Covenant

by Jim Miesner

  Sam picked up her feet and looked at her own tracks. She left prints but there were no others in this direction. The kids hadn’t gone this far. She made her way back up onto a large boulder and threw her hands out to balance herself. Just like she had seen Jenny and Daniel doing. The whole side of this hill, littered with boulders perfect for jumping. She hopped to the next one.

  “What are you doing? We need to find the kids. You’re going to break your ankle.”

  “You’re right the kids didn’t go that way. There are no footprints. I saw them playing this jumping game not long before they left.”

  Marlena took a breath and hopped up onto another boulder as she followed behind Sam. “Suddenly you’re an expert tracker?”

  “No, just an observation,” she said. A boulder wobbled, and she almost took a nasty tumble but jumped to the next one before she did.

  The spaces between the rocks became deeper as they hopped between them. Going from only a couple of feet to pitch black holes that seemed to have no bottom. Her pulse raced at the thought of the kids mangled bodies at the bottom of one of these. That was when she heard the whimpering.

  “Jenny?” she called out.

  “Daniel?” Marlena yelled.

  The whimpering stopped.

  “Marlena?” said Daniel’s voice.

  They found them in a crevice in the rock, about fifteen feet down. The opening was so small and the hole dark enough that if they hadn’t heard them, they could have passed right over them without even noticing. A sliver of light highlighted the edges of their faces. Jenny seemed to not be moving as Daniel held her in his arms.

  “Jenny’s hurt,” he said.

  “Okay,” said Marlena. “Just stay right there. We’ll be right down.”

  She pulled a rope from out of a backpack and tossed it down the hole. It landed at Daniel’s feet.

  “Tie it around yourself and hold on tight,” said Sam.

  “What about Jenny?”

  “We’ll get her next,” said Marlena.

  Daniel laid her down on the rock and then wound the rope around his waist and hands before he tugged on it. Sam and Marlena had no trouble pulling him up together and Marlena melted as she held him in her arms and kissed the top of his head.

  “What the hell were you thinking?”

  “We were jumping across the boulders, and I slipped. Jenny tried to grab me but she fell in, too. I’m sorry.” He whimpered again.

  Marlena hugged him and looked up at Sam. “Do you think you can pull out Jenny and then me?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Marlena draped the rope around a rock. “I’ll lower myself down. Then go get John. He can help get me out after you have Jenny.”

  “No, I should go down. I have medical training. I mean, if Jenny’s hurt.”

  Marlena nodded and handed the rope to Sam. “Be careful.”

  She wound it around her waist and then her right hand before she nodded to Marlena who gripped the other end of the rope and began to let out slack. After Sam slipped through the small opening, she leaned back into the open air as she braced her legs against the side of the hole, careful not to dislodge anything that could fall onto Jenny below. The bottom of the hole was much wider than the opening. In fact, some walls disappeared into the shadows and without a light, there was no telling how far the cave extended. When Sam's feet touched the ground, she heard Jenny groan.

  “Jenny?” she asked and put her hands to her forehead. It was sticky. There was a streak of blood down the side of her face. She put her fingers against her neck. Her pulse was still strong.

  “Miss Saaaam?”

  “It’s okay. We’re going to get you out of here.”

  She poured out some of her water on Jenny’s face and her eyes fluttered.

  “Wha?”

  “It’s okay. Can you move your fingers and toes?”

  Jenny wriggled her fingers, and then Sam pulled off her left shoe. She watched but her toes didn’t move. Please no, Sam thought. If there is a God, please don’t let this happen. Please, not to her. Not out here. Not like this. Please. Jenny lifted her head up just enough to see her feet and her toes wiggled.

  “Oh, thank God.”

  She squeezed Jenny tight.

  “It’s going to be okay. We’re going to get you out of here. You just had a nasty fall.”

  Then she heard the rattle. It echoed around her in the darkness and was impossible to tell where it was coming from. A step in the wrong direction could be deadly, but she had no idea which direction that meant.

  “What is that?” she heard Daniel say.

  Slowly she threaded the rope underneath Jenny’s waist, through her legs, and under and around her shoulders before she tied several knots. She didn’t want a knot coming loose and Jenny falling back down, or her dangling at an awkward angle and her head smashing into rocks on the way up. When she looked up, she saw Marlena looking back down at her. Sam nodded her head and Marlena disappeared before Jenny began to lift up off the ground. Maybe it was the adrenaline, but Sam felt better than she had in hours.

  “Daniel?” Jenny asked as she grew more alert. The glassiness in her eyes was disappearing. She looked around. Dazed but conscious now.

  “He’s fine and we’re going to get you out of here. Can you hold on to this rope and keep your head away from the rocks with your legs?”

  Jenny nodded. She twirled around, but she did just what Sam told her. She kept her head away from the walls of rock with her legs until she was at the top of the opening. Marlena’s arms appeared, and she pulled Jenny out. As Sam waited for the rope she looked into the shadows and her eyes began to adjust. She could see the rattler now, only about an arm’s length from her foot. It was a miracle Jenny and Daniel hadn't been bitten.

  “Could you have made more knots?” Marlena asked from above.

  The rope dropped down in front of her face, still full of knots and almost hit the creature as its rattle shook harder and it dodged to the side.

  “What are you doing down there?” Marlena said.

  Somehow even in her whisper she still managed to yell. Did she not hear the rattle? Sam gripped her fingers around the rope, careful not to move toward the snake.

  “What’s going on?” she heard Jenny’s voice ask.

  The rope went taut, her feet lifted off the ground, and she put her legs against the wall to keep her head from hitting the wall. It was slow, but they were making good progress until the rope slipped and she found herself dangling only a foot above the ground as Marlena grunted above. She tried to find the wall with her feet but couldn’t as she started to spin. Her head moved closer to the rattler as it reared back and shook harder. It was only inches away from her face when her feet found the wall and spun away from it.

  “Let me help,” Jenny said.

  “No, you’re hurt,” Marlena said.

  “Me, too,” said Daniel.

  All three of them grunted together as Sam began to raise back off the ground faster. She was still spinning when she felt something strike her shoe and then she watched the rattler slither away underneath her.

  She didn’t look down again as she moved closer and closer to the opening. Then in an instant, the sun broke onto her face and she felt hands grab her. She grabbed on tight to the rocks, pulled her weight over the top and then saw them all there beside her. They were all panting out of breath, but had smiles on all their faces, even Marlena’s.

  “We did it,” Daniel exclaimed.

  Marlena’s smile turned into a frown. “You’re not getting off that easy.”

  Sam laughed.

  “Are you okay?” Jenny asked.

  Sam inspected her foot. On the bottom of her shoe a single fang was embedded in the sole. She took a rock and dug it out. It had caught the sole but hadn’t pierced it.

  “There was a rattler down there?” Marlena asked. “Was anyone bit?”

  She looked over Daniel’s legs, arms and under his shirt as he protested. Sam couldn
't believe he didn’t have a scratch on him and Jenny came away with only a concussion. For falling that distance and being in a pit with a rattlesnake, it could have ended much, much worse. Someone was watching over them.

  Marlena and Sam took their time on the way back. Twice as long as it had taken them to get there. When they arrived John's face lit up and for a short time, Sam almost felt human again as they told him everything and they laughed about it. The high from the rescue was short-lived though as the hours passed, their thoughts turned back to Emmanuel and silence once again blanketed the camp. They all knew they couldn’t stay here forever. Emmanuel had told them to go on, with or without him, if he wasn’t back in a few hours. Though no one wanted to be the one to say, let’s move on.

  One by one each of them fell asleep, until only Sam was left. She tended the fire and looked up into the night sky. It was a million times better than the one in Dr. Tesla’s hallway. She wished Emmanuel was here with her. She wished she could tell him about the tango with the rattlesnake. He would get a kick out of that. The warm fire felt good and so did the crisp night air as she took in a deep breath. That was when she realized how good she felt. She thought it had been a temporary euphoria from the adrenaline but she hadn’t had any headaches, nausea or cramps for several hours. Maybe it was a stage of the sickness? The calm before the storm? She looked at John and Marlena as they slept. Neither of them had said a harsh word to her either in that time. No one had shoved her. No one had told her to leave. She toppled a log in the fire with a stick. Was this really happening or was she dreaming? Maybe the rattler had bitten her, and this is what they called heaven?

  Marlena stirred and Sam noticed the din of the dune buggy at the same time. They both looked at each other and scrambled back up the hill together, until they saw the headlights coming in their direction from where Emmanuel had left. Not just two but eight.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  The sound of small rocks tumbling over each other told her Marlena was already making her way back down the hill. When Sam turned, green little glowing fireflies danced where the headlights had been. She followed her and was halfway down when Marlena doused the fire with water and the moonlight took over. The remaining coals smoked and sizzled their last dying breaths.

  “Wake up, John. Someone’s coming,” Marlena said as she shook him.

  John grunted and lifted his heavy lids. “Emmanuel?”

  “Can’t tell. Get the kids and Sam out of here.”

  “What about you?”

  “We don’t have enough time to erase our presence. They’ll know someone was just here. One of us has to stay behind with the sheep, too. If it’s Emmanuel, then I’ll come and find you.”

  “We’re not leaving you,” he said. “I should stay.”

  She put her hand on his shoulder. “Someone has to protect the kids.”

  “I should stay,” Sam said as she tripped over a rock at the bottom of the hill.

  Marlena shook her head. “They’d never buy you were out here alone, and you’re a Coven. Even if they’re nice, they might kill you.”

  John shook his head in agreement.

  “What about the truce?” Sam asked.

  “What’s happening?” Daniel moaned as he stirred.

  “Someone’s coming,” said Jenny as she picked up the wool bedding and stuffed it back into sacks.

  “Emmanuel?” Daniel asked.

  “We’re not sure,” said Marlena. “Go with John, Jenny, and Sam until we know for sure.” She turned to John. “There’s a small cave about a tenth of a mile from here. We saw it on our way. Do you know the one I’m talking about?”

  “I do,” said Daniel.

  “Go there. I’ll meet you there later.”

  John nodded and moved toward the buggy with Daniel as Sam looked at the sound of the approaching engines.

  “Get out of here,” Marlena said. “Hurry.”

  Jenny grabbed Sam by the wrist and pulled her toward the other buggy as she looked back one last time. She knew Marlena probably wasn’t one for long goodbyes, nor did they have that luxury at the moment.

  “Good luck,” Sam said.

  “Follow me,” John said as he took off with Daniel holding tightly on his back.

  She stared at the primitive wheel and foot controls.

  Jenny jumped into the driver’s seat. “Come on.”

  Sam hopped on behind her and wrapped one arm around her chest with the other holding onto a bar that curved overhead. The buggy jerked forward and stopped.

  “Have you driven one of these before?”

  “No.”

  “What?”

  Jenny pulled something, and they lurched forward. Walls of rock looked white in the moonlight as they shot past them.

  “Lights,” Sam said.

  Jenny’s hands flicked at the controls. “I can’t find them.”

  Then they were weightless. They sailed over the crest of a hill, no idea what was in front. Sam squeezed Jenny tighter. It seemed like they were falling forever in that split second until her teeth clicked together as they crashed back to earth and bounced along down the other side.

  Not even a fraction of a second later the headlight beams from their new guests broke over the top of the hill, shining right where they had just been. Sam could hear the engines roar through the valley behind them. Jenny slowed.

  “Where did they go?” she said. “I lost them.”

  A high-pitched scream pierced the night. Jenny looked back at Sam. Her jaw hung open as she let off the gas and the buggy stalled out.

  “Keep going,” Sam said.

  Jenny jumped off the buggy.

  “What are you doing, Jenny?” Sam grabbed her by the wrist and looked into her eyes.

  “What if Marlena’s hurt?” Jenny asked.

  Sam sighed. “Wait here.”

  She crept back to the top of the hill where the headlight beams streamed over the crest. When she reached the edge of light another scream ripped through the night, and a voice shouted something but she couldn’t make out the words.

  Down below the campsite was emptier than she expected. There was no sign of Marlena, just her buggy and another. A large man stood behind the other buggy looking down at the ground. He was so blackened by soot from head to toe that if he hadn’t moved, he could have been invisible.

  A cold chill rushed through Sam as she saw it. In between the wheels, two bodies writhed in a struggle. There was another scream as arms and legs twisted together. Sam froze in horror unable to move. One of the figures pushed up off the ground, their back arched as they screamed out again. Then a rock skittered behind her and she turned to see Jenny.

  “Is she hurt? What’s happening?”

  Sam grabbed her and pushed her away.

  “What is it? Is she okay?” She tried to pull away from Sam but she held on.

  “Don’t look.”

  Then they heard another engine rev as a buggy raced over the hill. The lights blinded them and a man jumped down from it. He too was blackened from head to toe.

  Sam didn’t even have time to get a word out before Jenny picked up a rock and winged it at the figure. It whistled through the air until it clunked against his skull. Rock and figure fell to the ground. The man rolled around and put both hands to his forehead as he groaned. After several seconds he got back to his knees. Jenny knelt down and picked up another rock. This time it landed in the dirt about a foot in front of him. Sam cradled her own rock in her hand. She felt the weight and judged the distance as she reeled back and let go. It bounced off the man's shoulder.

  He raised his hands in surrender. “Stop!”

  “Emmanuel?” Jenny whispered.

  The fear melted away in an instant and Sam and Jenny laughed as he shook his head and lowered his hands. They forgot about everything as they both ran up to him and wrapped their arms around him. Not caring about the black soot staining them.

  Then there was another scream.

  “Marlena,” Sam said.


  “She’s okay. It’s not her. There’s another woman down there in labor,” Emmanuel said. As he spoke the whites of his teeth peeked out from behind his lips, illuminated by the moonlight they almost seemed to hang in the air on their own. It reminded Sam of a magical cat she had read about in one of Dr. Tesla’s books. One that was able to go invisible everywhere except its mouth.

  “What happened to you? Who are those people?”

  “They’re just people.” He rubbed his face. “Where’s John and Daniel?”

  “They’re hiding in the cave we passed on the way.”

  “Okay,” he said and walked back toward his buggy.

  “Wait,” Sam said. “What happened? Emmanuel? What was that smoke?”

  “It’s the Coven,” he said as he jumped into the seat. “They’re burning everything.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  “Off!” a woman’s voice screamed.

  The engine of the buggy in the valley died a moment later. They could hear the woman's groans now, and her short quick breaths. Sam and Jenny raced back down the hill, leaving their buggy behind them.

  “Push,” yelled Marlena.

  “You can do this,” said a man’s voice.

  “Shut up,” groaned the woman.

  When they reached them, they found Marlena crouched over the woman lying in her bed of wool. The woman’s legs were spread apart, her face grimaced as she held the man’s hand and he dabbed her forehead with a wet cloth. Jenny and Sam stood there like they had just approached an accident scene. Wanting to help, but not sure of what to do without getting in the way.

  “You’re almost there,” said Marlena. “Just give me one last push.”

  “I can’t.”

  “Yes, you can. One, two, three, push.”

  The woman bared down and gritted her teeth. “Argghhhhhh. I can’t!”

  “Yes, you can. One, two, three, push.”

  The woman screamed out so loudly Sam had to look away. She was thinking of excuses to leave when she heard the high-pitched wail. When she turned back Marlena held the screaming baby in her arms. It was covered in blood with soot on its forehead. The high-pitched wail turned into a soft little cry as Marlena handed it to the mother. Tears filled her eyes. The father reached out and rubbed his hand back over the child’s forehead wiping away the soot.