Planets Falling

by James G. Scotson

  The horses slow. Theo looks toward me sympathetically. “Can you handle this pace for a while? We need to make more distance before morning. Bets learned that the monsters – grubs – can’t move well during daylight.”

  I nod my head uncertainly. Samuel trots up beside me. “Welcome back Amy. Why’d you want us to knock you out? That seemed stupid until one of the grubs turned on its own. I’d reckon you got something to do with that?”

  “Yes, Samuel. I did. I’ll explain later.”

  Chapter 52 - Camping

  We finally settle in a sheltered spot at the crest of a subtle hill when the sun is high above the trees. We’re much further south and near the ocean. Gulls soar overhead and the air’s muggy. English and Bets head into the woods to search for breakfast. Samuel’s in the mood for fish and has fashioned a pole. Theo lifts me off of Phineus and gently sets my bruised, broken body into a bed of soft moss under a huge, gnarled willow tree.

  “Theo, find some pussy willow. There should be some growing near the stream where Samuel’s fishing. Strip the bark and steep it in hot water. That’ll help me get through some of this pain.”

  Theo returns about an hour later with a steaming cup. I sip it and the pain dulls somewhat- enough to allow me to think clearly. “Theo, how far are we from the vessel?”

  He pulls out his tablet. A brilliant image of the landscape pops up, even in the bright daylight. “If I read this correctly, I’d suspect that we’re about a two-day ride away.”

  “Well, we need to get going.” I try to lift myself up.

  Theo chuckles. “You ain’t going nowhere for a while. You’re broken up.”

  “Theo, I’ve got a bad feeling about Bets - I’m unsure we can trust her.”

  “What’re you talking about Sprouter? Bets did her share of killing last night.”

  “Don’t you think she escaped a bit too easily?”

  “Bets is one tough girl. She’s on our side.”

  “Correction, Theo. She’s on your side, not mine.”

  Theo doesn’t argue. “Amy, will you tell me what’s going on? Why’d you ask me to knock you out? The others think you possessed that grub and saved us. Is that true?”

  “Well, yes. I have no idea how I did it. But I only seem to be able to do it when I’m out cold. That wanked woman, Thresh, can do it too. And she’s better at it than me. I don’t know whether I’ll be able to pull it off again. Thresh’s figured out that I’m able to do it.”

  Theo whistles. “I knew you were special. But that’s damn near crazy. What other surprises have you in store Amy Marksman?”

  “I’d like to know Theo.”

  Samuel returns with three enormous trout on a stringer. He’s giddy as they sizzle on the fire. Bets and English return with a sack full of freshly picked oranges from a nearby grove. For the first time in ages, I’m genuinely hungry.

  “Well, good to see you Missus Marksman.” English sounds genuinely happy to see me up.

  “English, thanks for saving my ass once again. You too Bets and Samuel. I really appreciate all you’re doing. Believe me, after what we’ve just experienced, we’ve got an uphill battle.”

  Theo hands me a peeled orange. He remarks, “Once we find the others at the spaceship, we’ll have an advantage over Thresh and her goons. I hope we can find some towns that haven’t been destroyed. Or other folks wandering the woods like us who want to fight this evil.”

  English squeezes a couple of oranges over his cup. Clean, crisp citrus bursts into the air. “What exactly are we up against, Amy and Bets? You met this Thresh. Other than being completely wanked, what’s her goal?”

  The juice of the orange is lightning in my veins. Energy surges to my head. “She’s very powerful and completely dangerous. The fog that destroyed Flip’s village and almost killed you, English, is the same stuff that’s making the grubs. Best I can tell, the mist drifted down out of the mountains and landed in Thresh’s village. She discovered that she could control it and bend it to her will. She may have been responsible for the dead rising in Flip’s village.”

  English looks at me warily. “Something’s telling me that you and Thresh got some things in common?”

  “Yes, English. I seem to be cut from the same cloth as that crazy woman. Gods help me. You all need to know that my ability as garden tender has always been more than growing things.” I stop to consider how much I should tell them. “All my life, I’ve seen – things. People, unlike us, in the woods around home. They’ve helped us. There were times we’d have starved during winter if it wasn’t for them.”

  “You’re telling me that you’ve seen grubs all your life?” Bets hisses.

  “No, not at all. They were little green people. Nevermind.”

  “Oh, this is intriguing,” Bets says. “Do continue Marksman.”

  Samuel jumps to my assistance. “Bets, Amy here’s got a special gift and it’d be best if we respect it. She saved us back there. I don’t know how, but she did. Thresh’s gonna kill us and lots more people if we let her. Amy’s the key.”

  “Well, thank you Samuel, although I hope that all the pressure isn’t just on me. My mother, grandmother, and other Marksman women back to the beginning have had this gift - or curse, depending on the way you look at it. It hasn’t helped any of us much lately. The grubs might come from the same place as the green ones. I don’t know. The way that I learned to communicate with the little people seems to work similarly as getting into the grubs’ heads. I also can talk with Thresh in there.”

  “What do you mean by in there?” English asks.

  “Right before I woke up, it was like I was dreaming, but Thresh was there, telling me that she’s going to stop us.”

  “She’s going to be sorely disappointed,” Bets comments.

  “I hope so.” I take a bite of orange and consider whether I should tell them about the god Fromer. A voice deep inside my skull says no.

  Theo hands me another piece of fruit. “Amy, these little ones from the woods at home. Are they around now?”

  “No. I haven’t seen them-“ I consider telling them I saw the green people in Flip’s mountain village and then think better of it. “I haven’t seen one since before the siege on our village. Besides, they’re very tiny and timid. I can’t see them being able to fight. Look all, I’ll do everything I can to fight Thresh and her monsters. But I’m guessing that more of that fog’s moving down the mountain and will help her build her army. If there’s anything that’s going to stop it, the people at the ship will have the answer.”

  The trout’s cooked and Samuel doles it out to each of us. The camp’s silent while we devour our food. English finishes first. “What’s up in that mountain making that deathly fog?”

  I sigh. “Whatever it is, we can’t let Thresh get to it. We’ve got to get there first and stop it.” If there ever were a time for a visit from Fromer, this would be the time. It’s becoming clearer to me that Thresh is using Eliza as bait for me - something I must resist, fighting every instinct I have. My blood stops at the thought that Thresh might end up raising my daughter if anything happens to me.

  Night falls and I’m feeling guilty. The others are taking turns at the watch while I lay here in the center of camp by a small fire. We’ve decided to stay here one night then move haphazardly, trying to cover our tracks as best as possible. We could ride hard toward the space vessel, but Theo’s afraid that this would ruin my leg. He’s right, making me feel even more sheepish and needy. I’m afraid to sleep, given what I might find in there. Thresh is looking for me, I know it. And even if she’s not there, I can’t bear to see my mother gutted by the dogs once more.

  English is out of shine, which we’re all experiencing with mixed feelings. He’s lucid and alert, ensuring that he’ll not let us down during watch. On the other hand, he’s morphed into a throbbing asshole. This transformation occurred shortly after he lobbed his last bottle into the woods. We’ll be traveling near a small village tomorrow morning. I suspect he’ll
be able to raid their liquor stores. Until then, we have to contend with his nasty comments and hope that he doesn’t wank out.

  I close my eyes and clearly see Wenn, father, and Eliza playing on the floor of our home. A fire’s blazing and someone’s playing fiddle in the town commons. I shake myself awake to find Theo stroking my hair and singing a lullaby softly, the same one he often sang to Eliza after Wenn and father disappeared.

  “That’s nice Theo, thanks.”

  “Don’t mention it Sprouter. Why didn’t you tell me about the green beans in the woods before?”

  “You mean beings, right? Well, first I didn’t think anyone would believe me. Only my mother and I could see them. And second, mother told me that they were an important secret that I needed to protect. She never said it straight out, but I think that she was worried that others might try to exploit or corrupt our abilities. From what I can see of Thresh, she was right. There are others out there, Theo.”

  “Whatcha mean, others, Amy?”

  “Philip, the boy. He was like me and Thresh.”

  Theo stops stroking my hair. “Flip? I don’t understand.”

  “The reason his village was destroyed was because he could see the little ones like me. He also was able to see the fog and perhaps see into the future. I’m thinking that there is a being moving out there, manipulating Thresh. It thought Flip was a threat and wanted to stop him. Same with Eliza and me. If it wasn’t for you all, we’d be gone. This thing’s evil.”

  “You think we’re up against the devil?”

  “Hell if I know.” I chuckle dryly at the pun and wince at the pain in my head. “There’s so much out there that we can’t comprehend. Troll made that clear to us.”

  Theo strokes my hair again. “Amy, you need to sleep. It’s the only way you’re going to heal.”

  “Sleep. Sounds good if you can promise I won’t end up in a grub or fighting with Thresh.”

  “At the least, try to rest.” The stroking is rhythmic and irresistible. In a short moment, I’m opening my eyes to morning light. No dreams for me.

  “Time to mount up,” Bets announces.

  “Shove it up your arse,” English replies groggily. “I’m not going anywhere until I get something to eat.”

  Bets tosses a chunk of jerky at English. “Shut it, jack ass. We’ll find you some shine today. I like you better drunk.”

  We’re on horseback and my leg’s throbbing. It’s not looking good. I hope the people from space have some medicine. Otherwise, I might be losing that appendage.

  We near the small town. Thankfully, there’s no sign that it’s been molested by Thresh and her menagerie. Bets, Theo, and English go in, while Samuel and I hide in a nearby woodlot. Samuel helps me prop against a cottonwood. He searches for some herbs and flowers while I examine the houses and fields below me. The dwellings are tidy and well kept. A few children play near the west wall, while a farmer tills a small plot, his lumpy ox lazily dragging its plow. By this time at home, if home still existed, the harvest would have been completed, the fruits and vegetables preserved, and the winter crops peeking up. Here, so far south and near the ocean, a lucky gardener could plant crops at least three times a year. I’d love to walk down, grab a handful of soil, and feel its goodness crumble between my fingers. Instead, I’m stuck here, with every one of my movements causing considerable pain.

  “I’m back, Amy.” Samuel opens his satchel, a cornucopia of flower petals, leaves, seeds, and roots spill out before me. He fetches my mortar and pestle - an heirloom that extends back to my family’s distant past. I take each item, taste it to test its strength, and then add it in careful amounts to the mash. Once finished, I place the paste under my tongue and relief surges to my feet and toes.

  “Now, Samuel, if you don’t mind, I’d like for you to search for one more thing.”

  “Anything, my girl.”

  “At the roots of many of the Crenshaw elms around here you’ll find a small, black fungus. I need you to gather as much as possible. It’ll help me fight the infection in my leg.” Samuel’s off before I turn back toward the bucolic scene before me. The paste’s set in nicely. I’ve concocted enough to keep me feeling comfortable for the next couple of days.

  A magpie lands on a branch near me, examining me with its glossy coal eyes. The bird seems as if it knows who I am and what I represent. Perhaps it's the paste I've ingested, but I swear it's trying to communicate.

  "Hi bird. What do you want?"

  It cocks its head and my vision blurs. Suddenly, I'm in the air, soaring over the village. Apparently, I can possess magpies as well as insane women and alien beings. Its wings shudder in the warm breeze and I send it down into the town center. Colors swirl as the bird moves its head. Theo's surrounded by perhaps fifty villagers dressed in brightly colored clothes unlike any I've seen in my part of the world. The buildings in this part of the town mimic the clothing, each adorned in wonderful shades of blue, red, and yellow.

  "Listen folks, I'm serious about what we're facing." Theo's clearly grabbed their attention. "We have a common enemy and it’s growing and relentless. If a fog of brown mist approaches your town, you're gonna have to leave mighty fast. Take only what you need."

  As Theo continues his message of gloom, I direct the bird eyes around, seeing no sign of English or Bets. I decide to look for them. The bird flies to the town commissary, where I find English quite drunk, slumped in a bench. Bets is inside haggling with a trim, silver-haired man over a sack of provisions, including a ruby-colored shine I've never seen before. The issue is over price. Bets offers him a handful of gems from Theo's stash and the argument ends. I follow Bets and English as they rejoin Theo.

  A town elder, clearly one of the most revered given the fine quality of her dress, stares at Theo, piercing him with a skeptical eye. "Stranger, how are we to believe your stories are true? You be seeming a bit touched, if you ask me." The crowd laughs. She looks at English, who's staggering and singing to himself. "The company you're keeping's not helping any."

  Theo blushes, clearly needing help. I direct the magpie to fly a few loopy circles around his head and then land on his shoulder. The crowd falls silent. Theo's surprised but maintains his composure. I fly the magpie to a bale of hay and gather a beakful of dried grass blades and sticks. I drop them on the bare, sandy earth and use them to fashion the word, BELIEVE. Gasps and chatter rise up from the crowd. English regains his sobriety, looking at the spectacle with clear bemusement. They're ready to listen to Theo. Before I fly the bird back to me, I see Bets shaking her head and I clearly interpret one word on her lips - Marksman.

  "Amy, darlin’. Wake up." Samuel’s clutching a fistful of dry, black fluff. “Is this what you were looking for?”

  “Yes, thanks Samuel.” I prepare the material and chew on a small amount. It’ll slow the spread of the infection but won’t reverse it. The magpie hasn’t left. It sits in a nearby tree preening itself. If I end up crippled, perhaps I can keep moving freely via the emancipation of bird brains.

  Theo and English return on the heels of the day. English is clearly washed out and heads for bed. Theo saunters up and sits beside me. “Amy, have you got something to tell me?”

  “About what Theo? I’ve been sitting here all day.”

  “Are you sure about that? Done any flying lately?”

  “Yes, I’ve added possession of birds to my list of abilities. You were looking like you were in some trouble down there. Thought I’d help with a little magic.”

  “Thanks for that. Everyone’s wary of strangers. And for us to come trotting in with stories about fog and monsters - I’d bet they were ready to jail us. English wasn’t helping either.”

  “What happened after I – the bird – left?”

  “They supplied us. Bets is still down there finishing loading a cart. We’ll pull it with Flip’s horse. Those people were mighty generous. I hope they survive Thresh.”

  “They’ll fare well as long as they don’t have someone like me or
Thresh among them. She doesn’t seem to be raising an army, yet. If she does, gods help their young men. Did you make sure to make no mention of us?”

  “Of course.”

  Bets arrives at the top of the hill with a sizeable cart filled with provisions. She’s in a foul state. I remark, “She seems darker than usual. What happened to her down there?”

  Theo sighs. “I think she’s troubled about home. It’s hard for all of us to see this community and realize we lost ours. Don’t you feel the same way?”

  “Theo, the difference is that you’re all being dragged to help me find my family while you’ve all lost most of yours. It’s not fair.”

  “Sprouter, relax. There’s bigger things afoot for all of us.”

  “I’m not sure Bets would agree. Maybe you should tell her it’s okay to leave us.”

  Theo huffs. “It’s not okay for her to leave.”

  I decide to leave it be.

  After we eat dinner in silence, Samuel reappears from the woods. “Where’ve you been, Sam?” Theo asks.

  Samuel is agitated, his eyes bulging. “I saw something back there. It, him, was taller than anything I’d seen before. Black, thick skin. And glowing. No breath or hair that I could see. Big, dark eyes- no whites. You reckon it’s got something to do with that Thresh woman?”

  My mind races. Could Fromer be here in the woods with us?

  “Samuel, are you sure you’re not seeing things out there?” Theo asks. “It’s been a long day. Maybe you saw one of the villagers who’s curious about us.”

  “Theo, no. This was something real strange out there. It ran away once I spotted it. Left big footprints.”

  "Things just get stranger around here," Theo muses. "Samuel, I believe you. Sprouter what you thinking?"

  "I think that Samuel saw someone. If you're wondering whether I know anything about it, the answer's no. I've not had any visions of giant black creatures wandering the woods." I wonder why I’m lying to him. I feel as if Fromer put a spell on me, keeping me from talking about him. Of course, I did tell Wenn at father's urging. Perhaps I'm worried that Theo will suffer the same fate as father and Wenn if I tell the truth. Fromer might take Theo away from me and that'd be unbearable.