Kesh (12 page)

The children got off the buses and were led into a room that was bigger than many of their homes. The walls were decorated with multicolored streamers and posters, and in the middle of the room, the biggest table Kesh had ever seen was loaded down with brightly decorated cakes, cookies, candy, and soft drinks. Dozens of packages in holiday gift-wrap were stacked at the far end of the room. Pop music played through wall and ceiling speakers, and each wall was lined with video game consoles. The kids gasped in waves as each busload was ushered into the party room. Louis Garou clearly knew how to impress kids—and he could afford it.

As soon as everyone was inside, an amplified voice drew their attention to a perky woman dressed in a holiday-red business suit. She spoke through a microphone from a stage at the head of the table. “On behalf of the Garou Chemical Company and our Chief Executive Officer and owner, Mr. Louis Garou, welcome, children, to our holiday celebration. Now kids, I'll let you get to having fun in just a moment. First, somebody very special would like to welcome you to our happy home. Here's the man responsible for all of these goodies, Mister Louis Garou.”

At the teachers' prompting, the children applauded politely, and a tall, thin balding man stepped to the microphone. Kesh felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, and he had to suppress a growl that rose up from deep inside his throat. Louis Garou was the man he had seen in his dream, the man who had stopped them on the trail the night he met muskrat and Grandmother Spider. Now, he looked more like an accountant than a villain, and when he spoke, he seemed nice enough, like a kindly uncle. The man offered just a few welcoming words, nothing out of the ordinary, until he made the announcement.

“Finally, children,” he said, “I'm excited to tell you about Garou Chemical's new Friendship Initiative. We're offering all of you a chance to join the program, where you'll have fun, learn some really cool things about science and chemistry, and earn money.” He paused and smiled broadly and said, “Don't worry kids. I promise we'll show you only the fun parts of science and chemistry. You'll hear more about it in the next week or so, but I think you be as excited as I am. For now...” he paused and surveyed the young crowd, then with a toothy grin and a broad sweep of his arms, he shouted, “It's time to have fun!”

The place went nuts. Kids dove for video game, candies, cakes, and gifts. Kesh surfaced in front of a game console, grabbed the familiar controls, and began blasting away at invading aliens. It was everything Kesh thought of as noisy, chaotic fun.

By noon, Kesh had all but forgotten any concerns he might have had. He was on his third piece of chocolate cake and sixth game of
Sky Thunder
, when the perky lady in red was back at the microphone announcing the winners of the grand door prizes.

Kesh didn't know there were going to be prizes, yet for just a moment, he was thrilled to hear, “Kesh Jones.”

Two other kids had won as well. The lady announced, “Kiran Curtis and Jesse Madosh.” Kesh didn't know Kiran, but he definitely knew who Jesse Madosh was. Based on the comments he heard around him, the other kids did too.

A boy whispered, “Why would they let that Indian win?” low enough so Jesse didn't hear.

Another one laughed and said, “He'd just steal it anyway.” Kesh knew what people said about the boy and, as usual, he stayed silent.

He made his way to the front of the hall to claim the prize and was joined there by the other winners. Kiran was a small girl with shoulder length auburn hair and eyes the color of the sky at twilight.

Somehow he hadn't thought of Jesse as a regular kid. The bigger boy glanced around nervously, as if he were looking for a way out. When he turned toward him Kesh saw that the boy had a white streak, like a thin bolt of electricity shooting through his straight, jet black hair. He'd never noticed it before – probably because he had always been mostly concerned with survival in Jesse's presence. Kesh was surprised the boy was there. Kesh averted his eyes. He didn't want to initiate any kind of special attention from this kid. But it was too late.

The boy walked over, leaned close and, in Kesh's ear, whispered, “This doesn't feel right.”

If he had been able to respond, Kesh would have agreed, and he realized that Jesse wasn't the problem. Suddenly this whole situation seemed out of whack. What was Garou up to? Kesh looked around. The place was packed with kids, and grownups from the school. He thought,
Maybe it's not so strange. It's just a school party.
Besides, even if he had wanted to run, he didn't know where he could go. He took a calming breath and settled his nerves. He thought,
Everything is fine. I can't let Jesse rattle me.
Even with the strange events of the past weeks, Kesh had never felt in real danger, so he couldn't imagine there was any real danger here. After all, it was a school holiday party, and everybody was having a good time. He figured they'd get their door prizes and go home. Still, deep inside he knew he was in Garou's world, and that meant he was at the man's mercy and Garou was not one to show mercy.

Kesh was sure he would have to face the factory man at some time, and maybe this was it. Whatever the reason, when the perky lady said, “Follow me kids. Mister Garou has something special for you,” Kesh and his companions went along, however warily.

The lady led them through a hallway of clean white walls hung with colorful posters praising Garou Chemical Corporation. Along with the cheerful artwork, each poster declared,
A Better Life and A Better World through Chemistry
. A doorway opened to the right, and they were ushered into a large meeting room with a long oak table in the middle, and a podium at the far end. “Wait here. It will just be a moment, kids,” said the perky lady. Then the three of them were alone.

Kiran said, “I don't think I like this, guys. Maybe we should leave.”

Kesh's stomach was getting queasy, a sure sign that something was amiss, and he was about to agree with Kiran, when Jesse spoke. “No! Something's going on here, and we're not going to figure anything out if we just cut and run. You guys can go if you want, but I'm staying.”

“Very perceptive, young mister Madosh.” The voice startled Kesh and he turned to see Louis Garou standing in the doorway. Only Jesse did not seem surprised. He stared at the man with the cool blue eyes in a way that had made Kesh feel like he wasn't in the same league as the boy. Garou almost spat out the words as he said, “I would hate for you to miss out on your door prizes. After all, this is a party.” As he spoke, he moved closer to the trio, and three men dressed in factory work clothes slipped in behind him and slammed the door. “Now my young friends, I think it's time we ended this pretense. You've all been here before, haven't you?” He paused to study their reaction before continuing.

Kesh looked to his companions. “Oh my God! How did he know that?”

Garou chuckled. “Ah, Mr. Jones. Perhaps I overestimated you.”

Jesse put his hand on Kesh's arm and said, “Relax man. Just follow my lead.”

Garou waved his hand dismissively. “It doesn't matter. Just let me warn you, children, I may not know exactly who you are or why you're here, but I intend to find out. I don't like trespassers, and I don't like it when meddlers stick their noses into my business.” He grinned and added, “I have plans for you children. You see, I think you have an unfairly negative view of me and my factory, and I would like to have a chance to change your minds.”

Jesse spoke, “What do mean, change our minds? We know what you are, and you can't change the truth.”

“Bravo, Mr. Madosh. I admire your spirit, but believe me, boy, I will change your mind, and there is nothing you can do about it. You see, children, I think you've gotten an unfair impression of what we do here at Garou Chemical. I simply want a chance to show you just how beneficial modern chemistry can be.” His voice had an edge to it that made Kesh's stomach ache.

Suddenly, the three men split up and rushed the students. Jesse was the first to react. Kesh saw a white flash charge the startled thugs. Then his own instinct kicked in and suddenly, he too was on four swift paws. Before he knew what was happening, he was charging in, teeth bared, attacking, causing the men to fall back, and then dodging out of their reach. Garou and the third man jumped in from the sides.

“I've got you now!” shouted one of the big men. When Kesh felt strong hands on his neck, he snapped his muzzle around quickly and sank sharp teeth into the flesh of the man's hand. Garou let out a yelp of surprise and pain, and for an instant, released the coyote.

When one of the thugs opened the door to call for reinforcements, Jesse howled, “Come on! Follow me!” He flew past the confused, terrified men, nipping one on the ankle as he tore through the crowd of children and out of the door.

Kesh followed the white coyote out into the snow-covered yard and around to the back of the main house. Garou and his men wasted no time in taking pursuit. The grounds were unfamiliar to Kesh. He scrambled back and forth along the length of the fence that bordered the woods trying to find an opening. Jesse barked, “This way!” and sprinted for the construction site ahead. Kesh saw the gap Jesse had discovered and bolted after the white coyote.

Now two men on four wheeled ATVs joined the hunt, and Kesh thought he heard the crack of rifle fire. He wasn't going to turn around to check. So he ran as hard as he could. As it was, the men were gaining on them all too quickly. Even after he and the others cleared the fence and Garou's property, the ATVs continued their pursuit, and Kesh, exhausted and frightened, feared they would be caught, or worse, shot.

He thought, “Mom and Dad are going to be really mad at me this time.” He was now in the barren space between the fence and the riverbank, separated from his companions, and getting tired. Suddenly, one of the ATV's burst through a gate in the fence and another approached from the woods. Kesh found himself encircled, flanked by Garou's goons with the fence to his back and the river ahead. The machines closed in more slowly now, hunters moving in on their prey. Kesh stopped, panting in the cold afternoon, and scanned his surroundings looking for a way out.

Then, just along the tree line behind one ATV, he saw the white coyote. He was trying to get Kesh's attention by jumping up and down and tossing his head flamboyantly. The men were so intent on Kesh, they didn't notice Jesse. Kesh tossed his head and jumped once to show Jesse he saw him, and the white coyote immediately went down on all fours and began displaying an exaggerated limp. Kesh barked his understanding and immediately began to whimper and limp heavily. The ATVs slowed to a crawl. Then, Kesh stumbled and fell and whined pitifully as if he were in great pain. The ATVs stopped and Kesh lay as still as his pounding heart would allow.

The men waited for a long time, making sure the coyote was actually injured, thought Kesh. One man yelled, “He looks hurt. What should we do?”

Another man who Kesh figured must be a supervisor said, “Karl, get in there and check it out. And be careful.”

Kesh watched the driver closest to him step off of his machine and walk cautiously toward what Kesh hoped the man thought was an injured animal. His rifle barrel pointed at Kesh's shoulder. The coyote's muscles ached with the tension, but he was no longer winded. The few moments of rest had done him a lot of good. He knew he was in great danger, and the timing had to be just right, so when a loud, haunting howl rose from across the field, Kesh leapt to his feet and sprinted directly past the surprised man towards the woods.

A gigantic wolf exploded from the trees and bore down with terrifying speed and fury on the pursuers, and the chase broke down into chaos. One ATV fishtailed its way back toward the factory, and the other men abandoned their vehicle and stumbled madly after it.

Kesh did not look back to find out what had happened, but as the shouts and roaring ATV engines faded away and he and the other coyotes slipped deep into the trees and safety, he thought he saw a second wolf out of the corner of his eye, and he caught the hint of a troubling, familiar scent.

They ran until they reached Jesse's house where the boys, still coyotes, howled a victory call into the sky. Moments later, panting from the effort, Jesse glance around the yard and said, “Where is Kiran?”

Kesh and Jesse circled and sniffed the cold air for signs of Kiran. Again and again, they howled in an attempt to signal to her, but there was no response. Kiran was gone. Jesse sniffed the air one last time, looked at the other boy, and said, “I'll bet the she's been captured. Garou has her.”

Kesh's muscles shuddered and he felt his stomach turn. He whispered, “Jesse, we have to find her. We have to go after Kiran.”

 

* * * *

 

There was no school the following day, and the telephones, instant messages, and chat rooms were buzzing. Everybody was talking about what they thought had been the vicious “wolves” that had rushed through the party. The rumors said that the three students who had missed the bus back to school had been killed by the creatures. Still very much alive, Kesh and Jesse spent a good part of the afternoon searching for their friend. Finally, Jesse said, “Let's go to my house. We're not doing Kiran any good running around chasing our tails.”

Kesh said, “Okay, but I'm really worried. What if we don't find her? Those guys back there meant business.”

Jesse barked softly, “Kiran will be alright. Trust me.”

Kesh knew Jesse was making an effort to be brave, and picked up the slightest scent of fear. He nodded, “Okay Jess,” and followed his friend into the woods.

At Jesse's house, a giant mastiff greeted the white coyote with a wagging tail and a sloppy dog smile. Although the huge animal yipped with happiness, Kesh kept his distance as he watched Jesse reassure his excited dog. “Good girl, Daisy,” he repeated.