by Rae Knightly
Behind him, the sun rose, bright and warm, following the shiny backs of the whales as they breached and dove after the motorboat. Ben listened to the songs and clicks of the pod, as they communicated with each other. A mingle of prudent relief and disbelief echoed between them. And as the sea became deeper and deeper, a sense of exhilaration spread among them.
With each passing minute, the orcas had more space to dive, their aching bodies began to respond better, and for the first time since their beaching, they realized that they were going to live. They were free!
Their contagious excitement surged through Ben’s mind. He thrust his fist in the air and whooped at the top of his voice.
Kana’kwa breached playfully and splashed a bucketload of ice-cold water over him.
Ben laughed and howled triumphantly.
Then, realizing that the open ocean lay not too far off between a set of islands, he switched off the motor, expecting the orcas to swim away.
Kana’kwa hung back.
Go on, Kana’kwa. The ocean is right before you.
Kana’kwa hesitated.
What’s the matter?
It is the sea monster. It frightens us.
A chill ran down Ben’s spine.
The sea monster…?
He didn’t need to ask. Through Kana’kwa’s senses, he heard the grinding sounds coming from the deep.
The pod hung back, hesitant.
It comes from behind that island.
Kana’kwa placed an image of an island topped with fir trees in Ben’s mind. He turned his head towards the south and found the island.
He scanned it but saw nothing that could be generating such a sound.
Then stay as far away from it as you can. Swim straight ahead, and you will be free.
A loud water-spout erupted from Kana’kwa’s blowhole.
Yes, Benjamin Archer. We will head north, some distance from here. We will hunt for salmon there.
Kana’kwa’s large head breached the surface, but close enough that Ben could touch it.
Goodbye, Benjamin Archer.
Goodbye, Kana’kwa. Be safe.
Ben watched as Kana’kwa headed after her pod, then sighed in satisfaction.
He was about to turn on the motor when something bright shone in his face. He shielded his eyes and searched for the source of the light. And then he saw it, behind the island that Kana’kwa had mentioned.
The bow of a very large boat.
It had been hidden before, but the tide had stretched its anchor chain until it became visible. Ben could just make out the letters on its side: SOVA.
Steel chains ground together and a deep thudding emanated from its hull.
Once more, an object on the boat reflected the sun, causing a sharp light to flicker past Ben’s eyes.
Suddenly feeling vulnerable on the water, Ben set his jaw and started the motor to head back to shore.
CHAPTER 15 Rift
Jeremy woke with a start, a headache hitting him like a hammer.
“Ouch!” he groaned.
He rubbed his temples, then realized several voices were coming from the beach.
He blinked and glanced around his messy tent. He had taped the torn fabric and had placed his backpack against it in the hopes that the sneaky raccoon would not return. The clean clothes he had extended on his sleeping bag lay in a heap in the corner. His computer remained unresponsive. Only his precious camera had come out of the night without a scratch.
Frustration surged in him again at the thought that he may never recover the orca photographs he had downloaded into his computer. And, without a phone, he had no way of contacting his office.
He had spent an hour stumbling around in the dark, searching for the damned raccoon and his phone. But to no avail.
Finally, he had crashed on top of his sleeping bag, completely exhausted, and tumbled into a dream-filled sleep, haunted by strange, melancholic sounds and flashes of blue light.
From somewhere outside his tent, loud gasps and cries of joy drove his lingering fatigue away.
Intrigued, he picked up his camera, slipped his feet into his boots without tying the laces, and rushed to the beach, where he found an impressive gathering of people. An electric euphoria reigned in the air.
It took him a fraction of a second to realize why, and then, it hit him.
The orca!
His heart skipped a beat.
There wasn’t a single killer whale left on the beach!
Were his eyes playing tricks on him? Yesterday, the beach was strewn with the massive black and white bodies of the sea creatures. Now, not a single one remained.
The orca had gone – vanished like ghosts.
For a second, his mouth fell open in wonder, then his reporting sense kicked in, and he rushed to the first group of people. “What happened? Where are the orca?”
Men and women turned to him, grinning, and shook their heads, incredulous. “No one knows. They disappeared during the night.”
“Must’ve been the tide,” another one said.
Jeremy rushed past them, taking pictures of the gathering crowds, asking questions, and trying to find someone who had witnessed the miracle.
On the other end of the beach, a group of police officers and a girl with long black hair walked purposefully towards a small pier. Jeremy noticed they were heading towards a motorboat that was about to dock there. The boat was piloted by a single person. A person who looked strangely familiar… He zoomed in with his camera.
The kid!
He slowed down to a jog.
What was that kid doing on his own in the motorboat? If he had just come in from the bay, he must have been out there for quite some time.
Does he know what happened to the orca?
He clicked away with his camera, hurrying to catch up with the locals who surrounded Ben Archer as they headed off the pier and up the beach.
“Can I help you?”
Someone stepped in front of him, cutting off his path. It was that muscular guy with the tattoo of a four-masted ship, the one who had protected the kid in the back alley. He crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Jeremy.
Jeremy groaned. “Hey, man,” he protested. “Get off my back already! I need to know what happened here! This is incredible! The world needs to know!”
“The world doesn’t want to know. The world is too busy with itself. Some things are best left alone, trust me.” The guy lowered his arms and glowered at Jeremy. “Go find something else to write about.” Then he walked away, leaving Jeremy gaping furiously after him.
When the guy was at a safe distance, Jeremy jogged onwards, but by now, the police officers, the girl, and the kid were too far away, so he decided to walk to the end of the pier and get some pictures of the beach and the motorboat.
Jeremy mulled over the boy.
What is it with that kid?
Why did Benjamin Archer keep popping up every time something unusual happened?
He aimed his camera, zooming in on the wet tracks left by the boy and his followers, then stared at the empty horizon, deep in thought.
He was about to leave when something shiny caught his eye in the motorboat. Frowning, he hopped on and reached for the object. His fingers curled around the familiar gadget.
My phone!
* * *
Uncle Pete squeezed Ben’s shoulders. “Son! Mijn jongen[5]!” he exclaimed, breathless with wonder. “You saved the orcas! How did you do it?”
Ben swallowed. He didn’t want to lie. But he couldn’t tell the truth, either. “I didn’t do anything, really…”
“Pa,” Wilson gave Uncle Pete a warning look. “The Zeefluisteraars work in mysterious ways. It is not our place to question them.”
Uncle Pete’s face beamed, the corner of his eyes creasing with laughter lines. “Indeed,” he said. “Let us leave it at that.” They walked towards the group of men, among whom was the Sheriff.
“There’s something I need to tell you,” he said,
eager to change the subject. “Something confused the orcas and beached them. I think I know what it was. When I was out there, I saw a ship hidden behind an island. It’s called the SOVA. It was making a lot of noise.”
Uncle Pete glanced at the Sheriff. “I see,” he said.
Ben continued. “We should go to the SOVA and let them know that they are putting the local wildlife in danger.”
Uncle Pete lifted an eyebrow but did not answer. The Sheriff glanced at the other police officers.
Ben stared at them. “You already know about it, don’t you?”
The Sheriff nodded. “We do. Now, don’t you worry yourself with this. Let us take care of it.”
“But…”
“That’s enough, Ben!” Uncle Pete’s tone of voice startled Ben.
The man softened his stance. “You’ve done quite enough, son. And you should leave that ship alone.”
Ben opened his mouth.
The Sheriff spoke before he could say anything. “I will report it to the Coast Guard as soon as I head into Tofino tomorrow.” He saluted by tapping on his hat, then walked away.
“Tomorrow?” Ben glanced at Uncle Pete.
“Yes, tomorrow.” Uncle Pete confirmed. “You did good today, son. Leave it for now. I want you and Kimi to head home and get some rest.” He turned and followed the group of men. Glancing back, he urged, “Go on.”
Ben watched them retreat down the beach. He set his jaw and glanced at Kimi, wondering what she thought of all this.
To his surprise, she did not acknowledge him but turned and walked off.
“Hey! What’s the matter?” he called, suddenly realizing she hadn’t said a word ever since he had docked at the pier.
She walked faster.
“Kimi? What’s wrong?”
Her shoulders shook. She glanced back, her face twisted in anger. She seemed so upset she could not speak.
“What is it?” he exclaimed, truly worried this time. “Tell me what’s wrong!”
“You really don’t know, do you?” she burst.
“Huh?”
She walked swiftly, her face flushed. “You went without me!” she yelled.
Ben flinched. “I… what?”
She stopped and balled her fists. “You saved the orcas without me! I know it was you. You did something, and you didn’t wake me. My mom said, ‘Don’t you question him, Kimimela, don’t you bother him’. And I obeyed. I’ve been silent all this time, trying to respect your private little life. But after everything I’ve done for you, you could have at least shared that moment with me. I thought we were friends. Friends share with each other: you know all about me, about my parents. My family has opened their arms to you. But you, you’re full of secrets, aren’t you? It’s always the same with you. And I’ve had enough.” She whirled and stomped away, leaving Ben gaping.
He was so taken aback that it took him a moment to start walking again. He stayed at a safe distance behind her, at a loss as to what to say.
A tightness gripped the back of his throat, as it dawned on him what he had done. He’d been so focused on saving the orcas that he had left his best friend behind.
But wasn’t that what he was supposed to do? Sure, Kimi knew there was something different about him and Mesmo, but not once had she questioned anything, not even to ask about the odd events that had happened in her home town of Canmore. And he had stupidly considered that she was ok with it, that she was ok not knowing.
How wrong I was!
All this time, heaps of questions must have been gnawing at her mind, and he hadn’t offered an inkling of an explanation.
He realized now why she had seemed distant. He had used his alien skill in front of her, causing a bunch of silent questions to resurface.
“Kimi…” he began, his voice full of remorse, but he didn’t know what to say next, and she didn’t stop to listen.
He followed her gloomily down the beach with his hands stuffed in his front pockets, wondering how to mend his friendship without revealing too much.
When they reached the house, Kimi stomped up the stairs and closed her bedroom door with a bang.
Auntie Jen stared after her, then at Ben. “Is everything all right, dear?” she asked worriedly.
Ben’s eyes stung. “Um, I’m not sure,” he managed.
Auntie Jen hugged him. “I am very proud of you. You did a brave thing today. You are the talk of the town.”
“Auntie Jen?” Ben’s voice sounded muffled in her shoulder.
“Yes, Ben,” she said as if already expecting his question.
“Did you know? About the orcas?”
She kept stroking his back as if needing some time to think about her answer, so he pulled away and looked at her. “When you told that story about Lady Moon and Humbelfin, did you know the orcas were coming?”
She squeezed his hands in her own and smiled. “Some stories have been told so many times, over thousands of years, from generation to generation, that one is tempted to think they must have a reason for being. Where does fiction end and reality begin? Is there really such a place as The Edge of the Ocean, where half-moon and sea creatures meet? Perhaps we will never know. Or perhaps you are here to find out.”
She released him and glanced up the stairs. “Don’t you worry about Kimi. Give her some space. Things will work out, you’ll see.”
Ben swallowed.
“Go on, get some rest,” she said. “You must be exhausted.”
He was.
No sooner had she spoken than an immense weariness sank into his body. “I think I’m going to lie down for a while,” he agreed. He barely made it into his room and onto his bed. But just before plunging into a deep, dreamless sleep, he vaguely noted that Auntie Jen had not answered his question at all.
CHAPTER 16 Staying out of Trouble
Mesmo stared at the seven assembled men and women. Early dawn left a chill in the air. A fire burned in the middle of their circle. The leaves of the maple tree barely moved, as if they did not want to interrupt the solemn mood.
Mesmo took a long, straight branch that lay by his side and snapped off a piece. He placed the stick in his cupped hands, closed his eyes and spoke in a whisper. He invoked the wisdom of his ancestors, asked for foresight as clear as the stars and patience as deep as the universe. He asked to borrow the guidance and insights of his father, in anticipation of the difficult debate he was about to have with the Wise Ones.
He then stood, placed the stick in the fire, watched as it caught flame, then returned to his place. He glanced at his neighbour, who happened to be Einar.
The Norseman had finally arrived the previous afternoon. He had barely greeted them with a nod, then taken his place in the circle without offering an explanation for his late arrival.
Mesmo passed him the rest of the branch but held on to it just long enough to force the Norseman to glance at him before releasing it.
Pinpricks of light from the fire danced in Einar’s eyes before he turned his attention to the branch. He then completed the same ancient Toreq tradition which always accompanied the beginning of a meeting, and was meant to bring clarity and hope for a positive outcome.
“I understand your skepticism regarding this meeting of Wise Ones,” Mesmo said when they had all completed the tradition. “It is unprecedented and unconventional. Yet, it is also vital.”
He stared at the circle of men and women who sat on the ground around him, shaded by the branches of the maple tree. Amaru, Yakut, Wonomanga, Akeya, Kahalu, Einar, Su Tai. They had all come at his calling.
“I have told you my mind regarding the descendants of the A’hmun, who now call themselves humans and who have inhabited this tiny planet for countless generations, ever since my people banished them here. However, now that I have observed them and lived among them, I have come to better understand why, a long time ago, the Toreq and the A’hmun were once close allies. And yet, at some point, for some undefined reason, this powerful and beneficial relationship soured
to the point of no return and led to the disastrous Great War of the Kins.
“The Toreq’s hate and fear towards this species have lingered, for we only remember their faults and have forgotten their strengths. It came as a surprise to me, therefore, to discover that their resourcefulness often eclipses their flaws, given the right conditions.
“And, as such, I have decided that I could not, in all consciousness, vote for the radical eradication of the human race.”
He lifted his hand before anyone could object. “I understand that some of you agree with me, while others do not, and I assure you I have immersed myself in your life-long studies of the species, and taken your opinions into account.
“Therefore, in spite of your overwhelmingly negative evidence against humans, I have advised the Toreq Arch Council against their elimination. And I have even taken things one step further.”
He glanced at them, bracing himself. “I have decided to consciously and purposefully aid humans in becoming a better version of themselves. And I have gathered you here to request your aid in achieving this goal.”
* * *
When Ben opened his eyes, the room no longer had sunlight beaming into it, though the blue sky outside confirmed it was still day. He rubbed at his eyes and face, feeling lines on his cheek where a fold of the cushion had pressed against it in his sleep. He hurried downstairs, checking in on Kimi’s empty room on the way, and found Auntie Jen busy in the kitchen.
“Feeling better?” she smiled at him.
“Yes, thanks Auntie Jen. Have you seen Kimi?”
“I have. She’s out surfing. Been gone an hour or so.”
“Thanks!” Ben said breathlessly, turning to rush out the door.
“Now hold on a minute, young man. You’ve got to eat something. You can’t go out on an empty stomach.”
Ben’s stomach grumbled automatically. He checked the time and saw it was three o’clock in the afternoon. He had slept the morning away.
He gulped down a glass of milk and chomped on a Belgian waffle, then took a couple of wrapped chocolate cookies with him up to his room, which he dumped on his bed so he could pull on his wetsuit. He bit his lip, swaying between his desire to mend things with Kimi but realizing he also needed to do something about the SOVA. When he was changed, he stood unmoving in the middle of the room, heart thumping in his chest.
