Tam wondered whether the five of them were called to begin again as volunteers. But Dah told him wisely that they were too traumatised – they all needed time to recover. And, without proper medication, not only Shaun but their minor wounds too, could become infected, and that was life-threatening.
Yet there was no white gate in the compound.
We need to pray… together,” croaked Tam.
“Agreed,” said Dah. “Let’s join hands and talk to God.”
Linked like this, they prayed. It was amazing just how close the Creator appeared to be at that moment. “Lord, what do you want us to do?” asked Kakko. She heard a gentle breath behind her. She looked up. They were not alone. One by one, local people began to enter the ward where they sat. Then one of them began to sing – her voice rhythmic, soft yet powerful. Others joined the strain. Dah began to hum as she learned the tune.
Then the song got louder and the rhythm more insistent. The key developed into a major one and, in amid all the wreckage and misery of war, people began to sing a song of praise. Amazing, thought Kakko. Utterly amazing.
The people seemed overjoyed to see them. They had returned.
Kakko wanted to say that they had come back to look for a way out – but she hadn’t the heart. She was actually glad that they were there because they were no longer alone in their trauma. They had all been through the terror.
From somewhere people arrived with native herbs and remedies. Cuts were all bathed in some kind of juice that, even if no substitute for proper medicine, would serve to clean and protect torn skin. A better splint was found for Shaun but it was clear the break was not a simple one. Kakko prayed that they could get him home soon.
Food and water also materialised from nowhere. Kakko began to protest, saying they needed the food more but then she remembered that, on previous occasion people not unlike these had taken delight in giving her all they had. They felt they needed to give. Kakko recognised one of the women.
“I weighed your baby,” she said. “Is he alright?”
“He fine,” smiled the woman. “You made him better.”
“Good,” said Kakko relieved. At least one child had survived.
“You good people. God send you to us.”
“In these horrible things, why does God seem so near?” Kakko asked.
“He always close. God hurts when his people hurt,” answered the woman.
“Don’t you ask him to stop these violent people?”
“Mend their hearts? Yes, we ask Him to mend their hearts. But bad in them is so big…”
“I mean, stop them – prevent them killing.”
“How? God does not fight with guns. God is with us.”
“I understand,” said John. “God is bigger than all of this.”
The woman smiled. “God made sun, stars, river. Guns, bombs cannot stop Him. We belong among the stars.”
Tam began to clear a space for them to sleep and Dah managed to find some cushions on which to lay Shaun.
“I don’t know about you but I must sleep,” said John. Dah sat beside her boyfriend and hummed a soft lullaby.
The sun rose and a cool morning breeze swept through the broken walls and windows. Shaun was not a good colour.
Tam pulled himself up from beside Kakko, and offered him a bottle of water. Shaun tried to sit up. Tam helped him. If they didn’t get out that day, it could be very serious indeed for the nineteen-year-old.
John stirred too and went out to find the toilet. He came bounding back.
“Gate! White gate!” he exclaimed. Kakko ran out to see and then came back.
“Let’s get Shaun out of here,” she bellowed.
Their excitement raised the locals.
“It is time for us to leave,” explained Tam. “Our brother will die if we stay,” he added. He hoped the people would understand.
“You can go? How?”
“It’s complicated,” said Tam. “We just need to get Shaun outside by that tree.”
Many hands lifted Shaun to where Kakko indicated.
“OK. We can take him from here. We will leave you here but not before we have prayed with you. Dah, will you sing?”
Dah sang a gentle song of hope. “God with you,” she finished.
“God is good…” said the woman who now stood with the baby Kakko had weighed.
“… all the time,” they responded. “It is His nature.”
“We go and leave you with our prayers,” said Tam. He took Shaun’s shoulders while Kakko and John linked arms beneath his bottom, and Dah very carefully put her arms under his knees. The gate opened as Tam pushed against it and they carried Shaun onto the lawn of White Gates Cottage. Kakko glanced back to see, just before the gate faded, a knot of local people standing with a look of amazement. The woman with the child was saying, “The Lord has taken them. Praise the Lord…”
“Such good people,” said Kakko. “They have nothing but they have everything.”
They looked up to see Yeka running across the grass squealing with delight.
“You came home! Mummy, they’ve come home!”
Jalli did not hesitate. She immediately sent for an ambulance.
3
“Best leave him here on the grass,” said Tam. “The ambulance will not be long.” Matilda had already appeared with a blanket. Shaun did not look good. He was beginning to mutter but what he said made no sense. Jalli felt his forehead.
“He’s burning up,” she declared. “What about the rest of you? What happened?”
Kakko decided that the story was too long to tell right then. “The place is in a huge mess. We were in the back of a truck that came off the road. I landed on top of Shaun. He was only joking about my weight a bit before.”
“I think you’re all very lucky by the sound of things,” said Jalli.
“Indeed,” said Tam. “Kakko could have done herself some real damage if Shaun hadn’t been beneath her when she landed.”
“You all look as if you’ve been through a lot. You look half-starved… and filthy,” said Matilda. “I’ve got the kettle on.”
“Brilliant,” said Kakko. “Just what we all need.”
John was sitting on the grass with Dah beside him. He said nothing.
“Shock,” said Matilda. “I’ve seen it before. Bring him into the kitchen.”
Dah persuaded him to his feet.
That girl is acting strong, thought Matilda but I doubt it will last. She’s being strong for the boy. She knew Kakko and Tam to be quite resilient. But even they looked rough.
Yeka stood on one leg holding onto Kakko’s hand. She just looked at Shaun, confused. She had never seen him look like that before. He wasn’t the Shaun she knew. Kakko held her hand tight and Yeka cuddled up to her leg.
“You smell funny,” she said.
“I expect I do,” answered Kakko. “It wasn’t nice where we have been.”
“What did you do there?”
“We helped in a hospital.”
“Like the one downtown?”
“A bit like that but not so big and not so nice.”
Jalli had rung Jack. He arrived about the same time as the ambulance.
The ambulance crew wouldn’t allow anyone to ride with Shaun. The concern they showed confirmed their fears. The paramedics ran their eyes over the others and ordered them all to attend A&E but not to rush. It would be unlikely that they would be able to see Shaun for some time.
“They’ll want to take him for tests,” they said. “Come when you’re ready… Is he allergic to antibiotics?”
“No,” said Jack.
As soon as Shaun was safely inside and the paramedics had connected him to a drip, the ambulance raced away, disappearing from sight in the direction of Joh City. Jalli shuddered. Jack held her. Yeka was crying silently. Kakko became aware. She bent down and picked her up. “Let’s get that tea,” she said.
***
Two hours later Kakko, Tam, John and Dah had been injected, disinfected,
bathed, and their scrapes covered in an antiseptic liquid that made them wince. Shaun was in theatre having his leg dealt with.
“You only just managed to get your son here in time,” explained the consultant to Jalli. “He is suffering from a blood infection but fortunately he appears to be responding well to the antibiotics. He’s very dehydrated too – in fact they all are… We’ve done a scan and his right tibia and fibula are both fractured in two places. There is also some damage to the veins and surrounding muscles but his arteries and nerves seem intact… He’s a lucky young man. It could have been worse…
“The other young people have suffered some quite considerable bruising. Your daughter Kakko has suffered a significant blow to the side of her head – I have ordered a CAT scan. The young man – John – has sustained significant whiplash and, although he says he did not pass out, I suspect some mild concussion… Tell me about this road accident – it would appear to have been serious. I haven’t heard of such an accident locally.”
“It didn’t happen here,” explained Jalli. “They were on another planet in the midst of a war of some kind. The truck wasn’t travelling fast. They think it was blown up by some kind of mine… They say they were ambushed.”
“Another planet…? Ah, of course, your family is the one that travels through portals – white gates or something.”
“Exactly.”
“Your daughter’s boyfriend, Tam – his parents are here. They don’t sound best pleased but seem reconciled to his association with you.”
“I wouldn’t blame them for being doubtful about their son’s commitment to Kakko. She isn’t the safest girl to have as a partner… I’d better go and talk to them.”
“Ah, yes. Kakko. According to her records, she has been treated for a broken arm and had metal removed from her upper thigh – both injuries sustained on other worlds. This time it is her brother who has suffered the most severely. I recommend that you dissuade them from travelling like this.”
“Sometimes, I wish I could but they are all over eighteen – just. At their age I never turned down a white gate. In fact, I never have…”
“What about the relatives of the other two.” He checked his clipboard. “John and Da’yelni?”
“Both on different planets. John is from Earth One and Dah from a planet called Atiota. That’s where they live… They can’t return without a white gate.”
“Ah, I see…” But the doctor didn’t seem to have really understood.
***
As soon as it was available, Jalli obtained a copy of the local newspaper, the Daily Messenger. She anticipated a report. This was the sort of story the readers enjoyed. She read Jack an article on page three. There was a picture of Shaun posing in his red and yellow City United football strip with a football under his boot – his right one. It read:
Footballer Injured on Alien Planet
Shaun Smith (19) of City United, and training for youth and community work at the City Academy, sustained a broken leg and other complications in a road accident that was reported to have taken place on another planet.
Smith’s parents, who have been living on Joh for the past quarter of a century, have a cottage in Woodglade that has been occupied by other travellers before them. Jack (48), who is blind, works as a teacher in the Woodglade School for the Blind. His wife, Jallaxanya (47), has been an entomologist at the Institute of Agriculture since their arrival on Joh.
The name and location of the planet on which the accident happened is unknown to them. “We never know where we will end up,” explained Jallaxanya. “We are called there for a purpose… to help the people – but it is always a challenging place and is often in trouble. This particular planet seems to have been engaged in a gruesome war.”
Shaun was born in Joh City Hospital where he is now being cared for. “Shaun is poorly but we expect him to make a good recovery,” said Mr Crant, his consultant, in a statement. Asked about his future as a footballer, Mr Crant said that it was far too early to speculate. “Whatever happens he will take many months to recover from this injury,” he added.
Shaun’s sister, Kakko (21), was also in the crash, as was her partner, Tam Klempt (21), also of Woodglade. They were accompanied by two other friends reported to hail from different planets: John Richards (20) from Earth One, and Da’yelni Lugos (18) from Atiota. All were severely dehydrated and suffering from minor injuries. They were treated but not detained, and have now returned home to Woodglade.
“That sounds fair enough,” remarked Jack. “It’s factual. They’ve done more sensational pieces in the past.”
“I know… But I wish we weren’t bringing so much attention to ourselves,” sighed Jalli.
Jack laughed. “The truth is that they don’t know the half of it. The white gates take us to places most people cannot even imagine. Even if you told them, they wouldn’t understand it.”
“What worries me this time is that I don’t think we know the half of it… I’ve never known Kakko to be so unforthcoming.”
“She’s growing up and seeing deeper into things. She’s not bouncing off the surface so much these days. This latest experience has been really traumatic for all of them. I have come to believe – not that I have been told in so many words – that they feared Shaun was going to be killed – and not just from the road accident.”
“Oh, Jack. All of this scares me… No-one on this planet has any idea of what it’s like being our children’s mother and father.”
“Except for Tam’s parents.”
“Yes, of course… The doctor said that they seemed reconciled to the fact that their son wanted to belong to Kakko.”
“That’s progress, Jalli. You can’t expect them to be enthusiastic. Anyway, he, of all of them, came back the least traumatised this time. Very much together – more confident.”
“Yes. You’re right. We’re lucky with him, Jack. He’s really good for Kakko.”
“Whatever happens, Jalli, we’ve got more now than either of us, or my mother, or your grandma, had when we were their age.”
“Yes. That’s so true. And the more we have, the more we have to worry about; I can’t imagine having no-one, like some people.”
***
Two days after his op, Shaun demanded of his doctor, with a note of impatience, “When will I be able to walk?”
“So we’re feeling better, it seems,” smiled the doctor. “Ready to get mobile. That’s a good sign. You’ve got quite a bit of metal in that leg but we’ll see about a lighter cast in a couple of days and then you’ll be begging us to ease off on the physio. I want to see you build up a bit of muscle, too. You appear to have been quite malnourished over the last week or so.”
“Yeah. We got past the point of feeling hungry… But now I’m ravenous.”
“Good. Get stronger.” The doctor glanced toward movement in the doorway. “Oh, you seem quite popular.” Shaun looked up to see his friend Aril with his sister, Wennai, and Gollip, the City United leading goal scorer, hesitating at the entrance of the ward. “You can come and talk to your friend now… I’ve quite finished.” The consultant moved on to another patient.
“Hi,” said Aril.
“Hi,” answered Shaun.
“Just thought we should check you out, mate,” said Aril.
“Sorry, Gollip,” said Shaun. “It looks like I shall be out for some time.”
“We missed you,” said Gollip. “Lost the match… Got the message from your mum to say you had been summoned away. Couldn’t believe it; just before that important cup match.”
“Sorry,” said Shaun again. “I didn’t plan on being away so long.” The atmosphere was tense. The teenagers weren’t used to hospital visiting and they certainly weren’t used to seeing Shaun lying on his back in bed. The presence of Wennai didn’t help. She and Shaun had dated for a month around the time of his eighteenth birthday and, although it was just over a year ago that they had agreed to part, it had been pretty serious between them at one point. Since then
, Wennai had started dating Gollip, which made things a bit awkward.
The conversation was mostly about football. They didn’t ask much about what had landed Shaun in such a state. After twenty minutes, Gollip suggested it was time to leave. He and Wennai were going to a venue that evening. Shaun thanked them for coming.
“Come again, you guys. It gets a bit lonely in here sometimes.”
“Sure, mate,” said Aril. “We’ll come after the match on Saturday and tell you all about it.”
As they left, Shaun thought to himself, Yeah, you will. Gollip won’t, though. He’ll be out celebrating or commiserating with the rest of the team. And Wennai will probably be with him now they are an acknowledged item.
Shaun’s leg began to hurt him and he lay back. His family wouldn’t be visiting until later. He closed his eyes and began to nod but then he was back there on the dusty road and he saw the man’s expression of ecstasy anticipating pulling the trigger, only to—
Then he was wide awake, staring at the ceiling.
***
To Shaun’s surprise, the next day, in the afternoon, Wennai returned. This time alone.
“I wanted to come,” she reflected. “I didn’t manage to get to say much with the two boys.”
“Nah,” agreed Shaun. “Your brother always has lots to say.”
“I didn’t want to talk about football. It must be cruel for you not being able to walk, let alone play.”
“Pretty much of a mess at the moment, I’m afraid… They hope to get me up for a few minutes tomorrow when I have a new pot on.”
Wennai looked at their artwork from the previous day on his existing cast. “Pretty naff. You’ll be glad to get that off.”
“Yeah, not just for Aril’s doubtful cartoons… although they have caused some amusement among the nurses.” Shaun laughed. It wasn’t difficult talking to Wennai.
The Spark (White Gates Adventures Book 4) Page 3
