Bobby Lost in Time

By Alex O'Neill

Eight-year-old Bobby and his stuffed pterosaur, Tara, go with Bobby’s paleontologist parents to check out unearthed dinosaur bones in China. Bobby leaves camp secretly to explore, but is soon lost among the sand dunes. Frightened, tired and thirsty, he spots a light that transports the duo to prehistoric times. Bobby is scared witless when Tara starts growing in his arms and becomes a real-life flying reptile that can talk. Bobby and Tara's survival skills are tested repeatedly as predators try to make the duo their next meal. After months of a roller coaster of emotional highs and lows, Bobby returns to China with Tara – who shrinks back to a stuffed toy. No one believes Bobby’s story; not even his parents. Then, as a life-taking sandstorm dies down, the time-tunnel reappears, and a group of paleontologists can experience first-hand a world previously only known through old bones. Bobby and his family, along with other dinosaur experts, move from cave-to-cave, with just their wits to keep them alive, day and night. Will it ever be possible to return to China? Will everyone get back alive?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Katharina Böckler
• Release date: Jun 13, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301270996

Book preview

BOBBY LOST IN TIME

by

Alex O'Neill

Published by Katharina Boeckler at Smashwords

Copyright 2012 Alex O'Neill

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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I DEDICATE THIS BOOK TO MY MOTHER

WHO NEVER STOPPED HAVING FAITH

IN MY ABILITY TO WRITE

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Into the Unknown

Chapter 2 An Unlikely Friend

Chapter 3 Too Close for Comfort

Chapter 4 Human Footprints

Chapter 5 Disbelief

Chapter 6 Up, Up and Away

Chapter 7 An Inferno

Chapter 8 Woolly Mammoths!

Chapter 9 Trapped in Time

Chapter 10 The Hunter Becomes the Hunted

Chapter 11 The Ultimate Sacrifice

Chapter 12 A Chinese CliffHanger

Chapter 1

INTO THE UNKNOWN

The way the sand dunes rolled along reminded Bobby of the high seas; no two alike and endless as far as the eye could see. Bobby was finding it hard to breathe. It had to be nudging a hundred degrees in the shade, if there was any shade in the Gurbantunggut Desert.

The Groce family and their group were traveling in a convoy of Land Rovers to a new excavation site. Dinosaur bones found by a Chinese expert in fossil animals and plants had caused international excitement. Larry Groce was a renowned authority in this field, and he lectured all over the world on prehistoric life forms. His group would help identify the type and age of the different bones unearthed.

Larry’s wife Sarah was tops in carbon dating, and could work out how old a fossil was by measuring its Radioactive Carbon 14 content. This made her an invaluable group member. She was also the mother of their eight-year-old son, Bobby, who always accompanied his parents on their trips.

Bobby sat on the backseat, resting his head on his Mom’s shoulder. As the four-by-four bounced along Bobby asked, How much longer before we get there?

His Mom answered, Not long, honey.

Do you think there will be boys my age to play with?

Smiling down at her son, she replied, I don’t know, honey, but I hope so.

Sarah leaned over and kissed Bobby’s forehead.

Bobby lay there, clutching the stuffed pterosaur his grandma Tara had made for him as she waited at the hospital for his birth. When Tara died a few years later, Bobby renamed his pterosaur in his grandma's memory.

Tara, the pterosaur, went everywhere with Bobby; many times, she was the only buddy Bobby had on these adventures. Even when Bobby was in a place where there were children his age, Tara was his best friend.

Bobby’s parents tried to include him in their work by asking him questions about bones and procedures. They were proud of Bobby’s understanding of what they did, and they bragged of his knowledge to those they met on their travels. This made Bobby try harder to please them.

Something caught Bobby’s attention. He looked out of the window. He saw a camel spider, leaping into the air; it must have jumped four feet. But why? Bobby spotted what had alarmed it. A rattlesnake was nearby; coiled, except for the forward part of its body. Bobby imagined the rattler making its trademark noise; Gurbantunggut's gusting winds made it impossible to open the window and listen, for fear of sand pouring in.

It was the first movement Bobby had seen in the desert since leaving Urumqi.

As they pulled into the camp, a large crowd gathered to greet the new arrivals exiting their four-wheel drives. Now standing in the sun, Bobby was oblivious to all the shouts of ‘hi’ and ‘welcome’ as he looked for children his own age. A disappointed Bobby couldn’t see any.

Startled by a hand placed on his shoulder, Bobby turned to find Martha behind him. Martha was Bobby's tutor and always accompanied him. She announced with a smile, It looks as if it’s only you and I on this trip, kiddo!

Bobby didn’t mind. Martha made learning fun; however, she wouldn't leave camp to join in Bobby's treasure hunts, or to play pirates, as he loved to do.

Martha told Bobby he ought to take a nap. Not tired, he decided to do some exploring instead! He hoped he and Tara could discover something no one else had found.

Bobby knew he shouldn’t venture out when staying at archaeological sites with his parents. However, because he never considered himself alone as long as Tara was with him, Bobby often did go beyond the site perimeter. But never so far that the camp was out of sight.

As Bobby climbed one sand dune after another, he held Tara over his head and swung her around as if she was flying. Bobby shouted, Let’s find a tasty treat for you to eat, WHEEEEEEEEEE!

He ran tirelessly over more sand dunes, effortlessly at first, they being only 10 feet high. Much smaller than the dunes Bobby had known when he went with his parents to Egypt on an earlier expedition.

Bobby had so much fun he didn’t notice the time passing, and more importantly the direction from camp he had been traveling in.

At the height of summer, the sun didn’t rise in this part of northwest China until 9am, but it remained light until midnight. Now, early winter, the sun sets rapidly, and much sooner in the day. Feeling the cold setting in, Bobby stopped running and looked around frantically.

There was sand, everywhere.

Bobby hadn’t a clue which direction he had come from.

He climbed to the top of a sand dune a bit higher than the others for a better look; whichever way he turned there was no sign of life.

Tears started running down Bobby’s cheeks; he was lost.

Bobby cupped his hands around his mouth like a funnel and yelled as loud as he could, MOMMY! DADDY! WHERE ARE YOU?

There was no answer.

Bobby turned and shouted for his parents every way he could see, going full circle. As he realized no one could hear him, Bobby wiped the tears from his eyes and cheeks with the back of his hand.

Holding Tara out in front of him, he told her, We’ve got to be brave because we’re lost. I wish you could fly and take us home, but I’ll keep you safe until we find Mom and Dad.

Tucking Tara under his arm, Bobby picked a direction and started walking.

The dark enveloped him, and he had difficulty in seeing the sand more than a few feet ahead. Bobby wished the moon would break through the clouds, and allow him to view what lay around.

Every time Bobby crested a sand dune, he hoped to get a glimpse of the fire at the camp or hear someone calling his name. He was sure his parents had everyone out looking for him.

Bobby got increasingly hungry. If only he’d brought a sandwich or some fruit.

In the distance, a flicker of light appeared.

Bobby wiped his eyes, and looked again to confirm it was real.

It was!

Heading for the light, he started running as fast as his legs could carry him across the sand, knowing he had found the camp on his own. When Bobby had reached it, without any help, his parents would realize how much he was growing up. He would promise never to leave camp again on his own, and he would mean it once he felt his Mom’s arms wrapped around him. Bobby needed her to reassure him, and cast out the deep fear gripping him.

The closer Bobby got to the light, the brighter it became. Then it began to rise into the air. It couldn’t be a mirage. His Dad always told him that an optical illusion in the desert only happened during the heat of the day.

Bobby tripped over something and fell. Tara went flying. As he got to his knees, Bobby groped around for her.

He called out, as if she would answer, Tara, where are you?

He found his stuffed pterosaur. Brushing it off, Bobby exclaimed, I’m sorry, Tara. I hope I didn’t hurt you. Now on, I’ll be more careful.

Bobby got to his feet. Towering over him was a sand dune that had appeared from nowhere. A light up high was so strong it made the now visible moon seem dark. It looked as if the light was at the opening to a cave.

Bobby thought whoever was in it could help him get back to the camp. They might even have something to eat.

Holding on to Tara tight, Bobby clambered up the sand dune towards the light. As he got closer, he knew he had been right. It was shining out of a small cave. The opening was narrow, and Bobby had to keep shutting his eyes because of the brightness. Without stopping to wonder who or what might be inside, Bobby called out, Hello in there. I’m lost and need help. Can you show me the way back home?

There was no answer.

They must be asleep, decided Bobby. He would go in and wake them. Bobby lay down on his belly and crawled inside, pushing Tara along in front of him.

After several yards, Bobby could stand. He started walking, his chin resting on Tara's head. As the light continued to get stronger, Bobby's eyes began to hurt.

He noticed the cave interior was round and made of sand. Bobby wondered why it didn’t fall in on itself, as there was nothing supporting it.

Bobby knew this would interest his parents. Perhaps he could bring them here; maybe they wouldn’t be so mad at him for getting lost when they saw what he had discovered.

Even squinting now hurt his eyes, and Bobby was finding it difficult to see where he was going. Suddenly, the ground gave way under him. As Bobby fell, he screamed as loud as he could.

Filling his lungs to yell again, Bobby was dumbstruck when Tara began to move in his arms. Moments later, Tara tore herself away from his grip, and Bobby sensed she was floating in front of him, growing in shape and size.

Bobby couldn’t understand what was happening. He feared he was going to hit the ground any moment but when he looked down, he could see nothing. All was white.

A giant whoosh of air knocked Bobby sideways.

Tara was an enormous pterosaur, small in body, but with a long neck and large head, and hair-covered wings. Bobby’s jaw dropped as Tara turned towards him and screeched loudly.

Bobby froze with fear. Pterosaurs were the largest flying animals of all-time; to be near one terrified Bobby. He couldn’t remember if they were carnivores. The deep recesses of his mind told Bobby they ate fish, but he didn’t feel like risking it. Tara could be about to eat him!

Looking down again, Bobby saw the light under him softening.

For much of the fall, Bobby thought he must have been floating. It was as if an invisible brake was trying to defy gravity. Now, however, as the ground became visible, Bobby realized he was traveling at speed. The air rushed through his hair, his face felt a bit like an umbrella blown inside out by the wind.

Closing his eyes tight, Bobby gasped and then hit dirt. He lay still, wondering if this was how it felt to be dead because there was no pain.

Bobby remembered Tara. What had happened to her, had it all been a strange dream?

Chapter 2

AN UNLIKELY FRIEND

Bobby could feel warm air flowing over him. He was alive!

Bobby opened his eyes and he saw a blue sky, lit up by a full moon. Strange-looking trees towered over him.

He sat up, slowly and carefully. No broken bones; indeed, he appeared unhurt. That puzzled Bobby. Why wasn’t he dead after such a long fall on to rock hard ground?

Bobby looked around. Where was Tara? Nowhere!

Had Tara really turned into a live, full-size pterosaur? He could be hallucinating or having a terrible dream. Bobby doubted that; he had never experienced a dream this real before.

Getting to his feet, Bobby could see a wide river, and grassland beyond. On the far side of the water, there was a mountain with smoke coming out of its top: a volcano. Where was he?

The answer could wait. Bobby's priority was to find Tara.

Walking around, he passed