Chapter 6
Cleo sat up from the living room rug, surprised by the scratch on the door. It had hardly been more than a half-hour according to the grandfather clock in the corner. She watched the kitchen from the living room as Rosy bounded down the stairs with a toy train and a new sweater wrapped tightly around her. She opened the door and gave Benson a pat and compassionate, "Good boy. Come on in out of that cold." She closed the door and went back up the stairs as Benson moved to the edge of the fire and sat with a deeply disturbed look.
"Benson?" Cleo said gently.
He didn't answer. He stared into the fire and the hot coals which burned behind the chain-link fireguard like a lost soul.
Cleo moved closer to her mate. "Benson, is something wrong?" She let her left paw touch his right one.
His eyes moved to her paw and then to her face in a reflex action. Cleo saw the look of pain in his eyes. It was the kind of look which told her Benson had not only been stepped on, but was powerless to defend himself against it.
"Did something happen?" She asked.
"I feel betrayed." He replied "I feel as if my heart has been ripped out of my chest by the only one I ever held dear to it." He continued to stare into the fire.
"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked in as sweet a voice as she could. "I'll try and-"
"No!" He said with definitive bite in his voice. He turned and walked away from the fire and to the bottom of the stairs. Benson turned and looked at his mate. "Jenna can tell you what happened." With nothing more said, he turned and went up the stairs and vanished into one of the rooms.
Cleo turned back and looked into the fire and lay down to wait for Jenna to come home and tell the story. She didn't bother to go and talk to Benson. She knew better than to push him when he trapped himself in this state.
For a long time Benson laid at the foot of his master's bed and stared at the door waiting for someone to come and see him. Nobody did and he felt grateful for it. He didn't particularly want to talk to anyone, especially his daughter. He just wanted to lay there until it came time to get back on the boat and return to Mukluk. Unfortunately for Benson, his mind began to go around and around about the things he knew which he didn't want to know or even ask.
How could she betray him like this? How could she do it? Why didn't she just hide it from him? It would have been better to die having never met this Balto, then to have met him. Now he just didn't know. He just didn't know what to think. He didn't want her to know Balto. He especially didn't want Jenna to have children with this wolf. Now her children had wolf blood in them. It explained the feet on her son. Everything felt so wrong and out of order.
Benson closed his eyes and tried vainly to wake up from this terrible nightmare. It didn't work so he tried instead to fall asleep. This didn't work either. But as Benson's wandered through everything he knew about Balto, a small fact came to mind. If Jenna's story rang true, then there would be one dog who possibly hated Balto more than he. One dog who might be young enough and lustful enough to get Balto back. One dog who might still love Jenna and take care of her better than a mongrel wolf who lives on a boat out on the edge of town.
Benson rose to his feet and went to the window. The window stood open just a crack and he shoved his nose into it and raised the window up with a long creek. Benson took a look behind him to see if anybody had heard. Nobody came and Benson leaned his head out to see his way down.
About four feet below him a roof jettisoned out, which would lead to the woodpile and then to the ground. Benson jumped through the window and down to the roof. He then walked down to the corner of the roof and looked around to see if anybody might be watching. Nobody was around, and Benson jumped onto the wood pile and down onto the ground. He walked off as quickly as he could to find Steel and tell him of his plan.
Benson walked briskly through the town. He didn't want to be gone long less somebody notice his absence and wonder where he had gone to. The last thing he wanted would be too many nosy questions, especially with what he had in mind.
The sun set and the stars came out above the streets like pinholes in a giant blanket. Lamps came on here and there in the dark windows. A cold wind began to blow in from the north and choke the streets of life.
Here and there Benson found a dog or a group of dogs hiding from the wind. Each time he saw them he walked up and asked politely. "Do any of you happen to know where I can find a dog named Steel?"
Most of the time he got a shrug and an apology for not knowing. Occasionally he got a direction to where he might find somebody who would know. But each lead went nowhere, and every dog at the end of every dark alley didn't know anything. It seemed as though Benson had asked a hundred dogs, and not one of them could help.
Benson knew he should be getting back before somebody realized he had disappeared. He turned down an alley headed towards Jenna's with his head hung low in defeat. Benson walked half a block when a dog came rounding a corner in front of him and headed his way with a nonchalant strut. He didn't look like much of a dog. He looked quiet small and tan with darker stripes. What would it hurt to ask another dog, especially on his way home?
"Excuse me." Benson said as the small dog grew closer. "I was wondering if I could ask you a question."
The dog stopped in front of Benson and looked him over with a practiced eye for character. "I guess you can."
"Do you know where I can find a dog named Steel?"
"Steel?" The dog retorted with a laugh. "What do you want to know that lazy dog for?"
Benson smirked. "I just have some business to talk with him. Do you know where I can find him?"
The small dog shrugged his shoulders. "Sure. He spends most of his time in the abandoned bar over by the river. It's the one sliding off the bank into the water. Just go around back and up the stairs. He's probably in there somewhere. If he's not there just wait, he doesn't usually go far."
"Thank you." Benson smiled. "Now can I ask for directions on how to get to this place?"
The small dog's directions led him right to the front of the bar. The doors had been boarded up long ago and all the windows busted out and covered over with boards more recently. One side of the building hung a good three feet out over the river. The sidewalk in front hung crooked and broken for ten feet out over the water. The entire building leaned as if it would slide down the bank and crash into the water at any moment. On the other side of the building a small three foot wide alley led around to the back.
Benson followed the alley to the back, and just like the small dog said there stood a crooked set of stairs leading up to a second story. Benson stopped at the bottom of the stairs where an old muddy spot had frozen solid. He sniffed at the spot and looked at the prints sealed in it until next spring. A dog most definitely went up and down the stairs, and he did it quiet often by the smell.
Benson climbed the stairs quietly, taking each step with the same kind of care as crossing a bridge made of glass. At the top of the stairs he found a door left slightly ajar. Benson quietly pushed his way in and let his eyes adjust to the darkness of the hallway.
Everything inside leaned noticeably towards the river. He could see a table tipped over and a broken glass against the far corner of the hallway. On the floor were bones and bits and pieces of garbage leading in a trail. He could also hear someone breathing.
Benson pushed his way into the hallway and moved carefully along with his ears open and awake. The first room on his right had the door firmly shut and the trail of garbage stopped there. Behind it he could hear snoring and low mutterings.
Benson stopped in front of it and put his paw on the door. He pushed. The door moved in but wouldn't move easily against the carpet. He pushed with a firmer paw and the door opened enough for him to get in.
Inside the room looked torn apart like a wolf den. Garbage littered the floor from one end to the other and back. Against the walls the garbage and bones stood nearly six inches deep. Bones and meat scraps made the room stink like the inside of a rotting corpse. The wind blew in through a broken window covered over with drapes which ruffled noiselessly. The breeze only provided a small relief to the overpowering stench.
On the far wall from the door in the shadows Benson could make out a tattered mattress on the floor. A blanket sat ruffled over a sleeping body. Benson moved closer and stood looking down at a pair of legs and the tip of a white tail sticking out towards him.
It didn't take Benson more than a moment to asses the situation. This dog truly sat at the bottom of the totem pole. He had nothing, and Benson knew the name of the culprit who caused this dog's decent to the bottom of the barrel, and it was Balto.
Benson moved into the shadow in the corner near the bed and sat down to just let everything take hold. It did, and Benson sat there with a new resolve to scrub Balto off the face of the planet. But first he had to rouse Steel.
On the floor near Benson lay a dozen or so bones of various sizes with bits of dried or rotting meat left. Benson picket out a large bone and moved it with discretion. He then moved other bones until he had a clear shot. Then with a quick flick of his front right paw he sent the bone clattering across the floor to the door.
Instantly the dog under the blanket stood up and turned to the door. "Who's there?" He demanded shaking the covers from his back. He looked at the door. "Answer now!"
Benson remained silent. He watched the dog walk across the room, carefully moving towards the open door. Steel looked terrible. His fur looked dirty and stuck up in tufts all around his body. He had blotches of some sticky substance which made his fur thick and matted. On his right side the fur had become so matted and unclean it had started to fall off his body in clumps.
Steel stopped at the door and looked out into hallway. "Who's there?" He demanded again.
"I'm right here." Benson replied from his shadowy hiding place.
Steel turned and stood growling at Benson. "Who are you? What are you doing here? How did you get in? Never mind, get out!"
"Don't worry." Benson replied stepping out of the shadows. "I'm not here to do anything but talk to you."
"I don't want to talk. Now get out before I make you." Steel growled and lowered his head. He bared his teeth and took a stance to fight.
"I want to talk to you about a problem we both have."
"I have no problems." Steel growled. "My life is just fine. Now leave!"
"No." Benson replied sternly. "I want to talk."
Steel could tell he would get nowhere with this dog. "I said get out!" He barked as loud as he could.
"I want to talk to you about Balto."
At this Steel stopped baring his teeth, but remained in a fighting stance. He looked with new eyes at the dog intruding in his home. "Who are you?" He said in a calmer tone.
"My name is Benson. I am Jenna's father."
Steel took a moment to see if Benson was lying. He then sat up in an easier way and looked at Benson. "What do you want to say about Balto?"
"I want to know something else first."
"What?"
"I want to know if you want the best for my daughter."
Steel took a moment to answer. "I only want her to have, and to be, perfection."
Benson smirked. "Then do you want to help me remove the one spot of imperfection from her life?"
"Yes." Steel smiled.
"Good." Benson smiled. They both stood looking at each other with their devious grins. Benson turned and began to pace back and forth across the room. "I want to tell you of a plan I have for taking care of Balto for good. But I'm old and I cannot take care of Balto on my own. So I need to recruit a couple dogs to help me with my plan. Can you get a couple other dogs who will gladly take care of Balto and remain quiet about the whole thing?"
"I know of at least four or five who want nothing more than to have a chance to rip Balto to shreds." Steel grinned.
Benson moved to Steel and sat next to him. "Then let me share with you an idea I have."
Steel giggled maliciously. "I'm all ears."
Cleo heard the scratch on the door and sat up in anticipation. She looked to the kitchen and waited for somebody to come down the stairs and let Jenna in. Nobody jumped to the scene, so Cleo helped things out and barked a couple times. From up the stairs Rosy's mother came down and walked over to Cleo. "What's the matter? Why are you barking?"
Jenna scratched on the door again, and Rosy's mother went to the kitchen to let Jenna in. "I see what you were barking about." She opened the door and Jenna pushed her way in. She shook her fur off as the door closed behind her.
Rosy's mother went back up the stairs and Jenna went and sat next to her mother in front of the dying fire.
"Jenna," Cleo began. "What happened? You're father came in here telling me he felt like his heart had been ripped out."
Jenna looked at her mother. "I knew he wouldn't understand." She looked into the fire as if burning something away from her eyes.
"What happened with Balto?" Cleo pressed. "Something must have happened to bring your father down like that."
Jenna shrugged and looked back at her mother. "Everything went the way it was supposed to. Dad just didn't take it all to well." Jenna went silent, but her face said more would come. "I just wish daddy would have let all his resentment go. He just couldn't do it."
"His resentment for what?" Cleo asked.
Jenna looked at her mother. "Can I show you something?"
"Of course."
Jenna rose to her feet and went into the kitchen with Cleo trailing behind her. "I want you to meet Balto. I asked him to wait outside so you can meet him." Jenna scratched on the door and barked.
From upstairs they could hear people talking, then came the pattering of small feet. Rosy appeared at the other end of the kitchen. "What do you two want?" She moved to the door and grabbed the knob. "Do you want to go out? I know you just came in Jenna." She opened the door. "Yeah, you two want to go out." She closed the door behind them.
Cleo and Jenna let their eyes adjust to the dark of the evening. "Come on out Balto." Jenna called.
From the shadows something moved towards them. Jenna moved towards it then turned to her mother. "Mom, I'd like you to meet Balto."
Cleo had trouble letting her eye's adjust, but when they did she clearly recognized Balto's form. She looked at Jenna with a shock. "Oh, Jenna." She shook her head in loss. "Jenna, Jenna, Jenna … No wonder your father looked so down." She smiled as she let her eye's go up to Balto's face. "Don't get me wrong Balto. It's very nice to meet you. It's just Jenna's father has his issues with wolves."
"I know." Balto replied sweetly. "But what should we do now?"
Jenna shook her head. "I don't know."
Cleo looked at Balto. "Maybe we should just try and let this die. Maybe it would be for the better if Balto just laid low until we leave."
"Maybe it would." Balto said simply. "I'll just hide out for a couple days."
Cleo then looked at Jenna. "And don't worry Jenna. I'll talk to your father early tomorrow when he's ready."
For a while the three of them stood outside talking lightly and trying to ignore the fact of what would come. After a time Balto turned. "Well, it was nice meeting you Cleo. I don't know if I'll see you again. So …"
"Don't worry Balto. It was very nice to meet you. I know Jenna has a very caring dog – I mean …" She stopped with her loss of words. "A very fine lover." She grinned.
Balto grinned back at her. "Thank you Cleo. I guess I should get going before Benson wonders where you two are."
Balto began to turn away when Jenna shoved forwards and nuzzled Balto. "I'll talk to you in a few days after my parents have gone."
"I'll be out where I usually am." He said turning and walking away. Balto turned just before he went out of sight. "I'll be waiting." Balto then moved around the edge of a building and headed out towards the boat.
Little did any of them know of the two sets of eyes watching from the shadows.
Balto hadn't gone far down the back alleys towards the edge of town and his boat when he heard someone running up behind him. It had to be Jenna come to say one last goodbye, or else someone ready to fight. He turned cautiously and looked at who it was.
To Balto's surprise it wasn't Jenna, but Benson. He dogged on quickly with his tongue lolling out of his mouth. "Wait." He called when he saw Balto looking at him. "Please wait Balto."
Balto turned full around and stood ready to run away if Benson decided he wanted to fight.
Benson stopped in front of Balto and took a moment to catch his breath. "I just wanted to say a few things." He said quickly. As his breath caught up to him he raised his head and looked Balto full on in the face. "I just wanted to say I was sorry for what I did today. There's not excuse for my prejudice against you. I didn't expect … this." He said simply. "So I hope you can accept my apology Balto."
Balto felt his heart swell a little. "Of course I can Benson."
"And I hope you and me could become a little better acquainted on a walk."
"Right now?" Balto asked absently looking at the dark sky.
"No." Benson shook his head for effect. "It's to late to be going on the kind of walk I want to. I want to go tomorrow, early, probably before the sun rises."
"I can do that. What kind of hike are you up for?"
"I heard Jenna telling me about some waterfall up the Nome River. Is that far?"
"It will take half of the day to get there." Balto said.
"I think I can handle a good long walk with my daughters mate. I just want to take some time to get to know you and you to get to know me." Benson said.
"Where do you want to meet then?"
"How about right here. I can remember where we are."
Balto smiled. The pride in his heart swelled. He couldn't wait to tell Jenna about this little meeting. "Do you want me to walk you back?" Balto offered. He thought about his walking in with Benson would bring a stunned look to Jenna and Cleo's face.
"No, no. I would like to do it tomorrow if we could. I want to surprise Jenna and Cleo then. So could we just keep this our little secret until then?"
"Of course." Balto replied with a grin.
"Great! So right here at dawn tomorrow, right?"
"Yes." Balto replied.
"Then sleep well Balto." Benson turned and walked into the darkness down the alley.
Balto turned back to the boat with pride swelling in his heart. He had got Jenna's fathers respect in just a moment. Already he could see the satisfied look on Jenna's face when he came walking in with her father. Balto positively floated to his boat and spent a long time falling asleep.
But somebody else, hiding in the shadows at the end of the alley, watched Balto leave.