“It’s starting to hail,” Valerie said, moving her head from the window as several pieces of ice bounced off the glass. She looked around the truck as she pulled her legs up to her chest. “We need to find shelter.”
“But we’re almost there,” Gavin said.
“No, no, we need to get off the main road,” she said, struggling to keep her panic in check.
“What’s that up there?” Arista asked, pointing off to their right.
“It’s a bridge,” Gavin answered. “But I don’t think we can drive on it.”
“There’s one right near the park,” Valerie said. “You have to find a way to cross it.”
Gavin slowed the car as they approached the covered bridge to the west of the main road. Large pylons in front of the entrance were meant to keep vehicles from crossing, but Gavin nosed them out of the way with the front end of the truck. As they parked under the bridge's battered wooden roof, the barrage of rain and ice against the truck ended. He stopped the vehicle and they all waited in nervous anticipation. The rain and hail continued outside, hitting the wood surfaces like rapidly fired gunshots.
The three sat in silence waiting out the hailstorm. Arista shifted in her seat to look behind them. The storm seemed to have gathered on all sides, surrounding them with darkness. It left her with the uneasy feeling of being trapped.
Gavin restlessly tapped his thumbs against the top of the steering wheel to a beat only he heard in his head. “I know you want to wait it out, Val, but we’re not that far from the park,” he started.
“What are we going to do when we get there?” Valerie asked. “Hike through the rain? It’s not like there’ll be a shelter right there. We’ll end up sitting in the truck anyway.”
“But we’ll be within the boundaries of Shades at least,” Arista said.
Valerie took a deep breath as she looked past the end of the bridge. The rain and hail were still falling in a downpour. Gavin reached back and gently pressed his hand on her leg.
“It won’t last forever, Val. We’re only driving through it and we don’t even have that far to go.”
“I’m sure that’s what they said as they headed for the shore,” Valerie said. She slumped back into her seat and crossed her arms.
Gavin turned back into his seat with a pained expression on his face. Storms had terrified his sister ever since their parents died. He shifted the truck back into drive and slowly moved past the confines of the bridge.
They had only moved a short ways down the road when they were forced to stop. A huge tree had fallen during the storm, blocking the roadway. Its limbs twisted grotesquely in the wind and rain, like an upturned spider. Gavin parked the truck and unbuckled his seat belt. He put his hand on the door handle when Valerie lurched forward to stop him.
“You cannot go out in that,” she yelled, pulling him backwards by his shoulder.
“We can’t go anywhere until we get that tree out of the way,” he said.
“Then we sit and wait, or go back to the bridge,” she pleaded. “Don’t get out of the car.”
“Val, come on. It’s only water, wind, and a little ice. We have to get that tree out of the road.”
“Can you even move that?” Arista asked. “It’s massive.”
“I can at least twist it to a better position. If you guys drive the truck slowly against it, we can push it the rest of the way. I can guide you,” he said.
“Reach under your seat,” he continued, prying Valerie’s fingers off his shoulder. There’s an emergency kit down there. It should have a poncho or at least a plastic bag to keep some of the rain off.”
Valerie ran her hand across the floor until she found the black box with a shiny orange triangle plastered across its surface. The clasps wheezed open with an exasperated clicking sound. She rustled through it until she pulled out a clear plastic poncho for her brother.
Gavin unrolled the tightly wrapped poncho and slipped it over his head. “You two sit tight for a bit,” he said, stepping out into the rain.
Valerie scrambled over the center console falling ungracefully into the driver’s seat. She and Arista leaned forward to see better through the windshield. The headlights cut through the darkness but, even at their brightest, it was still hard to see. Gavin hunched his shoulders against the onslaught of rain and small chunks of hail until he reached the overturned tree.
Arista held her breath as she watched him tug at the branches. The trunk of the tree didn’t seem that large, but the branches were unwieldy. It didn’t help that they kept blowing about in the wind.
Gavin lowered his head and pushed against the branches. If he could flatten them, it would give the truck better access to push the tree out of the road. He brushed a stray twig out of his face, its leaves whispering against his cheek. In the thick of the branches, the headlights strained to pierce through the rain and leaves. He struggled as he snapped more of the limbs against the trunk. He took a step back and a wet leaf blew across his face, sticking to his cheek. He ripped it off and tossed it away, letting it flutter in front of the headlights.
Gavin stared at it, his brain working to figure out what was wrong.
The leaf wasn’t green.
It was black.
Not a leaf.
A feather.
He looked up in horror as a large bird circled once overhead before landing on the hood of the truck. It spread its wings, letting out a loud cry before launching off the truck straight for Gavin.
˜
{ Chapter 44 }
Arista shrieked as the bird landed on the truck, spreading its wings to their full length. When it launched itself towards Gavin, she swiveled and lunged for the door handle. But Valerie gripped her forearm, holding her back.
“What are you doing? We have to help him,” Arista cried.
“We can’t go running out there. Not without a plan,” Valerie answered without pulling her gaze from the windshield. She watched as Gavin fought off the bird.
“Well, we can’t leave him,” Arista said, her growing fear evident in her shaking voice.
“I know, but you getting killed won’t do us any good. Stay here,” she said. “It looks like Gavin has moved enough branches to get that tree out of the road. I’ll go help him fight that bird, and any more that are out there. When we’re out of the way, start pushing that tree.”
Arista nodded as Valerie continued, “And whatever you do, don’t get out of this truck.”
Valerie pulled the hood of her sweatshirt up over her head, yanking at the cords to keep it tight. Then she reached behind her where the emergency kit sat open on the backseat. She pulled out two road flares and tucked them under her arm.
“Give us a minute to get clear of the truck,” she said, opening the door and stepping into the rain.
…
Gavin threw his arms in front of him as the bird flapped its wings with an unnerving ferocity in his face. He had backed up against the tree, with nowhere else to go, while the rain continued to pour down around them. The bird’s claws ripped the front of the plastic poncho and the shredded remnants did little to deter the rain.
He reached behind his back with one hand and wrestled with a small branch. He twisted it hard, trying to break it off to have something to swing at the bird. He kept his other arm in front of his face to protect his eyes from the pecking beak and ravaging claws. The bird scratched his arm, leaving a line of gashes running down from his wrist.
When the branch finally broke, he swung it around and caught the bird upside its head. The bird whirled off into the rain. Gavin doubled over to catch his breath from the attack. Then the truck door swung open, diverting his attention. He saw Valerie step out into the rain and walk to the front end of the truck.
He tore the useless poncho off his shoulders and wrapped the plastic around his wounded arm to staunch the flow of blood. As he walked towards Valerie she put her arm up, indicating for him to stop. Puzzled, he stopped and stared at her. She held her arms straight in front o
f her with a road flare gripped in her fist. He flinched when he heard a bird caw as it circled overhead.
Valerie looked straight up into the sky, releasing her grip on the flare. It floated in front of her opened palm for a brief moment before igniting in a bright red flash. The bird had no time to react as the lit flare launched into the sky and struck its head. As the bird plummeted to the earth, the falling raindrops reflected the harsh red glow emanating from the flare hanging in the sky.
Valerie wasted no time in rushing forward to help Gavin. As she pulled him out of the way, he looked over his shoulder to where Arista inched the truck forward.
The truck nosed between the loose branches until it was against the side of the tree trunk. Arista pushed down harder on the gas pedal and turned the wheel slightly to edge the tree out of the way. Valerie and Gavin stood off to the side until the tree was moved far enough for the truck to pass. Arista parked the truck and dashed through the rain to Gavin and Valerie.
She held the ragged poncho against Gavin’s still bleeding arm as Valerie lifted her hand towards the sky. The lit flare flew back down into her palm, casting an eerie red glow around the group.
“Come on, we need to move before more of them arrive,” Valerie said, leading the way back to the truck. They had taken only a few steps when three large birds flew in front of them, blocking the way to the truck.
“You guys get ready to run,” Valerie said, tightening her grip on the flare in her hand.
“We’re not leaving you behind,” Arista said urgently.
“Don’t worry, I’ll get there,” she answered. “When I release this flare, run around the back of the truck. You can get in through the other side.”
Gavin braced himself against Arista, still weary from pushing the tree and fighting the bird. Arista squeezed his elbow in reassurance as they watched the flare.
Valerie kept her eyes leveled at the birds as she pushed back a chunk of wet hair plastered against her cheek. The birds hopped back and forth from foot to foot as they waited in eager anticipation. Valerie bit her lip as she pointed the lit end of the flare towards the birds. Three quick words muttered under her breath sent the flare rocketing out of her hand to hone in on the birds. They took to the air and the flare targeted the two that had flown eastward together.
Arista and Gavin used the opportunity to run around the truck and climb into the passenger side. Gavin slammed the door behind him and Arista rummaged through the emergency kit for the few remaining bandages. As she wrapped his arm in a cloth bandage, he kept his eyes trained on Valerie.
Valerie stretched her arm over her head to guide her flare missile after the birds. When two of the three fell to the ground, she ran for the truck, flinging open the door and diving into the front seat. She put the truck into reverse, moving it away from the fallen tree.
Valerie had turned all the way around in her seat to drive in reverse. It was so dark she couldn’t see anything in the rearview mirror. She was still looking behind her when Arista screamed. Valerie slammed on the brakes and whirled back around to face the windshield. The third bird had landed on the hood of the truck. It looked at them not with its usual black eyes. Instead, two red orbs glinted in the glow from the headlights.
The red-eyed bird spread its wings and lifted its head, as if about to take a bow. The three stared at it curiously, unsure what it was doing. It let out a loud cry, its beak wide open and pointing to the sky. Seconds later, a blinding light surrounded them and shook the truck. Valerie blinked to help her eyes recover from the light. When they adjusted, she realized the hood of the truck was smoking, and the bird was nowhere to be seen.
“Did we get hit by lightning?” Gavin asked, still stunned by what happened.
“I don’t think that was your run-of-the-mill lightning strike. I’m assuming Salazar spelled that bird,” Valerie said with a groan. “Regardless, the truck is fried.” She tried to start the engine several times to no avail.
“We have to keep going by foot,” Gavin said, turning to look at the others.
“We’re still a decent way from the entrance,” Valerie said. “But, if I remember correctly, the northeastern edge of the forest isn’t too far from here. We could make it there.”
“Should we risk running headlong into the forest at night with no trails to follow?” Gavin asked.
“It’s got to be better than sitting out here where we’re exposed,” Arista argued. “If Nikan is right, all we have to do is make it to the woods to be protected.”
“Alright,” Gavin said. “Let’s get everything we need ready to go. We don’t want to waste time outside of the truck.”
Valerie scrambled over the center console to join Arista in the backseat. Together they repacked the emergency supplies and pulled out the camping bags from the back. When they had everything together, Valerie gave a bag to Gavin, who gingerly put his arms through the straps. Arista and Valerie strapped on their own bags and each put their hand on a door handle.
“I know this goes without saying, but we’ll need to move as fast as we can,” Gavin said.
Arista and Valerie nodded grimly. They all stepped out of the truck and looked up. So far no birds.
They took off running, following the road around a curve. The rain was slowing, but it was still difficult to see. Arista had a hard time keeping her footing on the rough surface of the road. Valerie turned on a flashlight hooked to the side of her bag to help light the way. They followed the bouncing ball of light across the road, which was littered with branches, leaves, and other debris from the storm.
A large cluster of trees loomed in the distance and all three picked up the pace with the end finally in sight. Arista froze at the sound of a bird overhead. She threw an arm across her forehead and clasped her necklace tight in her other hand. She remembered how fiercely the birds had clawed at her the last time.
“You have to keep running,” Gavin yelled. Valerie stopped next to her brother and pulled a flare out of her pocket. She had it lit within seconds.
“Arista, duck down,” she yelled, running towards the mermaid.
Arista dropped low to the ground as the flare whizzed over her head, casting off a wave of sparks in its tracks. The red light swirled up through the air, hitting a bird. Dozens of birds then flew out from either side of the road. Gavin and Valerie reached Arista and kept her between them as they ran for the woods.
The birds swarmed them, flapping in their faces, clawing and biting at any open flesh. Valerie tripped on a large branch, sprawling to the ground and rolling her ankle. She cried out in pain as she tried to stand on it. Gavin lifted her into his arms, grunting in pain as his sister pressed against his wounded arm.
Arista tried to follow him, but the birds overwhelmed her. She panicked as they surrounded her, cawing and squawking. The endless array of feathers brushed against her as their claws and beaks became entangled in her hair and clothes. Overcome with fear, she released her grip on her necklace to fight off the birds. As the birds saw the amulet dangling from her neck they went into a frenzy, fighting even harder to reach it.
She closed her eyes to protect them from the birds’ sharp talons and was forced to slow down so she wouldn’t fall. She heard Gavin and Valerie yelling for her to run faster, but the birds were too much for her. One managed to get the edge of her pendant into its beak and Arista froze as she attempted to pry it off. The large bird let go when it heard an ear-piercing shriek from overhead. All the birds fell silent, turning their heads to the sky.
Arista heard Gavin yell to watch out, but she couldn’t react fast enough. She blinked to make sure her eyes were still open; she could only see darkness surrounding her. When she finally tilted her head up, she found herself looking into the bright yellow eyes of an eagle.
˜
{ Chapter 45 }
Arista’s breath caught in her throat as she looked into the bright yellow eyes that had her fixed in their gaze. The end of a hooked beak dangled inches from her face. She forgot about t
he other birds as she stared transfixed at the eagle. The eagle gracefully landed a moment later on the road in front of her.
She eyed it with uncertainty, waiting for an opportunity to run to Valerie and Gavin, who waited down the road past the edge of the woods. While remaining in front of Arista, the eagle whirled around and spread its wings to their full span. The birds had scattered across the road and trees when the eagle arrived, and now they chirped nervously as they watched. The eagle let out another loud shrill cry before flying into the air again. Arista lost sight of it in the shadows. She ran towards the others, but only made it a few steps when the eagle swooped back down in front of her. It caught three of the birds in its powerful talons.
The rest of the birds squawked at the turn of events and took to the sky. The eagle was too fast for them, dispatching nearly all the birds. Arista reached Gavin and Valerie, and together they watched the eagle hunt its prey.
“What do you think it’s doing?” Gavin asked.
“Nikan spoke of the warrior from the sky, that must be it,” Arista said.
“It didn’t seem interested in hurting us, at least,” Valerie said.
When the eagle finished, it circled the sky once more before landing in front of the group. It looked at Arista, who stepped closer to the large bird.
“Thank you,” she said.
The eagle closed its eyes, tilting its head downwards. It then raised its head and spread its wings, lifting itself back into the air once more. It flew a short distance into the forest, landing on the low branch of a tree. It let out another cry as it watched them.
“Let’s follow it,” Arista said, barreling ahead into the forest.
Gavin reached out with his good arm, tugging her back by her elbow. “Wait, how can we be sure?”
Tangled Ripples Page 24