A six-man crew was working deep within the forest, trying to complete a survey. They needed to get their work done quickly so the bulldozers could begin clearing the forest. As the men stopped for lunch, they heard the sound of a human female voice. The sound came from the forest a few yards from where they sat. The men disregarded the sound, knowing that the sound must have come from an animal or the wind.
As the men returned their attention to their lunch, a shadow moved over them. One of the men looked up, only to see green things falling from the sky. The man yelled as the first of millions of slimy green frogs began to fall from the sky. As they tried to cover their heads and keep the nasty creatures from sliming them, a voice from the forest yelled a warning to them. The female said, “This is your first warning. You are trespassing on the ancient forests of my forefathers, leave now. You don’t want me to find you here again.”
The men tried to stand their ground, but the frogs covered the ground around them. They finally decided to pack up their equipment and move out onto the two-track road, hoping to find some place to evade the tiny green creatures. As they tried to walk, the slippery frogs made travel very treacherous. When they finally arrived at the road, they called for their boss to pick them up. The boss was not happy with the men for being such sissies, telling them that a few frogs were no reason for them to stop work.
When the boss arrived in the company truck, he swore at the men and told them to show him the frogs. As they walked back into the forest, the sea of frogs began moving towards them. There were thousands of them, hopping over each other in a frantic exodus of the forest. As the men retreated from the forest and got into the truck, a voice over the truck radio announced, “You have trespassed on private property for a second time. I warned you of the consequences earlier today. Now you will again suffer for your poor judgment.”
The men began to laugh, wondering how someone had transmitted the message over the truck radio. As they laughed, the aroma of a skunk permeated the interior of the truck. The stench was so intense that the men began to gag. The man behind the steering wheel turned on the air conditioning, hoping to move the smell of the skunk from the vehicle. As he put the truck into gear and began to drive, he looked out the back window and saw the skunk sitting in the road. He swore at the animal and then turned the truck around in a small clearing. As he raced down the road towards the animal, he saw the skunk run down into the edge of the forest. The skunk jumped up on a large log and turned its tail toward the truck just as it passed by. The skunk released a cloud of stench that coated the side of the truck.
The driver’s side window on the truck was open.
***
As the first blast blew rocks and debris into the air, the men hid behind a panel truck. When the dust began to settle, the men headed towards the site to begin clearing the stone and rocks away. The area the size of a football field needed clearing of granite and rock to provide a place for a parking lot. The men had drilled deep holes into the stone to set the charges.
When the men arrived at the place they had just blasted, they realized that the rubble on the ground was moving on its own accord, moving back into the place where they had just blasted it free. Within ten minutes time, the mountain had repaired itself. Other than the missing trees that they had bulldozed yesterday, the granite mountainside looked just as it did before they blasted. As they continued to inspect, they discovered they could find no sign that they had ever drilled a hole in the rock. The mountain was just as it had been for many thousands of years. An entire construction crew stood in awe over what they had just seen. The foreman on the project took off his hardhat and stood scratching his head. He turned to his crew and said, “Let’s get the pneumatic drills back in here. The owners will not understand what just happened here and I have no desire to try to explain it to them. I am still in hot water over the bees, the frogs, the missing truck, and now this has to happen.”
The engineers, who laid out the drill hole locations and oversaw the blasting operation the first time, began looking over the ground. As they walked on the rocks, they decided there was more magic in this mountain than they would ever understand. The foreman ordered his men to drill new holes and blast the mountain again. No magic was going to stop this project.
As the sun slid over the edge of the western side of the Seine Mountains, the men returned to their living quarters for the night. The men had completed drilling new holes in the rock and were now prepared to fill the holes with explosives in the morning. They would try again to blast the mountain, this time they would use enough explosives to insure no form of magic could put things right again.
When the sun rose, the men ate their breakfast and then headed back to construction site to begin work. When the crew attempted to start the heavy bulldozers and excavators, none would start. Not even the drill rig engine would start. The men began checking the vehicles, thinking someone vandalized them, they could find no reason for the diesel engines to not start. When the engine mechanics arrived on site, they soon discovered that the diesel fuel in the tanks had turned into a thick sticky substance, which looked and smelled like dried blood. The men spent most of the day draining the fuel tanks, replacing the fuel filters and getting the engines to run. By the time the crews had their construction equipment running, the sun was setting.
The following morning, the men returned to the construction site, hoping to get back to work. They soon discovered that most of the huge vehicle tires were flat. Many of the larger tires had a ballast material inside, mainly calcium chloride, but some used other materials, yet they were now flat. When the men walked up near the equipment, they could see that the ballast material was on the ground in puddles. The men soon found that they could however, pressurize the tires with an air compressor. It seemed that whoever had vandalized the tires had not damaged them, just let the air and ballast material out of them.
As the men began working to repair the tires, they soon were swatting the biting midges called no-see-ums, which were swarming around each vehicle. The tiny critters would crawl under the men’s clothing, into their hair, eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. The boss went into town and purchased insect repellant, but even that did not stop the assault on the humans by the insects. Two hours later, the men walked off the job and headed back into town. They intended to purchase clothing to stop the tiny insects from biting them, but soon discovered that clothing alone would not deter the insects. The men returned to the worksite smelling of insect repellant, and with their clothing securely fastened to prevent the critters from crawling under their cuffs. Many wore head nets in an attempt to prevent the midges from biting them.
As the men worked, they apparently had managed to outsmart the midges, but now a hatch of black flies invaded the worksite. As the men worked, the large flies would dive at them and inflict a vicious bite. The men had tried to cover themselves with clothing and netting, but even the head nets would not stop the black flies from drawing blood. By late afternoon, the mosquitos also joined the invasion. By suppertime, the truck tires were still not all repaired and the men had lost another day’s work.
On the morning of the fourth day, the men woke to an assault by Mother Nature. A strong storm blew in and brought with it three inches of rain. The men now tried to repair their vehicles in ankle deep mud.
By afternoon, the cold winds blew in, carrying with them a wet heavy snow. The men did manage to get most of the trucks repaired and ready to run by the end of the day. By the time they headed home at the end of the workday, the temperature was rapidly falling. The weatherman predicted the temperature to fall below freezing during the night, and heavy snow was in the forecast.
The project foreman placed a call to his office as they drove to the restaurant for supper. He explained more about what had been going on in the Seine Mountains and explained that his crew should be able to return to work in the morning. The men had repaired all of the vehicles and the freezing temperatures and snow would put an end to the mud in t
he swamps that mired his bulldozers as they tried to clear the swamplands. It would also put an end to the hatching insects that plagued his workforce. The project manager explained that the project costs were causing the investors some concern. The discovery of the ancient burial grounds would delay some of the project for many months, but the new highway from the west needed to get back on schedule as quickly as possible. The manager understood that winter would soon place an extra burden on the workforce and cause even more delays.
The following week, flu season invaded the Seine Mountains. Blacky, Monique, and Fatin, returned to the cabin to spend a few days. The construction crew was struggling and most of the crew was off sick. Blacky commented to Ginger and Natalie that Mother Nature seemed intent on helping with the battle to protect the mountain.
The following morning, Ginger and Natalie decided to spend the day hunting. They wanted to shoot one more deer so they could can the meat. The girls had worked the last two weeks, canning fruit and vegetables and storing the jars in the cellar under the cabin. The garden had produced well and along with the fish they had caught in the creek, if they could harvest some venison, they would have ample food stored away for the winter. The girls had planned to have Sally staying with them, but she had moved into the mine with Charles.
As Ginger thought about how much Ahti had loved fresh fish from the creek, she began to cry. She sat down at the kitchen table and put her head down between her legs. Blacky walked up and snuggled between her legs, trying to calm Ginger’s emotions. When she reached down and began petting Blacky’s back and scratching his neck, Natalie walked into the cabin. She knew instantly that something was wrong and headed over to where Ginger sat. Natalie kneeled down between Ginger’s knees and spoke to her friend. Ginger put her head on Natalie’s shoulder and said, “I am sorry for the tears. I was counting the jars of fish and remembered how much Ahti loved to go with us to the creek when we fished. I have not cried in weeks over my friend, but today my emotions seem to be out of control.” Natalie said, “I think we will always find things that trigger our emotions over the loss of Ahti. I have contained my tears when others are around, but I find myself crying in bed where no one hears.” Blacky looked up into Ginger’s eyes as she scratched his back. Ginger said, “Yes, thank you Blacky for comforting me when I cry. I do love to have you join me in my bed. Not only are you warm, but your compassion helps calm my emotions and dry my tears as I remember Ahti.”
As the girls talked, Charles and Sally opened the back door and stepped into the kitchen. Ginger looked up and immediately headed towards them. She hugged Sally and then hugged Charles. When she stepped back from the visitors, Charles said, “Do you need another hug, Ginger? It appears you have been crying.” Ginger stepped up, wrapped her arms around Charles neck, and then suddenly stepped back. She looked at Sally and asked, “Are you and Charles now a couple? I just realized that my hugging on Charles may not meet with your approval.” Sally patted Ginger on the shoulder and said, “You may cry on his shoulder, but remember that he sleeps in my bed when the sun sets.” Ginger looked up into Charles eyes and then giggled. Charles face turned a deep shade of red and then he said, “Please do not let the thoughts swimming around in your head, become words that cross your lips. I am not ashamed of the love we shared, but Sally should not hear us speak of those times.” Ginger giggled again, opened her mouth to speak, closed her mouth, and walked back to the kitchen table. Natalie started to giggle and said, “That is the first time I have ever seen Ginger get shushed.” Sally spoke to Natalie and said, “Please don’t piss off Ginger tonight. I am too tired to get my ass whipped over a man.”
The snickering around the table suggested to Blacky that he and Charles might want to check out the barn or at least be somewhere else for an hour or two. The girls seemed intent on making Charles feel uncomfortable and Blacky could sense his anger building. Blacky spoke to Charles and said, “Kind Sir, I am in need of assistance in the barn. Would you give me a hand for a few minutes?” Charles quickly walked to the back door and waited for Blacky. As the two stepped out onto the porch, Charles said, “Thank you Blacky. It was getting a little tense in there. I suspect the girls are now discussing my sexual prowess.” Blacky looked up at Charles and said, “Ginger is a very possessive girl. She does not like Sally being so close to you. Over time, as you share your life with Sally, Ginger will find her own true love and her own way. Shall we walk for a while and give the girls time to do what girls do when we males are away?”
As Blacky and Charles walked, Charles said, “The construction crews are bracing for a large winter storm to pass through this area. The weather forecasters that the construction crews rely upon are predicting two feet of powder snow and high winds. The men are hoping their boss sends them home for a few days until the storm passes. If that amount of snow falls down in the valley, we can certainly count on more snow up here in the mountain. I intend to offer my assistance to Monique to bring the goats down into the barn until the worst of the storm passes. The young will certainly not survive such a heavy snowfall.”
As Charles and Blacky walked back into the cabin, Monique stepped up to them and said, “Thank you for your offer to bring the goats down. I could use your help locating them from the air. Once you find them, I will spoon them down from the mountain.” Sally looked at Natalie and then Ginger and quietly asked, “What does spooning the goats mean?” Ginger giggled and said, “Monique uses a wooden spoon to pound on an old cow bell to summon the goats to come home. However, the sound only carries a mile or so. Once Charles locates them, then Monique will walk up the mountain and spoon them. They will follow the sound down to the cabin. If you ask, Monique will allow you to join her, or you could fly with Charles to locate the goats.” Sally laughed and said, “Ginger, are you trying to get rid of me?” Ginger giggled and said, “Sally we are past that. You and I are friends and we will remain that way. Natalie and I are going to hunt for a deer to help feed us this winter. We will be leaving in a few minutes. You are also welcome to take some time for yourself and relax here in the cabin if you like. You can heat water for a bath in the tub on the porch if you wish.”
As Ginger and Natalie headed out to hunt in the forest below the cabin, Sally walked outside and sat down beside Monique. She said, “I was talking to Ginger and she mentioned that you would be spooning goats today. Would you object to having company? I would love to see some of this beautiful ancient forest from ground level.” Monique looked at Sally and said, “I would enjoy your company. Sometime the kid goats have trouble keeping up as the older goats head down to the barn. The older ones realize that a bad storm is brewing and they welcome the shelter of the barn. Your assistance is welcome. I have an extra pair of leather chaps to keep you safe from rattlesnake bites, but you will have to watch where you walk. Follow the goats and you should be safe, they seem to steer clear of danger.”
As they girls talked, Charles landed on the ground and shifted into his human life form. He looked at the girls and said, “The storm is coming in quickly, shall we get the goats down and safe before the bears decide to make a meal of them. The bears will be hungry since they are trying to put on fat for what appears to be the beginning of a long hard winter. This storm will force them to feed more aggressively than usual.”
After the girls killed a deer, skinned it and hung the meat, they decided to get the barn ready for the goats. As they built some pens so they could separate the bucks that would certainly fight, they placed fresh straw down. As they worked, they began to hear the sounds of Monique beating on the metal pot with her wooden spoon. They stepped outside the barn and looked up towards the hillside above the cabin. They could see Monique leading the way and Sally carrying a kid. It looked as if the kid was recently born. It was very small.
The girls opened the gate and allowed the goats to enter. When Monique and Sally stepped inside, Sally put the tiny goat down on its feet. It quickly found its mother and began suckling. As the girls checked each goat to i
nsure they were not injured or sick, they headed up to the cabin for some supper. Sally never stopped talking about her adventure during the short walk. Ginger put her hand on Sally’s shoulder when they reached the cabin and asked, “Did you have a good time? I cannot tell if you are excited or not.” Sally looked at Ginger and said, “Best day of my life. That was great, and the baby goat ran right up to me. I suspect it feared we would leave it in the forest without its mother.” Ginger said, “The mother would not have went far without going back for her kid, but it might have injured itself trying to keep up with the others. You did well by carrying it home.”
The girls heated water for tea and then cooked up some of the venison the girls had harvested earlier in the day. Monique found some fresh mushrooms in the garden and roasted them over the open fire in the fireplace. As the girls sat down to eat, Blacky, Fatin and Blackjack came in from the back porch. Blacky spoke to Monique and said, “Charles just flew down to the construction site and paid the workers a visit. He overheard the men saying that they were going home for two weeks. It seems that the financier of the project may be out of money. One of the construction foremen told his men that they would not be returning to work until someone came up with some money. He explained to the men that if he did not get his last invoice paid in full, he would be sending trucks up to the project to haul the excavators and bulldozers off the project. He also explained that the state had put a halt to work at the east end of the highway where they discovered the burial site. It appears that the contractors knew of the burial site long before they project began and the state is pissed that the men intentionally bulldozed the site.”
Ronnie Coleinger: A Winter Collection Page 9
