answering their phones." Marshall couldn't think of a better excuse but the ranger didn't seem to mind.

               "Sure, have a chair." The ranger indicated an empty chair.

 First Marshall looked up Mac. He found Sean McLeod, who became a pathologist forty-five years ago. Marshall read his biography. "I was going to be a plastic surgeon but changed my mind after going camping with some friends. One of the friends vanished without a trace and I knew I had to help investigate unsolved crimes. I still wonder what made him disappear."

               Marshall found Mark. "I decided to photograph crime scenes after a friend disappeared.  We were camping he just vanished. My work takes me all over the world into dangerous situations. I love the excitement and helping others find closure. After losing my friend, I realize how important closure can be."

 Maurice also had a biography. "I started writing true crime novels after a friend disappeared. The Unusual thing about his disappearance is that it happened on a camping trip. There were four of us. Three, including myself and the guy that disappeared. The three of us didn't see or hear anything unusual and there were no traces of wild animals. There were no signs of a struggle. I have to accept the possibility that we will never know what happened."

               Finally, Marshall looked up his parents. They both died ten years ago. "I'm just glad that we had each other. If I hadn't had the loving support of my husband I would have lost my mind years ago." His mother claimed in an interview from twenty years ago.

 "My wife has been my rock through our ordeal." His father said in the same interview. "We pray for Marshall every day."

               Marshall gave the phone back to the ranger.

               "Did you find someone to come and get you?" The ranger asked. "Do you want me to call the police so they can take you to a shelter?"

               "No, I think I found my ride. Thank you." Marshal answered and left the station.

               Walking back to the campsite, Marshall thought about the theory of relativity. Time was affected by the speed you were traveling. He just experienced the phenomena.

               It was dark enough to see the stars. He stopped at the edge of the campground and looked at the constellations. 

               "There it is. The little dipper and the North Star are right where they have always been." He told himself as he looked to the sky. "I'm sorry that my parents worried about me until they died." A shooting star appeared from Ursa Minor. "I wish I could change time and explain what happened so my family and friends worry." He thought he saw a flash of light through the trees.