Ben Archer and the World Beyond

by Rae Knightly

  Whalesong bounced through the water around them. Speak, child. What is your message?

  In the midst of The Gathering, the alien skill alive and throbbing in his very core, Ben spoke to the sea creatures:

  Listen, all of you! The time for the greatest gathering on Earth has come. A gathering that will be heralded for generations to come.

  On the day of the winter solstice, when the sun is at its highest on the Equator, you will come to the mouth of the world’s biggest river. You will send your leaders and your elders. You will spread the word far and wide among anything that crawls, swims, or flies that the time for humans and animals to unite has arrived. The time to mend life’s broken balance has come. Spread the word that the time for The Great Gathering is here.

  I will be there waiting for you. I will translate your burdens and your demands to the human leaders. I promise to be faithful to your words. You can count on me!

  Ben fell silent and waited a moment that lasted a lifetime. The sea creatures reconvened.

  The blue whale spoke in acceptance: We will spread the word, we will come and meet with humans.

  Voices echoed around those assembled. We stand behind you, Benjamin Archer…

  CHAPTER 24 Believing

  A container ship saved them by early afternoon. Right on time, too, because when Ben and Kimi resurfaced, they found a slightly delirious Jeremy waving his camera at them.

  He said he’d never in his life seen, nor heard of such a frenzy of different animals gathered together in one place. And he had it all on film. This was going to be the article of a lifetime!

  He clicked his camera at them, talking wildly, as whales breached, took a deep breath through their blowhole, then sank into the depths; orca headed towards the land, and manta ray disappeared into the horizon.

  The pale reporter babbled on, even as they boarded the container ship, and the medically trained deck officer declared him incoherent due to extreme dehydration. No sooner had he checked Jeremy’s vital signs, than the reporter passed out, flat.

  Acting swiftly, Kimi picked up his waterproof bag and snuck it into Ben’s hands.

  Ben held on to it with a terribly guilty feeling in his stomach. What should I do with the evidence?

  They were transferred to a smaller Coast Guard boat that dropped them off in Tofino, where a crowd of curious onlookers, worried locals, and reporters waited for them.

  Ben could picture tomorrow’s headlines: “Miraculous return of children lost at sea.” “Teens safe after boat drifts away.”

  As they disembarked, the Coast Guard did their best to fend off the eager crowd who surrounded and bumped into the teens. A flurry of camera flashes and microphone wielding reporters overwhelmed them.

  Ben thrust his arm before his face as if that would somehow protect his identity. He felt Kimi wrap her hand around his, and he clung to her like a lifeline.

  “Zeefluisteraar,” a voice spoke sharply, just as Ben slammed into a row of men because the crowd was pushing him.

  A four-masted ship tattoo flashed before his face, and suddenly Wilson stood by his side.

  Ben blinked, recognizing the row of men as Uncle Pete and police officers from the beach. They had slid into place before him and Kimi to form a protective barrier so the teens could slip away.

  “Follow me,” Wilson urged. “Let’s get you out of here.”

  Ben hunched behind the men and followed Wilson, who jumped off the pier and dashed under it. It was low tide, so they were able to weave their way among the barnacle-encrusted rocks undetected.

  Wilson reached a large boulder, which he clambered up with ease.

  But as Ben watched Wil reach for Kimi to help her up, he chose to hang back. He turned and stared at the crowds on the pier, spotting Jeremy being taken away on a stretcher to an ambulance. Just then, the reporter happened to glance his way.

  Ben flinched involuntarily, a primitive impulse pushing him to hide. But then he shoved the waterproof bag behind him, stood straight, and stared back at the reporter.

  “Ben, what are you doing?” Kimi urged. “Hurry up before they see us!”

  Ben stalled, pensive.

  “Ben?” Kimi repeated with a touch of alarm in her voice. “What are you doing?”

  Ben took a couple of steps back and glanced up at her. “Nothing,” he said, before accepting Wilson’s hand so he could climb up the boulder and vanish into the empty streets with them.

  * * *

  Uncle Pete, Auntie Jen, Wilson and the Sheriff listened to Ben and Kimi recount their adventures well into the night. Ben had begged Kimi beforehand not to reveal the part about The Gathering, a subject which she did a great job avoiding. No one spoke or asked any questions until they were completely done. After the Sheriff had taken plenty of notes and the Maesschalcks seemed satisfied that Ben and Kimi were okay, they sent them off to bed.

  Ben couldn’t believe it. He thought he’d get a cringing sermon for having put Kimi in danger then be whisked away for good, never to see her again.

  Instead, everyone treated him like a porcelain doll, fretting over him, trying to make him comfortable, and casting him curious looks when they thought he wasn’t looking.

  Uncle Pete only said not to worry about anything; the Sheriff would make sure the teenager’s names wouldn’t appear in the papers. As for the SOVA, the Marine Police Department was on high alert but had not been able to trace it down yet.

  The family left Kimi and Ben alone, for which Ben felt immensely grateful. He let himself relax because he was still trying to process everything that had happened himself. It seemed like weeks since he and Kimi had gone out to meet the SOVA, yet only three days had passed.

  As Ben found himself nodding off to sleep on the couch two days later, his memories took him under the ocean for the hundredth time, where he relived that sense of freedom he wished he could enjoy on land. And he also relived that moment of pride which he knew he would carry with him forever, for he had finally delivered the message he and Mesmo had crafted together.

  “Are you ok?” Kimi asked, pulling him out of his half-slumber. She sat at the edge of the couch. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you, but you were squirming a lot. And…” She held Wilson’s phone in her hand, looking a bit crestfallen. “…it’s your mom. She says you have to go home.”

  Ben sat up straight, frowning, and took the phone from her. He watched Kimi leave before saying, “Hi, Mom.”

  “Hi, honey. How’s it going?”

  “Fine,” he managed, biting his lip hard.

  I’m going to have to tell her.

  She didn’t know yet. Wilson’s family had said they were counting on Ben and Kimi to make the right decision. Ben knew he was going to have to tell his mom and Mesmo everything. He just didn’t feel emotionally stable enough to do it right now.

  “I know you’re having a ton of fun out there,” Laura said. “But Mesmo insisted I call to see if you can come home as soon as possible. He says the Wise Ones want to meet you. Mesmo thinks you being there might change their minds.”

  A wave of warmth washed over Ben, knowing that Mesmo was considering his help. His mood brightened. “Yes! Actually, I do have something that will change their minds! You can tell him that.”

  “You’re always full of surprises,” Laura praised. “Look, you’ll have to come back the normal way. By ferry, I mean, so I guess I’ll see you tomorrow. Will you look into it?”

  Ben grinned. “Sure, Mom. I’ll text you the ferry arrival time as soon as I have it.” He was going to hang up when he added, “And Mom?”

  “Yes?”

  “Sorry for being such a pain. And thanks for sending me to Tofino.”

  He could hear the smile in her voice. “I hope you got to eat some marshmallows and tell ghost stories by the fire. I can’t wait to hear all about it!”

  Ben grimaced as they said their goodbyes.

  Poor Mom. She’s going to throw a fit when she finds out…

  Wilson entered, s
tartling him. “Are you done napping yet, sleepyhead? We could do with a hand outside.”

  Ben grinned and followed him to the yard, where he found that neighbours and friends had arrived to help Uncle Pete rebuild his workshed.

  Kimi passed him a piece of lumber, which he held in place so Wilson could hammer nails into it. Together, it took them the rest of the afternoon to lift the structure. When they were done, Uncle Pete placed an arm around Ben’s shoulders and cast a satisfying look at the final product.

  The group clapped and laughed, a laid-back feeling washing over them. Auntie Jen brought out refreshments and sandwiches for everyone.

  “Uncle Pete?” Ben asked, sipping on his fresh-pressed juice.

  “Mmm?”

  “You knew about the SOVA, didn’t you? You knew it was there for the orcas?”

  Uncle Pete smacked his lips, holding his cup in one hand and resting the other on Ben’s shoulder. “We’ve had our suspicions. We already knew the local orcas were disappearing at an alarming rate in recent years, and not only because of ships like the SOVA. The orcas face many challenges, such as maritime traffic, which disturbs them, or because their food source – the chinook fish – are endangered. It wasn’t the first time we’ve caught the SOVA lurking along the shoreline. But without definite proof of their illegal doings, I’m afraid there hasn’t been much we could do. Let’s hope you scared them off for good!” He squeezed Ben’s shoulder and went to talk to his wife.

  Ben stared at his cup. The SOVA was still out there. And he had proof to incriminate it.

  Jeremy’s camera.

  Only, revealing the truth about the SOVA would also reveal the existence of his skill. How was he going to get around that?

  * * *

  Ben dreaded saying goodbye.

  Auntie Jen gifted him with a warm, handmade blanket and hugged him for a long time.

  “Auntie Jen?” he whispered so only she could hear. “I found it! The Edge of the Ocean.”

  She pulled back with a proud smile on her face and nodded as if that didn’t surprise her at all. “Next time, I will tell you a different story, yes?”

  Ben grinned, an electrical current rushing down his back at the prospect.

  Wilson and Kimi drove him to the bus stop, where satisfied tourists boarded the bus that would take them back to their routine lives.

  Wilson shook Ben’s hand. “I apologize for calling you Ben-friend,” he said. “From now on, I will call you Fluisteraar.”

  Ben smiled shily. “Honestly? I kind of got used to Ben-friend.” He picked up his loaded backpack and added, “Thanks, Wil. For everything.”

  Wilson nodded, but Ben noticed his eyes dart away as if something had distracted him. “What do you think?” Wilson whispered, sounding nervous. “Should I ask her?”

  “Huh?” Ben glanced around, then realized Anna was scooping ice cream at the ice cream parlour at the street corner. “Ask her what?”

  “You know…” Wilson said nervously. “…to marry me…”

  Ben was going to laugh, then realized Wilson was deadly serious. “Um… gosh, Wil, aren’t you rushing things a bit? I mean, aren’t you supposed to ask her parents first, and… and get a ring and… and…” He slumped, at a loss for words, then grinned. “Sorry, dude, but you’re going to have to figure this one out on your own.”

  “You’ll come to the wedding, right?” Wilson burst as if it was a done deal. “I mean…” he stuttered. “…if she says, ‘Yes.’”

  Ben chuckled. “You bet, Wil. I’ll be there.”

  Wilson let out a huge breath, his eyes taking on a dreamy state.

  Ben smiled. “Enough of this saying ‘goodbye’ thing. Better get on with it, the summer’s not getting any longer, you know?” He tapped the young man encouragingly on the arm.

  They shook hands again, then Wilson took off with a giddy look on his face.

  Kimi stalled by the bus door, shoving a pebble with her foot.

  “I wish we could have travelled back together,” Ben said when she looked up at him.

  “Yeah, I know. Thomas and my mom are picking me up here in a couple of days. Too bad you won’t get to see them.”

  Ben looked at his hands. “We’re going to have to tell our parents, you know?”

  Kimi puffed her cheeks. “I know. But after we tell them, I don’t think they’ll ever let us go on a camping trip again.”

  Ben pursed his lips.

  She stared at the ground again. “Look, I’m sorry I got angry at you before, for not telling me anything. I shouldn’t have pressured you.”

  “Don’t be sorry. You had every right to ask. I’m still surprised you believe my story. I know I wouldn’t.”

  Her large, black eyes rested on his. “It’s not really about whether or not I believe your crazy story, Ben. You heard Auntie Jen’s tale. You’d think it was pure fantasy, but the thing is, each story is based on something real, each story has an element of truth hiding behind it. And in this case, I’ve come to the conclusion that that element of truth is you.”

  Ben stared at her, stunned. He wasn’t entirely sure what she meant, but he knew it was something profound.

  The bus roared to life, indicating it was time to go.

  “Just remember,” she said. “You may have some kind of superpower, but that doesn’t mean you have to face everything on your own. Your mission is everyone’s mission. There are people out there who will want to help. And I’m one of them.”

  “Boarding time!” the bus driver yelled.

  She reached out and kissed his cheek, then stepped away.

  Ben clambered on to the bus, almost tripping over himself. He took his place in a seat by the window, wanting to kick himself for not having come up with something smart to say. The least he could have said was thank you, but somehow Kimi had left him paralyzed.

  Call me, she mouthed at him as he waved goodbye. He gave her a thumbs-up, then watched her as the bus drove off. He was going to settle back when he caught sight of Wilson reaching the ice cream parlour and Anna greeting him by throwing herself into his arms.

  That’s when Ben realized what Kimi had really meant. It wasn’t that she needed to decide whether or not she believed in his story. It was that she had decided she believed in him. And that, somehow, meant more to him than anything she could ever have said.

  CHAPTER 25 Taking a Stand

  Ben had barely stepped out of his mom’s car after a long drive from the ferry when she urged him to meet Mesmo under the maple tree.

  The sun beat down on the cornfields, and when he shielded his eyes as he walked along the beaten path, he found a man walking up to him. He stopped and did a double-take because it was High Inspector James Hao.

  Although Ben knew his mother had regular contact with the government agent, he had, until now, avoided any direct encounter with the man who had taken Tike away from him. He knew it hadn’t really been the Inspector’s fault, and he had saved their lives more than once since then, but Ben couldn’t help associating traumatic memories with the High Inspector.

  They faced each other, Ben struggling with mixed emotions. Since he had seen Hao last, the Inspector’s hair had been grey above the ears, but now it had spread to the rest of his head.

  “Benjamin Archer,” Hao said. “It seems I find you wherever something unusual happens.”

  Ben didn’t know what to say to that.

  His English Shepherd dog ran up the path to greet Hao, his former master, and Hao obliged by giving the dog a good rub. Hao then loosened the button of his suit jacket and sat on a boulder by the side of the path.

  “I’m glad we have a chance to talk,” Hao said. “I know this must be as awkward for you as it is for me. I never got a chance to really apologize for what happened on the Kananaskis Mountains. I still think about it often and wish things had gone differently.”

  Ben was going to say, “It wasn’t your fault.” But his mind whirled with painful memories.

  Still stroking Buddy’s
head, Hao looked at him. “You have to understand, I have been trained all my life to protect innocent people, and when I am ordered to track down a criminal target, I excel at doing so. Unfortunately, in your case, I was after the wrong target…”

  Ben’s eyes stung. “Everything that happened, happened because of Bordock. He hurt a lot of people in a lot of different ways. I remind myself of that every day. I know you didn’t mean to do what you did. But I guess I… I just need some time…”

  Hao nodded. “I understand.” He stood and glanced at Ben. “Will you believe me if I tell you I have your back? No one understands the situation better than you, your mom, Mesmo, and me. We have been in this from the start. I hope that, should you ever need it, you will come to me for help.”

  “Thank you,” Ben said. “You saved my mom and Mesmo. I’ll never forget that.” He lowered his hand and let the dog lick it. “And thanks for giving me Buddy.”

  Hao smiled sadly. “He’s much better off with you. I’m hardly ever home now. Governments are barely making heads or tails of the situation, and I need to keep them on the right track. As long as I’m considered The Cosmic Fall expert, you’ll have a buffer from prying eyes. I’ll make sure it stays that way so you can accomplish whatever it is you have to do.”

  He glanced in the direction of the maple tree. “Mesmo has explained your new mission to me. You can count on me to get as many heads of state as possible to attend the international conference to be held in Brasil on December 21st. I look forward to seeing you there.”

  The Great Gathering!

  Ben brightened. “That’s a deal,” he said, extending his hand. Hao’s usually stern facial traits softened, and he accepted the gesture.

  The handshake between them was firm.

  As Ben walked away, his spirit lifted as he realized that Kimi was right. He did not need to do this on his own. People were rallying to his cause. He just needed a way to reach them.