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Dream-State: Part Five
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Dream-State: Part Five |
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Christopher
Moderator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-08-02
Posts 8296Purgatorial Incarceration 
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Chapter Nine “Well?” Simon looked up from Kristalyn. To say the man was old would be a gross understatement. His skin hung like parchment from a prominent framework of bones. And a hawk-like nose perched on his face from beneath an ancient set of spectacles about as thick as the man’s small fingers. Sun-wrought wrinkles covered his face in a web of candor and calm. He sighed somewhat impatiently at the young man pestering him. If it would have only been the third or even fourth time he’d received that question from Jarris, he might not have been annoyed. But the impatient man had been in and out of the first aid tent all night. “Look Jarris,” Simon said leveling himself up from the floor, using Kristalyn’s bed. “I know you’re worried, but I already said I think she’ll be ok.” “Then what the hell’s wrong with her skin?” Both men looked down at the sleeping woman. Jarris noted that her face and throat had been sewn up. The wounds didn’t look as bad now, but she’d have some large scars. Yet her skin... It was pasty white, more so than it should be even considering the shock to her system. It was almost as if she had lost all the blood in her body. Simon had told Jarris that at first he thought it was natural. As the night had progressed and no improvement in her coloration had shown, he’d had to change his prognosis. “I don’t know,” the old man had said. “I just don’t have the equipment... or the knowledge, to tell you what’s wrong with her. Her vitals are all stable and she appears to be dealing with the trauma to her system very well. She’s a strong woman and should have no problem with recovery if the signs are this good this soon. As to the coloring...” The old man had simply shrugged, as if to remind Jarris he was only a first-aid specialist, not a doctor. “It’s just not right... Jarris said for the hundredth time. “I know Jarris,” Simon said patting the man’s shoulder. “Please, run along now. I promise, again, that I’ll get you as soon as she wakes up or shows a change. Promise.” “I know Simon. I know. I’m just so worried.” Simon nodded sagely and pushed Jarris toward the tent opening. He watched Jarris’ back as it passed out into the early morning light and shook his head. “No young man,” he half-whispered to himself. “It’s just not right.” Chapter Ten “Anything?” Jarris shook his head and walked past the young man. Geoffrey turned and matched steps with him. “Have we figured out what happened to her yet?” Jarris asked. “All I could get was that she got tired of waiting for us to come out and went in to meet us. Mintze argued against it, but you know Kris.” Jarris grunted. “Anyway, Mintze guesses that about twenty minutes later Kris comes stumbling out of the cave pretty much like we saw her. That’s when she -Mintze- screamed. I guess she must have come pretty close to us. So she stumbled a little way and passed out where we found her. That’s it.” “And no one else saw anything?” Geoffrey shook his head. “Nor heard anything. Everyone said it was pretty quiet for some time. Karl even said it was kind of eerie how quiet it was. Personally, I think he’s just being melodramatic, but then again...” “Yeah,” Jarris replied. “He does lean toward the dramatic side of things. Then again, I have to agree that in light of what happened it may not be too far fetched. Something happened last night. I only wish I knew what it was. Simon’s positive that those marks weren’t made by an animal, though he also admits that he doesn’t know what else could have made them.” Geoffrey shrugged then did a double-take, noticing the direction they were headed. “Say,” he asked suspiciously. “Where are we going?” “We,” Jarris said looking at the man. “Aren’t going anywhere. I am going back to that mountain to find out what happened to Kristalyn... And the Professor.” “You think he’s involved in this?” Jarris shook his head. “I don’t know. All I know is that he still isn’t back. Hell, he may or may not be. I’m not sure of anything anymore. The hill that shouldn’t be there. Alizar missing. Fossils that don’t follow the rules. And then this. I don’t know what’s going on. But I’ll damn well find out.” “I want to go with you.” Geoffrey said after a moment of silence. Jarris stopped. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. I think you should stay here with Kris. She’s going to need someone when she wakes up.” Jarris smiled. “I don’t trust anyone else to watch over her.” Geoffrey examined Jarris’ face, looking for any subtle hints of sarcasm. Seeing none, his gaze shyly shifted to the ground. “Thanks Jarris,” he said softly. They started walking again. “So you think someone here might be involved too?” “****, I don’t know that either.” Jarris exclaimed. “The only thing I know right now, is that I don’t know. Simon can’t tell me what caused it, so I have to go on the assumption that it could be anything. Or anybody. “It’s not too unlikely a theory really,” he went on, opening the door to the armory. Jarris, as second in command, and Kris were the only two people who had keys to the small collection of guns and explosives. “Kris isn’t that well liked. We both know she has a chip on her shoulders a mile wide. And if you don’t take the time to get to know her, that can be really grating on the nerves. She’s damn good at her job, but some people don’t pay attention to that. There’s many here who take everything personally. It goes with the field, the mind set. You too,” he pointed at Geoffrey. The young man laughed quietly. “Don’t know what you’re talking about.” Jarris laughed. “Sure. Here,” he muttered. “Hold this for me.” Geoffrey eyed the large rifle in his hands with a mixture of awe and fear. “It’s not going to bite you,” Jarris mumbled absently, strapping the holster of a large pistol around his waist. He checked the safety on the weapon before sliding it into place, then bent and grabbed several clips. He shoved them into his backpack along with several sticks of dynamite normally used for excavation purposes. Looking around again, he finally nodded and grabbed the shotgun rifle from Geoffrey, sliding in into a strap over his back, next to the pack. He checked it, making sure he could draw it quickly, then let it slap back into place. He turned toward the door, then stooped and bent to pick up a small revolver. He handed it along with a box of shells to Geoffrey. “What?” “I think you should take this,” he insisted. “If it is someone here, I don’t want to leave you here just to have her unprotected. Hopefully you won’t need it. But just in case...” “Jarris,” Geoffrey stuttered. “I don’t know how to use a gun. The closest I’ve ever come to one before was seeing them on T.V.” “Here,” Jarris said, taking the pistol. “This is the safety. It’s on when it’s pushed in here. Push it off from the other side and you can shoot it. You release the catch here to remove the used rounds and simply close it again when you’re done. The chamber revolves a sixth turn for every shot. Make sure you have one under the hammer at all times.” He handed the weapon back to the shaking man who looked like he was about to vomit. “Geoffrey,” Jarris spoke calmly, reassuringly. “Don’t worry, Everything’s going to be fine. I sincerely doubt that anyone besides you and I will even need to know you have a gun. And I honestly doubt you’ll have to come even close to using it. It’s nothing more than a precaution. Think of it as helping me, by putting my mind at ease while I’m gone.” “But what if you don’t come back?” Jarris shrugged. He’d already thought of that. “The helicopters won’t be here for another twenty-six hours. Simon assured me Kris would be fine until then. If I’m not back by then, I want you to go with her. If I don’t come back at all.” He paused. “If I don’t come back, then don’t let anyone else go near that cave. Let the company decide how to handle it.” He patted Geoffrey on the arm. “But don’t worry, I will be back. Hopefully I’ll figure this out in a few hours and we can both go with Kris to the mainland.” Geoffrey tucked the uncomfortable weight of the pistol into his pants and followed Jarris out the door. He stood silently as the man walked away from the building, not even saying goodbye. And as Jarris disappeared into the wild green of the forest Geoffrey felt a shiver run down his spine, and had an ugly premonition of the older man lying on the floor of the cave bloodied and broken. |
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Dusk Treader
Moderator
Senior Member
since 1999-06-18
Posts 1187St. Paul, MN |
*hanging on the edge of the seat* Chris this is getting really good. I wish there was more, for you are quite the storyteller! I'm quite engrossed, and waiting for part six. Abrahm Simons "In a moment lies eternity And in a kiss resides forever" - Krista Knutson my bestest friend! |
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Dark Angel Member Patricius
since 1999-08-04
Posts 10095 |
Yes quite the story teller indeed!!  Je t'aime plus qu'hier et moins que demain." I love you more than yesterday and less than tomorrow (unkown) |
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Butterflies_dont_cry Member Elite
since 2000-03-06
Posts 3733Michigan |
UGH....a premonition!!!! Damn, means more waiting!!! Ok so it some signs are pointing to the professor but that would be to easy and it looks like animal claw marks and ......oh you're not going to tell me....I'm going off to **pout** and wait for the next installment!!! Your weaving one Hell of a story!! |
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Munda Member Elite
since 1999-10-08
Posts 3544The Hague, The Netherlands |
Chris, what an amazing story you present us ! I enjoyed all five parts tremendously ! |
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Christopher
Moderator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-08-02
Posts 8296Purgatorial Incarceration |
Thank you all for your responses! I wish it were that easy!!! The next "installment" is on hold until I get a little farther with my newest endeavor (tell y'all about it when I get to that point) Peace! Chris |
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