Chapter 20

A tiny bird flitted above Dylan. Its solitary birdsong, hints of sunlight on the eastern horizon, and the scent of the dew glazing the lower foliage ushered in the new day. Norm had de-funkified his bear-slobbered shoe enough to wear and was folding up their tent while Dylan kicked dirt over the remnants of their campfire. “I’m glad we’re getting an early start.”

“Yeah, I love getting woke up by the grizzly alarm clock. He could have kept me warm, at least.”

“It was a black bear, Norm,” Dylan said, stomping the embers.

Norm pulled the poncho over his head. “For the record, the only kind of bear that should wake me up should be named Teddy and filled with stuffing. Speaking of stuffing, I’m starving.”

“What else is new?” Dylan chuckled, snuffing the last of the fire. “Actually, I am, too.”

Norm dug into the backpack. “Where’d you put the energy bars?”

“I didn’t touch them.”

Norm escalated his search efforts to checking each pocket. “Dude, they’re not here.” Norm picked through the pack again, slightly panicked. “You didn’t any?”

“No, I swear, man.” Dylan shook his head.

“Oh, this is really not good. Not good!” Norm frantically pulled the contents out.

“Seriously, they’re gone?”

“The water’s gone too.” Norm turned the empty pack upside down. “You think the animal’s got into it?”

“Maybe.” Dylan shined the flashlight around the dim campsite, looking for remnants of the missing items. “There.” The reflection of silver foil on the ground just outside their camp.

“Is it our food?”

Dylan picked up the object. “Yup- well, a wrapper anyway.”

“If that bear ate my food!” Norm hurried toward Dylan.

“If any animal got this, it would be all slobbered and mangled.” Dylan studied the wrapper.

“Like my sneaker.”

“Exactly.” Dylan held the wrapper up to the sun to get a better look. “This is dry and looks like it was cut open by a blade.”

“Well, that doesn’t make me feel better.” Norm shivered beneath his poncho.

“Look.” Dylan shined the flashlight on the ground near where he found the wrapper. “Footprints.”

“Nice job, inspector, but those are way too small to be human footprints.”

“They’re small, but check it out. Five toes. Like little human feet. There’s more than one set of prints, too.” Dylan crouched, holding the light closer, following them up the slope.

“So, our energy bars were stolen by a tribe of mountain-dwelling circus midgets?”

Dylan couldn’t help but chuckle. “I don’t know, dude. Other campers? Whatever they are, they’re heading up the way we’re going, so I guess we’ll find out.”

Norm pouted. “They’re gonna find out a hungry Norm is worse than a hungry bear.”

They finished packing the camp and resumed their ascent up Mount Shasta. The sun was on the horizon, but still provided little warmth to the shader lower half of the mountain. Dylan tuned in to a choir of birds composing an orchestra of nature’s melodies. Their sneakers did not provide the best traction on the dewy earth. Norm kept the poncho pulled tight to stay warm, but his growling stomach was a bigger problem.

They followed the footprints, conveniently in the direction of the cherry, until they lost the trail over a section of rocky terrain. A few minutes later, Norm spotted another wrapper. “Food!” He ran toward the wrapper, only to find it, too, was empty. “Dirtbags. Who would sneak into our camp and steal our food?”

“Hansel and Gretel.”

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

“Huh?” Norm inspected the wrapper for crumbs. “What are you talking about? My stomach is screaming and you’re talking about fairy tales!”

“They left the wrappers right along the path we’re headed. So maybe whoever took them is leaving a trail like the breadcrumbs in Hansel and Gretel.” Dylan said, inspecting the area until he found what he sought. “Check it out. Footprints heading up that way again.”

“You could be right. They could also want to eat us,” Norm said, rubbing his belly. “If they do want to eat us, I hope they want to fatten us up a little first.”

“If they took the stuff while we were sleeping, why didn’t they kill us then?” Dylan countered.

“True but-” Norm gasped, the wind sucked out of his lungs.

“Void!” Dylan heaved, struggling for air.

“Where- is it?” Norm leaned against Dylan, straining for a breath. They turned in circles, but the dense patch of trees was bound in shadows. He pulled Norm hard to the right, toward the splintered sunlight. They stumbled, choking and gagging, bouncing off the wooden trunks. The tourniquet around their lungs twisted tighter, constricting their airways like a python. The void’s collective hiss crept from the shade.

Norm tripped and landed hard, knocking the last bit of air out of him. He flipped on his back, desperately pulling with every muscle for a single wisp of air, his face a swollen tomato. Dylan struggled, but was able to grab Norm under the arms and dragged him toward the light less than thirty feet away. He dug his feet in like a tug of war, squirming for every inch, when Norm began to twitch and convulse. Relentless, Dylan coiled his legs, pushing, arching, searching for a foothold when his body went numb. His lungs beyond burning, he had all but given up when at something like tiny hands reached under his arms. Dylan clung tight to Norm, his mysterious helpers inching them toward the light. Surprisingly strong, the unseen ones picked up speed as they moved. The hiss grew louder, whistling through the woods like an executioner’s blade. The tiny hands clutched Dylan, dragging his back over the rocky earth when the warmth of sunlight wrapped around him. He soaked in the sun’s rays, breathing in the sweet air. Instinctively, he rolled to his knees and hauled Norm away from the trees. Satisfied they were clear, he set Norm down and looked for his mysterious helpers. Dylan half expected to see a short person, but when he saw no one in the entire clearing, his heart skipped a beat.

“You okay, man?” He patted Norm on the arm. “I think we’re safe here. In the sunlight. Norm?” Dylan shook his arm harder. “Norm? Oh, my god!” Lips blue, skin ashen. Eyes rolled back in his head. He shook Norm’s limp body. “Come on, Wilder! Wake up!” Dylan pressed his ear to Norm’s chest but couldn’t hear past his own pulse pounding through his skull. “What do I do? What do I do?” He kneeled over his friend, searching for any sign of life. Norm’s colorless skin was enough of a sign. He was gone. Dylan had only seen CPR on television. Without hesitation, he pushed on his chest. Not knowing the correct technique, Dylan sporadically pinched Norm’s nose and blew into his mouth.

Dylan listened to his heart again. No sound, only his own breathing. “Help,” he called, scanning the clearing. Panicked, he slapped Norm on the chest and glared into the trees. “If you killed him, I swear! I’ll-” Tears welled in his eyes, the twist of pain in his gut. “Not again. I can’t do this alone.” He closed his eyes, the tree shining in his mind’s eye like a sun in the night sky. Power surged inside him, his fist glowing white hot, and tapped him over his heart. Norm’s lifeless body convulsed as if a defibrillator jolted him. Still, Norm remained motionless.

“No. No.” Dylan swayed, queasy from the effort and fought to get centered again. “I got this.” The last thing he wanted to do was hurt his friend, but the time for patience was past. He raised his hand high in the air, energy coursing from his core with the life force of the stars. He slapped it down on Norm’s chest, discharging all the juice he had. White light exploded outward. The ripple-effect of the blast rumbled through the ground, rustling trees a hundred feet away.

The light flickered around Dylan as he fell to the ground. He fought to remain conscious when a voice stirred him. “Come on, dude, we gotta go!” Norm stood over him, reaching down to help his friend. “Come on, get up.”

“Norm.” Dylan smiled weakly from his back.

Norm clasped Dylan’s forearm and pulled him upright. “You were expecting the evil circus midgets? Let’s go!”

Dylan wobbled to his knees, then to his feet, surprised how perfect Norm looked. “Hold up, I-”

“Wait-a-minute!” Norm’s face twisted with confusion, scanning the clearing. “How did we get here? We were in the trees. What-”

Straining to focus, Dylan looked Norm in the eyes. “You died.”

“I what?” Norm frowned in disbelief. “Whoa. Whoa.”

“You were gone, man,” Dylan admitted, catching his breath. “I didn’t feel a heartbeat so I-”

Norm held up his hand to stop, grimacing. The memory rushed through him like an emotional tornado.

“Norm, what’s wrong?” Dylan asked. “Norm, you’re alive.” Dylan gently rested a hand on his friend’s shoulder.

Norm pulled his knees in tight, tears welling in his eyes, rocking. “I was floating over my body. I saw you pulling me. Then it was like I flew up and away. Everything got small, but I could see a light. It got real bright everywhere. Then I heard her.” Norm dropped his head into his hands. “I heard her, Dylan!”

“Who?”

Norm rocked himself to keep calm. “M-my mom.” He looked toward the sky. “Clear as a bell, man. I heard her. She was here.”

Dylan’s face etched in shock. “Your mom?”

“I swear. It was her.” Norm wiped his eyes and stood. “And she said three things. She said… she was happy. She said she loved me. He paused, his eyebrows tightening. And she said, protect Dylan with your life.” Norm extended his fist to Dylan, who returned the symbol of their friendship. “Then she kissed me on my forehead, like she did every night, and the light was gone… and I was here.”

“Norm, I- I mean-.” Dylan fumbled for the words.

“Nothing you can say, man. She said all I needed to hear.” Norm wiped the last of his tears and looked purposefully at Dylan. “I’ve always had your back, Dylan. And I will protect you with my life. I have no doubt she knew something about you, something special. And knowing that she’s there, waiting for me, I’m not afraid of anything. Least of all dying.”