THE PASSAGE

Solstice

Chapter 20

Even though I realize that I didn't hear a baby, I shouldn't assume no one is in that cabin, so I pull the persuader from the holster. With the weapon cocked and drawn in front of me, I quietly approach the side of the structure, being careful to avoid the partially open doorway. I tiptoe, making my way to the corner, and listen. I keep my ear in tune for any sounds from within but don't hear anything.

With my weapon still drawn in front of me, I step to the door and push it all the way open with my foot. There is no one inside. On the left are two makeshift beds, one on each side of the fireplace. At the far end and to the cabin's right is an old homemade table, flanked by two benches. Folded neatly on one bench is what looks like blankets, possibly made of deerskins. I look at the mattresses and see the same deerskin pattern as the blankets.

I holster the revolver as I walk in to look around some more. I turn to look in the corner behind the door when I am struck hard with something above my right eye. I lose my vision momentarily as the force of the blow sends me flying backward onto the hard wooden floor. I immediately reach for the revolver and pull back the hammer, aiming in the direction of my assailant, my eyesight now partially distorted.

Expecting to see a muscular thug standing there, I am surprised when I see a young girl looking down at me. Squinting to observe her with my functioning eye, I conclude that she appears to be only about sixteen, dark black hair and olive skin, maybe weighing 110 pounds. But the feature that I notice the most about her is her eyes, very unique piercing ocean blue eyes. She holds a blanket over her belly as if protecting it. I see the bulge there and assume that she is pregnant.

I lower the revolver and attempt to stand, now feeling a little dizzy from the blow she landed on me. As I try to pull myself up, she comes rushing towards me, heading to the door. I manage to grab one of her wrists before she makes it through, and she strikes me with a hard kick to my shin.

"Ouch!" I yell in pain and immediately release her wrist when the blow strikes me, and she takes off running. I limp around to the side of the cabin after her. With my shin in so much pain and only seeing clearly from one eye, I know I won't catch up to her.

"Please stop. I'm not going to hurt you."

To my surprise, she stops, then turns in my direction, looking at me intently. Then I hear the baby crying again, the baby that she is concealing under that blanket.

We continue staring at each other for a few moments as I try to regain the use of my left shin and rub at my eye. I notice that she is wearing a black and white patterned dress that hits her above the knee and black ankle boots to match. The dress appears to be a high-end design; the hem ripped in a couple of spots. I see several minor scratches on her legs and a smaller one across her cheek. It appears that she may have been running from something or somebody.

She tosses the blanket over her shoulder, and I see that she is wearing a baby sling. She pulls the baby out of it, then covers it with the blanket before bringing the baby up to her chest and then kissing its forehead a few times, managing to quieten it.

She looks at me. "Who are you?" she asks, in some foreign accent that I think sounds middle-eastern.

"My name is Jamie. Look, um, I'm lost. My friend is down there by the creek, in our boat. He's injured badly. I'm just looking for help."

The look on her face seems to change from fear to that of concern. She looks in the direction of the creek, then back to me.

"What has happened to him?"

"Um, he's been stabbed. Do you know of anyone around here that can help us?"

She scans the surrounding area, possibly observing to see if I am alone.

"Where are you from?" she asks.

"I'm from New York City. Brooklyn. I was visiting someone here in Louisiana. Some bad guys stabbed my friend and tried to kill me as well. We were fleeing from them. And then, somehow, I managed to end up here. I'm lost now. Where am I?"

She stares at me for a few moments, with her facial expressions changing as if she just realized something important. She walks up to me, looking me up and down, seemingly a bit relieved of my presence.

"New York?"

"Yes, do you live ... here?"

She glances at the cabin then back at me. "No. But let's go down to the creek, and I'll see what I can do to help your friend."

You help him? You are only a kid with a baby. How can you possibly help?

She proceeds to walk down past me, apparently heading towards the creek.

I call out to her. "Listen, um, is there anyone else around here? Your mother or father, maybe?"

She turns and looks at me, "No," she says.

I proceed to walk down and catch up with her, limping somewhat from the recent kick I suffered.

"You mean no, as in no, there is no one else around?"

"That's correct."

"So, how did you get here?"

"Same as you, I'm lost."

"Really? How long have you been here?"

"Two days."

"Two days? Do you have food?"

"Just the purple fruit I've found on the fruit trees and nuts also."

"I saw that fruit on some trees near the creek bank. I wasn't sure if it was safe to eat or not."

"Yes, it's safe. I saw some of the animals eating it."

"Okay, so, what's your name?"

She stops. "I'm Solstice. And this is my son Cain. He's nine weeks old."

She pulls the blanket off of the baby, and I get my first close-up look at him. Cradled in her arms is the most beautiful baby I have ever seen. He has dark hair with his mother's blue eyes and olive skin.

"Oh my, he's handsome. Hello there, Cain." I look at Solstice. "Would you like me to carry him the rest of the way down? I wouldn't mind holding him for a bit."

Solstice looks me over cautiously once more before handing Cain to me. I hold him in my arms, taking a few moments to admire him. And then, I see a little smile form on Solstices' lips. I can't help but admire how beautiful this young girl is.

"Jamie, I'm sorry I attacked you back there. At first, I thought you were someone who was going to harm my baby and me."

Looking into this young girl's mysterious eyes, I see a new friend.

"That's okay, Solstice. I understand. I am slowly regaining the vision in my right eye. And I'm sure that by tomorrow, I'll be able to walk without a limp."

She stares at me blankly, as if assessing whether I'm upset with her or not.

"Hey, I'm just joking. I know you were trying to protect Cain. But, trust me, I am not going to try and pick any fights with you. You pack a mean punch, even though you are little."

I see her eyes light up her whole face as if she is smiling with her eyes instead of her lips.

"I'm sorry I pointed the weapon at you. Friends?" I ask.

"Friends," she says.

She throws her arms around me and hugs me tightly, squeezing the little boy between us, and then she looks up at me. At that moment, I feel as though I have made a friend for life, and she immediately gains my trust.