“Uhhh… Well.” Chuck struggled to stay focused as she tugged on him. “We are trying to recover two books from a home. We want someone, you, since you are a young woman, to infiltrate the home and take the books.”
“You want me to do this spy’s work?” She fixed him with her gaze.
“Well, yes.” he said.
“Is it dangerous?” she asked.
“Quite possibly.” Yuri said.
“It can wait until the morning. You both come with me to bed.”
Chuck shrugged and looked at Yuri. They followed her.
~End of Episode Six~
EPISODE SEVEN--The Night’s Embrace
Flashback to Four Years Ago
Chapter One
Telia, Matt, Johnny and Dana left the warehouse and drove back to the farm. Telia was quiet and stared out the passenger window. She occasionally sniffled. The rest of them were contemplative. Matt looked back in the rearview at Dana.
“I’m starting to think we are wrong about the big picture.” he said.
She was still a little groggy from the peyote tea, and had been trying to hang onto the feeling she experienced. “Huh? That’s a broad statement... break that down, Matt. I’m still a little toasted.”
“Yeah sorry. I think our assumption has been that the other side is the source of evil, but now I’m not so sure. The two sides are mixed--connected even. Maybe we’ve been too simplistic, obviously part of the problem is with us, human beings, I mean.” Matt said.
“Matt, it’s really not complex.” Dana said. “All the beings over there might not be malignant as the Vampires, but all of them are inhuman. So, even a good person, reaching out to them with good intentions will end up tricked or corrupted. All we can do is protect what’s human.”
The sense of satisfaction he felt about actually making it to the other side had been short lived. A sense of depression and doubt began to nag at him. Reaching the other side was not a finish line, it was merely another bend that led to a much steeper and more dangerous path.
Matt remained silent. Telia reached over and held his hand.
“It was an amazing thing, Dana.” Telia said. “It changed everything for me to see that something else is out there. I think other people would really love to experience that. Knowing, first hand, that something else is there.”
Dana’s face hardened. “It is an incredible experience, but don’t be confused, Telia. It’s not the afterlife. There aren’t any answers over there.”
Telia sighed and looked out the window.
Matt tapped his hands on the wheel and said, “I’m going to take tomorrow and regroup.”
Johnny said, “I’ve got a little more work to do on the rig. Anyone want to be a guinea pig tomorrow?”
Telia sat up. “I’ll do it. I’d like to get more practice and explore much more.”
Chapter Two
All through the next morning, Telia helped Johnny rework some of the sections of the reflector array. It was tedious, exacting work to reposition the elements. They took a coffee break.She sat on a flipped over five gallon bucket and Johnny tapped away at the computer.
“Hey Johnny...” she interrupted him, but trailed off leaving a pregnant pause.
He stopped typing. She’d been very diligent and thoughtful all morning and all their discussion had revolved around getting the job done. He was used to working with people like Dana, who were not so serious and would go off on crazy tangents all the time. He replied, “Hey Telia...” and chuckled at the awkward silence.
She laughed, “Yeah, I’m all up in my head. Like Matty!”
Johnny said, “You should work with him sometime. He was goofing off all the time we built this thing.””
She smacked his knee, “No way!”
“I think he was a little delirious, so close to the end of an enormous project, it can be intoxicating and disorienting.”
She pursed her lips. “I can see that. Anyway, I am not sure if you or Matt realizes how amazing this is. This is huge--almost like the invention of fire huge.”
He grunted and nodded his head. “Holy moly, I never thought of it from that point-of-view. I was so focused on the task.”
She continued elaborating the thought, “I mean every single person wonders what’s out there. Now basically everyone can find out.”
“It’s really like a ride at an amusement park.” he said.
She shrugged extravagantly, “Why not?”
“So far it seems safe, but,” he held up a finger and made the pause last a long time. She sipped her coffee and waited. “But maybe it is dangerous. The first day I met Matt, we talked to a man named Jack who warned that they are extremely subtle and act on scales we can’t perceive.”
“I am wary of that… but there also have to be good things there, too.”
He nodded. “Well maybe you can find some today.”
Chapter Three
Telia sat in the armchair and Johnny positioned the reflector. She barely closed her eyes and she was on the shore again. This time, there was more color in the scene. She could feel the presence of the Sun and the Earth. Her hair fluttered in a light breeze. She walked up to the grassy plain and decided to follow the shoreline. She saw a couple lounging on the ridge just ahead of her.
She called out, “Hello!”
A young man propped himself on his elbow and waved. “Hello! This breeze is amazing. I can actually smell things.” He smiled and wafted the air to his face.
The woman who’d been sitting next to him stood up. She moved with lithe grace. She walked next to Telia. “You are most extraordinary!” She said. She brushed a hand over Telia’s face. Her touch felt like hundreds of butterfly wings. “You are glowing. There’s a white light that permeates you.” The woman was fascinated. She had red hair and green eyes. “How have you done this?”
“We have a machine, a reflector, that makes the connection stronger.” Telia said.
The man stood up and stretched. “A machine?!” He asked with a look of amazement animating his face.
“Yes and we will build more of them, too.” Telia said. “I want to bring more people over.”
The man nodded and smiled. “Yes!” he clasped her shoulders and hugged her. She felt a warm presence flow through her. The woman hugged her and held her hand and stood very close to her.
“What are your names?” Telia asked.
“Oh, of course, how rude of us.” the man said, “I am Louis, and she’s Samantha.”
“I am Telia.”
Samantha tipped her head slightly and probed, “Telia, what is your goal in bringing others over?” She locked her arm with Telia. They began strolling together. In the distance, Telia saw some small white stone buildings. Crows flew past and called.
“Well…” Telia started to explain.
“Wait. Try something.” Louis stopped them. “See the crow. Reach out to him with your mind and look down on us.”
Telia paused, then felt for the crow. Suddenly, she was looking down from high in the air. She saw the top of her head and saw Louis and Samantha looking up. “Wow!” she said.
Samantha gripped her hand, “Telia, you just did what other people spend a lifetime, no the culmination of thousands of years of cultural practice attempting to do!”
A tear welled up in Telia’s eye and rolled down her cheek. It fell to the ground and the moisture sank into the soil. Samantha wiped her cheek with a thumb. She was amazed to feel the moisture. She tasted the salty fluid. She was astounded.
Telia continued, “All this,” she gestured around, “is why I want to bring others over. This experience is profound. It’s like Columbus discovering a whole new world.”
Samantha’s expression subtly shifted, she’d spent millennia talking to new arrivals. The conversations were almost always the same and she stifled an urge to mock Telia. She wanted to get her on track quickly. She said resolutely, “Yes, it is important. This machine you have is incredibly important. We can help you unders
tand this place, what it means.”
“Thank you.” Telia said. “I feel like I’m fading here.”
“Before you go…” Samantha said. Telia felt Samantha’s presence, a very powerful presence surge through her body, like an injection of adrenaline. As Telia returned to normal consciousness, Samantha stayed with her like the memory of a flavor.
Chapter Four
That evening, Matt’s cell phone rang. He didn’t recognize the caller ID number, but he answered anyway.
“Hello?” he said.
He heard a feeble scratchy voice through the earpiece. “Hi, um, you probably don’t know me, but this nice guy gave me your number in case I ever needed it…. and I need it, now.”
“Oh, is this Amy?” Matt asked.
“Yeah, this is Amy.”
He met her when hunting for antiques in southern Ohio. She’d been on a steady glide path to a heroin fueled crash.
“Where are you?” he asked.
“I’m still at my parents place. There’s absolutely nothing here. The water’s even not working now. No power, either. Getting bad.”
“You know what… I’ll just come pick you up. Are you ready for something different?”
“Yeah, I really am this time.” she said absentmindedly.
He ended the call, then grabbed his car keys put on a jacket and went to find Telia. She was laying on top of the bed covers, just looking up at the ceiling.
“Hey, Tee…” he sat on the bed and grabbed her hand.
“Are you going somewhere?” she asked.
“Remember that addict I bought the lion sculptures from?”
“Yeah, I remember you talking about that.”
“Well, I sort of promised to help her out and she just called.” He half expected Telia to jump down his throat about being such a pushover. She just nodded and patted his hand.
“You’re so kind to people. Such a good man.” she said. She teared up.
“Hey, what’s the matter?” he held her.
“Nothing, nothing at all.” she sobbed. “It’s just the emotions feel so strong. I think it’s from being over there.”
He patted her hair. “I can understand. I’m completely wrung out from it… That’s really why I’m heading down there, now. I think a long drive will do me some good.”
“OK. You go. I’m still just trying to get my head around this whole thing.” she wiped her eyes and sighed.
Chapter Five
Matt arrived at Amy’s house in the wee hours of the morning. The house was a dark hulking thing against a shimmering backdrop of the Ohio River. He pointed the headlights at the front door, and left the car running. He grabbed a flashlight and a bag from the trunk, then went and knocked on the front door. He waited a minute, then knocked again. He tried the knob and the door was open. He went back to the car and grabbed a gun from under the seat, then went inside the house.
The smell of rot and stale air hit him. He left the door wide open and light from his headlights illuminated the interior with a white glow. “Hello?!” he called out.
“I’m in here. Just a second.” he heard from down the hall.
Amy padded out of a side room. The clothes she was wearing were stained and worn thin. Her arms were thinner than the joints and her face was chalky. She had an afghan wrapped around her shoulders.
“Hey, I brought you a change of clothes if you want. They might be a little big, but they’re warm… and clean,” he handed her the bag.
“Oh thanks. I’ll go put them on.” She changed into the clothes. It was a pair of Tracy’s sweats and a chunky hooded sweater. They fit his 14 year old daughter, but Amy was swimming in them. “These are nice, thanks, mister. I forgot your name already. I’m sorry.”
“That’s fine. I’m Matt. At least you remembered my phone number.”
“Yeah, that stuck with me all this time. How’d you do that?” she remembered his singing trick.
“Oh, it’s a trick I read about in a book. Hey, do you want to go?”
She nodded. “I’ll die here if I stay. I’m so thirsty. Do you have any water?”
They went out to the car. He pulled a bottle out of the trunk and gave it to her. She washed her mouth out and spit on the concrete drive. Then she drank a sip. “Matt, can I tell you something?”
He nodded and shrugged, “Sure, of course.”
“I’m a junkie. I’m a total mess. Nothing really works right anymore…” she gestured at her body. “Just so you know, cuz I don’t want to mess up your car, but I might not be able to help it.”
He laughed, “I actually brought a bunch of towels.”
She managed an awkward smile.
He said, “Do you own this house?”
She nodded, “Yeah, I guess so. I inherited it.”
“You have keys?”
“I don’t know where they are anymore.”
“That’s OK. I’ll go lock it up anyway. I’ll be back.”
He went inside the house and she dozed off in the passenger seat. She was asleep when he got back and he actually checked to see if she was breathing. His network of contacts didn’t really have anyone that had experience with drug addicts. He texted Robbie, but he was probably asleep, so Matt just started heading back toward the farm.
It was still dark when he rumbled down the driveway, but the color of the eastern sky had shifted from dark blue to hazy gray.
He nudged her shoulder. There was barely any muscle there. She opened an eye and looked around.
“I actually slept.” she said. “Where am I?”
“This is my family’s farm. We’re in Geauga County, on the north side of the state. It’s about a four hour drive.”
“I haven’t been anywhere for so such a long time.” she said. “Went to Florida when I was a kid, but otherwise, just up and down along the River.”
He showed her to a small guest room on the second floor. The stone chimney made up part of one of the walls. There was a twin bed and a short dresser. He showed her the bathroom across the hall and gave her a toothbrush and toiletries.
She gave him a weak hug. “Matt?” she said. “I’m going to go back to bed. I’ll probably sleep a long time. When I wake up, I’m going to start having, um, a problem.”
He said, “You can quit cold turkey, or maybe try methadone?”
She put up a hand, “I can’t deal with that right now. I’m going to bed! ‘Night!”
He went down to the library and tried to find a way to help her, but fell asleep on the table.
Chapter Six
Telia woke up to the bright morning sun. The master bedroom had a row of windows that faced East. Over the years, she’d grown to really love the bedroom’s view of the eastern sky in the morning. The procession of the sun from south to north and back again marked the year. She spent a few minutes stretching and greeting the daylight.
She found Matt asleep on the library table. She gently shook his shoulder and he woke up slowly and sat up.
He grimaced. “Owwww. Man, my neck. That’s gonna hurt a while.” He awkwardly got to his feet and stooped over and followed her into the kitchen. He downed a couple of ibuprofen while she got breakfast going.
“So, did you go save the junkie?” She asked with a tinge of sarcasm in her voice. He was glad she was back to her normal self.
“Yeah, well, I went down there and got her anyway. Her name’s Amy. She’s upstairs in the small guest room.” he said.
“You brought her here?” she snorted and smiled. “Dude…” She shook her head, “you realize her whole world revolves around getting high. She emptied her parents’ house into her veins already. She sees you as another means to that end.”
He took a cup of coffee and cradled it in his hands. He nodded very slightly. “Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. But I think there’s got to be some way to help her.”
Telia rolled her eyes. She patted him on the head and kissed his cheek. “Silly boy. Just remember, she’s not a puzzle to solve, she’s a human with a n
asty habit.” She made a washing motion with her hands. “She is your problem. I’m just going to watch this one.”
Dana and Johnny came into the house for breakfast. Dana had her hair up through a scrunchy and was wearing a tank top and no bra. She and Johnny sat at the kitchen counter on bar stools and started putting eggs and toast on their plates. Telia put her hand on Dana’s shoulder and looked her up and down.
Dana eyed her, “What’s up, Tee?”
“I never noticed how lovely you are, Dana.” she said. Telia was staring at her.
“Well, thanks.” Dana smiled. “You seem different… wait....” Dana looked Telia up and down and put a hand on her belly. “No?”
Telia shook her head and leaned over and nibbled on Dana’s ear, then said “No!” and laughed hysterically.
Dana raised an eyebrow. “What’s gotten into you?” She asked.
Telia leaned back again and walked over to Matt. “I’m in a weird mood.” she said. She hugged Matt and kissed him on the head. “This guy brought us a junkie last night. Is this your mid life crisis, Matt?”
The Chardon Chronicles: Season One -- The Harvest Festival Page 25
