by Rae Knightly
Ben stared at the alien in stunned silence. The words repeated in his mind.
It’s not me. It’s the animals!
He was dumbfounded at their meaning. “But how?”
Mesmo wrung his hands together. “I have thought about it, ever since you mentioned the symptoms the first time. I thought perhaps your body was adapting to the skill, but soon it became clear that something else was going on–something that, as far as I know, has never been recorded by previous Observers of my kind. There is only one explanation: when you use the skill, you experience the animal’s illness. That is my conclusion.” He held Ben’s gaze and asked, “Do you agree?”
Ben caught his breath. As soon as Mesmo had uttered the question, everything became evident in his head, as if a veil had lifted. And he knew, deep in his heart, that Mesmo was right. “Yes,” he said in agreement. He pushed himself into a sitting position, his eyes never leaving Mesmo’s gaze, and repeated, “Yes!”
His nausea was replaced by horror at the seriousness of the discovery. “But Mesmo,” he gasped. “It’s all of them! All the animals: the seals, the bear, the ants…” He broke off, unable to continue. The implication was staggering.
Mesmo nodded and Ben knew instinctively that the alien had reached this conclusion some time ago.
“But it doesn’t make sense,” Ben reflected. “They don’t act sick.”
“I don’t think they are aware they are sick. I think it is more like a hidden cancer that has not yet declared itself,” Mesmo said. “When you connect with the creatures, you are not only communicating with them, you are also entering their whole being. You become one with them. Your body and your mind synchronize with their bodies and their minds. My daughter did that, too, when she was a small child and did not understand her skill. Where I come from, it is against the law to take over a creature’s mind and body without their consent. The translation skill is used for communication only, and only if the creature is willing to communicate. The trick is to refrain from using the skill’s full power unless the creature agrees to it.
“Because you are new to this skill, you have not yet learned to separate yourself from the creature. You become one with them. You forget yourself. The problem is, when your body synchronizes with theirs, it picks up any illness they may have, and its symptoms translate into your body. Hence your physical reactions.
“You are strong. You are healthy. But if you don’t learn to disconnect yourself from the creatures you communicate with, your body may not recognize the difference between you and them anymore, and it will keep the symptoms. And, yes, then you truly will be sick.”
Ben listened to Mesmo speak and knew that everything he said was true. It was as if some part of him had always known things were this way, but he had not known how to distinguish the animals’ feelings from his own. He had connected with his whole being with many creatures already, and he shuddered when he remembered how sick he had felt after synchronizing with each of them.
He was afraid to hear the answer but needed to ask the question. “Mesmo, why are the animals sick?”
Mesmo considered him for a moment, then replied, “I think you already know.”
Ben did. “Are we–humans–making them sick?”
Mesmo did not need to answer.
“But how’s that possible?” Ben blurted. “We’re miles away from any city. There’s no pollution here. How could that bear be sick?”
Mesmo replied, “Humans are not only poisoning the cities. Pollution is seeping into the air and the water, which carries it to all corners of the globe. No mountain or ocean has been spared. I have felt it in the water, everywhere I have travelled. This poison has been absorbed by all the living creatures on this planet. It is lying in wait in their bones, in their blood. If nothing is done soon, this terminal illness will declare itself and a massive extinction will be unchained among the animal kingdom. I fear none will be spared, perhaps not even humans.”
Ben gaped. The enormity of this revelation was almost too much to bare. He thought of the gentle giant, the humpback whale, who had taken him into the deep ocean for a brief instant. And the seals, who had wanted to play with him under the surface of the water. Poisoned by his own species.
I can’t let that happen!
In that instant, something was born inside of Ben, like a calling or a lifelong purpose, and he knew things would never be the same again. A sudden realization came to him. “Is that why you came to Earth? To save the animals from dying out?”
A strange look crossed Mesmo’s face–one that he could not read. The alien stood and said, “You need to eat.” He placed his hands in the snow and melted it, so it covered the trout that the grizzly had offered Ben.
Ben stood as well, joining Mesmo hastily. “I want to help! I understand everything now. I want to master the skill and help you save the animals.”
Mesmo did not seem to share his enthusiasm. He smiled, but his eyes remained sad. “You can’t do that on an empty stomach,” he said. “I know you said you want to become a vegetarian, but right now I think you need to break your vow.”
Ben watched as bubbles and steam appeared on the surface of the water, rising from under the trout. A delicious smell seeped from the fumes. “You’re boiling the fish?” he asked in wonder.
Mesmo smiled. “I can’t light a fire, so this will have to do.”
Ben’s mouth watered and he forgot about his questions.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Convergence
Laura stumbled after Bordock in a daze. She wanted to lie down and drift into a deep sleep, but the idea that Ben might be alone on the mountain kept her going. She prayed that Mesmo had not abandoned him, though she knew that, considering his condition, it would be impossible for him to remain at Ben’s side at all times. He would have to return to his physical body at some point.
Her mouth dried at the thought that Mesmo could betray them somehow; that he was in fact the enemy. She could not, would not, believe it. Bordock was the one who had killed Mesmo’s wife and daughter, shot down Mesmo’s spacecraft and threatened Ben. She hated his ability to plant doubt in her mind and she pictured him as a deceitful chameleon that changed colours according to what suited him best.
Bordock pulled at her numb arm to keep going. She faintly registered that they were marching along a dense forest of fir trees.
Then a sound reached her ears. She forced herself to pay attention, as her fuzzy mind could not determine what it was.
Bordock stopped and they both listened as the rumbling drew nearer at incredible speed.
Suddenly, Laura identified the source of the noise. “Helicopter!” she shouted.
Bordock pulled her away from the clearing and into the forest. He pushed her between some thick roots and held her down until the helicopter had zoomed over their heads.
Laura regained complete consciousness in an instant. Her heart drummed in her chest. She risked a peek into the clearing and spotted a couple of helicopters the size of flies high up on the mountain. The sky had turned blue, with scattered white clouds. Before long the area would be crawling with search teams.
Bordock grabbed her wrist and dragged her deeper into the forest until they reached the edge of a small lake, hidden under the branches of the trees. They stopped again, breathing hard, listening to the muffled silence.
This time it was not a sound that caught their attention. It was a smell. The smell of cooking fish: unexpected and penetrating.
“Smells like breakfast,” Bordock smirked.
Laura’s eyes widened. They were both thinking the same thing.
“Ben!” she gasped in horror.
Instantly, Bordock had a key in his hand. He unlocked the cuff on his arm and dragged her to a young birch tree.
“No, wait!” she yelled, fighting him. He was too strong and in no time had passed her arms around the tree trunk and closed the handcuff around her other wrist. Then he was off, following the direction of the smell.
�
��No!” she shouted, struggling to free herself. “Ben! Ben!”
***
Ben had gobbled up half the trout when the helicopter came. He plunged into the igloo with Mesmo just before it roared over their heads. He listened to the main-rotor blade cutting through the air until long after it was gone.
Carefully, he and Mesmo extracted themselves from the snowy shelter and checked their surroundings.
“Up there,” Mesmo said, pointing to the Kananaskis peaks. Helicopters were circling an area high up the mountain which Ben judged was where they had left the pick-up truck. “Time to go,” Mesmo urged.
“What about Mom?” Ben asked in alarm. Now that his hunger was stilled, his brain was sharp as a tack.
“Don’t worry, we’ll find her,” Mesmo answered.
Really?
Ben put on his snow jacket slowly, struggling with doubt.
A crow hopped over and stole a bit of fish, which did not please Tike. The dog made as if to attack it, and it flew back a few feet, cawing indignantly. Tike went back to gnawing at the fish bones, eyeing the bird suspiciously.
“Hey, I know you!” Ben said, startled.
You’re the crow with a broken wing.
Inevitably, Ben's blood swirled in his ears and already he felt himself drawn to the bird.
“Not now, Ben,” Mesmo warned.
“Yes, now!” Ben spoke sharply. “This might be the only chance I get to find my mom.” He glared at the alien, challenging him to object.
Mesmo scanned the sky rigidly. “All right,” he said. “But be quick. And ask for permission first, and don’t lose yourself in the creature. Remember who you are.”
Ben nodded. “Move away, Tike,” he said. “Let our friend have some.”
In his mind, he heard the dog growl as he moved away with the fish’s tail in his jaw. The crow approached them again, then helped itself to another small piece of trout skin.
Ben hunched down next to it.
Hello, I am Benjamin Archer. Do you remember me?
The crow eyed him with beady eyes.
Greetings, Benjamin Archer. I am Corbilyn. Yes, I remember you.
Ben breathed in sharply. He had just approached the skill in a new way. He checked Corbalyn’s wing, reminding himself that the crow was a she.
How is your wing?
It has healed well. You saved me. You may ask any favour of me.
I’m glad you are better. And I do have a favour to ask. I seek my mother. She is in danger.
I know where she is. I will take you. You may come.
Immediately, Ben felt drawn into the crow, and for a second he forgot who he was. But then he remembered Mesmo’s words and gently rested his mind’s eye on the crow’s back.
I am still Ben.
He managed to keep control of his thoughts, instead of being swallowed up body and mind into the bird.
Corbalyn took off and soared above the trees, leaving a tiny Mesmo, Ben and Tike behind. The Ben whose spirit was flying with the crow watched as the physical Ben crumbled to the ground below him. He was not worried. A sense of exhilaration made his mind soar with the bird. The earth fell away beneath him revealing an immense landscape covered in a blanket of pristine snow. The mountains towered to his left; to his right, plains stretched as far as his mind’s eyes could see. The air was gentle and fresh on the bird’s wings. Ben’s soul experienced a moment of utter happiness, and for the first time, he understood that the skill was indeed a gift. He told the crow, Thank you!
The bird swooped to the right, passing a large patch of snow that rolled down to a shimmering river at the bottom of the mountain. Several dots moved on it, and with a start, Ben realized that it was not a river, but a road.
We’re almost there!
He smiled inwardly at the thought that escape was near.
Now to find my mother.
She is here.
Corbalyn glided down to a forest not far from Ben’s shelter. The small lake where the grizzly had caught the trout came into view, and Ben’s adrenaline increased when he caught a movement in the trees. He spotted his mother and panic careened through his mind. Corbalyn landed on a branch in alarm.
Below them, Laura fought to free herself from a tree trunk, shouting in panic, “Ben! Ben!”
***
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Hao asked.
He struggled to place one foot in front of the other as, each time, he sank knee deep in the snow. Below him, the lights of half a dozen police cars whirled, stationed at the edge of the road, at the bottom of the Kananaskis. Hao believed they were miles away from where they should be.
“We’ve got the mountaintop covered,” the Sheriff said as if reading his thoughts. “If they survived the storm, they will be heading this way. We’ll comb the area from the road upwards, and the helicopters will do the same from the top down.”
A dozen officers followed Hao and the Sheriff as they headed through the forest.
This is going to be a long day, Hao thought. He clenched his teeth as he trudged on. He still couldn't believe that Connelly had been foolish anough to follow the fugitives into a raging snowstorm. High Inspector Tremblay had been furious–as if Connelly’s stupidity had been Hao’s fault.
Hao mulled over the unfair situation–focusing on his anger rather than on the rugged terrain–when an officer yelled a warning. He tensed, eyes alert, scanning the trees for signs of danger. Then he saw it, a movement in the trees, a giant shadow lumbering at an uncomfortably close distance.
“Grizzly!” the Sheriff cautioned.
With a swift motion, Hao pulled the gun from his side and aimed.
“Whoa!” the Sheriff yelled. “What do you think you’re doing?” He yanked Hao’s arm down so the gun was pointing at the ground.
“For goodness sake!” Hao snapped. “You just said: that’s a grizzly!”
The Sheriff shook his head as if Hao was a small child. “You aren’t from around here. The dangers aren’t where you think they are. First, if you shoot, there is a high chance you will injure the bear. Trust me, you do not want to irritate a grizzly. Second, we just had a snowstorm in early spring, which is melting as we speak. A shot like that could trigger an avalanche and that would be ten times worse than a charging bear.” He let go of Hao’s arm. “Believe me, it’s best to leave it alone.”
Hao watched as the brown animal disappeared into the forest. “So, how, exactly, are we supposed to defend ourselves? Do you really think those fugitives are going to run into our arms willingly?”
The Sheriff sighed and shrugged. “Guns are for last resort only.” He signalled to his men to move forward.
Hao put away his side arm but kept his hand close to it. The memory of an attack by another massive animal–the humpback whale–was still fresh in his mind. The Sheriff had no idea what they were up against, and Hao wasn’t going to let himself be fooled twice.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Confrontation
Ben’s mind did a double flip at his mother’s cries, his thoughts getting entwined with that of the crow.
Stop it!
Corbalyn struggled.
Ben couldn’t make sense of who he was anymore. He wanted to speak. He tried to use his voice to reassure Laura, but all that came out were exasperated caws.
Corbalyn took off.
No, wait!
Ben was powerless under the crow’s will as it flew back to the snowy shelter. As it prepared to dive, Ben’s inner eye caught Bordock hiding behind a tall fir tree, his hands glowing with intense power, ready to strike.
Dread shot through Ben’s mind like lightning, making Corbalyn lurch. Unable to control her movements, the crow fell in a messy heap to the ground. With superhuman effort, Ben tore himself from the bird’s mind. Full consciousness returned to his body at once. He swallowed cold air through his mouth with a loud gasp as his eyes shot open.
“B-o-r-d-o-c-k!” he shouted.
Too late.
Bordock thrus
t the mysterious power from his hands and it swept at them like a whip, hitting Mesmo first but avoiding Ben whose body still sprawled on the ground.
Mesmo vanished.
The trunk from the fully mature fir tree next to Bordock detached itself from its base with a loud crunch. It teetered, then plummeted towards Ben who watched in dismay.
A deep thud resonated on the mountain as it hit the ground. The branches plastered the snow, releasing a sprinkle of pine needles in the air as they swayed. Static dissipated slowly, a remnant from the alien impact. Then everything went silent.
Ben’s breath came out in rapid gasps. He peeked carefully from behind his arms and found thick branches a foot from his face. Twigs had scraped his cheeks and a strong smell of earth filled his nostrils. But he was unharmed.
He daren’t move, his heart fluttered, while he took in the protective cocoon of branches that could have killed him had he been lying a little to the right. A light sense of claustrophobia enveloped him under the stuffy branches.
I need to get out.
The regular, crunching sound of footsteps in the snow froze him to the spot.
Bordock!
He peeked through the branches and saw the shapeshifter moving slowly along the tree. Ben scrambled backwards, using his elbows and feet to push himself further away, but Bordock must have heard him, because he stopped and straightened.
“Well, well,” the alien said. “A spirit portal. How convenient. As soon as our Toreq friend senses danger, he zaps away to safety.”
Ben watched Bordock bend and search under the branches. The boy remained still as stone, hardly daring to breathe.
“I find that very disappointing,” Bordock continued, lifting another branch. “Don’t you?” He let go of the branch and stepped slowly along the fringe of the tree, causing Ben to scamper under its trunk for refuge. He shut his eyes tight and prayed that the shapeshifter would walk by him.
“You and I are more alike than you know,” Bordock said, his voice too close for comfort. “Think about it. Both of us were born without a Toreq skill.” His footsteps paused. “And someone had to die for us to inherit one.”
