by E. R. Mason
The effort began to remind Jax of his exhaustion. He grimaced, twirled the line and let it go. The hook sailed up and past the lower step and fell back onto the rung above it, biting into the dark, worn wood and locking tight.
There was an urge to yell in jubilation. Fatigue vetoed it. Hurriedly Jax fastened an ascender to the line. He hooked the rope to his harness to form the big loop that would allow a step climb. Since all of the pressure would be placed on a single point on the ladder, there was no guarantee it would hold his weight. He would need to avoid bouncing or swinging.
Excitement replaced exhaustion. Jax gently began the ascent. As cautiously as possible he made gains in short steps, always aware of the stress on the line. Three-quarters of the way up, almost in arms reach of the ceiling, something stopped him.
There had been an echo. He hung on the line, swinging slightly, listening. There it was again. A faint moan. It had to be imagination; echoes of the dead.
Then still another surreal call, this time much louder. Then the faint sound of his name echoing off the cavern walls.
Furiously Jax hurried back down the line. At the bottom, he tore off the line and ran to the opening in the wall, diving through it, becoming snagged by his flatpack once again. Prone within the hole, he searched the next chamber with his headlamp. There on the cavern floor in a heap, lay Skyla, her brown hair tangled in the dirt. She was holding her right arm close to her chest. There seemed to be a red stain.
Angrily he peeled off his pack but kept enough poise to drag it through the hole with him. He scrambled down to where Skyla was lying and carefully put a hand on her shoulder.
In response to the touch her head turned to look up. “Jax! Thank God.”
“How bad is it?” he asked as he slung his flatpack back on.
“When the bright light hit I lost my balance and fell. It seemed like I was falling forever. I landed on some pointed rocks over there. One of them cut me. The pressure has to be kept on. There’s too much bleeding.”
“There’s a cloth wipe in the flatpack. Can you lean over so I can get at yours?”
Jax unzipped enough of Skyla’s flatpack to draw out the cloth. He paused a moment for her to trust him with the arm, then made a smooth pressure binding around the stained sleeve and tied it off tightly.
“You have medical training, Superdude? Is there no end to your usefulness?” she asked hoarsely.
“Very funny. I have a photographic memory, remember?”
“Lucky me. Still, I’m glad you didn’t need to operate.”
“Is there no end to your sarcasm? Even when you’re bleeding to death?”
“You must be wearing off on me.”
Jax scoffed and retightened the bandage. Skyla winced but made no sound. There was a spread of red stain on the wrap but it appeared to be slowing.
Jax looked his patient over carefully. “Any other damage?” he asked.
Skyla pushed herself up with the good arm and wiggled the fingers on the hand of her injured arm. “Everything seems to be working.”
“Can you stand?” Kneeling on one knee he held to her good arm.
“Anything for you, Doctor.” Skyla pushed up with the good hand and together they stood in the single beam of light from Jax’s head lamp.
“You lost your hat?” said Jax.
“It must have gone flying in the fall. Can you imagine if you hadn’t been here? I’d be bleeding in the pitch dark and wouldn’t be able to do a thing about it.”
“No flashlight either?”
“It wasn’t clipped on. Stupid me. I was shining it on that symbol. It went flying with my helmet. How bad off are we? How long have you been here? Is Remy alright?”
“No answer from Rem. I arrived about 30 minutes ago. I have a line running up to the ladder. We should be able to get you out of here okay.”
“How far back were we thrown?”
“I have no idea. Mobile phone is not working.”
“You realize we should stay and dig, right?” she said weakly.
“Are you kidding? Not with one headlamp and two chemical lights. We don’t have the right tools to dig with. Your arm probably needs stitches. We’re both past the point of exhaustion anyway, and we’re not absolutely sure we can get out of here.”
“You make a convincing case, sir. I’m scared to death to leave here, and I’m scared to death to stay. Do with me what you will.”
“Don’t push your luck. Men are never that tired.”
With patience determination, Jax worked his patient into the next chamber where they stood together staring up at the single rope hanging down. Skyla looked at Jax and raised her eyebrows.
Jax said, “I’ll go up first with your 30 feet of safety line. I’ll secure both lines to the stanchions holding the ladder to the rock wall. If I rig you to step climb with an ascender, do you think you can make it?”
“The alternative inspires me to climb,” replied Skyla.
“You come up my rope, and I’ll attach the other line to your flatpack harness and help pull you up. Once you reach the ladder I’ll be off to one side so you can pass by, then I’ll follow you up.”
Skyla nodded.
The planned ascent went smoothly. When Skyla had finally gained the base of the ladder she began an awkward one handed climb up and out of the fog. On the way she stopped and looked down at Jax.
“There’s different light up there.”
“Maybe it’s Remy looking for us.”
Skyla continued up.
As they emerged from the well to the safety of the surface world it became clear something was wrong. The door to the well room was ajar. There were supplies stacked around the room, and fresh lumber leaning against the walls. Skyla held her injured arm, went to the open door and peered carefully outside. She pulled back quickly, looked at Jax, and put one finger against her lips. Jax came along-side her and leaned out to look.
Skyla spoke in a low tone. “Let’s get out of these coveralls. There’s someone out there.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know and I don’t want to explain how we got here. I saw some electric tools out there. Maybe we didn’t get thrown back too far.”
The two wrestled quietly out of their dirt covered coveralls. Jax was forced to hurriedly rewrap the bandage on Skyla’s bare arm though the cut had stopped bleeding and seemed to be staying closed. Skyla promptly took both coveralls and dropped them down the well. She did the same with Jax’s helmet and both flatpacks. Back at the door she peered outside again.
“Just follow my lead, okay?”
Jax nodded.
With a final brushed of her shirt and jeans, Skyla stepped out into the next room.
The place was well lit. There was a strong smell of sawdust. Shiny tools were everywhere. Freshly made pieces of furniture were scattered around the work area.
With a last look of caution at Jax, Skyla called out. “Hello? Is there anyone here? Hello?”
A pleasant looking nearly bald gentleman in farmer’s blue jeans peered around the open door to the stairwell. He was wiping his hands with an oily rag and smiled when he saw the pair.
“Oh! Hello! I must be getting deaf in my old age. I did not hear you come down. Am I making something for you, or are you wanting me to?”
Skyla jumped in. “Hi. I’m Sky, this is Jax. These chairs here that you make, how long would it take to get a set of four?”
“Not long. Do you two live nearby?”
“In the city. But how long is not long?”
“Well, it would be four weeks or so. I’ve got quite a few orders ahead of you.”
“Can we pay you now, or do we wait until they’re done?”
“I’d just a soon you wait until they’re done in case there’s any problems, you know.”
“That’s fine. How do we get on the list?”
“Just tell my wife Tracy upstairs. She’ll write it in the books and take your number.”
“Do you have a phone we can use? Our
car died on us and we had to walk in.”
“Sure thing. Tell Tracy. She’ll set you up with some ice tea while you wait.”
“We can’t thank you enough, Mr. . . Oh, I’ve forgotten your name. How embarrassing.”
“It’s Albert. Albert Ainsworth. You two go right on up and I’ll get back to work so I can get those chairs right to ya.”
As Skyla and Jax climbed the stairs, Jax whispered, “I’m reminded to never trust anything you say, ever.”
Skyla scoffed.
At the top of the stairs they emerged into Demon House’s shiny clean kitchen, startling a heavy set woman in a long flowered dress and green plaid apron working there. Her hair was white and in a bun and she jumped and jingled when she saw them, nearly launching food from a hot frying pan.
“Oh my dear you two startled me! When did you come in? You must have used the storm cellar doors. You’ll have to forgive me. I’m still getting over the strange man who appeared in my dining room yesterday. Life is playing too many tricks on me these days. My heart can’t take it.” She giggled after saying it, but with the authority of a master she regained control of her frying pan and its contents. “You’ve spoken to Albert? Do I need to schedule something for you?”
Skyla answered. “Thank you, yes. He has promised to make four chairs for us. He also said you might allow us to use your phone.”
“Alright, just a moment. I’ll fetch my book. The phone is there on the wall. Please help yourself.” She charged off toward the dining room, wiping her hands on her apron as she went.
Skyla and Jax both checked their mobile phones. Neither was working. Skyla went to the kitchen phone. It had a big round dial you had to put your finger in to dial out. She made three separate calls and returned. “A taxi is on its way.”
Jax replied nervously, “Okay. Did you catch that remark about the strange man in the dining room?”
“It had to be him,” answered Skyla.
The pleasant lady returned, finance booklet in hand. Skyla answered her questions and gave a different phone number than Jax had ever heard.
“You were frightened by a strange man in your home, you said?” asked Skyla.
“Yes, yes. It was harrowing. I went out to set the table and there he was just standing there. It nearly gave me heart failure.”
“What was he doing in there?” asked Skyla.
“He seemed very confused at first, but then he insisted his car had broken down and asked to use the phone. He was a very nice boy actually, once I got to know him. I made him tea while he waited.”
“Well that certainly must have been a fright,” said Skyla.
“My word, yes. That’s why I was so jumpy when you two came up. Would the two of you like some tea?”
Skyla answered, “No thank you. We had a tiny bit of car trouble too. We’re waiting for a taxi, but we’ll walk down the road a ways to meet it.”
After extended thanks were expressed, they made their exit and began a very slow walk out the drive. When they were far enough out of sight they collapsed on a patch of green grass alongside the road and laid together staring up at the blue sky and clouds.
Jax rolled onto his side. “Let me see that arm.”
Skyla raised and dropped it in his hand.
“Good. It looks like the bleeding has stopped. It will still need a good many stitches, but I think the bandage will hold till then.”
Skyla remained staring up at the sky. She spoke in a soft tone. “Jax, I’m really scared now so I better say this while I can. I think I love you.”
“What?”
“I’m not perfectly sure, but I’m pretty sure.”
‘You’re delirious from loss of blood.”
“I think we’re in big trouble.”
“What was your first clue?”
“No really. You don’t understand. That was an Iron Cross down there.”
“You mean like a Nazi Iron Cross?”
“Yes.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means the Nazi regime really did experiment with flying disks and they must have launched that one a long time ago and really screwed things up because they didn’t know what they were doing.”
“You really think you love me?”
“Are you listening to what I’m saying?”
“Even with everything that’s been happening it’s a giant stretch to say that’s a Nazi flying saucer.”
“No, it isn’t.”
“Why do you say that?”
“The leaders of the Nazi party had extensive contacts with psychics. Those psychics helped point Hitler’s SS team in the right directions. Sometime around 1938, a man named Schafer backed by Himmler led an expedition to Tibet. They found out things they weren’t supposed to. They learned that Atlantis really had existed. They got lucky and even found part of an Atlantean library hidden in the mountains. It was from that library they learned enough to construct that ship even though they did not understand how it worked. That’s how this whole mess happened.”
“Sky, I love you too, but you’ve got to know how ridiculous that all sounds.”
Skyla turned on her side to face him. “How can you be so naive, lover? Do you really think that the Nazi regime in roughly 2 years just happened to discover the jet engine, the V2 rocket, the atom bomb, stealth technology, and infrared vision all by chance? Doesn’t that seem just a little coincidental to you?”
“They had stealth technology? I’ve never heard that one.”
“So do you really think they just suddenly discovered all that stuff?”
“I am so tired I can’t think straight.”
“And did you just say you loved me?”
“Yes, and as you know to go along with that I have no idea who you are and I don’t know anything about you.”
“No, you don’t, really.”
“That’s the first honest thing you’ve said.”
“Yes, it is, except that part about I think I might love you.”
“So why be more worried now than before? This whole thing’s been out of control from the start.”
“Do you remember I told you about the theory that when temporally irradiated victims are being thrown back in time this way, the throw backs will continue until they eventually end up back in time at the point the anomaly first occurred, and they will be trapped in that period until the anomaly is destroyed?”
Jax flopped over onto his back and locked his hands behind his head. “You had to remind me.”
“My God, I’m turning you into a real rogue. Nothing fazes you!”
“How could a machine like that end up buried that deep in rock anyway?”
“It wasn’t buried there. It materialized there. Time and space are interchangeable. The Nazi idiots must have been desperate. They launched it and immediately lost control.”
“Why would they do that?”
“As I recall, Hitler kept thinking the conquest of England would be a walk in the park. He estimated three weeks of an all-out attack and they’d be begging to surrender like so many others had. I don’t know the dates and events, but I do know that when the smoke cleared Hitler had lost a big piece of his air force and Briton was still standing. Some people theorize that was the real turning point in the war. So maybe out of desperation, knowing they were losing the Battle of Britain, they launched that thing to attack London from within. That’s my best guess.”
“Well that all takes a big leap in faith. Wait a minute. Are you saying we might get sucked back into World War II?”
“Now you know why I’m so scared.”
“Sky, who are you, really? For the millionth time, shouldn’t you tell me what’s really going on?”
“I can’t. Not now. You’ve just got to trust me about this. Do you trust me?”
“I’ve trusted you pretty good so far, haven’t I?”
“Yes. That’s part of the reason you were chosen for this mission.”
Jax pushed up on an elbow. “What the hel
l? Chosen? Mission? You are killing me here.”
“Hold that thought. Here comes our ride.” Skyla pushed herself up and began waving at a yellow car with a sign on top. The make of the car was quite old, but the vehicle looked brand new.
Once in the backseat of the taxi, Skyla took charge. “Driver, our first stop is the nearest gold and jewelry pawn shop. Can you do that?”
“Yes ma’am. But you two are running up a nice fare. You know that?”
“We’ll take care of you driver. Don’t worry.”
“Yes ma’am.”
Jax became irritated. “We can’t do that. You need stitches . . . bad!”
“I have another option for that. Just bear with me.”
After a silent ride to a pawn shop, the nervous taxi driver was reassured by Jax agreeing to wait in the car while Skyla went in. Through the shop windows some serious negotiating could be seen taking place. Skyla returned looking victorious and quickly directed the driver to the Leigh Library building.
She patted Jax on the shoulder. “Here’s £500 for you. Remember, if we get thrown back again don’t hand out any money with future dates, okay? And here’s something you’ll want to take a close look at.” She shoved a folded newspaper in his lap.
Jax peeled open the paper and stared at the date. “Twenty years? We’re back twenty years? Are you kidding me?”
The taxi driver gave a worried look in the rear view mirror.
Skyla leaned in and spoke in a whisper. “It’s not all bad. You haven’t been born yet. No one knows you. You can’t be spotted by anyone. It will be safe to move around.”
“I’ve gotta get some sleep and try to wake up from this insanity.”
“Me too. It’s 11:20. If we’re very lucky, Remy will be at the library. We’ll round him up again and get a room.”
Jax scanned the twenty-year-old news and tried to come to terms with it. He glanced out the window to be sure reality agreed with what was printed on the page. A light rain began to fall adding to the surrealism. As they approached the library, a dark, wet, distraught figure came into view cowering in the front entrance alcove. Skyla asked the driver to stop. She opened the door and called to Remy. He turned and upon spotting them marched dejectedly down the steps and climbed in the front seat. He turned back to his friends, raised one finger but waved it off and turned back around.