“No,” said Mister Benally. “It’s ok. We Navajo are trustworthy, right, so we can’t tell everybody everything. We have to compartmentalize, so the secret doesn’t get out.”
His words were neutral, but his tone was bitter.
“I will tell you everything when I can,” said Bob. “But rest assured, your daughter is in no danger.”
“She is close to those things that took her before, how can you say that?” said Mister Benally.
“I don’t believe that they are the ones that took her,” said Bob
“Oh, so there’s two breeds of alien?” said Mister Benally.
“I don’t know,” said Bob. “But I do know my brother is not there, and he was the one that was taken and not returned.”
The big man’s voice was starting to break.
Mister Benally looked down and continued digging. He looked up again.
“I am sorry,” he said “seeing my daughter like this brings back those memories. I am sorry I got angry at you.” He looked to Fintan. “Both of you.”
They finished digging in silence.
*
When the hole was complete, they filled it with wood and set fire to it. “To bake the edges of the hole” said Bob. “Nizhoni is making a cake that we will bake here. If we seal the hole with fire first, it will not collapse nor leak sand into the batter.”
Mister Benally returned to the house, and Fintan sat with Bob as they stoked the fire.
“Six years ago,” said Bob. “My brother. My twin brother went missing. At the same time some children vanished too, including Nizhoni.”
He paused before continuing. “Three days later, the children were found, wandering in the desert, distressed and crying. They had no memory of who there were and where they had been. My brother was never heard of again. There were stories that he did it, that he took them, and then suddenly got guilty and left them, while he ran and hid. It brought shame on my family.”
He breathed deep. “My brother would never do anything like that.”
Mister Benally had joined them, they didn’t hear him walking up with the crackling of the fire. He was carrying a ragged notepad.
“In the days after that,” he said “the children started getting their memory back, with Nizhoni more slowly than the others.”
He placed his hand on Bob’s shoulder and sat beside him. There was a clear and close bond between the two men, one that would not be broken by a secret or a disagreement.
“Nizhoni would dream at night,” said Mister Benally. “Crazy dreams, nightmares that would make her scream. Over and over again she said that the ‘insect people’ had come for her.”
“The insect people are from our ancient beliefs,” said Bob. “It is said that they came from other worlds to this one. On each of the other worlds they did something wrong or evil and were kicked out. They settled on this world, and blended into the human race. They are our ancestors.”
*
“She would wake up in a cold sweat,” said Mister Benally “terrified from what she had seen. I would stand by her at night to be there when she woke. I listened to her talking in her dreams.”
He lifted the notepad and flipped through it. He had a lot of notes. He showed Fintan one of the pages, something was circled on it several times.
“It’s written in Navajo,” said Fintan. “I can’t read it.”
“Then I’ll read it for you,” he said. “It appeared to be a name, but not one that I had ever heard before.” He ran his finger under the characters as he read them out. “It says ‘Fintan’”
Chapter 24: Christmas
The Kinaalda was due to go on for four days, ending on Christmas morning. Each morning and afternoon, Nizhoni would take a run to the east, each one longer and faster than before. On the afternoon of the third day, Christmas Eve, the women emerged from the hogan, carrying buckets of batter and circular sheets sown from corn husks.
The women lined the hole with one of the corn husks and Nizhoni proceeded to pour the batter into the hole. When she was done, a basket with corn flour was passed around, and each person sprinkled some on the cake, while muttering a blessing.
Nizhoni offered some to Fintan and he took it and murmured ‘I wish you the best, you deserve it’ as he sprinkled it onto the cake. When all was done, Nizhoni uttered her blessing and they placed another corn husk sheet on top of the cake.
Night was falling, so the men quickly laid wood over the cake and lit it. “The heat will bake the cake,” said Mister Benally. “Someone must watch over it to make sure that it doesn’t burn too hot, or it doesn’t go out while we pray.”
It was an all-night prayer, so Fintan took responsibility for the fire. They handed him a shovel and entered the hogan.
*
All night, Fintan could hear the prayers coming out the door of the hogan. Occasionally the fire would begin to die, so he piled more wood on it. If it looked to be too hot, he would spread the wood around with his shovel.
He thought he might have trouble staying awake, but that didn’t turn out to be the case. There was so much to think about. There were so many unanswered questions.
Nizhoni had been abducted by aliens, or so Mister Benally thought.
When she returned she had had nightmares about the ‘insect people’.
When Trichallik had visited him in hospital, Fintan had had a panic attack. Her eyes were like those of an insect.
In her dreams she called out his name. His name wasn’t common, even in Ireland.
When he first met Nizhoni, he knew that she was Navajo, but how?
He came to realize that she knew that she had said his name in her dreams all those years ago. That would explain her interest in his dreams. That would explain her interest in him. But it was more than curiosity. There was a genuine affection in everything that she did. How could he forget her Kinaalda blessing for him?
Beyond all that, how did this fit in with the school? Why were they really hiding under the Nevada desert in Area 51? What was the point? He heard the story about not wanting to cause mass panic due to the presence of the aliens, but, was that the truth? Or was something else going on? How was it connected? Or was it connected at all?
“Lost in thought young Reilly?”
Fintan looked up to see Nizhoni’s grandfather, the medicine man. “I thought you were praying,” he said.
The old man smiled and chuckled a little. “Need to pee,” he said and went into the house.
*
As dawn approached, Fintan was beginning to feel a bit sleepy, but he had come this far, he wasn’t going to pass out now. Of course, the closer it came, the further away it seemed, and the harder it was to stay awake.
So it was a blessed relief as other relatives started to filter in for the last morning of Nizhoni’s Kinaalda.
Fintan was so tired he could barely lift the shovel. An uncle took it off him with a kind smile and started moving around the near extinguished logs.
Mercifully the sun made an appearance over the horizon. The flap opened on the hogan, and Nizhoni emerged running. She passed Fintan with a smile and a ‘Hi’ and Fintan suddenly woke up. He lept up and ran after her along with the rest of her family.
After the run, it was time to go back into the hogan to eat the cake. Fintan sat with Nizhoni’s family who she served last. They each took a bite from the cake, and it was delicious.
“I’m not a child anymore,” said Nizhoni. “Now I’m a woman.”
She smiled and touched Fintan lightly on the arm before going to talk with the rest of her relatives.
I’m family now thought Fintan. These people have made me one of them.
*
They slept in for the rest of the morning, and Nanabah, who never seemed to sleep woke Fintan in the afternoon.
“We’re opening presents,” she said excitedly. “Come!”
Fintan felt cheap thinking about the Christmas that he had always celebrated. He felt disappointed in himself when t
hinking of Christmas being all about the presents. With this family, presents were almost an afterthought. A hearty meal was waiting on the table as he came down, and a sleepy Nizhoni was waiting for him.
There was no Christmas tree, but in the center of the room on a small plastic table, a nativity scene had been set. To Fintan’s surprise Mister Benally told the Christmas story, with sincerity and more feeling and heart than he had ever heard it told.
“We’re not Christian,” said Nizhoni’s mother. “But we understand a story of sacrifice for the greater good, and the hope that it brings. So we like this story.”
When he had finished the story, it was time for presents. Again, Fintan felt ashamed at his previous Christmases where the focus was on tearing presents open and screaming at whatever toy was within.
Nizhoni’s family took it slowly, enjoying the moment. First they gave a gift to Nanabah who opened it and hugged her parents when she saw a new pair of shoes. “Now my feet won’t be cold in the winter when I walk to school,” Fintan heard her say.
Nizhoni received a new blouse. She held it up against herself modeling it. “Red is your color,” said Mister Benally. “Watch out for the boys in your school when you wear it!” He winked at Fintan, and now it was Nizhoni’s turn to blush as bright as the red in her blouse.
They then handed a package to Fintan. “You don’t have to,” he protested.
“But we do,” they said. Fintan opened it. It was a silver bracelet, with a turquoise stone in its center. “This is too much,” he said. A pang of guilt hit him. This was a much bigger present than what they had bought for their own children. Again he was humbled by the Navajo way.
It was his turn now. He handed the package containing the wallet to Mister Benally who took it and unwrapped it with glee. “Wow!” he said. “It’s amazing. Thank you!”
Fintan noticed him take his old wallet, which was beaten and torn, and take the very little he had in it to put into the new wallet. Most treasured were pictures of Nizhoni, Nanabah and Mrs Benally. He passed it around the family, and all admired it. Fintan felt embarrassed that he had bought such a small and cheap gift.
Next he gave the glass charm to Mrs Benally. She unwrapped it, and ran to a window in the far corner of the room. She lifted the dusty shade, and he saw how the sunlight came through the window, throwing a spectrum of light through the charm.
Nanabah cheered and clapped. Mrs Benally hugged Fintan and kissed him on the head. He blushed again.
“You white guys blush a lot, don’t you?” said Nizhoni.
Nanabah was next, and she gasped in delight at the bracelet. Fintan was right. It did suit her.
Finally it was time for Nizhoni. Fintan’s stomach fluttered as she opened it. Her eyes lit up when she saw the necklace, and she smiled broadly. Mrs Benally took it in her hands and examined the handiwork. “Beautiful,” she said. “Such nice quality.”
She took it and closed the chain behind Nizhoni’s head. The feather hung down around her neck, catching the light.
“Thank you Fintan,” she said. “I’m never going to take it off.”
Without a doubt Fintan thought it was the best Christmas ever.
Chapter 25: Tryouts
Bob was returning to the city a couple of days after Christmas, so Fintan decided to join him. Nizhoni would return early in the new year with the rest of the kids.
Bob arrived after dinner to pick Fintan up. He was surprised how emotional he was at leaving. Nizhoni’s father shook his hand and clapped him on the shoulder. Her mother gave him an enormous hug, and even Nanabah embraced him.
Nizhoni hugged him too. Shyly at first, but then more tightly. “I’ll see you in January,” she said.
They left, and the drive back to where they had hidden the saucers seemed much further than it had when they were arriving. They drove mostly in silence, but not long before arrival, Bob slapped himself on the forehead.
“Oh I forgot!” he said. “Thanks for the wonderful pen. I have something for you too!”
He handled Fintan a ragged bundle. Fintan unwrapped it to see a beat up pair of binoculars.
“Sure, they’re old,” said Bob. “But, they’re really good. I don’t think they make ‘em like this anymore.”
Fintan used them to look through the front of the car. Bob was right. They were good.
“Bob,” said Fintan. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you.”
“Sure,” said Bob. “Anything.”
“Did you teach Nizhoni how to fight?”
“Yes. And she’s a good learner.”
“I want to learn how to fight. Can you teach me?”
“Are you sure?” asked Bob, curiously.
“Yes,” said Fintan. “Back home I was constantly bullied. If you do anything that makes you stand out, you get picked on. If you’re smart, dumb, short, tall, fat, skinny, whatever.”
Bob said nothing.
“I got bullied a lot,” said Fintan. “A lot.”
“And they call us savages,” said Bob. “Yes, my friend, of course I will teach you to fight.”
*
They flew back to the city under cover of darkness, with Bob towing Nizhoni’s ship. Fintan memorized the map so he could figure out where Bob’s ‘secret’ entrance to the city was located. They landed and Fintan took the train back to the school, alone.
It was strange walking back into the dormitory by himself, but it was also good to have the place to himself for a while. He had some thinking to do.
The days passed quicker than Fintan expected. Between working on the unsolved questions that kept peppering him, and his afternoon sessions with Bob that both invigorated and exhausted him, the time flew by.
And then, one evening there was a clattering at the door of his dorm. He had been used to having things quiet when Zack poked his head around the door.
“Yo,” said Zack. “Did you miss me?”
*
It was great to get back into the swing of things. That evening Ayako turned up, and then later so did Nizhoni. The first thing Ayako noticed was her new necklace which she greatly admired, embarrassing Nizhoni a little.
Zack, noticing this, decided to admire it loudly too and continue her discomfort. He kept looking sidelong at Fintan as he made a fuss over her necklace, an action which made Fintan uncomfortable too.
“Ok, that’s enough!” said Fintan, irritated.
“A-ha!” said Zack. “I knew it, you bought it for her didn’t you?” he laughed.
“He did?” asked Ayako
Nizhoni nodded.
The Japanese girl turned to Fintan with a big smile and a thumbs up. Zack started making kissing motions, only to find himself being hit from three sides.
Things were back to normal.
*
The highlight of the first couple of weeks of school for everyone, regardless of their year was the tryout for Starball. In the first game of the season, the team had to make up its shortcomings with a draft, and it could only play the players that it had, with no reserves or backups.
Now, there were a number of spots up for grabs. Simon made it clear that despite their performance in the first game, Nizhoni and Fintan would have to try out if they wanted to get on the team.
“You’ve got it easy,” Fintan told her. “There’s no way he’s going to turn you down, you can fly rings around most of us.”
“You’ll be fine too,” she told him, but he wasn’t sure that he agreed.
“So what do you think he’ll be looking for in the tryouts?” asked Zack. “I’d give my back teeth to get on the team. Of course, that’s a pretty good deal for me as my back teeth are pretty rotten. Look!”
He opened his mouth and stretched it with his fingers to say ‘Aaah’ to let them see.
Ayako put some butter in it.
*
The morning of the tryouts came. Each of the prospective team members from Red Squadron lined up at the appointed place, an outdoor hangar close to where Fi
ntan and Ayako had had to repair the ship for their science project. Ayako had decided not to try out, Starball not being her thing. But Fintan, Nizhoni and Zack all showed up.
“Run!” said Simon. “And don’t stop until I tell you to.”
A few began to protest, Zack included, but Nizhoni shut him up with an elbow to the ribs. Those that complained were kicked out of the team already, without a tryout.
“You can’t do that!” said one girl, angered almost to tears.
“I can and I have,” said Simon. “Now get out.”
So they ran. And ran.
“Good thing we got practice at your Kinaalda,” said Fintan to Nizhoni as she ran past him. “Hey, hang on!”
After almost thirty minutes of running, Simon finally stopped them. Most fell to the ground, exhausted and breathing heavily.
“Flying in a Starball match is physically demanding,” said Simon. “It’s not like playing a video game. If you want to play, you have to be at peak condition. Look at you! Most of you can barely breathe after a simple run. How do you expect to be able to play?”
Faces fell.
“Situps!” said Simon. “Give me fifty!”
This time they all tried without protest. Most of them couldn’t handle it.
“Don’t worry this time,” said Simon. “Obedience is what I was looking for, and you all passed.”
He stopped, and then, voice dripping with sarcasm: “For now.”
Next he led them into the hangar. A number of saucers were waiting for them. “A few of you,” said Simon “have probably never flown a real saucer before. And you think you can fly them in a game? Let’s put that little dream back where it belongs, right?”
He divided them into groups of two. “What you’ll do is very simple,” said Simon. “The two of you will fly against Red Two and Red Three. If you can last more than thirty seconds without getting zapped, you can stay in the trials. If you can’t then you don’t belong here. Got it? Oh and don’t worry, you can’t get hurt by the shots, it’s just a simple tagging.”
The first pair, a couple of third-years that Fintan had seen around the dorms got into their saucers and took off. They hovered over the hangar as Red Two and Red Three took off. As soon as they were in the air Red Two and Three started shooting, and the prospectees were out in less than a second.
“Tsk. Tsk,” said Simon. “They had a chance at least to run, but they sat around and made themselves targets. Too dumb for the game.”
The Fourth World Page 17