by Wendy Owens
Sitting up, Uri started laughing, the mood quickly shifting. Pushing himself back, he rested against the cabin wall and conceded, “All right, all right. I’ll tell you.”
“Gee, thanks,” Gabe responded, halfheartedly.
“So you know why Rachel and I are here, right?” Uri asked.
“Well, I assumed it was because of what you told me. You two just needed a place to hide out for a couple of days.” Gabe began to wonder if he was in fact right, and there was more to this visit than Uri had let on.
“Yeah, that part is true,” Uri began. “I need to get Rachel to a safe house and the last three we have tried have been compromised. I’m not sure how Baal’s men are getting their information, but they seem to be one step ahead of us.”
“That really sucks, but I don’t see how I can help with any of that. I have no contact with anyone from that world anymore,” Gabe explained. He sincerely wished he could help Uri somehow. Part of him wanted to prove to everyone that he wasn’t a coward, that him leaving had everything to do with not wanting to be told how to live his life.
“That’s just it, Gabe. You’re secluded, nobody knows where you are. Every time I take Rachel out there, I’m putting her at risk,” Uri explained, as he watched Gabe fidget nervously.
“Like I said, I’m not really sure what I can do to help,” Gabe said, careful to not make eye contact with Uri.
Uri stood and walked up to Gabe. Getting uncomfortably close, he forced Gabe to look at him. “I’m not asking you to come back to the life, Gabe. That’s not what this is about. I just need time. I need time to find out who we can trust. I need time to find a place where she will be safe.”
“I can’t, Uri, don’t ask me to do this,” Gabe pleaded.
“I know you’re scared, but—” Uri hesitated, unsure what to say next.
There it is, Gabe thought. The fact that everyone thought he was a coward staring him in the face. He wanted to scream at the top of his lungs that he wasn’t afraid. He wanted to shout for them all to go jump in a lake. He wanted to scream that they had no clue what it was like to be him, to be living your life, accepting you’re an orphan, destined to be alone, and then people come into your life treating you with love and kindness.
They tell you that you’re special; you have abilities many only dream of. What they don’t tell you is that your future is tainted. If you live out your days how they want you to, then you’re destined to die young. A life where they dangle love in front of your face and then it’s torn away.
Gabe thought of Sophie and everything they had been through. He truly had loved her, as much as a boy could love someone. He was prepared to give his life to protect her. Like most things in Gabe’s life, that relationship had ended miserably. He gave his all and it wasn’t enough. She nearly died, and as a result of his trusted mentor, Michael, saving her, what they had together was lost forever.
Michael was another key player in the life Gabe had lost. As he remembered the man, it was hard not to think of him fondly. It angered Gabe that he still thought of him with such warmth. He felt most deceived by the father figure who had brought him to Rampart under false pretenses. He thought he was at the school to learn how to become a defender of good, but the entire time Michael had another agenda. One that involved Gabe fulfilling a destiny as the protector, and sacrificing his life.
At last, Gabe spoke softly, “Wouldn’t you be afraid?” He had never admitted to even himself that he was afraid, but in that second, with all those memories flooding back, he at last was truthful to himself. He didn’t want to die. Life had been far from perfect and held few joys for him, but it didn’t mean Gabe was ready to sacrifice it.
Uri thought about his question. “I suppose, but there are some things that are more important than our own fear and desire for survival. This is so much bigger than you or me. Do you know how many have died for the cause?”
“Uri!” Gabe yelled. “Don’t you get it? You don’t know you’re going to die. You risk your life knowing it’s a possibility, but you don’t know you will be killed as a certainty. The prophecy tells me I will die. I help, and I’m giving my life.”
“That’s just it; I’m not asking you to do that,” Uri added.
Gabe shook his head, looking at Uri with a puzzled stare. “I don’t understand.”
“I’m not asking you to protect the prophet. I’m not asking you to even stay involved. I just need to leave Rachel with you until I figure all this out and find a place to hide her. The prophet hasn’t been born. Heck, she isn’t even pregnant; there is no risk to you based on the prophecy,” Uri explained his reasoning.
“Except for the army of demons hunting her!” Gabe exclaimed.
“Alright, I admit, what I’m asking is not without risk. I wouldn’t ask you if I weren’t out of options,” Uri explained.
“You found me, how safe can it really be for her here?” Gabe asked, doubting Uri’s reasoning.
“The only way I found you was the trinket Dina put on your bag when you left Rampart years ago. Had I not used that to track you, I don’t think I would have ever found you. What are the chances Baal or any of his followers will discover you? Think about it, it truly is the perfect hiding place,” Uri urged.
Gabe sighed, “I know, it took me years of running before I found it; I’m not exactly looking to give it up.”
“I wouldn’t come to you if I had any other option.”
“I don’t know …” Gabe said. A moment later, the front door creaked open. Rachel stood there, clothes damp, simply staring.
“Rachel!” Uri gasped. “Are you all right?”
“I slipped,” Rachel replied flatly. The men looked to each other, each one unsure what to do.
Suddenly, Rachel burst out in a full and jovial laughter. The men soon followed in a similar fashion, all amused by the humor of the situation.
“Come over here and get warm,” Uri said, while motioning to the nearby stove that was still warming a pot of water.
As she did, Uri looked over his shoulder to Gabe who simply nodded. With that unspoken agreement, Gabe would participate in the fight just a little longer. He would watch over Rachel at his home until Uri could return and retrieve her. Uri didn’t utter a response; instead, he walked up and patted his friend firmly on the back in gratitude.
Gabe could feel the joy in Uri’s presence. He hoped his friend didn’t misunderstand his level of commitment. He would make sure it was clear before Uri left. He was willing to watch over Rachel for a short time, just long enough for Uri to find a place safe enough for her. After that, he was out. For good.
“Remember, if there is any sign of trouble to head straight for Dina and the others,” Uri reminded giving Gabe a hug.
“Yeah, yeah,” Gabe chimed, smiling at his friend. “I think I know by now how to take care of myself. Don’t stay away long.” Gabe’s request was also meant to inform his friend that he didn’t expect to become the permanent care taker of this girl he had been saddled with.
“Don’t let him scare you, Rachel, he’s a sweetheart under all the prickly layers,” Uri advised looking at the girl.
“I think we’ll be just fine,” Rachel replied, a slight blush on her cheeks.
Uri smiled, cocked his head in the goofy way he was known for, and with a half wave he disappeared into a cloud of smoke.
“I don’t think I will ever get used to that,” Rachel said in reference to Uri’s transportation spell.
“I thought the same thing, but you do,” Gabe replied flatly, turning and walking back to the cabin.
“So what can I help with?” Rachel called out after him.
“Oh, ummm …. Well—” Gabe stammered, unsure how to respond. He really just wanted her to stay out of his way. “I don’t know exactly. I suppose just make yourself at home. I have work to do.”
“What are you doing?” Rachel asked eagerly.
“Excuse me?” Gabe couldn’t help sounding agitated.
“Sorry, I do
n’t mean to be rude, but ever since I met Uri, I get a little freaked out being alone. Seems like when I’m alone, things try to kill me.”
“Funny, things always tried to kill me when I was with Uri,” Gabe added.
“Are you doing anything I can help with?” Rachel asked with a half-smile and raised eyebrow.
“Oh, well, I’m working in the garden this morning. I suppose you can come help. Just weeding and watering, nothing glamorous,” Gabe replied, continuing to walk towards the day’s work that awaited him. He viewed Rachel as a delicate flower, certain that an hour under the hot sun would result in her wilting, running off to seek refuge in the shade of the cabin.
He was wrong. Much to his surprise, Rachel jumped in head first. They barely spoke besides the general niceties they would exchange about the serene location or beautiful weather. As long as she remained silent for the most part, Gabe was actually grateful for the helping hand.
Rachel made several trips to the stream to collect water, one of Gabe’s least favorite chores. During her return trip with the buckets she noticed an oddly shaped half tree. Eager for a break, she set the water down and went to investigate. Much to her delight, Rachel discovered a treat she had not expected. Carved into the front of the withered and dead tree stump was a woman’s face. The detail was enchanting and Rachel lost track of time as she studied the piece. The eyes were large and open, looking up to the sky, the lips full, and the face round. Locks of hair were carved with such intricacy they looked as though they might be real.
It wasn’t long before Gabe noticed Rachel had gone missing. Remembering his promise to Uri to look after the girl, he set off searching for her. “Rachel!” He called out coming over the hillside, annoyed she had interrupted his busy day of chores.
Hearing her host beckoning her, Rachel stood. Waving her arms wildly, she cried out, “Over here, look what I found!”
Gabe already knew what she had discovered though. He had carved the sculpture of Sophie soon after arriving to the valley. He knew if Rachel searched hard enough, she would find similar carvings of Uri, Dina, Raimie, Haim, and even Michael.
Loneliness had consumed Gabe a long time ago; the carvings were an effort to remember a life lost. Some days were so hard for him that he would even talk to the carvings. He didn’t want to explain all of this, or his possible insanity to Rachel, so he simply turned and walked back to the garden without a word.
Several minutes later, Rachel came running over the hillside after him, “Gabe, did you hear me? Gabe?” He still said nothing, just continued walking until he reached his tools, and began digging up a particularly large and nasty deeply rooted weed.
Rachel reached Gabe’s side, and slightly out of breath blurted, “Couldn’t you hear me?”
Gabe just shook his head hoping she would give up.
“Just over the hill there is this fantastic carving of a young girl in a tree. You have to see it,” Rachel explained.
“I know.” Gabe replied flatly, continuing with his work.
“You’ve seen it? It’s amazing, isn’t it? Do you know where it came from?” Rachel asked, wondering why this man was being so mysterious. Gabe still said nothing and continued working diligently.
Rachel reached out and grabbing Gabe’s hands, stopped his work. Her touch made his heart flutter. He assumed it was simply the lack of human contact in recent years. “Gabe, is everything ok?”
“Fine, just a lot to do. I need to get back to work,” Gabe replied. “Now please, let me be!”
As if a light went off in her head Rachel asked, “You did the carving, didn’t you?”
Gabe still couldn’t form a verbal response and simply nodded his head yes.
“Who was she?” Rachel asked calmly.
Gabe hesitated; he didn’t want to share his story with this girl. He didn’t know her, and he certainly didn’t want to get to know her. He just wanted to do his work until Uri returned, and then she would be out of his life forever.
“I’m sorry, is this upsetting to you?” Rachel inquired, seeing Gabe’s discomfort.
“No, of course not, why would it upset me?” Gabe snapped instinctively. Gabe couldn’t admit, even to himself, that any part of his history at Rampart still bothered him.
“I don’t know, but you seemed to get pretty tense when I asked about the carving. It’s no big deal. You don’t have to talk about it. I just thought it was pretty amazing, that’s all,” Rachel replied, walking past him and picking up the bucket she had set down earlier. Pouring the water into the larger container, she turned to walk back to the stream.
“It’s none of your business. Perhaps as a guest you should learn to respect people’s privacy.” Gabe took a deep breath, studying the clumps of dirt around his feet. He wanted to tell Rachel that she wasn’t welcome, that her presence was just an annoyance. Though, no matter how much he wanted to tell her that, he did not.
Rachel yelled over her shoulder as she continued to walk away, “Fine, you don’t have to worry about me getting in your way. So sorry!”
Rachel’s tone made it evident to Gabe that his response had outraged her. Looking back to the earth and continuing his work, he was determined not to chase after her. She was a guest in his home. He wasn’t about to feel bad about correcting her for snooping. It was bad enough her mere presence was putting him in danger, now she was going to pry into his personal life. The thoughts racing through Gabe’s mind only served to aggravate him more.
Gabe wiped the sweat from his brow with his forearm. He had managed to keep his thoughts on his work rather than the argument he had earlier with Rachel. She had disappeared from his presence hours ago and since then, he hadn’t seen a trace of her. He smirked, pleased with himself and the fact that it took such little effort on his part to enrage the girl. He saw her as silly and insignificant. Her reaction simply solidified his opinion of her.
No matter how much she irritated him though, he had agreed to watch over her until Uri’s return. Reluctantly, Gabe walked to his cabin to ensure Rachel was tucked away safely inside. He wasn’t looking forward to the conversation that would inevitably ensue. She would want to discuss the argument, her feelings, and how they could correct the problem with their friendship. The problem was that Gabe wanted no sort of relationship with her, friendship or any other kind. He simply wanted her gone.
Scooping a handful of water from the rain barrel that was positioned at the corner of the cabin, Gabe attempted to cool himself before entering the door. He didn’t know Rachel very well, but assumed her behavior would be similar to most women he encountered. As soon as he stepped foot inside she would attack, not allowing him to get in a word. At least that was what he imagined.
Gabe inhaled, his hand hovering over the door handle for a moment before reaching out and pushing it open with a huff. Stepping inside, he quickly glanced around, a look of surprise filling his eyes. Rachel was nowhere to be found. He looked under the table, butterflies filling his stomach. He hadn’t desired to have an argument with Rachel, but this was so much worse. Losing her wasn’t an option; he couldn’t let Uri down this way.
Confirming she wasn’t in the cabin, Gabe raced to the door. Gripping the frame firmly as he leaned out, he shouted, “Rachel! Rachel!”
Waiting a moment, listening, he heard nothing. Gabe’s stomach began twisting, he feared initially it was one of his auguries, but instead discounted it as nerves. Clearly if something really was wrong, I would have felt it when it happened, right? He tried to convince himself.
He raced to the table. Pushing it aside, he grabbed a small latch that was tucked away on the floor, pulling it up to expose the hidden compartment. Inside rested his family sword; a piece he had not laid eyes on since he had hidden it away nearly a year ago. Gabe grasped it tightly in his hands as he rescued it from its dark hole. The sword began to glow a brilliant blue and a warmth rushed over his body. He had forgotten the feeling, the way that when he held the weapon, it felt like he was a little more complete,
like a limb had been reattached.
Gabe slid the leather strap over his head, allowing the sword to come to rest on his hip. He turned, and making great haste, exited the front door. Looking from side to side for any sign of where Rachel may have gone, he decided on a path. Without anything telling him which direction to go, Gabe trusted his instincts and took off towards the south side of the cabin. He would search the woods until he reached the riverbed. Rachel wasn’t familiar with a lot of the territory in the valley, so he decided he would visit the places he knew she was familiar with. He just hoped he could find her before nightfall. Though the wolves did not worry him, he didn’t think she would have the skills to fend off the wild creatures in their own territory.
“Rachel, can you hear me?” Gabe called out as he emerged from the tree line. As the water came into view, he remembered this had been the exact location Rachel had done her dance with the butterflies. Now that she was missing, Gabe was regretting that he had upset her so deeply. He didn’t know why he had to push everyone so far away from him; he had been like that longer than he could remember.
“Rachel!” Gabe cried angrily, consumed by aggravation about the situation.
Still, there was only silence in response. Suddenly, all of the disastrous possibilities began to filter through his thoughts. Though his tiny valley had provided him with a shield from the demons to track him thanks to the copper in the hillsides, it posed countless other threats. The rocky areas of the cliff sides were far beyond stable from all the mining that had occurred years ago. They were also a minefield of rattlesnakes, ready to pounce. Then there were the mines themselves, recklessly abandoned air shafts. There was no way she would have ventured that far, right? Gabe told himself.
Gabe continued to search the waterside for a few more minutes until he decided it best to put his mind at ease and search the area surrounding the abandoned copper mines. He hadn’t visited the areas much. When he first had arrived to the valley, he hid away some of his belongings that he had collected and brought with him from Rampart, unable to give them up and also unable to look at them every day. Gabe approached the first mine. Pressing against the wooden slats that covered the entrance, Gabe yelled, “Rachel?”
