Free Monthly #28 Cin'Aps (Part 1: Arrival)

Something's up at the top of the mountain!

Introduction

I’ve been slacking on getting short stories ready to share, and the ones that are the furthest along are longer than normal (for my normal drops at least). To make the deadline, I decided to cut this short story into multiple parts. Stay tuned for the next part in October! You’ll be able to check with this link to find the whole story as it drops!

Cin’Aps (Part 1: Arrival)

“Hold on a minute.” Harry’s words were distant as he pushed me back down. The discrepancy between his voice and where my eyes said he kneeled was too much for me to comprehend as I groaned.

“Goodness, he might have a concussion!” Debby exclaimed. Her voice was much further away as the world around me spun. I had never understood why people used the phrase ‘dazed and confused’. I also had never fallen and hit my head hard enough to find out. Apparently, it was real. Lucky me.

I turned my head and blinked a few times and the world started to make more sense. Everyone’s voices edged back to where they were moments before I slipped on the mossy stone steps. The ancient staircase led to a cultural site, a wondrous place only recently discovered by my father. He was waiting for us at the top of the mountain and I feared what he might say when he found out I had almost fallen down the mountain.

“I’m sure he does.” Harry replied. “Jen, grab his stuff. Finn, can you help me with him so that we can clear the last steps? It’s not far, like fifty or so.”

Jen and Finn hustled to comply with Harry’s orders. Harry was just over six feet tall, with sandy hair, a square jaw, and military training. The perfect picture of a stereotype, save for the fact he broke his leg before completing basic training. From what he’d told us, it was a real bad break too, the kind that they don’t let someone back in for. I was glad when he agreed to join us on our excursion. He was the only one of us that knew anything about hiking and surviving in the wilderness.

Jen, the shortest of us all, approached while I lay on the ground. I watched in my disoriented state as her long, curly red hair brushed my face as she wrestled the pack from my shoulders. While her heavenly smelling hair captivated me, I barely noticed the removal of weight as I lay on the ground. I liked Jen’s curly strands of hair. It always smelled good and looked pristine, baffling the rest of us. Her round face and sharp eyes peered at me with concern before she stood back up.

Finn, the next shortest person and also the youngest of our fivesome—if that was even the right term—stepped forward as requested. In unison, they hoisted me to my feet. I saw Debby watching as they did. She was my sister and had short brown hair, a long face, and several piercings in her ears, one through her nose, and one on each eyebrow. She was a weird one, but I loved her. I had no choice after all.

Clearing the remaining steps proved to be a slow journey. As we clambered, I felt the urge to say something. “Thanks guys. I’d be dead without you.”

“Don’t mention it. We owe you for asking us to come along.” Finn grunted. I was not a skinny man and glanced up with a silent promise to the heavens that I would get into shape after the trip.

It didn’t take an imagination to know Debby scowled ahead of us without seeing her face. I knew my sister and since she was the one that suggested we invite our friends, she’ll hold a grudge against me. In her opinion, anyone who wanted to climb a mountain on another continent because a friend promised a look at some ancient artifacts was a friend worth keeping. That was her reasoning that convinced our father to let us bring friends.

However, when it turned out I had more friends willing to drop their summer plans and join us than she did, well; I think she took that personally. I didn’t blame her, but in my defense, she rarely made friends in high school and college and resented my knack for it.

“We’re almost there. Come on!” Jen exclaimed as her body wriggled with excitement. She was a boisterous, outgoing person. It’s what I liked most about her besides her hair—and whatever she did to keep her hair so pristine and full of the best scent known to man. Harry didn’t like whatever she used to get the scent just right, but he wasn’t as infatuated with her as I was so I didn’t hold it against him.

As we cleared the final five steps, we found ourselves on a ridgeline about seven feet wide and forty feet long. The mossy rocks around the stone path led north from the mountain we had scaled to the tan tent perched between our mountain and the one next to us. They positioned the tent there because of the flat space and to force anyone following the path to go through it. It was the best way to ensure only certain people could gain entry to the site beyond. The advanced skills required to climb the mountains without following the steps and paths were enough to keep all but the most skilled mountaineers away.

I sighed in relief. We made it. Debby pointed and said, “There’s more to climb!”

I glanced up at the winding stone steps that continued further up the next mountain. My relief turned to annoyance and dread. I was already exhausted. The sky was already darkening, and I hoped we would save the remaining mountainside travel for tomorrow.

“The living quarters?” Harry’s question brought my eyes back to my friends and sister.

“Living, research, internet connection to the rest of the world; all of it.” I replied. It was good to hear my voice normally. I felt much better cognitively, but my body was still not quite ready to get back to coordinated movements. It was both sore and exhausted.

“Is it heated?” Jen asked, concerned, as she looked at the sky. She too had realized we would stop for the night.

“It’s moderately climate controlled. Won’t be less than sixty degrees.” Debby answered. “That’s the minimum storage temperature for some of their equipment.”

Jen grimaced at the news. “Well, that’s reassuring.”

When we made our way to the entrance flap of the tent. The exterior comprised a rigid frame and a vestibule that kept us out of the chilly breeze. We stood before the door, unsure of what to do.

Debby looked at me. “Knock?”

I nodded my approval and she rapped on the door several times. We heard a bustle of activity and the door swung open. My father stood on the threshold. Tall, gray-haired, with a graying mustache, and a stern expression was enough to describe the majority of what I knew about him.

Our parents divorced because he wanted to go out in search of archeological discoveries. Our mother felt it unwise for us to be traveling with him because it was not good for young children. They both agreed children needed roots and long-term friends and a stable foundation.

That didn’t mean he hated us, or mom. In fact, they were more than cordial with one another throughout the divorce and he would show up occasionally to holiday celebrations. He also was there for our eighteenth birthdays. He might’ve been an adventurer first, archeologist second, and father third, but I had to give him credit for trying to balance all his loves. Besides, he was paying tuition for both of us to attend college. Could he really be all that bad? He even helped with recommendations to get us a chance on campuses we thought were well out of our league.

“I was wondering when you’d arrive.” He said in his signature gruff, monotone, speech pattern. “Come on in and make yourselves comfortable.”

“Hi daddy!” My sister’s words were lost on him for a few seconds as he spotted me.

“You alright Russell? Looks like you got banged up on the way here.”

“I did.” I shrugged as if it were no big deal.

Harry shook his head and interjected before the conversation moved on. “He would’ve fallen further if I didn’t grab his legs and nearly tumble with him. Probably gave him a concussion in the process, but he’s alive.”

“Concussion?”

“Judging by his disorientation and brief loss of consciousness, sir.”

“How long ago?” My father demanded, worry etched in his face.

“A few dozen steps below the ridge.”

My father turned and his white lab coat billowed, revealing his brown slacks underneath as he strode to a nearby table and grabbed a flashlight. He quickly returned and before I knew it, I could only see his red dress shirt in my face as he peered into my eyes.

There were three others in the tent and none of them paid us any attention. They were busy working, and like my dad, they wouldn’t let an interruption impede their work. “Look at me, son. Follow the light.”

I followed his instructions as he checked for signs of a concussion while the others removed their packs. When he finished, Finn asked, “Is he good?”

“Russell is fine. A mild concussion, if I had to guess.” He sat the small flashlight back down and took his lab coat off. “You’ll need to drink lots of water and go to bed early, Russell. If you’re not feeling well tomorrow, we’ll postpone the remaining hike. Your mother would kill me if something bad happened to you.”

“I’ll be fine, dad. Some water would be good.”

“Here.” He procured a glass bottle of water. “We have plenty from the mountain. Cleanest you’ll ever drink and no plastic at all.”

“Thanks, dad.”

“Dr. Conrad, is everything all right over there?” One of his assistances asked. They appeared to have finally realized what was going on and ceased their work.

“Yes, my son had a concussion. That’s all.”

“Ah.” the man replied and turned to his colleagues. “Let’s wrap up our work so we can start supper. We’ve got company.”

“You sure we have company?”

“Yes. Can’t you see the kids?”

“They look like young adults to me.”

“Oh, shut up Oliver. You know what I mean.”

As the three continued to banter loudly, they tidied up their workspaces. Debby silently giggled. “Dad, you’ve got some fun people working with you.”

“Bunch of goofs. If I knew they’d be such a pain to live with, I’d have gone with less qualified assistants. Constantly playing pranks and such.”

“Merit should always trump personability.” Harry said quiet enough that only we could hear him.

“Maybe so,” my father turned and studied Harry, “But I’m not worried about the work any of the applicants being subpar. I wanted the best because I thought merit was all that mattered. I’m regretting my decision.” As if to prove his point, one of his assistants let out a cry of pain. One of his colleagues had rigged a capacitor to zap whoever went to put away a scale. “See what I’m dealing with, Harry? I assume you’re Harry?”

“Yes. I’m Harry. Russell’s friend.”

I winced and saw Debby’s bad mood return. “Yep, he’s the one I was telling you about on the phone. Glad he was free to come along. There’s also Finn, you’ve met him, and Jen.”

“Ah, the lovely Jen I’ve heard so much about.” I blushed at his words.

Jen smiled warmly. “Thank you for allowing us to come along. I know the discovery is still recent enough that the public hasn’t been made aware and I couldn’t resist the opportunity. I love South American culture and when Russell asked, I couldn’t say no.”

“You studying South America?”

“South American History with a minor in civil engineering.”

“Ah. I have something to show you.” He strode to a lockbox and pulled out a key ring with enough keys that it concerned me. Why did he need so many all the way up here? “You planning on making a career out of it or just teaching and family and that path?”

Jen shrugged. “Right now, I’m keen on my studies and want to travel, so I think I’ll go as far as I can before my priorities change.”

“Good girl. Don’t try and do too many things at once. Balancing professional and personal life is stressful. I’m sure Russell’s complained about it.”

“He has.” Finn replied. “But I think it’s great that you’re doing this, Dr. Conrad.”

“Please. Call me Jeremy.” Dad took something out of the box and walked to Jen and placed it in her hand. We crowded around her to see what it was.

The oblong stone had intricate gears. After a few seconds of gawking, Debby asked, “Why are you showing us one of your tools?”

“That’s not ours. We found it up the mountain. One of the first artifacts we brought back, actually.”

“This can’t be real.” Jen said and rapped on it with her free hand. “Still… it just might be. These are stone gears on an artifact in South America. I can’t think of anyone ever making stone gears before.”

“That’s what I said. This artifact is too intricate and well-made to be real. But as far as we can tell, we’re the first people to have left biological markers on it in thousands of years. Aside from the normal mountain life and such, of course. No fingerprints or signs of tooling. Nothing like that at all. Just a device with gears at a site that humans haven’t visited for thousands of years.”

“What do you think it is?” Harry inquired.

The assistants joined our throng and one of them said, “I think it’s a timekeeping device. Based on the gear ratios, it separates into about the same full cycle as the moon. On average.”

“Whatever it is, it’s an amazing find.” Dad stated and held his hand out. Jen gave him the artifact and watched as he returned it to the lockbox. “Food is calling. We can discuss more later on what it is.”

“Why are you keeping it locked up?” I asked. My question caused him and his assistants to stop what they were doing and glance at one another.

“Some of the artifacts keep going missing or getting moved around.” The assistant that went by Oliver said. “Been happening for the last few weeks.”

“And it’s not us moving them. If we leave this shelter unattended—well, things get moved. It’s weird.” Another assistant, who identified themselves as Andre, said in a cautious tone.

“But we’re all here. There’s nothing to worry about,” Dad said hurriedly. “It’s when we aren’t here that things happen. So, let’s not worry about it.”

Dad’s voice reeked of suspicious tones. Parents think their children don’t hear the anxiety in their deception, but we do. Debby and Jen glanced at each other before locked eyes with Harry, Finn, and me. Unless Dad and these scientists were pranking us, something strange was happening on the mountain. Something they didn’t want us to know about.

I thought of all the Native American stories, about the curses placed on those who disturbed their burial grounds. Was my dad cursed? Did we get cursed by being here? My head was still aching and so I finished the bottle of water and helped make supper. I’d worry myself to sleep, but for now, I wanted to spend time with my dad.

To Be Continued Next Month

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