Ghost With Cats ~ Book of Eloh #1.Draft

It was past midnight when Annie turned onto an almost unmarked road. She drove down along the small river before turning again to cross over a single lane bridge, climbing over the ridge and back into a hidden valley. Everything glowed in the faint light reflecting from the snow. She opened her window and keyed numbers into a small metal box with numbers. The metal gate creaked and shuddered as it opened. The track lead them closer to the cliffs through the trees.

Annie stopped in front of a large log home. The moon was almost overhead. The air was frigid, but the house glowed welcomingly. She pulled her pack and two of the extra bags from the jeep. Bries took several other bags but his head twisted this way and that looking at their new surroundings. Tal stared skyward. The stars shone brilliantly in the sky as the moonlight pooled around them. Vorn turned in circles, taking in the view.

“Gentlemen, welcome to New Moon Springs, a good place to get away from wolves,” Annie announced. Her soft voice was the only sound beside their breathing.

“My lady, is this a real place?” Bries whispered.

“Yes, shiny head, it is,” she said amused.

She climbed the steps and keyed in a code and the door unlocked. Inside, the house was warm. There was a note from the caretaker dated earlier the previous day’s evening. She helped Bries put everything away from the Jeep, then parked it in the garage. It was 2 AM when Vorn had finally come in but Tal stayed outside. She went to find him before turning in for the night.

Tal stood next to the stream, in the stillness of the valley, there were no sounds except the water and his heart. He inhaled the stillness. He felt completely at peace for the first time since he had come to this planet. He let his awareness drift out to the edges of the field, up the trees, to the mountains, and over the terrain, he could feel the traffic on the other side of the ridge, and the airplanes flying high above. He pulled himself back, Annie was walking toward him through the snow. She glowed in his expanded awareness, like a light, like hope. It was so strange that a female, who he had barely known a handful of days could have so altered his perceptions of everything he knew.

“Are you okay?” She sounded concerned.

“I am well, it is just this place reminds me of home.” He answered.

“You live in the mountains?” she asked.

He chuckled before he explained, he could only ever dream of living in a place as beautiful as this. There was no place on Eloh or in its colonies that could compare to what he had seen of this blue and green world. “No, I live on a warship. But I have a Sanctum room, where the stars shine in, the silence is pure, and I can feel my soul be still. Like here.”

“Oh, um, I am sorry, I hope I didn’t disturb you. Um, our rooms are ready. Yours is on the second floor, second on the left from the stairs. Good night, Tal.” She turned to go, but he caught her arm and hugged her for several minutes. He could feel her shivering. The temperature was dropping, it must be many degrees below the freezing point of water.

“Thank you for risking so much for myself and my servants,” he said quietly. “I have an entire fleet and all of whom would die at my command, over 30,000. You owe me no loyalty, are not sworn from birth to protect me and my abilities, but you do. Why?”

“Because it is the right thing to do. I feel like I owe you. You were lured here by my parents’ research and I don’t know why. So I feel like I should be protecting and helping you... I want to, really I do.” She shivered as she spoke, “And honestly, I feel safe with you and Vorn and Bries, which is weird because that is something I haven’t felt for a very long time. I will miss y’all a lot when you go.”

She looked up at him and realized the wide open slit-pupils of his eyes aren’t completely black, they actually look like the night sky behind him, like there were stars inside his eyes. It was quite a beautiful effect. With his dark hair and strong features, he really was very handsome. She shouldn’t be out here alone with him, she thought. Her heart was fluttering and not from the cold.

“Are you cold?” he asked concerned.

The dark fur lining of her hood framed her pale face, making her seem more beautiful in the moonlight. He could see the reflection of the night in her eyes. It made his heart feel strange.

“Aren’t you?” she shivered again.

“No, the temperature change does not affect me,” he answered honestly. “I am quite comfortable. You live in the mountains, do you not enjoy the climate?”

“I like the scenery.”

“But the scenery comes with the temperature. It isn’t logical to live where the temperature is uncomfortable to you.” Suddenly, his pragmatic nature annoyed her.

“I don’t usually stay here in the winter.” She gave him a dark look, she felt like all he ever did was judge her. “I hate the cold. That’s why I live in Texas. I am going inside. Moment over.” And she stomped through the snow back to the house.

Tal watched her go, confused. For a few moments, she seemed contented to be with him under the stars, and now she was upset with him. He did not understand the volatile emotional nature of the females of this world. He reached out to the stillness around him, but the strange feeling she stirred in him lingered, it took him over an hour to still his soul again.

Early the next morning, Annie was in the kitchen talking with an older man, she introduced as Boaz. He was the Caretaker. He did not seemed surprised by the appearance of the off-worlders. She had volunteered Bries to help with the firewood and the silver haired man gladly accepted. Vorn and Boaz spent a lot of time talking in the man’s native language which was very similar to their language. Tal wandered the house and found a many books, but no Bible to finish his reading.

Later that afternoon, he saw Annie outside in a round fenced area with several large animals called horses. She was rubbing them with a bristled piece of wood. He watched her handling the large animals who pushed each other and stamped for her attention. She petted and talked to them, it seemed she truly cared for them. The large animals could easily trample her, but they didn’t, they just wanted her affection. Suddenly, she stopped and turned toward the house, he stepped away from the window. She could not see that he was watching her from the dark room, but he was sure that she could somehow feel it.

“Our Anneliese is lovely, isn’t she?” an elderly voice came from behind him.

Tal turned. “I have never seen those creatures she is working with before, they are what you call horses?” He evaded the question by asking a question.

A very old man with a cane stood by the door of the office, a younger man in a suit was beside him.

“Yes, they are horses but all creatures love her. They cannot help themselves. Forgive me, I am Jakob and this is my driver, Ari. It is my honor to meet the brother of my brother Isaac’s old friend. Ari, please get refreshments for us and give us an hour or so.” The younger man helped the elderly man sit. Tal noticed he carried a weapon. The elderly man waved for Tal to sit, so he did. After Ari left, Jakob announced, “Isaac’s friend was Regent Vanth Truh, a mystic of the Elohim as my people call them. What are you called, traveler?”

Tal sat up straighter, introducing himself, “I am Admant Vanth Tal, one of the Twelve Defenders of our people.”

Ari returned with the drinks and left, closing the door behind him, but from the shadow under the door, Tal knew the bodyguard stood just outside.

Jakob nodded, asking, “Ahhh, so it is as Opir told my brother. Two of your family in ten years, have come back to see our Anneliese. Your brother was the first, and you are the second.” The old man paused apprising Tal’s reaction. He nodded slightly, drawing a deep breathe, “I must ask if you know why, Vanth Tal? Because your expression says you do not know what your brother told mine and his friend, the sheikh.”

“I do not, Jakob. I was only told to watch for what she calls the Pandora energy by my brother, who died under curious circumstances after his visit here. He said I would find a light to help our people, but he was unclear, as his kind often are.” Tal explained.

“And have you found this light?” Jakob asked.

“I have not.”

“I see,” the old man hummed and sipped his coffee, “Do you know how long our two peoples have been friends? And why we stopped being friends?”

“No, I do not,” Tal answered honestly. “I was not even aware this planet had sentient life until I tracked the energy here. Annie had told me, we weren’t supposed to be on this world. I do not understand why it was hidden. None of my trusted allies knew of it either, I asked them before I came. It is far from the heart of our kingdom.”

Jakob took off his jacket and rolled up his sleeve. Tal noted the faded numbers on his arm and knew he was one of the survivors of the Holocaust from the second world war. “I think we will be talking very late. My people are a difficult one, we cause trouble wherever we go, but none can carry God’s heart as we do... Ari!”

The young man opened the door immediately. “Ari, we are staying the night. Bring us dinner. Go.” Ari nodded and closed the door. “Let us begin. Tell me, Vanth Tal, have you read our Torah?”

The next morning, Tal had not slept as he helped Jakob into his car. There was a plane waiting to take Jakob from Denver on to New York ahead of the incoming blizzard. No one except his driver and two others knew the Rabbi had not remained in the giant city. Jakob had apologized for Isaac not being able to come in person, but circumstances as they were, Isaac was being closely watched and could not risk exposing Annie’s location.

His visit left Tal with a lot to think about. The elderly man was a wealth of information and seemed to never tire. He also had an unusual sense of humor, which was not unlike Truh’s. Tal recognized many similar traits between the Rabbi and his Regent brother, it seemed the mystics of both worlds enjoyed the confusion they caused and never gave a simple answer.

Tal had learned that his brother had come to this world dozens of times over a half century, had helped establish a country for Isaac and Jakob’s people. Truh had helped them as their ancient ancestors had once aided them thousands of years ago, before it was decided that their peoples would live separately. It was all so incredible. Mythology and history and faith were all one and were all based on the same truth, at one point in time their peoples had been joined in belief and in marriage. Still, Tal felt he was missing something, something important.

“Did you have a good talk with Rabbi Jakob, Mister Tal?” Boaz asked.

“It was... unexpected,” Tal answered.

The caretaker stepped down beside him, he had the sureness of movement of someone who had decades of warrior’s training. “There is much that I am told, much I am not. Your bodyguard Bries works very hard, he has a good heart, but he is not born from a mother, as I suspect, you and Vorn were. So you know, I am only here protect Anneliese from the wolves of our world. You live because Rabbi Jakob and Rabbi Isaac do not think you endanger her.”

The caretaker lit a cigarette and smoked for a few minutes, Tal said nothing. In the snowy silence, there was only the sound of their breathing and the burning tobacco. Boaz rubbed the end of butt out on the sole of his boot, it was military style similar to the ones Tal saw at the Pandora compound.

Boaz put the spent cigarette in his shirt pocket. “I know Bries is not a threat to her. He, like all large beasts, adores her, but if I think you or Vorn are, I will kill you both without hesitation, and you will not even know you are dead.”

Tal only nodded as he watched Rabbi Jacob’s car drive over the hill that hid this little valley. In Boaz’s place, he felt he would do the same. When he turned to answer the threat, the caretaker was gone. Tal was impressed, there were very few who could leave an Admant’s presence unnoticed. He remained in front of the house staring out at the view beyond glistening, snow covered meadow. It truly was a beautiful world, he could understand why his ancestors had come but he still didn't know why they left and never came back.

A short while later, there was noise behind the house that drew Tal’s attention. Annie walked out of the stable leading a pair of horses. Bries was following, he handed her the rifle he was carrying after she stepped up and sat on the horse. Tal approached the horses carefully. The only creatures this size in the Kingdom tend to try to trample those who approached them before they became food.

“Boaz says there are elk on the high meadow, we are going after one. Do you want to ride along? We can saddle you a horse?” she offered.

“I have never ridden a horse, and neither has Bries,” He stated.

“This is for Vorn, Bries isn’t riding, we don’t have one sturdy enough to carry him,” she laughed as she revealed, “Boaz doesn’t have any draft horses here.”

Boaz walked out leading another saddled horse, “Do you wish to ride along, Mr. Tal? Or take a nap, you had a long night with the Rabbi.”

“I do not require rest. I believe it would be pleasant to travel with you,” Tal answered calmly.

Boaz nodded, handing his reins to Annie. Vorn came from the house. Tal looked at him. Vorn immediately turned back to the house and returned a few moments later with Tal’s heavy coat, gloves, and tinted glasses.

“Are your people telepathic?” Annie asked Tal.

“Not exactly,” he answered.

Annie eyed him curiously, but didn’t question him further.

Boaz led a golden colored horse out. It did not seem happy to be walking into snow. Tal could feel its nervousness and reached out to it with his mind, soothing the animal. He stroked its cheek as he had seen Annie do the afternoon before and it immediately calmed. He mounted as he had seen Annie do. The caretaker watched him cautiously, then turned and guided them toward a trail up the mountain. Bries trotted along behind them. Vorn and Tal carefully observed everything Boaz and Annie do while handling their horses. Vorn shared the knowledge Annie had given him with Tal, and he could feel Annie’s thoughts hopefully encouraging him not to fall off. Tal could also feel Boaz’s protectiveness of her, and it made him curious. He sensed that Boaz felt he owed Annie a great debt of loyalty.

After an hour, they reached the top of the ridge and there was herd of twenty or so large animals, much larger than the buck she had hunted for them. Annie called the giant animals elk. Boaz picked one out of the herd. A young bull with a lame leg that would not survive the remaining winter. He and Annie both line up the shot, but Annie brought the animal down. Boaz smiles, putting his rifle away unfired. He announced she was a better shot than her father. Bries bellowed and ran out to where the young bull elk dropped.

“Bries!” Annie yelled at him, “Don’t you dare!” But too late, the large, genetically engineered warrior was already indulging his craving on the fresh kill.

“Oh ewww, I’m gonna puke again,” Annie whined.

“He cannot resist, my lady, it is his nature,” Vorn explained.

“I know... but it’s so gross. Ewww,” She said gagging and turned her horse away, “Oh, I am gonna ride over there... you go deal with that... tell Bries... he has to drink black coffee... when we get back as punishment ... eww I am gonna be sick...” And she jumped off her horse and began vomiting in the snow.

Boaz shook his head and rode toward Bries and the kill with Vorn.

“Are you unwell?” Tal asked, holding the reins of both their horses. He had never seen someone vomit. It did not look very pleasant.

“I can’t handle blood... I just can’t.... Not since .... ohhh, I always puke... I would have... been fine if he hadn’t bit it.... Just leave my horse, and give me a few minutes,” she pleaded, still gagging. Tal handed her the reins to her horse. She looked so very pale.

“Are you sure I should leave you?” he asked concerned.

“I’ll be okay, just go... It’s so embarrassing, I’m sorry.” She apologized, she looked back toward where they are gutting the elk and started gagging again. “I should have.... just rode away...”

Tal walked his horse over to Boaz and his servants.

“Why does blood make her unwell?” He asked Boaz, feeling he would know. Boaz looked at him for a moment then shrugged.

“She and her parents were visiting Rabbi Jakob in Israel, I was one of his family’s bodyguards. The PLO began shelling, bombing, shooting, into our area. For 10 hours, we were trapped, no doctor, no medics, no help, just us fighting for our lives. Her father, James, ordered her inside, she was going to fight, even then she was a crack shot but Annie was only 14. So she began taking care of the wounded with Ziva, my wife. Ziva said Anneliese reached up to wipe her own tears when our neighbor died, then realized she had wiped the woman’s blood from her hand onto her face, and she threw up. She went and washed and kept working, later she threw up again, washed, and kept working. For hours, she did this over and over, but she did not quit helping the wounded. By the end of the day, she, her mother, and Ziva were soaked to the skin in the blood of the wounded. Now, she cannot stand the smell or sight of blood or even rare red meat. That day, she helped save many lives, including mine.” Boaz explained. “She always finds strength where others would fail. She does not give up. Anneliese is special.”

Vorn smiled, “So we keep learning, Boaz. It seems to be...”

Annie’s horse shrieked, interrupting their banter, and the sound was immediately followed by a rifle shot. They turned to see her horse fleeing, a large bear was standing over Annie. She was laying in the snow, unmoving.