Operation Wolfe Cub: A Chilling Historical Thriller (THE TIME TO TELL Book 1) (54 page)

Doll waited for Eddie’s belated call before he moved on to his next routine, which was saying his bedtime prayer. Routine it was. Just like that, he sat up in his bed as if he were anxious to get on with it. Before he did, however, he paused, got serious, and pointed to his nightstand drawer as if he had suddenly become concerned. “
Um
, can I see it?”

Eddie thought for a moment and turned on the lamp. “So you want to see the old book…the one with your prayer inside?” He opened the drawer and all that was inside it was a tattered, old book that looked as if it should have been thrown away decades ago.

Eddie took care in pulling it from the drawer, for if he didn’t, it may have fallen apart. “Okay, here it is.” He carefully turned to a certain page. “Okay, prayer’s right here. See it?”

Doll held the book in his hands then closed it back up carefully. Tenderly, he felt the weathered cover before he shook his head.

Eddie quickly replied, “That’s okay. You’ll be able to read when you get older, I promise.”

Doll pointed to its small, crumbled cover that was barely legible. “
Um
, what that say?”

“Oh, that? That’s called the title. It’s a name. Name of the book. It says…hard to see…so old. Oh yes, it says, ‘New England Primer’…yeah, that’s what it says. It’s the first reading primer that was used to teach the first children in America.”

“Teach?”

“Yes, teach…it taught little boys and girls which way to go in our country. Teaching of the old days, you might say… there are morals in it. Something you don’t see very often
anymore…book’s outdated, but I remember it from when I was young.”

“Was it yours?”

“What? Who, me? No, I got it for,
uh
, free down at the secondhand place because the man…he,
uh
, couldn’t sell it, I guess.”

Doll looked utterly confused. “Morrral? Free?”

“Oh, forget what I said…I’m talking grown-up talk. You’ll learn more when you get older.”

Doll pointed below the title. “What’s that say?”

Eddie glanced closer. “
Hmmm
, you’re testing me, aren’t you? You little stinker…okay, after this we say the prayer and go to bed, okay?”

Doll nodded.

“Says here, ‘Printed and sold by
Benjamin Franklin
.’”

Doll blinked to think. “Benjuuumin Frankullin?”

“Franklin Benjamin, yes…he was one of our founding fathers and a gifted man. Not anyone like him anymore. He was a politician, a scientist, a writer, a musician, and a great inventor too. Come to think of it, I wonder what he would do if he saw his country the way it is today…or where it’s going.”

Eddie then read Doll’s face. “
Um hmmm
…you don’t understand all I said, did you? Sorry, I don’t expect you to know everything too quickly.”

Doll twisted his lips. “Politishn—scientisss—musi-shun? Is book for boys like me?”

“Yes, I mean he printed it and gave copies to all the colonies’ children.”

“Colony?”

“Yes, sort of like that. You’ll learn all about that when the time comes. You know, Benjamin Franklin was the best. There…that’s good for tonight. Maybe you should know that. He was a big, great man…he believed in a lot of things about this country we don’t see anymore.”

Doll snuggled back down in his covers looking mildly curious. “Country? He live in Devil’s? Is he a daddy?”

“Oh no, he’s been dead…dead a long time. He was a daddy…soooo, you thinking about being someone special like say—Ben Franklin? Maybe you could become someone important like him.”

Doll didn’t answer, so Eddie continued. “Hey, I know something more like you.”

“What?”

“How about—you wanna be
a rocket man
?”

“Rocket man?”

“Yeah, a man that flies rockets…maybe rockets on his feet too…rockets everywhere. I wanted to fly when I was a little boy. How about you?”

Doll grinned. “
Hmmm
, yeah—
rocket man
.” Then Doll thought hard again. “
Um
, can I see what Benjuuumen says too? Can I have me a book?”

“Sure…you can have all the books you want.”

“No, Benjamin book…I want Benjamin book.”

Eddie drew curious. He looked at the old tattered book, then put it back in the drawer, pausing, as if wondering why such a young child would be interested in such a book. Nevertheless, he still seemed to be in the mood to amuse.

“Of course, you can. Book’s no good to me. Good ol’ Benjamin would be proud if you kept it, how’s that? Now that Benjamin’s long gone, maybe you and he can get together in a prayer for wishes to come true. Let’s say the prayer in his little book, shall we?”

Doll sat up in bed, bowing his head with closed eyes. He clapped his hands together and began:

“Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep,
If I should die before I wake,
I pray the Lord my soul to—”

“Wait-wait-wait a second. You said you have this
bad dream
, didn’t you?”

Doll seemed like he was already thinking about it before he asked. His worried look just got a little more worrisome as he slowly nodded.

Eddie patted his head. “Okay, I know a prayer—like the one you already know. Maybe me and Benjamin can help you in your dreams together.”

Doll perked up. “Really?”

“Yes…I’m no witch doctor, but I know a thing or two about prayers. They can be powerful things if you believe in them…it goes like this, so repeat after me?”

“Yes, I want to. I want to.”

Eddie spoke slowly,

“Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep,
May angels protect me through the night.
And keep me in their watchful sight.
Amen.”

Eddie grinned. “That one’ll keep the bogeyman away.”

Doll smiled a big smile, but slowly his frown came back.

Eddie lifted his chin. “
Ah
, Doll…what’s wrong? It’s supposed to cheer you up. What’s the matter?”

Doll muttered, “Don’t know angels…can I say ‘Daddy’? You said
Daddy’s
in my dreams.”

“You mean in place of ‘angels’ in the prayer? Why, I don’t know,
hmmm
.” Eddie picked at his fingernails, seriously thinking. “Well,
hmmm
, you got me there…
ah
, okay then. Whatever it takes…of course, so go ahead. Be my guest. I’m leaving now, though, so good night.”

As Eddie started to stand up, Doll grabbed him. “Can I do it now—as often as I want?”

“Of course. Pray away. I’ll bow my head too with you, how’s that sound?”

Doll adjusted himself up in bed. He took his time preparing for his new prayer as seriously as he could. In doing so, he took in a big deep breath, then blew his fear completely away. When he felt sanguine enough to continue, he closed his eyes, put his honorable little hands together and then spoke softly—except one more thing he added. The strain in his face revealed telltale signs of what he was truly trying to do. Within him, he tried so desperately to believe what he wanted to believe:

“Now I lay me down to sleep
,

I pray the Lord my soul to keep
,

May—
Daddy
—protect me through the night
.

And keep me in his watchful sight
.

Amen, amen, amen.”

Eddie smiled. “Wow. Looks like you meant it that time. I guess your Daddy’s got a big job ahead of him…get some sleep and good night, all right?”

Eddie then turned off the lamp. As he headed out the door, Doll sprang up from his covers as if a little taste of
real
fear had crawled inside the bed with him. “Wait! How you be my Daddy?”

Eddie stopped with his back still turned, as if he didn’t want to face him. “Doll, not now…I have to start thinking about Mommy now.”

Doll hid back in his covers. “Am I okay? Please, am I okay?”

“Doll…they’re just dreams.”

Doll started weeping, “Big dog’s coming. He’s coming, my dreams—tonight. I can tell, I the one to tell,
ho-ho woo woo
.”

Eddie wheezed, “Okay, okay, here’s what you do…just keep saying your prayers like you mean it. You meant it just then, didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Good. That’s all I can do, really. I’ve got a ton of problems right now. Daddy’ll be there…trust me.”

“Okay.”

“I’ll crack your door and leave the hall light on for you. That should help. Good night.”

“Good night.” Doll wrapped the covers around his face and neck as high as he could, even though the nighttime air wasn’t cold in the slightest. Fear kept his glassy eyes locked on Eddie’s shadow hobbling slowly back down the dim hallway until he was gone.

“
Awh!
”

Suddenly, a warm summer breeze came inside through the crack in his window. Strange, it seemed. It was as if the nighttime wind, so uninviting, had moved itself quietly into his room. With ease, it lifted the delicate, ivory lace curtain, reaching in to take a peek.

Doll jolted from the drifting presence lifting his hair. By the time he glanced up to the window, the feeble-looking curtain had already gently fluttered down. He tried to look harder, but nothing was there. The only thing he could see was the weathered window sash, framing the picture of the darkened sky outside. Beyond it was nothing but the insolent emptiness of black.

Doll gasped, dropping beneath his covers as if he really
did
see something. Quickly, he shuffled down into a little, hollow hiding place; a place where he felt secure. Secure and private it was—and it was there where he whispered, once again, his nightly prayer.

If more was good, a lot must be better. Again and again, he summoned through his frightened whisper, “Now I lay me down to sleep…Daddy, protect me…now I lay me down
to sleep…Daddy, protect me…amen…amen…protect me, Daddy…amen…amen…protect me, Daddy…amen…protect me, Daddy…amen…amen…”

* * *

Eddie pulled a chair out from the table in the kitchen and sat down slowly. He reached over to turn on the little wooden radio beside him. As he leaned back in the chair to think, the news came on with a scratchy signal:

“
…to cap off the hourly news with Wars of the World, stay tuned for a most unusual recording from what is thought to be one of the last German underground labs in an unidentified cave just outside of Berlin in the foothills. A lone survivor was found inside, among a group of fellow scientists who were already dead from taking cyanide pills
.

According to military intelligence, the survivor and the dead men were surrounded by burning debris which had been set on fire just moments before he died. His last words will be translated on this station in English. Please use parental discretion, for you will hear the gunshots that killed him…hold for thirty seconds.”

Eddie worked hurriedly to tune the radio more clearly.

“—
Here it is…”

‘
Hold it right there! Easy now…Don’t shoot…come peacefully. Put your gun down…what’s your name?’

‘It doesn’t matter my name. He’s all that’s left now…it is too late…you are too late! Operation Wolfe Cub is imminent. I’m telling you! Alive…yes, alive—in America! Americaaaa!’

BANG!

“That’s all we have about the man found inside the mysterious cave. No evidence was recovered about what they were doing in there or what the man was talking about. Doctors on the scene say he was insane
.

What we can say here at JDVL is that the man was right about one thing. America is alive and well. We don’t need to hear about
wolves and wolf operations anymore. That’s it for now, and keep enjoying our continuous coverage of wars nonstop…here at—”

Click
.

Eddie turned off the radio then hobbled over to the kitchen stove, empty cup in hand. As he poured the coffee, he thought for a moment then mumbled, “Operation Wolf Cub?
Pssss
…what’s next? Stupid war’s over.”

The Time To Tell
continues…

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

H. C. Wells earned a bachelor’s degree in business but still believes in the art of self-teaching, desire, and perseverance. Since childhood Mr. Wells’s lifelong passion has not been business, however, but rather the wonderful field of artistry. His crossover into literary art began in 1995 when he became genuinely interested with his idea of creating the series
THE TIME TO TELL
, the first book of which is
Operation Wolfe Cub
. His highest aspiration moving forward with his artistic endeavors is to have a positive impact on the world. Currently, he resides in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with his wife and rescue dog, Buddy.

Check with
www.amazon.com
or shop your own distributor to continue
THE TIME TO TELL
series with Book II,
Wolfe Odyssey
.

To learn more about author H.C. Wells and
The Time To Tell
series, visit or email to the following:

http://www.hcwells.com
– for author blog and more.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/HC-Wells-Author

[email protected]

1
ODESSA: “Organization Der Ehemaligen SS Angehorigen” is a clandestine organization that helped German military officers and special members escape capture during World War II, using various hidden routes. Rogue members of the Catholic Church assisted them.

2
Two locations exist when referencing the island of Thule. One is recognized as an actual location, and the other is considered mythical. The recognized one, part of Antarctica, is the southernmost land of the South Sandwich Islands, called “Southern Thule.” The mythical one is believed to be at the opposite end of the world, where “Hyperboreans,” an Aryan race, lived and where the sun shines twenty-four hours a day.

3
The United States space shuttle, Columbia, was first launched April 12, 1981. It has been argued that at least some of its design originated from 1930s German concepts.

4
“Dummkopf” is German slang for a clumsy, unintelligent person.

5
“Hoden” is a German word for testicles.