Sky Pirates

Chapter 55

Desperation climbed for Parker Greene; being trapped on his home island gnawed at him. What if the Robin returned and left again and he was kept isolated here on this island? What if his plan began automatically when the proper conditions for escape existed, as it would, and he wasn't there to lead the charge, or even simply escape with the dwarfs? Greene tossed aside the plan before him. He stood, nearly knocking over his chair behind him, and paced.

"Sir? Is there something I can help you with?"

"Oh, hello. I thought I was alone." Greene turned toward the small woman standing in his office doorway. He'd never seen her before.

"I was nearby. They asked me to check on you."

"Who asked you?" Parker walked to the maid. "What is your name?"

"I'm Emma, sir." She curtsied deep. "I work for Miss Ebony. It was she and our other house servant, Jacob, who suggested I stop in to be sure the Lord had food to eat and a clean home to work in."

Greene's skin grew cold and clammy. He thought he might pass out.

"Sir, you've gone white. You should sit down." Emma rushed for a chair and pushed it across the office, catching Parker Greene as he fell. She fanned his face for a moment. "Lord, I'll be back in a flash." She rushed from the room, her heels clicking on the wood floors.

Parker blinked his eyes. Everything looked dreamlike. He watched a fly buzz near him. It didn't look like any fly he'd ever seen before, it was bigger, the size of a coconut, and all the colors of the rainbow. The horrible thought of this fly being one who plagued the men in the outdoor cage caused gooseflesh to rise on his arms. His skin shifted from clammy to hot. Perspiration quickly pooled and dripped into his eyes. Parker Greene was unable to move, unable to wipe away the sweat from his face.

Emma returned with a cool, wet towel. She sponged off his sweaty face. "Oh, I wish I had arrived a bit sooner. I might have gotten you to the chaise or your bed."

Parker was unable to speak. Try as he might, he could not force words from his slack mouth. His sense of being trapped on the island grew focused and intense. Not only could he not leave the island, his thoughts could not leave his mouth. He slipped in slow motion from the chair.

Emma's feet burst across the room; she was next to him now with a cushion. The small maid managed to get that cushion between him and the chair. As he dropped to the floor, his weight took the pillow with him, and it softened the blow to his head when that dropped off the chair and finally hit the floor.

"You'll be okay, Lord Greene. We've seen her do this to others. When we saw you with her this morning, we feared you'd...well, at least you didn't go home with her."

The door chimes sounded.

"Don't worry. I've locked all the doors and windows."

The giant fly, now the size of a melon, buzzed near his ear. If he could, Parker would have shuddered. Instead, he simply sweat more. His body trembled involuntarily.

"We can't have anything happen to you. You are our savior. All of us are available to you for support. We might be the only ones you can trust right now."

The door chimes continued. Knocking and then pounding was added to the chimes. Greene could hear his name being shouted. He knew the voice. It was...it was...he fell into sleep, an odd sleep. He was conscious of what happened around him, yet those activities were very distant from him in his mind. The greater focus of his mental imagery was on his plan of escape.

As he lay there, sweating and shaking, with his lover calling to him and a dwarf tending him, Parker Greene watched every detail of his plan unfold. The Balsa Robin would arrive, the dwarfs would work the generator and unload the cargo. The first night of the ship's return, the dwarfs would gather in the two spots.

Someone slapped his face, hard. He wanted to hit the slapper back, but still he couldn't move. Those around him talked, but now it was as if he was underwater. He could hear them, but the sound was muffled to the point of not understanding.

Strong arms came under and around him. Greene now floated through the air with the support of love. He was now in bed, naked, shaking. Covers were heaped upon him. Blankets, quilts, mountains of fabric, and still he shook and shuddered and sweat.

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