Ghost Town
Chapter One
"Max!" Jaime called, her bionic legs barely able to keep up with the dog. "C'mon, gimme a break! Max!" They'd been out for a leisurely walk to enjoy the exceptionally beautiful day when Max apparently decided to challenge Jaime to a rousing game of Chase the Puppy. Trouble was, the 'puppy' was a full-grown German Shepherd with some very special qualities. Great idea, Rudy, Jaime thought to herself, making an animal bionic.
Jaime had just returned to Ojai from her annual work-out, check-up and fine-tuning session with Rudy, and Max happened to have been 'in the shop' at the same time. Rudy had thought it would do both Jaime and Max a world of good to spend a few weeks together. She'd been instrumental in the dog's initial training, 18 months earlier, helping Max acclimate to his new abilities and saving his life when the dog suffered bionic rejection (as she herself once had). She'd pleaded with Rudy and Oscar that they hadn't even thought of 'putting her down' when it had happened to her. With the extra chance at life Jaime'd managed to win for him, max had flourished. Although they hadn't seen each other in many months, Jaime and Max had been thrilled at their reunion, and they'd left Rudy's complex together, one humming a happy tune and the other joyfully wagging his tail.
Jaime wasn't feeling especially happy or joyful now, though, as she puzzled at the normally loyal dog's sudden disobedience. A sharp word from her lips would be all it would take to set him back on the straight and narrow, but she had to find him first. Jaime stopped to look around; there was no sign of the dog.
"Max!!!" she called once more, before remembering she didn't have to yell. Max had been at Rudy's complex to have his hearing 'enhanced'. "This isn't funny, Buddy," Jaime said softly. She stood completely still, and her ear picked up an unexpected sound: a baby crying. They were in the middle of nowhere, and no civilization meant no baby. Was Max hurt? No - this was definitely a human infant in distress. Three more sounds came in rapid succession: Thud!, a canine whimper - Max! - and...silence.
Alarmed and a little frightened, Jaime took off at top speed in the direction of the sounds. She found Max, teeth bared, hackles straight up and growling, just outside the entrance to a dilapidated barn. When he saw Jaime, he acknowledged her with a thump of his tail but remained on full alert. Jaime peered into the barn, which appeared to be deserted, then decided to head up the hill to a farmhouse that looked like no one had lived there in decades.
Max barked loudly, and when she didn't stop, he trotted after Jaime, taking her arm very gently in his jaw and tugging her back toward the empty barn.
"Knock it off, Max," she said crossly, shaking him off and trying to continue up the hill. The dog was as stubborn as Jaime was, though, barking and turning in circles before taking her arm again. "Alright, ok - I'm coming," she muttered.
This time, she went inside the barn while Max, his fur standing on edge, stayed glued to her side. Jaime looked at the moldy hay, empty stalls and inch-thick layer of dirt and dust that seemed to be everywhere. The doors at the far end of the barn stood wide open, and as they headed in that direction, something small and metallic lying on the furthest bale caught Jaime's eye.
Lying on top of the rotten hay and the dust, as though it had just fallen or been placed there, was a sterling silver baby rattle.
------
Ten minutes later, Jaime still stood frozen in place, trying to process what this all might mean and calm a completely spooked German Shepherd. The light, pleasant Spring breeze began to swirl and whip around them - even inside the barn - with the force of a small gale, blowing dust into their eyes and blinding them. Max whimpered softly and ran out the back door. Jaime moved to follow him, but the wind slammed the door shut in her face. She turned to run out of the entranceway and hit a second closed door, head-on. The wind, and the world, grew silent.
------
Rudy was confused. He stood outside Jaime's house, wondering if she'd forgotten about him. Unlikely, since they'd just spoken on the phone that morning. He was supposed to be meeting her for lunch, on his way out of state and back to DC. She knew he was coming; she'd invited him. He'd knocked, tried the doorbell, then knocked again, but she didn't answer and there was no happy, barked greeting from Max, either. She'd mentioned before hanging up the phone that she was taking the dog for a walk, but that had been hours ago and Rudy was not only confused; he was growing more worried by the minute. He and Oscar both had keys for Jaime's house, in case of emergencies, but he decided to wait just a little longer before he took that step.
Rudy heard Max crying before he saw him. When the dog spotted a friendly face, he took off at a gallop toward Rudy, stopped directly in front of him and started barking frantically. The doctor had suspected something was wrong before; now he was certain. Jaime would never have let Max take off without being somewhere very close behind him. He patted the dog's head and scratched his ears to try and calm him, then headed inside Jaime's house, motioning for Max to follow.
"Oscar?" Rudy began when his friend picked up the phone, "we've got a problem..."
------