Blood

by Cheryl Twaddle

  “What’s all this for?” I asked.

  “I’ve been trying to achieve communication with my superiors,” he explained. “So far, nothing.”

  “No?” This didn’t surprise me.

  “Same problem as everything else,” he said. “No power.”

  He headed back to the main tunnel and I followed. The next room he showed me was smaller than the first two and a little darker. In here there were shelves of flasks and beakers, each one filled with different coloured liquids and every one of them labeled and corked or covered with tin foil. He had jars of different plants and rocks; some floating in liquid and some just sitting in the jar. There was a long table in the center of the room set up with test tubes and tubing connected with clamps, forming a maze of tubes that liquid could run through. At the end was a flask half full of purple liquid and suspended in the air by a clamp. Underneath was a small pot with holes punched in the side. Al had placed some small pieces of wood in the pot. He must have had a small fire going earlier because some of the wood was charred and I could still smell a faint hint of the fire.

  'Great,' I thought. 'A chem lab. If he wants my help with any of this, he'll be disappointed. I know nothing about chemistry.'

  "This is my lab," he said as if reading my mind. "I've been running experiments, trying to simulate power by using different chemicals and minerals I've discovered down here. Did you know that the breakdown of minerals works very differently down here?"

  "No," I said, trying to sound excited by this news and trying to actually care about it.

  "Yes, well I can see this news has jolted you," he said sarcastically and then turned to Barker and spoke as if I wasn't there. "This girl is not very intelligent at all young Private. I suggest that when you return to the city this time, you befriend a more capable specimen." He turned back to me. "Shall we continue?"

  "Return to the city?" I looked at Barker and felt a nudge of betrayal forming in my stomach. "Just how long has this dog been helping you?"

  "The Private?" he answered. "This particular Private has spent a few tours with me. He goes to the city every time it reappears, looking for my helper. He’s been promising me that the perfect one was coming but I was beginning to doubt his word. Then he found you and now, here you are. I have to say, though, I’m not really encouraged. "

  "I-I think I have to go now." I wasn’t really listening to what the colonel was saying. I felt used. I thought Barker was mine; that we had both fallen to this world together. From the first time I saw him, I was sure we had a connection. I thought we were both experiencing this crazy place together for the first time. Now, I find out it was all a lie? Barker had been down here for longer than I thought; years probably. I thought he was mine. I searched for him every day for months; needing to have him back. Someone, even if he was a dog, who came from my world, my time. Someone who felt like a part of me. I had to go, get out of this cave. The walls seemed to be closing in on me and the air felt heavy and it was hard to breathe. "I need to get back to Marshal. I need to go. Thank you for showing me your base Mr. Colonel Al but I can't help you with any of this. I must be leaving now. Goodbye."

  I turned and ran from the room, ran down the tunnel trying to find my way out. Which way had we come? Which tunnel should I take? I turned one corner and the light was gone. Without Colonel Al's lamp I was in darkness. I hadn't thought of this. I would have to feel my way out. Could I do it? I tried and ran into a wall, banging my head on the low ceiling. It hurt and just added to my frustration. This was impossible and I sat down with my back against the wall and waited to be found. It only took five minutes before I felt the wet tongue of Barker licking my face. I felt my anger melt away and all I could feel was relief that my friend was okay. I reached my hands up and buried my fingers in his fur.

  "You stupid, silly dog," I nudged my face into his neck. "I've been so worried about you and you've been hiding with this crazy army guy the whole time. And he tells me that you’ve been his for a long time. How could you? I want you to be mine. I thought you were from my time, my city. How can you possibly be someone else’s?” I leaned my forehead into his neck and closed my eyes. He felt so calm and relaxed and then he let out a small whine and licked my face again. Oh, how could I stay mad at him? He was just a dog after all. “You're so lucky you're cute because I’m really considering walking out and leaving you here, you know." Barker let out a small whimper then nudged me with his nose, wanting me to get up and go back to the colonel. "I know you trust him, but I really don't think he knows what he's doing and, if he does, I don't think I can help him." He barked so quietly, like a whisper bark and I knew I had to go back.

  "Okay, I'll try," I said as I got to my feet and went back to the room with all the beakers and test tubes. Colonel Al was studying something under a microscope that I hadn't noticed before.

  "Have you calmed down?" he asked, continuing to look through the microscope.

  "Yes," was all I said.

  "Good," he finally looked up and stared at me. "Right then, I think you should leave."

  "What?" I did not expect this. "Why?"

  "You've seen everything that's important," he said. "You've been briefed on my mission. Now your job is to go back to your friends and ask them if they have any idea on how to make power."

  "I'm pretty sure they don't," I said. I knew that they didn't know how to make power. If they did, they would be using it for lights and cooking and so much more. "But I'll tell them about your mission and maybe they can come and look at what you've done. Maybe they'll become inspired and you guys can figure it out together."

  "Oh, no, you don't," he laughed and looked back down through the microscope.

  "What? Oh no I don't what?"

  "Tell anyone about me," he spoke, not lifting his eyes.

  "But how else am I supposed to explain to them about..."

  "About power?" he looked up, meeting my eyes one more time. I nodded my head. "I would think that power is something they would be looking for anyway."

  "But..." I assumed he wasn't going to change his mind on this.

  "Good bye," he said.

  "Okay, then," I started to turn for the door, "but I'm taking the Private with me. He knows his way out of here and I don't. So no questions, he's coming with me." Colonel Al took his eyes away from the microscope but kept them on the table in front of him.

  "Very well," he said. "Private escort this girl back to her camp. I will see you later." He returned to the microscope and I patted Barker, congratulating myself on this small victory.

  Barker led me out of the old mine slowly, making sure I always had a hold of his tail. It was pitch black but the shepherd cross knew exactly where he was going, confirming my suspicions that he must have been with this Colonel Al for a while. It frustrated me that this dog who I loved so much, was someone else's pet. It made me wonder just how long he’d been down here and how long he’d been living with this crazy army guy. Maybe he wasn't really happy here. Maybe he was just as happy to find me as I was to find him.

  "Oh, Barker," I said as we made our way through the entrance and out into the fresh air. "I wish you could talk; I have so many questions to ask you." The dog sat down and looked at me, cocking his head to one side, waiting for me to say what I had to say before we hiked back to Marshal's. "But you can't talk and my questions will never be answered, so, we might as well just get on with it and go back." Barker came and licked my hand and turned to head back through the trees.

  As we walked I talked out loud, voicing my thoughts on Colonel Al and his mission. Could he be for real? "You know, Barker, it isn't too unreasonable to think that someone up there knows that this place exists," I said. "I mean, it’s possible that it’s been kept top secret, away from the general public. Could you just imagine the panic if people knew that, at any time, they could disappear from that world and come to this one and that there was no hope in getting them back? I think people would either freak out or line-up to get down here. That's the
way people are, you know, jumping into things without thinking about the consequences." We climbed over a fallen tree and I looked around, not remembering any of this when I ran through here earlier, chasing the colonel. Boy, I had really come far hadn't I?

  "On the other hand, though, it seems pretty unusual for the American government to send someone down here without having a way to get them back or even communicate with them, doesn't it?" I asked. "I just don't know what to think of Colonel Al. Is he crazy? And, if he was really sent down here, why is he up here in Canada, hiding in the woods? Shouldn't he be somewhere in the States? That would make much more sense, wouldn't it? I think he's a little disturbed but..." Barker seemed to sense my doubt and let out a small bark. "...but, I think what he's doing makes sense I suppose. If we can get time back maybe, we can merge the two worlds back together. Maybe that's what we are, a fragment of the world that got caught in some sort of time warp and once we get back time, we'll go back." I was so desperate to go home, back to my old life with my mom and dad and even my little brother. Back where I could text my friends and spend hours on my computer, not caring about how I was going to survive the winter. I leaned down and called Barker to me. I wanted to pet him and let him know how happy I was that I had found him. He licked my face and wagged his tail. "I did miss you so much."

  We had made it, without realizing it, we had made our way back to the edge of the woods where I had left Cocoa. I stood and looked at the sky. It had been so clear and blue when I stepped into the trees and now it was white; a snow sky. I must have been at the colonel's longer than I thought. There was a shadow approaching and I stood and waited.

  "The lady appears!" It was Max. He was riding Cocoa. I wondered how long they had been there waiting for me. He slid off the horse and walked towards me. I felt my stomach flutter and cursed myself for it. "Imagine how surprised we all were when your trusted steed returned without her precious passenger."

  "I was fine," I replied like a scolded child. I looked at Cocoa and glared teasingly at her. "Traitor." She huffed through her nose and pawed the ground with her hoof. Then Barker stepped out from behind me and Cocoa whinnied her approval that the dog was back.

  "Well, well, well, the mighty Barker has been found!" exclaimed Max and I smiled despite myself. "Where'd you find him?" He stepped forward and started patting Barker, not caring that the dog was licking his face and getting dog drool all over him. This was the Max that I was attracted to.

  "Interesting story, I suppose," I wondered if I should tell him about Colonel Al. Barker turned and barked at me. The dog was just too smart to be any ordinary canine. "But it can wait for now." It was all I was willing to give the colonel. I knew that I would probably tell everyone about his mission just to see if they believed it or if they thought it was total nonsense.

  "I hope it doesn't wait too long," said Max as he stood and looked at me, all signs of the joy of seeing Barker gone.

  "Why?" I asked.

  "I'm leaving," he stated and I was taken aback. Had I really driven him away with my reluctance to let my heart fall into his hands.

  "Leaving?" I asked, crossing my arms in front of me.

  "Yes, Nicky, despite your joy of sharing my company and the fact that you crave my undying attention, I will be taking leave in the morning." He smiled but I could see the hurt in his eyes behind the sarcasm. I hadn't shown him any joy and I definitely did not seek his attention.

  "I'm sorry that I haven't been swept off my feet by you," my face was burning red, "but it's so, so different down here. I'm different and I just have to figure out what's going on inside my head. It takes time. I've told you that. I'm sorry but it's all I can give you for now. I've only had two boyfriends in my life, both in junior high, and you're so..."

  "Charming," another sarcastic remark and it made me angry.

  "No, you're so..." I searched for the right word, "...worldly."

  "Hah! Now that's an insufferable word!"

  "Well, you are," I said. "You've been a lot of places and you've seen a lot of things, a lot of women..."

  "Ah, the real truth," he shook his head and rolled his eyes. "You're still thinking about what dear Cornelius said about my past encounters and you're worried that I'll treat you the same."

  "That's not it!" It was a part of it though; a big part of it.

  "I told you, I'm different now," he tried to explain. "You're different from all those other women. You've..."

  "What? Changed you? Made you an honest man?" I laughed.

  "Yes," he said quietly, knowing it had no effect on me.

  "You don't understand." How could I tell him that these were qualities he should have had before he ever met me.

  "You're right, I don't," he said.

  "I'm only seventeen. I need time to figure it out," I said.

  "Nicky, you've had four months to figure it out!" I could feel his frustration and looked down at the ground, not wanting to look at him. He went on, sounding defeated. "Whatever. You'll have lots of time to think things over now; think about me, maybe even miss me. If I'm gone, maybe you'll realize that you actually do have feelings for me."

  "'Absence makes the heart grow fonder'. Is that what you're counting on? Is that why you're leaving, to make me miss you?" This kind of angered me, yet, flattered me at the same time.

  "That is a thought, isn't it? But, alas, no," he said, "that is not the reason why I'm leaving. I'm leaving because of the Blood Demons. Emma Lee's persistence that they are on their way here has become increasingly hard to ignore. There's been discussion that someone should go and scout them out, see if she's right."

  "Discussion? What discussion?" I was surprised at this. "Why haven't I been included in this discussion?"

  "Because, my dear," he sighed, "you have been engulfed in your search for the ever elusive Barker, which, I am happy to see, has paid off. You were right; he is not dead and he looks perfectly healthy. The woods seem to have agreed with our friendly furry friend. It's almost as if someone took him in and looked after him."

  "It seems that way, doesn't it," I tried to change the subject. "Shall we go back to Marshal's. I'd like to find out more about these discussions I've been missing. Besides, it's getting chilly. I can feel a north wind closing in on us."

  "I can feel it too," he said. "Would you like to ride or walk?"

  "I'll walk," I answered quickly. I knew what sharing a horse ride could lead to. "I don't mind and I want to keep close to Barker anyway."

  "Very well, I shall walk also." He grabbed Cocoa's reins and we headed out. I felt something wet touch my nose, a snowflake. I was right; the north wind was closing in. By the time we got back to Marshal's, the snow was coming down heavier. The flakes were getting bigger and it was starting to lie on the ground, no longer melting into the earth. That meant the temperature had dropped and it was only going to get colder.

  Chapter 3

  Marshal's house had changed over the last four months; it got bigger. We had taken the materials from Robert's and Madge's house and built an addition onto Marshal's house with them. It wasn't perfect but it was big enough for all of us. We even cut through Marshal's wall and the new addition to make a sort of doorway between the two. We sealed the gap between them with mud and grass. It worked pretty good and now, in theory, we could share the heat from the old stove if we kept it well fueled. Now, with the snow, we could test that theory out. We had enough wood left over to build a small shelter for Cocoa and we planted enough hay to last her all winter. The snow was starting to blanket the fields and as Cornelius and Billy came in the door with their arms loaded with chopped wood, I could feel the cold wind swoop in and try to take hold.

  "Woo, it's cold out there, people," said Cornelius as he stomped his boots to try to knock off whatever snow was stuck on them. "I say we have a real snowstorm on its way. Marshal? There’s enough wood out there for about four days if we use it sparingly but we should stockpile as much as we can before the snow starts to really pile up. Even with the h
orse, it's going to be tough to haul wood through the snow especially if it starts to drift. Billy and I covered what we had with tarps but I think we should put what we can underground so it stays dry."

  "See?" I said. "The snow is piling up and the wind is getting stronger, it makes no sense for Max to leave now."

  "I'm flattered for your concern, Nicole, but I'll be fine," Max smiled sarcastically at me and I looked away angry. I may not want a romantic relationship with him but I did care about his safety. "In fact, I shouldn't wait for tomorrow morning. If I leave now, I might just miss the worst of this storm."

  "You think?" I said. "For all we know it could be worse down south. The winds that come through the Crowsnest Pass are strong and could make the snow drifts twice as high down there as up here."

  "She's right, right, right," Marshal said, agreeing with me. "It could be far worse, worse, worse in southern Alberta than here."

  "I'll be fine!" Max repeated. He was getting angry with us for our lack of faith in his abilities.

  “Are we still on about this?” asked Cornelius. “I thought we had this settled when the lad and I went for wood?”

  “Ask Nicky,” said Max, looking frustrated. “She seems to think I can’t cut it out in the cold.”

  “I never said that,” I argued. “I just merely suggested you don’t rush out into a blizzard for something that might not even be happening!”

  Everyone had been happy to see Barker when we returned. They were full of questions about where I found him, was he okay, did I think anyone was keeping him and lots more. I successfully answered most of their questions without revealing the existence of Colonel Al, although it would have been easier to explain that Barker had been with someone who looked after him for the past four months. After all the talk about Barker died down, I quickly directed the conversation to Max's decision to leave. We gathered in what had become the ‘stove room’ to discuss the Blood Demons. The room was really Marshal’s kitchen/living room/bedroom but it was where the cast iron stove was located so it was just easier to call it the ‘stove room’.