Forlorn Hope

Chapter Twelve

Daddy, catch me!

Anna's thoughts were of a happier time as a little girl. She must have been four or five years old. Her father would take her to a local park and stand at the base of the slide waiting to catch her in his arms. It was one of her favorite activities with her father. The first time she climbed the six feet to the top of the slide she was frightened. She had ridden on her father's shoulders before and they lived in a two-story house, but the slide was higher than she had ever been without glass or her father to keep her safe.

Don't worry pumpkin. I'm here to make sure you're all right. It's my job as your daddy.

She believed in her father implicitly. Inspired by her father's words, she took the plunge. She felt the cold metal slide against her back – acceleration into those waiting arms. The fear of the situation faded as she performed this daring feat of courage again and again. Squeals of excitement escaped her lips – her father grinned at the bottom, sometimes roaring with laughter. She knew she was safe cradled in his arms or walking hand in hand back to the ladder. Life was simpler then – Daddy was there to protect her

Anna, pulled from her happy memory, realized she wasn't squealing in delight – the sound escaping her lips was a scream – a scream of sheer terror. The cold she felt on her back wasn't steel but planes of snow angling into the gaping maw of a crashed alien ship beneath the surface of an alien village in an isolated area of Montana where humans were prohibited.

As she slid to her possible death, Anna achieved the clarity of thought she hadn't before, If I survive this, I'm going on the offensive. I will complete this mission, so help me...

Before she could declare what deity she was swearing to, her long slide came to an end. She wasn't met by the warm embrace of her father, but by textured steel. Well into the ship, the snow petered out. She was still sliding pretty fast – the lack of slippery snow and ice only slowed her down. She knew the friction generated by that alien steel was tearing out the elbows and other portions of her jacket. It was only a matter of time before her jacket no longer protected her and cold hard steel bit into warm soft flesh.

* * *

Colonel Mathers' team gathered around the periphery of the collapsed snow. He peered down the long slope into some sort of structure. It must have been abandoned – the only heat signatures in the area were the intruders. If he could use that equipment again, he would also see the remnants of the ring of fire caused by the skimmer's end. A foul snow fell with debris from the explosion and atmospheric particulates. The smell was vile – almost putrid.

Sergeant Wilkins was already procuring a length of nano fiber rope to link the men. The man knows his business, he thought. Once secured, Mathers simply stepped onto the angled ice and hoped for the best.

* * *

Bear fared only slightly better than Anna. Garret had been standing over him when the ground gave way. He seized Garret's arm as they began to slide. Whereas Anna had slid down like on her childhood slide, Bear and Garret spun around – their center of gravity somewhere between them. When the snow ended, so did their decent. Realizing Anna slid deeper into the ship, he hoisted Garret up and chased after her. Garret stumbled at first, but kept up with Bear as he sprinted into the darkness.

Bear felt a collision from behind. He knew it was Garret, unable to see Bear had stopped. When Garret regained his balance, he ran to Anna's aid. Her back and arms were exposed with slight bruising and friction burns. The sight of her lying there wasn't what had stopped Bear. Anna had removed her jacket to reveal a tank top, still intact. It wasn't even the sight of her naked back that gave him pause. He scrutinized a tattoo on her left shoulder.

The tattoo was of a wolf – on all fours, head down – lips stretched back, revealing a set of razor sharp teeth. The tattoo immediately brought him back to his reoccurring nightmare: the glint of the wolf's eye, the foam around its lips and teeth, the throaty predatory growl.

Bear involuntary flinched at the memory. Embarrassment was unnecessary – Anna and Garret were too focused on each other to notice his faux pas. Bear recalled the events of the last forty-eight hours. He realized the wild dogs in this nightmare represented Anna and Garret. Recalling Anna checking her weapon in the grove of trees, he wondered when Anna would transform. He put those thoughts out of his mind – to his recollection no tree had sprouted. Symbology aside, these new revelations filled him with awe – the path he walked was still his destiny. He would embrace it, whatever the outcome.

* * *

The initial excitement and shock subsided. Willow wasn't alone watching the horizon, but she felt she was the only one with a personal stake in the outcome. Most had left to pursue their daily rituals – oblivious to the importance of the events transpiring mere kilometers away.

They go about their small pathetic lives unaware there is a world beyond this village.

The thought popped into her head so suddenly and with malice that was not her own. She looked around as if someone could hear her thoughts, but no one reacted to that malice.

Errant thoughts continued; she willed them to cease, Should I have gone with him?

The analytical portion of her brain reminded her if she had, she would be sharing his fate.

Hadn't the elder council said that exact same thing to her?

Once again the analytical part of her brain told her she was just regurgitating her previous experience with the council. If she couldn't trust her own mind, what could she trust?

She peered south towards the column – it was dispersing in atmospheric winds kilometers above the surface. She found it odd; it resembled a dirty, muddy tree with leaves of filth. For reasons unknown to her, the sight sent shivers down her spine - as if another portion of her brain was trying to warn her of an unperceived danger.