The Blur

Chapter 7

Caz and Sam went back to the study, this time Caz read through the Grandad's journal as Sam read through Hiisi folklore written in English. They both had notepads and a pen to take notes.
"While this is insane. I have to admit it's pretty impressive."
Caz spoke up. Sam looked up from his book, placing his finger down on the page to be sure not to lose his spot.
"What is?"
He inquired as Caz turned the journal to face Sam and pointed to the diagrams.
"All of this. His Grandad might have been insane, but look how detailed this is. I think he not only wanted to protect his family but all of humanity. He wanted to end the Hiisi once and for all. Look, here he writes 
"Pian se tehdään. Kaikki tallennetaan." That translates too, Soon it will be done. All will be saved. "This man, his grandfather, reminds me of my father."
Sam was silent for a moment then decided to attempt to comfort Caz.
"What kind of man was your father?"
Caz's face lit up.
"My father. He was the best kind of man. He always helped those in need and gave to the poor even though we could barely get by. He worked day and night just to get me an education that he said I deserved. My father didn't really get an education, so he sought for the best one for me. He was in the war too. In twenty fourteen. Israel, Gaza, he... Lost his leg in battle, which made him disabled. He was admitted into the hospital, unable to work from his disability and he wasn't in the army long enough to earn any kind of social security. It was actually only his third day out on the field. His leg, which was amputated, got infected making him sick. He soon passed to the illness. I never met my mother and didn't have any other family. So my father's best friend, Bruce Winters, took me in. They changed my name from Caz Rhinebeck to Caz Winters. They all pretended like my father never existed. I was only seven at the time, so I think they thought if they played it off enough, that I would soon forget him. I never will. I miss him."
Sam reached across the table placing his hand on Caz's wrist.
"You do your father proud, Caz. He sounds like an amazing man, and I can see attributes in him in you today. He lives on in you Caz."
Caz's eyes welled up and he nodded.
"Thanks, Sam. Let's get back to work. We need to figure this thing out."
Sam nodded in agreement then they both went back to reading.
Ethane walked up the stairs and knocked on the study door before opening it.
"Breakfast is ready. Come refuel."
Caz and Sam got up excitedly and shut their books following Ethane and Nugget down the staircase to the dining hall. The men sat in front of their breakfast of oatmeal, toast, sausages, assorted fruits, choice of coffee or tea, and some orange juice. They thanked Ethane for the food and began to eat as they discussed their early morning findings. Caz bit into his sausage as Nugget chowed down on some oatmeal and sausages himself. Talking with the sausage pushed into his cheek he informed Ethane on this finding of the Grandfather.
"You know. For a guy who was completely bonkers, I don't think he was mad. He even wrote that it would soon be over. All would be saved. So that has me thinking that there must be a rhyme or reason for his insanity. I think he wanted to save humanity, not just your family."
Caz swallowed his mouthful of sausage as Sam started to speak up.
"Speaking of his madness... The Hiisi is coming after us for its family right? If we give it back it's family, will it leave us be? And did he say how he captured them in his journal?"
Ethane shook his head.
"My Grandad was super secretive with his work. I don't remember much, but I do remember him filling trash cans with torn out pages from his journal. He would use the pages to help kindle the fires. Easily, the first half of his journal is torn out. In order to keep writing about them, he'd have to have captured them already. So the most logical spot for that would be in the beginning - which regrettably, is missing."
Caz nodded, chewing a mouthful of fruit, he swallowed then added in.
"That's true, but I'm sure we can figure it out. He's marked down their weaknesses and full anatomy of the Hiisi. At least by what he found. Putting our brains together we should be able to come up with a proper diagnosis for the Hiisi...and maybe against the serum too, Ethane. He put down all sorts of things on the serum they injected you with. I think he might have made it himself."
Ethane stared into his tea then gave it a sip.
"I hope you're right Caz."
"I'm sure he is. Caz knows these kinds of things. We'll finish eating and be able to find a lot more. I actually was reading through some of the folklore, and I found something interesting. It said that areas of civilization were blessed and that the Hiisi couldn't enter such areas. It was also said that citings for the Hiisi were cemeteries and springs. We're close to Lake Ignari and the Ignari cemetery, shrouded by forest. We're in the primal area for Hiisi citings. No doubt the Hiisi lives nearby. Which means, when night falls we have no real sense of security."
Ethane put his hand on his chin.
"That must be the reasoning for the Bibles in our end tables. You said that the Hiisi couldn't enter civilization because it was seen to be blessed. My grandmother's warning, of the light and the bibles to keep the Hiisi at bay. It was their weaknesses. Do you think if we corner the Hiisi in a ring of fire and read off scriptures from the Bible, we could defeat it?"
Caz sipped his juice then shook his head.
"I think that's too risky. We don't even know how fast the Hiisi goes, or how to corner it. I mean, there is far too much land here to do that. Plus there's a chance for a forest fire. Which would be dangerous for the village not too far from here. Fire spreads, fast."
Sam blew on his steaming oatmeal before stating his view on the situation.
"Caz, you're right. But about your idea earlier on letting the Hiisi go and it leaves us be. That's far riskier! The second we get near the Hiisi they're going to screech - drawing the other Hiisi closer and then they're going to impale us. We'd undoubtedly die. Even if we were able to somehow release them safely, it would make all of Ethane's Grandad's work pointless!"
Caz pouted his lips.
"Yeah? Well, let's hear your idea Mr.Green. Genius extraordinaire!"
Sam set his spoon back down into his bowl then stuttered.
"I well, I don't have one yet. As long as we don't go into the cellar I think we should be safe to do more research here. Once we find out as much as we can, we'll be able to try and come up with an ethical approach. Our first goal should be to survive. Our maximum amount of time here is two months with our rations. So we should take the time we have and not rush but use it wisely instead. I say we do a weeks worth of deep searching before trying to come up with our first attempt in ending the Hiisi."
   Ethane pushed his bowl of half-eaten oatmeal over to Nugget who happily finished it for him.
"I think Sam is right. We need to use this time wisely, and not rush into things. If we eat one meal a day, our rations give us four to five months maximum."
Caz let out a sigh as he agreed with his friends. The three men finished their breakfast and then went back to do more research after washing their dishes.