by Rowan Casey
“Now, come on! You don’t have time,” she urged.
He hesitated again then glanced down as flames now joined smoke coming from the windows. At much the same time, the first fire truck rounded the corner and that did the trick. He imitated her moves, moving back on the roof then rushing forward to make the leap. Despite his height, Daniel’s jump lacked her power and he got his arms stretched out enough to grab the edge of the roof but the rest of him dangled, his legs scissoring in near-panic.
“I’ve got you,” she said, trying her best to sound encouraging. Bracing her feet on the other side of the roof edge, she grabbed hold off his wrists and pulled. Fresh pain rippled down her legs but she held firm. Slowly, he stopped moving his legs and used them to brace his body. In as ungainly manner as was possible, he made his way up and over, landing on his butt. He sat there, breathing hard, fresh sweat running down his face and was utterly silent.
She sat beside him, close enough to offer him companionship but making sure they didn’t touch. He was still a stranger to her; well, not exactly a stranger but she was still getting to know him. He clearly wasn’t the damaged goods his family thought he was, much as she wasn’t. For whatever reason, the world decided they were to be partners in this adventure and this test of trust would help forge the bonds she suspected they would need.
“You know how I said I wasn’t doing this?” she finally said to break the silence.
“Yeah.”
“I still don’t want to do it but I don’t think we have a choice. We certainly don’t have a home,” she said. They studied the flames now climbing through several broken windows as the first sprays of water reached up. Steam filled the air, masking their position.
“It frees us to go exploring without rules. It’s what I was coming to tell you.” He quickly talked about his run-in with the creature whatever it was called. “I wanted you to pack and run away with me so we could get started.”
She eyed the ripped backpack and nodded. “Well, I got nothing. Just my phone and some cash. Not even a change of clothes.”
“I know,” he said, and his deep voice sounded sympathetic.
“We’ll figure that out later,” she said, rising to her feet. Still, it was time to go. More sirens neared and soon the head counting would begin, if it hadn’t already. “Did you see it?”
“You believe me?” he asked as he got up, looking fearful.
“After yesterday? Yeah. Follow me,” she said and headed away from their burning home. She would miss it because it offered her shelter and order. She was learning things and was on track to finish high school on schedule, then she wanted to go to college far from her family. Now she couldn’t go home and had no other place to call home. She lost some favorite clothes and books, some older CDs from her childhood. It hurt deep in her chest.
“Look,” she told him, pointing. “We jump one more roof then there are those trees we can climb down. You can do this, Dan.”
“Daniel,” he corrected. He studied the distance and realized it looked shorter than the last jump. That seemed to give him confidence. He even cracked a grin and said, “Ladies first.”
She glared at him. “I am not a lady. According to Grimm, I am a Knight of the Round Table.” With that, she ran and leapt, making the distance disappear. She was suddenly on the opposite roof and gave him a thumbs up.
Daniel tossed her the backpack again and then actually crossed himself before making his second running leap of the night. When he looked up, she grinned at him and then started for the trees. Two landings on a house roof was sure to alert the neighbors, if the fire sirens hadn’t already woken them.
Reaching a branch sturdy enough to climb down proved remarkably easy since it was an old tree, no doubt there since the buildings were first erected. Within minutes, both were on the sidewalk and began walking away from the fire and towards the next intersection, Snyder Avenue.
“An elf?” she asked again.
“A Dvergr,” Daniel corrected, but nodded in confirmation and once more recounted the brief meeting, causing a sense of alarm in Hannah. She was called fearless but she really wasn’t that, just more of a daredevil. Evil elves and monsters beyond the Veil, those required a healthy dose of fear.
They walked side by side in silence for a bit but just before reaching the corner he paused and looked down at her.
“You have nothing and I have less than fifty bucks. That won’t last so we might have to steal some things to keep going.”
“That doesn’t sound like what knights do.”
“I know. It’s not chivalrous at all,” he agreed. “I already stole cash from my roommate and that sucks. But we don’t have a choice. First things first, we have to get some distance from the home.”
“Yeah, but the home left us. It’s gone,” she said bitterly.
6
Daniel
Despite it being August, there was a chill in the air, the first whispers of approaching autumn. Both teens were in light clothing and their skin was pebbled with goosebumps as much from the air as from the adrenaline draining from their bodies. The two walked down Snyder Avenue, adding distance from the fire, which continued to light up the night sky. Daniel began scanning for an open business, someplace where they might go for warmth. Of course, it was just after two in the morning and even in Brooklyn that limited their options. He hurried them along as they passed the fire station that was on the street, empty now as the truck was part of the brigade dousing the elf’s fire.
Nearly at 49th Street, they saw a light on at what looked like a nice, white house, yet something about it was incongruent to the neighborhood. A sign in front proclaimed it belonged to the White Mountain Worshippers, something Daniel did not recognize. He studied the sign intently and sure enough, there was a bit of haze over it, which he first misinterpreted as clouds by design but it was actually something only he could perceive. That was odd and he wasn’t sure what that meant. The church seemed to have taken over and modified a two-story home and meticulously landscaped the small grounds, an odd sight in that part of the borough. On the large sign out front and on the front door was a silhouette of a white mountain against a blue sky. It had to be their symbol, but one he did not recognize at all. Worship to him meant religion and he was pretty much done with that once he entered the group home. He had the option of still attending church on Sundays, but rejected it, at first out of anger than out of habit. Still, this looked peaceful and better, open. There was a bright blue light over a side door with a sign which read, “Open to All, At All Hours”.
The teens exchanged glances and Hannah shrugged, holding herself. They were both cold, tired, and more than a little freaked out given the previous eighteen hours. A safe place of refuge appeared to be in order. Before reaching for the door, though, Daniel did a full, slow scan of the entire street and surroundings. The Dvergr was out there, somewhere, and it knew they were hunting something. He worried the thing would dog their steps and hoped it didn’t have a keen sense of smell like a hound or they’d never know a moment’s peace.
He shook his head and gave Hannah a reassuring smile, then gripped the handle and gave it a turn. Thankfully, the sign did not lie and the door eased open. The cool air conditioned air wasn’t comforting, but instead added to their chill. Then the smell of coffee greeted them. The side door was connected to the kitchen which had a long, rectangular table with eight chairs neatly arrayed. A large coffee urn was on a counter, its red light saying it was ready to dispense its contents, with a tray full of navy blue mugs, each bearing the White Mountain logo. Beside it were sweeteners in assorted colors, creamers, plastic stirrers, and a stack of napkins. A half-empty box of Entenmann’s powdered donuts was nearby. The rest of the kitchen was spotless, neatly wiped down, and ready for guests. Hannah moved for the donuts, going deeper into the kitchen and Daniel closed the door. He listened for noises, certain someone had to be on duty, much as at their former home. His suspicions were confirmed when an older man, entirely bald
but with bushy gray eyebrows and matching goatee, emerged from the next room. He was in a stylized sports coat, the mountain logo affixed to the breast pocket reminding him of country club attire. Under the jacket was a white button-down shirt, open at the throat and he wore charcoal gray pants with black walking shoes. He was the oddest looking priest Daniel had ever seen.
“Good morning,” the man said in a soft, non-threatening voice. “Make yourself at home.”
The two murmured their greetings and Daniel reached out to shake the man’s hand. The grip was firm, the skin dry. Hannah hesitated and then followed suit and he suspected she was unaccustomed to the social niceties.
“You’re up late. I doubt you’re here for prayer. Is there some help you need?”
“We…got lost….from our group,” Hannah began to say. She cast a look in Daniel’s direction and he just nodded.
Their host nodded once in understanding and pressed no further. Instead, he turned to the refrigerator and took out a large plastic container. “Soup?”
“Sure,” Hannah said. She took a seat at the table while their host removed a plastic container from the fridge, poured something reddish into two mugs and placed them in the microwave.
“Thanks,” Daniel said as he took a seat beside her.
“I’m Gerard, a Gatekeeper here at the White Mountain.”
“What does that mean?” Daniel asked.
“We’re a relatively new order, I guess,” Gerard said as he gathered napkins and soup spoons, placing them on the table. His movements were relaxed and easy, giving every appearance of being supportive. Daniel appreciated that he didn’t ask about them turning up so soon after fire sirens tore the night’s silence apart. That told him something and he looked hard at the man, trying to will his sight to do something but all he saw was a fifty-something man too well-dressed for the summer night. There was no sense of a threat.
“We follow the Moderator, who is setting up homes like this to tear down manmade boundaries. You see, we believe the world will survive or not only through unity. If we can part with our national identity, then we can be one family and together reach the White Mountain, the goal of peaceful coexistence.”
The practiced patter sounded silly and idealistic to Daniel who couldn’t imagine paranoid nations like North Korea or factions like Boko Haram putting down their violent values in favor of universal brotherhood. He kept his thoughts to himself, not wanting an argument at this late hour or the chance being ejected. They had nowhere else to go at this point. Idly, he wondered where everyone else would be sleeping and if their absence had been noticed.
Gerard handed them the steaming soup and took a seat, keeping a respectful distance from the teenagers. Daniel noticed the soup was a simple, thick tomato soup and it smelled heavenly. He sipped gingerly while Hannah slurped away.
“Do you need someplace to sleep tonight,” Gerard finally asked.
“You have room?” Daniel asked.
“We have spare spaces, cots and sleeping bags, for travelers. We are beginning to attract pilgrims seeking the nearest White Mountain facility.”
“Not a church?” Daniel asked.
“We do worship but a 'church' implies something far more formal than what the Moderator preaches. He talks to us and speaks to the growing followers through web addresses. We’re not so rule bound. And those who come here help spread his gospel and do community service to show how together we can solve most any problem.”
“It certainly sounds nice,” Daniel said and Hannah bopped her head in agreement. “Yes, we could use a place to sleep. Tomorrow we can be on our way, find our people.” He disliked stretching the truth, but he also knew they had to be on the move, to get ahead of the police and start looking for the horn.
When they finished the soup, Hannah took the mugs to the sink and washed them out while Gerard led Daniel down a hall to what must have once been a dining room. It was filled with nine or ten cots, each with a sleeping bag and pillow. A partitioned white plastic box contained travel-size tubes of toothpaste, mouthwash, soap, and toothbrushes. A stack of blankets were neatly folded in a corner. The lack of a door meant there’d be no privacy but right now, rest was the priority. They needed to be fresh for the hunt.
Hannah grabbed one of everything and Gerard led her to a bathroom adjacent to the kitchen. Daniel ruffled through his backpack and plugged his phone in to charge. He ignored the messages that were no doubt left by someone from the home or the police. Instead, he selected a cot by the wall, under the large double window. His belly was full and he was most definitely exhausted. Stretching himself atop the sleeping bag, he studied his surroundings. He noticed something odd, as if the world was superimposed on itself, and the building seemed to be more than just a converted house, something else entirely but he was unable to focus on whatever it was. Fatigue claimed him and then everything went black.
The smell of eggs and bacon woke Daniel, not the sunlight streaming through the doorway. He jerked up and looked for Hannah, who was heavily sleeping on the cot two over from him. He studied his surroundings, remembering the vague sense of disquiet his sight brought but now, in the morning light, everything seemed fine. Normal. They were alone and there were soft sounds of conversation from the kitchen from Gerard and whoever was already starting their day. He looked at himself and realized he never took off his shoes or crawled under the sleeping bag. There were some aches from the previous day’s athletics but overall, he felt pretty good. He got up and headed for the bathroom to wash up.
When he returned to change his shirt, Hannah was crawling from out of her bag, attired in just a hot pink tank-top and tiger-patterned panties, which did not seem to bother her. He looked away, though, earning him a chuckle from her. He checked his phone and there were now four voicemails and a dozen text messages. Everyone was looking for him. He ignored the voicemails but texted back to his roommate, Teddy, that he was fine, staying with a friend. While a white lie, he hoped it was good enough for now. He saw that Hannah was clicking away on her own phone
He smiled at her obsessiveness and went towards the kitchen so she could change with some privacy. The kitchen was busy with two men and a woman, all in identical sports jackets and dark pants. They were chatting quietly among themselves when he walked in and they turned, giving him good smiles. Their cheerfulness felt a little weird, but he figured it was part of their community so he smiled back.
“Gerard told us we had guests,” the woman said. “I am Marissa and these are Geoffrey and Caleb.” Daniel shook their hands, remembering to be on his best behavior since he was their guest and he needed their sanctuary. So, for now, he’d work with the truth.
“Hannah and I are from the home that burned down last night. We ran away and wound up here,” he said, getting a cup of coffee and noticing a fresh box of donuts had been set out. A bowl with apples and bananas was adjacent and he decided on an apple for later.
“The news said the home was a total loss,” Caleb said in a high, soft voice. “They said that at least two died from burns and others were hospitalized. I’m sorry.” No wonder everyone was panicking and trying to find him, Daniel thought. None of the texts said anything about who died or was hurt. He’d have to listen to the voicemails.
“I’ve never been homeless before,” Daniel said by way of humor, seating himself and taking a sip of coffee. He wasn’t much for coffee but it was hot and free.
Marissa placed a comforting hand atop his forearm and smiled. “Is that all you have?” she asked.
“I have some clothes in a backpack but my friend, Hannah, has nothing.”
“We can fix you up with some things people have left behind,” Geoffrey said, seating himself next to Daniel. He was a broad-shouldered black man with a full beard and a warm smile.
At that moment, Hannah entered the room, in the same rumpled clothes she wore the previous night but gave everyone a broad smile as introductions were made. She refused the coffee but took two donuts and accepted an offer of
orange juice.
“What happens here,” Hannah asked. “When there are no services?”
Caleb sat next to her, a fresh cup of coffee in his hand. “Our services are not traditional affairs, like you may be used to. But the Moderator does a regular weekly broadcast on the web from his main building in Manhattan.”
“Yeah, my Mom used to take me to church when I was younger, every Sunday without fail.”
“Well, here we do worship daily at sundown, thanking God for a successful day and praying for an equally successful tomorrow. The majority of our work, though, is volunteering in the community. Bringing people together for projects like Habitat for Humanity, but more than just building homes. We’re building a shed for a food bank and want to partner with local doctors and vets for those who can’t afford office visits,” Caleb explained. To Daniel, it sounded very altruistic; minimal religion and maximum service. He could get behind something like that.
“Today, for example, we’re cleaning out an alley over at 48th, getting it ready to do some fall planting,” Marissa said. “We could use some help.”
Hannah hesitated, casting a look his way. Daniel took the cue and said, “We can try. Later, though. We need to figure out what’s going on with the home; get some supplies and things.”
“Well, we can help with some of that,” Caleb said, rising from his seat. “I recall we had a backpack or satchel we could give you for the clothes. Let me see.”
While he was gone, Marissa began tidying the kitchen and Geoffrey kept them company at the table as Hannah had a second glass of juice. Since he awoke, Daniel’s sight had been dormant which was unusual, he guessed these people were sincere and not a threat to them. He half-expected to see angles floating about them or halos over their heads.
“Either of you good with garbage collection? Some of those things we’re cleaning need to be evaluated for trash or Goodwill.”
