The Chardon Chronicles: Season Two --- The Winter

by Kevin Kimmich

  Chapter Three

  Chloe hopped into the driver’s seat of the cowmobile and Tracy sat in the passenger side, while Bethany sat in the middle of the back seat. Chloe said into the rear view, “You might want to buckle up. I’m gonna haul ass.”

  Bethany said, “Go ahead!” She was starting to get into the flow of the action. She had no idea what was going on, but was starting to get wrapped up in the urgency of it.

  Tracy texted Robbie as they roared down the driveway and onto the road. Chloe’s driving skills had become superlative with practice. The Jetta lunged down the two lane road like a guided missile. Chloe asked, “Are we going right to the farm, or stopping at the park and walking?”

  Tracy said, “All the way.”

  The car roared onto Bass Lake Road, then the roar went silent and the engine died and the check engine light came on. Chloe said, “Oh shit! How sucky is that?” She coasted into a parking lot and rolled to a disappointed stop.

  Tracy was on the phone before the car even stopped. “Hey Richard! Are you home? Can you give me and Chloe and our friend Bethany a lift? It’s an emergency.” She smiled and pumped her fist. “Thanks. We’re at Bass Lake and 322. Bye.”

  Chloe patted her car’s hood. “Poor baby.”

  Tracy said, “Robbie will fix it.”

  Chloe was gloomy, “I’m bummed, though. The first time I really had a chance to use my driving skills for a real purpose.”

  Bethany asked, “Where did you learn that stuff? It was amazing. I mean, I almost pissed my pants, but still.”

  Chloe shrugged, “Practice!”

  Richard rolled up in his red Volvo wagon. Berto waved at them. “Hey ladies, need a lift?”

  They piled into the back of the car and Tracy gave him directions. Berto nodded and said, “Oh yeah, I know exactly where that place is, actually head down Rapids Road instead. That will be a little faster.”

  Berto was wearing a white sweatshirt and a blue knit cap. His wheelchair was in the back of the wagon. He was able to hobble around without it, but still wasn’t able to really walk any significant distance. He turned around to say hello to Bethany. “Hi, nice to meet you. I’m Berto, that’s Richard. I love your hair.”

  Chloe punched his arm, “Berto’s so smooth.”

  He whistled and clucked his tongue, “You know me, baby. What’s the emergency? I hope it’s something good.”

  Tracy leaned forward, “Actually it’s something huge. You’re welcome to take part, but it could be really dangerous.”

  “Like Homecoming?” Berto asked.

  “Way worse.” Tracy said matter of factly.

  “I’m in.” Berto nodded.

  Richard high fived him, “Me too.”

  Tracy said, “Not to be overly dramatic, but when we get down there, you might want to call your parents let them know you love them. I really don’t know how this will all play out, or how quickly.”

  Richard kept his cool and just nodded slightly. Berto shifted in his seat. He said, “Wow, that serious, eh?”

  Tracy nodded, “Yeah.” She sat back in her seat and fired off texts and emails.

  Bethany asked her, “What are you doing?”

  “Rallying the troops. Coordinating with Robbie and those guys.” Tracy smiled at her.

  Bethany considered a moment, and said, “OK, so what are we doing?”

  Tracy said, “We’re on a rescue mission, and you’re the first one we’ll rescue.”

  The Volvo rumbled down the driveway of Elysium Farm. Tracy leaned over the seat and honked the horn. Then Richard took over and honked some more. They pulled to a stop. Berto opened his door and swung himself up out of the seat and hobbled around to the back of the car. The girls piled out and Tracy walked toward the main barn.

  Amy greeted her with a look of concern, “Hey, Tracy! What’s going on?! Why just drive here now after all this crazy secrecy bullshit?”

  “Cat’s outta the bag.” Tracy shrugged.

  Amy eyed her, “Are we in danger here?”

  Tracy shrugged. “I don’t know, but maybe.”

  Demetria said, “Yes, we are. But we’ll fight them this time. You will see how powerful the temple is, how powerful you are, dear Amy.” Demetria was practically radiating energy.

  Amy sighed, “Alright. Shit.” She whistled and her people gathered around. “Listen everyone, some people might be coming for Marta, to take her away, or worse. Her real name is Demetria. They might come to harm us, too. If you want to leave to be safe, come back in a few days and hopefully all will be back to normal by then. If you want to stay, well, your life might be in danger, and be prepared to fight for it.”

  Tracy walked Chloe back toward the Volvo and Richard and Berto. She whispered to them, “Chloe, I think you’ll be needed at the warehouse. We’re going to take that thing out. That might turn really crazy. Robbie is putting a plan together now. You two guys,” She pointed at Berto and Richard, “You have to realize this is a full on war. They’ll try to kill you, jail you, if you get caught you might be tortured and killed, or end up god knows where as a slave.”

  Berto patted the arm of the wheelchair. “Fuck it, I’m in.”

  Chloe kissed him. “Good man.”

  “You know I’m in.” Richard said.

  Tracy wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. “Good luck to you all. I hope I see you again, soon.”

  The Volvo turned around and rolled down the driveway.

  Morgan joined her. “How do we do this?”

  She shrugged, “I don’t know, let’s take Bethany back to the temple.”

  The sky was dark and cloudless. The night air was cold and the moon was nearly full and bright and haloed with a thin ring of icy light. Their breath hung in the air.

  Demetria stood in the center of their temple. The chorus, now of five girls, was near her. Morgan and Tracy stood with Bethany on the opposite side. Amy organized the rest of the farm hands into patrols. They watched the corners of the farm and the driveway. The farm only had a couple of guns. Amy carried a pistol, but she wasn’t very good at shooting, and didn’t plan to use it. She watched Demetria.

  She spoke to them in the ancient language. They couldn’t understand the syllables, but they got the sentiment. She said, “I love you all.”

  When they went to the other side, everyone was there, but Bethany, who found herself in a strange dim place.

  Tracy saw her only as a flickering light within a shadow. She touched the shadow, but it was insubstantial. She spoke, “Bethany, can you hear me?” The shadow flickered and moved.

  Demetria was intrigued. She touched the shadow, too. She said, “She’s only partially here. I’m not sure where the rest of her is.” She closed her eyes and concentrated.

  Bethany heard them call out and followed the voices through a sea of shadows. She said, “Hey! I’m here, over here.”

  Matt and Stephanie saw her parting the sea of shuffling shadows. Matt shouted, “Hey!”

  Bethany was surprised to see them, she said, “Oh hello! What is this place?”

  “It’s basically the consciousness of dreary mundane life.” Matt said.

  “Who are you?” Stephanie asked. She took Bethany’s arm and smiled at her. She was so happy to see another actual person in the city of shades.

  “My name’s Bethany. I was just with Tracy in this temple thing…” She gestured over her shoulder.

  “Tracy?” Matt asked, “Tracy Wells?”

  Bethany’s eyes got big, “Oh, wow!, You’re her Dad. And you’re Demetria, right? How are you here? Where’s everyone else?”

  She blinked her eyes, and lost her balance, then she looked around the temple. “What just happened?” She asked. They were all looking at her.

  Tracy asked, “Where were you? We just saw you as a shadow, like a candle flickering in a shadow.”

  Bethany said, “I saw your Dad and her.” She pointed at Demetria.

  Demetria was relieved. She said, “That’s Stephanie.
You’re like a bridge to the other, other side, but I couldn’t cross it.”

  “Where were you?” Tracy asked.

  Bethany said, “It’s like a big city filled with wandering shadows. I couldn’t see you, but I could hear you.”

  Tracy asked, “Could my Dad hear?”

  Bethany shook her head no. “Not that I could tell, but they noticed me because of it. They responded to me, not to your voice.”

  Morgan said, “Hey! We might be onto something. What if you took this?” He handed her the skull cup.

  “What’s this?” She asked.

  He said, “Well, it’s a really ancient artifact. The weird thing about it is it basically exists on both sides at the same time.”

  Demetria said, “That’s a brilliant idea. Fill it with wine.” She grabbed a bottle and poured the red liquid into the bowl. “When we go back, have Stephanie drink it.”

  The chorus of girls started singing and they all closed their eyes. Bethany found herself back with Matt and Stephanie. She had the skull in her hands and it was filled with red shimmering liquid. She said, “Now that’s really cool.”

  Matt asked, “Where did you go?”

  Bethany answered, “I just snapped out of it back into the temple. Hey, Demetria wants you to drink this. Stephanie? Are you Stephanie?”

  Stephanie asked, “What is it?”

  “It was wine back in the temple, now I’m not totally sure what it is.” She handed her the skull.

  Matt was puzzled. “You keep mentioning a temple. What is it?”

  “Tracy tried to explain it to me. I guess it’s got a really powerful connection to this place. It exists on both ‘sides’” She said.

  “Oh! That’s very interesting.” Matt said. “If they are there, presumably in the temple, how is it you’re here?”

  She thought a moment, her face grew angry. “My parents did something to me a few days ago, or maybe have been doing it all along, all through my life.” She looked around her surroundings in disgust.

  “Who are your parents?” Matt asked.

  “Heather and Charlie Madher.” She said.

  Matt smacked his head, “Oh! You looked so familiar. I didn’t recognize you, you look so much older.” He hugged her. “What do you mean they did something to you?”

  “Mom built this big contraption, it was actually based on the work you did. They put me in it, and I woke up in a pool. These men were there, my grandfather and this other guy, Thomas Hobbes.”

  Stephanie gasped, “That’s how I ended up here, through that pool. I think we’re actually in it, now. See the clouds, that’s the surface of the water.”

  Bethany looked up. “How fucking dreary. This is the world my dad wants to control. What a shitbird!” She spat.

  Matt asked her, “Let me know if you understand this.” He said, “You are beautiful.” In the ancient tongue.

  She smiled. “I did, what was that? It’s very weird. It like tickled the interior of my brain.”

  A couple of the shades stopped and looked at them briefly, then continued on. Matt said, “It’s basically the language the world speaks to us; apparently our soul can understand it. That’s what these shades are, souls of billions of people.”

  Stephanie said, “Tell Demetria and Tracy not to worry about rescuing us, instead, we want to bring the sun here. Maybe this thing can help.” She gestured at the skull.

  Matt said, “Let’s try something, we’ll have one of them drink it.” He spoke to the shadows, “Here, this is the key to life! Drink, you must drink.” One of them responded. A woman with smooth, dark skin and curly black hair.

  She stammered, “What. Wha… What is it?”

  Matt said, “A way out!”

  She greedily drank the contents of the skull. She transformed from a shade to a person, she closed her eyes and whispered, “Thank you…” She disappeared from view.

  Stephanie, Matt and Bethany shared a look, then giggled in delight. Matt said, “Only 6 billion to go!”

  Matt said, “Give them a kiss for us.” He kissed Bethany’s cheek. “Oh wait, let me just try a tiny taste.” He put his pinky into what was left of the fluid and smeared it on the bowl so only a tiny fraction of it was left. “Oh hey, now look at that.” It was shimmering and gold. He said thoughtfully, “Wine is the sun.” He sucked the shimmering golden liquid from his pinky.

  He started to glow, “Hiyo!” He said. The shades stopped in their tracks. Matt pulled Stephanie close.

  She said, “Oh! Well. I wonder what effect this will have on them.” She ground herself against his crotch.

  Bethany was mildly embarrassed. “Well, I see you’re going to be alright! I’ll be back. Ciao.”

  She blinked and was back in the temple. The skull bowl was empty and a line was in the liquid from where Matt’s finger had been.

  Bethany was smiling and then started laughing. Demetria and Tracy looked at her. Bethany kissed Tracy on the cheek.

  Tracy asked, “What happened? We saw this woman appear briefly, then she vanished.”

  Bethany said, “They said they’re OK and there’s no need of a rescue. They fed the woman the wine, and she transformed from a shadow to a person, then disappeared. They want to bring the sun there. Your dad said he wine is the sun. He put a bit of it on his finger and tasted it, then I’m pretty sure he and Stephanie started fucking.”

  Demetria’s eyes got big. She raised her eyebrows and nodded. “Yes! Yes. Brilliant. They can transform that place.”

  Bethany shrugged. “It’s a huge task--bigger than just the two of them!”

  Tracy said, “We really need to figure out how to get more juice over there.”

  Amy trotted into the temple. She whispered, “Hey, there are men here.”

  Tracy said, “We’ll take care of them.”

  “Should I call the Sheriff?” Amy asked.

  Tracy said, “The Sheriff was in on it when we were attacked at Homecoming. I don’t know.”

  “Oh man, well, I guess we’re on our own.” Amy groaned with frustration.