With only one kilometer to go, Yelevan’s vehicle stopped dead in its tracks. He stepped out into the blizzard and opened the hood. Engine o.k., starter o.k., generator o.k., fuel ignition o.k., but why wouldn’t it go? Gas at three-quarters full. Snow treads brand new. Exhaust system clean as a whistle. But still it wouldn’t start. They woke the Muzhenghaakis up, retrieving the bag of stakes from the trunk.
Reluctantly, they abandoned the vehicle and set off toward the town, surrounded by mist and blinding snow. “This way! This way!” Chungrum called out, over the blustering wind. “I know the landmarks. Soon we will see the lights of our town!”
“What is that smell?” asked Yelevan. “It smells like the smoke of burning wood.”
“I’m afraid it must be people burning belongings,” Chungrum replied. “Burning their homes. Preparing to meet their doom for soon it will be the doom-hour.”
“They have no faith!” Yelevan observed.
“Faith? We have never heard that word before. What is faith? Who has faith in anything at all?”
“Faith that you and your people, now in my hands, will be rid of the one terror that befalls you.”
“You make strong talk, master. We hope the throw of your stake is as good as your talk.”
“May I remind you, Mr. Dunbut, that you are getting the gold-plated treatment for a bargain-basement price.”
“We must hurry! Hurry! The beast is lurking nearby! Do you hear its cry? When you see its evil red eyes, you will know no more!”
“Nonsense! I have not made an agreement with the beast, and you are under my protection. Fear not!”
They heard the sound of a bell, ringing periodically.
“Do you hear that?” Chungrum cried. “It is the sound of the bell tolling the doom hour! The time of the end is come!”
“Yes, what a quaint little village,” Yelevan replied, with sarcasm. “We must be getting close, now.”
“Not one moment too soon. We must hurry!”
Yelevan looked about, and he noticed Yvgevny was not to be seen. He asked Chungrum where his son had gone. Neither could find him. Tension mounted as Chungrum called his name.
From a distant hill, Yvgevny was faintly heard, reciting poetry of green fields and flowers. He said he could view the springtime of a myriad of petals, like it was in the ancient time. Chungrum and Yelevan shouted above the wind, ordering Yvgevny to get back on the path – the beast was waiting with its evil red eyes!
Chungrum started after Yvgevny, but Yelevan restrained him and they struggled. Yelevan pleaded there was no time to save Yvgevny, the hour of doom being at hand. They must hurry to save the village. Yvgevny’s last words were barely heard, calling to Simoom as he fled away, and then, there was a sound of commotion, and finally, the satisfied howl of the Werewolf!
Yelevan pulled Chungrum down the path, away from the scene of his son’s demise. Only a few meters to go! He asked Chibu to prepare the number four and number five stakes; they should not be caught in arrears.
“Chibu look-ee. Found number four stake. Look for number five.”
“Chibu, hurry. The only thing between us and the wolf out there is the stake.”
“Chibu, look-ee for number five. Look-ee for number five.”
“Come on, come on. I need that stake.”
“Uh oh!”
“Chibu?”
“Uh oh, master!”
“What’s happening, Chibu?”
“Master, me not find number five.”
“Not find?”
“Chibu left number five. Not in bag. Still on Benden Street, number five.”
“You say you forgot to put the stake in the bag?”
“Chibu sorry, master. Forgot number five. Have number four? Number three?”
Yelevan decided there was no use arguing with Chibu over his lack of weapons; in fact, they could make more stakes with the help of villagers in the nearby town. He asked Mr. Dunbut to lead them on, but, looking around, Chungrum was not to be seen, either. Yelevan and Chibu called to him.
“Mr. Dunbut! Mr. Dunbut!” Yelevan cried, “show yourself! We must hurry to the village!”
“Mr. Dunbut, Master says we must hurry!”
“Mr. Dunbut! Please, let’s not waste any time here!”
From a distant hill, Chungrum was heard, faintly in the wind, reciting poetry of green fields and a myriad of petals. Frustrated, Yelevan called to Mr. Dunbut, advising him of his grave danger, but Chungrum remained steadfast, convinced of the warm wind of a thousand embraces. Yelevan scolded him, admonishing him to pull himself together, to think of his wife and family, to remember all the good things of home – otherwise, the beast was about to eat him! Mr. Dunbut’s last words were barely heard as he called to his family and fled away, and then, there was a sound of commotion, and finally, the satisfied howl of the Werewolf!
Yelevan was perplexed. He had both clients butchered by the beast, his vehicle stuck, his stake missing, the beast stalking out there in the snow, and the village somewhere ahead in fog and mist. Observing the empty hill where his clients had vanished, a feeling of alarm overcame him, a sense of fatality, one of the most remarkable moments in his career. Why was it happening to him?
He asked Chibu to reach in the bag and hand him the map, but Chibu had disappeared! Yelevan called for him. Has he lost his way? Has the fog blinded him? Where was his carrier-friend? Was he playing games?
“Me look-ee. Me look-ee,” Chibu was faintly heard, reciting poetry of green fields and many flowers blooming. “See many flower bloom. Me not dream now. Chibu no dream. Chibu only see fog until now…”
Frightened, Yelevan realized the beast was acting upon him and demanded that he return at once!
“Chibu feel warm. Feel springtime. Look-ee over hill and see doorway. Chibu must go there. Chibu know what to do...”
“Chibu! You must come with me now! I can only protect you if you come with me now!”
“Me see red glow,” Chibu cried. “Me see sky, fields, trees, flowers. Me see all have red glow now. Me king-ee. Me king-ee. Me go get crown…”
Yelevan shouted above the driving wind, reminding Chibu of all the people who would be waiting for his protection in the village, imploring him to let his thoughts go to them now – otherwise, the beast was about to eat him!
“I feel wind. Chibu feel wind coming. Chibu go to doorway, go to light. Chibu look-ee, see sun and moon in doorway, wind blowing through. Chibu go there, feel warm glow burning. Chibu go to be king-ee…”
Chibu’s last words were barely heard, calling to Yelevan as he fled away with the bag of stakes, and then, there was a sound of commotion, and finally, the satisfied howl of the Werewolf!
For once in his career, Yelevan felt his confidence undermined by the unusual turn of events – both his companion and clients butchered by the beast, his vehicle stuck, and the village somewhere in fog and mist! “What a loss!” Yelevan cried to the empty wind. “All my stakes have disappeared with my fleeing companion, devoured by the beast, and I am alone! Helplessly alone! More and more, I feel I am way over my head in this situation!”
What should he do? Where should he go? |
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