by Bobby Akart
Levi knew wolf pups to be shy and cautious, and he certainly wasn’t small enough to crawl under the ledge and retrieve them. Instead, he decided to lure them outside. He began to imitate their high-pitched squeaks. He dropped to his knees and elbows, as if he were a large dog lying on the floor, and tried to emulate their voices again.
It took a few minutes of coaxing, but first one, and then three more snow-white wolf puppies emerged from the den and slowly approached Levi.
“Wow, you guys are fresh out of the hopper,” muttered Levi as they shyly crawled toward him. He removed his gloves and wiggled his fingers. The four pups began suckling on his fingers, allowing their fear to be displaced by their hunger.
Levi removed his jacket and spread it open on the ground. He picked up the pups and set them in the middle before swaddling them up. He carefully descended the slope to where the mother was trapped.
The wolf spotted Levi’s approach and immediately picked up the scent of her young. She stood erect, ignoring the pain that must’ve coursed through her body. She gathered the energy to let out a high-pitched mournful whine, begging Levi not to harm her babies and give them over to her.
Staying a safe distance away from the wolf, Levi dropped to his knees and unfolded his jacket. The pups squealed in delight and raced toward their mother. She immediately dropped to her side and allowed them to latch on to her for a long overdue meal.
“Now what?” Levi asked aloud. He tried again to get a look at her leg, but with every approach, the threatening growl rumbled out of her throat.
Levi backed off with his arms raised. “Hey, I get it. No need to thank me, by the way.” He was being sarcastic, yet he still wanted to help. Despite the mother wolf’s belligerence, she needed nourishment to live as long as she could to feed her pups. Levi decided to search for food.
It was getting darker now, and he had to hurry. He’d spotted several deer during his hike through the woods, but he wasn’t interested in hunting. He still had some Clif bars stored in his backpack that would provide him nourishment for several days. Now, he planned on hunting to provide for the mother wolf and her family.
He worked his way around the low side of the rock outcropping and along the solid banks of the stream. When he’d crossed a stream earlier, he’d come across the unmistakable signs of feral hogs who’d been rooting in the mud. Levi’s grandfather referred to them as rototillers because the way they rooted for food and wallowed on the ground would leave a farm unrecognizable. But it was that very activity that made them easier to hunt than fleet, light-footed deer.
A wild pig would make a fine dinner for the wolf, and himself. Levi focused on the banks of the stream, having now walked nearly a mile away from where he’d left the wolf and her pups. Then he spotted what he was looking for.
A single hog was lying on its side at the foot of a tree. It was either sleeping or it was exhausted from making a mess. The ground all around it was torn up. The creature lay with its belly and head exposed to Levi, making the shot an easy one for an experienced hunter like himself.
He dropped to one knee and slowly raised his rifle, eyeing his target through his scope. A shot through the bottom of the feral hog’s throat would have nothing but soft tissue to travel through as it reached the animal’s brain. Just as Levi was prepared to squeeze the trigger, he furrowed his brow. Something wasn’t right.
Chapter 52
Northwest Ontario, Canada
Levi immediately stood and walked toward the animal, continuously looking through his scope to be prepared to fire. Then he lowered his rifle. The hog wasn’t breathing because it was already dead.
He shouldered his weapon and drew his knife out of the sheath strapped around his thigh. Once he was only a few feet from the dead hog, he figured out what had happened. The animal’s back had been broken by a boulder that was equal its size. Apparently, during the earthquake tremors Levi had experienced, several rocks had dislodged from the ledge uphill from where the hog was rooting by the stream. Three or four rocks were lying just below the dead hog, whose back was bloodied.
Levi reached down to feel the animal’s blood, which was cool to the touch. The temperatures were just above freezing, so it wouldn’t take long for the dead body to cool.
Butchering the hog in the wilderness would be quite an undertaking, and Levi’s plan was to feed the wolf for at least this evening and possibly the next morning before he continued his journey south toward the States. He lifted a hindquarter of the hog and cut through its coarse fur and tough skin. Then he used the serrated blade of his hunting knife to cut the animal’s leg off at the hip.
He walked quickly along the bank, retracing his steps to find his way back to the mother wolf. As he approached, she growl-barked at him, sending a clear message for Levi to keep his distance.
Levi tossed the back leg of the hog at the wolf’s mouth. He spoke softly. “Okay, momma, here’s supper. However, I’d really appreciate it if you’d stop threatening me. C’mon now. I’m gonna keep helping you until it’s time to leave.”
She was ravenous, tearing apart the leg and consuming large chunks of hog meat. Levi shook his head and rolled his eyes as he realized he would be making a few more trips to the Dead Hog Market.
First, he needed shelter and fire. He looked around and found a cluster of three trees that were uphill from the wolf and near the base of the rock outcropping. Over time, snow had collected on the boughs of the tree, leaving a natural pit at the base. He quickly swept away any rocks and twigs from the ground to provide himself a clean work space.
Then he gathered all the pine needles he could find to create a nice, twelve-inch-thick mattress, which acted as insulation between him and the wet ground. This would work well with Karl’s sleeping bag, which he’d wrap around his body.
Finally, he gathered up fallen tree limbs ranging from three to four inches in diameter and five feet long. He used them to build a triangular shaped lean-to, which he then covered with leaves and pine needles for insulation.
Lastly, he gathered rocks from the outcropping to create a circle in which to build a fire. With his shelter prepared along with the fire warming the area around him and the family of wolves, Levi hustled back and forth to the dead hog for food. While he fed the wolf chunks of raw meat, he cooked his portion over the open fire, being sure to overcook it in order to avoid the many diseases feral hogs carry.
Soon, it was pitch dark outside except for the light coming from the dancing flames of the fire. Levi’s belly was full, the mother wolf ate every piece of pig meat he tossed her way, and the pups drained her of nutritious milk.
“One big happy family,” Levi commented as the mother wolf fought sleep. “You need to rest, momma. I’ve got your back. No worries.” His soothing voice must have convinced her. She was soon in a deep sleep.
Levi crawled into the lean-to and surrounded himself with the sleeping bag. He lay awake for a while, thinking about what had happened to him since the plane crash, and silently chastising himself for not focusing on how much he missed Carly and his kids.
Lying on his back, he clasped his hands behind his head and tried to look at the stars through the roof of his shelter. It was peaceful in the woods, but in Canada, it was far different from back home in Indiana. At that moment, he couldn’t hear a single thing except the occasional hoot of an owl and a wolf calling out to his pals. There were no airplanes overhead. No cars roaring down a distant highway. No machine of any sort to interrupt the beauty of night.
But then the silence began to disturb him. It was too quiet. Too serene. The lack of activity was not normal.
Levi broke out in a cold sweat. He fought the feeling of anxiety that was beginning to overwhelm him. He felt trapped, but not like the wolf. It was surreal. Like he was in a coffin, unable to escape.
He began to panic, and he maniacally fought his way out of the sleeping bag like he’d been sleeping in a pit of vipers.
He emerged from the shelter and jumped to his fe
et. He spun around, looking at the sky, until he was dizzy. Levi screamed, “Dammit!”
Or at least he thought he did. The wolf family barely stirred through all the commotion.
Levi ran his fingers through his hair and covered his ears and then quickly uncovered them. There was no noise to block out. None of the things his mind was used to hearing was present now. Yet he knew it was there. He shook his fist to clear the disturbance, and that worked for a moment.
And then it came back.
Relentlessly.
Levi’s mind tried to process what was happening, and then he spoke softly to the wolf.
“You know, the quiet out here can get real loud.”
Chapter 53
Tommy Bannon’s Residence
North Michigan Avenue
Chicago, Illinois
Kristi couldn’t stop crying. She barely recalled walking through her wrecked home, gathering up personal mementos that hadn’t been broken, and a couple of duffle bags of clothes. Tommy did all he could to comfort her, but losing Knight this way had a profound effect on her emotions. For Kristi, it was tantamount to losing a child.
As daylight approached, Chicago woke up as well. Tommy was astonished at the amount of traffic headed into the downtown business district. Kristi was curled up in the passenger seat with the female chimp, sobbing.
“You know.” She spoke finally. She’d recovered somewhat, and her voice was remarkably calm. “I thought I knew all of the primates because I spent so much time in Tropic World. I just can’t seem to recall ever interacting with this one.”
Tommy glanced over to take another look at the smallish female. “How old do you think she is? One? Two?”
“Closer to one,” Kristi replied and then looked lovingly at the youngster. “Knight was about her age when I began teaching him to sign.”
Tommy didn’t continue the conversation immediately. After witnessing the primates’ behavior over the last week, including Knight’s, there was an elephant in the room that needed to be addressed. Watching Kristi bond with this young chimp prohibited him from addressing what to do with her.
“Okay, we’re almost there.” He changed the subject. “I don’t get it. Don’t these people realize the power could be cut off at any moment? Are they trying to get a little more work done at the office before the president pulls the plug?”
Kristi looked out the window for the first time, turning her attention away from the chimp she’d cradled the entire trip from her house. “Yeah, this is weird. Maybe they changed their mind about cutting the power. I’m not sure that’s such a good idea anyway.”
Tommy shrugged. “It kinda makes sense, if their predictions are true about what these geostorms can do to electronics. But, I mean, logically, how long will it last? Who gets to decide when to issue the all-clear signal?”
Kristi leaned forward to admire the massive skyscrapers that lined Michigan Avenue. “The same guy who decided to flip the switch, I guess.”
“Check it out, Starbucks is open.”
“Is that the new one? You know, the Reserve?”
“No, that’s on the other side of the Lincoln Park Zoo.”
She paused for a moment and then turned to Tommy. “Are you rich or something? I mean, either you’ve decided to give me the nickel tour of the Magnificent Mile, or you’re lost.”
The Magnificent Mile in Chicago’s Central Business District was one of the most famous retail stretches in the world. Every high-end retailer and restaurant had a presence there. The hotels and office buildings had an incredible view of Lake Shore Drive and Lake Michigan.
Tommy laughed. “Not rich, but maybe richer by comparison to other zoologists you know. I was fortunate enough to be born into a well-to-do family. My grandfather was the founding partner of Goldberg, Bannon, and May.”
“The lawyers? The ones with the billboards all over town?”
“The same,” replied Tommy. “When my grandfather died, he had a complicated estate that used some kind of IRS generation-skipping loophole to avoid estate taxes. I got a decent trust fund that pays a little each month as well as a condo in the city.”
“Not bad. What did your father do? Was he a lawyer also?”
“Yeah, international law. That’s why he and Mom were in London when the terrorist attack occurred.”
“I’m sorry, Tommy. I shouldn’t have brought it up.” Kristi adjusted the chimp in her lap as she turned toward Tommy.
Tommy grimaced. “That’s okay. I was really angry at everything and everybody for a few years, but time has passed and I’m better now. The trust still has some real estate holdings here that are managed by a trustee who works for the firm. He also handles my finances, not that there’s much to it. My place is paid for, the trust pays the associations fees, taxes, utilities, etcetera. I get a monthly check to spend. Which is a good thing because I probably lost my job at the zoo.”
Tommy looked out the driver’s side window and rested his chin on his fist. Kristi studied him for a moment, and then she also looked away. Their lives had been turned upside down, and now they were suddenly thrust into a relationship of sorts, something neither of them had addressed. Except the near-kiss that was preempted by chaos, of course.
“Here we are,” announced Tommy as he approached a high-rise mixed-use building. He crept up to a card reader and swiped a keycard, instantly opening a steel gate. He drove toward a bank of elevators and parked in one of several spaces marked Loading Zone.
Kristi exited first and hoisted the chimp onto her hip as she took in her surroundings. The entire garage area was impeccable. Polished brass adornments and elevator doors glistened under the chandelier lighting in the open hallway. Vehicles ranging from Bentleys to Porsches were parked all around them. Yet, with all the wealth around him, Tommy drove a Chevy Suburban.
He walked around the truck and found Kristi standing quietly by her door. She appeared vulnerable and unsure. The moment had suddenly become awkward, as the two really hadn’t discussed what was going to happen next.
He immediately picked up on her feelings and tried to address the ticklish situation. “You know what I think?”
“What?” she asked, her voice hopeful that he had a solution to the somewhat embarrassing moment. Kristi didn’t know if he was gonna ask her to move in with him, or tell her to wait in the garage with the chimp.
“Let’s go upstairs, grab this little one some fruit to eat, and figure out a plan.”
Kristi looked down and nodded. Her eyes began to well up with tears. “Okay,” she said shyly.
Tommy gently cupped his hand under her chin so that she’d look him in the eyes. “We haven’t had a moment’s rest in days. I’m exhausted, and I’m sure you are too. Let’s unwind and talk it through. How’s that sound?”
“And have an adult beverage?”
Tommy laughed. “Sure, why not? We’ve been up all night, and it’s five o’clock somewhere.”
The chimp began to squirm in her arms, so she set her on the ground. She took their new companion by the hand and smiled at Tommy. “Lead the way.”
Thirty minutes later, the chimp was chowing down on apples and bananas. Kristi and Tommy had thrown back a few glasses of bourbon. He’d changed clothes into shorts and a University of Wisconsin sweatshirt with a badger embroidered on the front. He’d retrieved Kristi’s duffle bags, and she rummaged through them to find some fresh clothes, but ultimately ended up wearing one of Tommy’s tee shirts.
“Come check out the view,” said Tommy as he opened the sliding glass door that led to the balcony of his tenth-floor unit. The condominium building towered over the low-rise structures below it, affording an incredible view of the south end of Lake Michigan and Lake Shore Drive.
Kristi joined his side and wrapped her arm through his. “Tommy, um, I think I …” She stopped mid-sentence.
He laughed and gave her a shy smile. “I think we have a little unfinished business before you keep talking.” He bent over and kissed her.
Gently at first, and then more passionately.
She responded and turned to hug him. The tension that had been between them since they’d met was now being released as they let their inhibitions down. But just as their kiss was interrupted on the rooftop at the zoo, so it was again.
A flock of birds came chattering by them, catching their eye.
“Wait, are those?” Tommy began to ask.
“They are, indeed.”
A flock of two dozen green-winged macaws sailed past them at eye level. They made a complete circle, dove downward, and then raced toward Lake Michigan.
“That’s unbelievable,” said Tommy as he accepted another kiss from Kristi, filled with excitement.
“They’re free,” she said. “I don’t like how it happened, but they’re getting to live their lives as God intended.”
“Wait, where are they going?” asked Tommy. The flock of macaws suddenly raced toward a target by the south shore of the lake. Then he exclaimed, “No way!”
Both of them leaned over the rail slightly as if it would give them a better look at the unusual sight. Two of the elephants from the zoo lumbered along Lakefront Trail, the pedestrian path built between the water’s edge and Lake Shore Drive.
“They’re taking their jungle back,” said Kristi with a laugh as she wrapped her arm a little tighter around Tommy’s.
Before Tommy could add his thought, the unmistakable sound of the power draining from the city could be heard. Air conditioners stopped running. Refrigerators shut down. Lights popped and flickered as they went dark.
As if the opportunity to ruin the moment wasn’t already upon them, in the sudden quiet of the normally bustling city of Chicago, gunshots could be heard echoing off the walls of the concrete jungle.
