Weak in Body, Strong in Mind and Spirit
Chapter 40: Giving Back

“Can you help replace the little girl?” asked Kimberly.

“Yes, of course,” said Aurora.

Windago and Nakani nodded in agreement.

“But we do not know where this place is,” I added.

“Well, it’s on the Great Sacandaga Lake,” said Pamela.

We all looked at her blankly.

“Madu, you’ve been to our property many times. You too Puyallup and Ouragan,” she said.

“Yes, of course,” I said.

“Well, the mountain you see across the valley is Shaker Mountain. If you went over that and to the lake, you’d replace the campground,” said Pamela.

“Madu, Puyallup, and Ouragan... will you?” asked Aurora.

“Yes, of course,” we all answered.

“Great! We’ll meet you there... rats! We left the truck at the Sheriff’s Office!” said Kimberly.

“Get in my truck,” said Bill. “I’ll take you, and help look too.”

“I have to get Kathryn back home for her meds,” said Dick, “otherwise we’d help too.”

“I know you would,” said Pamela. “You get Kathryn home. She’s had a big day.”

“Not as big as the flying Skunk Ape,” laughed Kathryn.

Puyallup, Ouragan and I ran off down the black trail. I knew exactly where the property was, and with the running so easy, we were there in no time. We ran down the conveyance trail, across the clearing, and down into the valley. Soon we were climbing up Shaker Mountain, and then down the other side. We crossed several black trails but saw no sign of a lake.

I raised my hand to stop. I looked around and saw no lake. Ouragan sniffed the air and did not smell water.

“Pamela, are you there?” I projected.

“We’re coming Madu,” she answered. “Are you at the campground?”

“No. We can’t replace the lake. We don’t see a sign of it.”

“Well, it’s there. You have to look harder,” said Pamela a little too testily I thought.

“I’ve never been here before, but I’ll look,” I answered. “We’ll replace it.”

“That little girl needs to be found quickly,” said Kimberly. “It will be dark soon. I have an idea. Ouragan, can you hear me?”

“Yes Kimberly,” he answered.

“Ouragan, your connection with Kathryn is very strong, isn’t it?”

“Yes, I suppose it is,” Ouragan answered.

“Here’s my idea,” said Kimberly, as she explained her idea to him.

“I will try,” answered Ouragan. “I will do my best”

Ouragan sat down and cleared his thoughts for a minute.

“Kathryn? Can you hear me?” mindspoke Ouragan.

“Yes!” came the instant reply.

“Kathryn... Puyallup, Madu, and I are trying to replace a place,” he began, and then he told Kathryn of Kimberly’s idea.

Puyallup and I watched in wonder as the massive Warrior stood. He then rose slowly into the air, higher and higher. He was up very very high when he was gently lowered back to the ground.

“That way,” said Ouragan pointing and off he went with Puyallup and I jogging behind him.

We soon made our way to this lake and into the campground. We saw the conveyances that took away the uniformed Little People. We walked up to them. They were jabbering away in their odd language among each other.

“Crap! Bob, grab my gun!” yelled a Male as he pointed at us.

“You’ll do no such thing,” said a Trooper. “These good folks are here to help replace your little girl, so don’t you go doin’ nothin’ stupid! And that goes for all of you!”

“Are you sure, officer? Damn it, they look big and mean,” said the Male.

“Fred, you just calm yourself down!” said a Female.

“Dolores, how do we know if we can trust them?” said Fred.

“I just think we can,” said Dolores. “They came all this way to help.”

“Well, I dunno,” said Fred.

We had no idea what they were going on about, but the Male seemed either agitated or worried, or both. I looked at Ouragan and I saw the hair on the back of his neck standing up as his eyes narrowed to slits and his nostrils flared.

The Female produced something that looked like what we saw in the newspaper that Pamela showed us.

“This is my little girl,” said the Female. “She’s only four. I don’t know how she wandered off, but she did. Her name is Heather. She’s about this tall with brown hair and green eyes.”

“Dolores you’re wasting your time. They can’t understand you,” said Fred.

I took the image from the Female and looked at it closely. I then handed it to Puyallup who inspected it, and he handed it to Ouragan. Ouragan looked at it the longest, and then handed it to the Female.

“She’s only four,” said the Female with a sob. “Can you help replace my little girl?”

Ouragan was touched by the Female’s tears.

“We’ll get your little one back,” he projected.

The Female looked up at Ouragan and gave him a hug. She had understood his mindspeak.

“What is your name?” she asked.

“Female, this is mindspeak. You have to clear your thoughts and think what you want to communicate,” he projected.

She looked away for a moment, and then “What is your name?” was asked very clearly.

“I am Ouragan. That is Madu, and Puyallup.”

“Well, thank you all. Don’t mind my husband Fred. He’s just a worried father,” said Dolores.

Ouragan pointed to me and then gestured in the direction I should go, and then to Puyallup. He then jogged off in another direction.

“Good idea. Split up guys!” said a Trooper as the officers moved out.

There were several campers there who also joined in. A white conveyance pulled down the trail and stopped. Bill, Kimberly, Pamela, and David emerged.

“We’re here to help look for the little girl,” said Pamela.

“Hi, I’m Dolores, and this is my husband Fred,” she answered. “Thank you for helping. Here is her photograph. She’s only four. Her name is Heather.”

They all inspected the photo carefully.

“Let’s go off in pairs,” said Pamela. “Kim and I, and Bill and David.”

They paired off and went in different directions. The sun soon dropped behind Shaker Mountain and it grew dark and cool.

“We have to look harder,” projected Kimberly. “It’s going to be a cold night.”

“We’re covering as much ground as we can,” I answered. “Now that the sun is down, we Forest People can see better.”

“I think I might have a scent,” projected Puyallup, “only there are two Little People. One scent is the same as was on the image the Female showed us. The other is a Little Person, a Male.”

“Where are you?” I asked.

“I’m not sure,” said Puyallup, “But I am now running at full speed. Listen for my foot falls. I’ll catch up to them.”

I stopped and listened intently. I could barely hear Puyallup running in the distance. I ran that way, stopping to listen for any change in direction. I heard a thunderous weapon, and then I heard no more running. I ran towards where the noise was heard. I found Puyallup laying on the ground with a wound to his chest.

“Puyallup! You’re hurt!” I cried.

“Yes, apparently so,” he said. “I got close. A large Male Little Person had a Female little Little One under his arm. She was crying. As I ran up behind him he turned and attacked me with a weapon.”

“I need to get you back!” I said.

“No, get the Little One,” said Puyallup.

“What? Are you sure?” I asked.

“Yes. Get the Little One. She’s terrified!” he said. “But be careful.”

I got up and sniffed the air. That way. I ran off at full speed after them. I didn’t see them, but I heard a weapon discharge. I dove for the ground.

“I hate getting shot,” I muttered in a low voice.

I heard heavy running footsteps. Ouragan was by me in a flash. There was more sounds of a weapon being discharged, and then a scream.

“Madu, are you alright?” projected Ouragan.

“I’m right here, Friend,” I answered. “I’m fine.”

I got up and walked to Ouragan. The little Little One was sobbing hysterically. Ouragan had the Male Little Person by his ankles and was holding him upside down.

“Put me down you son-of-a-bitch!” he yelled.

“I don’t know what he’s saying, but he’s getting on my nerves,” said Ouragan, who slapped him across his face.

“OW! Damn it you big monkey!”

Ouragan slapped him again. The Male then shut up.

“That’s better,” said Ouragan.

“Ouragan! You have holes!” I exclaimed.

“Yeah, I guess. But would you take the little Little One and I’ll take this one?” he asked.

I knelt down and looked at the little Little One. She was crying hysterically. I smiled at her and she quieted down a bit. I picked her up and set her on a shoulder.

“Let’s go replace your Momma,” I said kindly.

We walked back the way we came. The Male would whine something occasionally and Ouragan would slap him. We came to Puyallup who was sitting up. Ouragan set the Male Little Person down. He started to run away but Ouragan easily caught him and slapped him a good one. Ouragan then wagged a finger at the man indicating he wasn’t to run. The man stood still.

“Puyallup, I will carry you,” said Ouragan.

“I’m too heavy,” said Puyallup.

Ouragan laughed loudly and picked up Puyallup like he weighed nothing. We walked slowly back and entered the campground. At once there was a large gathering of Little People.

“You found her!” cried Dolores.

I set Heather on the ground and she ran to her mother.

“Thank you thank you thank you!” cried Dolores happily.

A deputy walked up, pointed to the Male, and said “Who is this?”

Pamela was there and translated.

“He had the little girl,” said Pamela.

“Puyallup, you’ve been shot!” yelled Kimberly. “You too Ouragan! Come over here and sit!”

Ouragan carried Puyallup to where Pamela indicated and set him down, and then sat next to him.

The deputy took a light tube and shined it in the Male’s face.

“Hey! Do you know who this guy is?” he asked no one in particular. “This is Chester Brown! He’s a known child molester!”

Another deputy walked up to the Male and shined his light in his face too.

“It sure is,” said the deputy. “This should put you away for a long time. Turn around Brown. I’m cuffing you.”

Brown turned, but then bolted at a sprint. Ouragan rolled his eyes, picked up a good sized rock, and hit Brown square in the back with it, sending him to the ground. The two deputies were on him and fastened his hands behind his back.

“Nice throw buddy,” laughed a deputy. “Hey, are you fellas alright? You’ve been shot?”

Pamela translated to us.

“Where is his gun?” asked a deputy. “We need it for evidence.”

Pamela translated again, and Ouragan held up a what was once probably a weapon.

A deputy took it and examined it. He began laughing.

“What?” said one.

“The big guy here crumpled it up like it was a piece of paper.”

Dolores walked over to us. She was crying, and holding her little Little One tightly.

“I can’t thank you enough,” she projected to Ouragan. “Would you tell the others how grateful I am?”

“No need, I can hear you,” said Puyallup.

“And I,” I added.

The Male named Fred walked over and stood next to Dolores.

“I was wrong about you boys,” he said. “I’m sorry. Truly sorry. Thank you.”

Dolores translated.

“I am a father myself,” I said. “My daughter Zena was born last winter. I understand his concern.”

Dolores translated again.

“Well, you tell these boys, Dolores, that I will never pre-judge anyone again,” he said. “I was wrong to do it. I was a fool. And I shudder to think what might have happened if it wasn’t for these three.”

I stood and put my hand on his shoulder.

“As father to father, you’re welcome,” I projected to him.

He looked at me and smiled. He was connected.

“I’m Fred,” he said.

“I am Madukarahat, but you may just call me Madu. These are my friends Puyallup, and the big one is Ouragan.”

“Please express my thanks to them, and apologize for me acting like a fool.”

“I will, Fred,” I laughed. “I will.”

A Deputy and Trooper walked up to us.

“Hey, you guys did great. Nice work.” said the Deputy.

Pamela translated.

“Can we call on you again if we need you?” he asked.

Pamela translated, and I answered yes, of course.

“That’s terrific,” said the Trooper. “How can we get a hold of you though?”

David handed both the Deputy and the Trooper a card.

“You can contact me at the Facebook address at the bottom of the card,” said David. “We’ll get them the message.”

The Trooper laughed.

“Maybe these guys should have their own Facebook page!”

David’s eyes squinted, and he smiled, and the wheels started turning. Certainly Madukarahat...