STRANGER WORLD

by Jack Castle

  As soon as the red Gatherer was cut loose George gave the vine two deliberate tugs and… WHOOSSHHH! He was off. Sure, it was frightening. And George was certain that anybody who hadn’t made a living jumping out of airplanes for the last two decades would have been terrified beyond belief. But, in a way it was kind of fun riding up into the air like that. The sky lift was over in seconds and the bungee cord soft-landed him on a wide platform that ran around the edge of the barge, seemingly for that purpose. Unfortunately, the take-off had been so abrupt he dropped his spear.

  An earth-tone brown Gatherer was on a small diving board next to him the moment George had landed. The Gatherer had his hands above his head like an Olympic diver getting ready to take the plunge. Seeing George he dropped his arms to his chest and turned toward him. Before the Gatherer could seize him, George jumped up, grabbed the railing overhead, and planted both feet in the Gatherer’s face. Instead of a beautiful swan dive, the earth-toned Gatherer pin-wheeled over the side and managed a strange yelp reminiscent of Maddie’s cat whenever it fell off the curio cabinet or ledge. George was forced to wonder how it made any sound without a mouth.

  George turned back toward the ship and scanned the deck. The ship had a riveted steel hull and brass finish that would’ve made Jules Verne’s Captain Nemo proud. He spied a submarine-looking hatch with a shiny spinning metal wheel. He was about to go through it when he heard Maddie’s voice.

  “Dad! Over here!”

  George saw two more Gatherers, both forest green, leading Maddie down the length of the side-deck. The Gatherers turned their heads all the way around--like an owl--and saw him too. Suddenly, an alarm klaxon that would’ve been more at home on a German U-boat began blaring loudly. In answer several more Gatherers exited from within the ship and cut him off from Maddie.

  George turned around to retreat the other way and found an equal number of Gatherers closing in behind him. He spied an ax on the wall, lunged for it, and with some effort, ripped it from its clasp.

  Spitting the words out venomously to the nearest of Gatherers approaching him, he said, “Buddy, that’s my daughter you’re holding captive. I will kill every last one of you before I let you have her.”

  In answer, the Gatherer removed a wooden peg from his bandolier. It was about the size and shape of a bowling pin. And in the blink of an eye the wooden peg flew out of the creature’s hand, tumbled end-over-end, and struck him painfully in the back of his own hand. With a cry of anguish George dropped the ax and cradled his hand.

  His eyes darted for the dropped weapon but the Gatherers were upon him in an instant. George punched the first in the throat causing it to stumble back, but three more took his place. Instead of grabbing him, they began pushing him instead.

  That’s when he realized they had no intention of subduing him. They were pushing him back toward the edge.

  “No, no, no,” he kept repeating, his foot precariously on the ledge. It wasn’t so much that he cared about dying, that ship had sailed the moment he joined the military and became a Para Rescue Jumper. No, the thing that bothered him most was if they killed him now, Maddie would be their helpless captive.

  George grunted, and with every ounce of strength he pushed back.

  With a collective sigh, the Gatherers pushed him over the edge.

  And George fell to his death.

  Chapter 21

  “Hello Dearie…”

  “Let me… go!”

  As her strength waned, Maddie gave up fighting the two towering green golems as she had come to think of them. She even attempted passive resistance by dropping all of her weight, but they simply carried her into the bowels of the ship without missing a beat.

  The below decks were unimpressive--grimy steel-riveted walls, and an endless line of pipes, many of which seemed to be leaking steam. As they led her down another steely corridor Maddie told them, “My dad is going to come for me, ya know. And when he does, you two are going to be really, really sorry.” If the two golems had heard her they made no indication. They simply marched her onward.

  “I’m serious. My dad is a soldier. He’s killed like millions of guys. And you should see him when he hasn’t had his coffee. Oh, you’re going to get it, alright. I bet he’s on his way here right now. And when he does, he’s going to kick your green, disgusting butts.”

  Her captors continued to say nothing. When they came to a set of stairs, one set going up and the other going down, she was surprised when they marched her up upward.

  For some reason, Maddie thought the steel-riveted barge would have been laid out more like a medieval castle, but to her surprise the top deck was more like one of those luxurious resorts.

  For starters, swimming pools designed to look like lakes were everywhere. And each lake was encircled by the most beautiful landscaping and well-manicured lawns. And at one end of the clear blue waters was a Grecian temple made of white stone that looked as though it had just been built yesterday. And people, throngs of people, were everywhere--lounging on the shores, beneath shaded trees, and on the wide terraces in front of the temple. The entire scene reminded her of a painting her mom kept in her study that depicted happy picnickers at a lake at the turn of the nineteenth century.

  Like in her mom’s painting, men and women wore colorful clothes, but these visitors by the lake wore linen tunics reaching to their feet, and the women tended to leave one shoulder bare. Some of the men wore turbans, carried walking sticks, and wore a mantel and robe with their tunic. With the exception of the strange and very colorful clothing, the entire scene reminded her of a Sunday afternoon at the park back home.

  There was even a horse-drawn carriage that, upon closer inspection, Maddie saw the horse was actually some kind of Wooly-Rhinoceros pulling the carriage. In addition to the rhino being shaggy, he had a Y-shaped horn at the end of his snout, and he seemed fairly domesticated. There were other differences amongst the people, too, like funny cone-shaped hats with bells, a Saber-tooth tiger on a leash, and colorful flags and banners with strange emblems on them. And the people all seemed happy, laughing and talking with one another, some in languages Maddie had never heard before. The one thing they all had in common was none of them seemed concerned with the chaos and broken lands below.

  As Maddie’s captors continued to lead her across a stone-white pathway around the lake, she saw another woman traveling in a lavish litter toward them. When their paths crossed, the litter bearers stopped before them. Several of the servants, all dressed in rags, got down on their hands and knees and formed a human staircase for the woman to disembark the litter. Another two slaves, holding long bamboo rods with palm fronds at the ends, followed the litter’s occupant around, shielding their mistress from the sun. And when the feathers finally parted Maddie could see the woman’s face for the first time.

  She was wearing a porcelain mask.

  “Ah, there you are!” she bawled, in that elderly woman’s voice with a British accent and a smidgen of Scottish brogue that was becoming more and more apparent by the second.

  When Maddie didn’t answer Lady Wellington screeched, “Well hello there, Dearie! I thought we’d lost you. I bet you’re surprised to see me. I thought we’d have a picnic. The weather’s just perfect for it, don’t you think?”

  Several of her entourage, many of them being the women Maddie had seen earlier back in the glen, all sounded off in rapid agreement, “Oh yes, perfect indeed.”

  Lady Wellington raised her hands like a conductor about to begin a performance, nodding in acquiescence. When her Ladyship realized Maddie wasn’t agreeing with her too, she asked in a less than musical tone, “What’s the matter dearie, don’t you like picnics?”

  “You better let me go or my dad will…”

  “Your dad will what?” she asked, cutting her off mid-sentence. And before Maddie could answer she said, “Save you? I don’t think so, dearie. Your dad can’t save you, my dear child, because your dad, you see… well let’s see, how do I put this delicately�
� your dad couldn’t save himself. He’s dead.”

  Maddie refused to believe this. The last time she had seen her dad he was fighting with the tall men who had abducted her. He was a good fighter. No, a great one. And she imagined that, just like in the movies, he was probably sneaking around the ship in some sort of disguise, and was going to rescue her at any moment. “You’re lying. My dad’s not dead. And he will come for me. And when he does, you’ll be sorry.”

  Everyone had gone silent at this. The musicians stopped strumming their instruments, the servers stopped serving food and drink. After a time of shock-and-awe, Lady Wellington let out a long explosion of bellicose laughter. The crowd, hesitant at first, soon joined in with her.

  When her Ladyship was finally able to get her merriment under control she managed, “Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. Oh trust me, dearie.” Raising her hands majestically once more toward her entourage, “We were all watching and we all saw him fall.” For emphasis she plucked a succulent fruit from a nearby serving platter and tossed it to the stone steps where it went splat.

  Maddie still refused to believe this. She swore she wouldn’t cry. Her heart would break before she’d let Lady Wellington and her friends see her cry. “I don’t believe you!” she roared back.

  Lady Wellington made an impatient scathing sound and with a wave of her hand and commanded, “Och, I weary of this, silly girl. Remove this little brat from my sight at once.”

  The two green golems behind her stepped forward and clasped her arms in their hands.

  “No, not you. You’ll only scare the poor thing out of her wits.” Staring at Maddie evenly, “And we can’t have that? Now can we?” Searching the throngs of her entourage she asked, “Now where’s that confounded Lieutenant?” Only she pronounced the word Leftenant. Raising a gloved hand to her mouth she called out into thin air, practically singing the words, “Oh. Leftenant…. Leftenant…”

  A young woman with a pretty face suddenly stepped up beside Maddie. As Maddie lifted her gaze she saw the woman wore black knee-high boots, off-white trousers, and a nautical jacket. The navy-blue coat was adorned with ornate gold buttons, a sharp notched collar, and gold epaulets. A black leather pistol belt with spare pouches ensnared her small waist and she spoke with a crisp British accent when she said, “Right here, m’lady.”

  That’s weird. There was no one standing beside me a second ago, Maddie thought. Where had she come from?

  “Earn your keep for once and take this little brat to her quarters.”

  The British Officer clicked the heels of her shiny black boots and gave Lady Wellington a quick salute that looked nothing like the way her dad saluted, and she said, “Right away, Your Ladyship.”

  Gazing down at her she softened her gaze and said, “Hello there, little miss. My name is, The Lieutenant, (she also pronounced Lieutenant as Leftenant), formerly 2nd in Command of Her Majesty’s Airship, the Dauntless.” She removed one of her white kid gloves and held her open hand toward her in a way that suggested shaking hands. When Maddie did, the Leftenant shook it briskly, all the while, saying, “It is a genuine, genuine pleasure to meet you. Would you be so kind as to allow me to accompany you to your chambers?”

  When Maddie hesitated Lady Wellington screeched so loud it caused her to jump, “Oh you don’t have to be so polite about it as all that, just grab the little brat already, and drag her out of my sight.”

  The two green golems stepped forward but the Leftenant stepped in front of Maddie. And in a commanding voice she said, “Hold your place there, you brutes. Her Ladyship gave me the task of escorting the young miss and I shall do it, post-haste.”

  The golems, unsure of what to do, looked over at Lady Wellington for guidance. Her Ladyship was already involved with several of her handmaidens and when she saw them gazing over at her and she dismissed them with a wave of her hand. “Go on now. Shoo, shoo, away with you. I have more important matters to attend to before our arrival.” And at that moment, the same artists Maddie had seen earlier came running up to her Ladyship, set up their paints, and kneeled before her with their paintbrushes in hand.

  The pretty Leftenant turned back around and gazed down her petite nose at her. She then blew an errant strand of blond hair out of her face, but it promptly fell back down, and then she raised one eyebrow. “Right then.” She returned her white glove to her hand. The Leftenant bent awkwardly at the waist, leaned in close, and said, “Let’s go, little one. I promise you, I’m not so bad as all that.”

  Unsure of what to do, and most of all wondering if what Lady Wellington said about her dad was really true, Maddie had little choice but to clasp the Leftenant’s outstretched hand and allow herself to be led away.

  “Right then.”

  Chapter 22

  “The Leftenant”

  The Leftenant arrived outside young Maddie’s quarters.

  For a time, the young captive had been inconsolable, refusing to eat or drink. But the Leftenant had monitored her very closely and waited patiently for the most opportune time to make further contact.

  At first she thought of the poor girl as just another simple captive, one who would live out her existence in service to Lady Wellington as so many other shanghaied captives had. No. This one was different. For one, and according to her sources, which even she was forced to admit were rather questionable, the young girl’s father might not be as deceased as her Ladyship thought. And if indeed he did survive, his love for his daughter might prove useful toward her own ambitions.

  Very useful indeed.

  The Leftenant knocked lightly upon the young girl’s door, which given the circumstances, was ridiculous, but even after all this time of being pressed into servitude, the Leftenant considered herself an Officer first, and that dictated at least some modicum of decorum. “Maddie, it’s me, the Leftenant. May I come in?”

  The Leftenant had no idea what she was about to say. She wasn’t really sure how she was going to comfort the poor girl since, despite what her Ladyship had to say on the matter, comforting small children was beyond her skill set; she was 2nd in command of an exploration airship after all, not a bloody nursemaid.

  The Leftenant was about to knock a second time when she heard a small girl’s voice say, “Come in.”

  Steeling her nerves, the Leftenant gave her coat a stiff yank, smoothed out the non-existent creases and entered young Maddie’s bedchambers. The young girl certainly hadn’t been granted the best accommodations on board Lady Wellington’s pleasure barge, but the room wasn’t as bad as say, the crew quarters. Spotting a tray of uneaten food on the nightstand the Leftenant straightened her jacket once more. “Right. Now Miss Maddie, you must eat your food and regain your strength.”

  As though she hadn’t heard a single word she had said, the young girl asked, “Why do you say Leftenant and not Lieutenant?”

  How irritating. Questioning an officer.

  Practically blurting the answer out, she answered, “Because Leftenant is the way it is properly pronounced.” She thought about this some more and then asked, “Don’t they have schools where you originate from?”

  Spot on work, Leftenant, she admonished herself silently. Way to earn the young girl’s trust. Scare her and insult her, all in the first few minutes of meeting her. Smashing.

  But the young girl surprised her when she answered her query. “Yes, ma’am. I’m in third grade but my teacher says I read at an eighth grade level.”

  “Yes. Quite. Long live the American school system,” she replied, pumping a fist in the air sardonically. Then thinking more about Maddie’s answer, “And in the future, you may address me as Leftenant, not ma’am.”

  “Yes ma’am,” Maddie began reflexively, then quickly correcting herself, “Yes, Leftenant.”

  “Right.” The Leftenant brushed non-existent dirt off her uniform and straightened her jacket once more. “Perhaps there’s hope for you yet, little Miss.” The Leftenant held her breath (which was ridiculous of course, given her make-up) while the young girl
tentatively reached for an apple slice on the platter.

  “There’s a good girl, eat, keep up your strength and all that.”

  Maddie slowly crunched down on the apple, and after a few more bites began eating with a bit more fervor.

  Mission accomplished, Leftenant. You got a nine-year old girl to eat some apples. Congratulations and bravo! But as she turned to leave Maddie’s small voice hindered her escape. “Where are you going?”

  The Leftenant froze in her tracks. Is there something wrong with me? Why would an irritating adolescent girl give me so much pause? Perhaps I need a checkup?

  Turning slowly around, for the first time in a long while she wasn’t quite sure what she was going to say. “I’m sorry. I have other duties to tend to.”

  Maddie, eyes watching her, slowly crunched another apple slice. “Can you stay? Not long. Just for a little while. Maybe talk with me for a little while?”

  The nerve. As though a first officer of the Queen’s navy had nothing better to do than play nursemaid to a sniveling child. Not even a very impressive specimen if I’m being totally honest.

  The Leftenant tucked an errant strand of blond hair behind her ear once more. “Of course, young miss. I’d be happy to make your further acquaintance.”

  Yes. I am definitely in dire need of a checkup.

  Chapter 23

  “Graveside”

  George stood over the open grave.

  It was overcast and threatened to rain at any moment. The wind was gusting so hard umbrellas were turning inside out, and the men and women (all dressed in black) were struggling to hold their hats and veils on their heads. Feeling the wet cold himself, George clutched his trench coat closed.

  The sermon was over, and yet nobody moved. George didn’t recognize a single person. And on second glance they all now appeared to be men. Weren’t there some women just a second ago? And now all the men were wearing black suits and dark fedoras that had reached their heyday in the fifties.