by Alexie Aaron
“She probably got in the Town Car,” Ted said, concentrating on putting a chip in the near nuclear lighting devices he invented.
“No. There’s no car.” Cid dropped down and jogged over to where he last saw Mia. He saw her footsteps stop and then nothing. No tire tracks, just drifting snow.
He wiped his lenses and looked in the direction of her last steps and could have sworn he saw giant wings beating in the darkening sky.
Mia was stunned. She was expecting the Town Car and a ride to the area, and then she would walk in. Instead something had her by the arm pits. She felt the warmth of a body and the sound of wings flapping, big wings. Below her she saw the farm, the ruins of the barn and then the forest began. She and her escort moved higher above the treetops. She was too frightened to look up, to confirm that it was Angelo flying. She just let it happen. “Get me as close as you can without compromising yourself,” she thought.
Angelo smiled as he navigated between the mighty pines and gently landed on the soft pack snow with Mia. He set her down. She slowly turned around.
“There are no words,” she thought. “Thank you. If I don’t make it, be kind to the guys.”
He nodded his beautiful face and took flight. She watched him for a few seconds before she started to move towards the hillside. She took account of the number of the DTDs and scoped out her escape route. She was a hundred yards from the road. She had to rile up the group and get them to chase her, but she also needed a head start, a diversion. She reached into her pocket and pulled out some of Henry’s firecrackers. She lit them and tossed them into the mass of DTDs and ran like hell.
They exploded, and one of the scouts shouted something Mia couldn’t understand. But she assumed it was something like, “GET HER!”
She moved fast, lighting more firecrackers and leaving them in her wake. This kept the fast DTDs from taking her down from behind. They would try to circle around her. She lit the near nuclear lights strapped to her sleeves. This would keep them from taking her out from the sides. Something whizzed by her head and embedded in the tree in front of her. “Shit,” she said, chiding herself for forgetting about the compound bows. How long did it take for them to figure the bows out in order for them to be so proficient? She rounded the tree and increased her speed. She hit the pavement and took a moment to turn around and face her pursuers. Two DTDs moved out of the forest. Mia used her lights to keep them at a distance. One of them had a bow.
CRACK!
Murphy’s axe sounded from behind her. She spun around to see him barreling towards her. She braced for collision, knowing he couldn’t stop his momentum in time. He moved through her body, lost his footing and fell back through her again.
“Bloody hell,” Mia said as she tried to help him. She looked at what was chasing him and repeated, “Bloody hell.”
A dignified line of buffalo-skin covered warriors moved quickly down the hillside towards the road.
BLAST!
Mia turned around and saw the black mass slither down the opposite hillside towards her. She put her back to Murphy and he to hers.
“I guess we try to stay alive long enough for…”
BLAST BLAST BLAST!
Murphy answered with hitting the road with his axe.
CRACK CRACK CRACK!
Out of the forest a giant tree woman moved. Her movements were heralded by Blast’s explosive sounds. The gray bark moved with the grace of a young woman. Chenille had chosen a maple tree for her armor. Winter had stripped the trees of their foliage, but the woman’s memory of spring caused light green leaves to adorn the tips of her hair.
The Iroquois put down their knives and knelt. The DTDs who were used to Chenille’s ability milled around her. Several angry sounds from Blast demanded reverence. The DTDs put down the bows and hung their heads. The rest of the bubbling shadows parted to let the tree woman come forth.
The Fox warriors with the dark eyes moved uneasily. The chief of the Illini pulled himself together and walked towards and challenged the tree. He called for Chenille’s children to be brought forth. When the children were not produced, he reached inside his chest and dragged from within himself a DTD.
“It’s her father,” Murphy said over her shoulder. “He’s threatening her with her father. You can understand them if you listen with your heart.”
Mia didn’t ask how he knew. She took what her friend said as true. She reached in her pocket and pulled out the faraday disk. She placed it on the ground and stomped on it. She pulled out the Cherry bomb ready to light it. She changed her mind because there was no need. The waves moved through the snow as if it were water. They reached the chief in seconds. This disruption unnerved him causing him to release the old shaman from his grasp.
The old man hit the ground and the darkness oozed away. He rose and became a man. He walked over to the tree and started to talk.
Chapter Thirty-five
“My people, the time has come to let go of our anger that has stained us for so long,” the shaman addressed the wavering mass of shadows. “It is not hard. You are not bound to the chief forever. The Great Spirit wants you at his fire, sharing tales of the old days when the buffalo walked the plains. The days before the French caused us all to lose our way in greed.”
The chief screamed in anguish. “Have you not died by the hand of those savages?” he said thrusting his hand in the direction of the Iroquois. “Did they not bash your wives’ heads in and stomp the life out of your children?”
“Did we not do the same?” the shaman challenged.
“They betrayed us. We heard about the suffering, the starvation of their villages, we went to their aide. They came and slaughtered our people. We were betrayed!”
“My people did not slaughter your small village,” a voice from the Iroquois called over. “True, we have tangled before and have proudly sent many men to the Great Spirit. But we did not betray your kindness. It was others.”
Mia and Murphy saw the dark-eyed Fox start to move away from Iroquois. Quickly the Iroquois moved around them.
“But we will not allow you to hurt them in revenge,” the voice continued. “They were sly, they used all concerned, but it was their way, just as it was our way to eliminate the competition for the trade with the French. We moved beyond our hunting grounds and took and took until we had weakened ourselves. We fought many battles, formed many alliances. We turned on our partners and were attacked in kind. All this weakened us. I died in a battle, and instead of going to the fires of my fathers, I was trapped. I was barred. I was stripped of my name,” he said in anger. “We were given a choice. Wallow in the pit as you have done, dining on anger and living for revenge. Or walk the earth until we have made amends. We sought redemption.”
“Will you not speak to our people, daughter?” the old man asked.
“I was there when the Fox came,” Chenille’s voice echoed through the forest. “They slaughtered the old, the weak and the young. They left us to rot. But my anger is no longer with me. I see them, and only pity wells where bile would rise. My children and I were denied the fires of our fathers. This was too much. We were innocents cut down by evil and greed, but we did not deserve to rot in the pit. You were our chief and you condemned us with your blood. You marked us so we were turned away. For what?”
“We must be avenged! They must pay! They took away my people, my village, my future!”
“Your village?” Chenille questioned him. “You are our chief, but you do not own our souls. We are not your property. I have learned from this world, as defective as it is, that people are not property. You took away our future when you strapped yourself to the tree and let your blood mix with ours. You didn’t do it out of reverence for the dead. You did it to bind us to you forever.”
“My people do not listen to this shape shifter. She is a witch, a hag, a betrayer,” the chief ordered.
“People, I and my father had never lied to you. You can throw off this darkness. All you have to do is…”
&n
bsp; Mia heard the sound of a war cry and a dark-eyed warrior charged through the Iroquois ranks and tossed a tomahawk at Chenille. She and Murphy watched helplessly as it sailed towards the shape shifter. The sound of many wings drowned out Mia’s warning. Just before the axe reached its target it was snatched by a very large crow. Other crows moved in and around the chief who raised his hands in frustration.
The dark-eyed warrior was captured by his people, and a very sharp knife was held to his throat. The man with the knife spoke with the voice of the Iroquois, “Ask me for his life, and I will give it.”
“No. No more! Let go of the anger. Let go of the thirst for vengeance, my people,” Chenille pleaded.
They had only the full moon to illuminate the shadows, but it was enough. Mia watched in awe as the blackness started to melt away from the Illini. They became people. Old, young, strong, and weak. They pushed off the shadows and moved in front of the tree.
“Is this what you want?” the chief asked. He was answered with his people turning their backs on him.
Even though this man had done so many horrible things, Mia’s heart went out to him. “Doesn’t he deserve redemption?” she asked, looking first at Chenille and then turning to the Iroquois that still held the shadow-eyed man in his grasp. “Doesn’t he deserve redemption?” she repeated.
With shaky legs she crossed the street and faced the ATzxe possessed chief. “Forgive him and watch the evil fall away,” she said to the crowd. To him she said, “Forgive yourself, you weren’t there for them, but be there for them now. Cast off your cloak stained with blood,” she instructed.
The chief shuddered. He tried to pull the shadow from his skin, but it held on to him. He kept trying.
“Angelo!” Mia cried. “Help this man.”
Mia heard the beating of wings. She stood back as a large crow landed on the chief and dug it’s talons into his flesh and pulled.
“Let go. Forgive the Iroquois, the Fox and the French. Forgive my people for unknowingly hurting you. Look to the sky and your father who is waiting,” Mia instructed.
Angelo beat his wings harder now, and Mia stepped back as the darkness was ripped from the chief’s body, leaving him naked and exposed. A movement behind her caused her to turn to see an Iroquois walk over and take off his buffalo skin and wrap it around the shoulders of his enemy.
Angelo called to the other birds who moved to the dark-eyed Fox warriors and pulled the blackness from their souls.
A rumbling sound drew near. Mia feared that the PEEPs or the Sherriff’s men were moving in. Instead she witnessed the ground opening up. Large granite boulders pushed upwards and parted. Before Murphy and Mia stood a cavern that emitted a rotten egg smell.
“Bloody hell,” Mia said holding her nose.
Murphy shrugged his shoulders.
“You’re lucky you can’t smell. Take it from me, it’s worse than worse.”
The crows flew into the cave with the ATzxes wiggling trying to free themselves. After a short while they returned, their talons free of the ATzxes. The ground rumbled. The granite folded in on itself and sunk into the ground. The snow from the hillside shuddered as the soil moved over the spot and buried it once again.
The crows cawed communication to each other and flew off, leaving a rather large one alone. Mia assumed this was Angelo. He landed on the outstretched arm of Chenille.
The Iroquois nodded to the Illini before they turned and left. They faded as they climbed the hill. The Fox warriors, stripped of their demons, followed them, their backs straight, their manner noble. Chenille’s chief looked at his people and lifted a hand. Forgive me for all I have done. I will now follow the path of the others, to find my redemption. He too climbed the western hill and faded away into the trees.
A sudden light pierced the darkness. Another rumble reached Mia’s ears. Murphy put up his hand to block the light but it was to no avail. This was not the Great Spirit nor Heaven opening its doors. It was Ted and his near nuclear spotlight. He rode atop the PEEPs Command truck. “Hi, Mia, need any help?”
“Great way to kill the emotional impact of saving the world, hon,” she pointed out.
“Oh, I guess my watch is fast. So where are we?” He slid off the truck and gave Murphy a high five on his way to hug his girl. He picked her off her feet. “We saw the Indi… Native Amer… First People? Anyway, we filmed the dudes climbing into the sunset and figured you may want a ride home. Mike already called John Ryan and his deputy dudes off.”
“Sunset? It’s eight at night, for cripes sake,” Mia admonished.
She turned around and the Illini were gone except for one. She stood holding the hand of a very noisy young man.
“Ted, the DTDs, are they still in the truck?”
“That’s where I left them.”
Mia and he ran around back to be greeted by an incessant banging on the door. Ted raised it, and before them stood two beautiful little boys. Mia tried to help one of them down, but when she reached for him, her hands moved right through him. He stuck out his tongue and jumped down unassisted. His brother leaned over to her and said, “Be good,” before he jumped down and raced his brother towards their mother.
Chenille knelt down and gathered the rascals in her arms. She settled them down and motioned for someone. Her father walked out of the forest and called to the boys. The three of them ran to their grandfather. Chenille put a hand on her heart and moved it outwards towards them. She then turned and walked over to her family. They walked off together and faded into the trees.
“Whoa,” Ted said. “I hope Burt got that on film.”
“Where is he?” Mia said looking around her.
Ted turned her around and pointed to a stand of chestnut trees. Sitting on one of the branches was Burt Hicks. He raised his hand to acknowledge Mia’s stunned face.
“When and how did he get in that tree?”
“After the Iroquois left, and he climbed it himself.”
“Do you think he can get down himself?”
“Nope. Mike’s gone back to get a ladder from the farm,” Ted said. His attention was now on something behind Mia. “Oh that’s something you don’t see every day,” he pointed.
Mia turned and saw Murphy swinging his axe at a crow that kept trying to land on his hat. “Excuse me,” Mia said and strode off in their direction. “Stop it. Angelo, I believe your driver is on overtime. Murphy, if you hit him, I will never talk to you again. Honestly, children,” she said shaking her head. “Damn, I’m sounding like Burt now.”
The crow flew off, and Murphy turned around and tried to look innocent. He spotted Burt in the tree and started to head over there picking up some snow and packing it into a ball.
“Stop. If you cause him to fall out of that tree…” Mia stopped realizing she had run out of useless threats. “Oh go ahead. Make sure he doesn’t land on the camera. Ted’s got better things to do then fixing all the stuff he breaks.”
“You’re sounding very nag-ish tonight, sweetie,” Ted observed. “Is this a look into our future? Me being nagged by Miss Cooper?”
“Count on it,” Mia said looking up into his face.
“Cool beans, Miss Cooper,” Ted said and took her into his arms.
Chapter Thirty-six
Mia leaned against the door of the F 150 and waited. She wanted to catch Whit before he left town. She knew the route he would take, and she was determined to talk to him before he began his journey.
There hadn’t been any opportunity in the last few weeks or they hadn’t made any. Voicemail tag was played a few times. Each time more distance in between the messages answered. Mia had been helping Cid with the renovation at the Kowalski house in Wheybridge. Martha wanted the work to be completed before her children came back from Disney World.
The barnyard motif had been papered and painted over until a fairyland emerged. Martha wanted a mural on one of the walls. Ted had a good hand and came in and outlined the fantasy creatures for Mia and Cid to fill in with color. Mia foun
d Batman lurking in a tree. Ted was fired and the tree filled in with apples.
Mia and Cid had just finished loading their gear when the Kowalskis arrived home. They made themselves scarce in the garage labeling paint containers.
“I hope the little girl likes it,” Cid said nervously. “This is my first decorating job.”
“I’m sure we’ll find out soon,” Mia said as Gwen burst through the door.
“I love it, Mister Cid and Auntie Mia,” the little girl launched herself at the pair.
“Did you have a good time at Disney World?” Mia asked, untangling herself from Gwen’s viselike grip.
“Yes. Lizzie threw up and Henry got grounded twice.”
“Poor Lizzie.”
“Mom says that’s what you get for getting into the mini bar without asking.”
“Oh,” Mia said, not quite understanding.
Gwen wiggled her finger for Mia to come closer. “What happened to Beanie, Bubba and Blast?” she asked just above a whisper.
“They found their mommy and grandfather, and they all lived happily ever after,” Mia told her. “They were in disguise. All but Bubba was sorry they pinched and poked at you. You taught them a lot. How to talk, sing and play.”
“I was their mommy sometimes,” Gwen said sagely.
“Yes, you were. How are you feeling? Any more nightmares?”
She screwed up her face to think and said, “Nope.”
“If the nightmares come back, you tell your mother and she can call me.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Her eyes opened wide. “Wait here, don’t leave. I have a souvenir for you!”
“For me?” Mia asked surprise.
“Yes, Mommy and Daddy and I picked it out as a thank you.”
“That is very kind of you. I never got a souvenir before.”
Gwen smiled wide and ran into the house.
Cid looked at her oddly.