A Stitch in Time

Six years passed since it happened and much has changed. The next day we started out early and by mid day found a village. It was small and the people were afraid of us. Afraid of strangers. It was obvious even to me that they were centuries behind us. We were dressed different, spoke a strange tongue, and were all pale skinned. But the villagers were also few in numbers and practically starving. Their ability to hunt was surprisingly poor and they showed few skills at anything. They offered us shelter and that was the beginning of our new life. Now, I am a hunter. My name is Bran..

The old man on the bus was a farmer. He knew land, and game. He helped teach me how to hunt, and more importantly, he taught the villagers how to farm. I and the other children in the village learned quickly.

The schoolteacher and the two Welsh girls helped too. Within weeks they managed to learn the language of the villagers, and the rest of us quickly picked it up too. Now Mr. Green teaches the small ones, and the village grows.

My parents have remained together and quietly strengthened the village. The two Welsh girls eventually left to go travelling. We told them not to go but they insisted. They wanted to try and find a way back. They were fools. It has been two years and we have heard nothing of them. They should have realised that there was no way back.

Elizabeth my sister is with child. She has married the son of the chief of the village. I have not yet taken a wife.

Only mum is growing frail now. The life has been hard, but these last few years she has been happy. Her only regret is that we cannot warn the future about the catastrophe that happened. She thinks that if somehow they knew they might be able to do something about it. All the grown ups have been trying to think of something. Someway to warn the future. Now, mum thinks she knows how. I am not so sure, but she thinks she has found a way. As night falls she gathers all the children around the campfire and tells the story of how we arrived here, and she always finishes the story the same way.

"You must remember the story of how we came here. Try not to forget it. Remember what happened and how we changed things. And remember always this saying, a stitch in time saves nine."