The Long Walk Home

by Ison, S. A.

  He looked around and all were weeping for the loss of Wyatt. Carter was holding Christy tightly to him, her face buried in his chest. Her small arms holding desperately to him. Beckett hoped the child had not seen the man plummet to his death. She was seeing way too much for a child her age.

  Dustu grunted and nodded to go on. The group moved and moved with such care and slowness that it took nearly an hour to finish the crossing. When they got to the other side, they all dropped. Beckett could smell the fear and sorrow on himself. He stunk badly, but he pulled Zoe and held her and pulled Christy in his arms and rocked them both. They both wept. Around him people moved and there were whispers, but he could only hold them and his legs would not work and he could not stand. He was heartbroken and felt defeated.

  He watched as Dustu left with his longbow and his quiver. He smiled slightly, the man was enamored with the bow. It was still early in the day, but no one had the heart to go on and so Carter, Noland and JP began to set up the camp. Evie and Astrid held each other, weeping. Lucas sat with them and held them in his arms.

  There was no water around, but they all had plenty with their bottles. Beckett felt himself calmer and disengaged himself from Zoe and Christy.

  “It’s my fault.” She said in a low voice.

  “What?” Beckett asked, not hearing her correctly.

  “It’s my fault, I tripped and jerked the line. I’m sure Wyatt was pulled and that is why he fell.” She choked out.

  “No, I felt that tug, and it was barely even a jerk. No, I think Wyatt must have tripped and he pulled you and then me. When he grabbed onto you, he damned near pulled you with him.” He grabbed her hand and jerked her hard, to garner her full attention.

  “Hear me. It was not your fault. It was a pure accident. And I thank God you were not lost as well. I owe Dustu for your life. He caught you. Thank god he did. I tried, but I couldn’t get you. I’m so sorry for that.”

  “Jesus Christ Beckett, it doesn’t matter. Thank you for trying. I just wish we could have saved Wyatt.” Zoe said miserably, her face crumpling once more. He drew her in again and held her.

  “Is everything okay?” Christy asked in a small shaky voice.

  “Yeah honey, it is. We’re going to camp for tonight. We’ve had a long day, don’t you think?” Beckett asked softly.

  “I was scared.” She said, her lip quivering.

  “Me too. But it’s over and we’re on the other side.” He agreed.

  He hoped she’d not seen Wyatt’s fall. If she hadn’t, then it wouldn’t be burned into her. He got up and Zoe took the girl. She held the child in her lap. Beckett walked over to Carter.

  “Did Christy see Wyatt fall?” Beckett asked.

  “No, when you fell, I took her to me and blocked her view. I was trying to work at the knot. I was trying to disconnect the girl from you.”

  “Thank you, thank you so much. Christ, I was afraid I’d pull her with me, if both Zoe and Wyatt pulled me over. My god, I wish we could have saved Wyatt.” Beckett groaned.

  “There was no way you could. He was pulling Zoe down with him.”

  “Was it you that told him to let go of her?” Beckett asked.

  “Yeah, me and JP, if he’d held on to her, she’d be dead by now. You could not save them both. Wyatt, he couldn’t save himself. He’d have killed Zoe, have no doubt. He sacrificed himself for her.”

  “I saw she was slipping fast, and I couldn’t pull them both up and I couldn’t reach her. He’s with Rhena now, I guess. Jesus.” His breath came out in a shudder and he wiped at his face. He was spent, beyond mentally and physically spent. He moved away to help set up camp. They were all spent, and it would be an early night. He wasn’t even hungry, he just wanted to sleep. He moved like an automaton, getting the camp ready for night. Helping Christy get settled. His brain was numb and it seemed that nearly every day, some crisis had befallen them.

  He was afraid they’d all die and never make it home again. He didn’t care so much for himself, but he desperately wanted Christy and Zoe, and also Evie to get home safely. He felt on the verge of weeping, but bit that urge back. Zoe and Christy needed him to be brave and there for them. But he was so tired, so very tired.

  XX

  The group was quiet that night. Lucas and JP laid face to face. Both were grieving for the loss of the doctor. JP had fixed dinner for everyone, and though everyone ate, none had any kind of appetite. They ate only to sustain their strength. Dustu had come back with two rabbits and he and Lucas had spiced the meat. They had roasted the meat and divvied it up.

  Dustu was the only one with an appetite. JP couldn’t blame the man. Christ, all four had nearly gone over that edge. JP wished they were over to the other side. This goddamned trip was taking forever. How many more chances did they have before they were all dead? Christ, Lucas nearly died falling down that hill. With all the boulders and sharp rocks.

  How would he explain that his husband was killed by Indians or eaten by a fucking mountain lion? Were they even now UA? Unauthorized absence? Was time going faster on the other side? Was the ship even now calling for their return? Christ.

  “You okay John?” Lucas asked.

  “No and yeah. I just wonder if we’ll ever get out of here. Next time I suggest we go for a hike, beat the living hell out of me. Break my fucking leg.”

  “Yes dear.” Lucas smiled, his eyes crinkling.

  “God, I’m so tired. My nerves are shot Lucas, I kid you not.”

  “Me too. Jesus. Poor Wyatt. And Zoe was damn near gone too. If Dustu hadn’t caught her? My god. This has just been one nightmare after another.” Lucas said, shaking his head.

  “How is your arm and hands doing?”

  “I’ll do. Doc did a good job.”

  “Yeah he did. Did I tell you how much I fucking hate all this? And to break my leg if we ever venture into the woods.”

  “Yeah John, we’re going to vacation in a bed and breakfast next.”

  “Christ, I may not leave the ship for a long time. Jesus.” And then he closed his eyes, wanting to blot out the earlier events. It would stay with him for the rest of his life.

  XX

  “Will we die here?” Astrid asked her husband softly. He held her in his arms. She couldn’t seem to stop crying. It was one big nightmare after another. She thought that perhaps she might go on some kind of tranquilizer when they got back or go to therapy.

  “No honey, if we are careful and listen to the Indian and Beckett, I think we’ll make it out. It’s just a bad accident.” He assured her, and she felt his arms tighten around her.

  “I don’t know if I can take much more, mi Amor.” She whimpered.

  “You are stronger than you know. You truly are. Sleep now. Sleep. Tomorrow is a new day and we’ll face it together and when we get home, we’ll never leave it.” He said softly, kissing her head. She nodded. He was right about that.

  XX

  The group moved through the forest, it was dense and quiet. All were in low spirits. It had been a hard night and the memories of all the people of their group who’d been left behind. Beckett was sure that each one wondered who’d be next to die. What other challenges were ahead to take out their numbers? Who would be next? He knew he shouldn’t think like that, it was deadly to do so. Fatalistic thinking would get himself and perhaps others killed.

  He was coming to care for Zoe, and he knew it was because of the stress they were under. An accelerated phenomenon. He couldn’t help it though. Being with her twenty-four-seven, they’d become very close. Hell, they all had. They would be the only people who knew what had happened and what was out there on this trail. He wondered if Alaska had such time bubbles. He thought of it as a bubble or tube. Come in one way and walk out another.

  Would they end up in their own time? Or would they be sent to another time? What would they do then? Adapt or die, he guessed. He pushed the unsettling thoughts aside. He watched as Christy walked with Zoe and smiled. He was thankful the child hadn’t seen Wyat
t fall. She’d not asked about him, and so he figured she knew, but didn’t want to ask about it. Self-protection.

  Dustu was walking at a brisk pace now.

  “Ase edolidohv gatsanulahige, must travel faster.” Dustu had said that morning. Beckett wondered if there was a time factor, if perhaps the other end closed? Would they then be trapped?

  “You think we’re getting close?” Noland asked, coming up abreast of Beckett.

  “I want to think so, Dustu insists we go faster, and so maybe we are getting close. God, I hope so.”

  “Me too brother, me too.”

  “How will we explain the disappearance of Rhena, Milo and Wyatt?” Noland asked, when Beckett stayed quiet.

  “We don’t. We can’t tell anyone where we’ve been. We can’t even acknowledge that we knew them. If we do, then we have to explain and we can’t do that.”

  “So, they’re just forgotten?” Noland said, without heat.

  “No, their families and friends will wonder what happened to them. They will all assume they were lost on the trail. There isn’t a body, so essentially, no foul play. They will be a mystery that will never be solved. We won’t forget about them though; we’ll always keep them in our hearts and our memories.”

  “That’s true.”

  “Look Noland, I’ve seen it a thousand times over my career, people disappear without a trace. Sometimes they turn up alive, some place else. Sometimes a body turns up and more often than not, nothing is ever found and no one ever knows.” Beckett said, shrugging.

  “Makes you wonder how many time passages there are? Maybe that is where a lot of people go? Christ. And you said that Dustu said every seven years? I wonder why it is every seven years?”

  “I don’t even know how it works. But I think when I get back, I’m going to go and look up disappearances seven years ago in this area. Maybe I can find others like us.”

  “We can have a reunion.” Noland snorted.

  Beckett laughed as well. “We are the only ones we can talk to about, to reminisce and to remember, especially those that we’ve lost.”

  “If me or Astrid die here, don’t forget us? Maybe send our family a secret note, tell them we’re together?”

  “Don’t talk like that. We have to keep positive, I know it’s hard. Even I’m feeling it. But we have to keep positive and push on. I think as long as we’re careful, we’ll be okay.”

  “I know, it’s just hard, Astrid is falling apart. She’s trying to hold it together.”

  “I know, tell her she isn’t alone. We’re all trying to hold it together. If it helps, tell her to hold it together for Christy. That little girl needs us to keep it together. We have to get her back to her parents.”

  Yeah, when we get back, me and Astrid decided we’d take her back to her folks. Figure we’d find a station and have them put an alert out for her folks.”

  “Thanks. I’m hoping they didn’t get lost in time and die here. I’m hoping they are waiting on the other side. We’ll have to make sure that Christy doesn’t tell her folks.”

  “I honestly don’t think she fully understands. I think that she thinks they just got separated. I don’t think she understands about being five hundred years in the past.” Noland said, scratching his beard.

  “Well, let’s make sure she doesn’t find out. Tell Astrid that is her project, keeping Christy calm. Maybe in doing so, it will keep her calm as well.”

  “Thanks Beckett, that’s a good idea.” He said, slapping Beckett on the back. He fell back and Beckett looked over his shoulder, and saw the man talking to his wife. Good, they all needed to be calm and maybe focusing on the child would help them all endure this.

  ELEVEN

  Dustu stood above a large waterfall. He waited for the others to catch up. It was time to part from them. He could not go farther. He hoped that they understood his direction. He was sure that Beckett would. He turned and looked at Beckett.

  He pointed below, to a grouping of rocks. There were rhododendrons with beautiful orange blossoms that looked like a sun burst. That was where they were to go through, that massive shrubby bramble of flowers.

  “Nihi ase anagisdi uwasv. You must go alone. Digvwalosv anitsilvsgi. Through flowers.”

  “Owenvsv? Home?”

  “Vv, yes yes.” Dustu nodded.

  Beckett turned to the others.

  XX

  “Okay everyone, this is it. See that big bush of orange flowers?” Beckett said, pointing down into the valley.

  “So, we go through that and we’ll be back to our own…home?” Astrid said, she’d stopped herself from saying back to our own time. She’d looked down at Christy, blushing.

  He smiled, nodding. She started weeping, and Noland held her. Beckett looked at the sky, it was midafternoon. It would take a bit of time, working their way down. He hoped there were no surprises in that mass of flowers. They’d need their walking sticks and trekking poles to ensure no snakes.

  Beckett then turned toward Dustu, feeling suddenly overwhelmed. He took the Cherokee’s hand and held it tight.

  “Wado udohiyu utsati, iginvtli, thank you very much, my brother.” Beckett said and pulled Dustu in for a tight hug. The man’s eyes opened wide.

  “Gvlieliga udohiyu, iginytli, you are very welcome, my brother.” Dustu said, patting Beckett’s back with his open palm. Beckett stood back and then Carter stepped in and hugged Dustu. Beckett smiled as each of the group in turn stepped up to hug the man. The women cried and kissed his cheek. By the time Christy came to hug the man, he was nearly in tears.

  Beckett had to fight back his own tears. They’d all gotten very close over the last week. Their lives had been so entwined, that they’d bonded together. He hated saying goodbye, but wanted desperately to get back to his own time. As the group made their way down the sloping terrain, each one looked back over their shoulders.

  The women were weeping, and looking back. Raising a hand from time to time to wave once more. Soon, they were all swallowed up and when Beckett looked back once more, he could no longer see Dustu.

  Dustu’s last words had been, “If you can not find your way to your between world, come back to me. I will wait for you, two days.”

  When Dustu had said those words, they were said with great sadness. Beckett didn’t think it was because he was sad to see them go. Something deep within Beckett told him, that if they didn’t leave this time, they’d all die. Dustu hadn’t come out and said it. But the way he’d told Beckett spoke volumes. If they didn’t make it out, Beckett knew they couldn’t go back, for it would be certain death.

  If they didn’t get back to their own time, Beckett would lead them away from Dustu and his people. He’d take them all farther south and they’d try to survive there. That loud warning in his heart, he was sure, was God breathing through him. Telling him to stay away from Dustu and his people. He’d listen by Christ. He’d sure as hell listen.

  Noland was ahead of them, his walking stick hitting the bushes hard. Astrid, who was behind him did the same. Beckett brought up the rear. Everyone froze when they heard rattling. The hair rose on Beckett’s arms.

  “Where is that coming from?” He hissed low.

  “Near me.” Zoe said softly.

  “Don’t move, I’m coming forward.” Beckett said, moving up with his trekking poles moving back and forth.

  “Do you see it?” He asked her when he drew near.

  “No, I can just hear it.” She said, her voice shaking. They were so goddamn close. He didn’t want her getting bit. The memories of Rhena’s agony were still fresh in all their minds. They were also close to the Rhododendron bushes.

  “Stay put, let me look.” He said.

  “There it is.” Evie hissed, pointing about four feet away from Zoe’s booted foot.

  “Beckett lifted his pole and rammed it down on the snake’s head, pinning it down. Zoe jumped out of the way. Everyone moved away. Beckett took out Dustu’s stone knife. He hated cutting the snakes head off, but he coul
dn’t chance someone getting bit. Keeping the pressure on the snake’s head, he quickly cut through the snake and decapitated it.

  “Okay, let’s keep going and keep your ears attuned. No talking and move those sticks ahead of you. Spread out a bit.” Beckett ordered.

  Everyone did and soon they were walking into the Rhododendrons. The thicket of plants was thick and difficult to pass through. Noland was in the lead and using his knife to cut branches, making passage easier for the rest. Branches slapped him in his face and he had to watch out, or he’d puncture his eyes. He moved the branches aside, his backpack snagging on the other branches, holding him back.

  He was trying to use his trekking poles, moving the leaves and branches below, but it was nearly impossible. Now would be the perfect place for a snake to hide and he could do nothing about it. This made the sweat break out on Beckett’s face and hands. A thrill of fear went through him and nearly sent him into a panicked run.

  “Now’s not the time to panic. Push through Beckett, just push through.” He whispered to himself. He could see ahead that the branches were thinning and he could see light, and an opening. He pushed harder and saw that Zoe was helping Christy get untangled from the branches. Christ, if that child got bit, it would kill her quick. He moved up forward as fast as he could. They were so close, were they already in their own time? Would they know if and when they were in their own time?

  XX

  Dustu watched as the between people moved down the hill. He was torn. He’d told Beckett to come back if they didn’t find their way through, but he’d not meant it. He didn’t want to kill these people. He hated it. Hated the job he’d been given. None of the others ever told about caring about the between ghosts. But he cared and cared very much.

  If they came back, could he kill them? No, he could not. They were his friends. He hoped that they could get through and he’d never see them again. Perhaps he would dream about them, but he hoped he’d not see their faces. He absolutely understood why they must die. But he could not bring himself to do it.