Day 3
30 September 1956
Yakutsk, Siberia, USSR
“Well, here men and women are equal. And people have the right to have a job. It is in the constitution.”
“I don't think it is.”
“The Soviet constitution.”
“Oh, right.”
“We are a modern state. We do have a constitution which governs the state. You know this, right?”
“Right, we aren't home. I need to be careful about my expectation of references.” Jennifer turned her mind back into her thoughts, closing her eyes as she continued to explain. “In the US, it is rare for people to acknowledge positive rights as required. Food, housing, health care, … internal inequalities within the system aren't acknowledged in capitalist mentality. But socialist philosophy has commonly showed all the inherent, non-obvious inequalities and power structures. It would make sense to include the positive rights when constructing a communist state.”
Jennifer paused, thought, before she continued, “Well, I guess the concept of a Soviet constitution had been mentioned. I had always been taught that the Soviet Union was a totalitarian state. A dictatorship. There is one person put in charge and he controlled everything. This is how communism is defined in the US. I guess they mentioned a constitution with rights, but … these rights were second to the state's wishes. To state security.”
A story of an American woman who finds herself in the past in Siberia. Picture book format, currently updating twice a month. View the story posts in chronological order with the archive tab.
24 August 2018
22 July 2018
Initial Arrival 25
Day 3
30 September 1956
Yakutsk, Siberia, USSR
There was a slight pause before the man responded quietly and calmly, “If you need to lie, you need to accept that you will lie. Presumably the risks are greater if you tell the truth. And they can't tell what you are thinking, they don't know you, they won't immediately figure you out. Don't be too specific, stay as close to the truth as possible, and they will fill in the details for themselves. And tell them what they want to believe. They want to believe you are a spy, so they will believe this even if you can't prove this. So, let us put this together. Why were you in the clearing?”
“I was lost. I heard voices, so I went in that direction, hoping someone could help me.”
“How did you get to the forest?”
“I don't know. There was a wormhole or something. … But I can't tell them that. … I could have gotten there by ground or from the sky. But from the sky I don't have a parachute or a vehicle.”
“If you were lost, it would be unlikely to find the same location. Your gear may just be lost, or taken by criminals. From the ground you would have had to come a long distance unless you had been in this city. An American would be out of place here. You would have needed to be hidden somewhere.”
“An analyst, someone working on signal intelligence maybe.”
“Perhaps. Or you could have been a prisoner of the criminals.”
“I don't know anything about the criminals or any potential American spies here.”
“So, when you fell, you forgot your contact here. ”
Jennifer thought for a bit. “I got into a fight. I was forced out with the wrong gear. Perhaps I was the technician and was either sexually assaulted or disagreed with their politics.”
“You don't think that is too complicated?”
“It is far less complicated, or at least far more believable than me being a spy. I can't do the social stuff, but the numbers I can, so I wouldn't be a spy or a secretary. But there used to be these women who did the calculations. I have been trained in physics, so can do calculations. I don't have a husband so I need a job, but most jobs wouldn't hire women. And I can't deal with the concept of working for a private for profit corporation, so a government job would make sense. … Sexual assault would be common in the 50s since men believe they own womens' bodies. Also, I frequently disagree with Americans on political issues, and there were the communist witch hunts in the 50s. This would explain why I don't know anything and why I don't have the right supplies, as well as why I don't trust the US. Besides, the Soviet authorities would be happy to see someone fleeing from the 'backwards American society.' ”
“You have thought about this before.”
“I disagree with Americans a lot. And I imagine things often.”
30 September 1956
Yakutsk, Siberia, USSR
There was a slight pause before the man responded quietly and calmly, “If you need to lie, you need to accept that you will lie. Presumably the risks are greater if you tell the truth. And they can't tell what you are thinking, they don't know you, they won't immediately figure you out. Don't be too specific, stay as close to the truth as possible, and they will fill in the details for themselves. And tell them what they want to believe. They want to believe you are a spy, so they will believe this even if you can't prove this. So, let us put this together. Why were you in the clearing?”
“I was lost. I heard voices, so I went in that direction, hoping someone could help me.”
“How did you get to the forest?”
“I don't know. There was a wormhole or something. … But I can't tell them that. … I could have gotten there by ground or from the sky. But from the sky I don't have a parachute or a vehicle.”
“If you were lost, it would be unlikely to find the same location. Your gear may just be lost, or taken by criminals. From the ground you would have had to come a long distance unless you had been in this city. An American would be out of place here. You would have needed to be hidden somewhere.”
“An analyst, someone working on signal intelligence maybe.”
“Perhaps. Or you could have been a prisoner of the criminals.”
“I don't know anything about the criminals or any potential American spies here.”
“So, when you fell, you forgot your contact here. ”
Jennifer thought for a bit. “I got into a fight. I was forced out with the wrong gear. Perhaps I was the technician and was either sexually assaulted or disagreed with their politics.”
“You don't think that is too complicated?”
“It is far less complicated, or at least far more believable than me being a spy. I can't do the social stuff, but the numbers I can, so I wouldn't be a spy or a secretary. But there used to be these women who did the calculations. I have been trained in physics, so can do calculations. I don't have a husband so I need a job, but most jobs wouldn't hire women. And I can't deal with the concept of working for a private for profit corporation, so a government job would make sense. … Sexual assault would be common in the 50s since men believe they own womens' bodies. Also, I frequently disagree with Americans on political issues, and there were the communist witch hunts in the 50s. This would explain why I don't know anything and why I don't have the right supplies, as well as why I don't trust the US. Besides, the Soviet authorities would be happy to see someone fleeing from the 'backwards American society.' ”
“You have thought about this before.”
“I disagree with Americans a lot. And I imagine things often.”
07 July 2018
Initial Arrival 24
Day 3
30 September 1956
Yakutsk, Siberia, USSR
There was a pause in the conversation as the man took the time to process this information. He eventually responded, “When I was there in the clearing, I saw the sky open up and you appeared from nowhere. I think that is why those trying to kill me left.” Jen turned to look at him. He continued, “Something unusual definitely happened.”
So there is a consistency. How does this help me?
He did continue, trying to offer her a suggestion, “If you want to hide your origin and ensure your safety, why don't you just say you are a defector.”
“But I am not.”
“Do you not think that an American would defect?”
“I don't have any information I can offer. … And I am not a spy. I don't have the knowledge to appear as a spy. Or the body. This would be obvious. …”
“This doesn't make sense! You need to prove you aren't a spy. Why would you need to prove that you are? The reason you would be in danger from the authorities is because you may be a spy.”
“No, people aren't allowed to enter because they aren't valued. Wanting to migrate isn't reason enough to be allowed. People who then migrate without permission are then undocumented, considered illegal. The US … I guess other countries are kept poor and even destroyed, keeping the workforce subservient. Domestically, unskilled labor by migrants is also temporary. So labor can be exploited. … They may right now not trust my intentions for one reason, but it isn't the only possibility.”
There was a pause before he spoke again. “You want to lie about your origin, but don't want to give false information.”
“I can't tell them about my origin. And, if I lie about important things for them, they will be acting on incorrect information. … I am not the only person involved. This isn't just about protecting me. There are others too.”
“Do you know anything which could be of help but could be explainable by access to classified information?”
“I can't talk about the future! Besides, I haven't memorized all the cold war declassified documents. People don't know everything, they know pieces.” Jennifer put her head down and her hands on her head in frustration.
30 September 1956
Yakutsk, Siberia, USSR
There was a pause in the conversation as the man took the time to process this information. He eventually responded, “When I was there in the clearing, I saw the sky open up and you appeared from nowhere. I think that is why those trying to kill me left.” Jen turned to look at him. He continued, “Something unusual definitely happened.”
So there is a consistency. How does this help me?
He did continue, trying to offer her a suggestion, “If you want to hide your origin and ensure your safety, why don't you just say you are a defector.”
“But I am not.”
“Do you not think that an American would defect?”
“I don't have any information I can offer. … And I am not a spy. I don't have the knowledge to appear as a spy. Or the body. This would be obvious. …”
“This doesn't make sense! You need to prove you aren't a spy. Why would you need to prove that you are? The reason you would be in danger from the authorities is because you may be a spy.”
“No, people aren't allowed to enter because they aren't valued. Wanting to migrate isn't reason enough to be allowed. People who then migrate without permission are then undocumented, considered illegal. The US … I guess other countries are kept poor and even destroyed, keeping the workforce subservient. Domestically, unskilled labor by migrants is also temporary. So labor can be exploited. … They may right now not trust my intentions for one reason, but it isn't the only possibility.”
There was a pause before he spoke again. “You want to lie about your origin, but don't want to give false information.”
“I can't tell them about my origin. And, if I lie about important things for them, they will be acting on incorrect information. … I am not the only person involved. This isn't just about protecting me. There are others too.”
“Do you know anything which could be of help but could be explainable by access to classified information?”
“I can't talk about the future! Besides, I haven't memorized all the cold war declassified documents. People don't know everything, they know pieces.” Jennifer put her head down and her hands on her head in frustration.
01 July 2018
Initial Arrival 23
Day 3
30 September 1956
Yakutsk, Siberia, USSR
“But you believe this is real?”
“This is what I remember.”
“Do you think that you are crazy?”
“If I am crazy, or rather if they believe I am crazy, they will lock me up, deny me the right to be a part of society. I won't be allowed to contribute, or possibly be treated like slave labor. I wouldn't be considered human, wouldn't be given control of myself, wouldn't be considered legitimate. And in the 50s, the mentally ill would have been tortured. Mentally and physically.”
“You are overstating things. This isn't what the situation is like. Mental hospitals are there to help those who need it.” What he stated agitated Jennifer as she had been exposed to this type of naiveté before. The man clearly picked up on her discomfort as he continued, “Hey, whatever you believe, you aren't going to be put in this type of situation. ”
Jennifer just shook her her head and put her head down into her hands. She couldn't think of anything in the moment to begin to make him understand, and this wasn't a good time to get into a debate.
30 September 1956
Yakutsk, Siberia, USSR
“But you believe this is real?”
“This is what I remember.”
“Do you think that you are crazy?”
“If I am crazy, or rather if they believe I am crazy, they will lock me up, deny me the right to be a part of society. I won't be allowed to contribute, or possibly be treated like slave labor. I wouldn't be considered human, wouldn't be given control of myself, wouldn't be considered legitimate. And in the 50s, the mentally ill would have been tortured. Mentally and physically.”
“You are overstating things. This isn't what the situation is like. Mental hospitals are there to help those who need it.” What he stated agitated Jennifer as she had been exposed to this type of naiveté before. The man clearly picked up on her discomfort as he continued, “Hey, whatever you believe, you aren't going to be put in this type of situation. ”
Jennifer just shook her her head and put her head down into her hands. She couldn't think of anything in the moment to begin to make him understand, and this wasn't a good time to get into a debate.
12 June 2018
Initial Arrival 22
Day 3
30 September 1956
Yakutsk, Siberia, USSR
Jennifer eventually started to talk again. “I don't know what to tell them … about how I came here and what happened.”
“Why don't you tell them the truth?”
“Because the truth isn't believable. Besides, it is too dangerous. Nobody can know.”
“I don't understand. Are you in trouble?”
“If the date you told me is correct, then I am from the future. Before I came to the clearing it was June 2013.”
The man paused for a little to think about this. He asked, “Do you have anything which could prove this?”
“What! No. And it doesn't matter anyway. I can't be from the future. They can't know this. That it the point.” Jennifer turned away and closed her eyes as she thought about something which occurred to her. “Hmm, well maybe. If you had access to what I had. I had my passport. My passport isn't the new version with a transponder, but it does have a lot of modern security features. Holograms, no foil, I think. Something difficult to forge.”
“Holograms?”
“An image which looks different from different angles. I think it is supposed to mean a three dimensional image encoded on a two dimensional surface. In science fiction, it is a 3D image projected into real space, but in reality they are just flat images designed to look 3D. Or a foil image used to make documents difficult to forge. Other tricks are watermarks – faint images which show up when copied … electronically copied, micro print – very small text, and images which appear under ultraviolet light. I don't know when these were developed.” Jennifer turned back to face the man after explaining.
“What about a transponder?”
“... I am sorry, I can't talk about that.”
“Did you have anything else?”
“I guess my clothes would have been a mix of cotton and spandex. Cotton is old and plant-based, but spandex is synthetic. It is stretchy and makes the clothes slightly stretchy. I think I left everything else in the car. Hopefully that didn't go through time as well.”
“What about what you know of future events.”
“I can't talk about that. Besides, it won't prove anything until it happens. It doesn't matter anyway. You don't need to believe this.”
“Are you afraid of changing the future?”
“This doesn't matter. They can't know I am from the future. Knowledge is power and … it isn't my right to intervene. This doesn't belong to any of us.”
“Fine. Let's assume this is true. How did you get here?”
“I don't know.”
“You don't have a time machine?”
“No. I just was there, then we got lost … now I am here.”
30 September 1956
Yakutsk, Siberia, USSR
Jennifer eventually started to talk again. “I don't know what to tell them … about how I came here and what happened.”
“Why don't you tell them the truth?”
“Because the truth isn't believable. Besides, it is too dangerous. Nobody can know.”
“I don't understand. Are you in trouble?”
“If the date you told me is correct, then I am from the future. Before I came to the clearing it was June 2013.”
The man paused for a little to think about this. He asked, “Do you have anything which could prove this?”
“What! No. And it doesn't matter anyway. I can't be from the future. They can't know this. That it the point.” Jennifer turned away and closed her eyes as she thought about something which occurred to her. “Hmm, well maybe. If you had access to what I had. I had my passport. My passport isn't the new version with a transponder, but it does have a lot of modern security features. Holograms, no foil, I think. Something difficult to forge.”
“Holograms?”
“An image which looks different from different angles. I think it is supposed to mean a three dimensional image encoded on a two dimensional surface. In science fiction, it is a 3D image projected into real space, but in reality they are just flat images designed to look 3D. Or a foil image used to make documents difficult to forge. Other tricks are watermarks – faint images which show up when copied … electronically copied, micro print – very small text, and images which appear under ultraviolet light. I don't know when these were developed.” Jennifer turned back to face the man after explaining.
“What about a transponder?”
“... I am sorry, I can't talk about that.”
“Did you have anything else?”
“I guess my clothes would have been a mix of cotton and spandex. Cotton is old and plant-based, but spandex is synthetic. It is stretchy and makes the clothes slightly stretchy. I think I left everything else in the car. Hopefully that didn't go through time as well.”
“What about what you know of future events.”
“I can't talk about that. Besides, it won't prove anything until it happens. It doesn't matter anyway. You don't need to believe this.”
“Are you afraid of changing the future?”
“This doesn't matter. They can't know I am from the future. Knowledge is power and … it isn't my right to intervene. This doesn't belong to any of us.”
“Fine. Let's assume this is true. How did you get here?”
“I don't know.”
“You don't have a time machine?”
“No. I just was there, then we got lost … now I am here.”
27 May 2018
Initial Arrival 21
Day 3
Date Unknown
Yakutsk, Siberia, USSR
On the third day, in the middle of the day, Ivan returned. “The doctor said the man you saved is well enough for you to talk. I will take you to him.” There was a pause before he continued. “Do you want to go?” Jennifer nodded and slowly got up.
Ivan led her to another room, similar to although smaller than the room in which Jennifer was previously, to a bed with a young man with an injured leg. While Jennifer was very uncertain, she could believe that this was the same individual whom she met in the clearing. Ivan brought over a stool for Jennifer to sit on. She sat down. “Do you want some time alone?” Jennifer nodded, so he pulled the curtain around the bed with himself on the other side, leaving the two of them alone. She saw his shadow and heard his footsteps move away from the curtain.
Jennifer didn't start talking. She had trouble putting together her thoughts into words and was still afraid to speak. So the man began, “Thank you for helping me in the clearing.” He had the same accent as Ivan, although Jennifer didn't notice.
Jennifer still had trouble responding. She started to cry.
He continued to speak, reacting to her response. “I am sorry for putting you in danger. I didn't mean to get you involved.” He put her hand on her to try to comfort her. This only made her more uncomfortable. He continued to speak, “Hey, we will figure this out.”
After a while he withdrew his hand. He asked, “Is there something you wanted to say?”
She nodded slightly, but didn't speak.
“I can wait. I can't really go anywhere right now, so we have plenty of time, and I could use the company.”
It took some time before Jennifer was finally able to ask her question. “What is the date?”
“The 30th of September.”
“What is the year?”
“You don't know the year?”
There was a pause as Jennifer didn't directly answer. Eventually the man answered the original question, “One thousand nine hundred fifty six.”
There was a long pause as Jennifer processed this information. If this is real, then there is a time displacement.
Date Unknown
Yakutsk, Siberia, USSR
On the third day, in the middle of the day, Ivan returned. “The doctor said the man you saved is well enough for you to talk. I will take you to him.” There was a pause before he continued. “Do you want to go?” Jennifer nodded and slowly got up.
Ivan led her to another room, similar to although smaller than the room in which Jennifer was previously, to a bed with a young man with an injured leg. While Jennifer was very uncertain, she could believe that this was the same individual whom she met in the clearing. Ivan brought over a stool for Jennifer to sit on. She sat down. “Do you want some time alone?” Jennifer nodded, so he pulled the curtain around the bed with himself on the other side, leaving the two of them alone. She saw his shadow and heard his footsteps move away from the curtain.
Jennifer didn't start talking. She had trouble putting together her thoughts into words and was still afraid to speak. So the man began, “Thank you for helping me in the clearing.” He had the same accent as Ivan, although Jennifer didn't notice.
Jennifer still had trouble responding. She started to cry.
He continued to speak, reacting to her response. “I am sorry for putting you in danger. I didn't mean to get you involved.” He put her hand on her to try to comfort her. This only made her more uncomfortable. He continued to speak, “Hey, we will figure this out.”
After a while he withdrew his hand. He asked, “Is there something you wanted to say?”
She nodded slightly, but didn't speak.
“I can wait. I can't really go anywhere right now, so we have plenty of time, and I could use the company.”
It took some time before Jennifer was finally able to ask her question. “What is the date?”
“The 30th of September.”
“What is the year?”
“You don't know the year?”
There was a pause as Jennifer didn't directly answer. Eventually the man answered the original question, “One thousand nine hundred fifty six.”
There was a long pause as Jennifer processed this information. If this is real, then there is a time displacement.
19 May 2018
Initial Arrival 20
Day 2
Date Unknown
Yakutsk, Siberia, USSR
Her mind focusing back to the clearing, Jennifer started to map and sketch out what she remembered there, both from the dream and from the previous day. She drew what she remembered of the details of the three figures in their homes. She drew the wolf, the goddess, and the pendent. And she drew a map of the events of the previous day. She constantly struggled with the limits in details she remembered, creating her own details for some aspects, while retaining notes and imprecise drawings for others. As the day continued, she switched from the latter technique to the former, constructing new sketches and detailed drawings of the figures from her dreams.
Her whole afternoon, however, didn't completely consist of drawing and writing. She would often stop and just think. And many of the drawings remained incomplete at the end of the day.
Date Unknown
Yakutsk, Siberia, USSR
Her mind focusing back to the clearing, Jennifer started to map and sketch out what she remembered there, both from the dream and from the previous day. She drew what she remembered of the details of the three figures in their homes. She drew the wolf, the goddess, and the pendent. And she drew a map of the events of the previous day. She constantly struggled with the limits in details she remembered, creating her own details for some aspects, while retaining notes and imprecise drawings for others. As the day continued, she switched from the latter technique to the former, constructing new sketches and detailed drawings of the figures from her dreams.
Her whole afternoon, however, didn't completely consist of drawing and writing. She would often stop and just think. And many of the drawings remained incomplete at the end of the day.
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