Lazy Days

by Clay, Verna

  The door creaked when she shut it. She held her breath, listening to her heart pound in her ears. Holding the stair railing in the dark, she slipped her other hand into her pocket and withdrew the flashlight, flipping the switch and tiptoeing down the stairs like she had done a hundred times as a teenager. She made her way to the window only she knew about.

  Because the window had been overgrown by vines on the outside, the alarm installers had missed it. Rainey had had the foresight, and maybe the audacity, to pull a freestanding shelf in front of the window on the inside, hiding it. Her ploy had worked and the window had become her escape to the outside. She hadn’t used it for years, but she felt certain it had never been discovered.

  Working stealthily, she cleared the shelves of items in about five minutes. Grabbing the side of the shelf, she pulled it away from the window with just enough space to squeeze in a step-ladder. The scraping sound on the cement floor started her heart pounding again. Shining her flashlight around the cellar, she spotted the ladder across the room. After placing it under the window, she climbed to the top rung and twisted the old metal lever, it didn't budge. Crap. Climbing back down she sorted through the cellar trying to find a pair of pliers. She spotted an old tool box and quietly rifled through it. Pliers…yes! Grinning, she returned to her task and used the pliers to twist the lever on the window. It didn't move at first, but persistence paid off. A slow scratching of metal on metal echoed into the cellar and made her breath hitch. Finally, the latch moved freely. She pushed the squeaking window upward and reached for the hook that would hold it in place. Laboriously, because of extra weight gained during womanhood, she struggled to pull herself through the opening.

  Please God, don’t let me get stuck. A vision of Roth finding her with her bosom jammed outside the window, and her butt inside, almost made her forget the whole escapade. With a final push, she made it through. The vines covering the outside of the mansion made her invisible. She almost gagged in the cloying darkness when the musty and moldy smell filled her lungs. Staying next to the stone wall, she crawled on all fours towards the corner of the building. It’s only fifteen feet. She knew the distance because she had once measured it. The words became her mantra: only fifteen feet…only fifteen feet. Finally, she reached the end of the wall and struggled to free her head from the vines. She peeked out.

  Cool air caressed her flushed cheeks and she breathed its freshness. The moon cast a dim illumination on the sweeping manicured lawns. Beyond the lawns, a field of wild flowers stretched to the edge of the forest, its ancient trees looming like giant monsters in the distance. Excitement pounded through her veins. She wanted to run and dance and skip in the field of flowers, and then gather her courage and peer into the darkness of the woods.

  As much as she desired her freedom, however, she knew obtaining it would be difficult. The motion sensors would detect her if she made the slightest mistake. She had once asked a technician how sensitive they were. His reply had been, "Only a slug can get past them."

  Slowly, she disentangled herself from the vines before scooting on her belly like a slug into the path of the sensors. The sensors could detect motion twenty feet out from the house. Even when she knew she was beyond sensor range, she went a little further.

  Finally…finally, she felt free. She felt like a teenager again. In a burst of adrenaline, she stood and ran. The mowed grounds of the estate were easy to traverse. But when she reached the uneven ground of the field of wildflowers and didn’t pause, she almost fell, caught herself, and took off again.

  * * *

  Soaring high over the forest, Roth looked toward the Childress Estate. He wondered if Rainey was staring into the night. Movement in the field next to the woods jerked his eagle eyes towards it. Riding a wave of wind, he flew closer and circled the animal below. Recognition made his heart pound. Was someone chasing Rainey? Swooping down, he landed fifteen feet in front of her. She yelped and stopped running so abruptly she fell to her knees. Raising her head, she shook a tangled mass of cascading waves away from her face. Her eyes, reflecting brilliant in a sudden shaft of moonlight, rounded in wonder when she saw the eagle. Her appearance fit the description of an earthling goddess—half human, half feral. Her husky voice rasped low, "Oh, my God…Oh, my God. It’s you."

  For a moment, Roth thought she knew it was him.

  "I’ve watched you from my bedroom. I’ve never seen an eagle on our grounds before. Oh, God, I’m talking to an eagle. I think you're a bald eagle."

  Roth stretched and flapped his wings.

  "Please, don’t leave. I know you can’t understand me, but maybe you can feel my love for you…my love for your freedom."

  Roth pulled his wings close to his body.

  Rainey sat on the ground.

  They stared at each other.

  Finally, Roth approached taking short hops.

  She gasped.

  He came within ten feet. He could hear her rapid breathing.

  "I sneaked out of the house. I’ve seen you flying many times and it’s made me restless. I used to sneak from the house all the time as a teenager. I’ve been thinking about running like this since the first time I saw you."

  Roth knew he should leave, but seeing "this" Rainey, so different from the "heiress" Rainey, and the "scientist" Rainey, kept him from flying away. She spoke freely, as if he were her closest friend.

  Roth listened to her for a long time. The hoot of an owl made him realize how late it was. If he didn’t leave, he had the feeling she would stay until he did. He extended his wings and heard her gasp.

  "You’re so beautiful," she breathed. "I’ve read that eagles mate for life. I wish I were your mate. We could soar through the heavens together."

  Roth watched a lone tear trickle down her cheek. Flapping his wings, he captured the breeze and lifted skyward, not taking his eyes off of her. Circling low, he heard her sniff. Finally, she stood and retraced her steps toward the estate grounds. Zooming high in the darkness, he watched her progress. She glanced upward many times, searching the sky. He stayed high enough so she couldn’t see him.

  When she reached a certain distance from the house, she dropped to her belly and inched her way toward the mansion. Her tenacity impressed him. She reached the corner of the wall and disappeared into the covering of vines. Roth circled until he saw her open the French doors of the bedroom adjacent to her own. Crossing the balcony, she hoisted herself over the railing and onto the connecting ledge to her own room. While grabbing vines for stability she edged across it. Like a clumsy cat burglar, she climbed over her balcony railing and quickly entered her bedroom. He silently landed outside her French doors and peered through a crack in the draperies. The soft glow of a nightlight cast the room in shadow. She sat on her bed and put her head in her hands. After a few minutes, she reached for the hem of her grass-stained sweater and lifted. Roth expanded his wings and flew to his own balcony. Bowing his head, he shifted into his human form.

  Chapter 4: Frustration

  Rainey stared out her window on the ride to the lab the next day.

  "Do you know anything about eagles?" Mr. Beowolf.

  Roth choked. "Excuse me?"

  "Do you know anything about eagles?"

  "Why?"

  "No reason. I was just thinking that I’ve spent years of my life pursuing higher education, and yet I know nothing about eagles, or any other animal for that matter. You didn’t answer my question, ‘Do you know anything about eagles’?"

  "A little."

  "How did you learn?"

  "Observation."

  "Hmm. Yes, you would be the kind of person who learns by observation. Sadly, I’ve learned everything I know from books."

  "You’re introspective today."

  "You mean not quite my ‘bitchy’ self?"

  "I didn’t say that."

  "You didn’t have to. But don’t worry, it's only temporary."

  Johnson pulled to the curb and started to open his door.

  "No need,
Johnson, I’ve got it." Rainey reached for her door handle. "Maybe you can share what you know about eagles with me someday, Mr. Beowolf."

  * * *

  Rainey’s introspection didn’t last long. The experiments scheduled for that day were disastrous. First one piece of equipment broke, and then another. Roth pulled Fawn aside, trying to get an understanding of the equipment problems.

  "Fawn, are you being paid to talk or work?" Rainey asked when she saw them together.

  "I’m sorry, Rainey. What would you like me to do?"

  "Set the plate for the next array of frequencies."

  Roth walked to the bank of windows, and turned to watch Rainey. She wore a white shapeless lab coat and beige loafers. Her hair, pulled back in its usual clip at the nape of her neck, looked stark and unbecoming. If he hadn't encountered her the previous night, even in his wildest imaginings, he would never have associated this Rainey, with that Rainey. Last night, he had observed a vulnerable, warm, and even compelling woman. The woman he now saw was brash, rude, and homely. He shook his head.

  "Listen up, everyone," Rainey called. "We need to regroup. Meet me in my office in ten minutes." As an afterthought, she added, "Mr. Beowolf, your presence is not required."

  "I’ll be there," he countered.

  Ten minutes later, Steve, Jim, Fawn, and Roth sat uncomfortably in the small office in chairs borrowed from the lab floor. Rainey sat behind her desk, tapping a pencil on her blotter.

  "It has become obvious over the past few weeks that we’re at a stalemate. When we first started our experiments based on the work of other researchers, our springboard was the ancient 'OM'. When toned, it creates an 'O' shape. We then became proficient at using certain frequencies in certain combinations to create letters, numbers, and geometric forms. After that, we increased the number of frequencies and successfully formed three-dimensional shapes. Then we moved on to creating rudimentary body organs. A few months ago we accidently had an incredible breakthrough with the formation of a whole human on the Chladni plate.

  "What I’m saying, people, is that we’re going nowhere fast! We have got to regroup and rethink. How the hell were we able to create a three-dimensional replica of me? Think everyone. Think about it when you go home…think about it when you go to bed…think about it in your dreams…think about-"

  Roth interrupted. "Maybe the problem is you’re thinking too much."

  Rainey’s jaw dropped. "What did you say?"

  "You heard me."

  Rainey tried to stare him down, but his blue gaze never waivered.

  Jim suddenly stood and said, "I have to check something. I’ll…I’ll be thinking about the problem all the time, Rainey."

  Roth refused to be bulldozed by her and would not look away from the fireworks in her eyes. The office emptied.

  Rainey stood and circled her desk. "Close the door, Roth."

  He reached behind his chair and gently pushed. The door clicked.

  "You seem to forget Mr. Beowolf that I am in charge of this lab. You are merely a hireling of my father. You have no say in my work here. In fact, you are not even qualified to have a say in what we're doing. I am going to speak with my father about having you fired."

  Roth stood and stepped around the chair blocking him from Rainey. She tried to take a step backward, but her desk prevented her. He stood tall above her, but bent until his electric-blue gaze hovered above hers.

  "You are a spoiled, selfish heiress. Your threats do not scare me. Your posturing does not move me. You can run to Daddy and demand that I be fired, but it will not happen. You are stuck with me, so you’d better get used to it. My job is to protect you and, by God, I will.

  "Now, about your office meeting: Demands to your employees will not bring about a resolution. Your stinking attitude will only bring about stinking ideas. What you need—and they need—is a vacation; time away from this prison so you can solve the mystery of the frequencies. Do you understand what I’m saying?"

  Roth turned and left the room before she could answer.

  * * *

  Rainey clutched her briefcase to her chest during the ride home. She sat as far away from Roth as humanly possible in the Hummer. No one had ever spoken to her the way he had. She was so mad she wanted to pummel him.

  "We’ve got a tail, Roth," said Johnson.

  "How long?"

  "Five minutes…came in on Tenth Street…waited until we hit the countryside…black SUV."

  "What…what do you mean?" asked Rainey.

  "Whatever you do, Rainey, don’t turn around. Understand?" Roth reached to pull his handgun from his body holster and lay it across his lap. He also reached into his vest pocket and pulled out a mirror.

  "What…what are you doing?"

  Roth raised the mirror and held it so he could look out the rear window. "I see the SUV."

  Rainey started to turn around and Roth darted a hand to her leg.

  "Don’t turn around," he said calmly.

  Johnson said, "Looks like one person."

  "Yeah, I see that. We’re almost to Twelfth, I want you to do a quick right when we get there, drop me out of the car, and then speed off like the hounds of hell are after you."

  "Understood. But what are you…"

  "Trust me, Johnson."

  "Yes, sir." Johnson punched a speed dial number on the dash. Almost immediately he responded to a voice on the other end of his headset. He relayed their situation. After he terminated the call, he said, "The other Hummer is being dispatched as backup. Our ETA to the jump point is about one minute. The tail is still on."

  Rainey said, "What are you going to do, Roth?"

  "Remember what I said about a vacation?"

  "What…what does that-"

  "After this is over, we’re going away for awhile—time for a break."

  "Thirty seconds," said Johnson.

  Roth jammed his gun back into its holster.

  "Roth, please…"

  Suddenly, the Hummer swerved and entered a cross street. At the peak of the turn, Roth opened his door and rolled from the car. Rainey shrieked, "Oh, my God!" and Johnson put the pedal to the metal.

  * * *

  Roth rolled out of the car, took cover in roadside foliage, and bowed his head.

  The SUV reached the corner and whipped around it. Roth stretched his wings and lifted upward behind the vehicle. He saw Johnson swerve around another corner, disappearing from sight. He landed with a thud on the roof of the SUV. The startled driver swerved. Roth prayed again and jumped onto the hood with four paws. The driver took one look at the wolf and screeched his brakes. Without cover, Roth prayed and shifted back into an eagle. The terrified man now gaped at an eagle on the hood of his car. With a squawk, Roth soared upward and watched the SUV back up, whip around, and squeal toward the city. He followed.

  * * *

  After a harrowing ride, Johnson finally reached the estate. He'd been in constant contact with headquarters and the tall iron gates stood open. Four guards, two on either side of the imposing structure, awaited their arrival with semiautomatics exposed. Johnson peeled past the entrance and around to the back of the house. Other guards awaited and rushed Rainey from the Hummer into the house.

  "Thank God, Rainey, I was so worried!" Her father waited at the terrace doors to embrace her.

  "Roth jumped from the car," she choked.

  Johnson waited to be acknowledged.

  "Why did Roth jump from the car, Johnson?" her father asked.

  "I don’t know, sir. He told me to trust him. A few minutes after he jumped, we no longer had a tail on us. He must have shot out the tires or something."

  For the next half hour, Rainey huddled in a chair and listened to her father and Johnson discuss the situation.

  Johnson’s cell phone rang. "Johnson speaking— Yes, sir. I'll have someone pick you up?"

  "Pick who up?" Rainey asked; her voice hopeful.

  "Sir, Roth is calling to be picked up. I'll send someone for him."

&nbs
p; Hank said, "Thank God." Then he approached Rainey with a shot glass. "Rainey, you’ve had a bad scare. I want you to drink this to calm your nerves."

  "No…" Rainey saw the concern in her father’s eyes. "Okay, Dad."

  Johnson walked outside.

  Rainey felt overwhelming relief. Roth was okay. She swigged the whiskey her father had given her and then reached for the decanter he'd set on the table beside her.

  * * *

  Roth carried Rainey to her bedroom. Her attempt to climb the stairs had been laughable. While he and Johnson had spoken to Mr. Childress, he’d watched her imbibe enough whiskey to get drunk as a skunk, or so he thought the saying went.

  She draped her arms around his neck and whispered in his ear. "You know what I think, Roth Beowolf?"

  "What, Rainey Childress?"

  "I think you are an insufferable ass…and you have a cute one, too." She giggled and snuggled her head under his chin.

  "Likewise, Ms. Childress."

  He heard her sigh and then snore. At the door to her room, Frank stood and raised an eyebrow, but he opened the door for Roth without questioning Rainey’s altered state. He did have a question for Roth, however. "Hey, Roth, I was in the dispatch Hummer. We couldn’t locate the SUV. Sorry about that, man. Johnson said you must have shot the tires out. It’s weird we couldn’t locate it though."

  "Yeah, Frank, it’s been a weird day."

  Roth entered Rainey’s room and pushed the door shut with his foot. Walking to her bed, he bent with her still in his arms and pulled the covers back. Laying her on the silken, pastel-pink sheets, he grinned. So she liked silk and pink. When he thought about it, he wanted to bust out laughing. He had pictured her more the flannel, army-green type.

  He looked at her high-necked blouse and hesitated only a second before unbuttoning it. She wore a nondescript white camisole underneath, but he could see pink lace peeking over the top. He was sorely tempted to pull the camisole over her head to reveal what lay beneath. However, out of respect for her imbibed state, he restrained himself. He looked at her ample bosom and sighed. Removing her shoes and then unbuttoning her skirt, he slipped it off to reveal a plain white slip. He tossed her blouse and skirt on a chair, and pulled the covers up to her chin. When he started to move away, she barely opened her eyes and reached her arms around his neck, pulling his mouth to hers. He let her. She moaned and mashed her lips against his. The kiss had no finesse. Roth almost gave in to the temptation to teach her something. Sighing, he withdrew his mouth and let her drift back into dreamland. Puffing air, he left her room. He needed to discuss his plan with Hank.