CHAPTER 13
The cuts were mostly superficial. There were a few deeper ones, but nothing life threatening. I was more worried about my back. I’d hit the ground hard and I could feel how stiff it was. Being slowed by a bad back was the last thing I needed before our next encounter. I stretched it out for a while as Vix bandaged my deepest cuts. We then wrapped the Frozen Blade back up and put it away. Baring any unforeseen circumstances, we were done with that one.
The sun was low enough on the horizon that we were completely cast in shadow at this point. It wasn’t dark enough yet to cause visibility problems, but we were getting close. We moved at a very brisk pace on our way back to the broken farmhouse. The fast tempo was helping to keep my back loose. To Freddy and Vix’s credit, they just kept up with me without complaint. A short time later we saw the old farmhouse ruins in the distance. Time was running short and I wasn’t sure we could afford to bed down for the night. But I wanted a place with really good sight lines to grab a bite to eat. We approached those wooden remnants and kept our senses peeled for anyone lying in wait. The coast was clear, so we grabbed a comfortable spot and pulled out some rations.
Rations and energy bars are about a far as you can get from a gourmet meal. But they were easy to carry and packed a lot of calories. Calories were always something I needed in excess when my body was healing. My wounds weren’t severe, but if each of these fights left me with a little reminder, I was going to be in rough shape by our fifth encounter. So, I ate a couple extra bars and a bit of candy I’d brought along. What can I say, I have the palate of a five year old and candy makes me happy.
After the eating was done, we all took a few minutes for ourselves. My back was hurting way more than it should have so I spent my time relaxing. Freddy and Vix both seemed happy with some them-time, and they each did their own thing. My back was tightening up bad, all I could really do was stretch and keep my back as loose as possible. Vix was wandering around the ruined farmhouse, testing the strength of the wood. I guessed she was assessing the defensive strength of our position. While I wasn’t planning to make camp here, it wasn’t a bad idea to know how defensible this location was in case we rested a bit. Freddy found a comfy looking mound of earth and sat down to go over the map of the area. I watched his brown furrow a few times as he made decisions about our best bet for travel. After a while he nodded to himself and seemed satisfied with his plan. He looked my way, his expression making it clear he was seeking permission to disturb my stretching. I nodded him over.
“I assume you have our route planned out?”
“I believe so,” Freddy started, “our next destination is several miles to the north, down stream. Although we will eventually end up a few miles west of the river, it appears we will make better time if we continue along this river road. While a straight line would be the shortest route, the unfavorable terrain between here and there would slow us down considerably. If my calculations are correct, we will save a lot of time on our journey if we follow the river and then at the appropriate moment, head west.”
“So, you’re saying we’re going to head north and then real sudden like turn left?” I chuckled.
Freddy’s face made it clear he didn’t understand the reference. Yet again reminding me that we would have to start making time for movie nights. I mean, what’s the point of me making so many cool movie references if no one but me gets them? I bet Erika would have gotten it. That made me smile. But then I looked over at Vix and remembered our current mission. Now was definitely not the time to think about Erika or Vix or dwell on my love life. I did my best to keep my attention on the conversation with Freddy.
“It’s a line from a great movie Freddy. I’ll add it to the list of things we can watch when you head over for movie night.”
Freddy gave me a sly smile as he replied, “I am looking forward to many nights of camaraderie.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. It was a good call back. Before I could think of some clever retort, Vix walked our way with purpose in her step.
“Did I hear that we are planning to follow the river for a while?” she asked Freddy.
“Yes,” he replied, “we will be traveling the river road for many miles before heading west.”
“In that case, I think we should perhaps ride in style,” she smiled.
That peaked my interest, “What did you have in mind?”
“I’ve been looking over the wood that’s still here and it’s not all rotten. From the sturdy bits that remain, I believe I can quickly fashion us a crude raft. Might speed up our journey and would definitely let you rest for a while,” the last bit was obviously directed at me.
“What a fantastic idea,” Freddy beamed, “according to my map, we should not encounter any rapids or rough waters before we need to depart the river. Please tell me if there is anything I can do to help.”
“Don’t worry, I got jobs for all three of us,” she smiled.
Vix wasn’t kidding, she instantly put us both to work. Honestly, I didn’t mind, as being active was helping to keep my back loose. My job was pretty easy. Even with my injuries, I was being used mostly as muscle. I pried wood loose from the structure and carried it to the river’s edge. Freddy was the knot master. Between the three of our packs, we had enough rope and cord to tie the raft together. And as Freddy was all to happy to let us know about, he knew over a dozen maritime knots that would be appropriate for our boat. Vix worked with him, guiding and organizing the craft. I wouldn’t call it the greatest ship ever made, but after little more than a half an hour, we had a seaworthy raft. Or riverworthy I guess.
It was a pretty simple craft with several larger logs on the bottom for floatation. A dozen planks were attached to the top, giving us a nice flat surface. Vix even grabbed a small rock and used it to hammer some of the rusty nails in, really locking everything together. We covered the top planks with a thin layer of dirt and thatch in order to keep us from getting tetanus and splinters while we rode. It even had a crude rudder. All in all, MacGyver would have been proud.
Once Vix was convinced it was ready to go, we secured our supplies on board and Freddy hopped on while Vix and I pushed it into the water. A quick jump and we were all three on board and starting down river. The current moved at a nice steady pace, just as it appeared from shore. Before long our little craft was making its way easily downriver.
The raft is probably a bit smaller than you’d imagine. Resources and pickings were slim. It was maybe six feet wide and eight feet long. It also wasn’t entirely geometrically balanced, as the front was definitely skinnier than the back. But it was floating and we all sort of had our own space without touching each other. So, I called it a win. Vix was the captain and she controlled the rudder with the ease of someone who knew their way around boats.
“I didn’t know you were into boats?”
She gave me a sad smile before answering, “It was something I got into after we met. I felt an odd kinship with the water after…well after my long swim trip.”
I hated thinking about her almost dying or even worse her floating downstream with broken bones. I’d failed her and realized this was yet one more thing in life I wouldn’t forgive myself for. But she’d found a way to embrace her experience. That was something I could definitely appreciate.
“It’s always good to find ways to deal with significant events in our lives.”
“Yeah,” she nodded, “I got really into sailing after I recovered. Obviously my injuries had me going in and out of consciousness, but there were a few times where I was lucid and I managed to ignore my injuries long enough to find peace in the gentle bobbing up and down in the water. There was a sense of weightlessness accompanying the soothing sound of the water bubbling and flowing all around me. It was just beyond words,” her smile slightly sad and reminiscent, “Just give me a good ship and a wind to sail her by and I’m happy.”
“Sounds very peaceful.”
“Perhaps, once this is all over, we could take a nice
long trip somewhere. I think you’d love it,” she smiled.
“Yeah, maybe we should.” I smiled back.
Freddy was doing his best to ignore us. He was trying to give us privacy and I appreciated that. Not an easy thing to do on such a small boat. But I still managed to catch a small change in the expression on his face. It was sadness. I thought I knew why. We’d finally started to become friends and now I was talking about leaving and sailing the world with Vix. I could definitely understand his worry. As far as he knew, I might leave the GHOSTs once this was over. But I knew better. Like Vix using the water to come to terms with her trauma, I too had an outlet. It was my job.
It might not seem like much, but I really liked the idea of helping people with my talents. I felt like saving lives instead of taking them was probably the best way to balance my own karmic scales. If my parents were still around, I doubted they’d ever forgive me for the killing I’d done in their name. But I think this would have softened the blow. Maybe it was foolish, but it was what kept me going. Plus, I’d never fit Vlad on some small sailboat and he’d never let me hear the end of it if I left him at home. I figured I should try and keep Freddy’s mood up.
“Judging by how well this raft is tied together, we might have to bring Freddy too. Who knew he was a master of the high seas. Freddy, are you secretly a pirate?”
Freddy couldn’t help but blush and smile. Even in the dim lighting of dawn I could see his cheeks flush as he got embarrassed. He looked over at both of us with a big smile on his face.
“While I am not a pirate as of yet, I believe the three of us could perhaps run a stout crew up and down the river. You know, while the pirates of the high seas are the most well known, there have been many famous river pirates. When I was younger I read a great deal about…”
I couldn’t help but laugh as Freddy started into a long-winded history of river pirates. He loved to tell a story. I wish I could tell you what he said, but honestly I started fading at that moment. Between the sway of the water and the quiet tone of Freddy’s voice, I was nodding off. Occasionally I’d snap back as Vix giggled or gasped when he shared some fascinating fact. But mostly I calmed my mind and sort of entered a meditative rest. My body thanked me.
It might seem weird, as Freddy and I haven’t known each other very long. But his constant stories were becoming a nice stable and calming part of my life. I’d never admit it to him, but I actually found a lot of what he shared fascinating. Plus, once he got going I didn’t even have to respond, which was incredibly helpful when I needed to rest a bit. I leaned on the least tender spot of my back and stretched my body out at the most comfortable angle I could find. I moved slowly and carefully as to not rock the boat too much.
As I looked up, I could see the twilight sky fading into night. The stars came out and seemed brighter than any stars I’d ever seen back home. It’s amazing how beautiful the night sky is once you remove yourself from all of the city lights. While these constellations were not the same as those of earth, the Veil had plenty of beautiful groupings to choose from. I was even pretty sure I heard Freddy pointing a few of them out to Vix as we traveled.
While rafting in the dark wasn’t always the best idea, there was enough light to guide ourselves by. The stars and a three quarters moon reflected off the water and provided more than enough illumination. I watched the terrain around us as we floated downstream. The cliffs would rise high next to us for long stretches only to recede fully as the river curved away from the mountains. Valleys, hills, and fields dominated the west bank. We even passed a few more small farms like the one we’d used to create our boat. Most had the flickering light of candles and lanterns going inside, but if they noticed our passage, they gave no indication.
A few hours into our journey, as I was shifting to a new position to get comfy, I noticed Freddy with an odd expression on his face. He wasn’t talking at the time, which was odd enough as it was. But as he stared at a farmhouse on the bank, his expression was clearly one of sadness. He had the look of a man reminiscing about better times. As a professional brooder, I knew it well. He caught me looking and shook it off. But, if I was really going to be a true friend, I figured I should make sure he was okay.
“Everything all right pal?”
“Of course,” Freddy smiled, “That farm house just looked a lot like my uncles.”
“Yeah? Cool. A place full of happy memories I hope?”
“Oh yes. My uncle took me there every summer. It was a huge property with lots of woods and even a large pond. I used to take my kayak out on the water after my studies. I have many fond memories of that farm.”
Freddy’s smile was huge, but there was definitely something bothering him. I was trying to think of the best way to offer an ear without prying. But as you know, subtlety is not my strong point. I tried my best.
“Sounds awesome pal. Are you and your uncle close?”
“Very close. He is a great man. It was my dream to follow in his footsteps. My hope was to in some small way repay him for his kindness.”
“Well I know our job is a secret, so you probably can’t tell him much. But I’m sure he’s proud of you pal.”
Freddy’s expression shifted to one of curiosity. He was searching my face, looking for something. After a moment he relaxed and sighed.
“You do not know who my uncle is, do you?” he asked.
“Um, no? Should I?”
Freddy definitely seemed surprised, “My uncle is Lord Hamilton Blair.”
“Lord huh? I don’t know much about British royalty, but that sounds super impressive. Does that mean you got to run around in a castle or something as a kid?”
“Bruce, are you being serious? Do you really not know who my uncle is?”
Freddy was so serious even Vix was paying attention now. She wasn’t saying anything, but it was hard to ignore a focused Freddy.
“Freddy, we’ve just sort of started becoming friends. Why would I know who your family is? I barely know anything about you.”
“Because my uncle is one of the high ranking members of the GHOST Council,” he said.
“Oh. Damn. I bet you get some hookups.”
Freddy’s entire body slumped, sadness overtaking him. I wasn’t sure what I did, but whatever it was, it was bad.
“Sorry pal, I was just kidding. I didn’t mean to suggest you get special treatment or anything.”
“Thank you,” Freddy whispered through a forced smile, “But everyone believes otherwise. I hear the rumors. People think I only got my position because my uncle pulled some strings. It is…disheartening.”
I could see I’d really plucked a nerve and I definitely didn’t mean to. Although, and yes I know I’m a terrible person for even thinking this, but it actually made sense. Freddy didn’t quite seem ready for fieldwork. So, I could see his uncle getting him the job before he was totally prepared for it. But, life wasn’t always fair. Sometimes it helps you and sometimes it kicks you in the junk. Whether he was ready or not, Freddy had worked his butt off to contribute to this team. He was one of the most knowledgeable people I’d ever met and he dropped everything in a heartbeat to help me out when I needed it. That wasn’t something you learned in a book. Freddy was a good person. And my friend.
“I’m sorry Freddy. I don’t know how you got this job. But I do know you’re smart and loyal and a far better person than I’ll ever be. I’m lucky to call you a friend. Your parents raised an exceptional young man,” I smiled.
Freddy’s smile grew when I said friend, and faded when I mentioned his parents.
“Actually my parents passed away when I was very young. My uncle raised me,” he said.
“Oh Freddy, I’m so sorry. I’m really putting my foot in my mouth today aren’t I? I apologize.”
“It is all right BD, you did not know. I was very young and there was a car accident. My uncle took me in and raised me as his own. He was strict but fair. I owe him everything and I just really want to make him proud,” Freddy smil
ed.
“I’m sure you make him very proud.”
At that Vix reached over and hugged him and Freddy blushed. I couldn’t help but laugh. Freddy and I were more alike than I realized. We were both orphans.
“If you ever need to talk my friend, I’m here.”
“I appreciate that BD. I really do.”
And that was that. No more needed to be said. We both put up our tough guy man shields, because we’re idiots, and continued on our way. I stretched out again and found a new position. The pain had subsided and it was mostly stiffness I was fighting at the moment.
Several hours later Freddy announced that we were at the end to our river journey. While I was happy to continue our mission, it was a shame to depart the boat. The gentle rocking of the raft mixed with the comfortable temperatures and the beautiful night sky all combined into an amazingly calming experience. I think I even nodded off a few times. I made a note to myself to come back here when we weren’t on a time sensitive mission so we could enjoy it more.
Freddy double-checked his map and nodded to himself before directing Vix to the west bank. I was slow, but I stood up and got ready to jump off and pull the boat ashore. There was enough slack rope that I wouldn’t have to even touch the water if we timed it just right. Vix and Freddy braced themselves as the boat ran aground the very moment I leapt for the shore. I winced slightly as I landed, but recovered quickly enough that I didn’t think they noticed. I pulled our raft up onto the bank and the three of us worked together to get the entire craft out of the water.
There was a small farmhouse in the distance, but no other settlements were visible. We all stood silent, taking in our surroundings and searching for any signs of danger. Noting else in the area caught our eye and if the farmer had noted our arrival, there was no sign of it. Once we knew the coast was clear, we started to disassemble our boat. We salvaged most of our rope and repacked it in our packs. I left the wood in a semi-organized stack next to the shore in case we headed back this way and wanted to reconstruct our craft. But for now, we retired our river pirate status.
G.H.O.S.T. Teams (Book 3) Spirits Page 13
