James Scotson - Planets Falling

Minns holds Bets hand. “Holy shit. Do you think he’s telling the truth?”

I wipe away a tear. “Yes, I do.”

Theo gently puts his hand on my arm. “So, he didn’t find Eliza. What do you think happened?”

“Let’s find out.” I’m shaking.

Wenn steps back into the hall and slumps into his chair, which creaks in protest with his drunken weight. “So, here I am on the outskirts of Thresh’s camp. The mud was doing a number on them. The grubs were nowhere to be seen — I reckon the water washes them away and they can’t reform until the weather dries up. Thresh had a small army of dead men — likely villagers from back there — setting up a couple of canvas tents. She had about ten horses, several cattle, and a few living men with her. The one called Jonah was slogging in the mud barking orders and Thresh was cursing up a storm. She was concerned about making dry space for Eliza.” His voice cracks at our daughter’s name.

“So you saw her?” I ask desperately.

“No, I didn’t.” He takes another large draught from his tankard. “I was discovered. Barely escaped with my life.” And his story ends abruptly.

“How’d you escape?” Bets is disappointed.

“Three of Thresh’s soldiers saw me and pursued. The mud was pretty thick and deep. They fell into a swollen stream and were washed downhill. I managed to shimmy to an outcropping and wait the weather out. Once the rain stopped, I started climbing back up the mountain. I found a path and eventually made it back here.”

“That’s it?” I plead. “You could’ve come back to us at the lodge and told us where Thresh was. We may have been able to track and pursue her once the Fuerst arrived.

“Amy, we know where she is. She arrived here a couple of weeks after me. Since then, she’s been camped out on the west side of the lake and her numbers are growing. Each day, more of that infernal fog seeps out and makes all kinds of beasts. If it weren’t for our weapons and the fence, Yellow Stone would be wiped from the map.”

My latent anger at Wenn solidifies. “You mean to tell me that our daughter is merely on the other side of the lake and you haven’t rescued her? You have Fromer’s weapons here, seasoned troops, even an Institute starship and you haven’t tried to get Eliza? What’s the matter with you?”

Wenn’s incensed. “Amy, who do you think you are? Are you willing to risk the safety of all the people in this town, the last defense against those things in the bottom of lake, for your selfish needs?”

“My needs, Wenn? She’s our daughter. And from what everyone seems to think, she may be the future gatekeeper for this place, whatever that means. The girl’s got my abilities. If Thresh harnesses them, it could be disastrous for all of us, including this precious town and most importantly, you.”

Wenn stands unsteadily, his face fiery red. He throws his chair to the floor and storms out. Theo sighs. “Well, Sprouter, you’ve certainly made him pissy.”

I turn to Theo coldly. “And you Theo. You are Eliza’s godfather. There’s responsibility in that. Why are you standing up for that coward? We need to go now. Thresh must be stopped before it’s too late.”

Etch’s throat rumbles. “Amy Marksman. Do not lose your perspective here. I agree that the man Wenn should have worked with us to rescue your daughter. However, we must not attack Thresh in haste. We have to make preparations to destroy her and to rescue your daughter.”

I’m not happy with Etch either. I leave them at the table, stumbling into the dark town square. Fromer’s cold, lifeless statue stares at me blankly, mocking me. Wenn was right about one thing — the smell of the lake has lessened. I throw a stone at the fake Fromer and walk down one of the shadowy streets. I pass warmly lit windows seeing families do what they’ve been unable to do in so many other places — gather, eat, and laugh. It’s odd that this village is intact so close to danger, while those hundreds of miles away have succumbed to the disease oozing from this forsaken lake water.

I find steps along the wall and climb, discovering that I’ve approached a turret. The night watchman there looks at me curiously. “What’re you doing here stranger?”

“Just getting some fresh air.”

He tells me to walk to the west wall, saying that a constant breeze from a nearby mountain pass is delicious. He swears it picks up all the scents of the spring wildflowers and concentrates them in a sustained blast of fragrance. I walk to the spot and am transported to another place and time. I close my eyes and see the gardens of home. They’re overgrown with weeds and wildflowers and more beautiful than ever. Birds flit through the trees and my trees are full of blossoms.

“The green ones you played with in the garden are an alien species called the xyn.” Fromer’s voice startles me back to reality.

“Fromer. Where the hell did you come from?”

“This lake is my portal, too. Did you think I can just wink in and out of earth at will? Doesn’t work that way. I need a pathway. Portals like these are littered throughout the universe, if you know where to look. People like humans, naurons, and zenatans trampled the natural portals with pollution and wanton destruction. Technology helped them but it doesn’t have to. Earth’s recovered from humanity for now.”

“So, the green beings are real and not in my imagination?”

“Of course, they’re real. The xyn have long known about the relationship between the natural world, living things, and portals. A few of them decided to pay you and your ancestors regular visits. Let’s just say they’re rooting for you.”

“How’d you know I was thinking of the garden?”

“You weren’t just thinking about it. You were there for a moment. You’re able to use the living growing things on this planet like a communications network. This is the reason you’re a natural pilot. You can travel all around. Etch is not nearly as good as you are. But he’s catching on. Melat was a natural like you. But someone beyond the universe exposed a weakness in her and exploited it. Interestingly, Thresh has a similar weakness.” Fromer shrugs.

I want to be angry at Fromer — blame him for this condition. But I can’t seem to keep the flame burning in my gut. It seems I’ve used up all my energy on Wenn and the others. “Fromer, are you going to keep manipulating us?”

He seems genuinely surprised. “What do you mean Amy? I have done no such thing. As I’ve said before, I cannot interfere in your affairs.”

“Are you kidding me, Fromer? Look at this place. It’s fortified with tools that you’ve given them. You brought Wenn and father to them when they needed help.”

Fromer smiles mischievously. “The watchkeeper has to wind the clock occasionally or it will stop. That doesn’t mean he controls the passage of time. Amy, you have and always will have free will. I can’t tell you, of all people, what to do.”

I rush him, my face in his chest. I stand on my toes and stare at his angular face. My anger’s back. “What freedom do I have when you keep manipulating the playing board? I feel like a chess player responding to each of your moves.”

“Well, I must confess. This may be somewhat true. I’m happy to know that you are an accomplished player.”

“Do we kill Thresh and get Eliza back?”

“I can’t tell you that. Honestly, I don’t know. Each time I move into the future, it changes. The past is firm. The path ahead — it wiggles and jumps.”

“If I become the — what do you call it — gatekeeper, will I be able to move through time?”

“No. To do that, you must completely abandon your attachment to this reality. You would lose your ability to be a part of your world — you’d be unattached, like me and the dead.”