Kaya Stormchild

by Lael Whitehead

  Kaya thought of the Omrith and of what Grandmother had taught her about the rites of the Turning. What would happen to everyone and everything she loved if Rex and Spencer kept the Omrith? Or sold it to someone on the other side of the world? If the Omrith was not restored to the Salish Sea, would this storm go on forever? Would the beautiful, harmonious life on Tangle Island that she loved so much be destroyed?

  “Look there!” she heard Martin shout. “Kaya! What is that?”

  Martin slowed the boat. She stared off in the direction he was pointing. It was a small boat with no headlight, tossing silently on the dark sea. In it were two wet, bedraggled-looking men, the larger one not wearing a shirt. She recognized them immediately.

  “It’s them!” she cried, gripping Martin’s arm. “The guys who stabbed the Duchess and broke Josh’s leg!”

  They motored a little closer. Kaya heard a familiar sound – the drumming pulse of the strange shell - the Omrith. Only now it was different, muffled and dull, as if the power were draining out of it, and only a small frail throbbing remained.

  The men in the boat began to wave and shout.

  “Over here! Help us! Our motor’s dead,” one of them called. Kaya recognized Spencer’s voice.

  “And the boat’s leaking!” shouted Rex beside him. “Hurry!”

  “Wait!” said Kaya in a low voice. “Don’t pick them up. They’ve got the shell. Make them give us the shell.”

  Martin turned to her with a confused look. Kaya hadn’t explained that part of their adventure yet. The story would have to wait until later. She leaned over the side of the boat, cupped her hands and shouted.

  “Give us the shell, or we won’t help you!”

  The men stopped shouting and looked at one another. They snarled angrily in low voices, seemingly in bitter argument. After a moment, Spencer dove for his companion, wrestling to free something that Rex clutched under one arm.

  “Give it here!” Kaya heard him shout. “It’s caused enough trouble! Give it to ‘em! We’re gonna die out here!”

  Spencer had grabbed hold of the bundle and was holding it aloft. Rex stood up fiercely, attempting to snatch it back. The boat lurched and swayed, sloshing water back and forth in the bottom. Just beyond the helm, Kaya thought she glimpsed a dark shape surface from the water for a moment then sink beneath again. A fin?

  “You fool!” shouted Spencer. “You’re gonna capsize the boat! Sit down!”

  Rex grabbed one end of the bundle and the two men tugged and pulled and cursed, causing the small boat to dip and bob from side to side. Then all at once, a mighty rogue wave swelled and rolled toward them. Kaya felt it pass under Martin’s boat, like a great sighing breath. Then the wave rolled on towards Rex and Spencer, gaining momentum, growing huge and peaked. It seemed to seize their boat and hold it still for a spit second. Then the wave tipped the boat over like a toy. The two men flopped into the churning sea like large dolls, arms and legs flailing uselessly. The bundle, released from their grasp, soared into the air and then dropped with a splash into the dark water.

  Kaya let out a cry of astonishment as the bundle sank below the waves. Just then, a sleek shining form leapt high out of the sea, clutching the bundle in its mouth. A flash of silver light lit the dark sky, as more luminous shapes leaped and dived on all sides. It was as if the sea were swelling, rising, crowded with forms and fins and tails.

  Cries filled the air overhead. Eagles swooped down from the dark sky. All around her, voices called to one another.

  “Do you have it? Is it safe?”

  A voice shimmered deep inside her mind, a laughing, wordless voice that she remembered hearing before. It was more a presence than a voice - a swell of feeling. A colour. A flow of light.

  Yes, it is safe, communicated this presence. We are safe. All is right with the world.

  Dolphins! Kaya felt a surge of delight course through her, flooding the hollow ache in her heart with warm, liquid gold. Her mind shimmered and resonated with delicious dolphin laughter.

  Then silver fins sped away over the dark sea and were gone.

  A flap of wings hovered in the air over her head. Kaya looked up and saw Grandmother gazing down at her.

  “All will soon be put right, my child,” came the soothing, windy voice Kaya loved so well. “I will now help the others to see the Omrith safely home. I’ll meet you back on Tangle soon. Goodbye, Kaya dear! You have done well this day!”

  Grandmother rose on dark, outstretched wings, and wheeled off into the swirling air. All of a sudden, the wind died utterly and completely. The rain was gone. Overhead, the clouds began to roll aside with startling speed, exposing patches of starry night sky. The sea subsided to a sleek, calm blackness, as if the tempest of the past hours had never happened.

  Spencer’s head appeared, gasping and sputtering, above the water. Martin hesitated for a split second, then steered the boat close and reached a paddle out to him. Spencer grabbed it desperately and was pulled to the side of the boat. The scrawny, scowling man was shaking so much he could barely climb aboard and Martin and Kaya had to haul him up the ladder by grabbing the back of his shirt.

  Kaya scanned the sea for any sign of Rex and Spencer’s boat but it was nowhere to be seen. The rogue wave that had tipped the men overboard had either swept their boat far out of sight into the darkness, or sank it beneath the sea.

  Spencer coughed and shook and gasped for breath. Martin wrapped the oilskin blanket tightly around the shivering man.

  Suddenly Spencer lunged to the side of the boat, dragging the oilskin with him, and peered over the side into the dark water.

  “Rex!” he shouted hoarsely. “Rex!”

  There was no answer. The sea was still and smooth. Nothing bobbed on its surface.

  “Where is he?! You gotta help him -” Spencer shouted desperately. “He can’t swim. Rex!”

  Spencer began to sob uncontrollably. Struggling to free himself from the oilskin, he seemed to want to jump overboard. But Martin gripped him tightly and forced him back to his seat.

  “You’re exhausted. You’ll drown if you go back into that water! Stay put!” Martin said in a commanding tone. Up until that moment, he had spoken quietly, like a man not used to conversation. Now there was such unhesitating authority in his voice that Kaya turned to look at him in surprise.

  “I’ll turn the boat around.” Martin said, his face set and determined. “We’ll find him.”

  Martin swung the boat and the headlight shone on the patch of sea behind them. Nothing. They motored in a circle, slowly, calling out now and then and listening for any signs of life.

  They searched for many minutes. At last they found him. He was floating face down in the water, arms outstretched, the skin of his naked back painfully white against the dark sea.

  It took the combined strength of all three of them to haul Rex on board. They stretched him out in the bottom of the boat, and the huge man lay there like a mighty fish, sodden and cold and unmoving.

  “You idiot!” wailed Spencer, shaking his fist in the other’s still, unbreathing face. “You wouldn’t learn to swim. You should never have been in a boat!”

  Martin gave Kaya the wheel. “You drive,” he said. “Just steer towards the lights of Campbell Harbour. Should be easy now that the sea has calmed down. I’ll see what I can do.”

  Martin knelt beside Rex. He placed his hands over Rex’s sternum and began to pump. Five quick, strong thrusts, then Martin stopped and blew a mouthful of air into Rex’s throat. Spencer watched and wept, rocking himself back and forth all the while.

  “He’s my brother. My only brother. He looked out for me. It was just us. Its always been just the two of us,” he moaned between sobs.

  Kaya had never driven a boat before. She kept her eyes on the sea ahead and her hands firmly gripped on the steering wheel. But she had no time to feel nervous. Her thoughts were preoccupied by the discovery that Rex and Spencer were brothers. Could it be true? They were so mean to each other – alwa
ys fighting and saying cruel things. And yet they were family!

  A memory stirred deep within her: two figures calling to one another over her head - the howling wind - the sharp rain on her cheeks – then the thrust of icy water against her chest, lifting her up and over the side into the cold, swirling darkness – the cries of those far-off familiar voices - the thunder inside her head as she sank down, down – then the sleek form pushing against her back, lifting her out of the water, and the strange, warm voice that said over and over, “All will be well, little one. I am here to help you. Trust me.”

  Kaya gazed across the smooth surface of the sea. Spencer was like her: the one who survived. They both had been spared by the storm, while everything else they knew in the world was lost.

  “Are we nearly there, Kaya?” Martin asked, breathing hard. He rested for a few seconds, then began to pump the inert man’s chest once more.

  Kaya shook her head clear of the memory and scanned the horizon. She saw the lights of town now looming close.

  “Nearly there,” she called to him encouragingly. “Another few minutes!”

  Soon they approached the Campbell Harbour government dock. Martin jumped up and grabbed the wheel as they approached the dock, steering the boat safely into an empty slot. He cut the motor. Kaya jumped out and had both ends of the boat tied up safely in no time.

  “OK, you’ve got to calm down and help me carry him,” Martin said firmly to Spencer, who’s whimpering had grown nearly hysterical. “There may still be a chance to save him.”

  Hearing this, Spencer swallowed hard and seemed to gather his courage. The two men heaved Rex’s inert body onto the dock and began to haul him up the ramp to the street above.

  “Kaya!” a voice shouted from above the dock. It was Jim. He hurried down the ramp. Kaya waved, brightening at the sight of Jim’s cheerful smile.

  “Can I give you folks a hand?” he asked Martin, who nodded, panting with effort.

  Jim’s eyes widened at the sight of Rex.

  “Whoa!” he breathed. “This guy’s in bad shape!”

  Jim turned, cupped his hands and shouted to someone standing and watching them from the street. “You there! Call the ambulance. Quickly!”

  Jim then bent to slide his hands under Rex’s cold, wet belly. He, Martin and Spencer puffed and grunted as they lugged the massive body up the long dock to the street, and lowered it slowly to the grass at the roadside. Jim took off his jacket and tucked it around Rex’s half-naked body. It was only a moment before a siren sounded in the distance.

  “I think you’d better let the police know as well,” said Martin to Jim in an undertone. Spencer had begun to sob and wail once more, and didn’t hear their conversation. “These two are wanted for assault.”

  Jim bent to take a closer look at Rex. “Yep. That’s him alright. The one that was in my store the other day.“

  He glanced across at Spencer, then whistled softly through his teeth. “Well I’ll be -”

  The ambulance pulled to a halt, the siren still blaring. Two paramedics leaped down from the van and had Rex loaded onto a stretcher in seconds.

  “Uh, you better take this guy with you,” said Martin. “He’s his brother. And he’s in shock.”

  Spencer, shaking violently, had to be helped into the ambulance next to Rex. Jim watched them for a moment. Then he turned to Martin and Kaya.

  “I’ll go and make that phone call,” he said quietly. “What a night this must have been for you two!” He gave Kaya’s shoulder a squeeze and then turned and ran off towards his store.

  Once the ambulance had sped away into the night, Kaya and Martin set out behind on foot, with Tike at their heels. It was less than a mile up the road to the Health Clinic. Kaya thought wryly what an unusual commotion there would be at the Clinic tonight. Campbell Harbour was normally such a quiet little town, and here, in one night, was a vicious assault, a stabbing, and a drowning!

  “Do you think Rex is dead?” asked Kaya, as they turned into the main street of town and walked past the dark shops.

  “I’m afraid he is,” said Martin soberly. “I kept trying to revive him, but there was just no sign of life, no pulse at all, no matter how hard I pumped. That thing I was doing to his chest – that’s called CPR. Sometimes it works, but I couldn’t get a heartbeat going. There was nothing more I could - ” Martin’s breath caught in his throat. He swallowed then shook his head, blinking away tears.

  “At least you tried,” said Kaya comfortingly. “If only we’d found him sooner, it might have worked.”

  “It might have,” said Martin softly. “I have to admit, when I first saw those men and knew what they’d done to my son and to the old lady, I wanted to leave them there in the water. I didn’t care if they drowned or not. But somehow -” He gazed back down the street towards the sea for a moment. “Somehow, you just can’t let another creature suffer without trying to help, can you?”

  “No,” said Kaya decidedly. “You can’t.”

  They continued in silence. It had been such an exhausting night. Kaya’s head spun and she felt terribly tired. All that mattered now was that Josh and the Duchess were OK. Once she knew that, she would find somewhere to sleep. She knew she would sleep for hours and hours.

  Martin seemed lost in thought. He frowned as they walked side by side.

  “I –“ Martin began after a couple of minutes. He paused and shook his head. Then he continued quietly, as if to himself, “I haven’t been there for Josh lately.”

  They continued walking in silence.

  “I’ve been bloody self-absorbed this whole past year,” Martin burst out angrily. “But I’m going to quit that now. I nearly lost my son, and he’s the most important thing I’ve got in the whole world!”

  Kaya squeezed his hand.

  They reached the clinic and found it bustling with activity. The big medical helicopter was just leaving, taking the Duchess to a hospital on the Mainland, with one of the paramedics on board to accompany her. The doctor was putting a cast on Josh’s leg

  The nurse came out and congratulated Kaya on her first aid efforts.

  “I hear you set the bone,” she said, smiling at her. “Clever girl! You did it perfectly. And I am also very curious about the substance you used to bandage Mrs. Kimpton’s wound. It seems to have kept the cut from getting infected. When we aren’t so busy around here, I’d like you to tell me about that plant. Will you?”

  Kaya nodded at her.

  “The Duchess – I mean Mrs. Kimpton – she’s going to be all right, isn’t she?” Kaya asked anxiously.

  “Yes,” said the nurse, smiling. “She is going to be quite all right. Dr. Harlow stitched up her arm, but he wanted to send her to hospital for a day or two for observation. She is weak from blood loss and is suffering from shock. But she’s a strong lady for her age. She will be back home in a few days, I am sure.”

  “And the other man, Rex?” asked Kaya.

  The nurse shook her head. “I’m afraid it was too late for him,” she said sadly. “Did you know him?”

  “Kind of,” said Kaya. “Not… uh…closely. What will happen to his brother, Spencer?”

  “Poor fellow. When Dr. Harlow pronounced Rex dead he became hysterical and violent. He attacked one of the paramedics. “ She sighed. “We had to give him a sedative. And then the police arrived and arrested him. They’ve taken him away to the station for the night.”

  Kaya and Martin waited for half an hour until the cast on Josh’s leg was finished. When the boy was ready to go home, Martin called the taxi. Josh was on crutches. He grinned as he clumped down the ramp from the clinic.

  “This is a blast!” he cried. “The guys at school are going to be jealous!”

  “You’ll have to come home and stay at our place tonight, Kaya,” said Martin. “I’ll leave George’s boat tied up at the dock for now and come and get it tomorrow. We’ll get your canoe back from the police station then, too, Kaya. But I think what we all need right now more than anyth
ing else,” he said, reaching behind to tousle his son’s hair, “is a little sleep!”

  The taxi arrived and Martin helped Josh hoist himself into the back, then got in the front passenger seat next to the driver.

  Kaya had never ridden in a car before and she climbed into the soft padded back seat of the taxi with wide eyes. Tike refused to get in beside her. He stood shaking and scowling on the ground beyond the open door.

  “C’mon Tike,” said Kaya soothingly. “The taxi won’t hurt you. It’s just kind of like a canoe, only for going on land. And you don’t have to paddle!”

  “But it's noisy,” grumbled the otter. “It growls!”

  “Well, you can stay here in Campbell Harbour for the night then if you want and I’ll come back and get you in the morning,” said Kaya.

  Tike hesitated. Apparently the thought of spending the night alone in this strange human settlement without Kaya for protection was not appealing. With a grunt and a grimace he slithered into the space at Kaya’s feet and curled up into a tight ball.

  Kaya bent and scratched Tike’s back comfortingly. Then she rolled down the window and thrilled to feel the wind whip her hair as the taxi sped down the dark country road. Cars went so fast! This must be how grandmother feels when she’s flying at full speed, thought Kaya. So much faster than a canoe!

  Martin and Josh lived about three miles from town, in a rustic log cabin nestled among cedar trees at the water’s edge. After a few minutes the taxi pulled up at the top of a gravel driveway. The cabin was visible in the distance. A single light was on in one window.

  Martin paid the driver and the four weary passengers climbed out dismounted.

  “Home, sweet home!” said Josh with a happy sigh.