Ghost With Cats ~ Book of Eloh #1.Draft
Chapter 4 cities cause anxiety

Annie had the Admant sit next to her in the cockpit and quickly started up the engines, there was no time for a pre-flight check. They had less than 3 minutes before the fireworks would start. The S300 started and handled beautifully. From the smell of it, she realized this was the one that had brought her from Denver. The stench of Red Label unfiltered cigarettes was unmistakable. She shivered trying not to think about Jake groping her and what he had planned to do to her. Her palms were slick as she turned the throttle. She could not panic, not yet. Escape first, panic attack later. The Sikorsky’s GPS said they were in southern Utah. She flew as fast as she could push the large bird. They only had enough fuel to make it to St. George.

Rule # 2 of surviving: Always have a plan, another plan, and an exit strategy.

Her brain began formulating all the ways they could escape. From St. George, they could backtrack to Nevada and catch the Amtrak to Colorado. She had enough cash in her sock to get a coach car on the train or bus tickets to Colorado, or perhaps buy a cheap used car. There was always a Walkmart or a thrift store to get clothing from. A car would mean gas stations, holidays meant possible DUI checkpoints on the roads and weather delays; her mind ran the scenarios. Buses and trains required IDs which were not easy to get. They would be there easily in a few days, regardless of her choice. The only problem was moving undetected in today’s surveillance society. She really wished she could just buy the fuel and fly the S300 home, but all aviation fuel purchases were tracked now and she would have to report her flight path to the FAA which ruled out traveling by air and keeping the lovely copter for herself.

In the back, she could hear Matt asking Vorn and Bries all kinds of questions about their world. He was a typical, straight out of college, sci-fi geek. She hovered and rotated when they were ten miles clear. A jet of white shot skyward followed by billowing pillars of fire. It was spectacular, it was beautiful. Annie was glad not to be there. She looked over at Tal, she could not read his expression as he watched the energy venting into the atmosphere. Matt was expressing his amazement colorfully. The Sikorsky vibrated in the turbulence, then she turned it and headed for the town. She could land by the river unseen she hoped. She changed channels so she could talk to the Admant.

“You never told me how y’all ended up on our messed up little world. What exactly should I call ya?” Annie drawled.

“You may call me Tal,” he answered.

“Tal, not Vanth?”

“Vanth is my... like a clan or family name, from my father, Tal is my name,” he explained.

“Oh I see, I thought Vanth was a common name like John. Our personal names are first and our family names are after.”

“Actually Vanth is quite uncommon, there are only 5 of us left, and only 2 are 3rd tier, one is fourth tier and our youngest two brothers are not old enough to be ranked. Why? Whom did you meet from my people?” Tal was curious, a regent of the second tier had been to this world and met her. That such a secret was kept, surprised him. Annie was silent for a moment, swallowing several times.

“The other one of your people, the one I met, his name was Vanth, Regent Vanth Truh. How is he kin to you?” She was flying and did not realize he was staring at her in shock. Annie had met his eldest brother!

They were talking about his father’s name and the human female who had rescued them had surprised Tal with a piece of information he had never expected. Somehow his voice was steady, “How did you come to meet Regent Vanth Truh?”

Annie continued speaking as she flew the aircraft and fidgeted with various knobs and dials. “He was a friend of my Grandfather Opir’s. Seven years ago, when they tried to use the Pandora energy to build a bomb, he came. I only met him on one day, I was very badly injured and he healed me. He was very polite. Grandfather and Rabbi Isaac told me some information about your people, like you required a high protein and nutrient rich diet, that’s how I knew you needed protein bars and electrolytes...”

She kept talking but he had stopped listening. Annie had met his eldest brother, the only one of his clan that was ever elevated to 2nd tier Regent under the old king. There were only four in the entire kingdom at a time. He had died under curious circumstances the same year Annie had met him. It could not be a coincidence that she sat next to him now, and had rescued them. Truh had made it so he would meet her. They were supposed to meet her together but why? Tal ran through everything he knew from the beginning to try to figure it out.

He was Vanth Tal, born an intuitive warrior, a living battle computer, he lived and dealt in the art of war. He was an Admant, One of the 12 Defenders of his people, highest ranked of his tier. His brother, Truh the eldest, had been the Prime Regent, highest ranked of his tier, even over the king's brother. A mystic and an analyst of culture, faith, and people’s natures, an adviser to the late king himself. Truh had seen the decline of their people, the steady loss of population, ruination of values and decrease in hope as an illness. Bitterness had crept into the soul of their people since the ‘loss of heart’ had begun. Truh was determined replace a way to restore the Eloh.

The House of Vanth had been chosen by the old king to save the kingdom, but then both Truh and the king had died. Tal was only 23 at the time, he had just survived the Lottery for the second time. It was Truh who had told he and his brothers, the energy signature would lead them to replaceing the lost light of their people. They were supposed to look for the Light together, but Truh had died before he could tell Tal and their brothers what the light was. Sitting next to Annie, Tal had never felt more confused, he did not know his brother or any of his people had ever come to this world. He did not know what the Lost Light was. He did not have a solution to this problem.

Something soft and warm squeezed his hand. He looked down, Annie’s hand was holding his. Then it returned to flying the helicopter.

“Are you okay?” She asked concerned.

“Just thinking about Truh,” He answered softly, his voice held a sad longing. It sounded like grief, a tone Annie knew too well.

“You were related...” It was more of a statement than a question. She knew at least part of the answer, Truh was Tal’s relative, they had been close and from his reaction, Truh was also dead.

“He was my eldest brother, most trusted and closest friend, and he died the year you met him.” Tal admitted. He had never gotten over the emotions that came with that afternoon. He did not deal well with feelings, it was not his nature.

“Oh, I am so sorry, Tal.” She sounded sincere.

“Many died at that time.” He responded coolly. Remembering too much pain, so he pushed it away.

Annie changed the subject, she could see his discomfort even in the dim cockpit. “You never said, why you came here?”

“I came to your world because before Truh died, he told us to watch for the Song of Destruction, your Pandora energy, and he wanted... we were to go together to look for something he called the Light,” Tal answered, his tone frustrated.

“The light of what?” Annie asked.

“I do not know. My brother died before he could tell me.” He sounded despondent even to himself. It seemed it was a fool’s errand and he was the fool.

Annie landed the Sikorsky just outside a city, near a river. The large helicopter was beeping, their fuel was gone.

"Can we not acquire more fuel?" Tal asked.

Annie was unhappy as she said, "It would make them too easy to replace."

"What is that?" Tal watched as she pulled a device, she nodded to it. "My burner cell." And she sent a strange message, “Fuzzy wuzzy had twin sisters.”

She explained to Tal and Vorn, "I'm letting my guardian know where I am heading."

Vorn asked, "Why is your guardian not with you?"

"It is easier for him to watch out for me from afar." She shrugged.

They moved cautiously toward a large lighted area, a highway. Tripping repeatedly, Annie was having issues with the boots and coat she had acquired from where they were imprisoned, they were many sizes too big.

On the outskirts of the city was a large building, Matt and Annie were interested in. A store where it was not unusual for people in pajamas to shop in the middle of the night. Annie and Matt slipped into the giant store to purchase clothing, coats and food. As they walked through the store, Matt seemed impressed with her resourcefulness.

“I should call you Mrs. Bourne, instead of Dr. Dove.” Matt said jokingly. “How did you learn all this? I mean Dr Fitzgerald made you sound like a crazy recluse who quit doing research because it hurt your feelings to not be able to reveal your discovery.”

Annie started shaking as she looked through the blue jeans for any that would fit Bries, finally she just tossed the largest sweatshirts and sweatpants she could replace in the cart. “Is it crazy to stop working on your parent’s research after they are murdered in front of you for it?”

Matt looks at her horrified, “Your parents were murdered? I thought they were killed in an accident.”

Annie laughed harshly, but a tear ran down her face. A woman hanging clothes from a cart looked at them oddly. “Yeah, they accidentally were stabbed and got their throats cut by a group of terrorists who were looking to use Pandora to blow up the Saudi and Yemeni oil fields,” her voice had gotten higher, she was having trouble breathing. “And I was ‘accidentally’ kidnapped and held hostage because they couldn’t figure it out. They tortured me, but I wouldn’t help them, that’s why I won’t work on it. It is too dangerous, they almost blew up the planet. But noooo, people still want to use it as if all those thousands of people in India and Japan... dying.... wasn’t.... enough. ” Her breaths are short and shallow, as she fights to hold it together. Everything is going black...

“Annie...ANNIE!” Matt was trying to talk to her but she couldn’t hear him. She didn’t feel him lift her and carry her into a changing room. All she heard was voices shouting at her to tell them the calculations and the freezing cold of ice water being dumped on her battered body.

“Shhhh, deep breaths, Annie, slow deep breaths. You’re okay. We’re just in a store, doing some shopping, no one can hurt you,” Matt’s voice was low and calm. She heard him talking to someone, “It’s okay, she has panic attacks. That’s why we shop in the middle of the night, no people. Just give us a few more minutes. No, no, she doesn’t need an ambulance.” He was rubbing circles on her back.

Annie took a staggering breath, trying desperately to control her shaking, “I... I’m sorry, Matt.”

“It’s okay, sis. Too much new stuff, we’ll finish and head home. Okay?” Matt’s voice was soft and encouraging.

An older sales clerk was standing next to him looking concerned, and Annie realized they were in a changing room. “Are you okay, honey?”

“Y-yes, I’m so sorry... I’m just not good with new places.” Annie lied, but it wasn’t a lie. It was her reality since that week.

“That’s fine, just stay here as long as your sister needs,” the lady patted her hand before walking away.

“You better now?” Matt whispered.

“No, I will never be better, but I can finish what I need to do. I’m sorry, it’s been awhile since I had one that bad,” Annie admitted.

“Hey, my mom had them all the time. I shouldn’t have pressed you. I’m sorry.” Matt’s eyes held such sadness and sympathy at the same time but Annie need to ask.

“Had?”

Matt leaned back against the wall, rubbing his face. “She died while I was in college. She self-medicated with alcohol and xanax, sometimes she cut herself. They declared it a suicide but I knew it was an accident.”

They sat for several minutes in silence before Matt spoke, “I didn’t know the truth about your parents, I am really sorry.”

Annie nodded, “So am I.” She stood, smiling wanly, “Let’s finish shopping before our guest get ancy and come looking for us.”

“Aliens in the Walkmart, meh, it’s Utah. Who would notice?” His cavalier tone had her smiling.

As they shopped, she told him about her life before that week. He appeared to think she was living out some amazing adventure. Laughing, she told him it wasn’t worth the paperwork, she would rather live her quiet life as a ghostwriter.

Matt and Annie paid and slipped back to the Eloh. Annie told them everything she knew about the Pandora failures as they walked to truck stop. Matt got a room at the motor inn, giving them shelter while they waited for morning. Annie had locked herself in the bathroom, but they could hear her crying through the thin walls. Matt had gone into check on her and emerged a few minutes later with a very worried look.

“She’s having an anxiety attack,” Matt announced calmly. “My mom got them a lot.”

Tal looked at him confused, “How can a feeling of concern physically hurt her?”

Vorn held up his hand before Matt could answer, “Master, humans may not have the ability to completely control their emotions as we do. Lady Annie has exhibited great courage in the last few hours, perhaps it is not her nature to do so. Matt, has Lady Annie told you the source of her anxiety attack?”

Matt nodded his head. “It’s not for me to say. She just needs some time.”

An hour later, Annie came out, changed from her PJs into jeans and a sweatshirt. “We need to get started.” She seemed as calm and collected as she had when they had escaped.

By mid-morning, Annie finally forced Bries to speak to her, making him say please and thank you. Teasing him that if he talked to Matt, he had to talk to her, then she had completely freaked him out by patting him on the head. The humans laughed as Vorn assured the large guard that it was okay for the female to touch him. The Eloh all had caps and glasses and clothes. Annie had tinted their skin with makeup while they had hidden in the motel room.

Annie wanted to cut their hair but they refused. Their hair had to do with their station in Eloh culture. Vorn’s had never been cut except where the sides were shaved, the braid was very tight, almost a herringbone style. It was unusual and therefore noticeable. So she insisted when they were in public, he keep the braid tucked inside his coat and under a hat. Tal’s thick, single length, black hair had only ever been trimmed to keep it even and in good condition. She taught him how to use pony tail bands, explaining most men on this world with that style of hair kept it tied back.

When she was done, Matt said they looked just like normal guys with their glasses on, but she wasn’t sure. He had teased her that she had seen too many movies. She retorted back paranoia was a good thing. Tal and Vorn had both stated about how remarkable her skill at disguising them was. The only one who did not appear changed was Bries, whose appearance could not be altered drastically.

Annie got a text back, it read, ‘Wolves on the roads.’

“What does that mean?” Vorn had asked. “Wolves are large canines.”

“It means, they are looking for us. Wolves are predators who hunt in pack groups. They surround their prey. We have to get you three out of this area and we can’t use any form of public transportation,” Annie frowned as she said it.

“So we are prey,” Tal said coldly, obviously unhappy.

“No, we’re zebras,” She answered.

“Small, striped equines?” Vorn looked confused but Matt grinned.

“Zebras, cool analogy. Zebras rely on their stripes to confuse predators, they look like everyone else so they just blend into the herd. But how do we be zebras in a small college town?” Matt asked.

“We don’t,” Annie answered, “We need to get to Vegas. You can catch a bus home from there and I can buy a cheap car.”

By noon, Annie and Matt had purchased tickets on a casino bus leaving at 2pm for Las Vegas. As they rode south and west to a much larger city, Annie was worried about the risk, but they had to take it. She wanted to avoid places with lots of cameras with them, which was harder in this city. As they drove, she closed her eyes and prayed their disguises would hold up. Somehow, she fell asleep on the bus.

She dreamed of the hot springs retreat her parents used to take her to as a child. Of the large man in the plaid shirt and his little brother who lived there, and the giant black and white cat with green eyes who followed them everywhere as they played in the meadow and picked dandelions. In her dream, Pandie turned into the print on the wall of her hotel room just before she was kidnapped. It seemed he was always with her, even now. She startled awake, her head was on Tal’s shoulder. Her eyes fluttered to the front of a catalog stuck in the back of the seat in front of them. A black and white cat in a Santa hat, it looked like a Christmas card she had gotten once.

She started to lift her head but Tal whispered, “Rest, you have been through much. No harm will come to you.”

So Annie closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep again to the oddest sensation; she felt safe for this first time in years. She fell right back into the dream about the meadow. She was playing with the groundskeeper’s little brother and Pandie the panda cat. Her mother was laughing and calling them to come in for cookies. She woke to the bus slowing down in traffic, the dream made her happy and sad at the same time, bittersweet. It had been a long time since she had enjoyed a pleasant memory of her mother.

Thank you, Mama Magie