by Dave Hazel
“Hold on guys,” Mykal calmed them down as others started to gather around. “That’s great news, but, he’s never created the green fog, so we have to understand its possible Nidious may not be able to get it done. Don’t get me wrong,” he continued his broad smile, “I’m happy as all get out, but we have to be prepared that he may not be able to activate the green fog.”
“So let me make sure I understand you,” Rich said with a large toothy grin. “You’re saying, it’s possible,” he paused as if he couldn’t believe what he was about to say. “We could be going home in the next three or four days? Am I hearing what you’re saying?” He laughed and clapped his hands together.
“That’s great,” Jake said calmly. “But do you think the Sosos will attack before then?” He turned to Towbar.
“I do not know. They have been moving closer to the opening which is a sign they are preparing for the final attack to take the Pass from us. I was surprised they attacked yesterday.”
“Why don’t we move back to Gartolin until Nidious gets here?” Karen Kraft asked.
“We could do that,” Mykal answered.
“We’ll be safe here,” Jake said to Karen though she was still in mourning after losing her husband, a son and a daughter in the previous battle. “Towbar’s soldiers and the Dwarven army are here and we will not be caught off guard like yesterday. I’m sorry,” Jake added as Karen lowered her head and started to cry.
“Let’s go tell everyone else what’s happening,” Mykal said. “Tell everyone we should stay together in the same general area. Either here or move to Gartolin. I’d like to stay put here.”
“Well I’m staying with you Myk,” Boris said.
“Me too,” Larry and Sam quickly agreed.
“You guys are crazier ‘an hell,” Rich laughed. “But if’n we is gonna get killed, I’m gonna die with y’all.”
“Well, everyone split up and tell the others what’s going on,” Mykal suggested. “Make sure you have your stuff ready to go,” he paused, so his friends would know he referred to the items they brought out of the mountain. “You don’t wanna be scrambling around trying to find your stuff when we go back.”
2.
Mykal sat with his Quecktarbs while others scrambled to gather belongings. He eyed the Polaroid photos he had taken earlier in the day with the photos he took during the past month. He wanted to make sure he had some photos as reminders of some of the people he would never see again. He had one of himself, Towbar, Doninka and Norg. He had one of Towbar, Doninka and Norg and Krink. It saddened him that Krink died.
Mykal also had a couple of individual photos of Towbar and Doninka. He held one photo of King Krago with Norg and some of the Dwarven army. He had taken a few photos of Towbar’s soldiers and some showing the aftermath of the bloodied battlefield with bodies spread everywhere. ‘No one is ever gonna believe this,’ he thought. He captured one photo of the opening of the Pass to showcase the Soso army but the photo did not capture the scene the way he wished due to their distance.
He gave a photo of himself to Towbar and to Doninka per their request. Towbar also asked for a photo of Mykal, Boris, Kurt, Denny, Jake, Larry, Sam, Rich and the Dosch family. He had a second copy of the photo for his own keeping. The smiles of Denny and Kurt caused his heart to ache. He had a couple shots of Kurt and Boris riffing on each other. He knew Boris would cherish one. It hurt Boris that he didn’t say good-bye to them.
“Damn, those are some ugly ass animals,” Larry said. He squinted and made a face of disgust at the sight of the two-headed Quecktarbs sitting at Mykal’s feet.
“Yeah, but they’ll make one hell of a guard dog,” Mykal replied. All six heads turned toward Larry’s voice. “Can you imagine someone sneaking into your yard and see these things coming at you? You know they’d never think of coming back again.”
“Yeah, I hear that. What did you name them?”
“This is John, Paula and Ringo,” Mykal pointed. “George was killed yesterday by a death arrow.”
“You oughta just name them ugly, uglier an ugliest,” Larry joked making Sam and Rich laugh.
The Quecktarbs focused on Larry’s words as if they knew he spoke unkind of them. All six heads stared at him and their ears laid back and they started to snarl. “They heard your dumb ass,” Mykal said as a warning, but they were actually reacting to Jake and Boris walking up behind Larry.
“See they heard you,” Sam said and stepped away from Larry.
“Sorry doggies.” Larry pretended to be frightened. “I was just kidding. Only kidding pretty little doggies. You have the prettiest little faces I’ve ever seen,” he lied playfully.
“These things would make one hell of an attack dog,” Boris said. “One head holds you down, the other rips you a new ass.”
“Yeah, I’d hate to get bit by them,” Larry shook his head. “Especially after they’re full grown. You’d probably get every disease in the book and then you’d get rabies on top of that.”
“Nah, these are my babies.” Mykal kissed at their devoted stares. Mykal reached to pet them when suddenly struck with a gut wrenching fear. “Oh no!” He yelled out, looking at his trembling green hand. A million different thoughts seem to flood his mind. His emotions felt pulled in a hundred directions. He didn’t feel prepared. “Oh man,” he cried out and showed his green hand.
“Is it real?” Boris gasped. “Where is it?”
“My hand!” He yelled to get everyone’s attention. All the voices calling became a blur of sound. “My friggin hand’s got that feeling,” he shouted joyfully and shook his hand.
“Are you serious?” Larry yelled. He, Sam and Rich rushed closer to him. They weren’t about to let him out of their sight.
“I’m friggin serious,” he shouted and waved his green hand over his head like a flag. “It’s green! I’m green!” He shouted like the holder of a winning lottery ticket. “It’s friggin green!” He started to jump up and down.
The others joined him in his display of joy and excitement. “Where? Where do we go?” Boris shouted at Mykal.
Visions of being reunited with Pam and the boys filled his mind. Ideas of normalcy were within reach. “The green fog is here,” he shouted with laughter oblivious to other voices.
“Where is it?” Jake yelled with Boris. “I don’t see it.”
“Oh damn,” he sighed. The wind had just been knocked out of his sails. “It’s out there,” he replied in a normal tone. “I don’t know how I know, but it’s out there to the right of us.”
“Sosos are out there,” Jake announced.
“This may be our only chance. I’m going,” Mykal said. “I don’t give a shit if I gotta run through the Sosos or not. I’m going home,” he yelled. “Jake, get everyone fast. Fast!”
Jake ran to the nearest Peacekeeper and turned the vehicle on. He announced through the loud speaker for everyone to gather at their location. He blasted the horn and turned the siren and red lights on. “The gas is below E. It may never make it. I’m sure all the vehicles are the same,” he yelled through the public address system.
“Horses,” Mykal suggested. “Towbar, can we use some of your horses? The green fog is here,” he begged when the giant and several others ran to his location.
“Yes my friend, whatever you need,” Towbar replied. His expression showed his mixed emotions. Towbar felt happiness for his friend, but sadness for himself. He knew once they part ways through the green fog, they would be separated forever. Towbar shouted commands in his native language. Several soldiers ran off to gather horses.
“C’mon,” Rich yelled and waved his shirt to draw the attention of their people. “We don’ have much time y’all.”
“The green fog,” Larry yelled. “Hurry! Hurry! Hurry if you wanna get outta here.”
“Towbar, run with me,” Mykal said and took off. He wanted to make sure his close friends the Dosch family heard the news to depart. “Towbar, if I don’t get the chance here in a little bit, I wanna thank you f
or all you have done for us.”
“No, my friend,” Towbar stopped him. “I thank you. You have saved my people.”
“Please do me a favor and tell Doninka I said good-bye. That girl has really grown on me, but it would never work out between the two of us because I am happily married. Tell her I will treasure the photos I have of all you guys. I will miss her but not in the way--” he paused because he was unsure of what he wanted to say. “Just tell her I’ll miss her.”
“I will do that, my friend.”
“Roy, Roy,” Mykal bellowed as he neared the Dosch family. “C’mon guys. The green fog is here. Hurry, we gotta hurry.”
“Are you serious Myk?” Roy Jr. asked.
“Yes, yes, c’mon. I don’t know how much time we’ll have.”
“Thanks,” Roy smiled, but there was also a wave of sadness that hit his heart. He knew he would be leaving Baby Ray behind forever. He would never be able to visit his gravesite. He would have to relay to his wife what happened and watch the poor woman deal with the hurt and loss he had been suffering through.
“Towbar, can I ask for your help one last time?”
“Yes my friend. You can ask of me anything.”
“The green fog is outside the Pass,” he babbled while trying to catch his breath. “If we charge out there I’m afraid the Sosos will attack us thinking we’re going on the offensive. Can you have some of your soldiers escort us out there?”
“Yes, my friend. I planned for that. I will do whatever I can to help you get home,” he vowed. “Do you know for sure the green fog will take you back to your world?”
“I don’t know, but I gotta take the chance.”
“Wait a minute, Myk,” Sgt Monk said just as he and the rest of his fire team, Krenshaw and Spencer approached them. “You don’t know if we’re gonna go home?”
“I don’t,” Mykal answered. “I honestly don’t know where it’ll take us. I think it’ll take us home, but I can’t promise.”
“What if it takes us right into Soso land?” Monk asked.
“That’s a chance we gotta take and I’m willing to take that chance. If you guys wanna stay here, then stay,” Mykal said and then darted off. They followed him.
The crowd gathered around Jake and others from the far side of the Pass trickled into their group. “We gotta hurry people.”
“What’s going on?” Sgt John T. ‘Scum Bum’ Samuelson asked. John got his nickname, Scum Bum, because he married a wealthy North Dakota girl once he discovered she had been diagnosed with a terminal illness. In April she had been given six to twelve months to live. John had bragged several times ‘I married her just for the money, cuz I sure as hell ain’t marrying her for her looks. She’ll be gone soon anyway.’ He played the loving, caring husband in her presence, but always talked about her weight behind her back. He used her for sex and was about to break up with her until he found out how severe her illness became and how he could cash in on her emotional vulnerability.
“Where is it?” Several people yelled.
“It’s out beyond the Pass. I think it’s out to the right.”
“You’re not sure?” Someone else asked.
“No. We’re running outta time. I can feel it fading,” he warned. “I’m not gonna miss this opportunity. If you wanna stay, then stay. I’m outta here. If you’re coming, then follow me.”
“How are we leaving?” Lopez sounded panicked. Lopez still suffered from his injuries and didn’t think he could run.
“Horses!” Mykal pointed to the horses that were being led to them. “Towbar got us horses and his soldiers will ride out with us in case the Sosos do attack. We gotta hurry!”
“Horses?” Karen Kraft asked. “I haven’t been on a horse in ages. Can’t we--”
“That’s the only way,” Jake yelled and cut her off. “The vehicles don’t have any gas. Move it people!” He ordered.
Mykal ran to retrieve his belongings. He knew he was gambling with his life once greed took over. He grabbed his sack of diamonds, his journal and the other things he quickly threw together. He ignored the pandemonium swirling about him. He wasn’t about to leave without his photos. He feared he would need some proof for their stay in Towbar’s world.
“Come on guys,” he called to his Quecktarbs. Butterflies in his stomach turned to birds of prey on the attack as he neared the large horses being held for them.
“Damn it!” Boris slapped himself in the head. “Myk, me and Sam didn’t get our stuff,” he said and nodded to the mountain. “All I have is what we put in our pockets that day and that’s stashed back at my sleeping area.”
“It’s too late,” Mykal yelled. “Don’t worry about it. We’ll take care of you guys,” Mykal said. He was referring to Jake, Larry, Rich and the Dosch family. “Come on, let’s go.” His voice verged on panic. “We gotta haul ass! It’s fading. It’s going away.”
Towbar rode to Mykal. He sat high on his horse. Towbar had more than two thousand soldiers on horseback with him. “We must make haste,” he turned to his soldiers. “Our goal is to ensure they make it into the green fog. Do not enter the green fog or you will never return,” he warned his soldiers. “Do not allow the Sosos to stop our friends. Is that clear?”
In one loud voice they replied with a word of their native language. It sounded similar to a company of U.S. Marines shouting in unison, “Oorah!”
“Sam and Rich, here,” Mykal turned to them because they were closer. “Please, take one of my Quecktarbs and don’t let it go for nothing,” he said and handed them one of the two-headed creatures. Rich handed his possessions to Sam to make sure he wouldn’t drop Mykal’s prized beast. Mykal turned to ask Boris to take the third, but Boris was putting little Ricky and Debbie on his horse with him. The sight nearly brought tears to Mykal’s eyes. Boris honored Kurt’s desire.
He climbed on top of his horse, held his belongings to the saddle and positioned the Quecktarb on his lap with his assets. All three Quecktarbs struggled to get free from their awkward and uncomfortable position. Once Mykal ordered them to “stay,” the three animals ceased moving as if they were dead. The six heads tried to watch Mykal’s every movement.
“Come on, let’s go,” Larry shouted and rode off first. “Myk, where’re we going?”
Mykal kicked his horse and moved ahead. “I gotta lead the way, so I can judge the sensation in my hand. Just follow me,” he yelled and hoped they could understand.
Towbar rode beside Mykal and his soldiers followed along surrounding the Visitors. If Sosos were to go on the offensive, the soldiers’ objective would be to detour and prevent the Sosos from hindering the Visitors ride to the green fog.
The townspeople, the soldiers, and the Dwarven warriors waved and cheered them on. The news spread quickly through the Front that the Visitors were returning to their own world.
*******
Doninka heard what transpired. She stood at the pit and watched the horses ride madly to the opening of the Pass. She held her hand up to wave but she didn’t cheer them on. Tears rolled down her cheeks and she pressed his photo close to her heart. She knew she would never see Mykal again. It hurt not to say good-bye, but she understood time to be a critical factor. Selfishly she hoped they wouldn’t reach the green fog. Deep inside she desired his happiness. She cried at her loss.
*******
Mykal rode his horse to the eastern side of the Pass and he felt the trembling sensation increase when they neared the opening of the mountain passageway. At the opening of the Pass he stopped his horse suddenly. “Listen to me people,” he yelled out. “When we head out there the Sosos are gonna come after us. Look, they’re to the north and to the east of us. I want you to know that I’m not sure where the green fog will take us so you better make sure this is what you wanna do!” Mykal declared.
“I will help you reach the cloud,” Towbar said.
“Okay, let’s say good-bye now,” Mykal said with an out stretched hand. “Thanks for everything.” Mykal smiled as th
ey took hold of each other’s forearm, not wrists. “Oh no, I feel it fading. We gotta hurry!” Mykal kicked his horse. “C’mon.”
As Mykal suspected, not one person from his world elected to stay behind. Mykal turned to the east and as he suspected the tingling sensations seemed to grow. They were nearing the fog.
*******
The Sosos to the north caught sight of all the movement. The two thousand plus horses charging out of the Pass looked like an assault. Though not sure what to make of the movement they saw this as a chance to kill. Without being ordered by leaders, the Sosos mounted a counter-attack and charged at those fleeing from the Pass. Sosos were spread out as far as the eye could see. They were camped to the north, to the west and, sadly, to the east as well. Sosos to the east saw the advance moving toward them. They would gladly engage the rodents who dared to challenge them. Help would also come at them from the north diagonally. The Sosos were sure they had enough room to cut off the horses despite the fact they were on foot.
*******
Mykal saw Sosos pouring down toward them from the north on an angle to cut them off. Sosos were camped between them and the green fog in the distance. Suddenly the Sosos in the east were ready to intercept their departure. Mykal knew it would be only a matter of minutes before they clashed with the savages.
Topping a peak of a small incline Mykal saw the green fog in the distance and his tingling grew stronger. Thousands of aroused Sosos stood between them and looked ready to respond. He wondered if any Sosos were accidently transported away. It amazed Mykal they didn’t notice the strange green sight behind them. It just seemed to hang there waiting for them, waiting to provide the getaway. He decided going around them would take too much time. Going through them would be the only option, though a very risky and dangerous choice. He never experienced such a strong desperation and would willingly fight to the death.
“Damn it. It’s getting smaller,” Mykal shouted. He felt the change of intensity in his hand. He knew the green fog started to shrink and the tingling had faded. “We gotta hurry!”
