by C. A. Farlow
“Alex it is then.” Lauren stopped questioning her ability to converse with the animals. At this point, her focus was on Alex. “Please get her to be still.”
“Snow is trying to explain that to her. But she is confused about when we are and how you are here. But first, she has to help Alex understand who you are and that you are a friend. Just give her a bit of time.”
“Ice, I’m going to have to get Alex back to civilization. We don’t have time. She needs medical care.” Lauren’s frustration and anxiety came through in her strained voice. “We need help and we’re going to need it soon.”
“Civilization is far from here. You have to do what you can to help Alex now. Then wrap her in her jacket. After she has rested, we will all travel to Fuar Ćala. We will find more help there.”
Fuar Ćala? Lauren waved her hand dismissively. “No, that isn’t going to work. We need help now. I’ll stabilize her injuries as best I can and hike out to the road and go for help. I should be able to get a satellite signal once I’m out of this basin. Then I can call for help. A search and rescue helicopter can come in and pick Alex up from here, now that the weather is clear.” Lauren began to organize her medical kit as she removed items from the sled around Alex.
“You must listen to me. We are not near a road. You are here now. How you managed this, I do not know, but you must save Alex. She must be returned to Fuar Ćala.” Rising on her haunches, Ice shook her muzzle, her hackles standing up on end. She growled. “You are not listening to me. You cannot go home, because you are not when you think.”
Pausing in her organizing efforts, Lauren turned to stare at Ice. “What did you say? Not when I think? You’re not making any sense. I know where I am, Ice.”
“I cannot explain any of this either, you should not be here. But you are, and we need you to heal Alex. Alex must be returned to Fuar Ćala. Alex may be able to explain things when she is well.”
“The only way I know to get her well is to get help, and I will.” Lauren returned to her medical supplies before checking on Alex again. The woman had lapsed back into unconsciousness. Lauren checked the pressure-dressings and noted her bleeding had slowed. She adjusted the blankets more closely around her, and placed the black-mesh tunic on top of the blankets. “Sleep well, Alex, in the morning I’ll ski out and get help.”
Lauren woke early. She quickly checked her patient. Alex seemed to be resting comfortably. Knowing Alex needed help sooner rather than later, Lauren prepared to ski out. She ate a quick meal of trail mix and tea. Leaning down, she placed her hand on Alex’s forehead. “I’m going to go for help. I won’t be long. Promise.”
After filling her pockets with technology and food, Lauren moved toward the cave entrance. She glanced back. Ice followed Lauren’s actions with her ice-blue eyes. Snow and Ffrwyn had left the cave some time ago.
Lauren whispered, “I have to get help.” The wolf huffed and snarled with a curled lip.
As Lauren left the cave, the sun was just cresting the rim of the basin behind her, and the lake sparkled. “Okay, you can do this. South and west, it’s only about seven miles.”
The snow crunched under her skis as Lauren schussed across the basin floor. Reaching the southern rim, Lauren didn’t waste time looking for the trail. She climbed, making it out of the basin in less than an hour. Stopping to drink some water, Lauren pulled out her mobile and her GPS. Still no signal. She shook her head and sighed. Why did none of her technology work?
Jamming the mobile and GPS back in her pocket in a fit of ire, Lauren grabbed her poles and sped down the slope toward the road. She only had a few miles left and the snow was perfect for skiing. After an hour Lauren left the narrow valley and broke out into a wide treeless meadow. A broad river meandered across the flat frozen landscape.
“What the heck is this?” Lauren muttered.
Pulling the topographic map from her pocket, she knelt in the snow. Lauren traced the path of the narrow valley she just left to where it opened onto the meadow. “Okay, that’s the Elk River,” she said, while looking at the meandering watercourse. Looking behind her, she added, “And that is the Seed House Road valley. I’m too far north. I just missed the road to my south.”
Signs of civilization—roads, fence lines, power lines, farmsteads and barns, and the town of Clark—littered the map. Surveying the landscape before her, Lauren saw none of these. The deep snow could have covered fence lines, but the manmade structures should be visible. All the geographic features noted on the map matched, but all the signs of civilization were missing.
“This isn’t right. Where are the farms, the buildings? I don’t understand.” She’d never been in a situation where she couldn’t explain things. She was always able to gather data and use that to solve problems. This time, nothing made sense. Her observations were at odds with her understanding of her physical world. The sun climbed higher, crossed the sky, and began to set. But Lauren remained kneeling in the snow, tears tracking slowly down her cheeks, as she struggled to find a solution. I’ve got to find help for Alex.
Slowly, the cold seeped through the knees of her expedition pants. Lauren realized that the sun was heating her right cheek. Lauren looked at her watch. Only a couple of hours of sunlight left. Rising, she eyed her surroundings. Lauren was home but not. Her only conclusion —she was alone. There was no one to help Alex. Resigned to her situation, she turned back to the narrow valley.
Lauren arrived back at the cave before the sun set completely. Rising on all fours, Ice stalked toward her. The wolf jumped on Lauren and knocked her flat. Pinning her down, Ice bared her teeth. “You will stop this nonsense of coming and going and listen to me! This is not Earth as you know it. This is Terra, a planet that until four hundred cycles ago was uninhabited. We are the last of a civilization that traveled to this planet when our planet was attacked by the Comin. They released a weapon on our Homeworld that destroyed the biosphere. Alex is Queen of the Country of Fuar Ćala—Cold Harbor. She traveled to the Comin world using a nexus between the two worlds. She went there to search for a cure to the Comin bioweapon. She was attacked by a Comin patrol, only just making it back to this world when you found her. Now help her. We will leave for Fuar Ćala when she is able to be moved.”
Lauren sank into the frigid blue pools of Ice’s eyes. She couldn’t look away, caught in the grip of a forced mindlink. Suddenly a kaleidoscope of images spun through her mind—a blue-ocean world not dissimilar to Earth but with landmasses in patterns she didn’t recognize, and a dead reddish-brown world buffeted by harsh winds and ravaged by giant cyclonic sandstorms. Images she did recognize came next—a circular caldera containing a large lake surrounded by giant fir trees, steam rising from geothermal features, and a river cutting a deep canyon through yellow rocks layered with volcanic flows. Yellowstone? In the middle of the lake rose a giant granite castle—a Keep.
“We are going there. Get her ready. It is days away and we must hurry. The Comin are coming. Alex cannot die!” Ice pulled out of the link and stalked back to curl up beside Alex.
Lauren gasped for breath as a crushing headache burst in her skull, as she was forced out of the link. She couldn’t move. She couldn’t absorb what had been forced into her mind. Her mind simply surrendered.
Chapter Two
A SHOVE ROLLED LAUREN over on her side. “All right, Jamie, I’m up, no need to get physical.” Another shove rolled her over again. Lauren opened her eyes and sat up to push Jamie away only to have her forearm sink into a ruff of fur. “Arghhhh.” Snow peered down at her.
“Up now, Lauren. We must prepare to leave here and travel quickly.” Snow's deep voice burred through Lauren's mind. “The Comin may have followed Alex across the nexus she opened and be here searching for her.”
“Snow, I don’t know who these Comin are, but I promised Ice I would help Alex. And I will. But you need to explain things to me. Ice shared some crazy things. Things that I need to try and understand.”
Drawing a breath to contin
ue, Snow interrupted her. “I do understand, but we do not have the time for explanations. I regret that Lauren. Alex must get back. That is what we must focus on. Explanations will have to wait for later. Later we will have time.”
Time, right. Lauren crawled over to the sled. Alex's lips were pale but not white-rimmed, and her breathing seemed less labored. She seemed to be sleeping and not unconscious. Setting a palm gently on Alex’s forehead, Lauren found no fever. Just a bit clammy. Good. We’ll need to get her out of these bloody clothes and into something dry before we move her. As Lauren lightly stroked down her cheek, Alex’s eyes fluttered open. “You are Lauren?”
Lauren smiled encouragingly. “Yes.”
“I am Alexandra Aonwyn nighean mhic Fionnaghal: Rigain Fuar Ćala. Thank you for all you have done for us. It is a pleasure to meet my healing technician and savior.”
Heat flooded Lauren’s cheeks. An odd buzzing filled her ears, but she ignored it. “I may be your physician, but a savior I am not. Your body is doing all the hard work. I just helped it along.”
“Be that as it may, we would not be here, safe and warm without your intervention. For that I am eternally grateful.”
“You’re welcome. I understand that we need to travel soon. To get you ready, I’ll need to check your shoulder wound and then change your clothing. Do you have other clothes?”
“In the bottom of the saddle bags should be clothes. But you must leave my energy-armor on.”
Suddenly, Lauren realized that they were conversing in English. Great, another thing I need an explanation for. “Well then, I’ll find the clothes and then we can get you changed. How are you feeling? You don’t have a fever and the bleeding’s stopped. But I’m concerned that moving you will tear the shoulder wound open again. Do you need something for pain?”
Alex shook her head and winced. “No, no medicines.”
“Are you sure? You don’t have to suffer.” Lauren placed a gentle hand on Alex’s left forearm. “I can give you something, and you’ll rest easier. The wolves are demanding that we travel soon, and you’ll be in considerable pain.” Lauren didn’t want to admit that she was conversing with animals, but how else do you explain the need for haste?
Lauren looked down where she was touching Alex. She felt tingling as if energy was passing between them. Alex seemed to be projecting a quiet confidence, Lauren recognize this. It was something she herself projected to others, but this seemed to be more. She could feel herself actively sharing strength with Alex. Lauren felt emotions too—unease and stress—vibrated between them. Alex was shaken to her core—adrift in a sea of confusion and barely holding herself together. How she knew that she could feel these things was beyond her, but for now, Alex’s wellbeing came first. “I’ll be as careful as I can.”
Pulling back, a snap of energy crackled as their physical connection was broken. Lauren started. That was strange. It felt like touching a live electric wire. Lauren rubbed her hand, wondering why it was suddenly so cold. She placed it back on Alex’s forehead. Was she developing a fever? No, Alex was cool.
“I’m afraid this is going to hurt. We’ll move you out of the sled and then get you cleaned up. Slow, small movements are needed or your wound will open. Let me find your clean clothing and then lay out some blankets next to the sled. We’ll shift you over to those and get you changed.”
Lauren tried to convince herself that the journey was even possible. She knew it might quickly turn into a nightmare of epic proportions. “I really don’t know how we’re going to travel all the way to Yellowstone. That’s over five hundred miles. I only have supplies for four days at the most, and nothing for the animals. I won’t be able to pull the sled with you and all the gear. None of us will tolerate the cold. We’ll have to find shelter. My tent won’t be warm enough at night, especially if the weather turns again.” Her mind reeled, and she knew she was babbling.
Alex lifted her hand. “Please calm down. Ffrwyn will pull the sled, and the wolves, as you call them, can take care of themselves. We will stop each night at supply caches I left on my way here. They are all in caves, and those will provide adequate shelter. But we do need to return south to Fuar Ćala as soon as possible. I cannot make the journey without your help.”
Lauren slumped, dropping her head in her hands. She was overwhelmed with everything that was happening. With everything that they would face on such a journey. The buzzing continued, and she rubbed her ear, annoyed. “This is not happening. I’m not here. I’m not talking to animals and you’re not speaking English.” Get it together, Beckwith.
Alex tried to sit up. “Listen to me. This is real. I cannot explain how you got here, but you are here. I must get home to Fuar Ćala. We understand each other because Snow is facilitating a simultaneous translation through her mindlink with each of us. Do you hear a buzzing in your ears?” Lauren nodded. “That is the sound of me talking in my language. Snow is masking that sound and using the mindlink to let you ‘hear’ the translation. Soon I will be able to speak your language. I am learning it as we speak to each other. What I do not understand is how you can mindlink with my companions.” Alex sighed and sat back into the sled.
Lauren lifted her head and winced. “Don’t do that again. You’ve got to stay as still as possible. I’m sorry. I’m just so confused. Nothing’s right. You say we need to travel south, but Yellowstone is north of where we are. You say Snow is translating for us, but I’m not supposed to be able to converse with animals. Yet I’ve spoken to two wolves and a horse. You’re learning English, my language, but how’s that possible?” Not to mention the whole when versus where thing. “I’ll help you as much as I can, but when I can’t understand things I get really frustrated.” Tears slowly slid down Lauren’s cheeks.
Alex frowned. “Do not cry. Please. Nothing may make sense to you, but this world is real. In fact, some would say it is the same world and only different because it exists in another universe. I do not know how you got here…to this world, I mean. You had to cross a nexus, but I thought that was impossible for someone not of my world. All I do know is that you are here now. Please trust me. You have fortuitously been pulled from your world into mine. And I need your help.”
Lauren placed her hand on Alex’s good shoulder and gathered her courage. “Of course, I’ll help as best I can. All I ask is that sometime you try and explain all this to me. I feel like I’m lost in a science fiction novel that’s written in a foreign language.”
“I promise. I will explain as best as I can. But I fear that we may need the technicians in Fuar Ćala to fill in the details. Let us get me changed and settled so we can start our journey.” Alex turned to look at Lauren and chuckled softly. “But I think you are going to need a change of clothing as well.”
Lauren looked down. The entire front of her parka and snow pants was encrusted with dried blood, turning the red fabric a rusted brown. “This is the only outer gear I have. We’ll just have to live with it. Let’s get you changed, and I’ll pack our gear to get us ready to leave in the morning.”
“Thank you. It means more to me than you know.”
“No worries.” Except I am totally worried, about everything!
Getting clothing and bandages changed turned into a major ordeal. Alex lost consciousness part way through the process. Wrapping a shirt around Alex, Lauren huffed. “Snow, I tell you this is one stubborn woman. I told her she needed to take something for the pain before we started. But no, she wanted to tough it out.” Settling the shirt in place, Lauren tugged blankets over her. “Well, she’s settled now. I’ll finish the packing and fix some dinner. What can I get you, Snow?”
“I am fine. Please just tend to Alex. We will capture our meals, and Ffrwyn can eat pine boughs and grass from the riverbanks.” A picture of a bloodied elk filled Lauren’s mind.
“Enough. I didn’t need that visual. I think we’ve seen enough blood for a while.”
A huff of air grazed Lauren’s neck as Snow peered over her shoulder. “You need
to cover her with the energy tunic.”
“But the tunic’s a mess. It’s soaked with blood from her injury. We can’t put that on her clean bandages.”
“You must cover her with the tunic. It will keep her warm and aid in healing.”
“But, Snow, it’s made out of metal. It’ll pull the cold into her as we travel and chill her to the bone.”
“Just as Alex asked that you trust her, I will ask the same of you. Please cover her with the jacket and if you must, cover the jacket with blankets. It will not get cold.”
Lauren glared at the wolf. “Fine, I give up, whatever you say. I’ll cover the tunic with my sleeping bag when we travel.”
It took the rest of the evening to complete all the tasks needed to travel. Later, Ice and Ffrwyn returned and crowded into the cave. They stood over Alex. Snow sat to the side but cocked her head in a way that made Lauren think they were having a conversation.
“Lauren, she is unconscious.”
“Thanks for pointing out the obvious, Ice. She’s been out since I changed her dressings and cleaned her up. She refused pain medication and wasn’t able to withstand the movement. I think she is just sleeping deeply. Her breathing is even, her pulse has returned to normal, and she has some color.”
“Fine,” Ice huffed in annoyance.
Spinning around, Lauren lost her temper. “I’m trying my best here, but I haven’t got the resources I need. She’s as comfortable as I can make her. Her wounds are clean, and she’s not bleeding anymore. No fever. No infection…yet. But she is gravely injured. Now we need time…time for Alex to heal. And, Ice, you need to lose the attitude. If we’re to get her back to your home safely, it’ll take all of us working together.”
A snorted guffaw broke the stare down between Lauren and Ice. “You both need to leave off. Alex needs her rest. We have a long day tomorrow.” Snow came up to Ice and shoulder bumped her. “Let us go get some dinner.”
