The Link

Chapter 11 - Sam

"Those guys at the truck stop," Natalie said as she sipped her coffee, "they weren't government and didn't seem to care about things like laws." I finished chewing the bite of the breakfast burrito I picked up at a drive-thru. We had already decided to stay another night in the motel to recover and get our barrings.

"They knew about Stinky," I said, "they were apprehensive about hurting her, almost a fear of what would happen if they did." I took another small bite as I thought. "They were just two of many, that much Stinky showed me. It was just chance we picked the stop that they had staked out. I think every road out of Flagstaff was being watched."

"So, someone with a lot of money but less political pull," Natalie surmised, "maybe criminal."

"Or big business," I added, "I did sense they had little concern for our well being."

"I thought you were going to kill that guy," Natalie said. There was a curiosity in her eyes as she spoke. The matter-of-fact tone she used was cover for finding out my intentions.

"He was hurting you," I admitted, "Stinky and anger don't mix well." I took a sip of my coffee as Natalie watched me carefully. She deserved the truth. "If you hadn't stopped me, he would have died."

"I'm glad I could stop you then," Natalie said, reaching out for my hand. I let her take it. There was forgiveness in the way she held me. "The way it drained you scared me. I guess Stinky wasn't meant for aggression." Stinky smiled in my lap at the mention of her name. She had been trying to get to my burrito, so I knew she was hungry as well.

"I don't know if it is aggression or just forcing results," I pointed out, "she has a flow, and if you go outside of it, you pay a price." I absently wiped my nose, "bloody nose, headache, and exhaustion. Maybe worse if you go too far."

"I don't get headaches when I see you," Natalie said with a sly grin. I smiled back remembering what was in her mind last night. I took another bite of my burrito. Stinky's eyes followed it to my mouth and reached out with gusto to try and grab it. "Someone else is hungry," Natalie pointed out. I nodded as I chewed watching what I could only describe as a jealous face on Stinky.

Feeding Stinky was the usual battle. Neither Natalie or I were as skilled as Rose at getting the maximum food into Stinky's mouth. Stinky was getting quicker and becoming more insistent on helping.

"Do you think she knows when we bond?" Natalie asked as she tried to get the spoon out of Stinky's grasp.

"Maybe...probably," I hedged. I was following up with a washcloth trying to keep the bulk of the food off her clothes. We would have to get better at feeding or buy some bibs.

"What happens when she gets older?" Natalie continued her thinking. I stopped for a moment and looked at Stinky. She was intent on eating, the one time when smiling was not in her repertoire. Her focus was on the jar of mashed carrots, a single-minded desire. What happens to those desires when she gets older.

"I don't know," I admitted, "if she could control her power, she could probably rule the world if she wanted too." At that moment, her innocence didn't make it a scary thought. Thinking out into the future, it was frightening. Natalie stopped feeding and looked at me.

"We don't have a clue what we're doing, do we?" Natalie asked rhetorically.

"Maybe they know in Portland," I suggested. Stinky grunted at the lack of attention. Natalie smiled and began feeding again.

"How do you know we wouldn't just turn her over to a cult or something," Natalie commented, "you have no idea who that lady was or why she had Stinky."