Homebound for the Horizon

  Five strangers crested the grassy hill at the same time. They were in northern Scotland, overlooking the famous Loch Ness. The ruined remains of a castle stood across the cove from them. They each held a letter, signed by themselves and dated a week in the future. The contents was, apparently, a pledge by themselves, to these other four strangers, to kill the Loch Ness monster

  All the names given match the ones on the list. Jean seems to recall that all she saw was darkness even before stepping outside, the narrator just worded it poorly (Sorry about that, Ranger went back and checked for me) A few rain drops glanced off the windows.

  There is some food in the other room, Twinkies and jerky and the like Based off of what's on the corkboard, the lake outside the window is the Loch Ness That name Tracy found earlier, "Red Davis", sounds vaguely familiar to whoever has spent time on Earth Jean's blindness doesn't seem to have been caused by a serious wound: and no one has more than a few scuffs and bruises

  Jean's eyes appear to be milky white Everyone, like Carol, is missing a few day's memory Thunder strikes in the distance as the storm grows closer

  Tracy discovers that the building up the hill was "Harvest Sanitorium". The Castle across the water belonged to clan McCoy. Someone named "Red Davis" had been at the guardhouse the other day. It took Jean a second to realize, after she stepped outside, that she couldn't see anything. She was blind

Six people wake up. They are in a simple, two-room guardhouse, seated around a wooden table. A corkboard on the wall has a handful of pictures and memos ( "Have Jeff patrol south wall, etc) . Out the window was a beautiful view of a deep blue lake and vibrant green trees. It was late in the day. Dark storm clouds were gathering in the distance. An unpaved road lead up the hill a short way to an eerie old mansion with a high iron fence. Across the waters loomed the ominous remains of an old castle The other room of the guardhouse had a few bunks and a mini-fridge, freshly pressed uniforms laying on a dresser. None of the six recognized each other, or remembered how they had come to this place. There was a note on the table. "Amnesia pills were required. Situation dire. We, the undersigned, do swear and promise, to use all means and talents at our disposal, to kill the Loch Ness Monster" All six of their signatures marked the page

  1700  An American expedition to Roanoke reveals a startling secret: a gateway to what seems to be a whole other world, with good lumber, great farm land and gold. The explorers decide to keep the news to themselves On the other side of the world, a new Emperor takes the throne in Japan. This man, who was never born in our world, begins a radical departure from the previous policy of isolationism 1776  A very different war for independence is fought by the American colonies. Knowing it's (apparently) hopeless to fight the British Empire, Washington and his men fight a long rearguard action to allow everyone to escape through the Roanoke Gateway, before following themselves and destroying it behind them. Americans have once again struck out into a brave new world 1812  Not everyone wanted to leave their homes of course. British America continues to grow, right until the Crown institutes abolition. The southern colonies start a secon...