Chapter 26: Darkness & Light
Darkness was all Marshall could see he felt the world round him fading as the darkness began to take hold he felt no pain he was at peace, but that peace was soon broken by Skye's screams.
"Marshall please you have to get up!" Skye begged him, landing besides him she nudged him with her nose but he was motionless
"Skye what's happening up there?" Ryder asked through Chase's pup tag
"He won't wake up" Skye answered back "Ryder the cliff's going to fall! with Marshall on it!"
The cracks began to grow in length, a part of the cliff began to collapse just feet away from Marshall
"MARSHALL!" All the pups cried out
"I'm going up there" Ryder starting running up the narrow track
"Ryder its too dangerous!" Skye yelled down
"We're coming too" The pups said following him
Ryder stopped and turned around "No I need you all down here"
"Huh" Rocky said in a confused voice
"But but but but but but" Chase began to say
"Chase I need you here, ready with your net to catch Marshall if he falls" Ryder said continuing running towards the top of the canyon's edge
"Pwease be careful Wyder!" Zuma cried to him
"Yeah!" Rubble agree'd
The pups didn't realize but they were right in the way of the collapsing cliff
"LOOK OUT!" Chase was the first to notice large clumps of hard dirt falling towards them
"Run!" Rocky yelled pushing Zuma out the way
Chase, Rocky, Rubble and Zuma managed to get out the way but Everest was frozen, she saw and knew what was happening but she couldn't move
"Everest!" Ryder yelled looking back seeing her standing there
Just as the dirt was about to collide with Everest, someone attached to rope swung across the canyon grabbing Everest and pulling her out the way
THUD the dirt hit the ground and shattered, dirt flew everywhere hitting the pups. Ryder paused shocked (Did they all get out the way in time?) He asked himself staring down, he couldn't see due to dust in the air
"EVEREST?!" Chase cried out, coughing wiping dust out his eye's
"Everest! Where are you?!" Rubble called also coughing
Silence
"Pups?!" Ryder yelled seeing the dust clearing
"Ruff! Megaphone" Chase said "We're ok Ryder sir"
Ryder was relieved, seeing all 4 pups safe but Everest was nowhere to been seen, until Skye noticed something on the other side of the canyon
"Ryder look!" She yelled running towards him, Ryder looked at Skye, she was pointing to something
All the pups glanced over the river, to see Silvera un-clipping herself from some rope which was attached to the top of the canyon wall, Jake was waving down at them, the pups saw Everest standing next to her. They didn't get time to say anything as another section of the cliff collapsed falling meter's away from them
"Dudes move out the way" Jake yelled down to them
Rubble, Rocky, Zuma and Chase ran to a safe distant where if the cliff collapsed completely they wouldn't get hit
"Where's Wyder?" Zuma asked looking up noticing he had vanished
"There!" Chase pointed seeing the top of Ryder's head
Skye showed Ryder where Marshall was "Ryder he's over there" Skye said as Ryder made it to the top of the cliff, to see Marshall motionless surrounded by cracks
Everything was fading Marshall let the darkness consume him, he felt his heart began to fail he was about to give up when he heard a voice call out his name, but he didn't know who it was
"Marshall wake up" the voice called, as a warm hand was placed around his neck "He's breathing but barely" The voice said
Marshall tried to fight the darkness, as he felt the hand shift from his neck to his tummy he felt his body get lifted up of the dirt as this person held him tightly
"Ryder?" Skye was shocked seeing him pick the limp Marshall up
Suddenly the ground surrounding Ryder and Skye began to give way
"Skye get out of here! now!" Ryder ordered
"What about you?" She answered worried
"Just get away" He yelled to her
"Ruff! Wings!" Skye said taking off the ground and flying above Ryder's head
Suddenly the edge crumbled and Ryder fell still holding Marshall
"RYDER!" All the pups screamed in horror
Marshall could feel himself and this person falling, falling, falling then there was nothing but darkness. It completely consumed him, finally he gave in letting the darkness take him.
Minutes passed and he managed to open his eye's to find himself laying on sand (Where am I? how did I get here?) he asked himself confused he looked up to see blue sky, he felt no pain where his wound was and his paw didn't hurt, Marshall sat up he saw an ocean in front of him
"Huh? I'm on a beach?" Marshall said out loud
"Hello there, so your finally awake hey"
Marshall jumped to see a beautiful woman sitting next to him, her hair was long and it was the color of a golden sunset she was dressed in white her eye's were blue like the sky
"Who... are you?" He asked her
She didn't answer, she just looked out at the ocean "Its beautiful isn't it?" She smiled
"Huh?" Marshall was confused "Where am I?" he asked her
"Oh you don't remember anything huh?" She said standing to her feet "Come walk with me"
Marshall stood up and followed her "Is this..." He paused "Am I?"
She looked down at him "Yes, but its alright" She smiled again
A tear fell down Marshall cheek "I couldn't fight it"
"Fight what?" The woman asked
Marshall shook his head
She stopped at the edge of water, as waves crashed on the shore "Ocean is beautiful, there's so much humans do not understand"
"But I can't be!" Marshall burst out crying "I was weak!" he sat down on the sandy beach
"Marshall, no" The woman bent down besides him "No one can fight was is, and what soon will be"
Marshall was confused "What?"
"It does not make one weak, you are more brave then you realize" she picked up a shell "Everything has a reason"
Marshall was more confused (I don't understand anything she's saying, I don't know why I'm here) he thought to himself
"Its alright, you do not need to understand" She looked into his eye's
"You heard my thoughts?" he asked her
"I hear everything, I feel what you feel, there is no reason to be confused or to be scared" she looked at the shell in her hand "Take this shell, it is so small but neither the less it is very beautiful, size does not matter in life in fact great things come in small packages"
"How do I go back?" Marshall asked changing the subject
The woman looked down at him "You cannot"
Marshall felt his heart break
"Come" She stood up again, Marshall followed her
Suddenly the beach began to change, it disappeared and was replaced by a green grassy meadow. They walked through the grass to a picnic area, there were kids and pups playing she lead Marshall to a picnic blanket, there were food laid out on it
"Sit" She smiled at him sitting down
Marshall sat next to her "What is this place?"
"This is the beginning of everyone's journey, it's what ever you make it" She grabbed an apple and took a bite
"Its beautiful" Marshall said watching two boys kick a ball to a pup
"Everything has beauty Marshall, it depends how you look at it, and sometimes when something bad happens it turns into something good" she gave him a bone
"I don't feel hungry" he pushed the bone away "I like it here, but I miss the other pups" Tears kept falling down Marshall's cheek dripping on the blanket
The woman gave him a pat "We know but your true body is broken Marshall"
"What?" He said in shock
"This was the only way to stop your pain" She looked up at a bird flying in the sky
Marshall paused for a moment "Is Ryder here too?" he asked curious
"Ryder? No he is not" She turned her eye's to him
"But why? he.." The woman cut him off
"He is not dead, he's very much alive" She smiled
Marshall felt a warm feeling fill his body "I thought he was dead"
"Looks can be conceiving Marshall" she said "You have someone back home who loves you more then you know"
Marshall paused for a moment "Everest?" He asked
The woman smiled and nodded suddenly voices were heard they echo'd across the meadow and into Marshall's ears, he heard Ryder's voice calling him
"Ryder!?" Marshall stood up looking around
"Well It seems its not your time Marshall" The woman smiled at him standing up next to him "Your friends need you"
"How do I go back?" he asked her
"Let the darkness take you" she handed him a drink "Drink up"
Marshall began to drink this orange colored fluid, the woman leaned over and gave him a kiss she picked him up and threw him in the air
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Marshall screamed looking down seeing the woman waving to him, as he flew higher in the sky the meadow disappeared
"Have faith Marshall" The woman said in his mind "Go back to your friends" then there was nothing, nothing but darkness
Meanwhile Ryder was pacing backwards and forwards in the operating room at Ranger HQ
"Marshall please, don't give up" Ryder mumbled to himself "We need you" Ryder paused looking over
"He's alive!" Anna said removing her hands off Marshall's chest, she wiped sweat off her forehead "I managed to start his heart"
"What!" Ryder said running over, Anna had once again saved his life "Anna thank your so much"
"Its ok Ryder, he's alive that's all that matters" Anna then placed an oxygen mask on him "He's extremely weak though, but I've stopped the internal bleeding" She attached him to a heart monitor machine, and put a drip in one of his good paws "Do you want me to tell the pups?" She asked
"Yes please" Ryder answered smiling kneeling besides Marshall's bed
Anna nodded then walked out of the operating room
The darkness gave way to light as Marshall regained consciousness, slowly opening his eye's he flinched as the pain exploded through his body
"Marshall, thank goodness!" Ryder smiled giving him a kiss on his head "I thought we lost you that time" Ryder wiped away tears
"Ryder?" Marshall questioned as he blinked several times "What happened?" he asked, as tears fell from his eye's
Ryder just looked down at him "I'm here Marshall, your safe now" He smiled "But now's not the time for questions" he said wiping the tears from his cheeks
In the infirmary the pups were all waiting for news when Anna walked in
"Anna?" Chase said running over to her
"Is Marshall ok?" Everest asked holding onto Marshall's cap
"Pups" Anna started to say, kneeling down next to Chase, as the others ran over
"Oh no" Skye's heart sank
Anna couldn't hold back the smile "He's alive! He's in serious condition but I stabilized him"
"Yay!" Skye performed a back flip
"We knew he wouldn't give up!" Rubble cheered
"That's our Marshall!" Rocky joyfully howled
"He's a fighter" Zuma smiled
"Can we see him?" Everest asked nervously
Anna thought for a moment "Sure, but try not to ask him too many questions, he's still very weak"
"Alright thanks Anna" Chase said as Anna lead them into the operation room, then she walked out
Marshall was happy he was back, he was staring up in Ryder's eye's he couldn't believe Ryder was alright when he heard the pups come in
They saw Marshall laid on a bed, Ryder walked over to them
"Pups we need to whisper" Ryder said walking back over to Marshall
"Ryder how is he?" Everest asked placing Marshall's cap on the floor
Ryder turned and looked at her "Weak, but he's alive"
Chase was the first to jump up on Marshall's bed
"Hey buddy, you scared us" Chase said giving Marshall a gentle hug
Skye jumped up "You alright?" She asked sitting next to Chase
Marshall just nodded and smiled weakly
Zuma jumped up next "Marshall dude good too see you awake" he said scratching his own ear
Rocky followed by Rubble jumped up and sat on the other side of Marshall's bed
"You look good" Rubble smiled trying to be cheerful
"Yeah! but you had us all worried" Rocky gave Marshall a hug
"We all missed you" Ryder said walking over, he turned to see Everest sitting on the floor next to Marshall's cap "Pups lets give them some space"
"Ok Ryder" Chase answered giving Marshall one last hug before jumping down
"Take it easy dude!" Zuma jumped down and waited for the others
"We love you Marshall" Skye gave him a lick which got Everest's attention, Marshall blushed and just nodded as Rubble, Rocky and Skye jumped down
"Cya Marshall" They all said as they followed Ryder out
Everest picked up Marshall's cap and placed it on the ground then approached his bed, wiping away tears she jumped up next to him
"Marshall, I I I" She tried to say it but choked as tears fell down her cheeks
"Everest, its ok" Marshall smiled at her, looking her into her eye's "I know" He coughed
Everest paused "You do?"
Marshall nodded, removing his oxygen mask so he could speak more clearly
"Marshall what are you.." Before Everest had a chance to say anything, Marshall forced his head next to her's and licked her cheek
"I love you" Marshall said in her ear
"Oh Marshall" She smiled and licked him back "I should have told you age's ago"
Marshall laid his head back on the pillow and smiled then coughed, Everest put the oxygen mask back on him
"I have something for you" She said jumping off the bed and picked up his cap then jumped back up "I found it in the river" She said placing it next to him
Marshall smiled "Thank you" he felt peace, joy, overwhelmed by happiness the woman dressed in white was right, some bad things do turn out for the better good but he noticed one of Everest's back paws was bandaged
She saw Marshall looking, and smiled "I'm ok, this was an injury I got when you were unconscious" She smiled giving him a lick
Marshall weakly smiled and coughed
Back in the infirmary Ryder was talking with the pups
"There's still jobs to be done, the Park opens in less then 4 days" Ryder said "I know your all worried about Marshall, but right now what he needs is rest"
"Ryder sir what do you need?" Chase asked wagging his tail, happy Marshall was alive
When Silvera walked in followed by Jake and Katie
"G'day pups, Ryder" She said noticing the smiles on everyone's face
"Hi Silvera" Rocky wagged his tail
Katie walked over to Ryder "How's Marshall?" She asked giving Ryder a hug
"He's alive" Ryder smiled hugging her back
"But he's extremely weak" Anna said walking out of her office "He will need hourly check up's"
"I can help you with that" Katie said releasing from the hug
Anna nodded and walked into the operation room
"Katie" Ryder looked at her
"Yes Ryder?" She answered
"Thank you" He smiled at her "You've been great"
"Your welcome" Katie gave him a kiss on his cheek, then walked into the operation room
Silvera looked stressed, her eye's were red and puffy
"Silvera are you ok?" Ryder asked the Ranger
"I'm fine, I haven't slept is all" She said looking at her communicator "There's just so much that still needs doing, the road needs repairing signs need to be put up"
"We can help" Chase said looking at the other pups
"Yeah!" They all agree'd
Silvera looked puzzled "No you have done plenty for us, and all we've done in return is given you grief" She frowned
"Don't blame yourself for what happened to Marshall" Ryder said placing his hand on her shoulder
"Yeah, we're the Paw Patrol its our duty to help!" Rubble smiled then ate a snack
"No park is too big! No pup is too small" Chase grinned
"Thank you, but we will handle these jobs" She took Ryder's hand off her shoulder "Marshall needs you, all of you"
"Marshall needs rest" Ryder said looking the ranger in her eye's "You called us remember?"
"Yes I know, but Ryder should we opened the Park? After everything that has happened, especially to the Paw Patrol" She questioned
"No you can't refuse to open the park" Skye said
"After all the work you've put into this place, there's no way your not going to open it!" Chase stood tall
Silvera smiled "Please forgive us for everything that happened"
"We don't need to forgive you" Ryder said looking down at the pups
"Yeah!" Zuma agreed
"Just tell us what you need help with and we'll do it" Ryder said kneeling down giving Rocky a scratch
"Wait till tomorrow" Silvera smiled "Get some rest first" with that she left the infirmary
Chase walked over to Skye
"Hey um Skye" He said sitting besides her
"Yes Chase?" She answered smiling at him, which made him blush
"Its, well, I, um, I want to say..." He got cut off as Everest walked into the infirmary smiling ear to ear
"Everest!" Skye said happily running over to her, leaving Chase sitting alone
Ryder noticed Chase by himself so he walked over and sat down next to him
"Hi Chase, is something wrong?" Ryder asked looking at him
"Ryder sir, how do you tell someone you like them?" Chase frowned
"Are you talking about Skye?" Ryder looked over at Skye who was talking with Everest and Rubble, Rocky and Zuma
Chase nodded "Every time I try to tell her we get interrupted or I freeze" Chase looked away from Skye
"Just be yourself, and don't worry it'll all work out in the end" Ryder stood up "Lets get ready for bed pups"
"Ok Ryder" The pups answered as they followed him out of the infirmary
"Um Skye, can I talk to you?" Chase asked stopping
Skye turned around and smiled "Sure Chase"
Ryder looked back seeing Skye walk towards Chase he smiled
To be continued