《Grelatin》 Chapter I: Time Travel The forgotten age of human civilization, the era that produced daredevils - the First Era of the mightiest monster hunters that dares to play with their lives against gargantuan monstrosities, complete maniacs that don''t fear anything but the cold and the impossible. I, Devian Portland, a sacrifi- I mean, a paid volunteer, an ordinary man who works as a pamphlet distributor, was chosen from the New Mars to travel back into the time by testing the latest Machine that Humanity developed. The Gates of Abra. A highly secretive time machine prototype that allows one to disrupt timelines by traveling into the past. And by testing, if it''s stable for use, I was chosen as a guinea pig and time-travel back to the stone age, to the age where my death is guaranteed. Since I was born without parents and no one especially cared for me. Hmpf-! Such drama is for the weak. That is fine, lonely or not, at the very least, I enjoyed the world, right?! I had friends, experienced the Game mart, and loved someone. And I''d hoped to not suffer any longer from trying to survive in that cruel world, even if it means to get eaten by a Tyrannosaurus Rex! ... It was supposed to be like that. But how come. "Six... Meters? No, maybe ten?" There''re dragons? *ROOOOAR!!!* These are not velociraptors or any dinosaurs known to be causing havoc in the skies, that is sure. "Sir, you''re rude. Your saliva is all over my clothes." How do I know? I know a little bit of knowledge of my world. Since when did a raptor breathe flames and grew armor-like scales and horns? "Dos Melocros Norva!" Never in the history of the world, alright? "D-Dear god. You can speak, too." Oh, and If I am missing out on the most recent archeological discoveries in the Earth. I''d be damned. Maybe one of them is a fire breathing dragon? Perhaps..? Well, I am certain Dinosaurs don''t breathe fire. Unless they''re the raptors? You know, the one that goes boom boom and pew pew while on hypersonic? "Uhh, s-sir, since you speak. Can you tone it down please?" So how did this happen? "H-Hold up. W-Why are you closing in..!?" *ROOOOOOOOOOAAAAR!!!!* "Oh my god, that''s some nice loud roar. You''d beat Simba anytime brother." It all happened one hour ago.
"Okay, sir, breath in and out-! HUFF!" The guy who was fixing my oxygen mask said as he chambered it tight. "Can you breathe properly?" "Just so-so." I replied as I took a deep breath. He then gave a thumbs up towards the viewing deck. "The guy''s all clear and ready for portation." If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. "Alright, make clear of the Gate of Abra antechamber, we''ll begin the initialization briefly." The Operator from the viewing deck said onto the personnel around the shuttle. Alright. Today''s the day I make the history for myself. I''ll be running past, alright. "I''m sure we''ve trained you to handle the spacequakes, Mr. Devian. There is no need to be nervous." The Operator said nonchalantly after seeing my shaking figure. Spacequakes. The oddity of the wormhole. I''ve heard from the people within this bunker that the spacequakes were the ones responsible for turning a person into gelatin. Though the shuttle''s hull of the Gates of Abra will be protecting me from them, I''m not entirely sure I''ll manage to stay awake for the whole journey due to the intensity of their magnitude. ...Haaah, I can''t tell them that I''m nervous. I have to remain calm and positive for this travel. This is my only way out of that Phamplet distributor job! "... I am not." I replied with a smile. "I am just hoping that I won''t get to meet a Rex after the portal." The Operator smiled upon hearing my words. "We kindly do hope too, sir. We wouldn''t want the first person to travel back in time die before he comes back, am I not right?" "At the very least, I agree. But when I do come back, I don''t want my bust displayed like Armstrong." I chuckled. "Perhaps a plague would do." "Right. Your pulse indicates that you''re ready for the travel. But for the best of the results, we''ll have you sleep throughout the traveling phase." "We hope that you last enough days for your return warp. The firearms we''ve given to you should last long enough for the three weeks delay." "I hope so." I gave out a dry laugh as I watch myself dragged inside the shuttle. Seeing my entire person calm and quiet, the Operator soon spoke on the mic. "We''re initializing the launch sequence in 5 seconds-" "Wait!" I shouted. Stopping the initialization and aggravating all of the attention in the room. "Mr. Devian, what is the reason of your unnecessary behavior?" The Operator said in a displeasing tone. "We''re about to initiate the launch, if you''re troubled about something, please hurry up and tell us what you need!" I nodded and pointed to the storage compartment of the shuttle. "Is it full of Twinkles and Cola?" "..." Silence fell into both the Operators and the soldiers in the room, seemingly annoyed by my odd request. I guess it is up to me to break the silence? "I''m not going anywhere without my twinkles and cola-" "We cannot put Cola. We''ve put other things that you might need such as, ammunitions and portable camp kit, so there is not much room left. And didn''t we told you that pressurized necessities would explode inside the wormhole?" The Operator said abruptly with a displeasing tone. "Please tell us what you need so we can resume the initialization." "How about Mountain Juice?" "Sir, we''ve already told you that you cannot take pressurized necessities." "Dr.Pops?" "Please choose another." "How about Branch Beer?" "Do I have to go through my words again?" "Uhh, how about Pocawi?" "Mr. Devian, we''ve told you numerous times that you cannot bring any pressurized necessities into the wormhole drive! If it explodes, who would bring you back to this timeline!? Not to mention the chances of it affecting you!" The Operator shouted angrily. "Please understand that we''re doing this for your safety!" "... Oh. Okay. I''m sorry." I subconsciously said. "Right... I suppose you don''t need anything else other than additional FTTB* bottles of water?" "Hmm. Can I have a pack of Twinkles?" "Sir-..." The Operator sighed in disbelief. "Alright, ignore him. Orders are orders, initialize the launch sequence." "Yes, ma''am!" The sound of the shuttle''s jet thrusters resounded as I stared hopelessly. "This is cruel. You''re going to ignore a dying man''s wish!?" "Hey! I said I am not leaving without my Twinkles!" I shouted angrily as I forced myself free from the shuttle''s safety belts. "I need just one Twinkles!" "Please!!!" "Gates of Abra opening in a count of 5." "Damn, if I can''t have Twinkles. Can I have a box of doughnuts instead?!" "4..." "Seriously? Not even a box of doughnuts would do?" "3..." "Are you kidding me!? How about Sneakers? They''re important!" "2..." "Really? No response? Absolutely, unbelievable!" "1..." "You guys are a load of scums." The sound of mechanical pistons at work resounded loudly into my ears as it formed a portal-like frame, a few kilometers from me. Then within the frame appeared a fantasy-like blackhole. "Launch Drive initialized, activating Shuttle thrusters! Have a safe trip, Mr. Devian. We''re expecting for your return." The Operator waved as she watched me zoom into the portal. WHOOOOOOOOOOSH!!! "Wa- Wait. My damned sneakers-" BOOOM! The sound of the shuttle entering hypersonic resounded through the chamber, I was left clattering with my teeth as I enjoyed the thrilling ride. "OH, DEAR GOD!" "THIS IS NOWHERE NEAR THE SIMULATION!!!!!" I clenched my teeth as I enter an unknown realm full of mesmerizing patterns. The pressure was high, my ears deafened, and everything was shaking. The reinforced hull was creaking loudly as if, it''ll get crushed by the pressure at any moment now. "I SWEAR I''LL HAVE MY DOUGHNUTS WHEN I COME BACK!" My consciousness slowly fades upon the injection of some sort of anesthesia in my arm. The sounds of spacequakes hitting the hull of the shuttle quieted every second. Everything was black. It was peaceful and aught of comfort. No shaking, no feeling of being washed inside a washing machine, until then, I was asleep. I didn''t realize that dreams could turn out to be real. But I kept my mouth shut and forget all of that dream. "Save me." It was an odd dream about a woman appearing before me, standing eerie still in the void. "Save me..." She called. I was about to say something but I couldn''t. Perhaps it''s because it is a dream that I couldn''t? She called again. "Save me, a person from other-world. Free me from my curse!!"
BOOOM!!! My entire person suddenly awakened. The ears that were blocked by the pressure was ringing loudly. My sights were warmly welcomed by explosions and earthquakes. Everything was exploding except for the cockpit that held me apart from the danger. I don''t know what''s happening but surely, this is a work of witchcraft. Perhaps an unrecorded mysteries of the Stone age? When did dinosaurs learn to handle explosives? Never! That is the only answer - the early humans knew witchcraft! But my argument was debunked when I saw the creeping massive crimson eye beyond the windshield. It was a reptilian eye... "Six... Meters? No, maybe ten?" I calculated as I looked intently into its eye. It was massive to the point I couldn''t even see the head. The eye''s pupils shrank upon noticing my movements. And at that moment, I knew. I fucked up. You''re not supposed to move any muscles when confronted by a Rex!!!! Chapter 2: Strange Dreams *BEEP!* *BEEP!* *BEEP!* Waking from the repetitive, annoying sound of the Alarm Clock blared off as I felt the sun crept in from the closed curtains. I sat up furiously and turned the clock off with all of my strength. THUD! The alarm clock shook several times before it falls into the ground, breaking into numerous pieces. "W-What''s this." I rubbed my eyes in disbelief. "Was I supposed to be in a shuttle..?" "No, wait." My heart skipped a beat when I noticed the familiar bedding. A hint of sentimentality immediately hit me. My heart started to race as I looked around the room. It was my room. It was my god damn, old room! Back in my company days - no, this room is way beyond my company days, it was my room for my entire life! I didn''t know my parents nor any of my godfathers or relatives from the moment I opened my eyes as I only knew of these duos of retired marines who lived in this house and earned their respect and dignity in the war a few decades ago. They were the ones who groomed me into a strong-willed man I am today. Though they didn''t teach me any Military exercises nor codes, they only built my body and, that''s it. I was expecting that when they started talking about their past, you know? And the fact that they have muscles for brains, I had developed the same mindset and failed every test I had back in my high school days and never made it to the college. And that''s the reason why I am stuck with the distributing job. Hm. Having seen such familiarity, I didn''t know what to do next as I paced around the room, waiting for my brain to respond and bring me the memories of the old. Hang on. What? "No. No way." My lips moved on their own as soon as I saw the never-forgotten portraits. The clean and simply-furnished room, the unforgettable pinned pictures of a group of friends in the cabinet doors, and the familiar portraits of me displayed on top of the dresser, memories flushed immediately into my head. "I-. I am back..?" I subconsciously said as I took a familiar portrait from the dresser. It was a usual family picture, a man who resembled himself, and his group of friends on the newly opened theme park in Martian Colorado. It was old though it is still full of life. "Am I really back?" Impossible. I couldn''t be back at my house, right!? A dream, yes, this is a dream! And to prove that, I need something highly detailed and unmatchable. I frantically looked around for something that cannot be replicated by my memories. Until then, I never found anything except for the curtain blowing realistically. That''s it. I took the portrait down and went towards the balcony. The familiar scene of the towering red mountains beyond the skyscrapers on the horizon made me remember my past life, as an ordinary man who distributed Company papers on the street. It was an ordinary, low-paying job, yet it allowed me to form connections with several people that I wouldn''t forget in my whole life. "Man, even if this is a dream, it is too much," I said as I look down at the streets filled with hopeful people. "Maybe this ain''t a dream?" Yep. I never knew of my neighbors and never cared to remember them. How come I could recognize their faces correctly? Huh. That''s cool. Maybe I am back? All of the training back on Earth was just a dream, that five years I''ve wasted just to get used to Spacequakes and rigorous survival sessions, that I didn''t care to learn about. "Definitely. Hahaha." I gave out a dry laugh. I proceeded to watch the joyful kids run amok in the yard, when I knew of the time, it was nearly lunchtime. It seems like watching other people makes time faster and probably makes you older at the same time. Well, I am turning 25 this year. It should be appropriate to call myself one of the older generations now, no?Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. "Honey?" My skin crawled as soon as I heard an unfamiliar feminine voice beyond the room. My head jolted immediately into the closed door of my room, seemingly waiting for the woman to show herself. It wasn''t from the outside nor my neighbors. Each of the houses in the hood had their sound-proofing so, hearing anything from them is nigh possible. "Wh... Who is it." My body subconsciously tensed up, seemingly preparing for an unforeseeable encounter with the unknown intruder in the house. Clack. The sound of the doorknob turning made my heart beat faster. I felt the adrenaline heightening my senses as the door revealed the woman before me. My heart started to calm down upon seeing her. She was astoundingly beautiful. Her hair was brown, her smile is bewitching, her skin is white and smooth as jade, and her crimson eyes were- Wait. Why do her eyes look rather...- familiar? I mean, I never met her nor knew of someone who has features of this degree! Not to mention the friends of my past lover were so-so. "Honey." The woman called as she slowly walked towards me. "I need you to do something for me." "W-Who the hell are you? And you must''ve mistaken me for your husband." I frowned and took a step back. "You''re wrong. Honey, I did not mistake someone." "Yeah, you''re out of your mind, lady. I''m not your honey. I am too ugly to be one." "Do it for me, please." She said as she took a step forward and, I, who is supposed to be a nice guy trying to help out, is in reverse gear. Woman, I''ve seen many things like this on my little fella otaku back in my days. I ain''t letting a suspicious person go near me! She might be stabby. Do you know that black-haired girl from that one club game? Yeah no. Stabby girls are bad. Knives hurt a lot, alright? "Do what?" I asked and took another step backward. "My curse." She said with an evil grin as she took another step, by this time I''ve already held the railings of my balcony. Oh shit. Oh shit. Oh shit, that smile! The stabby is getting real!!! "Stay away from me, woman, or I''ll call the police!" "You don''t have your phone." Wait, what. Phone? Who in their wrong mind would own a phone nowadays? That grandpa''s thing got replaced by a Hologram, alright. "Hell no, I ain''t using a phone! Even if I don''t have my HoloLife on me, I''d scream like a lady from here if you don''t go away." "Do it." She smiled earnestly. "I''d like to see you try." "HELP ME!" "..." No response..? I took a quick look at the street, and my heart just dropped. The people! Where are they!? They just disappeared!? "This ain''t real..!" Am I going to get stabbed here!? There was nowhere for me to escape from other than jumping off the ledge or assume a defensive stance. And if the situation requires me to avoid everything by using all of my strength, I''ll never hit a woman. Even if she is feeling stabby, alright!? I gulped down before I eased the tensed muscles I had to assume neutrality. Being defensive and all will make the target even more aggressive, just like the top predators back then. "Alright..." I said with an awkward tone as I held both of my hands up high. "What do you need to help me with..?" "Save me." "Save me from what?" "Save me." "I don''t know what you''re talking about unless you speak first, alright?" "SAVE ME FROM MY CURSE!!!!" Her face twisted the moment she said those words, my body reacted with flight and jolted over the railings to escape from the impending doom. Though. I escaped from that crazy woman. It required me to jump off the ledge of my balcony. The image of the familiar setting disappeared from my sight. Everything became dark.
"Ughh..." I held my head as I abruptly awakened from yet another strange dream. I couldn''t feel my entire body due to the intense headache. Everything''s turning and nauseating. It felt like being thrown in a washing machine while downing a fabricant. "Ahhh, this sucks." I coughed out as I rolled onto my back. Shit, it hurts. The headache wouldn''t leave me in a short amount of time. I can''t sleep either, the damned pain just won''t leave me alone, and not to mention I feel like throwing up. Thinking of anything else won''t do me well either. And the god damn temperature around me isn''t cooperating. It''s hot as hell! Where am I?! Olympus Mons!? AGGGGGGGGGGGGHHH- SHIT! I feel like I wanna die already! God dammnit!! This headache is not very appreciated! I felt much worse than being thrown into the god damn wormhole! URGH. "Urgh..." I coughed out. I felt everything I ate in the past hour climbing out of my trachea, the surge of something swirling within my throat is making me feel even worse. "No- Fu-! Not now!" I forced myself to sit up and- "BLUUUURGHHHHH!!!!" --- "Alright. Where am I." After spending an entire hour and a half on trying to recover from a god damn headache, My vision and balance finally returned to usual. Though there are still some lingering after-effects, it''s doable. It felt great after getting off the washing machine. I rose, swiped the sweat off my fore, and started to stretch my good ol'' muscles to wash away the remaining ache all around my body. Or so what I was about to do. "... Is this what that thing did to my craft?" I frowned as I examined the whole shuttle''s situation. Earlier, I was lying down across from my seat. The safety belts that held me altogether during the wormhole travel were now rent apart. The whole cockpit''s light systems are on, indicating the generators and wirings are safe. That''s good. However, the head of the shuttle got ripped off by something with large claws, showcasing the entire jungle a few yards away from the shuttle. Embers are still floating up in the air, but that''s all there is. No evident fire damage within the cockpit, all is well. I examined the damages done to the craft even further. Overall, I did not expect that the Gate of Abra drive is still operational. It is the most fragile device out of all in this craft! I am grateful it is left intact! And unexpectedly, it was only the wings and the wheels that exploded during that time. Everything around the cockpit is still fine although the accommodation section was slightly affected by the fire, it was nonetheless a least of my concern. "Whew, I''m glad that the damages were minimal." I let out a sigh as I sat down onto my seat. Everything happened in a flash. From unbelievable operators not heeding to my wishes to an unimaginably, enormous crimson eye peering through the windows after the portal, and not to forget the relentless explosion around the vicinity, that''s the real hellhole. "Oh, I almost forgot that crazy-ass brown-haired woman that kept yelling into me." I chuckled out after remembering the dream I had earlier. "Who is?" My heart immediately released the order ''fight or flight'' and jolted my body into a stance once I heard the chilling feminine voice. I faced the direction of the sound and waited for the intruder to make an appearance. Where is she? I looked around the cockpit and did not least saw a figure of a woman. She was nowhere to be found, even on the outside. Footsteps rang louder as it closed in, my body started to sweat profusely as both of my hands are prepared to grab the pistol from my waist. My heart was abnormally beating faster, to the point that it is the only sound I could hear. I didn''t feel anything when I saw that drake earlier - no, the drake was too real to be true so, I didn''t experience this much of a hypersensitivity. Furthermore, How could someone from the Stone age speak English!? At the very least, it''s supposed to be Goo-ga-goo-ga, right? The footsteps stopped. I couldn''t see anyone from the direction though. But, I am positive the person is behind that corner. I heaved a deep breath before I held my breath in order not to alert the intruder of my approaching presence. I made my steps lighter, moving towards the corner with my trusty Colt at hand. I switched the safety off as I slowly take a peek. Almost there. I said to myself as I held my breath any longer. "Where are you going?" My heartbeat dropped suddenly as soon as I heard her voice right next to me. How...- How the fuck!? It''s impossible! I was alert of my surroundings the whole time!!! I screamed internally as I slowly went onto my knees and raised both of my hands in the air, giving up entirely on defending the castle. How the hell did she get in there?!? "What are you doing now." She said, seemingly giving a hint of laughter. "You''re weird, you know." I took a glance at the source. "... I''ll forgive your remark about me if that''s what makes you nervous right now." It was at that moment I knew exactly why I was dreaming about her. She is extraordinarily beautiful. "I-It''s you!" She gave out a smile in return. She inched closer to my face with a seemingly irritable facial expression. "Yes, it is me." "Now, kindly please help me!" "Y- You won''t stab, alright?" "..."