The Journal So Far

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Saturday, 01 May 2004
Winning writer: Matthias; posted 06 February 2009

I must have been loco to agree to something as crazy as this. When we descended down to the tepuis this morning, the fog was thick as pea soup. I told Sally landing on the small river was risky but she did not care. Both floats got torn and we almost hit one of the rock formations the Gran Sabana is famous for. Sally radioed home that everything was more or less to plan. Very funny! No way to get the Otter going again. We got the canoes ready and made about six miles downriver today. Signed: Major Ramón Pedilla

Sunday, 02 May 2004
Winning writer:Bookaddictus; posted 16 February 2009

Rammo was right; I should have listened to him. The plane’s bust and we’re a bit stuck for getting back, but have established radio contact so Monroe must have a way of getting us out. Spent most of the last 24 hrs hauling stuff. Weather’s still close, but the fog lifted a couple of times yesterday giving glimpses out to the high ground. Initial probs aside, this is going to be a storming trip. Now we’ve secured the kit we can press on. There’s a tributary we should be able to follow.

Prof’s Ikhata is already weighing me down.

Sal

Monday, 03 May 2004
Winning writer: Norvaljoe; posted 20 February 2009

Sally is daft to trust Pedilla’s questionable skill as a pilot. He’s dumped us 200 kilometers north of our objective. We’ve made up 25 clicks, but now must scale the Tepuis. By mid-day, today, we found three potential approaches to the ascent, which is formidable at best, and impossible at worst; with the plateau shrouded in mist our trail could end suddenly, forcing us to retrace our steps. Then, must we haul that old bird, Remi, to the top with block and tackle? Challenger has made unwise choices in companions, but she won’t prevent me from achieving my goals.

Carstairs

Tuesday, 04 May 2004
Winning writer: Rocketboy; posted 02 March 2009

My my, in the short time we’ve been here, we’ve managed to lose our plane. Challenger said everything was ‘more or less to plan’. Anyway, we continued trekking along the tributary and may’ve made about 4 miles before we decided we should eat. We also encountered some strange birds, very large ones. After lunch we began a new path down a stream. The water is very dirty, which is surprising, as there is no pollution here. Probably algae. Carstairs won’t stop telling me to hurry up. I can’t help it I’ve a sore foot from when the plane crash-landed.

Remi

Wednesday, 05 May 2004
Winning writer: Mary; posted 09 March 2009

Today we reached the mouth of the river and met up with our guide. He will take us into the jungle – leaving us when the river turns to swamp. I am excited about this adventure. My great-great-grandfather’s journal has me ready for what awaits us. The team seems to be working well together, although I’m concerned about Monroe and his interest in the expedition – not that I could have taken this on without his considerable cash “donation”. We plan to head out first thing tomorrow – will we be able to discover the elusive temple and its world altering contents?

Sal

Thursday, 06 May 2004
Winning writer: QueenofSheeba; posted 16 March 2009

Finally: a fourth ascent that doesn’t involve hauling everything up with block and tackle. No more trudging through the swamp!

So far, only Ramón and Sally have been up. They’re scouting the top, while we cache supplies and equipment down here. Sally radioed that she can see what looks like another camp 50km away. Carstairs has gone alone to check it out – we can’t spare anyone else. Catherine’s running tests on the river water; the discolouration isn’t algae. It seems to be chemical not biological. When we spilt some on the Ikhata the water glowed an eerie green.

Dr Ottero

Saturday, 08 May 2004
Winning writer: BananaGirl; posted 21 March 2009

Disaster! We’ve found Carstairs – what’s left of him, anyway. I’ve never seen wounds like that – it looks like he’s been mauled, covered in great gashes. I’d guess he’s been here since Thursday morning. I never really believed in great grandfather’s stories – but we’ll have to go slowly now, and keep our wits about us. Whatever got Carstairs may still be nearby.

No sign of that other camp – the forest is thick, and we could have missed it. I think we’re going in the right direction. The question is, who can I trust when we finally get to our goal?

Sal

Sunday, 09 May 2004
Winning writer: pondweed; posted 28 March 2009

An unexpected discovery – we’ve stumbled across an unusual trail of fresh footprints. They’re too big for any bird/lizard found in these parts – the only time I’ve seen anything similar is in the Paleontology department at the Natural History Museum!

I’m planning a detour to follow the tracks up the plateau but the fate of Castairs has made some people think twice. Despite my concerns Remi and Ramon are staying behind to watch the camp: I can’t help but think we should stick together, but this isn’t what they signed up for and I need to investigate this discovery.

Sal

Monday, 10 May 2004
Winning writer: Professor Moriarty; posted 14 April 2009

Remi, the lovely Marisa and I are on the plateau, following the original expedition plan. Remi still hasn’t isolated the chemicals causing the water discolouration, but we’ve decided the water is potable. The mountain air is doing us good – Remi looked ten years younger as she scrambled up the ascent.

We’ve left Ramón at the camp. He’s worried about Sally. At least, I think that’s concern in his eyes. It might be the thirst for revenge… Either way, I radioed to say we’d separated. The keyword “rex” will let my people know I control the plateau in Sally’s absence.

Monroe

Tuesday, 11 May 2004
Winning writer: IndiaJones; posted 20 April 2009

We’ve found cave paintings! There are signs of two early civilisations, but only one has left art. It’s Paleolithic, stylistically, yet the colours are amazingly well preserved. Instead of the European horses and bison there are representations of lizard-like creatures, plus symbols that seem to suggest water are frequent.

Speaking of which, Catherine’s still running tests. She says she can detect beryllium and potassium, but she hasn’t identified the compound. We’ve all been drinking it – except Sally, who left camp before we decided it was drinkable. She has a supply of the water we brought with us.

Dr Ottero

Wednesday, 12 May 2004
Winning writer: curlyshirley; posted 24 April 2009

We left Ramon at camp. I’m concerned for him, but we have to move quickly to find what’s going on. I cannot tell the others of my discovery with the water. That is of another World. I need to know who is camping nearby – and why? – and the only way is to go to the other camp and see for myself. There are too many bad feelings and I’m worried for us all. I want to know how Carstairs died. I know that since I’ve been examining the water I feel rejuvenated my skin looks younger each passing day.

Catherine

Thursday, 13 May 2004
Winning writer: Rocketboy; posted 01 May 2009

I’ve an idea of what killed Carstairs. The scratches on him resemble those that Abelisaurus would make. This is a phenomenon, as they were dinosaurs! I’ve also discovered the large birds are Archaeopteryx, which is also a great shock as these beings existed in the early Jurassic period. I’m beginning to get a little scared, if these dinosaurs are here, then why shouldn’t others? We might walk straight into a Tyrannosaurus Rex! Anyway, how did they get here? It seems crazy, but I know they are dinosaurs. I’m going to tell Sally, but when is the right time?

Dr Ottero

Friday, 14 May 2004
Winning writer: ScoutingForBoys; posted 09 May 2009

Sally radioed this morning – she’s found the Grazp camp (it’s taken her long enough!) and spotted McFaddyen. She’s worried he might have seen old man Challenger’s journal and is planning to try and get into the camp tonight. I’ve signalled McFaddyen using Morse and a flashlight as I couldn’t radio privately. Hope he got the message.

I’m not feeling too well – my heart rate is far too high and my breath is short. Remi diagnoses altitude sickness, but Marisa is suffering too (not that she’s let me near enough to feel her heartbeat) and she’s used to the conditions.

Monroe

Saturday, 15 May 2004
Winning writer: Martha K.; posted 17 May 2009

No one came to breakfast this morning. Monroe was unconscious in his tent; Marisa too weak to get up in hers. Ramon is missing. Tracks suggest that he left in the night, moving in the direction of the other camp. I think he took the Ikhata with him. I can’t find it anywhere.

Spent the day looking after Monroe and Marisa. Why isn’t the water rejuvenating them as it is me? Built a simple still to purify their drinking water.

No news from Sally today. That’s unlike her.

Catherine

PS. I believe I saw a triceratops. Is that really possible?

Sunday, 16 May 2004
Winning writer: Caroline; posted 25 May 2009

Infiltrated the Grazp camp two nights ago and read their records. They are trying to find “the fountain of youth”. Nonsense, naturally, but I worry that they’ll exploit the site.

Almost got caught leaving the camp. Ran into the night to avoid pursuit: lost my radio and spent the night in a tree. Started back to camp in the morning and met a feverish Rammo in the forest. He attacked me with the Ikhata! Wrestled him for it and continued running.

Had another cold night before I got back tired and bruised today to find the camp in confusion.

Sal

Monday, 17 May 2004
Winning writer: LuLu; posted 29 May 2009

Marisa and Monroe need medical attention – I must get them airlifted out. I can’t raise anyone on the radio. I suspect Monroe has his own way of contacting the outside world, but he’s alternately delirious or comatose.

Someone – or some-thing – stole most of our supplies from the camp after Ramon left. Not much food. Even less bottled water. Hooray for Catherine’s still! We need an escape route and we need it fast. I’m going to search Monroe’s luggage and hope I find a means of communication. Otherwise we’ll have to throw ourselves on the mercy of McFaddyen and Grazp.

Sal

Tuesday, 18 May 2004
Guest writer: Andrew J. Wilson; posted 05 June 2009

Our companions vanished last night, but they left something awful behind them: they’d shed their skins like snakes. We anxiously followed two slithering trails into the forest.

The tracks have led us to what can only be the temple where Sally’s great-great grandfather found the Ikhata, which he donated to the Société Belge. The ruins are the source of the metamorphic otherworldly waters. This is where the meteorite must have landed in 1892.

Sally says she hears something. Is it Ramón? We have to enter the temple.

I’ve just realised — the Ikhata isn’t an effigy, it’s a key…

Catherine

Wednesday, 19 May 2004
Winning writer: Dinobot; posted 15 June 2009

Even with only two of us we have few supplies. Luckily Catherine knows how to utilise what we find around us. We use Monroe’s radio to listen in to Grazp’s communications: they’re looking for us.

We moved the camp to the temple today to figure out what happened to the others. It’s a little frightening: what did they turn into?

Jitters apart, we are making progress. Catherine’s realisation about the Ikhata brought us to the cave — the paintings are not decorations but a map. There’s more to this world than the plateau. Tomorrow, we enter it through the temple.

Sal

Thursday, 20 May 2004
Winning writer: Wearealldoomed; posted 22 June 2009

We were to try to enter the temple today though when Sally asked what I thought we should do, I seemed to fall into a kind of haze. All I remember seeing were various shades of green. When I came to later at the camp, Sally explained I had been behaving aggressively, speaking words of a language she couldn’t pinpoint. I had scratched words into the wall of the temple which include “nigiro” and “htuoy.” These make no sense but we are trying to figure out my lapse into hallucination.

Grazp have a lock on our location it seems.

Catherine

Friday, 21 May 2004
Winning writer: IndiaJones; posted 29 June 2009

I went to the temple alone.

The Ikhata fits a slot at its entrance, revealing the temple – not ruined, and populated! There are dinosaur nurseries, but no eggs. Two Dimorphodon are friendly; I fear they’re Marisa and Monroe.

I followed my cave-painting “map” to the source of the water. Below the spring a monstrous creature, asleep or unconscious, oozes ichor into a pool. This must be the addition that gives the water its strange properties.

I cannot risk Grazp getting in here. I hid the Ikhata when I left – with help from maybe-Marisa…

Back at camp, Catherine has gone.

Sal

Saturday, 22 May 2004
Winning writer: Gondolagirl; posted 06 July 2009

Not a great day.

It’s not just Catherine that’s gone. The camp looked normal – if deserted – at first glance. But all Catherine’s notes about the water chemistry are missing, the last of the energy bars is gone and the radio’s batteries have been removed.

I still have my field glasses. I’ve been watching the Grazp camp. Catherine was pushed into the back of a 4×4 earlier. The team then loaded the vehicles with drums of stream water and left. Catherine must have kept the Ikhata secret, otherwise they would have searched for me.

Now I’m really on my own.

Sal

Sunday, 23 May 2004
Winning writer: Caroline; posted 13 July 2009

With no way of communicating with the outside world and no way back to civilisation I was overjoyed to find Ramón earlier today even if he’s incoherent and probably insane. I coaxed him into following me to the temple. “Marisa” keeps him company.

The water’s secret becoming known will result in madness: people will kill for youth. That cannot be allowed to happen. The source must be destroyed.

I used my First Aid kit to stop the creature’s bleeding (after throwing stones at it to confirm that it was unconscious). Blood staunched, its breathing changed. It is waking up!

Sal

Monday, 24 May 2004
Winning writer: Peanut; posted 20 July 2009

Came to in a canoe on a river, wrapped in a blanket, clutching this journal. I have a paddle, fruit, water, a map and a compass but no clear memories of the last nine days. Don’t know how I got here or where I am.

Kidnapping, monsters, the origin of youth: it’s fantastic stuff but I have no choice but to believe the journal.

Am haunted by a dream-like image of Sally pressing the journal into my hands and closing the door to the temple, her sweet smile a goodbye as she leaves me outside. Did she really stay?

Ramón.

[Watson the dog, with help from Andrew J. Wilson, has tracked down a catalogue entry for the Ikhata, including a photo, so take a look to find out more about this strange object.]

Next: find out more about Sally Challenger and her team > > >