Traveller - L.W. Samuelson (free e books to read online TXT) 📗

out and readied for a take-off.
Lori held the back end of the glider up to run behind her brother until he lifted off the ground. At the edge of the rocky ridge she stopped to watch him become airborne. The yellow and red glider juxtaposed itself against the blue sky. Jesse caught an upward draft to elevate far above the rocks. He flew south over the steep shale then out across the pined forest. The view made her think of Emerson's words regarding religion, something to the effect that God can be found in nature. She agreed with his criticism that religion put man and God first at the expense of nature. She looked at the majesty around her, the deep green pines, the yellow red rock formations, the white clouded blue sky, and the deep blue creek that foamed white with rushing water. These are manifestations of God. This is where He can be found not in a brick building or the mouth of a preacher.
Lori leaned against the van. She put a hand over her eyes to watch her brother soar away to the south. Not until he disappeared did she feel the chill of the mountain air. She climbed behind the wheel and propped her Emerson on the spokes and read. His writing was wordy and at times convoluted but his abiding love for the natural world was a central theme of his writing. She shared his reverence for nature, for the forests, and for wildlife.
A westerly wind came up, gusting and shaking the vehicle. The chill air permeated the cab; her hands grew cold. She read a final line before bookmarking her place. "I expand and live in the warm day like corn and melons." That's beautiful,
It wasn't a warm day but the fresh air would invigorate her. She donned a stocking hat and slipped on her ski gloves before opening the door and walking eastward along the ridge.
The stiff breeze at her back gently pushed her across the top of the ridge. Lori walked with long strides determined to get her aerobic exercise. Her focus stayed to the south in hopes of seeing her brother but the sky was clear of any flying objects.
After forty-five minutes of climbing, she sat on a rock to catch her breath. At the edge of the trees below her two deer emerged to walk down and across the road below. When they disappeared, the walk was resumed.
Lori came to the edge of the first ski run. A look at her watch indicated it was time to head back. Instead of following the ridge down, she walked north into the trees. A stillness rested on her shoulders, calmed her spirit as she felt what Emerson was trying to convey with words. Her love for trees, for the feeling she had inside of a forest brought reverence for what she felt to be holy. Lori stopped to breath in the pine scented air for several minutes before resuming her journey.
Her pace quickened as the downhill slope caused her stride to widen. Legs and arms moved in rhythm down the mountain trail she found herself on. Even her breathing became rhythmic. The endorphins kicked her into the euphoric high of exercise. Lori would have continued her pace unabated but she saw something in her peripheral vision. At first glance, it was a body.
Coming to an abrupt stop, Lori turned and saw nothing so she walked back up the trail slowly, her eyes searching to the west. There it was lying in a clump of aspens. Fearful, she stared for a minute hoping it was a mirage. When her vision held fast she walked toward the corpse. The closer she got the better she could discern the weird metallic suit adorning the prostrate body.
Anxious to help, she ran through the yellow leafed aspens as branches flicked her face, tore at her clothing. Lori saw no movement, but the corpse was face down. She knelt beside it to feel the neck for a pulse. The bluish skin felt like cold metal. Her hand was pressed harder and harder into the flesh in a desperate attempt to find the throbbing vein that would indicate life. Not until she pushed her fingers deep into the skin was a slight arrhythmic thump felt. He's alive!
She rolled him over barely noticing the almond shaped eyes and the slightly elongated features. There's a campsite to the west of here. If I can get him there, I can build a fire. He has to be suffering from hypothermia.
Lori bent down and grabbed the man under the armpits. Long and slender, his weight surprised her. She tugged. He moved reluctantly. She steeled herself, tugged again. This time when he moved, Lori kept him going using all the strength and determination she possessed. Once they cleared the brush, he pulled easier. It wasn't until then that the shoes were noticed. They were more like slippers and they were zipped to the funny suit he was wearing. She pulled the dead weight and glanced behind her. Only fifty yards more. She pulled and tugged until finally his body hit the pine needles to make dragging him easier. Minutes later his body lay next to the fire pit. She took her coat off and threw it over him. When she straightened and turned, the aircraft from yesterday sat just a few yards away.
The door was opened and a small ramp pointed the way inside. Maybe there's something I can use to cover him until I get a fire going. Lori bounded into the craft barley noticing the strange controls. Behind the cockpit there was a small cargo hold with several strange instruments straight from the set of Star Trek. In the back against the wall two large silver tarps were neatly folded. Without thinking, she got her arms under them and found that they were too heavy to lift at the same time so she took the top one.
Moving quickly, Lori placed the tarp over the body before she went back and retrieved the other one, throwing it on him also.
With the body now covered, Lori scoured the surrounding area for firewood. It took several minutes of frantic running back and forth before the pit was filled with broken branches and twigs. Now I know why Dad always told us to carry matches when we're out in the woods. She piled pine needles over the twigs then lit a fire. When it was burning hot, she ran.

Sore aching feet carried Lori back to the van. Once it started, she backed around shivering from the cold mountain air. Small red rocks flew behind the tires as her foot punched the accelerator down to fish tail across the turnout then into the road. A mile east, she turned right to climb the small road that led to the almost dead alien? Is he an alien? The equipment in that airplane didn't look like anything I've ever seen. She watched the smoke ascend into the sky as the van bounced along the rough terrain. I've still gotta pick my brother up.
Lori turned left at the fork in the road. Now pointed eastward, she could see the still form by the fire. Within minutes, she had stopped the van along side of him and got out. Her hand felt for a pulse on his neck. It's a little stronger now, more regular.
The sun sat just above the horizon. She checked her watch. I'd better get Jesse. He'll be worried. Lori lifted the blankets to check for a wrist pulse. She gripped his wrist at the same time his body started to shake uncontrollably. Startled, Lori jumped back and away.
The blankets shook for several moments as she watched the alien's face go from pale white to pale blue. His almond shaped eyelids fluttered. Despite her fear, Lori remained transfixed as she watched his face become ever bluer. Just as he flushed into baby blue, his eyes opened. Their sparkling blue intensity captivated her. Fear turned to wonder as a smile spread across the baby blue face to reveal the even white teeth of the alien.
Lori's eyes remained riveted on his face. His mouth moved. "Hello. My name is Traveller," he said in a mechanical voice.
Dumbstruck, Lori didn't reply.
After a moment he said, "I come in peace. I surrender."
"My name is Lori. Where are you from?"
"I'm hungry. Give me food."
"Do you dirnk coffee? Coff . . . ee," she said slowly.
"I'm hungry. Give me food," the alien repeated.
Lori got a thermos of coffee out of the van, poured some into the cup cap. After he sat up, she handed it to him.
He took the cup, sniffed then cocked his head. Slowly he brought it to his lips and sipped. Pleasure registered on his face.
"Grotol mahl wak bonbon," he said.
"You like?"
"Bonbon belli wak," he replied.
"I have to go now," she said pointing to the van while moving her hands in a driving motion. Lori pointed back down the mountain.
"Go? Mahl shuk de wah?" he asked.
She pointed to herself. "I will come back." Lori climbed in the truck with her heart near to breaking to see the forlorn look on the alien's face when she started the engine.
"Zeeze, zeeze," he pleaded as he looked up from the covers.
"I'll come back!" she said as she backed around to drive away into the dwindling light.

Ten minutes later, she pulled into the Pomerelle parking lot. Jesse had his glider folded in front of him. He was leaning against the bank on the east side of the lot.
"Where have you been? I've been waitng for over an hour."
"I found him!" she blurted.
"What?"
"I found the alien. His name is Traveller."
"No way."
"Yes way. Load your glider. I'll show you."
Jesse opened the back of the van. "What does he look like?" he asked, throwing the glider in then slamming the door.
"He's tall and blue with sparkling eyes," she said starting the engine. She took off before Jesse had his right leg in. His foot dragged in the dirt.
The light dwindled into silhouettes of trees against the red sunset as they climbed the road to Thompson Flat yet again. Lori turned on the lights to dispel the shadows and expose a tunnel of pines lining the road. Jesse listened with rapt attention as she described finding the alien suffering from hypothermia, how she had covered him then built the fire.
Once past the evergreen sentinels that lined the head-lamped road, she turned left to drive the edge of the forest. Three quarters of the way up the mountain, firelight flickered, reflecting off the tops of the pines. Lori turned left again into the circle of pines. The campfire danced ahead of her outlining a black form sitting near the flames.Chapter 12 - Revival

Traveller remembered leaving the circle of trees. He had followed a path that led upward onto the mountain ridge. Once there, the wind gusted cold bringing a novel pain that made his teeth knock together. It was akin to the low level electricity caused by the sensory saber except that it was continual, not as intense. Despite the discomfort, he had walked east up along the barren rocks until he came to a wide swath cut into the forest. The line of poles either began or ended there, he couldn’t tell. It fascinated him that at regular intervals, chairs hung from the cables that were attached to the brightly painted structures that sprung up from the ground like Lizerian torture posts.
The stiff breeze had driven the cold air through Traveller’s suit. He remembered his teeth clacking together uncontrollably. Sensing the danger, he had turned back to hurry downhill. When he