Earth Man

by Richard Paul Evans

  Helen had peered through the glazed window of LILYPAD’S many times, smelling the oil and soap smell coming from inside. As soon as Danny gave her the nod of approval, she marched in with her head high like a celebrity, breathing in the cucumber scent while she ordered all the services they had available. This gave Danny and the children free reign to shop as they wished and Raymond made sure they hit the electronics store first. The front entrance to the house was full of bags of clothing and gadgets that had caught their eye. Most of what they bought was stuff they needed but had never gotten around to buying due to money constraints. They spent more money than Helen or Danny had ever spent in one day in their entire lives; even their bills and mortgage payments weren’t as much as what they’d blown at the mall.

  Danny bought himself only one thing, but it cost more than everything else they’d gotten. They’d all agreed that it was a good idea; Danny really needed some kind of protection if he was going to be the protector of the Earth.

  “Come on, Daddy! Stop hiding!” Morgan shouted, bouncing up and down on the couch.

  They all fell silent as Danny stepped into the room. The body suit was a standard motorcycle outfit with Kevlar woven in for toughness. It was skin tight and all black but Danny wore a leather jacket over it for extra protection. The jacket was black as well, but there were two yellow stripes on the sleeves as well as matching yellow accents.

  “Put on the helmet!” Raymond yelled, heckling his father.

  It was a black helmet from a company called Del Rosario and it did not look like any of the helmets Danny had seen growing up, and he’d seen a lot of bike helmets. The shape was almost alien and horizontally across the mask were three yellow lines. There was no visor line, no standard helmet shape, so the entire helmet looked like a prop from a science fiction movie. As Danny put it on, he felt as if he’d finally become someone else; the leather clad hero he was meant to be. Morgan shook her head, grabbing her brother’s hand in fear.

  “It’s scary.” Morgan said.

  “I like it!” Danny took it off and handed it to Raymond. “Man it’s even cooler than grandpa’s old helmets!”

  “I like it.” Helen said, getting off the couch. She adjusted the jacket and looked her husband up and down.

  “No one is going to recognize you in that.”

  “What do you guys think,” Danny said, posing for the kids, “is Dad finally cool or what?”

  “Very cool Dad.” Raymond said, turning the helmet in his hands.

  “You look like an alien. I don’t like it.” Morgan said. She pushed out her bottom lip to show her discontent. Raymond held it out toward her and she pulled back.

  “You should get a cape instead.” Morgan moaned.

  “If it’s scary, it’ll scare the bad guys too. Sorry kid, but I can’t wear a cape.” Danny said.

  “Come on, let’s go play X-Box!” Raymond shouted, taking his sister’s hand.

  “Can you hook it up yourself? You know how?” Helen asked as Danny wrapped his arms around her.

  “I’ve waited a long time for an X-Box, don’t worry Mom I’ll figure it out.” Raymond said.

  As soon as the children were out of the room Danny squeezed Helen’s ass with both hands, almost lifting her off the ground.

  “Easy, tiger!” she said, pulling back.

  “It does look great on you though. But you still can’t ride a motorcycle. That rule is still in effect.”

  “Who needs a motorcycle? I can fly!”

  “Go fly then,” Helen whispered in his ear.

  “Really?”

  “Yeah, I want to play X-Box too. I’ll order a pizza for us; you go have fun in your new work clothes.”

  Danny kissed her quickly and ran out of the house. He slipped on the helmet and was about to take off when he smelled something strong and familiar. He tucked the helmet under his arm and headed for the forest. The smell of his new leather clothes was strong but he could still make out the faint scent of heated wood. Borrowing the powers of a nearby dog, Danny followed the scent to a man leaning against a tree, smoking a pipe. It was a long, thin, pipe, the kind Native people made and Danny knew right away who it was. The chance that there might be another black man dressed in traditional native clothing was very slim. This time he wore a green cloak and as Danny stepped into view the older man removed the hood from his head and gave Danny a cheerful smile. It was the man from the gas station, the one who’d given him the Coke.

  “We meet again,” Morgan Snowfall said as he thrust out his worn, muscular hands.

  As Danny shook his hand he noticed he did not wear a shirt under the cloak. All he had for warmth was a pair of lambskin pants and a thick pair of moccasins. There was a belt of small skulls around Snowfall’s waist that Danny had not noticed the first time they’d met.

  “I’m Danny, Danny Boyle.”

  “I know. The Earth Avatar. The Chosen One of this world.”

  “This world? You’re from another one?” Danny asked.

  Instead of responding Morgan held the pipe out to him. Danny looked at it and waved it away.

  “I am not from this world, but I am human. I’m from an alternate Earth.”

  Snowfall tapped the back of the pipe, knocking the burnt ashes out. He slipped the pipe into his cape. There were no pockets inside and it seemed to vanish.

  “I am an observer. Think of me as the proverbial nosy neighbour.”

  “Why are you here Morgan?”

  “Please call me Snowfall. Only my parents call me Morgan anymore. I am here because this is where I need to be right now.”

  “That’s. . . weird. What do you mean? That makes no sense ”

  “Sometimes things seem random until you step back and see the bigger pattern. I’ve yet to see the pattern, but I will. Until then, I’d like to gather as much information on the Growth as possible. I came here for knowledge and I coincidentally met you. I am trying to discover the reason why. I have a role to play here, a minor role I think. Yet who can say? Until we see the bigger picture, all we can do is follow the signs.”

  “So what, you are like my own personal Obi-Wan Kenobi?” Danny asked.

  “I was thinking more along the lines of Don Juan, but think of it in whatever frame of reference you prefer. This is your story.”

  “Can you fly?” Danny slipped his helmet on and floated himself off the ground with his ability, courtesy of a nearby owl.

  “Yes I can.” Danny stated proudly.

  “Then let’s fly.”

  As Danny rose higher he looked down to see a gust of wind begin to spin around Snowfall. After a couple seconds the wind lifted him off the ground and he was flying beside Danny like it was the most casual thing in the world.

  Nobody saw them as they flew slowly westward. The air was cold but neither of them noticed. The two men flew off, unaware that they would both be instrumental in saving not only one world but the multiverse as well and all life that lay between.

  “So is your world like this one?” Danny asked, his voice deepened by the black helmet he wore.

  They flew close to each other, soaring over the forests of British Columbia.

  “Similar, but not the same. There are differences. Some large, others small.”

  “Like what?” Danny asked.

  “You want examples?” Snowfall said, his eyebrows narrowing.

  “Hell yeah! How often will I meet anyone from another universe?”

  Snowfall pushed his thick hair out of his face as the wind twisted it around his head as he thought for a moment.

  “Alright,” Snowfall said with a grin, “Michael Jackson is still alive.”

  “Really? He didn’t die?”

  “Not only is he alive, he’s got his natural face and his wife is Tina Turner.”

  “Get the fuck out!” Danny said.

  He opened his visor to see Snowfall’s face better.

  “You’re messing with me, aren’t you?”

  Snowfall laughed loudly, his voice ca
rrying across the night sky. Danny couldn’t help but laugh with him, there was an aura of peace and tranquility that emanated from the man. It was obvious when you met him that he was a good man, the kind of man no one with a good heart could dislike. Danny was glad to have found someone he could talk to honestly, someone who could understand what his life had become.

  “I’m not messing with you. Sometime in the eighties at an awards ceremony Michael saw Tina’s ex-husband hit her. Michael knocked Ike Turner out with one punch. After that Michael’s street credit went through the roof. Between his superstar status, his new attitude and the growing audience for rap music, Michael became the King of Hip-Pop.”

  “No way! So no plastic surgery, no controversies about touching kids?” Danny shouted over the wind.

  “Nope. No Neverland, no surgery. Marrying an older woman after publically humiliating her ex-husband gave him a certain edge he never had in this world.”

  Danny though of how small changes could alter so much.

  “He still did Thriller though, right?”

  “Yeah, Thriller came out before he met Tina.”

  “What about all the albums that came after?”

  “Who cares?” Snowfall said, shrugging his shoulders.

  “Mediocre at best. Same as your world.”

  Danny let out a soft chuckle as Snowfall pointed to a large rock on top of a small hill. They turned in the air and headed toward the spot.

  “You know, I thought I’d been abducted by aliens at first.”

  Snowfall raised an eyebrow. “Seriously?”

  “Yeah seriously.”

  “It’s not uncommon. We often interpret ancient mysteries through a modern lens. It won’t be long now until ghosts get into our machines.”

  In awe of the black Indian’s words, even though he didn’t much understand them, Danny just nodded.

  “So how’d you do it? Travel from there to here?”

  A serious look crossed Snowfall’s face.

  “I’m sorry Danny, I can’t tell you that. Not yet.”

  “Oh.” Danny said as they landed. “Alright.”

  They stood for a moment, breathing in the cool night air.

  “Where do your powers come from?” Danny asked.

  “The same place as yours. My world has different rules, there is more . . magic. More science too, I believe.”

  “A world of superheroes right?”

  Snowfall cocked one eye up, surprised by Danny’s intuitive guess.

  “Yes. How did you figure it out?”

  “You’re not the least bit impressed by my powers.”

  Snowfall could only nod. For all his wisdom, Snowfall never considered the fact that his knowledge of the unknown revealed him as an outsider.

  “I apologize, Danny. Often when people travel through multiple universes or alien worlds, there is a certain conceit they bring with them. A belief that their world is the best world, that the people and places they have known are more ‘real’ than the things they see in other realms. If I have seemed arrogant in this regard, I sincerely hope you will forgive me.”

  “Actually that sounds like every Italian I’ve ever met. No matter how great a country is, they’ve always got a story about how Italy is better.”

  The two men laughed together as if they had known each other for years.

  “I am honestly impressed by how well you have coped with all this. Even the best of my world have had their moments of panic when they realize they have strange new abilities.” Snowfall said, still smiling.

  Danny was still laughing and he had to hold his side as a cramp developed.

  “Hey, after realizing I wasn’t being abducted by aliens, it all became much easier to handle. It just seems natural.”

  Snowfall listened to Danny’s words but his eyebrows narrowed slightly, even while he nodded in agreement. Danny didn’t catch the concern and instead stretched out his arms and back.

  “You know Mother Earth gave you more than just these animal abilities. You are connected to the life energy of the entire planet. To plug you into that directly would probably burn you out like an electrical fuse. Instead you were changed slowly, in a way that your mind and body could cope.”

  “I know,” Danny said, leaning back against the large rock, “I was having really strange visions at first and I was hearing things.”

  “You are still being changed Danny. The reason I mention it is because you are being changed into someone who can handle the kind of power you have now. You should be aware of what is happening to you because when it comes to power. .”

  “Power corrupts?”

  “Not at all Danny, at least I don’t believe so. Power can make angels of sinners. No. Lies corrupt. Ignorance corrupts. I think you are missing one of the fundamentals here. Truth is the real power Danny.”

  “Honestly I have no clue what you are talking about.”

  Snowfall sighed softly and suddenly the age in his eyes became apparent.

  “Do you own a cell phone Danny?”

  “No. Why, you want to call someone?”

  “No, I am trying to explain. Can your phone access the internet?”

  “Sure. It connects to something online. I’m not really sure. I can check my e-mail but I can’t surf the web.”

  “Exactly. Because you do not have access.”

  Snowfall pointed a finger at Danny’s nose.

  “The internet is being buffered by your service provider so that you only have access to what services you pay for. Your animal abilities are a buffer, because you still do not have access to the power directly. Do you understand?”

  “I think so,” Danny said, crossing his arms, “but that was the worst analogy I’ve ever heard.”

  “I’m a shaman, nothing more. In all honesty I should not even be helping you. I am just here to observe.”

  Snowfall looked up at the sky above as if looking for a sign. His eyebrows narrowed as if he was trying to see something or come to a difficult decision. Danny awkwardly played with his helmet as he waited for the older man to speak again. Finally Snowfall let out a long breath and spoke.

  “This power is going to change you Danny. On my world there are dozens of us who use magic, Earth magic like yours. Few of us ever touch the source; for even the smallest, most harmless of spells can lead to unexpected consequences. The magic changes the wielder; the magician does not change reality. Do you understand?”

  Danny nodded but his face only looked confused.

  “You’re plugged directly into the life force of this planet. I don’t think you fully understand what that means.”

  “It’s not going to change me into some kind of . . . monster.”

  “No. I don’t believe it will. But I don’t think you see this for what it truly is. It’s already begun to change you. Your life, your family, it’s all changing right now and no matter how much you try to fight it, you cannot. Any more than I could stop myself from becoming the man I am today. Life is change and the source of that life is running through you right now. Death and change are inevitable; these two forces determine the course of all life in all the universes of creation.”

  “What do you want from me?” Danny said, standing in front of Snowfall.

  “I don’t want anything from you my friend. I am just concerned that perhaps you are not seeing the bigger picture.”

  “Sometimes an act of kindness makes all the difference.” Danny said to him, repeating back to Snowfall the words he’d said to Danny when they’d first met. Snowfall nodded in response.

  “Show me.” Danny said, almost challenging the older wizard.

  Snowfall placed his hands gently on both sides of Danny’s head. Danny felt a buzz of electricity, pleasant but foreign. Snowfall removed his hands, blew on them and rubbed them together quickly as if he were trying to warm them up. When he placed his hands on Danny’s head the second time, he had to grip Danny hard to keep him from falling backwards as Snowfall used his own magical energy to releas
e the power within Danny.

  “I’m sorry,” Snowfall said as Danny convulsed in his hands.

  Magic flowed up Morgan Snowfall’s arms, glistening green and bright in the dark that had crept up on them. The magic travelled through his hands and into Danny who immediately began to see images of the Earth.

  Danny had already experienced this not once but twice before, when he’d first found something in the woods and later when the Earth had revealed her powerful nature to him. This time was less painful but the images flowed faster and changed more rapidly. Red light began to burst from Danny’s body, fighting to overtake the green magic Snowfall created. The shaman held on, letting himself conduct both energy flows through his body. Snowfall created a mystical circuit between himself and Danny; both were bound now to the Earth beneath them and it was from the Earth that Snowfall pulled the images he revealed to Danny.

  The visions began with picture of newborn life. Danny witnessed the birth of babies all across the world, from every species that walked on land and flew in the skies. All the crying, crawling, freshly living things seemed so cute and fragile that he felt like his heart would break for them. The scenes began to change and the empathy he’d been feeling quickly turned into horror. Babies began to die by tooth and claw, eaten by their natural predators. Visions of human children starving, dying of disease or crippled by deformity flashed through his mind and he began to weep uncontrollably. The tears poured down his cheeks and over Snowfall’s fingers but the shaman did not let him go, it took all Snowfall’s mystical power to keep the energy from overwhelming Danny’s mind and body. If he absorbed too much, if he took in too much power at one time, it would damage him. There was already red mist rising off Danny’s skin like steam and he was turning a frightening red color as he heated up.

  There was so much diversity in the world, so many varieties of life. Danny saw them all take their first steps, open their eyes to the sun and then fade away as their life cycles came to an end. Every horrible method of death in nature passed before his mind’s eye. He watched carnivores tearing prey apart with their teeth and herbivores fight over a mate until one of them was too wounded to continue. Rhinos and hippopotamuses gored each other and any humans that got too close, then the image would change to humans with their guns and knives killing the rhinos and hippos and every other living thing they encountered. The flashing images began to slow down but tears still ran down Danny’s face. Snowfall held on to him, keeping him upright even as his knees buckled.