Liam and Tivia looked at each other then simultaneously said, “We’re coming with you!”
“No, we don’t want you to get hurt. That’s very nice though,” Gale answered firmly.
“We are coming,” answered Liam.
Aah! I don’t want them to get hurt. But I guess that they have just as much of a chance to get hurt here with all the war.
Force looked at Gale with amusement and said to Tivia and Liam, “You can come.”
Gale crossed her arms, “Hey! I just said no!”
He smiled teasingly, “You didn’t ask me, and you know you were going to say yes.”
“Fine,” Gale replied rolling her eyes.
Force laughed and Tivia and Liam looked at each other pointedly.
CHAPTER FOUR
Gale had such a good time at dinner that she hardly noticed the meal of stale bread and old cheese. When they had finished and Ovev had clapped her on the back, she went off down the skinny wooden halls with Tivia.
“So, how do you like living here?” Gale asked, trying to find food for conversation.
Tivia looked around with a grateful half smile at the worn splintered wood, “Compared to the rest of the camp it’s absolute luxury. It’s a little less cold than a tent.”
She looked at Gale, “I’m lucky, Father is the leader. He has been for the last fifteen years. We and the others here were refugees from a city about a hundred miles from here. I was just a baby, so I don’t remember. Everyone was having trouble getting along and just surviving. Food rations were being stolen, things were crazy. Father saw what was happening, he knew we wouldn’t survive if we all fought, so he held a vote and got elected the leader. He manages everything.
“Anyway, the reason we live here is that someone whom everybody trusts, in other words my father, has to guard the resources supply from bandits. Our rooms are arranged so that we surround the stash. That way if anyone wants to steal something, they have to come through one of our rooms.” Tivia smiled and raised her eyebrows. Then she reached into a doorway and rang a little bell strung on a line hanging loose from the doorframe. She giggled, “We string a bunch of them across every night.” Her smile gradually faded. After a few minutes, she turned suddenly towards Gale and said, “We’re in trouble, Gale. Everything’s wrong! Our food supply is low. Our mechanical supply is low. Lots of times we’re hungry. We always have to watch out for bombings. Those...two...criminals can’t seem to stop terrorizing what people there are left on earth! Food is getting harder and harder to get and every winter is getting colder. The two scientists that live here say that there is be a way to stop it, but they can’t do it. It would take the effort of millions of people. We need you.” Tivia looked up at her hopefully and took her hand. Gale looked into her familiarly shaped blue eyes.
This fourteen year old was counting on her. This world was a mess. She thought over what she had seen and heard that day. The dirty people and ragged tents. Old wood, eyes full of hunger and hopelessness. The world is dying. She suddenly realized with a shock. Earth is freezing and humanity is in ruins. Look at this place, it’s how everyone lives. No, correction. This is how the lucky people live. She looked back at Tivia, “Everything will be fine, it always is, right?”
Tivia cracked a smile, “No, it’s not. I’m not that naive, but thanks.”
This is serious, I can’t fail.
The next morning Gale woke up even sorer than she had been the day before. She smoothed out her clothes, then went to find the others. She wandered through the barren, slightly tilting halls, out into the fresh open air. She paused a moment and watched.
Ovev was seated on the ground a few feet away. Children and youth were gathered around him, their faces eager with curiosity. She looked down to Ovev’s hand. He was drawing crude letters in the ground. Then she understood, he was trying to school them. She felt Ovev’s helplessness. She leaned her head against the doorpost and closed her eyes. This isn’t right. She wished she wouldn’t cry, but she couldn’t help it, tears slid down her face. Nobody deserves this. She opened her eyes and set her jaw as she looked around and saw the dirty children and tense mothers. All the tents were almost falling due to the weak supports. The feelings that reigned were fear and pain. She saw at least two ragged people crying. Fear and tiredness filled the eyes of almost everyone. Fear for every second of their lives, fear that the world will never be the way it was when they were children again. Fear that their children will never know what is like to not be hungry. Humans should never be made to suffer this way by other humans. Anger raged through her like an uncontrolled fire. Ginvay and Jaegear will not tear this world apart any more than they already have. Her hands balled into fists. I won’t let them.
At that moment Ovev rose from the muddy dirt and turned around toward her, “Good mornin’...grandmother.”
Gale quickly dried her tears and laughed, it just seemed weird to have this big guy calling her grandmother.
“I didn’t think you would be up this early.”
She reached over and hugged him, “Humans shouldn’t be forced to live like this! Things were so much better!”
He patted her back, “I know, I know. And you weren’t alive in my time, if you had seen that then this would go right and break your heart.”
“It already has.”
He straightened his apron and said, “I have some work to do. See you later.”
Gale and Force looked at the camp and helped Ovev that day. The longer she stayed there, the more pity filled her heart. Force still joked around, but Gale caught him looking around in disbelief several times. His empathy glowed like a beacon, she had almost never felt something so strong from anyone.
That night Gale lay in a bed made of hard dirt and fabric. She had been lying awake for thirty minutes. She sat up, rewadded up her ‘pillow’, then laid down again and snuggled under the rough sheets to try to hide from the freezing night air. How do these people survive? It must be terrible having to be ready to jump up and move any minute because you never know when you will be attacked. It must be especially hard for the older ones who have seen the technology, comfort, and justice leave the world.
Her thoughts became hazy, and she felt her cheeks and feet start to warm as she fell into a drifting sleep. It was like she was still awake though, she could feel that annoying knot of wood underneath her thin sheets.
A few minutes later her mind detected screaming and shouting. High and low, it was like a symphony. Not a good symphony though. It got louder and louder. It was starting to break her sleep, but she didn’t want to get up. A shock of pain hit her emotions like a car. I’m probably still in a dream anyway. So comfortable, so comfortable. Don’t want to. Can’t. Get up. Not yet, drifted Gale’s thoughts. Ow! Stop. She felt a trembling and shaking. A hard shaking. She tried to open her eyes halfway to tell whoever was trying to get her up that she would get up in little while. She couldn’t. When she realized that she couldn’t open her eyes she became fully awake. She bolted upright. She still couldn’t see.
“What’s happening?” she called.
It was completely frightening to look around and not be able to see anything, not even any outlines. The darkness bombarded her like a tiger. She started feeling around trying to find...something, she didn’t know what.
“Shhhh. You’re going to be alright. We have to go. The camp is being attacked right now,” came Force’s reassuring but urgent voice.
“I...I can’t see.”
“It’s worse than I thought,” whispered Ovev. Gale heard screaming all around her as she felt someone lift her up with strong arms.
“We have to go...now!” came Liam’s voice.
She felt the person who was carrying her start to run, hard. She was jolted everywhere. The fear in the air spiked. Now she was relying on her other senses since she didn’t have her sight. What if I never get it back? How will I complete the mission? No. Don’t think like that. The cold air hit her skin as she felt them whoosh out of a doorway.
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She couldn’t believe it, but through all of the chaos around her and the constant jolting she felt from being carried, she started to fall asleep again.
“Don’t go back to sleep! You have to stay awake!” she heard Force say from above her, “Do you hear me? Stay awake. Stay awake, Gale.”
She pulled herself back to consciousness. The next hour was like a nightmare. She lost her sense of where they were very quickly. Force was constantly keeping her from falling asleep. She had figured out that he was the one carrying her. It was bumpy and cold. The only good thing was that she knew that Force was strong enough not to drop her. She was confident in that, and it felt good, she wasn’t strong enough to hold on. Finally, she felt him stop. Again, sleep was starting to overwhelm her. Force set her down gently on the chilling snow.
“Hey!” she said and jumped up at the extra cold from her brief contact with the snow. The freezing coldness of the ice and her burning skin joined together felt terrible. Wait. I didn’t realize that I was so hot! I don’t even feel the cold air!
Ovev took her hand and said, “We are safe now. It is imperative that you lay down. Don’t worry, there is some material beneath you this time to dampen the cold.” Gale could feel Ovev giving Force an amused smile.
Why is it so hard to breath? she wondered.
As soon as she had laid down, Ovev said, “You have to take this medicine before you become any sicker.”
“Okay,” she panted.
As he helped her tilt up her head, she swallowed a mouthful of liquid. It tasted like dirty socks and fish oil. She grimaced. This is worse than noasé! A bright light pierced right through some of the darkness. Then she passed out. Her body couldn’t stand the clash of temperatures or her exhaustion any longer.
Force watched in panic as her eyes closed and she went limp. He looked over at Ovev, “Is that supposed to happen?”
Ovev’s round face had a look that answered his question. No.
“Will she be alright?”
He shook his head and turned around to start unpacking and setting up tents like the other people that surrounded them. “Only time will tell. She’s right at the edge of the place of no return. All we can do is let her rest. Any more strain, and she can be gone quicker than a Tacticasian fly.”
Force ran his hand through his hair in frustration. This is not good. For her or for time. He glanced down at her bright red face. He could just make out some beads of sweat. That should not be happening. He looked around to see if there was anything that he could do to help.
Ovev noticed and silently tossed him a grey worn tent bundle and a shovel. He went to work clearing the ground and pounding in pegs, but every few minutes he glanced back at her. When he was done setting up the tent, he strolled back over to her and then bent down and felt her head. She was even hotter. We’d better get her out of this cold. It’s only hurting her.
He scooped Gale up and carried her into the tent. Then he gently set her down. Force turned around to leave, but then Gale started muttering and writhing. He took the couple of steps to reach her. He bent down to feel her forehead again. The worried look on his face deepened. Her wet skin was burning his hand. He quickly got up and left the tent to go get Ovev.
The big man looked up as Force approached and saw his harried expression. “What’s wrong?” he asked as he slowly got up from tying a tent down.
“She’s worse. You need to come right now! We have to save her!” Ovev didn’t say another word, but he hurried to Gale’s tent.
The old man slowly knelt down and examined her as she thrashed around. His tired eyes were filled with despair as he looked up to Force and gave a slight shake of his head. This can’t be happening, thought Force as he charged out of the flap. He sat down and put his head in his hands. It had only been a few days and now his partner was dying. Her face kept flashing through his head. Her smile when she had seen Dellinia, her closing eyes as she struggled to stay awake while fire was flaring into the skies behind them, her sweating forehead as she thrashed about deliriously. She was the first real-life human he had ever seen, and he loved everything about her. She can’t die. This is a mission that takes two people. Kella’s words blazed through his mind like a raging fire, “Force will be going with you, that way if something happens to one of you, the other may be able to complete the mission. He has the same powers as you, and is familiar with all of the ins and outs of time travel since he has lived here all of his life.” He shook his head in despair. He felt a connection to this girl, he felt like he had always known her. The realization hit him like a ton of metal, There’s nothing I can do about it. I can’t save her. He was going to have to do this alone.
A few minutes later he heard a slight whoosh beside him. It was Ovev.
For some reason he looked even older than he had half an hour ago. “I’m starting to fade. When she dies, all of her descendants will die with her...as well as their impact.”
He was silent for a moment. “There may be a very slim chance of saving her,” he finally said.
Force’s head whipped toward Ovev and his eyes lit up with hope.
Ovev’s eyes showed his hopelessness as he looked toward Force with a sigh, “You have to understand that if you try it, the chances are a hundred to one that she will die and you will too.”
“How?” asked Force, getting more impatient every moment.
“First you need a brief history lesson. In the year A.D. 2101, a group of scientists banded together to create new animals using a combination of genetic engineering, cloning, and ladding techniques. Many people were against it, but the scientists did it anyway, creating three new breeds of animals: a unicorn, a unibear, and a dragon. After they had made about five of each, their funding ran out and, therefore, the program shut down. However, refusing to kill their work, they built a small zoo to house and take care of their amazing creatures.
“The animals multiplied and over the years the zoo became run down, until finally there was a cage break in 2123. Only two of the six zookeepers had the heart and courage to go after them. They failed to recapture the beasts and came back permanently maimed. Then all of those animals spread out into the wild. When they were created, the scientists had accidentally made them almost as intelligent as humans, if not equally. They were even taught to read and write. They would have been able to speak the human language also if their vocal chords were able to make those kinds of sounds. Of course, they had their own language as well, which they used among themselves. Unexpectedly, one of these animals— the unibear, who is now called a flamien— laid eggs that had incredible medicinal purposes. They can cure almost anything. Unfortunately, their savage nature makes it almost impossible to get one. Their eggs take so long to hatch that they have slowly died out. There is almost no way to tell if there are any left, and even if there are, they would be really hard to find.”
“Almost?” asked Force.
We do have one old special device that can track their special energy signature. It hasn’t been turned on in years, but we might be able to get it to work. If you chose to go, no one here could go with you. We have too many responsibilities.”
Force jumped up, “I’ll do it. If there’s even one small chance of saving her then I will take it.”
“Alright, I will get the genetically enhanced species tracker up and running, you go get ready to leave.” Ovev glanced toward Gale’s tent, “She will last six days at the most.”
Force hoped against all odds that he would find what he needed and get back in time.
Thirty minutes later, Ovev came to him with a small squarish device. Two green dots flashed on the screen along with one red dot and a grid.
“Looks like you’re in luck— you’ll still have to hurry, though, if you want to have a chance. The red dot is you, and the green dots are the flamiens.” The screen flickered and died out with a quiet screeching sound. “No,” Ovev muttered as he hit it. He smiled as it made a popping sound and lit up again.
Force h
ad a grey backpack on his shoulder filled with everything (he hoped) that he needed.
“Good luck,” said Ovev solemnly as he shook Force’s hand.
He smiled a smile with no meaning, then turned to face the glaring plain of white snow and the looming mountains. He started off. With every step that he took away from Gale and towards slim chances he felt more weighed down. Tiredness filled his legs as he continually plodded through the snow and late into the night. He woke up on his back as the sun blared into his eyes and the cold seeped into his bones. Force barely remembered going to bed the previous night, he had kept walking through most of it, paying attention mostly to the twinkling stars. He sighed and quickly rolled up his tarp and set off again.
It took him about fifteen minutes to reach the dots. As a large clearing opposite a huge cave and a looming forest came into view, Force stopped dead in his tracks. The most magnificent beast he had ever seen in real life or on a page stood before him. A towering bear-like form stood on its hind legs, its soft brown fur glistening in the light...but it wasn’t a bear. On top of its head, a white, sparkling horn tapered to a point. Amazing, literally flaming wings spread gracefully out from its sides. They burned with a bright red fire. At first he wondered why the animal didn’t seem to be concerned that it was ablaze. Then understanding overtook him. Its wings are like a phoenix’s. Force had a feeling that this creature never walked on four legs. It suddenly raised its head and let out a guttural roar. On his educational computer device in Dellinia, Force had heard a lion roar. That didn’t even begin to compare. This shout was low, and wild, and musical all at the same time. It shattered the air. Force had to cover his ears. How can I go up against something like this? He looked down at his crude weapon. Then determination overtook him. I have to save Gale. He took a deep breath and steeled himself.
He was about to sneak up on the flamien, but suddenly the tracker started to vibrate in his pocket. He took it out, a blue dot flashed across the screen heading quickly for one of the green ones. He looked up. Something large whooshed past him and sent the flamien hurtling to the ground. The other beast landed and crouched opposite its downed opponent. It, too, was of large proportions. The dragon-like creature’s bright red skin and beady eyes glared in the sunlight. The flamien rose with startling agility. It roared in anger as its wings flared and it rose up into the sky along with the dragon. They circled each other in the air, snarling. The majestic creatures both roared and lunged at each other. They each clawed at their opponent and tangled together, leaving deep wounds. Force could see that they both had scars from previous fights. Their fierceness penetrated the air. He had a feeling that this was a battle he would not soon forget.
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