h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'm bored so I thought I'd start a story that you all can contribute to :-


1988. That was the year. Bob. That was his name. Robert H. Mitchel.

Andrea Clark however, sitting in her English country house in 1921, had no idea why that information kept popping in to her head. "Williams!", she called her underpaid, and far too old butler - Dennis Williams. "Williams! Get me the phone will you. I need to call aunt Tabitha."

"Yes me-lady", replied William 5 minutes later when he finally managed to move his aching legs in to the room. He returned a few minutes more with the phone.

"That will be all Williams", said the beautiful young owner of the property. Though as she picked the phone up she found herself sucked in to a portal. And wasn't heard or seen of for another 30 years......



Right carry on the story - If you dare

it is 1972. Claudia Menza sits at her desk on the top floor of her office block. The name of her company was 'Identimap'. It specialised in tracking missing people. She set it up in the early 50's. It's aim was to track down lost relatives and loved ones from the war, and to try and find out what happened to the dead. It had sustained its popularity for many years and had grown considerably, which made her happy.

At 17:30 she left the office as normal, saying goodbye to the guard at reception and headed for her car.

"just a minute miss." called the guard, "this came for you just now, it is from a courier." he hands her a brown envelope which she accepts with a quaint smile and then leaves.
When she reaches her car she opens the letter. The first line reads;

subject: Robert H. Mitchel.
born: 25/09/71

She smiles, gets in her car and starts the engine.......


*hope there are no simulposts to this

*Simuposts! You've got to be kidding *

When Claudia Menza got home she studied the document further. It was quite clearly not an old document. It was dated as having been written this year.

It was in the form of a report and read like this :-


subject: Robert H. Mitchel.
born: 25/09/71
Date of Report: 12th July 1972

Report : The subject is a caucasian male, of average height. He has frequently been seen entering a local council house, assumably his current home, on 12 Vista Road, Glasgow, Scotland. His everyday routine involves going in to a newspaper shop near the house, and buying a newspaper, then going back to the house.

He has regularly, since we have first started monitoring him, been following this routine. However, on one occasion a month ago he appeared to have noticeably aged. This is unexplained.

The last sighting of him before this was typed was on the 6th June 1972.


This was just the first of a number of reports, some dated even before the birth date. She knew why of course. She had been involved in this for a long time.

And she felt now was the time to pay Mr Mitchel a visit...

She placed the report in to a wall safe hidden behind a quite popular Monet painting. She spun through the dial code with ease and when open the safe appeared to be full of similar documents. Some looked old though. Really old.

She picked up her jacket and keys and made for the front door. Just as she reached it however, the doorbell rang.

"Bugger!" Under her breath "Hang on a minute!" She shouted out loud.

She placed her jacket on the hook beside the door and put her keys in her handbag and opened the door.

A tall man with a long dark blue trench coat stood on the step. It is midsummer.

"Good evening Miss Menza. Am i disturbing you?"
"Of course not Mr Bugwa. I was going to call you in a while as it goes. Do come in."

Mr Bugwa entered and Claudia took his coat. They both went to the front lounge where Claudia offered Mr Bugwa a drink.

"Please Claudia. We have known each other for 20 years now. I think i could handle you calling me John."

She just smiled. John was the first person she met when she...arrived. He helped her understand and adjust. She called him Mr Bugwa as she was sure that Dad would have just been silly.

"I take it you got the same report as me. That is why you are here." She stated. She rarely asked a question. Some would say she was arrogant. Those who know her say she has reason to be.

"Yes i did. I thought we could both make the trip together. What do you think?"
"Sounds delightful. That was exactly what i was going to call you for."
"Saved you the bother then." He downed the short she had given him and reclaimed his coat. Now at the front door he turned and looked at Claudia with a kind of excitement in his eyes. The kind you expect in a child who is about to open a present, "Shall we go then?"......