One Step Forward Two Steps Back

My perception of someone else’s loosely based reality

 

At 5 AM it is just as dark as midnight in the back woods of Montana. The stars still shine as bright and the moon glows in the darkness like a beacon to weary travelers who lose their way at sea.

In the town of Sixteen it was such a night. The snowfall that lay across the town was more complete than the shadows themselves. With the addition of the new fallen snow the town looked like a Christmas postcard.

Two figures appear on the porch of the most prominent house in town and began to stretch. In unison they step off the porch and begin their morning run. Side by side the two trot off into the darkness toward the outside of town. Their breath puffing off into the air like two old steam engines.

Waking up god awful early in the morning to begin their day has become a morning ritual for the two of them. This morning jog is most definitely the beginning for a long day of training.

"You know Shreve" Mike said as he hops over and large lump in the road. "I don’t know how long it’s been since I have done this much exercise. Probably not since I was in high school. Even then I don’t think I’ve worked this hard."

"Working hard is good for you, beside a strong body builds a strong mind. For what we have to do here requires both."

With that said they both bear down and trudge forward through the new fallen snow.

Back at the Dartmuth house there begins more activity inside. Lady Dartmuth starts her day by making breakfast for her two new boarders. Starting the cooking fire in the stove was used in two fold. One to heat the room and the other is to create some of the best food you would have ever wanted to eat.

From the time the town was first created the Dartmuth house has been the place that visitors can stay in this town. In Dartmuth house there are ten bedrooms, dining room, living room, an office which doubles for the den, and a very large kitchen. Many of the rooms are now unlivable. With broken windows and cracked walls and ceilings. They are now little more than dead spaces in a once busy home.

The first to come through the kitchen door after their morning run was Shreve. A beautiful Native American woman whose Indian name is Eyes of Fire. Which seams to fit her to a T. Her eyes are a piercing emerald green and to look into them you could lose yourself. When she was happy, in these last few days have not been many, her eyes would glow bright. On the days that she was unhappy or angry the color was dark and menacing. A sight that can run shivers down your spine.

"Good morning Shreve. How was your morning run."

Shreve closes the door behind her and stomps off the snow and ice from her morning run.

"It was very refreshing Lady Dartmuth. Thank you. We had no mishaps today it seams all the wolves are elsewhere this morning."

"How is Mike doing? Is he getting any better?"

"Mike seems to be getting better but we have only been running for two weeks and it’s hard to judge from that short of a time frame. I do have one thing to say about him though. He will not quit. He seems to be going further before he has to stop and I really don’t think it has anything to do with him getting into better shape."

"I have noticed that he can be quite determined at times."

"Determined is not the exact word I would use but it does fit"

The two women chuckle for a time but stop as they hear Mike climb the stairs outside the kitchen. Stomping off his feet he enters the house.

"Did you have to go so fast? I was keeping up till we came through the other end of the town and then you just took off."

"I always sprint the last few hundred yards to the house. You have just never been close enough to see that."

Another chuckle overcomes the women as Mike sits down at the kitchen table to kick off the snow soaked shoes.

"Well I think if we keep this up by the end of the month I will be able to keep up with you the entire way to the house."

"I don’t doubt you will Mike." Lady Dartmuth explained " But there is far more work to do than running around town getting into shape"

"She is right Mike there is so much you have to learn in such a short amount of time and I don’t even know what that might be. Thomas has hardly poked his head out of his place since your friends left."

"Ya I know. He wasn’t too happy to see me stay in town or the fact that you were here either. He had some control over Rachel, but when he broke his word and attacked the rest of the group he had no other choice but to accept the fact that you and I were not leaving."

Lady Dartmuth began to set breakfast on the table. She had ham and eggs with biscuits and gravy toast and hash browns coffee and milk. A breakfast fit for a king. Grabbing his plate Mike begins to fill it with the wonderful choices he has been given. Eating almost half of the food on his plate Mike looks over to Shreve with a concerned look on his face. Not knowing what to say he begins to pick at his food.

"Is there something-wrong Mike?" Shreve asks.

"I think so but I’m not sure, I’ve been seeing something’s around town and I’m starting to get worried Shreve. I’ve been noticing a lot of changes since we have been in this town. It starting to seem that there are more and more people losing themselves and falling under Thomas’s control. It’s either that or he is getting stronger and is able to put more people in a trance. When we were in the woods the day we met. The group of people that were trying to sacrifice you was small ten to fifteen at the most. The same with the people attacking the suburban when my friends left, ten to fifteen people. And I don’t even know what to say about the wolves. They seem to be linked with all of this as well. The more people there are the fewer wolves. The fewer people there are the more wolves. Now that could just be a coincidence but I really don’t think so.

Over the last three weeks we have seen about as many rummaging though the woods looking for something. Whether it is rocks, roots, plants, what ever there has always been ten to fifteen people, but lately it seems to be growing. I’ve seen more people and more wolves milling around the woods at the same time and it’s relay starting to concern me. O Ya did I happen to mention that the people are different each time. It seems that every person in this town has been under his spell at one time or another."

Shreve and Lady Dartmuth looked at each other and then looked back at Mike. Their eyes appeared to be sad and a quiet came over the room. Lady Dartmuth picks up the plates and takes them to the kitchen sink.

"It’s not that Thomas is getting stronger or placing them in a trance it’s that he is gathering more spirits to control."

"What do you mean more spirits to control?"

"What he is doing is enslaving the townspeople by a forced possession. This is where he forces a spirit into a person. This gives him control over the spirit and the person he forced the spirit into. This is a very complicated processes and requires a lot of skill and concentration, complicated with the fact he is doing it to so many people and at the same time makes me believe he is very powerful."

Mike sat back with a puzzled look on his face and stared back at Shreve. He sat there for several moments and glanced about the room.

"So he is taking spirits and forcing them into people to control them"

"Yes"

"Any spirits?"

"No. If he was using demonic spirits they would not leave the person they are possessing and they would eventually turn on him."

"If they’re not demonic then what kind of spirits is he using?"

"He is using human spirits."

A look of shock comes over Mike’s face and then anger. He balls his hand into a fist and stares at the table deep in thought. After a few moments Mike looks up and stares Shreve in the eye which gives a shiver though you would never know it by looking at her.

"He’s not taking any of the spirits of the towns people there still all up and running around. So he is getting them from somewhere out side the city."

"More than likely. The ones he has now may have been here already. Most places have some sort of haunting of spirits even if they don’t make their presence noticed. This may account for the fact that we have only seen 10-15 at one time till recently. He must have found a why to call more into town and this may be the reason we are now seeing more people and wolves being possessed."

"How do we stop him from bringing more spirits into town???"

"We can’t."

"Well if we can’t stop him from bringing the spirits into town maybe we can stop them from getting in."

Shreve looked kind of puzzled and sat forward to listen.

"Well I’m not sure how this works but I’ve hung around my friends long enough to know that there are certain spells that can be cast to protect us from certain things. Mostly magic but can't we do that here"

"Yes we could do that but we would only be able to protect certain areas of the town the spirits would still be here, and it just would be a matter of time before it was broken. Doing something like that would require a lot of constant energy and there is nothing in town that we could use to maintain that much power for a long period of time."

"Well what if we find a power source outside of town and do a blanketing effect over the entire area"

"That can work but I doubt I could do it over such a large area and if I could it could take weeks to prepare and I don’t think we have that much time."

"Then let's build a wall. You know pile some rocks in an area say some spell over it and move over a few hundred yards and do it again. Link them all up and we have a wall."

The room was silent from a long time. Shreve sat there in thought and considered what Mike had said.

Shreve sat forward. "We would need a power source"

"Think I know what you are looking for."

Shreve cocked her head again to one side and looked confused.

"There is a clearing at the top of the hill just east of town. I was up there one day kind of snooping around and following the people as they where doing something and found what I think you might be looking for.

It’s a natural circle of 7 trees. It’s about 8 foot across and you wouldn’t know it unless you walked into it." Mike smiled "and I happened to walk into it. When I was in there I wasn’t as nervous and it gave me a warm feeling. I think that is what you are looking for to power our wall."

Shreve smiled and shook her head.

"I’m impressed and that's not easy to do."

"We will have to take a look at the circle of trees but I think it’s the perfect place to start from. Now when we get started we must finish the wall around the town, if it gets interrupted we will have to start from the beginning, but once we complete the wall it's not going to be able to be broken unless one of us does it."

"OK"

"When Thomas figures out what we are doing he is going to try stop us"

"OK"

"He could even kill us."

"So when do we get started"

Mike finishes up his breakfast and Shreve came out of her room with several dozen books and scrolls. Laying them on the kitchen table she begins to study them, looking for the right spell or incantation that will help resolve the issue.

"Can I help???"

"Can your read Latin???"

"No."

Mike gets up and paced the kitchen floor. Not knowing what else to do Mike goes up stairs to his room and changes out of his running clothes.

In Mike's room its is partially cold. The window is not sealed tight and when the wind blows the curtains move back and forth. If the wind howls against the window they float over the bed as though they were suspended from the ceiling.

Changing into something more comfortable Mike heads back down stairs to the kitchen. Walking over to the counter he grabs a cup and pours himself some coffee. Walking back to the table he sits in the chair across from Shreve.

Strumming his fingers across the table Shreve raises her head up and gave him a look.

"There has to be something I can do??? I can’t just sit here and do nothing."

"There is something you can do."

Mike sits forward and looks intently at Shreve.

"You can stop making that noise."

Looking down at his hand Mike blushes slightly and places his hands in his lap.

"I know Mike how frustrating this can be. You want to do so much to stop all of this from happening and so do I but right now all you can do is wait. I promise you that when I find the answer to our dilemma you and I will make sure Thomas does not succeed in retrieving anymore souls."

Mike looks at her and into her beautiful green eyes and almost at once his impatience went away. Shreve went back to her books and Mike sat there waiting for more coffee to be finished.

"That book"

Mike picks up one of the books in front of him.

"Open"

Mike opens the book and stares at the page in front of him. Not knowing what the book would say. With everything written in Latin all Mike could do is look at all the elaborate symbols around the edges

"Flip"

Scratching his forehead and running his fingers through his hair, Mike turns the pages of the book.

"Flip, flip, flip, flip"

A tingling feeling comes over Mike as he slowly turns the page. To him they all looked the same. Page after page he turns not really knowing why. His body alive with a sensation he had not felt before and with a desire to continue he keeps turning.

"Stop."

" There."

Mike read aloud.

"Obmolior-iri Adversum Manes-ium"

"What did you just say"

Shreve slowly lowered her book down to the table and stared at Mike with utter amazement.

"I’m not sure, I don’t think I said it right. Obmolior-iri Adversum Manes-ium"

"Can I see that please"

"Sure"

Shreve takes the book and reads over the page Mike had found. Shaking her head as she read raising her gaze to meet Mike's from time to time.

"What is it??? What does it mean???"

"It roughly translates to, defense to meet spirits of the dead. This is exactly what I was looking for. I thought you said you didn’t read Latin???"

"Well I don’t. Lady Dartmuth helped me find it"

Mike and Shreve turn and scan the kitchen to find no one there.

"Well she was here looking over my shoulder. She was the one that found the page not me."

Coming down the stairs was Lady Dartmuth with an arm full of sheets and pillowcases ready to take to the basement for laundry.

"Thank you Lady Dartmuth for your help"

"There’s no need for thanks Mike. I wash the bedding twice a week whether it needs it or not"

"No ma’am that’s not what I was referring to. It’s for the help you gave me with finding the page in the book. Thank you."

"O sweetie I went up stairs when Shreve started going through her books and papers. I was never one for research."

"But I… I heard … there had to be someone… I… I…I don’t understand."

A look of disbelief came over Mike. He nervously moves books and papers around the table and is at a loss as to what to say.

"As I look over the pages it does seam like it will do what we are wanting it to do."

"So what do we do now that we have the spell??? Do we have everything for it??? Do we need to get anything???"

"There are several things we are going to need, but I have seen most all of them in and around the house. I do have the rest in my room. We are going to need some white string though. Do we have that here???"

"I have string but I’m not sure if it’s white or not"

Lady Dartmuth begins to search through her kitchen drawers looking for her string. As she goes from drawer to drawer you get the feel of the room and just how big it really is. The counter space in her kitchen would make most any cook jealous. It seems to stretch on forever. The large sink in the center of the counter could have held the entire contents of dishes in her cupboards. The storage space she had above and below the counters was immense. All the doors above the counter were made of glass so you can see every one of her sparkling clean dishes. The door under the counter had a very elaborate design, all of which where hand carved from back east.

"I found some string but it is not white, more like baling string for packages."

"That’s fine Lady Dartmuth there is plenty here to get us started and ready for later today. I will send Mike to the store when it opens to get the string."

Lady Dartmuth comes to the table and places her hands on their shoulders and gives them a loving warm smile.

"The store opens at 9 am that’s about 2 hours from now you should have most everything ready by then. I will have some good lunches and a lot of hot coffee and tea ready for you when leave for the day."

As the three of them searched through the house for the things they needed, time seemed to stop. Every time someone looked at the clock it appeared that it had not moved at all.

A lot of the things needed to create the wall were found around the house, the more important things were in the items that Shreve brought with her to 16.

The rest of the time was spent on preparing the items so that it would take as little time to get into place as possible.

Lady Dartmuth spent most of her time coaching Mike as to what to say when he is helping Shreve with the set-up of the wards and when to say his part when the time was right.

"You’re doing very good Mike you should have it down in no time at all."

"I have it written down and I will repeat it about a million times before we get started setting up the wall around the town."

"You will be fine I know you will. I have every confidence in you that you will not fail."

"I hope you're right Lady Dartmuth. I hope you're right."

The three of them work as fast and as best they can to make as many of the wards in the time they have. Placing the unfinished wards along the counter so when the string makes its way back to the house they will be ready to place them in back packs for their trip around the town.

"It just about 9 AM you should get over to the store to get the string. I will stay here and get every thing ready for when you return. We can leave soon after the string is added."

"I will get started with your lunches and coffee, it should all be done well before you leave"

Mike grabs his coat and gets bundled up to head out the door. He pats his coat and pants thinking if he had forgotten anything he might need.

"I don’t think I have any money."

"You can put it under my name. I do have an account there and it should be fine."

Shreve begins to prepare the last of the so-called "fence posts" for the spiritual barrier for around the town. Making more than she thinks she needs because you just never know.

Mike places the stocking cap on his head and flips up the hood of the inner lining of his coat, zips and snaps up them both and heads out the door.

The wind out side seemed to pick up a bit with the day beginning to start. The sun still hiding behind the trees in this town in the middle of nowhere. Mike pulls the hood closer around his face and heads to the store.

Looking from the front porch you could just make out the general store. It was located at the far end of the town where most the business had been located. You got an eerie feeling when you where among the buildings. It felt more like a ghost town than a once bustling shopping district. You could almost see the people walking in and out of the stores holding boxes and bags from a days worth of shopping. Now, there is nothing. Only the general store remained open, all the others had closed many years before.

"Mr. Danuals. What a pleasure to see you again."

Mike turns around to see Thomas standing not more than 3 feet from him.

A smartly dressed man completely out of place. You would think that he was an executive for a fortune 500 company in some large city in these United States and not this backwater town of 16.

Thomas has an air of authority and superiority around him that was undeniable. This was brought to a point with the smirk on his face; you could do nothing but be in awe over this man. Unless you know far more then you need to about him. Knowing these things, in and of itself, makes it much easier for you to hate him.

"I can assure you Thomas that the feeling is not mutual."

A slight chuckle comes from Thomas and his smirk becomes more prominent to his face.

"What brings you out of your dungeon??? I thought bloodsucker only come out at night to scare the old women and children."

"It is such a beautiful start of a day. The air is crisp and with the new fallen snow makes it such a wonder to see. I can not imagine being anywhere else."

"I would have to agree with you there Thomas. It is a wonder to see and I truly don’t want to be anywhere else but here."

"What does this life have to offer a man like you. Some one in the prime of their life living out in the middle of nowhere. There is no hustle and bustle, no dance clubs, no all night diners, no clothes or shoe stores. Quite a boring life you are making for yourself. How is it you can stand it in a place so isolated from society."

"I think my life here will be fine. Some of my most favorite times were spent in the woods as I grew up. I spent many a summer in West Virginia with my family, I was in the boy scouts so I can tie a square knot and lash two poles together. There is plenty of work to do at the Dartmuth house, so I don’t think I’ll be bored or idle any time soon. "

A knowing look and smirk of his own appears across Mike’s face. Knowing full well that Thomas hates the fact he is here.

"What about you Thomas why are you here. You look more like you are going to the theater than someone out for a stroll in the woods 90 miles away from the nearest city???"

" I was born and raised here Mr. Danuals. This town is a bigger part of me than anything else in the world. I was taught by my real father in the home I live in today. I met my first girlfriend next to the old bunkhouse. We had our first kiss behind the general store. What a sweet girl she was. Her hair was raven black, long, almost to her waste and straight as the day is long. In the field behind my home I read library books. Those books took me to places that most people only dream about. I hunted in these mountains all my life. I truly do not think there is a place anywhere around here that I haven’t yet seen. All of my first life experiences where in this town Mr. Danuals and I don’t think I would have it any other way"

Thomas looked off into woods as he reminisced about the past. A peaceful look comes over him and the air of authority around him quickly dropped, leaving him vulnerable to the outside world.

"This is my town. I built it up to where it is today. I created the infrastructure that this town runs on. No one in this town has worked harder to make this town a success than I have. I own this town and no one will take it from me."

Thomas’s tone turned hard and an evil look is shot over to Mike.

"Neither you nor Eyes of Fire can stop me from completing the plans I have laid out these many years for this town."

"I do not know what your plans are for this town. I do know what you are doing to the people and as long as I live and breath I will do my best to be a thorn in your side till I can figure out what you are doing and I will… stop you."

A booming laugh fills the air around the two of them. It seemed to be coming at Mike from all sides

"An interesting choice of words Mr. Danuals but ones I’m sure I can accommodate, but honestly do you think you and your little drum can stop me from completing what I have started???"

"I not only think I can. I know I can."

"Thomas you are a liar, a cheat and a thief, and as soon as everyone around this town figures that out what little control you have over them, when you don’t have them possessed by spirits, will be gone. And when I figure out how you are possessing these people I will stop that too. Then, your ass will be mine."

You could feel the air around them heat up with anger. Thomas’s hands clenched into fists and the veins in his neck begin to bulge. Mike leans in and whispers into Thomas’s ear.

"Don’t ever underestimate me Thomas. If you do, you … will… always… lose."

Mike pulls his hood on tighter and heads toward the store leaving Thomas standing there.

"Mr. Danuals!!!"

The same booming voice that he had heard before chases Mike as he walks away from Thomas to the store.

"I do promise you this. We will talk about this again Mr. Danuals!!! Mark my words we will talk again!!!"

The general store looks more like a home than anything else. Adding the store to the building seemed more of an afterthought than being planned that way. The owner lives in what appears to be a room directly behind the store with his wife of many years.

The store looked white but has turned gray throughout the many years of the harsh Montana weather. When Mike enters through the door a bell rings getting the attention of the man behind the counter.

"Good morning sir." Said Mr. Hanson owner of the store.

"Is there anything I can help you with today???"

Lady Dartmuth sent me here to pick up some white string. Do you have any???

Mr. Hanson comes from behind the counter and leads Mike to the string he is looking for.

I do believe this is all we have if its not here I can order it for you and we should have it in a few weeks???

"What I’m looking for is right here thank you though."

Mike grabs the string and follows the owner back to the counter.

"Lady Dartmuth said we can put this on her account."

"We sure can I just need you to sign this and we will be all squared away."

"Your Eleanor’s new boarders aren’t you??? You’ve been helping her around the house fixing this and that???"

"Yes sir. I have been doing what I can to help out around the house."

"We have a handy man in this town but he is a bit slow and I have a leak in my roof. I was wondering if you would help him out tomorrow morning with fixing the roof???

"I’ve helped fixing a roof before but I’ve never really fixed one by myself, I can surely try to help anyway that I can."

"Can I see where it is leaking???"

Mr. Hanson takes Mike to the storeroom up a ladder into the attic and shows him where the leak is coming from.

Taking a flashlight Mike examines the roof where the water is coming from.

"It really doesn’t look that bad. There doesn’t seem to be any damage to the roof yet. Some tar and tar paper and re-shingle that part of the roof should fix it right up. Shouldn’t take more that an hour maybe 2 and the leak will be gone. Do you have these things so it can get done???"

"Oh wonderful. Yes I do. I have every thing you will need in the basement. Do you think you can do it today??? I would gladly pay you what ever you ask if you can."

"I can’t do it today but I can do it tomorrow. Why don’t you send the handyman over to the house tomorrow morning and I will come with him and help fix the roof."

"Thank you very much you don’t know how much I appreciate the help. I will send Jordan over to the house tomorrow morning to come get you. There is so much to be done around this town you can’t imagine how busy you could be if you did this for a living here."

Mike begins to laugh and chuckle at the though of staying in 16.

"I don’t believe that I will be here all that long but I thank you for the compliment."

"I should be heading back to the house I have a lot of work to do today and time is wasting. I’ll see you tomorrow."

Mike tightens up his hood over his face and begins the trip across town back to the house.

"That took a long time. Did you have a hard time getting the string from Mr. Hanson???

"Oh no he had plenty of string there he just wanted to know if I could help the handyman fix his roof. I told him I would so Jordan, the handyman, will be here tomorrow morning to come get me to help."

While explaining what happened at the store the string was cut up in to equal lengths and tied into a circle and placed with the rest of the contents of the spell being created by Shreve.

"How many do we have???"

"42. I’m hoping that will be enough."

"Are they going to take long to put up and activate???"

"I’m thinking that it will take about 4 hours total to finish the wall. There are going to be a few things that may slow us down."

The first one we place will take the most time. We will need to attract the proper energies and focus them on the ward we are creating.

We will have to dig through the snow to get to the ground. If we where to do it on the snow come spring time it will go away

Once we start we can not stop. We stop. We start over. If we stop on the last connection of the wall we have to the do the entire thing over.

"Also when the wall starts to go up Thomas will know something is going on and as the wall becomes more complete it will make it easier for him to find us. I am sure that he will send the wolves out first to locate us and he will soon follow. We will be taking the drum but we do not want to use it unless it is absolutely necessary. It will give away our location and then our time will be severely limited."

"Now we know that once the wall is up there will be no more spirits entering into 16. This also means that the ones that are here are trapped and will not be able to leave unless the wall is taken down. Also the wolves that are not possessed will stay away from the wall they will be able to sense the power through it and not pass through."

"Does that also means the ones that are inside the wall will be stuck here too???."

"Yes Mike, it does"

"Well that in and of itself can cause a problem. Those wolves will eventually become hungry and may turn on the people in the area and may provoke unnecessary killing of the wolves."

"That is something well have to take care of later, but right now what we have to do is get that wall up and running before Thomas brings more spirits into this town."

"When are we going to be getting started???

"We have everything ready. And we will need the light of the day to help us see. It’s now 10 AM. The only reason I can think of as why we can’t start now is we don’t really know where Thomas is."

"Thomas??? O he’s at home I talked with him before I got the string at the store this morning."

All eyes turned to Mike as he spoke. Looks of disbelief covering their faces.

"What did you say to him???"

"I told him that I will stop him with what ever he is doing here and that to never underestimate me."

Shreve closes her eyes and rubs her hand across her forehead and shaking her head sighing.

"That and I told him I was going to kick his ass. He really didn’t like that. I thought the veins on his neck were going to pop."

Lady Dartmuth comes up behind Mike and places her hands on his shoulder. Shreve looks up at him in utter disbelief and places her head in her hands.

"You did what???"

"Making him that mad will more than likely keep him in the house thinking of some way to get back at me. This should give us a window to get us to our starting point and well on our way to getting this completed. I’m hoping he will be so distracted by his revenge against me he will not notice what we are doing till it's to late, by then we will be done and there will be nothing he can do about it. Then he will have bigger worries than trying to take revenge out on me."

Shreve raises her head fingers running down her face. A smile breaks through the look of disbelief that yet again appears across her face.

"I have to commend you for your actions Mike. You are ether very brave or very stupid I’m still trying to figure out which."

"Well regardless of which one I am. I would have to confess I loved every second of it."

A burst of nervous laughter echoes in the room. Lady Dartmuth squeezes Mikes shoulders and pats him on the back of the head.

"I’ll have your lunches reading in just a minute the water is boiling for the tea and the coffee and is already in the thermos."

Mike and Shreve stand and start to load the wards into a large bag. Mike looks up at the Lady Dartmuth.

"Do you have any extra shotgun shells???"

Mike and Shreve stand on the back porch of the Dartmuth house and look in to the trees. The wind kicks up and the loose snow around the house begins to blow across the yard. Mike pulls his hood up over his head and ties the string just under his chin and tosses the scarf around his head to cover his face.

It was now 10:22 AM and the sun shines through the trees and makes the new fallen snow glow white. Mike tightens his gloves around his fingers and picks up his pack and slings it over his shoulder. Shreve looks at him with a gentle smile and nods.

"We need to start at the power source."

"We’ll have to go east through town to get there and that should not be a problem. We are carrying back packs so it should not be all that suspicious and we can say we are going camping for the night and we can sneak in the back door later in the evening so no one will know the better."

The door behind them creaked open and Lady Dartmuth walks out on the back porch. Bundled up in a coat that was 3 sizes to big for her and holding another thermos in her hand.

"I made you two some hot tomato soup. Just in case you need something else to keep you warm out there in the woods"

Pulling off his pack Mike takes the thermos and places it inside.

"Thank you very much I’m sure it will come in handy later as we are nearing the end of our day"

"I also want to give you to something."

Reaching into her pocket Lady Dartmuth pulls 2 red velvet bag out and hand one to each of them.

"My husband had made these many years ago. He said that they helped him to move around town with out being seen. He did wear one around his neck for many years and yet I never did see him disappear." She smiles softly. "He did make one for me but I never did see the need to use it. Now I want the two of you to wear them, I’m not sure if they will work but every little bit helps."

Mike and Shreve take the red velvet bags and open them up. Inside they find purple crystal necklaces each with a feather tied to them.

"These are beautiful Lady Dartmuth."

"My husband had many talents. One of which was fly-fishing. He made some the best lures in the state I have people still asking me to sell them some but I had run out of them many years ago.

"I really don’t know what to say."

"Please Mike you don’t need to say anything, just be safe out there you never know what is going to happen. I would be devastated if anything bad happened to the two of you."

"We will endeavor to persevere."

"It’s from one of my favorite Clint Eastwood movies. It seemed to fit the moment"

After saying their good byes Mike and Shreve head off the back porch and into the back yard. They head south through several of the back yards in town. Much like Mike had done in his hometown in Ohio when he was growing up. Everyone seemed to know everyone, much like they do here in 16.

The two continue south till they get to the main road and head east to the outside of the town. Waving at a few of the towns’ people as they wave to them.

"Warz r yunz guys headed to tis fine mor-n"

Shreve stops and looks at Mike. Not knowing exactly what to say. Not really understanding the words coming from the man standing in front of her. Mike smiles at her and steps toward the man.

"Wenz headed n da woods to find thangs and such. Go on be-n must da day out thare."

"Ya all might wants to be taken a gun wit yous two. Tem wolves are get-n fears N them woods and thogh they never hurt no ones tis till a smat thang ta do."

"Yup"

Getting just out of sight of the town the two start into the woods. Stopping for just a moment Mike and Shreve look up the side of the mountain and wonder what they have gotten themselves into.

Taking a plastic bag from his coat and sprinkles something into their track. Shreve looks at him and tilts her head.

"Gunpowder."

"I’ve seen it work in the movies."

"I’m sure Thomas has more control over the wolves than just sending them out after us. If he does it’s just a waste of time. If he doesn’t this may buy us a few extra minutes. The gunpowder my help hide our scent, again It's better to be safe than sorry."

With that done the two start the long trek up the mountain.

Little is said between the two of them. Keeping an eye open for stray people and wolves. Mike pulls out the paper in his coat to go over the words that he will need to speak when they start and finish the wall around the town. Mike closes his eyes to try and see the words in his head so he can recite them again and again.

"Look out."

Opening his eyes Mike looks over his shoulder. There was no one there. Before he could turn around Mike trips over a log laying in his way and plants his face firmly in the snow.

"Damn it!!!"

Shreve turns to see Mike propped up on his elbows reaching for the paper he had dropped during the fall. A smile comes across her lips and she begins to chuckle.

"Are you hurt???"

Mike rolls over on to his back and sits up brushing the snow from his face and begins to dig snow out from inside his coat.

"My pride more than anything. I should have been paying more attention to where I was going."

"Thanks for letting me know. Otherwise it could have been worse."

Again Shreve looks confused at the words Mike were speaking.

"I didn’t say a thing Mike. Maybe you hit your head harder then you thought???"

Another chuckle comes from Shreve.

Shaking his head in disbelief Mike brushes off his pants and begins to stand. Out of the corner of his eye he sees something. A bright blue light lying across the snow just past the log he fell over. Turning his head to see it fully the light disappears.

"Did you see that??? There was a bight blue line running across the ground."

Mike turns to find Shreve and again out to the corner of his eye he sees the light.

"Damn there it is again. You had to see it that time???"

"I see many things but it’s not what I see that matters. What is it that you see???"

"Nothing."

"Look again and tell me what you see."

"I’m telling you Shreve that there is nothing there."

"Look away and where you thought you saw the light. Now turn your head and look at me again and tell me what you see."

Mike turns his head and looks down the mountain they are climbing and then back at Shreve and again out of the corner of his eye he sees the blue flash of light.

"I saw it again. Right in front of the log I fell over. Did you see it that time ???"

"I did not see the flash you are speaking of but I do see the bright blue line where you saw the flash."

Mike looks again and still does not see anything in front of the log

"I still do not see anything."

"Look away again and then back at me and tell me what you see."

"I didn’t see anything this time."

"OK let me see if I can explain this to you as simply as I can."

"What you saw and what I’m seeing now is called a ley line. It’s a mystical form of power that runs around the earth and is constantly moving. The lines generally move from around one point. A lot like the static balls you see in the store. The ones when you place your finger on them the electricity shoots to the fingers and spreads from there."

"OK but that does not explain why you are able to see it and I can’t???"

"When you see the bright blue flash, you see it in your peripheral vision but can not see it when you look at it directly. When you look at it directly you are looking at it in your active vision but when you see it in your peripheral vision you see it, even if briefly, in your subconscious. It then gets your attention and you look to where you saw the flash. It is now in your active vision and once again disappears from your sight. Your active vision, for lack of a better word, has placed a veil over your subconscious and blocks these things from your sight. With years of meditation and practice I have learned to open and close the veil and see through using the subconscious level of the mind. This is why I can see the ley line."

"O there it goes. Off the side of the mountain and into the sky."

Shreve straightens her pack and turns to start up the hill.

"Are you coming???"

Mike stands up and unzips his coat and dumps out what remaining snow was left in his jacket and begins the hike up the side of the mountain. A look of despair comes over Mike’s face as he realizes that he will be making the same trip up the side of the mountain again today.

Mike looks to the sky to where the line might have gone, then turns toward the mountain and starts the climb up again.

The higher up the mountain the deeper the snow seemed to get. Picking up there feet out of the snow appeared to be impossible now. Yet they keep moving forward. Getting to the top Mike and Shreve stopped and have lunch. It is now 12:17 PM.

"That took us almost 2 hours to get up here. Did you factor that into the set-up time for the wall???"

"2 hours??? No. I wasn’t expecting the snow to be so deep or that steep of a climb to the top. I was only expecting for it to take 45 to an hour to get to the top and about another 30 min to set the words. Now I’m not sure how long it will take because the snow is much deeper and the climb is much steeper."

"So we're looking at 6 total hours??? Shreve is that going to be enough time???"

"I don’t know Mike. I just don’t know"

Retrieving their coffee and tea from their packs they walk over to the circle of trees.

"I see what you mean Mike there is a lot of power here."

"I don’t understand I don’t feel a thing???"

Shreve smiles and heads into the circle of trees. Inside the circle it does not seam cold at all and there is little if any snow there.

"We need four larger stones to set in the 4 corners of the circle. If you look in your pack you should find them."

"What do you mean my pack???"

Mike sets his pack down and begins to dig through it, in the bottom of the pack he found 4 stones about the size of softballs.

"I’ve been carrying these stones up this mountain and I didn’t even know it??? Damn Shreve I would have done it anyway but this is a bit low and not like you at all."

A mischievous grin comes over Shreve face and takes the stones from Mike. Mike gives her a look of disgust and then smiles and helps her place the stones to the 4 corners.

On the 4 stones Shreve places four separate symbols on them.

The Bear for wisdom

The Fox for cunning

The Bison for strength

The Eagle for courage

She sets the stones to the 4 points of the compass. Mike places the first ward, larger than all the rest, in the center of the circle. Positioning themselves at North and South. Holding each other’s hands over the ward they began calling the circle and asking for the help of the animal spirits in creating the wall.

As the words are spoken and the corners are called the ward begins to glow a light blue. The light cast the shadows of the two that summon it and in a bright flash it is done. Mike opens his eyes and looks at Shreve.

"And so it begins"

It’s now 12:52 PM

Picking up their packs the two quickly head south of the circle of trees to the edge of the mountain. Pulling out the shovel they begin to dig the snow away to the solid ground.

"The snow is not that deep here so it should be easy to dig through to the ground. We can take turns placing these around the town while the other looks out for Thomas and his minions."

"These have to be within line of sight of each other we can not have them blocked by trees and the like when they are placed. The distance between then makes no difference but line of sight most definitely does. I just hope to god I made enough."

Shreve kneels in front of the hole dug into the snow; sitting back on her heels and places her hand over the ward. Mumbling something under her breath and then raising her hand into the air. The ward has a pulse of light and then it’s gone.

Picking up their packs the two of them start off on their journey around the town down the side of mountain.

Time seems to stand still for the Lady Dartmuth. Every moment seems like an eternity. Trying to keep her mind off of Mike and Shreve she works around the house. Picking up and cleaning what she can.

After a time cleaning just doesn’t seam to keep her mind off of the situation at hand. Her thoughts wander to the two brave souls in the woods.

The clock on the wall chimes in at 2:30PM and it seems to bring Lady Dartmuth out of a self induced trance. Feeling hungry she heads into the kitchen to make herself a late lunch.

Opening up her cupboards she looks for something to make for lunch. Not really wanting to make anything complicated she moves over to the refrigerator and finds some left over roast from the night before. Pouring herself a glass of iced tea she sits at the table picking and staring at the food in front of her.

Still unable to get her mind off of Mike and Shreve she places her dishes in to the sink and moves to the living room. Her thoughts now wander to her late husband. All the times she sat in the kitchen while he was out in the dead of night doing something for the town. She never really knew what it was he did all she knew about where the cuts and bruises he had when he got home.

The countless hours he spent in the study with all his books and papers researching and studying. There was a time he stayed there for days on end not eating or sleeping constantly buried in his books. From there would hurry to the basement and spent just as much time there as in the study. So long in fact the laundry would sit on the beds longer than she felt comfortable leaving it there.

A sadness falls on Lady Dartmuth heart from the memories of her husband working around the house, long walks into the woods and fields to see the sun set beyond the horizon. Thoughts up until now were long forgotten.

A single tear streams down her face moving in and around the wrinkles and folds of her skin till it hangs at the edge of her chin. Hanging there, waiting for the enviable.

As the tear falls to the table so do they flow from her eyes. Years of sorrow built up inside her began to stream down her face. Beginning the process of cleansing her soul of the pain that has lain dormant these many years.

Like the lady of breeding she is Lady Dartmuth pulls a handkerchief from her housecoat and dries her eyes but no matter how hard she tries her eyes never seem to dry.

The clock on the wall chimes in again its now 3:45 PM.

Hungry but not really wanting to eat Lady Dartmuth goes into the kitchen to start dinner, because soon there will two more mouths to feed from a long days work.

Heading to the basement Lady Dartmuth goes to the meat locker and looks for a good size roast. Opening the locker there are packages and packages of wrapped meat on every shelf from top to bottom. Enough to last for the entire winter if needed. Being the only bed and breakfast in town these things are necessary. Deciding on steak for dinner and choosing the proper ones Lady Dartmuth walks over to the wall and grabs a jar of home made canned corn and green beans for dinner and places them on the table next to the meat locker. Needing potatoes she walks through a door at the opposite side of the room, heads into a root cellar dug into the outside wall of the house. This is where the potatoes, onions and the like are kept, to keep them from spoiling so fast. Opening the door to the cellar and using the light from the other room Lady Dartmuth grabs several potatoes big enough for baking.

"This room is so dirty" She thought as she looks through the potatoes to find the right ones for dinner. Finding what she needed and closing the door behind her she hears a noise. Turning to see what it was and finds that there in no one there. In the corner of the room she can see what remains of her late husband's office. A large wooden desk with a few loose papers on top, a large padded chair, bookshelf with several old reference books with a simple metal box on top.

Standing there a moment, Lady Dartmuth realizes that she has not really been in this room since she packed it up soon after her husband passed. Placing the contents throughout the house with what was felt to be the more important items in their room. These mostly being the books and papers she gave to Mike’s friends just a few weeks ago.

Clutching the potatoes close to her she heads to the door. Grabbing the rest of the food Lady Dartmuth goes up the stairs to the kitchen. Glancing to the clock on the wall it now 4:05 PM.

"Oh my it’s getting late and they should be home soon."

"And where would they be???"

A scream of surprise is let out and Lady Dartmuth turns to see Thomas standing in the back door.

"Thomas I didn’t see you standing there. You scared me something fierce."

"It was not my intention to scare you Eleanor, please forgive me for I do apologize."

"I did knock but there was no answer and I was worried. As of late there has always been someone here, I was concerned so I let myself in."

"I was downstairs getting food for dinner. I must not have heard you knocking at the back door."

Thomas walks over to the counter and glances down at the food set on the counter. "You’re making steak tonight. I do so love your steak I have not had it in such a long time. I wish I could stay."

Thomas looks at Lady Dartmuth eyes and sees that they red and puffy.

Placing a hand to her face "Have you been crying Eleanor???"

"I’m fine. You came here for some reason Thomas. What is it you want???"

"Direct and to the point I like that. I’m looking for Mike and Eyes of Fire. I can’t seem to find them anywhere, and I do mean anywhere!"

"I have no idea what you mean Thomas. Why would you think I would know where they are at???"

"Please do not play games with me Eleanor they do not become you. I have looked around this town in many, different ways and they are nowhere to be found. I do not like not knowing where those two are. They have an agenda in mind that concerns me and knowing where they are is very important."

Pushing his had away from her face Lady Dartmuth stands there and gives Thomas a look that would make most men run from the room.

"What makes you think Thomas, that I even care if their agenda does not work with yours???"

"I assure you Eleanor that my intentions for this town are for the best. I would never do anything but bring good things to this town."

A wicked smile appears across his lips and the same intensity stare beams from his eyes to Lady Dartmuth.

"I will not ask this again. Where are Mike and Eyes of Fire???"

In all the years this house stood the tension in the room had never been higher. The two of them glared at each other with an intensity that needed to be experienced to be believed neither of them blinking, neither of the backing down.

"This is getting us no where Eleanor. You and your pathetic boarders can never and will never beat me."

"Is that so Thomas???"

"The fact that you are standing here tells me you are scared. You know that those two out there are a threat to your plans and I’m sure you know that they most definitely have a chance to stop you."

"Shreve is quite skillful and more than a match for you but yet you give her little thought or concern??? Mike on the other hand…"

Thomas cocks his head slightly, his eyebrow raised. Lady Dartmuth takes a step forward and Thomas blinked.

"There is something about him you fear isn’t there. I don’t know why??? He has no real power. Not magically anyway. I’m sure that if it came to throwing punches you can clearly hold your own but yet he concerns you. Why???"

"A nervous chuckle come from Thomas. "You read more into these things than are really there Eleanor. He is but a nuisance nothing else."

"Shreve had visions for years before making her way here to Sixteen. In most all of them there was someone here to help her but yet she could not see who it was. It was this one person that made a difference. I’m sure you have seen these visions as well and that’s why you hate him. Yes you truly hate him I can see it in your eyes. He above all else will stop you won't he. He can see through all your smoke and mirrors can’t he. He is the one in the visions isn’t he."

Lady Dartmuth moves forward toward Thomas and he sets back on his heels. A look of knowing and a surge of confidence comes over her and she begins to laugh.

"You have no idea what he is. He is a small pathetic man. One that is easily crushed under the heel of my boot. He is an inconvenience that’s all."

"O Thomas he is much more. He has not yet figured out what you are doing in this town, I truly don’t think anyone knows, but in the mean time he has figured a way to slow down the progress of your little scam."

"Can’t you feel it Thomas??? They’re almost done."

A chuckle begins inside her and then turns into a laugh. Thomas closes his eyes and begins to turn his head from side to side as to scan the area around him. Thomas head stops and is almost facing due south.

"The fools they have no idea what they are doing. This can ruin a lifetime of work."

"NOOOOOO!!!"

Grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her back and forth Thomas repeats again and again.

"Where are they??? WHERE ARE THEY???"

Laughter is all he gets in response.

"I see this is going no where Eleanor. Even if you did know where they are you would never say. You are as ignorant as he is and this is truly a waste of my time to continue this conversation."

"You will never get there in time Thomas. Even if you knew where they were it will be to late."

Thomas reaches the door and with a haunting look over his shoulder he replies. "Good day to you Mamma. Good day."

Lady Dartmuth turns her head to look at the click. The time is now 4:21 PM.

Climbing up the side of the mountain the snow seems to be deeper than when they first went this way. Up to their hips they push through the snow. Its only saving grace is that it’s loosely packed.

"OK one more time. Why is it we couldn’t go up the same way we did before.”?

"The circle around the town did not lead us to the same place we started Mike. We have to follow the path laid out for us so we can come full circle."

"I can finally see the top of the mountain. We are almost done."

"I believe the last one I place was the last one I had how many more do you have left to place???"

Shreve opens her pack and checks the wards to see what she has left.

"I have 4 remaining."

"Can you still see the hole we dug for the last ward???"

"Barely. It’s starting to get dark and the shadows are making it hard to see. I think we should place the next one here before moving on."

"That’s a Good idea Mike. Grab the shovel and lets get started."

Standing in one spot Mike begins to kick away the snow to make a hole in the in snow. Stepping to one side Mike and Shreve begin to dig till they reach the hard frozen ground.

Reaching into her pack Shreve pull one of the last 4 remaining wards and places it into the hole. Shreve once again places her hand over the hole and begins to speak. Raising her hand in the air the hole flashes blue and then it’s done.

Grabbing their packs Mike and Shreve head up the mountain again.

"Shreve I have no doubt that this is going to work but is it going to hold???"

"When we are done calling the circle over the last ward we will be the only ones that will be able to take the wall down and as long as there is power supplied to the wall it will not be broken."

Climbing about 4 hundred yards from the last placed ward Mike and Shreve go through their routine of placing the ward into the ground. Picking up their packs they head again to the top.

"We have a clear path to the top of the mountain we will place the 2nd to last one on the rim and the last ward half way between the two."

"I hope we still have enough time."

"So do I Mike. So do I"

Mike pulls his sleeve back and looks at his watch the time is now 5:23 PM.

There was only 200 yards to the top the mountain. Mike and Shreve pushed their way through the snow up the seemingly never-ending mountain. Step by step they get closer to the end of their journey. Each step they took was one step closer to the end of their goal to Stop Thomas.

Reaching the rim at the top of the mountain Mike and Shreve set their packs down grab the last two wards and begin to dig one of the last 2 holes in their wall around the town.

As Shreve kneels in front of the hole and speaks the words that have become so embedded into his thoughts Mike see the blue flash of light they had seen 40 other times before that day. With a surge of enthusiasm they head to make their last hole in the snow. Their quest was almost over.

After digging the last hole Mike stands there as Shreve prepares the last ward. Shreve leans forward and places it into the hole and stops, she does not move. A shiver, not of cold but fear, overtakes Mike as he feels the hairs on the back of his neck rise. A low rumble starts from behind Mike. Long and sustained he shivers again. To his right another rumble begins. Mike body begins to tingle and Shreve still does not move. A third rumble began and this time it’s in front of him. Looking up Mikes heart skips. Eight feet in front of him stands the biggest wolf he had ever seen. Its black soulless eye deeply furled nose and its bright white fangs blazing at him.

"Shreve???"

"I know. How many are there???"

"I’ve only heard three but I’m a bit scared to move." A nervous laugh comes from Mike as he slowly turns to scan the area. "God damn it. I only see the three but my pack and the drum are back at the last hole we dug."

Mike begins to break out into a cold sweat as his heart beat rings in his ears. He slowly turns back to Shreve who now has placed the ward in the hole and has set back on her heels hands in her lap.

"Well you did say Thomas would try to stop us or even try to kill us. I think right about now he is doing a damn good job of it. What do you want to do now???"

"We have to finish this wall." Shreve place her hand over the ward and began to speak. The growl grew louder.

"Don’t stop Shreve I still have my shovel. I will be able to keep them away if I have to."

Raising her hand into the air the ward flashes blue and she is done. With the surge of energy and the flash of light the wolves begin to bark and growl and advance on the two of them. Standing up Mike stands back to back with Shreve with the shovel extended in both hands in front of him.

"So we have to go and get the drum right???"

"That would be the plan"

"Aaaa Crap. OK so possessed or not these wolves will not cross the wall correct."

"Yes"

"OK my pack and the drum are on the inside of the wall. If we walk down the outside of the wall and we can get all the wolves outside the wall and to follow us to the backpack, we can step through the wall leaving all the wolves outside. We get the drum beat on it, confuse the wolves and have them wander deeper into the woods. We then finish the wall trapping the wolves on the outside and Thomas will have three less wolves to play with."

"And when we pull this one off we can tackle something easier… like world peace."

Shreve chuckles and turns to Mike. "Are you ready???"

"More ready than I’ll ever be smoky. Lets go."

Slowly they move to the outside of the wall. Inching their way closer to the wolves. Not giving an inch the wolves begin to bark and growl louder.

Working their way backwards they slowly begin to follow.

"It’s working they're following us to the outside of the wall."

"I don’t think so Mike. Look."

The wolf that was already on the inside of the wall approaches raises his nose into the air and begins to sniff. Looking up and down he can feel the wall in front of him. Crouching down on his front paws the wolf barks. The two wolves turn to face the third.

"Mike we have to keep them out side the wall."

"I know but…run"

"We have to run now!!!"

Turning in unison Mike and Shreve begin to run toward the drum. With each step they take the snow gets deeper. With their arms and legs flailing they plow through the snow knowing if they don’t get there in time, their time on this earth is severely limited. As an instinct the wolves follow barking and growling at their heels. The sound that they made running toward them may have been nothing to anyone else that would have been watching but to them it was thunder.

One step two steps three steps closer to where they needed to be but the thunder that is chasing them is gaining. Two wolves on the outside and one on the inside bearing down on Mike and Shreve. Four steps five steps they are closer still nearly to the rim of the mountain. The hot breath of their pursuers blasting against their legs. Mike only a half-step behind Shreve steps through the wall to the other side. A loud yelp an instant behind him as the entire wall lights blue and the wolf lay silent in the snow.

Shreve looks behind her to see the wolf lying there. This gives the wolf chasing her the chance to snap at her legs which trips her up and send her through the wall head first and down the side of the mountain. End over end she rolls with the wolf keeping up with her in stride.

Shreve stops rolling and lies motionless in the snow Her wolf barking and jumping just a foot away on the other side of the wall, frantic to get to her. Not knowing whether or not she can move a sound that shakes the very foundation of her being sets her straight up in the snow. A horrific scream coming from the top of the mountain.

Running still Mike heads for his backpack dropping the shovel grabs the drum. Turning with drum in hand Mike again looks in the soulless black eyes of the wolf. Raising his arms to protect himself he is tackled to the ground with the wolf's jaws clamped down on his forearm sending the drum flying not three feet away.

Wolves jaws never really meant for ripping at the flesh of other were meant for crushing. The pressure applied to his arm has Mike screaming in pain and for his life.

His hand balls into fists Mike punches at the wolf but each time he connects more pressure is applied. Panic overcomes him and he starts thrashing around not knowing what to do. Hope begins to fade sealing his fate. With tears running down his face he hopeless fights with the wolf trying to crawl away. Feeling his prey slipping away the wolf shakes its head violently making Mike scream again.

"Mike!!! Over here!!!"

Looking over his shoulder he strains to see who is yelling at him. The tears running down his face makes anything he sees blurry. He sees no one but there is something. Something sticking out of the snow. Grasping it into his hand Mike pulls the shovel from under the snow. Raises it into the air and brings the blade of the shovel across the left eye of his attacker. This time it’s the wolf that screams in pain.

Shreve clears the rim as Mike lands the blow to the wolf head. Howling in pain it releases his arm and steeps away from Mike. Raising the shovel high into the air again Mike brings it crashing down yet again on top of the wolf's head. This time making the wolf move a safe distance from the shovel.

Out of breath Shreve picks up the drum and begins to beat rhythmically on it causing the wolves to stager. Holding the shovel in front of him ready to strike. Staring again in to its eyes Mike begins to see a change. The white of the eyes begins to appear and the once angry wolf now is the one that is scared and runs off toward town. The barking form outside the wall stops as well. Confused too the second wolf runs off down the mountain.

"Mike are you hurt bad???"

Turning to see Shreve Mike drops the shovel and falls to his knees. Rushing over to him and taking him into her arms she pulls him close.

"I heard you scream and I was so scared I had lost you. I’m so happy you are still alive."

Pulling back Shreve holds him at the shoulders as she looks at Mike who seems to be in a daze.

"I guess we are going to have to pass on trying to achieve world peace aren’t we???"

Laughing out loud Shreve hugs him again.

"My arm is killing me."

"Take off your coat let me look."

"We really don’t have the time Shreve I don’t think they were here to kill us just to slow us down. I truly think Thomas is on his way and we have little or no time left. We have to get this done now. I’ll be fine till then we just have to hurry."

"I need to look at your arm"

"Damn it Shreve this wall is far more important than my stupid arm. I can still move my hand so I really don’t think the bone is broken. I think his teeth just went through the muscle because it hurts like hell. Its going to be fine for now but the longer we sit here arguing about it the closer he is to getting here to stop us. Besides this wall may be the only reason he will keep us alive. So you see Shreve we have to get this wall finished. We have to."

Mike looks at his watch stained with blood the time is now 5:42 PM

"So please help me up. We need to get started"

Shreve looks at him longingly, nods and smiles. Helping him up they walk toward the circle of trees knowing that what Mike had said was true. That Thomas was on his way and this wall could be the only thing that can keep at least one of them alive. Helping Mike up by his good right arm she leads him to the circle of trees. A trail of blood follows them.

Reaching the circle of trees Mike and Shreve position themselves in the east and west points of the circle of stones. Grasping hands over the center stone Shreve feels the thick warm fluid coming from Mikes arm against her skin. Looking at his arm she can see his coat grow darker with every beat of his hart.

"No matter what happens from here on out we can not stop. We stop, we start everything over, Everything!!!

"I understand."

"Are you ready???"

"As ready as I will ever be Smoky"

His crooked smile breaks though a wince of pain.

Shreve began by calling the corners, the Indian sprits invoked. Finishing the wall begins. The time is now 5:49 PM.

The circle of trees set majestically atop the mountain creating a living sanctuary in and amongst the trees of Montana. Its simplistic beauty allows it to hide within it surroundings and only through luck would you be able to find it as Mike had. Since the circle started the light with in the trees began to grow slowly throwing the shadows of the trees in all directions. Mike and Shreve sit kneeling in the circle of trees holding hands over the stone in the center of the circle the corner stone of the entire wall.

As Shreve recites the spell, Mike begins to sway and his words start to slur. It seems that he is falling asleep. Shreve can feel the blood collecting around her hand from the wound on his arm and squeezing tighter Mike snaps out of it and sits up straight.

The Light grows more intense in front of them. The two halves of the wall begin to glow a light blue and a white light slowly moves up between them creating the seal needed to finish the wall. The wind within the circle of trees begins to whirl around them and a roar starts to echo in their ears.

The constant noise in Mike's head lulls him into a trance as he starts to sway back and forth in a daze. Slowly losing conscience as his eyes fall as he struggles to keep them open. Shreve grabs tighter around Mike’s hands but with one hand completely soaked in blood he slowly slips from her grasp. As he falls to the right Mike tries to hold on as their fingers begin to separate. With one last desperate grab for Shreve hand Mike lays huddled in the snow too weak to move. The light begins to dim and the walls start to fade. Shreve gets up and comes over to Mike as the light goes out.

"Let me have your arm Mike. I have to see what I can do before its too late."

"No, we have to keep going. We can’t stop. He can’t win!!!"

"Its OK we will find another way to stop him so please stop moving and let me take a look at your arm."

Removing a knife from her pocket Shreve begins to cut the sleeve of Mike’s coat. Pulling back the layers she exposes several large and deep punctures. Blood streaming from each hole.

"I’ve seen better but I think we can stop the bleeding so you don’t pass out on me again."

Shreve cuts the inside lining of Mike’s coat and wraps and ties it around his arm and pulls it tight. "I’m going to my pack to get some more bandages. This will slow things down till I get back."

Shreve touches him on the face and moves his hair to one side. Looking down at him with her beautiful green eyes she leans forward and kisses him on the forehead. Mike looks up and smiles. "I know Shreve. It’s OK. I’ll be fine." Standing Shreve takes the short walk to her pack and begins to pull out what is needed to repair the wounds to Mikes arm.

Rolling over to his side Mike try’s to sit up and as he does what blood remains in him moves from his head and he immediately falls back to the ground.

"He can’t win. I won't let him"

Getting up on all fours he crawls his way to the stones he and Shreve set just over 5 hours ago. Setting back on his heels Mike begins to chant hoping beyond hope that its still not too late to finish the wall.

Nothing. The air in the circle of trees seems to get colder. This time shaking Mike tries one more time with the same effect, nothing. His head bowed low on his shoulders and hands lay in his lap and all he can do is think. Thinking about all the things that have happened to him over the last few weeks. All things good and bad, faster and faster his thoughts race through his head making him dizzy and the dizzier he gets and the more he remembers and the more he remembers the more he gets mad. Throwing his fists into the air and with a scream of frustration he collapses across the stone circle and begins to cry.

"Please help us." With those words a tear forms in his eye and falls to the top of the stone Mike lays upon. The teardrop lay on the stone perfect in form and slowly dissolves the blood it sets on till gravity pulls it apart scattering it in all directions on the stone.

With a lurch Shreve turns to see Mike fall on the circle of stones. A heavy heart falls within Shreve chest for she knows it’s too late to do anything. She hurries to pick up the things she needs to get back to him and to try to stop what my be already too late.

As she picks up the last of the things she will need she turns to see a light coming from an opening in the trees. As she stands there the light grows so intense. You can see it move from the trees, like a spot light on a stage, till it creates a bubble of light around the trees so bright the trees are lost within it, yet soft enough that the light does not hurts your eyes.

From the top of the bubble a shaft of light shoots into the air and pierces the coming night as an arrow would pierce its target, and going on through to the nowhere of space.

On the shaft of light a bluish ball forms just below the clouds. Bigger and bigger it grows and from it explodes an incredible blue lightning, scattering in all directions across the night sky. In an instant the shaft of white light extending from the ground changes color and illuminates the ward in the center of the bubble of light appearing as a blue core. Slowly the light grows and begins to envelop the bubble slowly. Inching its way to the edge until the entire bubble glows blue and grows larger in size. With a flash of brightness it sends the blue light streaking around the wall that they had created. Coming full circle and ending in a brilliant white flash where it had started and it was over. All that remained is the circle of trees set high a top the mountain just has it had started just over 5 hours ago.

"Mike!?!?!? MIKE!?!?!?"

Running over to the trees Shreve frantically looks for Mike but does not see him anywhere. All she can find are the bloodstains left behind on the stone in the center of the circle.

With her head lowered in disbelief, Shreve fights back all her tears of grief and frustration, all but one. A single tear forms in the corner of her eye and as she raises her head to the sky it gently rolls down her face and falls to the snow upon the ground.

Feeling the hairs raise on the back of her neck Shreve turns to meet the gaze of Thomas leaning up against one of the trees in the circle of power.

"Very, very impressive. The light show in and of itself was worth the trip up the mountain, and the wall, such a brilliant idea. Who’s idea was that anyway???"

"It was Mike that figured out what needed to be done."

"Amazing. Simply amazing. I must say Mr. Danuals was quite right. I did underestimate him and it does look as though I have lost this round."

"Where might Mr. Danuals be so I might congratulate him properly???"

"You know as well as I Thomas that Mike is not here. You saw what happened. He was in the center of the circle when the wall was finished and now he is gone."

"He sacrificed himself to try and stop me??? I feel quite honored that he would do that. I think I feel a tear coming."

"O… it passed."

Thomas walks into the circle of trees and looks down at the stones set in the circle and examines the rues placed upon them.

"Wisdom, cunning, strength and courage. Very appropriate for the task at hand."

Kicking the stones in different directions Thomas sees that there is blood on them. Kneeling down to get closer look he sees the blood trail leading into the circle. Flowing the blood out into the snow he walks past Shreve and out to the middle of the open field.

"I will assume that this blood belongs to Mr. Danuals since I see so little blood on you. I will also assume that whether or not he sacrificed himself I would still only be talking with you."

Thomas looks over his shoulder and smirks at Shreve.

"If you would have stopped and tended to his wounds he would still be here and you would have no reason to cry."

"Which I find quite interesting. I would have thought you were much stronger than that. Hmmm."

If looks could kill Thomas would be dead. Once slouching in her posture she now stands straight and bares down her gaze into the back of his head.

"It’s only a matter of time Thomas before you are stopped. I will finish what has been started."

"Very admirable of you but you and I both know that it has been foretold that it will be two of you and not just one that would even have a chance to stop me. Without Mr. Danuals you have no chance what so ever."

"There are others that can help stop you."

"There have been other my dear. Each one has been dealt with accordingly. They have either tucked their tails and run or they have become a permanent part of this town." A vicious grin flashes across his face. "As for the people of this town??? Hahahaha. I think you will be hard pressed to find anyone that can help. I have had all of them under my control at one time or another. The more they have been under my control the more docile they become and the more docile they are the easier they are to manipulate. So you see my dear you are so very much alone."

Thomas places his hands in his pockets and walks away from the circle and deeper into the field. With his eyes to the ground Thomas follows the trail of blood into the snow-covered field. Looking up he sees the moon coming up over the top of the trees shining nearly as bright as the sun lighting everything in sight.

"I do so love the night. How it covers everything like a blanket so inviting. At night your senses become so alive. You are aware of everyone and everything around you. An exhilarating experience every time I walk out into these woods. I feel more alive at night than any other time in my life. Can’t you feel it Eyes of Fire, can’t you feel the power that comes from the night. How could anyone deny its power."

"I do not deny that it has its power but there is more power in the light of day than there ever could be in the night. The night is but a dissipation to those that need to hide from the world. A tool used for corruption by those that are unscrupulous in their methods. The light will eventually shine and chase the dark away."

Thomas tilts his head back and stretches his arms just above his head and begins to turn in circles.

"The light chases the dark that chases the light. We can not have one with out the other it is a never ending circle of good and evil, right and wrong, yes and no, peanut butter and jelly. Hahahaha"

"You are such a pleasure to speak with. I feel we are bonding. Mr. Danuals however is such a hot head and it seems all are conversations end in an argument. How was our relationship ever going to grow???"

"I need you to take down this wall Eyes of Fire. It’s putting a big damper on my plans for this town."

"I’m sorry to have to disappoint you Thomas but this wall will not come down till you have been stopped."

"You can’t be as sorry as I am Eyes of Fire. Because we where bonding so well. I thought it would work out between you and I and I would not have to hurt you."

"You are going to find Thomas that I’m a lot harder to hurt than you imagine."

Whirling her hand into the air Shreve thrusts the palm of her hand toward Thomas. He stands there as though he was leaning into the wind he slides backward in the snow two feet.

"Quite skillful my dear but not much power behind you. Let me show you how this is done."

With nearly the same movement Thomas thrusts his fist at Shreve. Bracing herself she tries to fight off the attack but it is too strong for her and sends her flying backwards into the snow landing on her back.

"You truly have no idea who you are dealing with."

Thomas begins to walk closer to Shreve. Waving his right hand in the air and closing his left hand into a fist Shreve starts to squirm where she lay.

"My true father taught me all that I know and your pathetic abilities are of no match to me." Thomas tightens his fist and Shreve begins to contort her body in pain. "You will remove this wall or you and I will be hear all night long, and if you think this hurts you can’t imagine the pain I will have in store for you." Balling his fist harder Shreve lets out a scream of pain that could wake the dead.

"It is a shame that Mr. Danuals sacrificed himself in vain because you will be taking down this wall now. You are all alone up here and there is no one that can"

Shreve begins to relax the pain had stopped. Was she sill conscious, had the pain been too much for her and she had passed out here in the snow???

"Are you going to be OK???"

Opening her eyes Shreve looks up and sees a blurry figure in the light of the moon. Closing her eyes tight she looks up again and is amazed at the man standing in front of her.

Mike moving the shovel from one hand to the other reaches out to help her up from the ground.

"I was going to take my time sneak up behind him but when you let out that scream. I just hope your going to be OK???"

"You're alive???"

"Well ya. Do you think I would let a little thing like damn near losing all my blood stop me??? Please."

Grabbing a hold of Mike’s hand he helps her to her feet. She stands there mouth wide open not knowing what to say or do.

"You look like you have seen a ghost."

"I’m not really sure what happened. The last thing I remember was feeling really weak and falling across the stones and passing out. The next thing I know I’m buried in the snow about half way down the mountain, and I know I need to get back here as fast as I could."

"Your arm you were hurt bad. The wolf had punctured the artery and you had lost most all your blood. I was definitely afraid that I was going to lose you."

Mike holds out his arm and Shreve looks at it and only sees the scars where the teeth had entered the arm.

"How…???"

"I have no idea. I was hoping you would be able to tell me."

Shreve throws her arms around Mike and holds him close and squeezes him tight.

"I could not imagine doing this without you. If you had not been here Thomas would have killed me eventually."

"Thomas!!! What happened to Thomas???"

Looking behind Mike Shreve sees Thomas moving on the ground and trying to get up on all fours.

"What in the world did you do to him???"

"Well the only magic I know is what you and Lady Dartmouth showed me today and I don’t think trying to turn Thomas in to one of the fence posts in our wall would have helped any. So I did the next best thing, I tried to break his concentration."

"You know I’m really going to have to carry this shovel around with me where ever I go."

Thomas gets up on all fours and grabs the back of his head and sits down in the snow.

"Once again Mr. Danuals I underestimated you and I sit here defeated."

"Well let's hope we can make this a habit. I don’t think I would mind one bit."

Shreve steps forward and glares at Thomas.

"I think its time for you to leave. The wall is not coming down you lost this time Thomas you are not going to win today."

"My dear you think a slight bump on the head is going to stop me tonight. I’m afraid you are completely mistaken."

In a blink of an eye Thomas is on his feet and Mike and Shreve are flying through the air landing several feet apart, Mike landing hard on his back and Shreve rolling to her feet. A flurry of gestures Shreve looks as though she is throwing punches in the air and Thomas seems to be blocking this in turn but losing ground. Each time Thomas appears to block he moves backward in the snow and Shreve advances toward him.

"You stubborn little girl. Don’t you know that this is a futile gesture of strength I will win, you can not stop me."

Thomas reaches into his pocket and throws something into the air and Shreve hesitates giving Thomas just enough time to fight back. With one decisive move he sends Shreve flying into the trees and falls limp on the ground next to them.

"Shreve no!!!"

"You bastard. I will make you…"

Mike feels his knees weaken under him as he falls to the ground. His entire body feels like its on fire as the pain takes over any feeling of anger he might have had.

"I was so hoping you were still alive Mr. Danuals. I did want to pay you back for all the time I spent on you." Thomas tightens his fist. "You are the reason why I have to change my plans. This wall is quite a brilliant idea. I would never have expected this in a million years."

Clamping down harder on his fist and Mike screams in pain. Thomas Twist his wrist Mike rolls over and screams again.

"For you I will always hold a special place in my heart as one who did surprise me with a cunning plan, but you made me look like an ass and for that you will suffer. I will give you all the pain I have and more. I will give you all the pain of all the souls that you have trapped in this prison you created. You will beg for death before I am done."

Tighter and tighter Thomas squeezes his hand and each time Mike screams and turns leaving himself face down in the snow. Mike as never felt so much pain in his entire live. Wave after wave it flows over his body like the water flows over the falls. Knowing that if the pain stops he will be dead.

"I truly don’t care if you die Mr. Danuals. I will always have Eyes of Fire to take down the wall and judging by the way she greeted you when you came back from the dead she will be broken at seeing you hanging up-side down in the trees above her when she wakes up. When the wall is down she can join you as one of my many play things in this town and I will finish what I started."

The trail of tears falls like rain from Mike eyes to the snow. Every passing second feels like an eternity as the pain cripples his body and the cold snow against his face is little comfort to him.

"Mike!!!"

His screams are like death itself. His mind swims in colors and can only focus on the pain.

"Mike you have to hear me!!!"

Looking up Mike again sees a gray figure in front of him and the blue line just 3 feet away.

"Mike you have to come to me!!!"

Mike begins to get up and reaches forward with his hand toward the bright blue light and Thomas grip becomes tighter still. Mike twists in agony Mike falls back to the snow.

"No!!!"

Again he moves and with ever movement pain is all he can feel. Ever muscle and every joint in his body burns with pain and with every inch he moves forward it feels like his skin is being peeled off. Closer and closer he moves and more and more pain grips his soul.

"What are you doing you pathetic little man. You think you can still defeat me???"

Walking closer to Mike Thomas can feel only hate.

"I will kill you!!!"

Mike looks at Thomas as he walks closer to him and praying that this will not be the last thing he sees. Clenching his jaw the pain only intensifies as he moves closer.

"Your time on this planet has come to an end Mr. Danuals. I hope you have made your peace with your god."

"You will not touch him"

A brilliant flash of light illuminates the area around Mike causing Thomas to loosen his grip even for a moment and allows Mike to have one crystal clear thought in his head.

Reach for the blue light.

With whatever energy he had left Mike lunges forward and places his hand into the light and all calm. The pain is no more and a warmth that fills him, heaven. Mike begins to stand. As he rises the light rises with him.

Turning his gaze toward Thomas he holds his hand away from himself and watches the blue light leap from his hand to Thomas and sees it explode around him in a blue and red sparkles. Thomas stops and begins to push back but again loses ground and with a flash of red and blue he goes flying through the air and to the ground.

Stretching his hand out again towards Thomas the light that leaves his fingers becomes darker as it hits him in the chest where he lays. Thomas gasps for a breath but the pressure building around him will not let him breathe.

"You will never hurt another ever again."

Mike slowly turns his hand till his palm faces up and Thomas rises into the sky.

"If you kill me you will destroy every soul you have trapped inside these walls you have created."

A hand lays crossed Mikes shoulder and a kind voice lies gently in his ear.

"Mike. Put him down."

"He is going to kills us Shreve he has to die he can never win."

"I know Mike, but are you going to take the chance that the souls could be lost for ever."

"He is lying. He does not have that kind of power. No one does!!!"

"No he can’t win. Not like this"

"But we can’t win like this ether. If you kill him you will be no better than he is and we both know that will never be true. So please, put him down and let him go. We have done what we have set out to do lets be thankful for that."

Turning his head Mike meets the gaze of the most beautiful green eyes he has ever seen and his lips turn up to form a smile. Letting his hand drop to his side Thomas falls to the ground.

"Leave Thomas before I change my mind for if you don’t she will not be able to save you again."

Getting to his feet he dusts himself off and straightens his tie and over coat.

"This is not over by far for you will rue the day."

Thomas turns and walks off the top of the mountain disappearing into the night.

Mike places both hands at his side and watches the blue line rise into the sky.

"We could have ended it right now you know that don’t you???"

"I know but it wasn’t the right time there is much more we have to do before this is all over"

"So what are we going to do now Shreve???"

"I’m not sure Mike but I do know whatever it is we are going to do, we will do it together."

"That wolf has not moved since it fell. We should bury it before going home."

"Do you have your shovel???"

Mike bends over and grabs it from the snow next to his feet. "Never leave home with out it."

"You did well Mike. You did well"

Glancing over his shoulder he sees the gray figure walk into the circle of trees and disappears.

"You did well Mike."

"Thanks Shreve. You didn’t do such a bad job yourself."

Mike and Shreve turn and walk into the moonlight together.

 

 

Coming soon: My Town

Till next time

Larry