Chapter 18
Wednesday April 5th
Morning
The dawn light is coming over the mountains to the east. The unseasonable warmth continues. Not a cloud in the sky and the unnatural stillness of the air, the 5th day with not even a light breeze. The men in camp, however, have other things on their minds. They are starting the day tired, lack of sleep. Stress of unnatural actions of wolves and tiny men watching the camp. Unseen herds of animals or cavalry troops moving past them, not once, but twice. The groups were on edge. The only person in camp who had not seen the elephant (Been to war) was Olek. Their ingrained military discipline the only thing keeping them under control. They had a light breakfast and broke camp quietly, no one wanting to stay near the area that was so strange. Tom and Bull took Kiazer across the road looking for signs of the visitors, but not a track, broken or bent branches in the brush, nothing.
The two groups both heading to Corvallis form into one. The wagon in the middle, with Bull and Olek. Sam, Tom, and Alex riding to either side and behind. Marco and half his men ahead and leading by about 15 yards, the other half following about 15 yards behind. The only hint of how spooked they were, everyone rode with their carbine out or their hand resting on their pistol. After the first mile was put behind them with nothing strange happening the men began to relax. With both man and beast tired they took their time on the road and travelled the 5 miles to Corvallis in just under 2 hours. Approaching the town, the Lance could observe that the spaces, roads or just open space between buildings had carts or wagons blocking the openings. I many cases where the wagons would not need to be quickly moved they had been turned on their sides, forming rough walls around the town. Looking deeper into the town square someone, 1st Sgt Young maybe, had put together a war wagon. What looked like an old gatling gun mounted on a farm wagon. My God thought Sam where they had found that old Whitworth rifle. It was only the three pounder but I wonder what that would do if we hit an omitaa-dainah with it. Being escorted by Marco and his patrol they passed into Corvallis with no problems and headed towards town square. They turned the horses over to the stables and headed into town hall to talk with Mayor Jesper Cantin and Major Cade Lanier US Army Ret.
Marco made the introductions. Cade and Bull had served together and so Cade had met Sam before.
Sam brought the Mayor and the Major up to date on the goings on around Stevensville. They were not in the least surprised about the Jackalope, they having shown up in the area here.
The Mayor let Sam know that the fish in the waters around Corvallis were running almost twice normal size. That many of the people in the surrounding farms had moved into town and were only going out in groups to plant. Raiders and thieves had shown up in the area and there were a few unexplained violent deaths that had occurred.
The Major took over talking about the raiders hitting groups of buildings and even some of the ranches. A group having been seen to the west, but they stayed out of rifle shot. The deaths looked like animal attacks, but they had to have been rabid, Killing more then they could eat. Killing frenzy is the term that comes to mind. That is why we set up those support weapons in town square.
Sam then began to explain the child sized attackers hitting buildings outside of Stevensville, how they were dressed and armed like tribal Indians from the Indian wars. But it was when he began to explain the run in with the omitaa-dainah that they had trouble with believing him. This led to them all trooping outside so Sam and his men could again show their weapons. That drew several people over to find out what was going on.
Remembering the problems they had in Stevensville Sam started to explain:
“Everyone, we all had visions on the morning of the 21st. We all heard voices on the same morning. Do you remember the Father, preaching in church about the Pentecost? How he tells us “And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy.” People we are dreaming dreams, we have seen the four horsemen, the light, the blinding light in the dark sky with the host coming forth and people rising up. We are living the last days people. “The crowd was increasing in number as Sam talked, nay preached. “You saw the gifts he gave my men and I, the swords of flame. We, my men and I, were given this gift and others to help people. But we need your help to do so. We need another thirty two of God’s people to stand with us, to “Don the full armor of God.”” Sam moved by the Spirit went on for another 20 minutes quoting scripture, talking of the last days and the times of trouble. The crowd was drawn in by the power that came from Sam’s voice, the pictures that his words formed and the feelings raised. He then finished with “As the Father has preached about in the last days “And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?” I say none of us can stand if we stay here, we need at least thirty more sets of hands to go into the mountains and aid in setting up a Refuge. We need to move soon, We, need to leave for the spot the week after Resurrection Sunday. Go, pray if you and your family will go set up the refuge. My men will be here the Tuesday after, join us. For today, now, this day, we seek the thirty two moved to take up arms and armor to protect others. We need soldiers. We need support and helpers. The government says you have to be 19 to go into combat, but the combat is at our doors, if you are fully grown, talk to us, if you served with our military, come back to the brotherhood of arms we need you.”
As Sam finished the crowd erupted in conversations and questions, some moving up to talk others backing away and forming small groups, others striding from the square, all moved in some way.
Mayor Cantin moved up to Sam, “Who do you think you are coming here and stirring up the town?” Major Lanier stood back, rubbing his chin, deep in thought. A few of the crowd stopped to watch Sam and the mayor others moved up to talk with Alex, Tom, and Bull.
Sam faced Jesper head on, in a voice calm as the air and cold as the ice melt off the mountains answered “I am a man, a man chosen and given a vision, a mission, and some tools. Who are you to stand in the way of the plans of the Most high, of YWHW?”
Jasper not budging, ”I am the Mayor, the highest elected official in this town. I will not have you endangering my people.”
“Your people? You are their shepherd?” he asked.
“They have elected me and the state has given me the authority to rule here in times of trouble.” Answered Jasper.
“Trouble has been here for over two weeks, and you Mr. Mayor have done a wonderful job keeping people safe. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. However more and greater trouble is coming. Our fight is not against raiders and robbers and looters. Our fight is against Powers and Principalities, and nothing human can fight them alone. Not you, not the state, not me. We need God and it is time to enlist in his Host. Pick a side Mr. Mayor, pick a side.” Sam turned and whistled to his men and the people around them.
“We seem to have overstayed our welcome men. Get the wagon and the horses and meet me on the north side of the square. To those who wish to talk we will be north of town in 20 minutes. We will be there until 2 or the Mayor sends forces to drive us off.”
Sam and his men went and reclaimed their mounts and equipment and headed out of town. The Mayor had turned to Major Cade and said “I want that man stopped”.
The Major replied, “On what grounds, Sir?”
“He is going to get us all killed” hissed the Mayor,
“He seems to be trying to keep people alive, Sir”
“People are following him blindly into danger” said the Mayor.
“Sir. It is a free country and he is not forcing anyone. They are heading out of town, if people want to leave, we don’t have the authority to stop them.” Responded Major Lanier.
As the conversation continued at the town hall steps Sam and his crew moved out, heading north on the road out of town. Looking around there seemed to be about 40 people following them. They all moved about half a mile outside the town, they were a bit closer to the crossroads and the small group of homes than to the town. A small temporary camp, a fire to heat water and food, some seats were set to the left near the fields between the two northbound roads. They began to talk with people answering questions, breaking into the rations they had brought and offering a simple meal for noon day. They spent almost 3 hours answering questions and recruiting people to join the troop they were forming. They had many who wanted to join, but had to go back to talk with loved ones, or take care of some important business. They had to gather supplies and equipment. They all agreed that those who could would meet at the crossroads just north the next day, and that Sam and some people would be back the next Tuesday to escort any others that wanted to join them. Sam then had everyone bow their heads and pray for safety. After He sent the people back to their homes.
Bull asked “Think those wolves will attack tonight?”
Sam answered, “could not take the chance, not with a group that never worked together. We are going to have civilians also.”
“Had that feeling’ Nodded Bull.
“We plan to set up in the same place? Inquired Alex.
“There is what looked like an empty cabin and barn at the end of this road, just west of there. Figured we can take a look. Mount up people daylight is burning.” Sam ordered.
The group all headed north to the end of the road. When they arrived the cabin and outbuildings were empty. The buildings showed signs of a fight but still stood strong and the doors and shutters were all intact. They stowed the buckboard in the stable, then looked over the buildings with an eye to defense. The cabin seemed stronger overall and was large enough they could get man and beast in, not in comfort but in what passed for safety. They lit a small fire in the wood stove to prepare evening dinner and set who had watch. With the goings on the night before they did not feel great about one man on watch. They set over lapping watches. First watch Bull with Olek helping him. Ollek to wake the others in case of danger, Bull and Tom when Olek Turned in switching out every two hours for whoever had been on longest. Banking the stove they all prepared for the night.
Not long after Olek had turned in Bull moved quietly to the front window staring intently into the night. Outside, from the road, horses. But while he could hear the animals, and one had neighed, had to be a horse, there was nothing to see. “Tom, I don’t like this, keep watch on the front, I going to check the back and sides.”
“Don’t leave the building Bull, if it is a trap we want the cover.”
“Just watch the front, if it is anything I’ll yell.”
Bull made the rounds of the rooms. When he got to the east side, looking out, he saw an owl sitting in the new buds of the tree. The owl was watching intently to the east, away from the cabin. He stopped to watch. The bird sat still, so still he thought it asleep. Abrutly the owl launched itself skywards. Wings beating hard. Bull lost sight of the bird in the night air. As he turned to head back to the front to report all secure he saw movement on the tree. Something climbing down. Staring at the movement it disappeared, yet when he turned, there it was again. Turning back, the tree was empty. “Tom, quiet like, come here.” Tom came to the window and looked where Bull pointed.
“I don’t see anything Bull.”
“There was an owl, it flew off and something climbed down the tree.”
“There is nothing there now,” said Tom.
“Like last night when the wee man disappeared and you forgot?”
Turning “Kiazer, come” the dog trotted over and Tom placed his hand on Kiazer’s head. The two looked out the window for several minutes. Tom looked to Bull, “Whatever it was there is nothing out there now.”
The men went back to watch, Bull finishing his watch and turning his report and watch over to Sam. The night remained quiet and Tom turned watch over to Alex. About an hour into the watch, they heard a sound. A tapping sound from the back of the building. Alex moved to check it out. Searching the sound seemed to be coming from wall, between the windows. Alex moved trying to get a view out the window to see what was there. But he could not see the wall. He moved over to where he could hear the tapping and as he raised his hand, the sound stopped. Alex waited, hand raised, behind him where he could not see, Tair stood, ears forward. Alex began to turn away and he heard a low growl from the dogs. So low it was almost unable to be heard, but filled with menace. “Sam the dogs are upset.”
Sam began to wake the others, each man grabbing weapon and taking a window. The men prepared, “Tom, report”
“That tapping sound, I was checking and it stopped. I waited and when I started to turn the dogs bristled and turned ugly, looking right at that wall.” He pointed.
The menace in the growl was causing the hairs on the back of the neck to rise or was that due to something else.
“Psalm 91, say it with me folks” ordered Sam, the words appeared in front of their eyes. The men joined together the words of the prayer sounded through the cabin the dogs slowly ceased their growl. The hair on their necks smoothed. The words finished the Amen repeated. Tair his ears still firmly pointed at the wall nudged Sam, hard. Sam reached to calm Tair, and the horse shook free of his hand and snorted at the wall. Tom looked at Tair, murmuring a short prayer, Tom’s gift activated. He saw a glow around the men as they prayed, he saw a snake pressing on the glow, he heard the prayer again. Tom looked to Sam, “he wants that prayer, again.” Sam met each man’s eyes, again. The words filled the cabin again. With the amen Tair stomped his hoof, and shook his head, looked at Tom. Tom Looked back, He heard a chanting prayers, the words different, “With me.” The men followed in prayer. The amen sounding, Tair again stomped his hoof, head turned to stare at Tom, ears still pointing at the wall. Tom met that deep brown oh so more intelligent eye, and hearing the scraping through Tair’s ears, the men through the eye turned his way, the chant again had changed. “It’s still out there, pray with me”, Tom said. the words appearing in front of them the men again prayed aloud. The Amen sounding again, Tair shook his head and lowered it relaxing. Tom sensed in Tair's mind a glow around the cabin, a winged figure atop it. “We are safe now.”
The men slowly went back to sleep or to watch. The reminder of the night passed quietly.
