by K C West
“I’d love one.” Her hand was still buried in Pup’s ruff.
*
The smell of dust in the dead air and the sheer mystery of it all drew us deeper into the labyrinth each day. As a safety precaution and to avoid getting lost in some of the side passages, we strung a line out behind us.
I could tell that something was bothering PJ, but I didn’t know what, and when I asked her, she was unable to explain her uneasy feelings. She held Pup close to her and appeared more comfortable having him along.
Testing revealed that the vessels we found in the alcove had once contained grain, fruit, honey, and wine. Like finding isolated pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, we saved the information, storing it with other bits of data, until we could construct a complete picture of what we had discovered, and why it would be significant in our present-day lives.
*
“What do we do now?” Sandy asked, as we assembled at the entrance to one of the many side tunnels.
Looking from him to PJ, and then at the broken ceiling and the pile of dirt and rubble on the floor, I stated the obvious. “It looks as if significant repairs will be needed before we proceed.” Rudimentary repairs had been made to this section sometime in the past. We could see where wooden planks had been placed over the unstable ceiling area and were now covered with dirt. It continued to sift downward into the passage through the gaps.
We retreated, deciding to wait for the completion of repairs before making any further inroads. From the outside, the area looked like nothing more than a mound overgrown with grass and weeds.
Several of our colleagues had theories about what had caused the interior damage.
PJ glanced at Sandy. “Vandals?”
“Possibly,” he said.
“More than likely earthquake activity,” I said.
PJ pursed her lips. “Shades of the Superstitions.”
*
Several days later we were back at the damaged section, which had been expertly reinforced. As we passed beyond the repair, we found piles of broken pottery. Studying, photographing, and cataloguing each shard was tedious, backbreaking work, which took an interminable amount of time.
“I’m going to check over here,” PJ said, after finishing her assigned tasks. She took Pup with her.
At approximately ten meters beyond where we were sifting through the rubble, the passage curved again to the right, and we lost sight of her, although we could still see her headlamp casting its eerie beam into the long-undisturbed darkness.
“Oh, my God!” We heard the urgency in PJ’s voice. Pup’s long, low growl showed he was also distressed by whatever PJ was seeing.
Taking care to avoid any broken pottery, I ran to where she was and pulled her close. “Are you okay?” She was shaking and clinging to Pup who remained concerned about something in the shadows.
“Yeah, I just… I wasn’t expecting - that.” She pointed into the dark corner.
“That was a person at one time.”
“I know it was. It’s just…” She put her hand to her forehead. “Shit! What the hell is wrong with me?”
Sandy joined us, dropping to his knees for a closer look. While I supported PJ, he studied the skeleton. It sat in the corner, knees drawn up, head to the side, as if napping.
Niklas and Gregor started photographing, measuring, and charting his position. “This is pretty close to the cave-in,” Gregor said, looking toward the shored up passage.
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking? That he was a vandal?” Niklas asked.
I looked around. “Can’t know that for sure. He could have been a worker who somehow got caught inside when they sealed the cave-in. We’ll know more after we do some tests.”
PJ found her voice. “Do you really suppose it was someone who couldn’t find his way out?”
“Possibly.” I left her side and stepped closer, peering over Gregor’s shoulder.
“Are you okay?” I heard Sandy ask and turned in time to see PJ slide down the wall into a sitting position, burying her head in Pup’s fur.
I returned to her and leaned down, hand extended. “Come on you, let’s get some fresh air.”
She brushed my hand aside. “No, I’m okay. It’s just the thought of being trapped in here, dying like that.” She closed her eyes and shuddered.
Sandy ordered us out. “I think we’re done here anyway, for the moment.”
I turned to him. “Perhaps we should have Alexander come take a look since he specializes in forensics.”
“Good idea. I’d like his opinion on this guy.” He looked at his watch. “But it’s almost lunchtime.”
“Oh, Sandy. You and your stomach.” PJ joked, probably trying to regain her composure, but I could tell she wasn’t up to it.
Apparently, the discovery of the skeleton had really unnerved her. It puzzled me. I knew she had dealt with remains before; we’d found some recently in the Superstitions.
Once outside, I confronted her. “We’re archaeologists. Remains like that are part of our world. What’s going on with you?”
“Be patient, Kim, please.” Tears glistened as she looked toward the entrance to the labyrinth. “It’s as if I understand some things with more clarity since being a prisoner myself. I feel his pain and the panic of being lost in there, his sheer despair when he curled up in the corner, knowing he’d never again see the light of day.”
I took her hand. “You’ll feel better after lunch.”
“No, you go eat. I’m going to lie down.”
“Then I’ll come with you.”
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to be by myself.” She put her hand on top of mine. “Don’t worry, I’ll be okay.”
“I’ll bring you something.” I watched her walk toward our tent. Pup stayed at her side, choosing, I thought, to protect her instead of checking on soup bones and other treats.
*
As I stretched out on our mattress, I was comforted by those familiar yellow eyes watching me. Pup put a tentative paw on Kim’s side of the bed and, when I didn’t say anything, clambered up beside me. I stroked his head and ruffled his furry neck.
“What’s happening to me?”
He made a snuffling sound and shook himself.
“Is it the labyrinth?”
His head angled as if he had absorbed my question, while his eyes remained focused on me. They seemed to burn into my soul.
“Maybe I’m just losing my mind. Finding remains has never scared me before.” I tried taking deep, slow breaths, extending them to my belly to achieve maximum volume - all the techniques Susanna had suggested. In with the good air, out with the bad. Concentrate on inner peace, not chaos. Tears coursed down my cheeks.
“Jesus, Pup. What if I can’t get over this? I can’t give up archaeology. I love it too much. What if Kim gets fed up with me? How can I expect her to stay with me if I’ve flipped out?”
Fear and sadness threatened to overwhelm me. Pup whimpered and rubbed his nose against my chin. I gripped the long hairs of his neck, hugging him like a drowning victim clutches a life preserver. He licked my face, cheering me up.
“Good boy, Pup. You’re my buddy, aren’t you?” I rolled onto my side. “Come on, big guy. I’ll be okay. Let’s try to get some rest.” With Pup pressed up against me, I stretched out on our low bed, feeling his protective warmth throughout my body. He couldn’t see my enemy any more than I could, but he somehow sensed I was fighting something.
*
Like the shower of dust from the ceiling of the passage, hot water sprayed over my body. The narrow stall seemed to close in on me from all sides, but I was determined to wash all of the dirt from my hair and skin. Soapy water slid from my neck, flowing between my breasts and down to the drain at my feet. The water was hot, but I couldn’t stop shivering. I gave up and wrapped myself in a thick towel. Tiny tendrils of fear spread to every nerve in my body.
As I turned to collect my underwear, I picked up a pair of bronze-colored briefs. The initials TS were e
mbroidered on one leg. I dropped them as if scalded and tried to exit the shower facilities. One wall gave way to a long, winding passage.
“No!” I shouted. “It’s not real. Don’t make me go there.”
It was the only way out.
As I turned a corner in the passage, a pair of hands grabbed the towel, stripping it away. The tendrils of fear became thick vines that tried to envelop me.
“PJ, talk to me,” begged a female voice from the shadows.
I cowered in the corner, desperately trying to cover myself. “Go away, Terry. Leave me alone.”
She shook me gently. I turned away and heard Pup barking and snarling nearby. As he advanced on Terry, I crawled in the opposite direction. It was dark. I couldn’t find my way out of the maze. The thick branches of my fear immobilized me.
“PJ, look at me!”
“No! Go away!”
A light flared, and I could see further into the shadows. Someone else was there. Someone to offer me help? I crawled toward the shadowy figure, scraping my knees and arms on the rough ground.
“Please, help me.” I grabbed the person’s arm, but the skeletal bones came away in my hand.
Screams tore at my throat and echoed in my ears.
*
I stood in the midday sunshine, worried about PJ’s obviously fragile mental state. She had been doing so well, or so I thought. Dr. Fleming had released her to travel to Greece, providing her with exercises for mind and body. PJ had been faithful in her activities and appeared to be improving.
With my mind so much on the project, had I neglected her? Had I failed to support her while she was still in need?
The hum of voices from the mess tent reminded me of where I was headed.
As I drew closer, the hum became conversations mixing together in a potpourri of Greek and English. Looking neither right nor left, I entered the mess tent and was surprised to hear Frederick’s booming voice calling to me.
“Kim, join us, over here.”
He was seated at a small table with Sandy and Dr. Susanna Armstrong.
What was she doing here? Maybe I could talk to her about PJ’s strange behavior.
Frederick rose from his chair and enveloped me in a bear hug. This man whom I had at first disliked, had become all things to me: friend, older brother, father, and father-in-law. He was gruff at times, but as gentle as a doe at others. The difficulties he and PJ had experienced for so long stemmed from the great love he had shared with his deceased wife and the love he had for his daughter, but didn’t know how to express. PJ’s difficulties with him had arisen from the same source - the grief she had suffered when her mother was killed. The inability to resolve their grief had resulted in years of misunderstanding.
“We weren’t expecting you for another week or so,” I told him.
“I know, but Sandy said it would be a big help to PJ if I could get here sooner. Since I was eager to get here, I managed to wrap things up a little early.”
“It’s good to see you.” I kissed him on the cheek. “And you, Dr. Armstrong. What a pleasant surprise.”
Her expression held a hint of merriment. “I wasn’t expecting to be here, but Frederick suggested I come see how PJ was doing, and he can be very persuasive.”
Sandy stood up. “Doc, what would you like for lunch? I’ll get it for you.”
“Thanks. A salad would be nice. Horiatiki salata, and some rizogalo for dessert.”
“How is PJ?” Susanna asked.
“Not too well, right now.” When Frederick grew pale, I added hastily, “Nothing serious. Physically, she’s fine, and she’s been doing really well mentally. At least I thought she was, but I’m really glad you’re both here.”
“There are always setbacks as we work through the painful memories,” Dr. Armstrong said. “I’m sure Dr. Fleming has discussed that with PJ, and I think he’d expect me to help her right now. Tell me what happened.”
Sandy arrived with my lunch, but didn’t sit down. “You folks have stuff to talk about, and I have to speak to some of my people. So, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll leave you to talk.”
Frederick stood and shook Sandy’s hand. “We’ll discuss the project a little later on, okay?”
“Of course,” Sandy said, and exited the mess tent.
“Now, tell me everything,” Susanna said, when Frederick resumed his seat.
“We found some remains this morning, a full skeleton. It unnerved her, sending her over the edge for a few moments. That’s why she didn’t come to lunch. She said she needed to rest.” I shook my head and took a few bites of salad.
“She’s an archaeologist, for God’s sake.” Frederick frowned. “She’s seen remains before.”
Susanna reached for his hand, squeezing it. He covered hers with his. To my eye, it was an act that spoke of mutual affection. “You must understand that she’s not looking at it rationally. The obstacles she’s facing color her real-life view of things.”
“That’s serious.”
“Yes, Kim, but nothing that can’t be cured.”
“She won’t go down in the labyrinth without Pup. It’s as if she thinks he’ll protect her from whatever is in there.”
“He’s her anchor, her hold on real life. When she’s down there, it’s another world. Isn’t that what archaeology is? Other worlds that we, in this one, are investigating and, some might say, disturbing?”
“What about me? Can’t I be her anchor?”
“Of course you can, and most of the time, you are. But when you’re down there, you’re building that other world around you, as she does, when she’s well. For now, Pup is only interested in her world and her well-being. He’s the perfect anchor because he doesn’t expect anything from her, and he isn’t looking at her as though she’s crazy.”
“I don’t think she’s crazy.” My tone was snappish.
“I know you don’t, and she doesn’t think so either, but there are moments when the troubles overwhelm her and block all logical thought.”
“I want to see her,” Frederick said, standing up.
“Wait. Kim hasn’t finished her lunch.”
“It’s okay, I’m not really hungry.” I had picked a bit on the salad and had eaten half of the rizogalo. It was good, but I wasn’t in the mood for food. “Wait, though, I promised to take something back to the tent for PJ.” I ordered a salad and for her dessert, loukoumi. Turkish Delight for the delight of my life, who, right now, was in pain. The kind of pain that doesn’t respond to an aspirin.
We left the mess tent and were halfway across the compound when we heard PJ’s screams. We rushed inside to find her sitting up, tears rolling down her face, hugging Pup for dear life. He turned on me, showing his fangs.
“Easy, boy. We’re not going to hurt her.” I dropped the food containers on the table and took hold of his collar, while gently unclenching PJ’s fingers. “There you go,” I said, hoping my words were reaching her. “It’s okay. I’m here, and Susanna’s here to help you… your dad, too.” I started to back away with Pup.
PJ’s expression held so much pain and shock. When she spoke, it was to whimper, “I’m in trouble, Kimmy.”
“I’m here, sweetheart,” I whispered, putting one arm around her while holding Pup with the other.
Susanna politely ordered us to leave, saying, “I need to have some time alone with PJ.”
*
Susanna sat beside me on the mattress, offering tissues when needed. It took us almost two hours to get through all the stuff leading up to and including my horrendous nightmare, but by the time I had recounted the last detail, I was feeling stronger and more confident. I was grateful that she was a compassionate and patient woman, who didn’t seem to mind how soggy I made her expensive linen jacket.
“This is just one little pothole on your road to recovery. We talked about how it would be a day-by-day effort, and that you shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help from your friends and loved ones.”
“I know, but it was so sudde
n and so scary. Maybe it was some sort of claustrophobia. Do you think it could have been just that?”
“Possibly.” She gently took my wrist and checked my pulse. “I wasn’t there to see it happen. It sounds more like a panic attack, though, that Kim managed to avert by getting you outside and away from the stimulus. She loves you very much, you know.”
“I know. I’m so lucky to have her in my life.” I sniffed and blew my nose. “Susanna, help me. I don’t want to be sick any more. It freaks me out to think that I might scare Kim away with this craziness.”
“From what I’ve observed, I doubt that will happen. But let’s focus on coping with any recurring episodes, okay?”
I took an uneasy breath. “Okay.”
“Good. I know from your e-mails that you’ve been doing meditation and the Sun Salutations I gave you. What other exercise do you get?”
“I walk Pup either in the morning or evening. Kim and I trade off. I do some running.”
“Good. That will get the endorphins flowing. Your dad told me you ran a few marathons.”
“Oh, years ago, when I was just out of college.”
“Perhaps you can do some distance training to help get your stamina back.”
“Maybe.”
“I have a booklet of exercises to give you, and perhaps you can try some self-hypnosis.” She paused. “If insomnia is still a problem, I can also give you a supply of mild sedatives.”
I shook my head. “I hope it won’t come to that.”
“Okay, I know you don’t like the idea of pills.”
“I was medicated when Mom died, and it nearly became an addiction. I don’t ever want to feel that way again.”
“You make a good point. Medication will be a last resort.”
Susanna spent a few moments reading my journal while I fixed two cups of Earl Grey and added some pastries that Irini had brought. I hadn’t touched the lunch Kim had left for me, but when I was on edge, a cup of hot tea always seemed to work wonders.
“You’ve written an unusual poem about the ocean,” Susanna said, after leafing through my journal. “I see a lot of humor and cockiness in it. You wrote it before you left for Greece, though, didn’t you?”