Mykal's Second Deadly Journey

by Dave Hazel

  “Well good,” Mykal said and couldn’t keep from laughing. “Just let me know if he starts to be a problem.”

  “Are you blackmailing him?” Chick joked. “Or are you threatening him?”

  “No, it’s nothing like that,” he answered with a slight laugh and shyly looked to the ground. “We just have a strong understanding between us.”

  “Well, we will keep things safe here in your absence, but you be sure to keep yourself safe on the other side of Towbar’s world. The men have relayed some strange tales,” Major Chick said while they walk toward the large gathering of men prepared to depart. “Those tales coupled with the bizarre stories from your first travel to that side of the world make it clear you are walking into the unknown.”

  “That is a fact Sir,” Mykal snickered at the thought of what may come next. “But we will surely keep safe and do our best to try to end this mission as quickly as possible.”

  “And don’t go looking for those ‘Stinging Snowflakes of Delight’ as the men are calling those white hallucinogens floating around out there,” Chick said with a laugh. “If we had the wrong type of men with us, they would go out of their way to deliberately get stung.”

  “Yeah, and the wrong type of men would try to bag a bunch of them to bring back with them,” Mykal laughed with Chick. “But we have great men with us. I’m proud of these men.”

  “I am too Mykal. It just crushes me whenever any of them are killed. More so that they volunteered to do this job.”

  “Me too. I hate the idea that I’m putting these guys in danger.”

  “Stop Mykal. It’s one thing for me to worry while I’m behind the lines, but you can’t bog yourself down with such thoughts while you are out on the front lines with them.”

  “I know. You’re right. Also, me and Captain Diaz were just talking about the Russians complaining about not going to the other side of the world with us. We need to keep it that way. I have this awful fear they may try to meet up with Zizmon-Tarl, establish a relationship with the Evil Dark Lord, and gain control of this world through him, which not only would it be bad for Towbar’s people, but then I think it would turn bad for the people of our world.”

  “Oh wow,” Major Chick said and stared ahead as if in deep thought. “We must keep our eyes on this and keep tabs on the Russian soldiers. I will be sure to present this idea to Colonel Fisher.”

  “I know it’s a wild idea, but I never trusted the Russians from my Security Police days. And the last I heard they’re a little ticked off that we’re not including them in going to the other side of the world. I’ll be sure to fill Towbar in on what’s been brought up about them.”

  2.

  When the group appeared in the gorge where they departed from a few days ago, the colors were just as bright and vibrant as when they left. Mykal was amazed at what he saw, though when he left the last time his mind was ‘in another world’ of hallucinogens. The slight sound of the river rolling along, a slight breeze through the gorge, the sound of men running to and fro to ensure everyone was there were all barely noticeable due to the beautiful surroundings that almost took his breath away. Some men were found to have appeared in the water of the river when the green fog disappeared. Thankfully the water wasn’t deep or rough flowing as when they were near the actual falls.

  Mykal left it to the leadership to gather the men while he tried to take in the sights and tried to remember the last hours of the time they spent on this very beach. He also made a mental note to be careful when making the green fog appear near water such as rough rapids, water falls, cliffs or anything that could be potentially dangerous. It didn’t occur to him that some of the men would end up in the water. There could be dangerous creatures under the water or had they been closer to the falls it could have been costly for the men.

  Men quickly took up defensive positions since the last time they were here they were battling warrior soldiers of Zizmon-Tarl. Mykal looked for bright colored two-step vipers along the brush and trees. He also watched for ‘Stinging Snowflakes of Delight’ to fall from above but none fell. He listened to the men who yelled out that the water was very cold while they high tailed it out of the slow moving river. Mykal suddenly felt fearful of what could be under the dark waters of the river. His mind raced with all the strange possibilities since they were on the other side of Towbar’s world.

  The men assembled on their squad leaders. After a head count was taken twice to ensure all were accounted for, the leaders allowed the ranks to take a break while the leaders decided what the next plan of action was to be. Some of the men needed to dry off due to appearing in the water.

  “What troubles you my friend?” Towbar asked when Mykal stared at the bright gorge walls and looked in all directions as if he discovered he was lost.

  “Huh? Oh nothing,” Mykal replied. “I’m just trying to piece together all that happened the last time we were here.” He turned and looked behind them. “When we came here the last time there was the army on the other side of the river over there,” he said and pointed back to the split in the river. “We lost some good men back that way.” It saddened him to realize if they were to travel back that way they would come across the bodies of those they had to leave behind because they couldn’t carry ‘dead weight’ with them. He realized someone’s son, brother, dad, or husband was considered ‘dead weight’ to be left behind. ‘This friggin ring,’ he thought with frustration because his emotions were bringing him down.

  “That is true my friend. However, the enemy lost much more than we lost,” Towbar said with a confident smile. “Thus we prevailed as the victors.”

  “Hey Mykal,” Mathis called out to him as he and the Dosch brothers rushed to his position. “Do you mind if I shadow you so I can be your radio man?”

  “You know it man,” Mykal replied with a friendly and welcoming smile and raised his hand for Mathis to slap it. At times Mykal felt like he looked at Mathis as a kid brother.

  “It seems like we just left this damn beach,” Roy Jr. said and tipped his cowboy hat back while he eyed the top of the gorge. He was obviously looking for the little white floating dandelion seedlings, the ‘Stinging Snowflakes of Delight’. The little creatures that dropped from the top of the gorge the last time were capable of incapacitating them mentally though some of the men really enjoyed it.

  “So do you have a plan Mykal?” Randy asked while he looked among the brush to find a longer piece of grass to stick between his teeth.

  “No, I’m gonna stay in the rear and let Diaz lead the way with the Elves and the Hawkmen,” Mykal answered and continued to look in all directions to take in their surroundings. “And that’s if we can make contact with the Hawkmen.”

  “Do you think we can trust them funky flying Elves?” Roy Jr. asked.

  “I hope so,” Mykal said and gave a slight sigh as if Roy Jr. had given him something to worry about. “We’ll have to for the time being. Hey Mathis, call Diaz and tell him for now me and Towbar will hang out in the rear and for him to lead the way when they’re ready to move out.”

  “Yes Sir, I’ll let him know,” Mathis said into the handset of the radio and then turned to Mykal. “Captain Diaz and Lieutenant Finley had made contact with Lanorear with the radio they left behind for the Hawkmen. They are supposed to meet up with us in the next few hours. I thought the battery in that thing would have died, but obviously it didn’t.”

  “It must be meant to be,” Roy Jr. tittered while he re-positioned his cowboy hat.

  Mykal watched the reporter and cameraman team of Vick Daring and Ben Milnar walk down the line talking with many of the men. Mykal liked Vick Daring as a reporter since he showed a true interest in the military men whereas most reporters seemed to have a negative slant toward the military.

  “Whoa, look at that Myk,” Randy shouted and pointed to the other side of the river.

  Everyone turned to the movement near the beach on the other side. It appeared to be a large snake gliding through the water
along the beach. The snake looked like a giant anaconda. The color of the creature was almost as brown as the water. The shape could easily be distinguished as a large snake slipping through the river. They could see the creature’s length was between twenty-five and thirty feet, but it was very thick.

  “Damn,” Mykal gasped. “Good thing the men got outta the water on this side. Pass it on for everyone to be alert cuz if there is one right here there could easily be more in the area.”

  “Dang Myk, what the hell is that thing? The Loch Ness Monster?” Roy Jr. joked due to the massive size of the snake. “Every time we turn around we gotta always be worried about freaky creatures?” He added and shook his head in disbelief.

  “It’s just one of those damn things about being in Towbar’s world,” Mykal replied half joking, though he meant it.

  “I think I understand what you mean when you say Towbar’s world,” Towbar said with a wry smile. “However my friends, it is not my world. Had it truly been my world a number of these creatures and peoples would not be allow to inhabit it.”

  “Right on Towbar,” Randy said with a happy smile and a long blade of grass between his teeth. He held his hand up for the giant to high five him. Randy watched cautiously since the first time the giant high fived one of the Marines Towbar almost broke the young man’s hand.

  They marched along the beach slowly. It was as if there wasn’t a gap of a couple of days between now and the last time they were on the beach. A big difference was then many of the men were high on the strange chemical injected into them from the ‘Stinging Snowflakes of Delight’ that fell from above.

  Mykal watched in all directions and stayed alert. Most of the men remained quiet while they journeyed down the beach though a few would quietly converse along the way. Towbar walked silently with him. Mathis and the Dosch brothers stayed close to him. With his advanced hearing Mykal and Towbar heard the sound of someone running up the beach from behind them.

  “Mykal, Mykal,” Private First Class Anka called out in a whisper. “Mykal, Mykal.”

  Those in the general area stopped and turned to see Anka with a large smile on his face. Anka was one of the five men near the very rear of their formation. “What is it?” Mykal asked when he saw there was no danger at hand. Anka would have responded differently if there were any threats or an enemy near.

  “Do you wanna see something really, really cute?” Anka asked and stopped when all the men stared at him. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m no pansy twinkle toes or anything,” he laughed at their brutish glares. “But this is really cute, you gotta see it.”

  “Sure, what is it?” Mykal laughed his reply to humor him.

  “It’s some kind of animal. I can’t think of what they’re called but it reminds me of a koala bear.”

  “A koala bear?” Randy asked.

  “Wha’d ya say mate?” Vick Daring asked when he heard them.

  “They found a koala bear,” Roy Jr. said.

  “No no. It’s not a koala bear,” Anka replied. “I can’t think of what the animal is called, but it reminds me of a koala bear,” Anka explained and couldn’t keep from laughing. “I wish I knew what the hell they’re called. I can’t remember the name.”

  “First of all mate,” Vick said with a correcting smile and an enhanced Australian accent. “Thay are juss called koala. Thay are not bears. Koalas are marsupials and not what ye Americans call bears,” he added and his accent was heavier than previously.

  “Yeah, let’s go check it out,” Mykal said. “Mathis, call Diaz and the others tell them to take ten and that we’re gonna go check out this thing Anka wants to show us.”

  “Will do Mykal,” Mathis dutifully replied and turned to his radio hand set.

  They rushed down the beach with Anka and they slowed when they approached two Marines and two Green Berets down on one knee eyeing something in the distance. “Shhh, try not to scare it,” one of the Green Berets whispered while using his hand to slow them down.

  Mykal didn’t even look at the four men. He zeroed in on the clump of fur curled up at the water’s edge. With his increased eye sight he clearly saw the furry creature drinking from the brown water. The brown and tan hair on the creature seemed to be long. The creature must have heard them and turned to their direction. The face of the creature looked as if it wore a burglar’s mask. The face seemed white or grey but the eyes and nose were black giving it the masked appearance. The creature moved slowly and its face gave an adorable simple look that could easily be taken as a friendly smile.

  “That is such an odd looking creature,” Towbar whispered to Mykal when he slowly lowered his large frame down beside the men. “I have never seen anything such as this. Is it a dangerous creature?”

  “It looks like a sloth,” Marine Sergeant Baines whispered while cradling his M-16/M-203 in his arms.

  “That’s what it is,” Anka whispered and shook his finger. “I couldn’t think of the word,” he added and had to laugh at himself when all he could think of, was a koala ‘bear’ that Australian Vick Daring corrected him on the wrong term for the animal he thought. “Whatever the hell it is, it really is cute.”

  “It sure the hell is,” Roy Jr. said while eyeing it with the scope from his rifle.

  “You ain’t gonna shoot it are you bro?” Randy asked. “I don’t think some of the men would be happy,” he whispered as a warning.

  “No. I ain’t gonna shoot it. I’m just getting a closer look,” Roy Jr. said. “It really is a cutie in a strange damn way,” he laughed. “Anyone else wanna get a closer look. Uh oh,” Roy Jr. gasped. “There’s gonna be trouble.”

  “What kinda trouble?” Mykal asked and immediately looked across the river.

  “It looks like some dogs, some wild looking dogs coming down the beach. That poor thing ain’t gonna survive.”

  “I can see them,” Towbar announced.

  “I can see them too,” Mykal said after raising his rifle to look through the scope on his rifle.

  “Roy, lemme take a look real quick,” Randy asked.

  Mykal turned to Mathis. “Tell Diaz don’t panic if he hears some gun shots. Tell him what we got going on and we’re gonna try to rescue the poor little creature.”

  “Is that a good idea Mykal?” Sergeant Baines asked. “Won’t we give away our position?”

  Mykal zoomed in on the six wild looking dogs sniffing their way toward the animal. They looked like a pack of wild dogs he had seen in old nature documentaries on animals from Africa. “Yeah,” he said with a pause. “But I might just try to scare them away.”

  Mykal looked at the sloth like creature and felt sorry for the creature that would be no match for the fang bearing dogs. He turned the scope to the advancing danger in the form of six large wild dogs that were black, brown and white. They nervously looked in all directions as they made their way up the beach and sniffed at everything they passed. The sloth must have picked up on the sound of the dogs snarling at each other and slowly turned its head toward the danger. Clearly the creature couldn’t run fast enough to get to the trees along the gorge walls.

  “Hey Mykal,” Mathis whispered and held out the handset to the radio. “Captain Diaz doesn’t think it is a good idea to rescue the animal because it may give our position away if that army is in the area. Do you wanna talk to him?”

  “No. I know what I’m gonna do,” Mykal said and handed Roy Jr. his rifle. “You guys stay still.”

  “Whadda ya gonna do Mykal?” Roy Jr. asked. “Do you want us to help you?”

  “Na, I think I can do this,” he replied and rushed to the trees along the gorge wall. Mykal moved along the gorge wall behind the trees and knew for the most part he was camouflaged pretty well. He eyed the terrified sloth that slowly made its way to a large tree branch stuck in the ground.

  The wild dogs seemed to have sighted in on or caught the scent of the potential meal. The six rushed to the furry creature and announced their uninvited presence with yaps, barks and growls. The fright
ened sloth grabbed hold of the tree branch stuck into the sand of the beach and hung on for dear life though it sat on the ground where the six dogs would easily be able to tear it apart.

  Mykal didn’t know why he felt so bad for the friendly looking creature that was clearly the underdog, but he wanted to help it. When the sloth gave out a baby like cry it nearly broke Mykal’s heart. He was so glad the men couldn’t see his super sensitive emotions. He didn’t understand why he ached over such a strange looking animal, in another world and on the other side of Towbar’s world. ‘It’s only an animal,’ he thought. It didn’t make sense, but he knew it was the magic ring that caused his emotions to go all over the place.

  Mykal suddenly thought himself invisible and rushed down the gorge wall with his Glock 17 in hand. The weapon had a silencer so if he did have to kill the vicious dogs he wouldn’t have to give their position away. He wondered if he was doing the right thing because he knew he was interfering with ‘allowing nature to run its course’.

  The terrified cry of the sloth animal pricked his heart as the six wild dogs charged in and out at the creature wrapped tightly around the tree branch for dear life. The sloth sat on the ground and held tightly to the tree branch while several dogs would snip at the lone creature in an attempt to see what defensive measure it would show. The black and white friendly masked face looked at the different attackers as they rushed in and tried to bite. The friendly face belied the terror that was expressed in the woeful cries it emitted.

  “Damn it,” Mykal moaned and couldn’t allowed the poor thing to be ripped apart because it was too slow and outnumbered to stop the aggressors. “Get the hell outta there,” Mykal yelled and threw a rock which landed near the pack. Two of them turned to Mykal’s voice and hunched down to give a vicious and threatening growls though they couldn’t see him.