Napachee awoke again when his ears began to pop. He had no idea how long he had been resting. The plane seemed to be losing altitude, the engines had a different pitch and changed direction.
They touched down in what he could only guess was Yellowknife. Runways in the cities were paved! Once again the door opened and men hoisted themselves into the cargo bay. A flurry of conversation reached Napachee's ears.
From what Napachee could hear the men were now negotiating a flat-bed truck rental to transport the cub for the remaining day trip to Edmonton. This would be quicker than waiting for the next cargo plane as the one they were in concluded its run in Yellowknife and it would be easier on the bear.
An hour later, Napachee felt the cage being lifted off the plane and put onto the truck. After much effort and commotion, the final leg of their trip began. Napachee tried to see the countryside as it passed by, but from his vantage point in the straw he only caught bits and pieces of the scenery. His legs were cramped and beginning to fall asleep. He remained still for as long as he could but finally he couldn't manage the discomfort any further. He pushed himself up and gathered his legs beneath him, slowly poking his head out of the straw. He could see Jarvis and another man deep in conversation in the cab of the truck.
He reached up and gripped the top of the cage. Being careful not to raise much above the level of the straw, Napachee straightened his legs. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath of fresh air and feeling began to return to the lower portion of his body. He dared to look ahead into the cab of the truck for only a second, but in that moment he saw Jarvis in the rearview mirror looking back at him!
Jarvis jerked his head around and opened his mouth in shock. The truck swerved across the centre-line of the road and into the path of an oncoming car. Jarvis jerked it back to avoid a collision, but overcompensated so that the vehicle hit the soft shoulder and the steering became sluggish. He fought to bring the truck back onto the road, but it began to skid out of control. The truck turned sideways and then flipped onto its side.
The metal frame screamed against the pavement sending a shower of sparks high in the air as the truck smashed to a jarring halt against a telephone pole. The impact threw the cage off of the back and it slid to the edge of the trees that lined the highway.
When the young cub opened its eyes, it could see that the cage door was open. It could feel Napachee squirming behind and bounded out of the cage.
Knowing he had to fend for himself or face Jarvis's wrath, Napachee turned to run as well, but stumbled on the latch as he was trying to disentangle himself from the cage. He could see the cub disappearing into the bush as he struggled to his feet.
A rough hand clamped Napachee's shoulder and threw him to the ground. He felt hot breath on the back of his neck.
"Stay where you are. I don't tolerate stowaways," threatened Jarvis.
The bear cub did not stop running nor did it look back. It stood tired and panting in a small clearing in the woods. It had never been among trees before and they towered above, closing in. Desperately it charged from the clearing and began to run once more, bursting through a dense section of undergrowth at the top of a steep ridge. The cub lost its footing and tumbled down the other side, covering the distance from top to bottom in a dizzying flurry that left it gasping for breath in a pile of dry leaves.
The cub rose to its feet and shakily gathered its bearings. Looking to the edge of a stand of trees, the cub froze. Standing, looking into its eyes, was a very large brown animal, larger than a caribou, with huge fuzzy antlers.
The two animals surveyed each other. Before the cub could move the moose turned and bolted into the trees. The cub looked back up the bank in one direction and then turned its head towards the form of the moose slipping behind the trees in the other. Hagiyok followed Itsé the moose at a safe distance, hoping it would lead the cub home.
Napachee gazed out over the city. The ride in the truck to Edmonton with Jarvis had been a long and painful one. Jarvis had kept Napachee locked in the empty bear cage until help had arrived and the trip had taken most of the endless day.
When they got to Edmonton Jarvis delivered him to James Strong at the parking lot with his parting words, "Good riddance."
Now he stood on the 20th-floor balcony of James's apartment gazing over more lights than he had ever seen in his life. He could hear the swoosh of traffic below and was amazed at how small the cars looked as they sped onwards to their destinations. He watched the flashing landing lights of a small plane as it flew over the city, appearing to move in slow motion. A warm current of air blew up from the street and felt thick in Napachee's throat.
James stepped out of the apartment onto the balcony. The two stood in silence for a moment, both looking across the expanse of lights.
"I called your parents. They were worried sick when you went missing. I assured them you were all right, but your father wants to talk to you in the morning, after you're rested."
Napachee knew what his father would think of all this and he didn't want to talk to him yet.
James led Napachee back into the apartment. "You can sleep on the couch for tonight and in the morning I will try to find a cot. You and Jo can take turns between the bed and cot until you head home."
"Jo? I thought you said that you had a daughter?" Napachee said, puzzled.
James smiled. "It's short for Josephine. Don't tell her I told you that. She hates her name. Ever since her mother died five years ago she has insisted on being called Jo. She's such a tomboy that it really suits her better anyway."
James handed Napachee some blankets and motioned to the couch. "Try to get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning before I head off to work. Jo is going to keep you occupied tomorrow so you will need all the rest you can get!" James smiled and headed off to the bedroom at the end of the hall.
Napachee spread out the blankets and lay back on the couch, listening to the sounds of James getting ready for bed. Soon silence fell over the apartment. Napachee sat on the edge of the couch, rose to his feet and silently padded to the sliding doors that opened to the balcony. He quietly slid the doors open, surprised to discover how loud the sounds of the city were as they drifted up from the street below.
It was well after midnight, but nothing had stopped. The miniature world below him continued with no sign of slowing. Back home the occasional howl of a dog or roar of a snowmobile, as someone headed home from visiting a neighbour, would be the only sounds to break the silence at this hour. Napachee smiled and lifted his face skyward to take a deep contented breath. Tomorrow he would explore the world below.
Napachee walked back inside and closed the noise of the city out as he slid the balcony doors shut behind him. He returned to the couch and lay on his back with his hands resting under his head and stared at the ceiling. If only Pannik could see him now!
Napachee smiled and closed his eyes. The fatigue of the last twenty-four hours overtook his body and he eased into a deep and peaceful slumber. His dreams flowed freely and he drifted across the night sky high above the city. Amid large trees shrouded in an early morning mist Napachee stared at a shadow beginning to take shape. A four-legged creature emerged from the fog with large fuzzy antlers, a bulbous nose and mouth and bulging eyes. It grew larger as it came closer and closer.
FOUR
Napachee awoke to the sound of voices hurried in conversation. It took him a moment to realize where he was, but he soon recalled the events of the previous day. He recognized the voices as those of James Strong and Jarvis. He closed his eyes and listened while the men continued to talk. He could tell by Jarvis's tone that he was very upset and he was sure that it had something to do with him.
"Listen Jarvis. It's not all the boy's fault. Now we just have to make the best of things and regroup," James said.
"But the boy—"
"Jarvis, lower your voice. Jo is still asleep and I don't want Napachee to hear all your ranting first thing in the morning!"
"Don't wo
rry, Dad, I'm already awake."
The two men turned as James's teenaged daughter entered the room. Her striking red hair, pale white skin and multitude of freckles made her the very image of all the things James had loved about his wife.
She stopped and stared at the boy who appeared to be asleep on the couch.
"As I was saying, James, the kid almost killed us all. It was his fault we lost the cub. I'll need to go after it as soon as possible or it will die in the woodlands and our whole trip will have been a waste. It isn't worth anything to anyone if it's dead."
"He looks Japanese!" James turned from Jarvis and looked at his daughter. She had been standing staring at Napachee as he feigned sleep on the couch.
"Are you sure he is an Eskimo?"
"He is Inuvialuit, Jo, and he is definitely not from Japan. I want him to feel at home, so don't go making any comments like that once he is awake."
"I thought people from the North were called Inuit?"
"Well, some people are. Napachee comes from Sachs Harbour, which is in the Western Arctic, part of the Northwest Territories. People who live in that part of the North are called Inuvialuit. People who live further to the east of Holman and far across to Iqaluit are called Inuit. That territory is called Nunavut. Both peoples used to be called Eskimo, but prefer the other proper names. Eskimo means ‘eaters of raw meat' and is often seen as negative. Their proper names mean ‘The People'.
"I spoke to Napachee's father last night and Sachs Harbour is fogged in. The whole area, Tuktoyaktuk, and Paulatuk too, are experiencing the same thing. It's expected to last a few days. Jo and I might as well make the boy feel at home and show him Edmonton in the meantime."
Jarvis rolled his eyes and walked to the door.
"Heavy rain is hitting the area where the bear cub disappeared too, so I want you to stay put until I tell you to go looking," James said. Jarvis shrugged and slammed the door as he left.
Both James and Jo winced. They turned to check the couch and saw Napachee, now wide awake, resting on one elbow.
"I'm glad to see you're wide awake. Get dressed and I'll get you some breakfast. How about ham and eggs?"
"Do you have any cereal?" Napachee asked.
James smiled, "I guess kids are the same everywhere." He sighed as he retrieved the cereal from the cupboard.
"Milk's in the fridge, help yourself. I have to get ready to head to the zoo. We will call your parents before I leave."
As he sat eating his breakfast, Napachee couldn't help but worry about speaking to his father. Enuk would never understand why he had made this trip. His father's solemn disapproval would be far worse than any outburst of anger.
James re-entered the kitchen, picked up the phone and began dialing. When it started to connect he handed Napachee the phone and finished preparing for work.
Napachee listened as the line clicked and sputtered, trying to finish the connection to Sachs Harbour. At the first ring Napachee's heart skipped a beat and he held his breath.
"Hello?"
His father.
"Hello?"
Napachee hesitated and then hung up the phone. "No answer," he said as James glanced up at the sound of the phone being replaced in its cradle.
"Well, don't worry. I'm sure we'll reach them later. I've got to get going now, but feel free to keep trying until you get through. I told Jo she could take the day off from school to show you around and keep you occupied. Due to the fog, it looks like you will be here for about a week before we can get a flight back to your parents. Tell Jo there is some money on the counter to keep you going for the day and I will see you tonight."
James hurried from the apartment leaving him alone in the kitchen.
Napachee finished his breakfast and returned to the couch in the living room.
"I've never seen an Inuvialouette before," Jo said as she entered the room.
"It's Inuvialuit and I'm actually both Inuvialuit and Inuit. Anyway, I've never seen someone with so many freckles and a carrot top before," Napachee replied.
Jo blushed, but controlled her temper.
"My dad says that I have to show you around for the next few days so I guess we'd better get along. My name is Jo, by the way." Despite her attempts not to, Jo smiled and headed into the kitchen.
"I'll go ahead and meet you downstairs," Jo shouted over her shoulder as she headed to the door. "I don't think you will want to wear your parka, so put on one of my dad's windbreakers in the front closet."
After gathering a wallet and a map that James had left for him, Napachee hurriedly got dressed and grabbed the jacket on the way out of the apartment.
Despite the fact that Jarvis had kept him in close check en route to Edmonton, Napachee had fallen asleep for the last portion of the long trip and when he got to the apartment he was in such a drowsy stupor he couldn't even remember how he had arrived on the 20th floor.
Now, the hall looked unfamiliar to him. He walked from one end to the other. There was no way out! None of the doors opened and he could not see stairs anywhere. As he walked along the hall once again, he heard a faint bell, and a large, sliding door opened.
"You headed down?" The man who asked him was standing in a small room with no windows or other doors. "I don't have all day so if you are headed down you'd better hop in now!"
An elevator. Of course! The doors started to close and Napachee jumped in. The floor started to vibrate and Napachee had the same feeling in his stomach that he had experienced in the plane. He wanted to get out, but closed his eyes and held his breath instead. Eventually, the elevator stopped shaking and the doors opened.
Napachee opened his eyes and saw three strangers staring at him, waiting to get in. He walked past them and out into the lobby on the ground floor. Jo wasn't anywhere to be seen.
He stepped out of the front door and was almost bowled over by a man in a black suit and tie. The man stumbled and looked back angrily at Napachee as he hurried off. The daylight was bright and extremely hot. Napachee removed the jacket and stood in the middle of the sidewalk for a moment while his eyes adjusted.
People were pushing past him on either side and he began to panic as he was jostled about. He instinctively backed away from the middle of the sidewalk and pressed himself against the side of the building. All the faces that passed looked unfriendly and the people that bumped into him looked at him as if it was his fault.
"What are you doing over there?" Jo asked, walking towards him from the door of the apartment building.
"Where were you?" Napachee blurted, his voice full of anger.
"What are you so upset about? I was just checking the mail, it took a minute to find you."
Napachee could feel himself beginning to blush and quickly turned away.
"Come on. If we don't hurry we will miss the bus!"
Jo moved ahead into the crowd and Napachee broke into a run to follow her. He caught a glimpse of her now and then as she threaded her way along the crowded sidewalk while he rushed on ignoring the angry shouts of people he bumped into.
Despite his efforts Napachee lost sight of Jo in a few minutes and stopped, panting at a busy corner. As he bent over to catch his breath he looked helplessly along the street in both directions.
"Hey Napachee!"
At the sound of Jo's voice Napachee looked up quickly and spotted her on the other side of the street. He took a step into the street and quickly jumped back when a car beeped its horn loudly and raced past. He waited for the light to change and started across the street with a crowd of others. A bus pulled up and Jo shouted for him to hurry as she climbed on. Napachee lunged for the bus door and squeezed inside just as it closed behind him.
"Exact change," the driver said in a low voice without looking in his direction. When Napachee didn't respond or drop any money into the receptacle, the driver gave him an angry glance.
"If you don't have the money you're off at the next stop," the bus driver said gruffly.
Jo dropped a handful of change int
o the slot. She led Napachee to the back of the bus and grabbed an overhead bar.
Napachee stood in silence as the bus began to move ahead. He looked around at all of the unfamiliar faces. The bus was very full and he stood wedged between two other passengers. The closeness made him uncomfortable. He took a deep breath. The bus passed several theatres with the latest movies, some comic book stores and a McDonald's. Napachee smiled to himself and started to relax. This was the city!
"Here is our stop!" Jo exclaimed as she walked to the front of the bus.
"Come on," she shouted.
"Where are we going now?" Napachee asked, trying desperately to keep up.
"We need to catch the subway!" she yelled.
Napachee followed her as she disappeared down a long flight of stairs. They turned a corner and more stairs lay before them. Once at the bottom, they reached a platform and stood waiting for the subway.
"Why do we have to catch a subway?" Napachee asked, somewhat confused.
"Edmonton is a big place. The zoo where Dad works isn't just around the corner. If you want to go somewhere you have to plan for it and it takes some time to get there. It's actually not that bad. We should be there in about twenty minutes."
Napachee shook his head. People must spend half their lives going places instead of actually being there!
After the subway and another short bus ride they arrived at the zoo.
James showed them around and gave them a tour of most of the pavilions. Napachee couldn't believe how small the cages were. The animals didn't have much room to move and most seemed to be either asleep or lying on the floor. Many were from other parts of the world, breeds he had never seen before. He was especially impressed by the cheetah! He had learned in school about its amazing speed and beauty. He wondered how it felt, trapped here and unable to use the speed it possessed.
After their tour, James took Napachee and Jo to a nearby park where they ate lunch at a picnic table.
"I brought along some hot dogs as well as some sandwiches, but I forgot to bring wood for the fire!"
Napachee Page 3
