Restless We Wait
Chapter VIII
"STATION 51...CAR OVER CLIFF...CRAGGY MOUNTAIN ROAD ABOUT 4 MILES FROM ENTRANCE RAMP...CRAGGY MOUNTAIN ROAD ...TIME OUT 0245..."
"Ten four, KMG 365," Captain Stanley acknowledged as he scribbled the information on a note pad. He pulled his suspenders over his shoulders and slipped on his turnout coat. Roy passed by at a trot and Hank gave him the copy as he passed.
After pausing by the large area map to locate the accident, all the men climbed into their respective vehicles. The bay doors opened slowly and noisily and the trucks pulled out, their sirens shrieking into the pre-dawn morning, breaking the silence with their mournful call.
E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!
Consciousness slowly returned and Dixie tried to figure out who was moaning in the bed beside her when memory brought back the accident. She tried to sit up straighter to relieve some of the pressure on her legs but was quickly thwarted by the big cat laying across her, successfully pinning her to the seat. What she had thought was the rumble of a small motor turned out to be a low rumbling purr from the animal sharing her car seat.
Surprise and shock held her still. Then the cat turned and blinked it's luminous eyes at her and a rough pink tongue raked across her chin and cheeks.
"Uck! That hurt, you big oaf! Get off me!" Dixie tried to move the animal, but was defeated by the passive resistance from the cat. Its purr grew louder and the animal pressed Dixie more firmly against the seat.
With a swiftness Dixie was not expecting, the cat's purr changed to a low warning growl. Cold seeped into the wrecked vehicle, followed by a deep tense darkness. The cat wrapped itself firmly around Dixie and growled even louder.
Dixie sat still, unable to move more than an inch one way or the other. The large cat, a cougar, she realized, was between her and whatever had caused her to loose control of the vehicle. Its presence was reassuring, if not plain warm, so Dixie relaxed and did the only thing she could do; wait.
The coldness grew more intense. Dixie was able to glance through the cracked side window and the total blackness gave her pause. She strained to look toward the sky, but all she could see was black.
A feeling of dread and fear worked its way up her spine. The fear was unreasonable, she told herself. No one would hurt her with a hundred pound cougar sitting on her. Then again, they could not help, either!
Judging time was impossible in the darkness. She had forgotten to put her watch back on after assisting in an emergency surgery. The longer she sat in the car, the colder she grew, but the cougar refused to let her up, or out.
Something moved outside the car. There was no definite shape, only a deep shadow of the darkness. A misty tendril trailed across the broken glass leaving a line of moisture behind. It also left a shiver running up and down Dixie's spine once more. Something short of a hissing whisper filtered through the closed window. It almost sounded like a voice, but too soft to be certain.
E!E!E!E!E!E!E!
IT stopped short of the car. Inside was ITS prey, but a feline of huge proportions had appeared and now lay protectively across the intended victim. IT writhed in anger. IT sent the coldness filled with fear into the mechanical creature to try and flush the ONE, but the cat refused to budge and ITS prey was safe.
IT brushed against the car, having drawn the information from this One's mind. IT trailed across the cracked glass and left ITS mark so the cat would know it could not win. Darkness was on ITS side now and no lights penetrated the area.
IT felt the warning growl, but a sense of sheer pleasure coursed through IT and a knowing of triumph was at hand kept IT from leaving in anger. IT watched the cat, waiting patiently.
Something moved overhead. Lights! IT hissed and started to draw back, but the lights went on after a short time. IT moved in once more, triumph written in the darkness.
E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!
Dixie drifted in and out of consciousness. She had no idea how much time had passed. At one point she thought she had seen lights, but then darkness fell again and she dropped back into the world of unknowing.
The cougar watched her. Its luminous eyes glowed in the darkness. Twice it purred deeply and brought the woman back. Help was on the way now. IT could not, would not win. This night would be ITS undoing.
In the distance the mournful wail of double sirens was heard and the cougar perked its ears in the direction from which the sound came. Another deep purr emanated from its throat and Dixie felt the vibrations change from a croon to a deeper, more anxious call. She stirred once and thought she heard a siren, then fell back into the darkness of unconsciousness.
E!E!E!E!E!E!E!
"There, I see a hole in the brush!" Johnny pointed the area out to his partner. "Slow down now, this curve is a bad one." Johnny grabbed the mic and radioed to the engine following them, "Cap, I think we found it. There's some bushes down and possible skid marks."
"Ten-four, Squad 51," Captain Stanley answered and motioned to Mike to slow and be ready to pull over.
Mike nodded his acknowledgement and shifted the big rig down.
"Marco, you and Chet check for any signs of fire. I'll radio in for a brush team and more lights!" Hank swung around and opened his door before the engine came to a full halt behind the squad. "See anything?"
"No," Roy said flatly, "It's too dark down there to see anything. Johnny, pull the squad around so the lights are shining out over the ravine."
Johnny waved and climbed into the squad. Moments later the high beams cut a swatch through the darkness and the glint of light off of something metal caught their eyes.
"Over there!" Roy pointed.
"Okay, get what gear you think you'll need and get ready to go down. I've got back up on the way and we'll have more light." Captain Stanley turned to the others, "Marco, Chet, any signs of fire visible?"
"I see what might be smoke down there, but it could just be mist." Marco stood looking into the steep drop off to the ravine. "Cap! I think something's down there that isn't human! It looks like a cougar!"
"What?" Captain Stanley joined Marco where he was standing, "Where? All I see is gray mist."
"Watch, you'll see a shadow move. It looks like a cat."
Hank stared at the darkness then sucked in a breath, "I believe you're right, Marco!" The Captain turned and called to the paramedics, "Roy, you and Johnny better wait until the lights get here."
Roy jogged to his captain, "Why? What did you see down there?"
"Looks like a big cat from the hills has joined the sight. I'm calling in animal control, they may have to shoot it."
Johnny peered into the darkness from where he was standing beside the squad. He, too, saw the shape of a large feline and sucked in a breath in surprise. He knew that the cougars rarely came this far from the hills.
Something dark and gray moved in the blackness edging the lights of the ravine. Johnny strained his eyes trying to catch a glimpse of whatever it was. An uneasy feeling crept over him and lodged in his gut. For reasons unknown he glanced into the night sky and noted the clouds that hid an almost full moon. The crunch of dry grass and a hand on his shoulder made him jump.
"Dang! Don't be sneaking up on a guy! Give some warning, why don't ya!" His heart finally settled back in to his chest and slowed its rapid pace.
"Sorry, Junior. I thought you heard me coming. What are you looking at so hard?"
Johnny shook his head, "I don't know, but there's something down there that's not human, or animal. Can't you feel it?"
Roy did not want to admit to the feeling he had, but listening to his partner made him feel better for his fear, and more willing to admit to it.
"I feel it, too. Something nasty's down there. I can almost feel the freezing cold that's emanating from whatever it is." Roy looked at his partner's face and saw the expression written there. "What? You think it has something to do with that book Chet's been reading?"
"I dunno, but I've been thinking a lot about it, and the spell that's got the missing counter spell is the one Chet read out loud to himself at the station."
"But he said he didn't do the ritual all the way..." Roy started to say but stopped as Johnny shook his head.
"Doesn't matter with that stuff. What may have started out as harmless can turn sour if it isn't completed, or is done only half way. I don't usually hold to that voodoo type stuff, or witch craft, or whatever, but too many things have happened that can't be coincidental."
"You're talking about the destruction at the station?"
"That and all the random killings since Chet got that book. They're related, they have to be."
Roy had no answer. His partner was actually making sense, and that scared him worse than the THING waiting in the dark down below.
"Make sure those lights cover as much as the ravine as possible!" Captain Ashton of 210 called to his men. They had arrived on the scene five minutes earlier and had immediately begun to set up the halogen lights needed for the rescue.
E!E!E!E!E!E!E!
Down in the ravine IT seethed and boiled. The lights hurt! The cougar just sat and waited, unwilling to leave its charge until the others had arrived to take control. IT recoiled into the darkness as one light after another sent its hurtful rays down.
IT would wait. Time was on ITS side, or so IT felt. The cougar knew differently, since it could tell the coming of morning was near.
Finally the cougar rose and passed from the car and between IT and ITS prey. The cougar sat still and alert to any movement by IT. A low growl and the twitch of the tail was all that showed there was life in the big cat.
E!E!E!E!E!E!E!
Johnny and Roy tied themselves to the safety lines then slowly worked their way to the wrecked vehicle. The cougar was now sitting outside the car with its back to them. A low growl floated on the cold morning air and both men moved cautiously.
"Let's hope that big guy doesn't decide we're his next meal,' Roy said quietly as they approached the vehicle.
"I don't think it's paying any attention to us right this minute," Johnny answered just as quietly.
Roy stopped beside the car and peered in the broken window.
Johnny heard him suck in a breath and asked, "Roy? You okay?"
"It's Dixie."
"What?" Johnny moved a little faster to get beside the car and he, too, peered in through the window.
The head nurse at Rampart was half sitting/half lying in the seat. The only thing holding her in place was a seatbelt. A large welt was on her forehead and a trickle of blood ran from her mouth. Her eyes were closed, but both men could see her chest rise and fall as she breathed.
"Well, she's alive." Johnny turned and placed the drug box on the ground. "We gonna need the K-12?"
"The door doesn't look too damaged, maybe we can get it open." Roy placed the bio-phone on the ground and pulled his gloves from his hip pocket. Suddenly he paused and looked around. A shiver ran up his spine and lodged a cold dread in his chest. The temperature had dropped in the few seconds they had been by the car and a new feeling was slowly creeping into the pair.
"You feel that?" Johnny asked.
"Yeah, and I don't like it." Roy looked around again and stopped on the black spot just out of the light's beam. "Look over there, by the cougar." He pointed carefully.
"I see it. I think that big cat is keeping it at bay."
"That or the lights," Roy agreed. "Come on, let's get this door open and get out of here."
"You don't hear me arguing." Johnny had drawn on his gloves and was holding a pry bar at the ready.
"On the count of three, then," Roy said and at Johnny's nod, braced himself to pull.
Several things happened at once. The door screeched open, the darkness drew closer and the cougar pounced.
Johnny and Roy practically dived into the car and scrambled across the unconscious woman in their haste. Roy pulled the door as closed as possible behind him then turned to see his partner moping at his brow where a jagged piece of glass had cut him.
"You okay there?" Roy asked.
"Yeah, it's not as bad as it looks. Man, what is that THING?"
"I don't know, but I sure didn't want to stay around and find out!"
The cougar was pacing back and forth in front of the car. Its tail switched rapidly and angrily. Low rumbles and hisses came from the pacing animal as the darkness swirled and boiled.
"Now what?" Johnny asked.
"We do what we can from here." Roy pulled the HT from his pocket. "Squad 51 to Engine 51."
"What's going on down there?" Captain Stanley's voice came across the HT loud and clear.
"Seems the cougar decided to pounce on something down here. We're in the car with the victim. It's Dixie McCall from Rampart. We're going to need a back board, stokes and a C-collar. We'll have to treat her top side."
"Okay, hang tight. Marco and Chet are on their way down."
Johnny looked out the window and heaved a sigh of relief. "The cat's gone, want to try and get her out?"
"Let's wait for back up."
What felt like hours, but was only minutes, later, Chet and Marco were at the car. Marco tapped on the window and then helped reopen the door.
"Did you see what that cat was doing?" Chet asked, awed by the animal's size. "I don't want to be on the receiving end of his paws." A grunt was the only reply anyone gave.
E!E!E!E!E!E!E!
"Okay, on the count of three," Roy gave the signal and the four men lifted the stokes with the injured nurse inside. They began the trek up the hill when the cougar stepped in front of them and sat down. The men froze in place, unsure as to what to do.
"Johnny, talk to it!" Chet whispered.
"What?" Johnny said, incredulously. "Who do you think I am, Dr. Doolittle? I can't talk to that cat!"
A reply by the stocky Irishman was cut short when Marco held out his hand to the cougar. He wiggled his fingers and chirruped at the animal.
"What are you doing?" Chet hissed at his partner.
"Talking to it," Marco answered. He chirruped again and made a meowing sound. The cat perked its ears at the fireman and purr-uped back at him.
The cougar rose and walked to Marco. It rubbed its large head against his extended hand then stepped around all four of the men and their patient. The cat sat down between the men and the darkness behind them. It gave a warning growl and Marco stepped away, forcing the others to follow him.
"You're Dr. Doolittle now?" Chet said, shaking his head.
"That's no ordinary cougar, Chet. Did you see the stripes along the coat? And it's a 'she', not a 'he'."
"And you know this because?" Johnny puffed.
Marco shrugged, "I just do."
A noise behind them made their blood run cold. The freezing cold had returned and was creeping up faster than the men could move. They felt their limbs becoming heavy and lethargy entered their bodies.
"Keep moving!" Johnny said. "We're almost at the top!"
All looked up and into a darkness that had not been there before. It pitched and boiled. Tendrils of darkness kept flaring from the deep center, sending a chill up each man's spine and into his heart.
Marco and Chet swallowed convulsively. "What is that thing?" Marco whispered.
"Where's the guys on top?" Roy asked into the stillness. "I can't see them."
It was then that the others noticed the absence of light.