[center][h2][color=#D3D3D3]Philip Beaulieu[/color]
[color=#778899]Time: Arrival[/color]
[color=#708090]Location: Unknown[/color][/h2][/center]

Philip slowly drifted into consciousness. He was cold and not at all alert, but sensed that someone was watching him. More alarming, he was not lying in his warm bed next to his wife in their home in Massachusetts, but in a pine forest. The sun was on the horizon, and the cool morning air let him know he was not wearing any clothing.

“Did I have a whiskey before bed?” He muttered to himself. “No, I did not drink anything other than a cup of tea before bed.” Philip shot up quickly to a seated position. Upon recognizing the fact that he was lying naked in a forest near a lake somewhere in the world, his reaction was one of confusion. He spat out, “What the Hell!?”

The sensation that someone was watching him slowly morphed into three young men standing before him. They could have been in their late teens or early twenties. All three had black hair and brown eyes, as he did. They wore an outfit that resembled the clothing worn by Native Americans in the documentary he watched before going to sleep last night. A breechcloth that wove through a cord around their waist and between their legs. It draped down about two feet in front and behind. Two wore animal skins wrapped around their legs, and a light slipper or moccasin adorned their feet. Neither of the three wore a shirt, and two had eagle feathers attached to strands in their hair. The third wore a hat constructed of wood and decorated with several feathers, giving it a distinctive flair.

“Who are you?” the young man with the hat asked.

“Philip Beulieu,” he responded, “Where am I?”

“That is an unusual name, my lost friend. You are in a forest alongside a lake we call [i]Ganeasos[/i] or Berry Place.” The man stated matter-of-factly. “I am called [i]Koyengquahtah[/i] (Young King). These are Donehogawa and Otetiani, my brothers. Our village is just north of here. Come with us, we can find clothing for you. Philip Bowlier.”

Philip stood up. The youngest of the three bent over and picked up a pile of leaves that happened to be stuck together by pine sap. He handed them to Philip and giggled audibly. “You may want to cover your wiggly worm. The women in the village will be watching.” The other two laughed heartily at Otetiani’s comment.

The four men approached the village near the north end of the lake. Philip took in the scenery, commenting on how beautiful the valley was.

“Genesee Valley,” Koyengquahtah stated. “Genesee is an old word meaning beautiful. You are correct, Philip Bowlier.”

As they neared the village, Philip recognized the long houses covered in wood bark. He recognized the house and spoke its name, “Wetu!”

“That is correct,” Koyengquahtah responded. “That is what we call our homes. You can stay at mine for now.”

Donehogawa asked, “Where are you from?”

“Massachusetts,” Philip answered. 

“I’ve heard of them from a Mohawk man. They live far to the east near the large pond.” The three native men were very curious about Philip. “How did you get here?” A tribe known as the Masschuseuk lived in an area of the Baystate around Boston and in the Blue Hills south of the city. 

“Honestly, I do not know. I was asleep in my bed at home last night and woke up here. Are you guys re-enactors?” Philip asked.

“What is this word?” one of the three asked him.

“About twenty years ago, I participated in World War Two re-enacting. I portrayed a soldier in the 101st Airborne Division.” Philip had not considered he actually traveled back in time. He still believed it was 2026. “Your costumes are amazing by the way. Who makes these for you?”

“We make these. These are made from the best quality deer hides, and they are not called costumes; they are simply clothes.” Donehogawa answered this question. There were more questions he wanted to ask. The interloper used words he’d never heard of. He is a very curious fellow to the natives of the Great Hill People.

“Leave the man alone, brother. He came here by Magic!” Otetiani exclaimed with a grin. “The spirits have set this to happen. We should ask the seer to find out why.”

“But why?” Koyengquahtah asked. “We must ask Sagoyewatha, the great seer, for knowledge. What purpose is Philip to our people here in the Long Lakes?”

The three brothers and the lost interloper wander into the village. As people see the men arrive, they gather around their homes watching in curiosity. The naked man with pale skin and hairy face carrying leaves in front of his genitals catches the eye of everyone.  The young men take him to the Great Seer's house, where Koyengquahtah confers with the elder man in privacy before inviting Philip to enter his house.

“Grandfather, where does this man come from?” Otetiani asks.

“That is what we aim to find out, my son.” Sagoyewatha stands about 5’ 6” tall, with a head of grey hair. His skin has become wrinkled, and his eyes appear as liquid pools of wisdom. A great robe from a black bear was draped across his shoulders. Beads, bear claws, and feathers adorn his clothing. He invites Philip inside to have a conversation. Philip is seated on the ground by a fire pit. Sagoyewatha retrieves a stick and places one end in the fire. Soon, it catches fire, emitting a pungent but sweet smelling odor. Sagoyewatha begins walking around the inside of his lodge, waving the burning incense in the air. He chants unintelligible words and dances in an irregular pattern. Once he feels the smell has permeated the air sufficiently, he sits opposite the pale-skinned man.

“Who are you?” was his first question. “The people are very curious.”

“My name is Philip Beaulieu.” He responded to the seer. “My first name comes from an ancient language meaning Lover of horses. My last name comes from the French meaning beautiful place, which I believe is reflective of this land you call home.”

“Genesee is our word for your name. I do not know what a horse is.”

“A beautiful four-legged beast used for transportation or carrying heavy loads over long distances.” Philip was starting to realize something bizarre had happened. These people are not acting. They are truly who they say they are. He is the one out of place. He came to accept he was the oddity in their village. Then he thought of Pam and the kids. How would he ever get back to them? Who would take over his classes on Monday?

Sagoyewatha and Philip had a conversation that lasted for several hours. Both men learned much about each other. With each revelation, it only seemed to unearth several more questions. Sagoyewatha was quite fascinated by the Massachusett man and Philip learned much from the elder leader of their village.