by Rae Knightly
Ben saw the handcuffs and understood why she couldn’t get away. He pulled at them, knowing it was useless. He glanced around for Mesmo and spotted the alien on the other side of the lake, catching his eye with a meaningful look. Again, the alien hovered his hand above the surface of the lake.
“Watch out!” Ben yelled, covering his mother’s head with his arms.
A silent explosion hurtled him backwards. He hit his head on a tree trunk and saw stars. Blinking several times, he saw that the lake no longer existed. It had transformed into a thick fog filled with glittering droplets of water suspended in mid-air.
Already Mesmo was at Laura’s side. He surrounded the handcuffs with snow and froze it to such a degree that the metal cracked.
“Ouch!” Laura yelled when the sub-zero metal scraped her arm.
“Sorry,” Mesmo said, but Laura was already up, kneading her wrist. She rushed over to Ben.
“Are you okay?”
Ben nodded, rubbing the back of his head.
They helped each other up and followed Mesmo hastily as he parted a way for them through the thick mist.
* * *
The officers heard the strange sounds coming from the forest: low but powerful rumblings. Pine needless shook off the trees. Waves of cold air, not like natural gusts of wind, slapped their faces. They crouched down, glancing at each other with wide eyes.
“What’s going on?” one of them asked.
Hao saw tiny, blue sparkles of ice floating by. “It’s them!” He straightened and spotted a clearing some way ahead. “Let’s go!” he urged.
The Sheriff spoke into his walkie-talkie, directing the helicopters towards the source of the noise.
CHAPTER 22 The Wrath of the Kananaskis
Suddenly, they were out in the open.
Laura and Ben stopped at the edge of the forest, hesitating to step onto the fold of the mountain.
Ben gasped. He recognized the clearing; he had flown over it with the crow’s help. “The road’s over there!” He pointed to the other side of the snow-packed open area. Spotting a corner of the road from where they stood, he took Laura’s hand and urged her on. She didn’t budge as she scanned the area, her face tightening.
“Maybe we should follow the trees…” she began, staring down the slope.
At the bottom of the mountain, Ben saw a lone man venture onto the open snow. Even from so far away, Ben recognized Inspector Hao. Along the side of the forest, other men slowly made their way toward him and his mom.
A sound like firecrackers sent them flying for cover. Ben whirled to find Bordock the Grizzly emerging from the shadows of the forest, the animal’s body fluctuating from an intense heat that surrounded it, its eyes gleaming a cold blue. The trees scorched black at its passage. Large branches snapped like twigs in a hurricane and fell to the ground around it. Ben felt goosebumps rise at the tension emanating from the shapeshifter. Bordock was livid.
“Go!” Mesmo yelled.
Ben and Laura sprang in the opposite direction.
Bordock the Grizzly glowed steadily from a blue halo of power, which he concentrated before him and thrust at them with a movement of its large head. It was all Mesmo could do to stop the formidable attack. He barely had time to erect a vast wall of ice before it curved under the force of the blow and bent towards Ben and Laura like a massive, frozen hand rushing to engulf them.
The crackling blue static slipped off the arched crest like lightning and projected skyward, catching a passing helicopter, which was hurled aside as if a giant finger had flicked it away. The pilot managed to straighten the craft just in time before flying headlong into the mountain.
Mesmo lifted his fist from the ground at the base of the gigantic hand made of ice. Behind it, Bordock the Grizzly moved up and down like a trapped beast searching for an exit, its form visible as if through cracked glass.
Mesmo urged Ben and Laura away. They had been rooted to the spot, mesmerized by the alien confrontation. Needing no further encouragements, Ben struggled forward after his mother, their progress hampered by the deep snow.
He was almost halfway across the mountain artery when something pulled at his mind and blood rushed to his ears. He cringed in terror as a name left his lips.
“Tike!”
Ben merged with his dog in an instant. He watched through Tike’s eyes as it sniffed at the icy wave Mesmo had created, searching for a way out.
Finding none, the terrier turned to face Bordock the Grizzly. The shapeshifter spotted him and roared with mad fury. The electrifying fear that grasped Tike was so strong it ejected Ben from his dog's mind. The boy tumbled to the ground and watched helplessly as the beast lurched after his dog. The two animals scrambled down the mountain.
“Tike! No! Over here!” Ben shouted in a frenzy. He dove down the mountain after his dog, who scurried straight towards Hao.
* * *
Hao’s blood went cold when the furious grizzly emerged from the trees. The beast headed into the clearing and bolted headlong in his direction. He briefly registered the boy and his mother, then a man unexpectedly rushing after it. What’s wrong with them? “Grizzly!” he yelled in warning to the Sheriff. He seized his gun, aimed at the animal, and expertly pulled the trigger. There was a deafening bang, followed by a whimper.
The boy’s cry was heartwrenching. “NOOO!”
The grizzly scampered away, unhurt, but remained in close proximity by the trees.
Hao watched, confused, as the boy continued to run towards him. I thought I missed? He saw the boy throw himself behind a mound of snow.
The grizzly shook its mane, undeterred, then slowly approached the fugitives.
Hao raised his gun again but just then the mountain heaved. A huge slice of snow detached itself in front of him with an unmistakable rumbling. He watched in numb horror as the slice of snow became a wave. The wave became a wall that reached for the sky and, as it advanced, swallowed the grizzly and the three fugitives.
The Sheriff’s scream chilled Hao’s bones. “Avalanche! Fall back!”
Hao had a moment to think. This was not how I expected to die, before the avalanche caught up with him and plunged him into darkness.
* * *
Ben longed for silence. He didn’t care about the overpowering noise that surrounded him, the threatening roar that resembled a furious gust of wind, the trembling ground beneath him, or the strange blue light that covered him. He didn’t care about the alien who yelled under the effort to keep them safe from the raging avalanche, his hands spread out before him in an attempt to shove the descending snow above and around them. Ben didn’t care that, when a muffled silence finally settled, the alien had almost become transparent as he staggered to the ground. Somewhere far away, his mother was calling his name. He didn’t care about that either.
All Ben cared about was the heartbeat. Tike’s heartbeat: very slow, very weak. Just like his. The excruciating pain that had blasted through his chest was almost too much to bear. It throbbed with each pulse, sending a flood of agony through his body. Or was it Tike’s? He couldn’t tell. They were one and the same. But as long as they held each other’s gaze, maybe there was a chance, a glimmer of hope.
Tike blinked. A tiny light gleamed in the dog’s eyes and Ben held on to it with all his might.
“Ben!” Mesmo’s voice barely reached him. “Break the connection!” The alien’s shouts were a mere irritating buzz in Ben’s ear.
Don’t listen to him. I’m staying with you.
It hurts!
It’s okay. Give me your pain. I’ll help you carry it.
Searing pain gushed through Ben’s body and he groaned.
“Ben! Break the connection or you’ll die!” The words were vital, pressing, yet unimportant.
“Ben! Wake up! Ben!” His mother called frantically.
Why don’t they leave us alone?
Ben held his dog’s gaze. It was the only thing that mattered in the world.
Laura’s voice called f
rom far away. “Tike!” Tike’s eyes moved away from Ben’s and the boy struggled inwardly, not wanting to break the only bridge remaining between them.
“Tike,” Laura sobbed. “You beautiful, beautiful dog. Please don’t take Ben away from me! You have to let him go.”
Ben didn’t catch the meaning of the words, but he did not like the sound of them. Tike licked Laura’s hand once, then his eyes fell on Ben again.
It’s okay. I feel better already. I’m going to sleep a bit now. I love you.
I love you, too.
Ben felt reassured. His dog was going to sleep for a while. Maybe he would, too. Ben sent him a blanket of comforting thoughts, wishing his dog a good rest. They did not get through. The bridge between them faded. The light in Tike's eyes faded. Something was wrong.
No, wait!
The dog’s body sagged and Ben felt a rush of consciousness return to his mind. Cold under his body, a hard roof of ice above his head, the touch of his mother’s hand on his shoulder.
He swallowed a tremendous volume of air, which triggered his body functions. He heaved and wailed, “NO! TIKE!”
CHAPTER 23 Doubt
Hao blinked his eyes open. His brain was scattered and he felt completely disoriented. He tried to move, but for some reason his body would not respond. His eyes focused and he saw white. Everything was white. He wiggled his gloves; the stuff that surrounded his fingers seeped cold through the material.
And suddenly he remembered. His body jolted at the realization. He had been caught in an avalanche. And he was trapped in it, alive. He gasped in panic as his mind scrambled to grasp reality. Never in his life had he been more afraid.
He almost lost consciousness again, but then his years of harsh training in the police kicked in. He shut his eyes, willed his breathing to slow, and focused on forming coherent thoughts. It took him a while to quiet the horrendous thoughts of being buried under miles of snow, alone. He blocked the image out of his mind and concentrated on facts.
For one, he wasn’t alone. He was confident that the Sheriff and his men had survived the avalanche, for they had been near the trees and would have had time to run for cover. One of them, at least, would rush for help.
Then, there were the helicopters. They would have seen the event from up high. Hao reassured himself with as much confidence as he could muster that help was on the way. A couple of hours at the most—that was the amount of time he would need to wait before rescue teams were set into action. He could handle a couple of hours.
Now to figure out how to catch their attention. Hao’s heart skipped a beat as he realized the extent of the area they would have to search. He struggled for several minutes to restrain his reoccurring panic.
He licked his dry lips, still breathing hard, but in a more controlled way. He checked his body, moving one muscle at a time, testing for injuries. Everything seemed in one piece until he reached his left leg. A searing pain sent him yelling in shock. Black spots floated before his eyes and he puffed air like a locomotive.
“Broken leg, check.”
He tried to move his hands and arms. The right one was trapped, but the left one had a bit more space. He loosened some snow with his fingers, feeling which way it fell.
At least I’m not upside down, he thought scornfully.
He moved his head to his left and caught his breath. He could see the blue sky through a small crack in the snow just above him.
“Help! Help!” he shouted before realizing it was useless. He wasn’t too far from the surface. If only he could free his arm.
Painstakingly, Hao began to scratch away at the snow.
* * *
Laura cradled Ben in her arms. She had covered Tike’s ruined body under her sweater. Mesmo sat with his legs bent upright, his arms resting on his knees, his head hanging in total exhaustion. Laura noticed his grey skin anxiously. Eventually, he lifted his head and said determinedly, “You can’t stay here. You need to get away and find a safe place to hide. I won’t be able to follow. You’ll be on your own.”
Laura held his gaze and fished a notebook page out of her back pocket. She scanned the five names on the small document that her father had left her.
“Bob M.?” Mesmo asked, pointing at the last name on the list.
Laura sighed, then folded the notebook page again. “Yes: Bob M.,” she confirmed with a final tone in her voice, indicating she wasn’t inviting any more questions. She stuffed the paper in her back pocket. “Ben needs a place to heal. We’ll be heading to Toronto. Bob will help us.” She lowered her gaze, burning to ask how bad his wounds were. But Bordock had shaken her faith in him. Mesmo just risked his life to save ours, she reminded herself guiltily.
“What is it?” Mesmo asked.
She bit her lip.
“It’s Bordock, isn’t it?” Mesmo pressed. “What did he tell you?”
She shot him an accusing glance. “Not enough.” She could tell he was struggling to remain present and her heart ached to reassure him.
Mesmo considered her, then said quietly, “I never asked anything of you, Laura Archer. You were the one who offered to help me.”
When she didn’t answer, he said, “Look at me.”
She did.
His honey-brown eyes did not reflect any resentment or accusation. He held her gaze and said, “I know you don’t trust me. And you probably shouldn’t. But there is one thing you can be certain of. I would never harm Ben.” He paused to make sure she was listening. “You need to realize, I could have taken Ben’s skill away from him any time, killing him in the process. But I didn’t. And I won’t.”
Laura swallowed and lowered her eyes in shame.
“Laura,” he said, forcing her to look at him again. “You don’t owe me anything. You are free to go.”
She opened her mouth, but couldn’t find anything to say. He stood and backed away into the wall of their icy cocoon. He placed his hands on its surface and began melting away the snow, thus creating a tunnel coated in bluish light.
If her heart had been heavy before, now it weighed like a brick. “Ben?” she said, shaking his elbow.
Ben winced and placed a hand to his chest.
Laura’s face tightened with worry. She lay him down and lifted his sweater and shirt. Her hand flew to her mouth. On Ben’s chest, near his heart, was a large, black-and-blue smudge that corresponded with the area where Tike had been hit. A sob escaped as she realized how close she had been to losing her son.
Mesmo came back, hunched over and pale. His image faded, she could see the tunnel right through him.
“Ben, we have to go.” She nudged him gently, but he remained limp in her arms. He opened his eyes and saw Tike. His face crumpled.
Laura and Mesmo exchanged a glance.
She didn’t think he still had it in him, but the alien placed his hands around Tike’s body. Water flowed around the terrier until it formed a block. Mesmo froze the water in such a way that it became smooth and transparent, like resistant glass.
The three of them remained there for a long, silent moment, watching Tike who seemed to be sleeping peacefully in his icy coffin.
* * *
Hao squeezed his hand open and closed to restore some circulation to it. His gloved fingers cramped, but he was making headway. This was no time to give up. He sweated profusely and panted under the effort until he was finally able to bend his arm up to his shoulder. Next feat would be to reach his arm through the hole above his head. He decided to take a short break to calm his thoughts and rest his arm. He just wanted to close his eyes for a minute...
Cold drops splattered on his cheek. Hao woke with a start, panic surging through his body. Had he really fallen asleep? He swore angrily. His body ached from being forced into the same position for…how many hours?
How long was I asleep? Dread overwhelmed him.
A shadow passed overhead. He twisted his head to peek through the hole, fully expecting to see a cloud or, worse, setting dusk.
Inste
ad, he saw a man standing right above him. Hao could see the underside of his chin and his nose. The man glanced in the distance.
“Hey!” Hao shouted. “Heeey!”
He yelled and yelled for help, but the man just stood there, impassive.
He can’t hear me! Hao realized in horror. Despair gripped him.
“Help!” he said weakly, his eyes filling with tears.
The man glanced down, his bald head reflecting the late sun.
Hao blinked in a hurry. “Connelly!” he shouted frantically. “I’m down here! Help!”
Connelly seemed to be looking straight down at him, yet his face was expressionless.
Why can’t he see me? Hao thought in alarm.
Something was wrong with the bald man’s eyes, but he couldn’t put his finger on it.
I’m delirious, Hao thought.
Connelly straightened and moved away, disappearing from his view in a second.
“No! Connelly! Come back!” Hao shouted in a strangled voice. He sobbed, unabashed, giving in to exhaustion and fear. When he finally calmed down, snippets of thoughts and images haunted his mind. Grizzlies that charged him, innocent-looking boys that transformed into alien monsters, dark spaceships hiding imminent threats…
He had not been ready for this assignment. It was beyond his human comprehension. “I just want to make sure you stop in time.” His sister Lizzie’s words scolded him from the border of his sanity. If only he had listened to her!
Connelly’s face floated on his eyelids, strangely twisted as he stared at Hao without seeing him.
But he DID see me.
The thought jolted him awake. Hao’s body shook with cold and shock, but a spark lit deep within him.
“He D-DID see m-me!” he stuttered, his eyes widening in disbelief, consciousness returning with force.
That one thought, whether originating from a hallucination or reality, sent a rush of power through his body, willing him to live. His ears caught the sound of a passing helicopter.
