Alec's Dream

by Dave Birchbauer

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  “Damn!” Leland mumbled standing at the top of a cliff. It was really more of an embankment overlooking a stream than a cliff. Jessie stood behind him, along with the rest of the team trying to look past him through the thick underbrush. After more than an hour of unsuccessfully trying to find a way of opening the cave doors, it was Sofie that suggested that there might be control rooms in the outer walls. Concerned that flying the ship would be too risky, they decided to hike it.

  “What is it?” Phyllis stood on her tiptoes trying to look over his shoulder.

  “I can't believe this, we haven't even gone a mile and we're already stuck.” Leland grumbled.

  Watching Leland guide them through the Jungle, Jessie had come to the conclusion he wasn’t much of an outdoorsman.

  “This terrain is much rougher than it looked from above.” He added.

  “Let's get back to the ship. Maybe we should risk it and fly.” Jade agreed.

  “Hey, hold on!” Leland shouted as Jessie and Sofie slid laughing down the side of the embankment.

  “This is just like the park behind our houses. What are you afraid of? It's just a little creek.” Jessie yelled over her shoulder as she and Sofie skipped downstream around a bend.

  Leland looked helplessly at Jade and Phyllis. Jade opened her mouth as to say something, then shut it and slid down the embankment herself. “What's the matter, you afraid of a little creek?” She said following the girl’s downstream.

  Having run out of options, Leland and Phyllis gingerly worked their way down then hustled downstream after them. Rounding the corner of the stream, they found Sofie poking a stick at something in the water.

  “A frog?” Phyllis asked walking up to them.

  “It’s green, but its shape is a little off. Look, its eyes are closer to its mouth and it actually has little ears and its legs are definitely shorter than normal.” Jade kneeled next to Sofie.

  “Wow, an alien frog” Jessie said. “It's amazing that it looks so much like an Earth frog.”

  “These aliens must come from a planet like Earth.” Phyllis observed. “The plants and even some the bugs look the same… mosquitoes too.” She slapped at her neck.

  “I thought that evolution was affected by millions of different factors, isn't it impossible for another planet to have almost the same animals?” Sofie wondered.

  “I think we have an argument for the creationists.” laughed Leland. “One for God, zero for Darwin. At least we won't starve”

  “Yuk.” The kids said in unison.

  “I mean the alien’s food, not the frogs.” Leland corrected. “In case we run low on supplies… we might be able to scavenge some of theirs.”

  They continued following the stream. It curved and twisted enough to prevent them from seeing more than a handful of yards in front. The thick canopy provided few glimpses of the ships walls and whenever an opening did appear, they never seemed any closer. Neither did they find any trails leading away. In fact, they didn’t see any trails and were forced to keep moving downstream.

  Miles later the forest opened to a flat grassy area with the stream emptying into a large lake. The view was breathtaking. The lakes mirror-like surface reflected a towering rock cliff growing out of the far side of the lake. The cliff stretched far to the sides, as far as they could see, likely to the ends of ship section. The lake also stretched wide, but not nearly as far.

  Walking the shoreline to the base of the cliff seemed to be the easiest path to the side wall. They soon found out they were wrong, as their path was riddled with streams, creeks and rivers. The water was cold, but there wasn't much current. When they had to swim, they were able to keep their supplies dry in Sofie’s and Jessie’s backpacks. After about a dozen or so crossings, they sat down to rest and eat.

  “Wow, it feels warm like the sun.” Jade said lying on her back sunning herself in the grass next to the lake.

  “I would swear that’s a real sun up there, if I didn’t know that we’re in the middle of a giant ship made of rock.” Phyllis looked up at a small glowing mini-sun that was somehow suspended in the sky, or to be more correct, the middle of their ship section.

  “It looks like its wobbling back and forth.” Jessie added also laying on her back, enjoying the warmth.

  Leland looked up shading his eyes with his hand and observed, “It seems to be rotating around that center axle.”

  “You’re right! I didn’t notice that before, I wonder if that thing runs through the whole length of the ship.” Jessie focused on a dark line stretching from end to end miles above their heads.

  “Hey... what's that?” Sofie twisted around looking at the woods.

  “I don’t see anything.” Jessie sat up staring where Sofie was pointing.

  “I swear I saw a tree move, a little one.” She said, her finger still pointing.

  Leland silently signaled everyone to stay put as he crept to the wood’s edge where he looked up and down the tree line. After a slight pause, he stepped into the brush; instantly disappearing from view. A few anxious moments later he reappeared 15 yards to the left shaking his head.

  “The jungle is too thick. I couldn’t see more than a couple of feet in front of me. If anything is there, it wouldn’t need to run far to stay hidden.” He told them after he returned.

  Feeling uneasy, they hurriedly packed up and continued their journey. Their passage didn’t get any easier as the rivers and streams continued to hamper them.

  “I’d like to know where all this water is going.” Leland wondered out loud while walking waist deep across one of the deeper streams. “All these rivers flow into the lake. The lake needs to be emptying out somewhere, otherwise it would keep rising.” he said looking at the rock wall now just a few hundred yards away. Even though the remaining distance was relatively short, the terrain now seemed to fight their every step. They needed to rest twice more before reaching the cliffs base.

  “It looks like we have a place to set up camp.” Phyllis declared seeing that the lake didn't end at the cliff’s base. Instead, a huge cavern at the bottom of the cliff extended beyond both sides of the lake with the lake disappearing in the darkness of the grotto. As they approached it, Sofie pointed to what looked like a small tree growing in the front of its entrance. “Look, that tree, that’s what I saw in the woods.”

  They slowed, even though the small tree didn't seem like anything but a small tree. Sofie's warning had put them on edge, and they half expected it to jump up at them as they drew near. It wasn’t until they were almost on it that they were satisfied that it actually was a tree. Relaxing, they resumed their pace and as they were just about to walk past it, it did move startling them half out of their wits. It didn’t move like a tree, with leaves rustling and branches swaying in the wind, instead its movements were human-like revealing two arms, two legs and a head. They stopped in midstride, not knowing if they should run, be scared or laugh. The creature was tall and slender, with a flat, leaf shaped face with its chin extending to the center of his chest. He was dressed in cloths that looked to be made from woven plants and leaves that seemed to shift on their own with his every movement; enhancing his tree-like appearance.

  The creature smiled and spread it arms, or branches, in a welcoming gesture. “You must be Leland, I am pleased to meet you.” the alien spoke in a soft rustling tone. “You must be Jade, Phyllis, and Sofie… and of course, you are Jessie.” The alien bowed to each at the mention of their names. Jessie felt odd… being singled out.

  “That's what I saw in the woods.” Sofie whispered to Jade. “I knew I wasn't nuts.”

  “Yes, that was one of us. We have been waiting for your arrival. Now if you please, I would like for you to follow.” the alien gestured for them to enter the cavern. Jessie held her ground. So did everyone else as they waited to see what Leland would do.

  “Before we go with you, who are you and how do you know about us?” Leland stood firm.

 
“My pardon, I am Chander, the tribes elder. Our race is called the Cheorgh. We are, what you might say, the gardeners here. We make sure there is a balance of life in this part of the ship. We have resided here since the ships construction. But before I say any more, please, let’s get out of the open and into the protection of the caves.”

  “You are saying 'we', I don't see any others…” Almost as on cue, movement erupted all around them. The cavern behind Chander and the small grassy field became filled with Cheorgh, moving between the forest and the cavern. All bowing their heads in passing, carrying baskets filled with varieties of fruits and vegetables; most of them unrecognizable. “Oh.” Leland awkwardly finished. His nod was all they needed to follow the alien into the cavern.

  The lake to their right extended to the back wall of the cavern. To their left, the wall curved away, fading into the greenish glow of the cavern lights. Many Cheorgh moved about, dressed in different styles of the woven leaves and grasses; in dresses, pants, shirts; even hats and jewelry. When they spoke, their language had a pleasing sound, like the sound of fall leaves rustling in the wind.

  “It is late in the day and we would like for you to share a meal with us and stay the night.” Chander said.

  Before he could say more, Jessie had a thought. “Where are your kids?”

  “There are children on our home planet, but we have decided that this ship is not a good place for our young. We need sunlight and rain, not caves.” Chander looked straight at her with piercing eyes. She could feel the sadness in them.

  Chander continued on into the cave, angling to their left to a wall honeycombed with dozens of door-less openings; all of them unmarked. He took them to one, a dark cave-like room that brightened as they entered until it was warmly lit. The stone walls were covered with pale green moss decorated with dark red and brown vine, leaf, and tree patterns. A large wood table surrounded by flimsy looking chairs made of woven vines occupied most of the room. The chairs didn’t look sturdy enough to hold anyone, but they found them surprisingly strong and comfortable, even for Leland’s extra weight. More Cheorgh entered, setting the table with wooden pitchers of water and platters of cooked vegetables, odd looking fruits and bread with a honey-butter spread. They dug in. Jessie found it all delicious, even the cooked vegetables.

  “Do you think it's safe for us to stay the night?” Jessie asked Leland, as they finished up the last of the bread. Chander had earlier excused himself saying he had errands to run which gave them time to eat and talk in private.

  “I would think so. I don't see anything too hi-tech around here, not even a light bulb, just this bioluminescent moss. I doubt that they have any connection with those aliens running this ship.” Leland said. “But of course, I could be wrong. They could be holding us while they’re contacting their landlords.”

  “If they were going to turn us in, they could have done that when Sofie first saw that green alien.” Phyllis added.

  “How did they know our names?” Jessie worriedly picked at the remaining vegetables on her plate. “I mean, like, can they read our minds? That guy Chander looked at each of us and said our names, didn’t you guys think that was creepy?”

  “I figured he was the same alien Sofie saw. He could have been following us listening to our conversations. That's how he could have found out our names.” It was plain to Jessie it bothered Leland too.

  “Well... I guess so. That kind of makes sense. What do you think Sofie?” Jessie eyed Sofie who looked deep in thought.

  “Maybe… but I don't think he was the same alien. They could have talked before we got here.” She said without much conviction.

  “We're going to have to go on a diet when we get back.” Jade interrupted eating her third piece of bread and honey, obviously not paying much attention to their conversation.

  “And I never thought water could taste this good either.” added Sofie who yawned and leaned back in her chair.

  Chander soon returned. “I hope you enjoyed your meal. We have more fare to offer, but I was not sure what foods you would find palatable or pleasant.” He looked at the empty platters. “I am sure you have many questions, but it is very late for us, so if you would like to rest for the night, I will be able to answer your questions in the morning.”

  “How do you know when it's night?” Jessie asked before any of the others could complain.

  “Come and watch nightfall.” Chander led them out to the grassy area. “Watch.” He pointed to the small sun. In a few minutes it began to shrink until it was nothing more than a small star suspended in the ‘sky’… leaving them standing in the twilight.

  “Did it go out?” Jessie asked.

  “No, it will return.” Chander said walking them back to the cavern, past many more dimly lit, unmarked doorways until entering one at the very rear of the cavern. It first looked like a long narrow room, with its back wall hidden in darkness. As they continued inwards, they realized they were in a corridor as the glowing ceiling moss exposed more of the hallway in front of them… as though it anticipated their progress. They passed many closed wooden doors along the way, reminding Jessie of a hotel hallway. It seemed like they walked for many minutes before stopping in front of a pair of doors facing each other. Looking back, Jessie saw the corridor behind had gone dark, making her feel claustrophobic.

  Chander opened the door to their right. The room inside brightened, giving Jessie a glimpse of a nice sized bed, a table and chair. The headboard, made out of twisted vines, was pushed against the far wall; a simple woven quilt covered it. A table in the corner was set with plates, a bowl of fresh fruit, and a pitcher of water.

  “What, no mint on the pillow?” Leland asked walking into the room after a gesture from Chander.

  “My apologies if the room is lacking, we have very limited resources.” Chander responded.

  Leland sat on the bed. “I was just kidding, the room is very nice. Thanks.” He unexpectedly yawned, then stretched out with his eyes shutting. Chander closed the door to the darkening room. They all felt extremely tired. Stepping to the other side of the corridor, he gestured for Phyllis to take an identical room which she gladly entered. Jade and Sofie were given the next two rooms farther down the hall leaving Jessie uncomfortably alone with Chander as they continued on to her room. When they arrived, Chander hesitated. “Will you please come with me before you rest?”

  “I'm sorry, but I'm really tired.” She was tired… and her awkwardness was beginning to border on fear, being alone in a dark corridor with him. He reached in a pouch at his belt and handed her a small cherry sized fruit. “Eat this; it will take away your tiredness. It is very important that you come with me.”

  She hesitantly took it and nibbled on it. It tasted nutty with a texture of a marshmallow without being sticky. It melted in her mouth. Almost instantly she felt refreshed, and strangely, her fear ebbed.

  “Wow, you could make a fortune with this.” She looked at the remaining fruit before finishing it off.

  “If you want, I can provide you with more tomorrow.” Chander said leading her back the way they came. She followed him to the now vacant main cavern and into another unmarked chamber. Like the other rooms, it was lit by the glowing ceiling moss. A table surrounded by the vine chairs sat in the room’s center. A large ornately carved wooden cabinet took up most of the back wall, looking strangely out of place. It reminded her of something Eugene would have made.

  She sat at the table and waited. Chander stepped to the cabinet and pulled a finely crafted metal chain from around his neck. On it were three seemingly identical rings. He slowly removed them and placed them on top of the cabinet. After carefully examining them, he put one on the forefinger of his left hand then placed a second into a depression on one of the cabinet’s ornate carvings and ignored the third. Fascinated, Jessie watched as he placed his left hand on the side of the cabinet; where she immediately heard a whirr and a click. Nodding to himself, he lifted the thick cabinet top and reached in to pu
ll out a black and white stone rod, and a small black cloth bag.

  “I was given this by someone many years ago who said I would meet you one day, and that I should give this to you when we met. A long time we have waited for you. Now I fulfill my promise.” Chander placed the cloth sack into Jessie's hands. He then sat across from her.

  Jessie held the sack like it was filled with spiders and carefully set it down in front of her. “How can you know that this is for me?” Her mind spun. How can this be? How could anyone even know that she would be here? Only through a strange series of events was she here at all... lost on an alien spaceship because she stowed away on another spaceship... impossible. And yet, here was an alien, on an alien spaceship that’s been expecting her to show up... and he even had a gift for her!

  “The one who gave this to me gave a very good description.” Chander said. He examined the other object he pulled from the cabinet. It was shaped like an elongated black pyramid, about 5 inches long and 2 inches square at the base with white markings carved into it. Markings that looked similar to the hieroglyphic writings that they saw on the alien fighters. Chander held it in front of him, examining it. A smile spread across his leaf-like face and his eyes unfocused as though lost in a dream.

  “What is it?” Jessie asked disturbing Chander from his reverie. It looked a lot like the obelisk Eugene picked up in GraviTych’s storeroom after her fall into that dreaded blackness.

  “It is a key to our home.” Chander replied. “The same person who gave us your gift also gave us this key. We promised that we wouldn't use it until we fulfilled our pledge.”

  Jessie wondered if what Eugene picked up from that storeroom was a key too. Only that key opened a door to that evil blackness. Chander pointed to the sack on the table. Jessie opened it and dumped its contents. A black stone ball with similar white markings rolled out.

  “Is this a key too?” She softly picked up the stone. It fit perfectly in the palm of her hand and had almost no weight at all, even though it looked heavy.

  “I do not know the purpose of your piece. I was told that you would know how to use it when the time came.” he shrugged his leaf-like shoulders.

  “How long ago?”

  “How long ago for what?” Chander gave her a questioning look.

  “You said this was given to you a long time ago.” Jessie held the black ball in front of him.

  “I cannot say in terms that you would understand.” Chander replied. “But I can say that it has been about 2 Kan-ji life spans.”

  “What's a Kan-ji?”

  “They are the ones who build and operate these spaceships. They are like your race, but they are longer lived.” replied Chander.

  “How much longer lived?”

  “They live about twice your life span.”

  Jessie wondered how he knew about human life spans. Her head perked up as what he said sunk in. “You said these spaceships? You mean there are more ships like this? Are they coming here?”

  “Yes, they have many dozens of these ships, but they are not coming here. The Kan-ji are looking for something that I do not know.” he said. Jessie felt as though he knew more than he said. “But it is very late now and you must get some rest.” Chander abruptly finished their conversation and stood to lead her back to her chamber.

  Chapter 16 ~ Seek and You Shall Find