| Chapter 11 The cat jumped on Brian, pushing him hard into the wall of the cave and sending him falling to the ground gasping for air. He threw his hands up, trying to protect his face and neck as the cat bit and clawed him. Brian tried to pull his legs up and kick at the cat, but his left leg wouldn't move. He saw a rock close to him and grabbed it, hitting the cat in the face with it. The mountain lion jumped back, stunned. Brian sat up and saw that his left ankle was wedged in between two rocks. He tried desperately to pull it free, but he couldn't. The cat growled at him and circled around for another attack. Brian held the rock up, knowing he wouldn't survive this one. The cat jumped and landed right in the middle of Brian's stomach. Brian gasped for air and dropped the rock. The cat then swung its massive paw, and struck him across the face, and chest. Brian managed to pull his arms up over his face. Then he heard something run into the cave, and the cat jumped off him to face its new foe. Brian turned his head to see the wolf circling the cat. He watched as the cat and the wolf lunged at each other, and fought. It was the most vicious fight Brian had ever seen. Then the cat turned and ran out of the cave, the wolf on its heels. Brian lay there in shock. He was bleeding from his face, arms, and chest. He slowly sat up and tried once more to free his ankle. He couldn't lift the rocks, nor could he pull his leg out from between them. He looked around for something to use, and realized that he was at the back of the cave, away from all of his supplies. He lay back down, feeling dizzy. He looked at his arms, covered in blood. His shirt had been ripped to pieces. Brian felt of his face, and winced. It was starting to get cold, and he looked over to see the fire dying out. He pulled his arms in over his chest and began to realize that if someone didn't come along, he was going to die of exposure. He looked at his coat and sleeping bag laying across the cave and cursed. Brian lay there for several minutes, watching as the fire slowly faded away, and the cave became dark. He looked up, "I hope you're getting a good laugh out of this," he said, anger in his voice. Just then he saw something come back into the cave. He lay still, hoping whatever it was would leave. Then he heard a whine, and knew it was the wolf. He was shaking now, the cold night air burning his skin. He could hear the wolf walking around the cave, then something dragging on the ground. He jumped as he felt the wolf pull something over him. It was his coat. Brian's eyes were adjusting to the small amount of light in the cave, and he looked up to see the wolf standing next to him. "Thanks," he whispered. The wolf's ears perked up and it whined at him. Brian had turned on his side now. The wolf watched him as he spread the coat over himself and held it tight. He was still shivering, and he knew that he wouldn't make it long without something else to keep him warm. The wolf whined at him again, then lay down next to him. Brian leaned against the wolf, feeling the warmth from its body. He carefully reached out and petted it, running his hand down the animals neck. He stopped when he felt something. There under the wolf's fur was a collar. "I knew you had to be tame," Brian said. The wolf looked at him as he ran his hand around the collar, finding the tag. There was only a name: ANGEL. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nick was walking through the woods. He didn't know where he was or where he was going, but something kept telling him to keep walking. He came to what he thought was a clearing. As he stepped out of the trees, his mouth dropped open in shock. He was standing in front of a burnt field of some sort. It was still smoking, but something again told him to keep walking. He walked out into the field, feeling the hot ground under his feet. "Where the hell am I?" he asked, not sure he really wanted to know. He kept going, until he came to the center of the field. He stopped, feeling that was where he should be. Nick looked around, seeing no one. "Hello?" he called. "Hi Nick," Tracy said from behind him. Nick jumped and turned around, "Man, I wish you'd stop doing that." Tracy laughed, "Sorry." "Tracy, why am I here? And where is here?" Nick asked. "This is Brian's place," she said. Nick looked at her confused, "This burnt field is where he goes in his dreams?" "Yeah, it used to be a beautiful wheat field, full of golden stalks," she said, closing her eyes and picturing what it used to look like. "What happened?" Nick asked. She looked at him, "Brian." "Brian did this?" he asked. She nodded her head. "Tracy, where is he?" Nick asked. She took a deep breath, "Heading into trouble." "What do you mean?" Nick asked. "Nick, he's stopped talking to God. He refuses to let us help him, and now I'm not sure if we can," she said. "What do you mean you're not sure if you can? You're angels, you can do anything," Nick said. Tracy smiled at him, "I wish that were so Nick, but it's not. We aren't all powerful, God is, not us. We can only do what he enables us to." "Oh," Nick said, disappointed. "Tracy, how can I help him?" he asked. "Nick, when he comes back he's going to need your help. He wont see it, but he will," Tracy said. "Anything," Nick said, "I'd do anything to help him." She put her hand on his shoulder, "I know you will Nick, but this may be to much, even for a best friend." He looked at her, wondering what she meant, and knowing she wasn't going to tell him. "When the time comes you'll know, and you'll have to make a choice," Tracy said. "OK," Nick said. She took his hands in hers, "In the meantime, pray for him. It's all you can do." "I will," Nick said, as Tracy disappeared. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Brian woke up when Angel stood up and stretched. He looked around, seeing the sun shining into the cave. He started to sit up and stopped, crying out in pain. He looked down, where he'd been bleeding had dried, and his arms and hands had stiffened overnight, rendering them completely useless. Angel looked at him and barked, wanting him to get up. "I can't," Brian said. She cocked her head to the side and looked at him. Brian couldn't help but smile at the expression on her face, "I know you want me to, but I can't." Angel walked over and nudged him with her nose. "Angel, I can't," Brian said. Angel looked at him for a moment, then turned and went over to his pack. Brian watched as she sniffed around until she found the pocket she wanted to get into. Luckily Brian had left it unzipped, and she pawed at it, until the object of her desire fell out. She picked it up in her mouth and carried it to Brian, dropping it in front of him. He looked at the snack bar she'd dropped, then at her in surprise. Angel whined at him and wagged her tail. "OK, I'll try," Brian said, slowly and painfully reaching out and trying to pick it up. He tried with everything he had, but he couldn't make his fingers work. All he could do was claw at it in disgust. He finally gave up. Angel whined at him again and pushed the bar closer to him with her nose. "Angel, I can't pick it up," Brian said. She looked at him, then stepped on it with her paw and tore the wrapper off with her teeth. Then she gently picked it up in her mouth and held it in front of Brian. He reached out and she dropped it in his hands. Brian managed to get it in his mouth before he lost his hold of it, and ate it, trying not to think about where it had just been. Brian lay there thinking. He had no clue as to how he was going to get out of this mess. Then he started laughing to himself, "I'm talking to a wolf. A wolf that saved my life, and is now feeding me. Why do I feel like I'm in an episode of Lassie?" Angel looked at him, curiously. "Well you certainly have earned your name," Brian said to her. She wagged her tail and came closer to him. Brian could see the blood in her fur, wondering if it was his, or the cats. Angel lay down next to him, and began licking his hands, and up his arms. "Angel, stop," Brian said, "It hurts." But she didn't, she kept on until she had licked every one of his wounds. Brian was in so much pain, all he wanted to do was go to sleep. Then he realized something, "Angel, I can't feel my feet," he whispered. She nudged closer to him as he drifted to sleep. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nick woke with a start. He sat up in bed and ran his fingers through his hair. He was sweating and his breath was ragged. Why did he feel so much dread? He took a deep breath to calm himself, and got up. Everyone had stayed at Brian's, hoping that he would call. Nick walked downstairs to the kitchen. "Damn Nick, bad night?" A.J. asked. "Yeah," Nick said, "When did you get here?" "Oh a few hours ago," A.J. said. "Something wrong Nick?" Kevin asked, seeing the troubled look on his face. "I dunno. I had a dream, Tracy was there," he said. "Sit down and tell us about it," Howie said. Nick sat down and started telling them his dream. When he had finished he looked at them, "Well, what do you think she meant?" All three looked at each other. "Not a damn clue bro," A.J. said. Howie and Kevin said nothing, each in their own thoughts. "Would Lyn know?" Howie finally asked. Nick looked at him, "Why would she know?" "Well, she has some of the same abilities that Tara did. She might pick up on something," Howie said. "Yeah Nick, call her. It can't hurt," Kevin said. Nick looked up at the clock, "I'll have to wait till later. I know she had an early meeting today." "OK man," A.J. said. Howie got up and poured Nick some coffee, handing it to him. "Here, you look like you really need this," he said. Nick took the cup, "Thanks." Kevin went back to the conversation he'd been having with A.J. and Howie, while Nick drank his coffee. The longer Nick sat there, the more uneasy he felt. Tracy said that whatever was going to happen might be to much for him, what did she mean? And for some reason he couldn't get Brian off his mind. It was like he knew something was wrong, he just didn't know what. "Nick?" Kevin asked. "Huh?" Nick said, looking up at him. "Have you heard anything I just said?" Kevin asked. Nick just shook his head, getting up and placing his cup on the counter, leaving the room. "Man, he really is freaked," A.J. said. "Yeah, from what he said about the dream, I'd be freaked too," Howie said. "Well, I'm going to call the game service again and see what the status of the search is," Kevin said, getting up from the table. A.J. waited until Kevin left the room, then looked at Howie. "D, what if Brian don't come back?" he asked. Howie pointed at him, "Don't even say it! He's coming back, and everything will be fine!" A.J. put his hands up in defense, "Sorry man, I was just....." "I know. Sorry I yelled at you, I guess none of us is handling this very well," Howie said. "Yeah," A.J. said. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Brian woke up, looking around. The cave was dark again. "Angel," he whispered. She whined and licked his face. Brian knew he was in trouble, he couldn't even feel her laying next to him. He'd long since stopped shivering. "Angel, I'm so cold," he said. Brian raised his head and looked at his legs. He had the sleeping bag on him now, but it wasn't helping much. "Did you get this?" he asked her. She turned her head to the side and stared at him. He could see her eyes shining in the darkness. "Angel, I'm gonna die unless someone finds me," Brian said. Angel lay her head back down, moving closer to him. Brian stared up at the ceiling of the cave. "Maybe I wanted this to happen? I couldn't do it myself, so I put myself in this situation," he whispered. Angel whined. Brian's thoughts went to his family and friends. He could just imagine what they would think, him being found in the cave, all bloody, and not knowing what had happened to him. A tear made its way down his cheek. Brian could feel the warmth of it, but only for a second. He moved his head, burying it in Angel's fur. He could smell the blood in it, and the woods. He closed his eyes, knowing he probably wouldn't be waking up. The last thing he heard was Angel's soft whine. Chapter 12 |