Читать книгу Christopher Dinsdale's Historical Adventures 4-Book Bundle - Christopher Dinsdale - Страница 8

Quick! Get up!”

“Huh?” Jesse blinked in the dark twilight. The vague figure looking down at him was terrified. His ears twitched. He could hear a loud crackling sound approaching from behind. An icy tingle ran up and down his spine. Dread rushed into his mind. The noise sounded like a burning campfire, but as he blinked his eyes in the darkness, he could not see light anywhere in the forest.

“We have to go! Now!”

Jesse jumped to his feet and leapt away from the sound. He had never run so quickly in his life! The shadowy trees were blurred by his incredible speed. Some sense within his head helped him dodge upcoming obstacles as easily as if he were weaving between park benches on his skateboard. The feeling was exhilarating.

His cousin stopped so suddenly, Jesse ended up stumbling head first into the dirt to avoid a collision. He shook the pine needles from his hair and vainly tried to snort out the dirt from his nose.

“Shhh!” Jason whispered. “I can't hear.”

Jesse stumbled back up onto his feet and glared at him. Jesse's mouth dropped open. He had never been so shocked in all of his life. The voice he had thought was his cousin's was instead coming from a majestic animal. A female deer, wide-eyed and frightened, glanced at him, then back into the woods. The crackling seemed even closer now than it had before.

“It's still coming closer. We have to get out of here!”

“Who are you?”

“Did you hit your head when you fell? I'm Tayna, your mate. But we will both be dead if we stay here. Come on!”

Jesse shook his head again. “I must be dreaming.”

Tayna burst away into another sprint. Instinctively, Jesse chose to follow. He didn't know why, but the sound creeping through the woods terrified him as well. He darted around several huge maples before joining Tayna in an arching, fifteen foot leap over a stream and gully. For a moment, he felt as if he were actually soaring so high that he might not ever come down. He was the wind. Lightning fast. Invincible. As he galloped, the thought of the sound nagged at him. Something was wrong.

“Tayna, stop!”

Tayna dug her hooves into the mossy ground.

“What is it?”

The sky was only just starting to lighten. If fire had been making the crackling sound, he should have at least seen a glow in the darkened undergrowth. The woods were still eerily black, yet the terrifying crackling sound was everywhere. Tayna began to prance back and forth.

“We can't stay. We'll be killed!”

“How do you know?” demanded Jesse.

“I just do. Can't you feel it?”

Jesse didn't argue. The sickening sense of death could not be denied. Just then, he saw the outline of a creature run between two distant trees. He recognized the shape. It ran on two legs. It was human. Hunters!

“You're right, Tayna!” yelled Jesse. “Run!”

Together they flew through the forest. Jesse allowed Tayna to lead, not having a clue as to where they were but still seeming to have the ability to leap through the forest without effort. It was as if he had been a deer his entire life.

Something caught his eye in the blur of the trees as they continued to sprint for their lives. There were tall poles intermingled with the tree trunks. Leaves covered them but he noticed nasty, unnatural points at the top of the poles that curved inwards towards them. The same kind of poles suddenly appeared on his other side. Something was not right. It reminded him of cages he had seen at the Metro Toronto Zoo.

“Tayna!”

She stopped again, panting. “What is it?”

“Look around you. These poles are forcing us forward. We can't turn left or right. I think it's a trap.”

Just then, a low mournful howl tore through the trees behind them. A second, and then another howl joined in.

“Wolves!” screamed Tayna.

“No, I don't think so,” said Jesse, but it was too late. Tayna, panicked by the hated noise of a pack of wolves on the hunt, ran further into the enclosure.

“Come back!”

Jesse bolted forward hoping to catch up to her before it was too late. Around the next tree, the two walls of poles met at a right-angled corner with the only escape being a small, twometre high wooden gap within the fence itself. Tayna froze at the suspicious doorway. Suddenly, from behind bushes on the opposite side of the poles, dozens of whooping, spear-waving hunters ran to the fence. Dressed in leather loincloths, their camouflage-painted faces and chests gave the frenzied men a ghostly appearance as they charged towards them. They pounded the wooden structure with sticks while continuing their ear-splitting screams. Tayna screamed too and, with no other choice, she darted through the doorway and disappeared. Other hunters quickly climbed up ladders on either side of the enclosure behind the doorway, one lifted his bow and fired.

“Jesse!”

How Tayna knew his name was the last thing on his mind. Her painful cry tore through him. Uncontrollable fury filled his heart. He pawed the ground with his front hoof and charged. The hunters were surprised by the large buck suddenly appearing from behind a tree. His charge took their attention away from Tayna. The hunters had never seen a deer attack with such ferocity before.

Jesse bore straight at the gap in the fence. His antlers were down, like the enraged bulls he had seen on TV. The hunters, suddenly realizing the approaching danger, swung their bows away from the pen holding Tayna and tracked him with their arrows, waiting for the moment he entered the doorway. He would then be trapped. At that moment, they would then release their rain of death.

Instead of entering the trap, Jesse put all of his remaining strength into his back legs and launched himself almost straight up. The hunters hollered in surprise as Jesse crashed heavily into the fence above the doorway. With his tremendous speed, he smashed through the fence. Now spinning out of control, Jesse relaxed his body and allowed his massive weight to fall onto the flimsy structure of ladders and supports that angled over the killing pen. Wood snapped and shattered as he tumbled earthward. He could hear the hunters crying in terror as the structure collapsed all around them. His only concern, however, was for Tayna.

Jesse crumbled hard onto the ground, rolling out of control until he crashed against something large yet soft. The scent of her fur crushed up against his nose told him immediately that it was his mate. She was lying on her side at the back of the pen.

“Tayna, are you hurt?”

“My shoulder,” she cried. “It hurts so much.”

Jesse saw an arrow embedded in the smooth flesh above her front leg.

“Don't move!”

He grabbed the arrow with his large, flat teeth and gently, but firmly, pulled it out of her body.

“You have to try to stand up!”

“I'll try.”

Shakily, Tayna made it to her feet. Jesse quickly glanced around at the chaos surrounding the collapsed trap. Many were helping their fallen comrades. Others were now running for their weapons, unwilling to let their quarry escape. They would vent their anger for this disaster on the deer.

“Run, Tayna. Now is our only chance!”

Tayna bolted forward, jumping over fallen wood and several wounded hunters. In a couple more leaps, she would make it to the thick brush.

Jesse rose and attempted to join her, but something grabbed his shoulder. He was pinned! He tried to shake off the restraint, but it held fast. He was captured! At least he had saved Tayna.

“Run, Tayna!” Jesse yelled. “Don't look back! Run!”

“Jesse.”

“Run!” Jesse tossed himself back and forth. He couldn't escape the grip on his shoulders.

“Jesse, wake up. You're having a bad dream.”

Jesse threw open his eyes. His uncle held him by the shoulders. Jason was on the other side of his sleeping bag, looking concerned. Jesse's chest was heaving.

“Calm down now, Jesse. It's all right.”

“Did she make it?”

“Did who make it?” asked Jason.

Jesse bolted upright and looked around the camp-site. Slowly, he began to realize that the whole episode must have happened in his dreams.

“It was all so real… “

Uncle Matthew patted him on the back. “Do you want to tell us about it?”

Jesse sat upright, trying to collect his thoughts and then told his cousin and uncle about his incredible dream. Jason looked at his father, and his uncle nodded, knowingly.

“I think what you had was more than just a dream.”

“Why did I dream that I was a deer, Uncle Matthew? Why didn't I dream that I was just myself?”

“Animals are sacred to our people, Jesse. They are part of us, spiritually. Sometimes, we become associated with one type of animal. They become almost like a guardian angel. They help to look after us and help us grow. Perhaps that is what you experienced. The deer might be your source of strength.”

“What about that trap, Dad?” asked Jason. “Didn't you once tell me about a method of catching deer just like that?”

His father nodded. “Yes, it did sound just like the large herding traps our ancestors used to use. There were so many deer in those days that we could catch over a hundred deer in a couple of weeks. The meat and fat from the captured deer would keep our people fed throughout the winter.”

“But you said that those traps hadn't been used for over a hundred years,” pointed out Jason. “How would Jesse know about them?”

“Actually, it has been over two hundred years,” calculated Uncle Matthew. “But think also about Jesse's description of the clothing. Our people haven't dressed like that for over two hundred years, either.”

Jesse was confused. “So what does it mean?”

“I think it means that you had a vision from the past. Why you had that vision, I don't know. Perhaps it was a message of some kind. But I would guess that the symbol of the deer is significant.”

“Man, that's not fair,” muttered Jason, half-jokingly. “This is my vision quest and it's my cousin from the city who receives the visions.”

Uncle Matthew grasped Jason on the shoulder. “Be happy for Jesse. Everyone reaches this important milestone in their own time. Your time just wasn't tonight. It's almost a new day. You two should try and get some more sleep.”

While the sun was still glowing red in the eastern sky, they packed up camp and began to follow the flow of the gurgling creek. While walking, Uncle Matthew demonstrated to Jesse the proper use of a compass. He explained how to find north with the needle and then how to use landmarks to ensure a proper heading. Jason also pointed out that moss could be used to find north, as moss tended to grow on the north side of a tree to avoid the harsh light of the sun. Using his new-found knowledge and checking his compass every so often, Jesse figured that the creek was taking them in a northwest direction.

It was well into the afternoon when Uncle Matthew slowed the pace and began to look around. He approached a small mound only a stone's throw away from the meandering creek. He then brushed away some leaves and lifted up an egg-shaped stone.

“For making corn flour,” explained Uncle Matthew, crouching once again and placing the stone back into the dirt.

“What is this place?” asked Jesse, looking at the large mound under the leaves.

Uncle Matthew spread his arms out. “This whole area used to be a small village. A Wendat village.”

Jesse's eyes widened. “Wendat? Really? Our ancestors used to live right here? So where are all the scientists who like to dig up this sort of thing?”

“No one knows about it.”

“Wow, that's even better! You could become famous, Uncle Matthew. We should call up Discovery Channel or something.”

Uncle Matthew frowned. “Why disturb this place? Look around, Jesse. This is the way it should stay, as it has for centuries. There are people buried here, resting in peace with the Creator. Think about it. Would you like it if someone started digging up your father's grave, just to see what was in it?”

Jesse shivered at the thought. “No.”

“Just because this site is hundreds of years old doesn't mean we should disrespect the dead.”

“You know what?” Jason chimed in, smiling. “Your dad and my dad were the ones who found this place. Now, only the three of us know of its location. I guess you can call it a family secret.”

Jesse had never been given the responsibility of keeping such an important secret. He felt honoured and proud to be included. He looked once again at the mound.

“I promise that I won't tell anybody about the village.”

Uncle Matthew smiled. “Thank you. Actually, it's amazing that no one has come across this site before now. We aren't that far away from Midland and the Ste. Marie site.”

“That's why we don't mark it in any way,” explained Jason. “The more natural it looks, the less chance of anyone else discovering it.”

Jesse looked at the large mound beside Uncle Matthew and the several other now suspicious humps and bumps in the surrounding area. If he wasn't actually looking for them, he would have simply walked right by, thinking they were part of the natural surroundings. Uncle Matthew bent down and brushed away some more dirt. Within minutes, he pulled from the ground an arrow head, a broken handle off a piece of pottery and several small beads. Jesse was fascinated by the objects and the detailed explanations of each supplied by Uncle Matthew. Before moving to the next object, Uncle Matthew reburied the artifacts exactly where he had found them. Finally, he stood up, stretched and grabbed his pack.

“Time to go.”

Jesse looked over his shoulder. Jason was sitting cross-legged on the ground, his eyes gazing out into the distance.

“Is Jason going to stay here?”

“That's why we made the hike. He wanted to meditate and fast in the village of his ancestors, just like your father and I did many years ago.” Uncle Matthew picked up his pack. “We'll move further down the creek and give him some privacy.”

Uncle Matthew led Jesse around a bend in the creek to a small stand of immature trees. Guarding the nursery from the creek was a rocky outcrop covered in small, leafy blueberry plants. Jesse's mouth began to water as he looked at the hundreds of juicy berries. Uncle Matthew grinned, lowered himself to one knee and pulled out a folded orange sheet from his pack.

“Go ahead. Eat yourself silly. Blueberries don't get any better than this. And after you're finished, string up this tarp between those two small trees.” His uncle looked up and soaked in the sudden calm echoing within the forest. “It'll help protect the kindling.”

While Jesse stuffed himself with the delicious snack, Uncle Matthew quietly took his rifle and disappeared into the woods. Only fifteen minutes had passed when a crack as loud as thunder made him jump. Frightened, Jesse looked around for his uncle. He suddenly felt very alone.

“Uncle Matthew?” Jesse yelled. There was no answer. Jesse turned and began to run back towards the ancient mounds and his cousin.

“It's all right, Jesse,” a distant voice called. “I'll be back in a few minutes.”

Jesse tried to relax. He didn't feel like eating blueberries any more. The gunshot had made him feel lonely and exposed. His fear of the woods stormed back into his thoughts. He decided to take his mind off his fears by stringing up the tarp. After tying the first two corners to the trees, he then angled the loose edge of the tarp down and staked it to the ground. Next, he gathered firewood as he had the night before.

It was beginning to get dark when his uncle finally returned. Uncle Matthew was surprised to see a pleasant fire burning in middle of the campsite, next to the secured tarp. The fire pit had been properly cleared of dead leaves, and a water-filled coffee pot stood nearby, in case of emergency. Jesse sat on one end of a big log that he had dragged to the upwind side of the fire. Pride tingled within him when his uncle gave an approving nod.

“I can see you are a fast learner,” he noted. “Well done.”

“Thanks,” replied Jesse. “What's on the menu for dinner tonight?”

“Oh, something I shot on the other side of the creek. Thought I'd prepare the meat over there. Saves me messing up the camp.”

Jesse could sense that his uncle was, in fact, protecting him. Uncle Matthew knew that he wouldn't be interested in watching him skin and clean an animal. Jesse didn't mind, however. It was an experience that, he was sure, he could live without. He preferred his meat being presented to him in round patties or cuts of steak. That's why he looked questioningly at the meat strips Uncle Matthew pulled out from a plastic bag.

“What is it?”

He shook his head. “I'm not going to tell you until you try it.”

Uncle Matthew placed a pan over the fire and rubbed grease into the metal. He then threw the slices of meat onto the sizzling surface. Jesse was put in charge of keeping an eye on the meat while Uncle Matthew again disappeared into the forest. Concentrating on flipping and shuffling his mystery meat as it cooked, Jesse barely noticed his uncle returning with a handful of plants.

“What's that?” asked Jesse, glancing from the meat to the greenery.

“Wild onion and cow parsnip. I've already washed them in the creek. Just give me a minute to chop them up, and we should end up with a pretty good stir-fry. Sound good?”

“Sounds great!” Jesse was so hungry, anything sounded good.

Jesse passed Uncle Matthew the pan, who tossed in the vegetables and finished cooking the meal. Each plate was filled with heaping amounts of food. It was delicious! Was it the fresh food, the clean air, or maybe just the adventure of being in the woods with his father's family that brought alive the flavours within his mouth? Then he remembered the meat. He tapped his plate with his fork.

“All right, Uncle Matthew, I have to admit, this is the best stir-fry I've ever tasted. So what is the meat?”

“Rabbit,” he mumbled, between chews.

“You're kidding,” stammered Jesse, looking down at the browned bits of meat on his plate.

Uncle Matthew tapped his knapsack. “If you don't believe me, I can show you the skin I saved.”

“No, thanks,” said Jesse, surprised that he still had his appetite. “What are you going to do with it?”

“I'll give it to your aunt. She'll make it into a pair of earmuffs or perhaps some fur-lined gloves.”

“Oh,” said Jesse. “I think I'll pass on rabbit mittens and stick to my ski gloves.”

Uncle Matthew shook his head. “Out here in the woods during winter, you'd want a pair of your aunt's gloves, believe me. Synthetics have nothing on well-made, animal hide winter clothing. You'd freeze to death in that high-tech stuff long before I would even start to shiver.”

After finishing off with a hot chocolate, they cleaned the dishes in the creek, then prepared for the night. Jesse thankfully crawled into his sleeping bag and closed his eyes. This trip was turning into an incredible adventure. As he drifted off to sleep, he tried to imagine the look on his father's face as he stumbled upon his first artifact from the ancient village. Suddenly, he wished it were his father who was here today to show him the secret mounds. It wasn't hard to dream that it was his father, instead of Uncle Matthew, who was curled up beside him. His mind tried to reach out to the image of his father. He could almost touch him. A tear trickled down Jesse's cheek as the vision faded and darkness carried him away.