Disclaimer: I own nothing of Lost only Bama and her puppies.
This is Season two of the dog story. I only went about halfway through the season and hope to eventually add more. Thanks to those of you who read it. I'm rather fond of these puppies.
2.1
Hatch let out a low whistle. "It's pretty dark down there, pops. Maybe I should go first so you aren't scared."
The hunter looked at his pup and smiled. "I'm not scared. I find it all very fascinating."
"Hatch, come sit by mum and let him do his work," Bama said gently.
"But, Mum…" Hatch lowered his head and went to sit by her.
The important man was now kneeling beside the hunter, with a torch in his hand. After what seemed a lifetime, he shook his head. "This isn't going to work. The ladder's broken, and there is no way we are going to be able to get 40 people down there."
"Um…guys, there's something written on the inside of the hatch door. You might want to see this." The dark haired girl stood over the blown door with her hands on her hips and a look of concern.
"What's it say, Mum? What's it say?" Hatch leaned over Bama's back and peered at the door.
"Quarantine," the hunter replied.
"Pops, what's a quaran…quar…what did you call it again?"
"Quarantine. It means they were trying to keep people in, but who knows why or for how long."
"If they were trying to keep them in, that means we are on the bad side. Lovely," Bama said.
"I think whatever they were trying to keep out, is no threat to us."
"No threat? Ringo could tell you otherwise, and so could young Hatch." Bama challenged the hunter to debate her, but he knew there was no sense in arguing it.
The dark haired girl had wandered over, and peered down the opening. "How far do you think it is? About forty feet?"
The hunter tossed a rock and waited. Tink. Doink. Sploosh. "Fifty tops."
"We're not going down there. We need to head back to camp as they are all waiting to hear from us. We will tell them it won't work and try to find other options."
Bama and Hatch heeled the dark haired girl and the hunter. Hatch was very quiet then asked,
"Mum, why was the big guy mad at pops for opening the hatch?"
"I think he thinks there could be danger in there, and just wants him to be careful."
"Mum, Pops laughs at danger. He has been talking about the hatch for a long time now. Shoot, he named me after it. I would say he thinks it rather important, but not dangerous."
The hunter and dark haired girl had stopped and were talking about black smoke - not the black smoke they saw on the beach, but the black smoke that comes when the monster makes his appearance. Curious, Bama thought. Wonder what is in that smoke that causes so much damage? The hunter asked if she would think him crazy, but when the dark haired girl said she saw it too, he smiled at her. Crazy? No. Scary? Yes. Bama went with scary.
"I heard that." The hunter turned and smiled at her.
"Well, you are!"
2.2
When they arrived back at camp, it was in the midst of chaos. The little man was yelling at the wheezy girl that there were no "others". She looked a frightful mess as if she had been on the wrong side of a dark alley rendezvous. She kept insisting she saw Walt out in the jungle when she was looking for Vincent, and everyone seemed to think she was losing it a bit. Bama walked up and put her head under the little man's hand. She watched him go back and forth over the "others" issue. Bama didn't think he should be so hasty in his decision. I mean, really. There is the French lady and the dead Canadian. They were "others". She looked around the area and didn't see Vincent. Where was he? The rest of the pups were playing by the fire pit, except for Hatch. He was still off with the hunter. Bama felt fear creep over her and make the hair on her hackles stand on end. Something was amiss. She did not know what, only that something was very, very wrong.
The important man had just finished telling them they would all be OK. They would be safe where they were and that the hatch was no longer an option. The hunter came back into the camp carrying something over his shoulder. The important man did not look happy about this.
"John, what are you doing?" he asked.
"I just got some cable from the plane. You may not think the hatch is a good thing, but I'm going in." With that, he turned and left.
"HATCH!" Bama cried.
"Mum, I'm going with him."
"You'll do no such thing."
"He needs my help!"
"He can't hold you going down the hatch, you are too big."
That gave Hatch the opening he had been waiting for. "Mum. First, I'm too little, now, I'm too big. I think your argument is weak. I can watch out for him and guard the hatch while he is in there. If I get lucky, he can create a harness to lower me there with him. I belong to him now. Let me do this."
His words shocked Bama. She was only able to mutter, "Please be careful." A tear ran down her face as Hatch took off after his master. She lay down with her head on her forepaws. How would she keep them safe now?
"Pops, wait up!" Hatch ran as fast as he could to catch up to him.
"Your mom's not going to like you out here with me. Best you go back."
"She knows I'm here. We have an understanding."
"Sorry I missed that. Are you sure you aren't scared or too tired?"
"No, Pops, I want to see what's down there. Do you think you can find a way to lower me in there too? You might need my sniffer."
The hunter laughed. "I'm sure we can find a way to get you down there and yes I do need your sniffer."
They arrived at the hatch and were setting up the cable when a crackling in the distance made Hatch's ears perk up. "Someone's coming."
"It's Kate."
"How do you know?"
"Watch."
The dark haired girl came into the light of the torch. "How do you do that?" Hatch asked.
"Magic."
Part 2.3
The hunter looked at the dark haired girl. "I was waiting for you."
"How did you know I'd show?"
"You want to know what's down there as much as I do, Kate. It wasn't tough to do the math.
They worked together setting the cable and when they had it secured around a tree, they created a cradle for the dark haired girl to sit in. She looked very apprehensive but did her best to show a brave face.
"OK, what should I say if I need you to stop?"
"Stop."
"Right. Let's do this."
The hunter lowered her slowly into the hatch while Hatch watched her descend. "Easy, Pops."
"Don't worry, I got her." He had no sooner said the words than the cable came undone and began slipping through his hands. The dark haired girl screamed and Hatch noticed that Pop's hand was bleeding.
"HANG ON, POPS! HANG ON!"
The hunter skidded across the ground and Hatch sighed in relief when he was able to plant his feet without dropping the girl. The amount of emotion that crossed his face was far more than Hatch could understand.
"KATE! ARE YOU ALRIGHT?"
"YES! I dropped my flashlight."
He started to lower her in again when he heard her scream and the rope went slack. A beam of light suddenly shot out of the hole of the hatch, as the hunter and Hatch looked on in amazement.
"That's the light you told me of, isn't it?"
"Yes. We need to get down there. I am going to lower you first, but you need to listen to me. You stay. I mean it. Don't wander. We don't know what is down there. I will slide down after you and untie you then."
"All right, Pops. I'll wait till you get there."
He lowered Hatch into the shaft and made a mental note to give him kudos for being quiet. He was only 4 months old, but he was proving to be much bigger than his size.
The hunter landed with a small splash. He stood for a moment listening for any signs of someone nearby. When he heard no movement, he bent over, and untied Hatch, putting a finger to his lips to keep him quiet. "Whatever you do, do not bark."
Hatch cocked his head, but understood. He must use his inside voice. He put his nose to the floor and sniffed the immediate area. It took a minute but he found her scent.
"Pops! She went this way!"
Part 2.4
The hunter took off his shoes and stuck them neatly against the wall. Hatch stayed close to his heel and walked softly behind him. He shined his light this way and that and stopped periodically to listen. As they went through the tunnels, they found all sorts of weird things about. He stopped for a moment to look at a mural and Hatch shook his head.
"Someone is getting a big time out for drawing on the wall."
"I think they meant to do that."
"Oh. How about I add the mark of Hatch?" He placed a muddy paw up leaving a nice paw-print. "Now they know who they are dealing with."
"Yes, I'm sure they are very frightened. Which way?"
"Over this way. Pops, I can hear her. Listen!"
A soft moan sounded in an area that looked to be a kitchen. The dark haired girl was lying on the floor, and Hatch ran up and licked her face.
"Is she okay, Pops?"
She reached up and put her hand on her forehead.
"Kate, are you alright?"
She half sat up, leaning back on her arms. "Behind you," she uttered. The hunter looked up to see the barrel of a shotgun pointed at his head.
"Are you him?" asked the stranger.
"Yes, yes I am," the hunter replied.
"What's invisible and smells like carrots?"
"I don't know."
"Who are you? Why are you here?
Hatch started to growl and the hunter put up his hand to stop him. He pointed to the floor, and Hatch lay at his side.
"Smart pup."
"You should see me with polar bears," Hatch added, as the hunter told him to hush.
"We crashed here."
"When?"
"Forty-four days ago."
"I don't believe you." He pointed the barrel of his gun at the dark haired girl. "Tie him up."
The hunter interjected, "Wait she's the fugitive, you should tie her up."
"Fine then, do it."
