The Apolyton News & Observer

[Grandpa Troll]

Hi!

I am Grover Townsend, a real go getter of a news hound!


I have recently joined the Apolyton News and Observer and have been assigned to report on the happenings.."Behind the scenes"

I am awaiting my travel bureau to bring me my tickets and itinerary.

You see, I am going to attempt to bring you the story of what is going on with a new world growing up. I have heard there will be some strife and yes some pain.

I am eager and yet inquisitive, how the average worker feels about taxes and even life within a countries plight. I will bring cross cultural happenings as well as follow units into war.

Now, I must go and pack. I am suppossed to have a few other correspondents around that I will liason with and exchange information about other countries.

I hope my boss gives me the green light and doesnt impede journalism reporting on reality!

Until then

Grover Townsend

The Apolyton News and Observer

[Paddy]

go hard Grover

[SKILORD]

You ripped off the Raleigh Paper.

((you guys get it down there? In the greensboro its bloody hard to find, of course I can't really afford a paper anymore so I am reduced to watching CNN and getting the news from the internet.))

[Grandpa Troll]

Originally posted by SKILORD
You ripped off the Raleigh Paper.

((you guys get it down there? In the greensboro its bloody hard to find, of course I can't really afford a paper anymore so I am reduced to watching CNN and getting the news from the internet.))

I get the Jacksonville Daily News as for the News and Observer (I think thats the Raleigh papers name??)

I read sometimes



I should have called my character Peter Von Der Plagirizer..


I am at work but will get back soon and started, hopefully this evening!


Just let me know early any feedback!

Meanwhile, Grover shall pack!

Gramps

[marcuspeddle]

Sounds like it'll be fun. I'm looking forward to reading.

[Grandpa Troll]

Chapter One: My trip begins

I got my traveling orders or as the Boss said with his smelly stogie, my “Itinerary”!

I had packed a sufficient amount of clothes to last about a month. I figured what the heck, I’ll be back soon enough or maybe pick up some clothes along the way.

I stepped back from my cubical smiled at the Boss whom stared and slapped Mary his secretary on the shoulder. He bellowed to the half dozen or so in the left in the office “There goes my Ace Time Traveler” and laughed almost choking on his half ate Steak and Cheese sub.

I pondered the remark “Time Traveler” but gaffed it off as some sort of inside joke I was not privy to. I shrugged my shoulders and walked into the elevator. When I opened the Itinerary I felt some vertigo set in and tunnel vision took over as I felt my knees give way. Darkness overcame me.

Whistling seemed to awaken me from my hangover. Hangover? I hadn’t drunk and wait, what is going on? I looked around and found myself in a wooded area. Very strange as I focused on the whistling. I stood and saw I was not in my Khakis and button down denim shirt but some sort of layered animal skin. Animal skin? What was going on? I looked and saw a small amount of smoke just over the Horizon. I focused as the whistling became louder and the smell of the smoke was that of sweet incense filled my nostrils. I heard a voice of a working man in his mid 30’s welcome me into the small encampment.

“Howdy stranger! You look lost, hungry or thirsty are you?” He motioned me close.

I heard my voice speak German, I didn’t speak German but I certainly was now. I suddenly felt hunger and approached the small site when all of a sudden a man, Burly and very rugged jumped at me with a lunge and shoved me backward asking if I was armed and did I intend harm?

“No, I am well lost” not sure what was going on I didn’t want to alarm him until I figured if this was a joke or a dream.

“Ok, because we welcome you as a friend but not as a foe. Animals and some barbarian tracks have been seen. Visigoths roam the hills and they are murderous villains. Keep an eye out” stated the Burly one.

I sat and ate some meat and drank some wine, not the sort I was used to, and no this was richer, thicker and left a taste in your mouth. This was not bad. I was getting my bearings and asked where I was.

“Friend” stated the man in his 30’s”You are in Berlin. We have more cities, I suggest you rest this day and tomorrow you can travel to another settlement and get to know our people. We are the Germans. “

I searched and saw I had no visible means of surviving so I assessed I would be better off taking this very slow.


I remembered a voice in my head saying “Time Traveler” but couldn’t link how I got from there to here. Where was this place? Only time will tell. I noticed the suns glow disappear and followed the men to a hut where we would rest this evening.

“We have a big day tomorrow, friend, you should rest now you look beat” offered the Burly one.

[Grandpa Troll]

Chapter Two: I am enlightened

Wake up…Wake up..Wake up..as my slumber is disturbed by my new acquaintance from yesterday. I wipe the sleep from my eyes and focus.

“Friend, get up and join the workers headed for the hills” states the worker in his 30’s.

I watch as a small gathering around the early morning fire eats and motions me closer. I walk up and am greeted by a teenager who offers some fruit from a nearby glen.

“Take some and follow us friend” he states.

I finish eating a small amount, about half a pint’ worth. I was down to the last when we left. I ask the group about the surrounding territory and how they survive.

The teen responds, “We have started to build a small community of villages. We are training some men to defend us. They have explored and found we have many treasures and natural resources. We are on the way to gather wheat and help to make food to store. We have also found ore to make weapons to defend our hamlet.”

I ask what year it is, and responses are but a quizzical facial expression.

“What year does this mean, friend?” asks the man in his mid 30’s.
I wave off the request as gibberish and follow as we approach a settlement known as Leipzig. Much activity is there and I am allowed to have my way and will as the workers join three others in the farmland. I notice some peeled bark and decide to find someway of keeping a sort of basic diary. I watch all day and make my way through he wooded area that has been logged, although primitively, to a settlement known as Konisberg.

The Burly man from yesterday motions to me to get down and hide behind a tree that has fallen. This tree was huge and had a hollowed out section, which I slipped into, ever so quietly. From what seemed like out of nowhere, three huge barbaric looking individuals surrounded my Burly acquaintance. He shouted at them “Visigoth barbarians, prepare for death and then with a sharp swipe he cut the arms off the first and before I could react he fell the remaining two.

“You can come now friend, they are dead” he smiled, covered in blood on his right side from the victims.

“I am impressed and thanks for looking out for me great warrior” I compliment him and make a mental note to watch more carefully next time.

I meet up with another warrior whom I am introduced to and we stop to eat. I ask him how far he has traveled.

“I have been to a great sea to the south and my brother tells me it connects to the south and we have fish to catch and water we can use to help our settlements.” He offers.

I am overwhelmed by the urge to travel and seek permission from the burly one. He tells me he is not my master and will allow me the use of a warrior to protect me since I offer no immediate danger to any German citizen.

I now will rest as the sun goes down and we sit around a fire, I hear tales of the traveler’s exploits.

“How many settlements are there of Germany?” I enquire.

Many murmur and offer what is determined to be 5 settlements. I ask if other countries are near. No one responds as any knowledge of such existence.

I retire with visions of amazing things I have experienced and seen.

I ask myself how I got here, whatever this place is. I lie down on an animal skin rug and slowly descend into a deep sleep. Visions from the previous days slip past me and like a heavy rug of fog I seemingly tumble through a great expanse.

“Are you ok Grover” I hear a somewhat familiar voice. I struggle to awaken and then I see my Boss standing beside me in the elevator.

“Wow, Boss strange dream. I was leaving on assign…” when he cut me off. He told me that he had a way to send me through time. He went into how he wanted to know the way certain civilization came to be and we stopped off at the 3rd floor and went into a vacant office and I began to type my experiences. My Boss told me next I went back would be different and I would have much more to report.

[Paddy]

bring it on old chap

[marcuspeddle]

Wow. Great reading so far. Nice idea.

[SKILORD]

It is awesome, except for the exposition at the end of the last bit, that isn't quite as awesome as it is a little rushed and forced-seeming. The rest of it does rock.

[Grandpa Troll]

This happens when (wannabe.writer.NOT ) X longer.hours/inability.2.think=attempt.fatal.crash.story



Ok..Point taken and will apply to following chapters as they unfold



Who sez ya cant beat a J@ck@$$ into a writer

Thanks

Gramps "Needs to return to work"Troll

[Grandpa Troll]

Originally posted by SKILORD
It is awesome, except for the exposition at the end of the last bit, that isn't quite as awesome as it is a little rushed and forced-seeming. The rest of it does rock.

Oh yeah..whats an exposition?



Gramps

[SKILORD]

Ahem:

discourse or an example of it designed to convey information or explain what is difficult to understand

http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary

[Grandpa Troll]

Originally posted by SKILORD
Ahem:



http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary

I Knew it wasnt something easy

[Grandpa Troll]

Chapter Three: Reporting to Labor Camp 101

My life seems to have been consumed with day to day trivial story gathering, political ambitions gone awry, financial ruination abound, pain, passion and pleasure overflow from every available cup! I am always amazed when what once was will never be again. I remember hearing my grandfather saying; “Son, like the sands of an hour glass, these are the days of our lives.” And then a more famous artist coined the phrase so eloquently in the lyrics, “Stay right here, for these are the good old days!” I could imagine doing anything else for a living than being a reporter. I love detective work and well, searching for the truth is like searching for the “One True Side” of a Pentagon, although many sides, perspective is placed solely on the shoulder of the one whose eyes we visualize events through.

This is the day we have our staff meeting and we are putting together a piece for a tribute to the Russian people. We have many families here that originated from Russia or perhaps emigrated may be a better word. I have been told that even the term “Exiled” could be applied as the winds of a storm change the landscape, so do the winds of a political upheaval change the landscape of humanity. Amazing how one day you’re the bug and another the windshield. Then your passage through the portal of time becomes complete and your not ever thought of again. Or are you? I remember meeting some hard workers on my, and I should not laugh, but what I refer to as “Grover Townsend’s excellent adventure”. What if they hadn’t been so committed, what would have become of Germany? I do often wonder where they and there families are now. Perhaps I will find out one day. ~Sigh~ Oh well, now to get on with our focus study, Russia.

I sit a jotting note when in the boss comes. He sits down as we all face his music and marching orders of the new article or rather expose as he refers to it as. He clears his throat as he delivers his message.

“People, I want to research what role Germany played in the growth of Europe. Why did Russia have such a stronghold when Germany had such committed leaders? Germany, from what we know, had a far more committed workforce in its primitive beginnings…” I drifted to my memories of what I knew and thought of how hard they worked and sent forth to develop settlements and gather resources. I could feel the tunnel vision starting to overwhelm me. What was happening? I could just feel a slight fever overwhelm my body and my Boss’s voice echoing in my head to Go Deutschland Go. I became frozen yet was seemingly fully awake? Then it was still. Not a sound. No not a stir. My heartbeat increased in repetition. My mouth seemed dry and I could not swallow for I seemed held fast at the Jaws.

I keep thinking to myself I need to wake up. I feel so groggy yet my senses alert me to cool temperatures, much cooler than an office, more like a crispy fall day. Then I snap to attention as I feel a dog licking my face. It is a big dog and as my head turns I see some field workers with a look of concern as I am helped to my feet.

“Are you ok?” one of the elder ladies asks, wiping my forehead. I feel a little nausea but gather my wits and thank her for the kind gesture. She shakes her head and I ask what’s the matter? She responds by telling me I need to get back on the wagon and return to work. I am slightly puzzled until I realize I have gone back in time and now operate a horse drawn wagon. My Boss wants to know what drives Germany and Russia and how they got divvied up so, well, I’ll have to see what I can find out. One things for sure, this time, there is a lot more activity. I climb back on top of the wagon and find the reigns for the horses and follow the pathway through the woods opening up to a spacious glen. I pull up to the edge of the field and watch as the wagon is loaded down with wood. I find my way to Frankfurt and as my load is put to the hearth to help cook meals, I notice people staring toward a mountain range. I dismount and wipe the dirt from my clothes. Smoke is engulfing the top, which is partly shrouded in fog. Then I notice people hauling their belongings in a fleeing mode away from the foot of this mountain.

I hear the voice of a male, most certainly in control of something, “You, wagon master, bring your team of horses around and we will load grain for the people fleeing from the Bavarian Beast” he chuckles ever so slightly. I ask what he means and he snaps at me “Are you the village idiot? Do you not remember the tales of the Bavarian Beast”, pausing and motioning to the volcano belching ever so slightly, “it doesn’t want us encroaching on its doorstep!”

I think that maybe by not settling Eastern Europe, Germany may indeed be missing opportunities. Perhaps, even unto fearing what lies past the beast’s doorstep?

I will have to figure out why they wont simply bypass the volcano and thus claim future property claims.

This will make for great journalistic research; maybe, I can talk some settlers, somehow, someway into trekking past the fiery furnace about to spew forth fire.