Chapter Five: Search and Rescue Mission

 

Cloudy was horrified. She couldn’t believe her ears. If Joseph had Liloy and Miriam in his grasp, they would likely die?! It couldn’t be! Cloudy could not let such a thing happen to her best friend, and especially not to a pregnant girl.

“Okay, now I absolutely have to find Miriam,” Meredith said, her voice choked with fright. “If Joseph does something despicable to her, I will never forgive myself.” She threw up her hands in despair. “I knew she shouldn’t have gone on her own!”

“Forget that,” Sniper said roughly. “What steps do we need to take to locate her?”

Meredith cupped her chin in her hand and thought a moment. “Well, maybe we can take this matter to the police and have them handle it.”

“No,” Cloudy replied. “If that guy knew the police were onto him, he would probably quit the country and take Liloy and Miriam with him. Or maybe he would kill them. No, that’s not such a smart move at this point in time. We need a stealthier method.”

“Like what?” Star asked gloomily.

Cloudy’s eyes landed on the tailgate and an idea popped into her mind. “I’ve got it!” she exclaimed. “I’ll sniff the tailgate and track down the car’s scent, and we may be able to find Liloy and Miriam! Problem solved!”

“Not necessarily,” answered Scazzarda. “Joseph could be miles away by now. If that’s the case, it’s a long way to walk by foot, and you’re only a puppy. Better let someone else take over this.”

Cloudy shook her head stubbornly. “No. I am going to look for them. They’re my friends.”

“But Joseph!” Springtime exclaimed. “What if he harms you?”

“I don’t care if I get killed,” Cloudy nobly declared. “I’d gladly die to save them.”

Springtime’s mouth dropped open at her daughter’s bold words. Cloudy had to be kidding! She was only a little girl—how could she possibly understand the gravity of the situation she was putting herself in?

Meta Knight stepped forward. “If Cloudy wants to go, do not stop her,” he said. “I will go with her.”

“What?!” Springtime flared at Meta Knight. “If you think I am letting my daughter waltz right into the hands of a crazy murderer, you’re dead wrong! Never would I let her do that!”

“She must go! It is for the sake of my daughter and Miriam!”

“No! I will not allow it!”

“Liloy and Miriam both need Cloudy’s help!” insisted the knight.

Springtime was irate. “I said no!” she shouted. “I will not now, nor will I ever, let her attempt to take on a killer!”

“She’s not taking on anybody!” Meta Knight shouted in return. “I will! After all, I will be with her!”

“No!”

Cloudy heard the arguing of her friend and mother as they bickered back and forth; their voices were growing louder and louder, their shouts turning to screams. Cloudy felt like she was losing it. She wanted them to stop. She wished they would shut up. She had to rescue her friends, and standing around shrieking wasn’t going to help anyone.

Finally Cloudy could stand it no longer. She drew herself up straight, opened wide her mouth, and screamed at the top of her lungs: “Will you two just shut up?!”

The entire mall went silent as customers stared at her like she was a lunatic. Even the salesclerk was giving her an odd look, her eyes asking if Cloudy was all right.

Cloudy lowered her head and let out a long, loud sigh. Springtime and Meta Knight stood frozen in place, their eyes locked on Cloudy. Then the little Malamute spoke. “I’m sorry, Mommy and Meta Knight. But arguing and yelling at one another will not help anything in the least bit. You’re not setting a good example for others here. Listen to me. I will catch Joseph and give him a taste of his own medicine, and I will make him regret all the moral evil he’s committed in this world.”

Springtime was anxious. She didn’t want her child to be in danger. She wasn’t even a year old yet! But in her heart, Springtime knew that Cloudy was smart and logical and cared more about her friends than for herself. That was admirable.

“She will be okay,” Scazzarda assured Springtime, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Trust me. Let her go. She and Magnus will be all right.”

Springtime sighed reluctantly and nodded. “Okay. You may go with Meta Knight, Cloudy.”

Cloudy stood up straight. “I’ll be careful, Mommy. I promise,” she said solemnly.

Springtime nodded again. “I know, sweetheart.”

“Let’s get back to the house and start packing for Cloudy and Meta Knight,” said Showerstorm. “Then they can go on their journey.”

 

* * * * *

 

Two hours later, Cloudy and Meta Knight were once again in front of the mall, standing by the mysterious tailgate. Cloudy bent down and snuffled the chunk of metal, moving her nose from the tailgate to the road as she did so. As she sniffed, she detected the same scent as on the tailgate. She was exhilarated and full of adrenaline. Noe she could locate her friends!

“We must hurry. It is getting dark,” Meta Knight said, his voice strained and weary.

As he spoke, he shouldered the pack Cloudy’s mother had given him. it held food, water, and some first-aid supplies and blankets. But to him. these necessities were not needed. He just wanted his daughter back.

Cloudy’s parents, Scazzarda, and Meredith were there to see them off. Springtime and Showerstorm embraced and kissed Cloudy as solemnly as if she would never come back.  Cloudy was scared of what the outcome of this dangerous journey would be, but was bound and determined to be brave.

“The Lord be with you both,” Springtime whispered.

Meta Knight looked over at Scazzarda, who gazed at him, her clear green eyes sympathetic. She held out her arms to him, and he willingly went to her, holding her tightly. Suddenly, his body began to tremble, and Scazzarda hugged him a little tighter in an attempt to soothe him.

“Magnus, what’s wrong?” she whispered, stroking his head.

“I don’t want anything to happen to Liloy. . .or Miriam,” he replied, his voice suffocated with sobs. “I don’t. They can’t suffer at the hands of Joseph like I did at the hands of my own father.”

Don’t ever think of yourself as a helpless victim or that you’re worth nothing because you were abused,” Scazzarda said gently. “And don’t hold on to the past, dear. You need to learn to forgive those who wrong you.”

Meta Knight’s breath caught. “If there is one I will never forgive, it is Nightmare himself,” he hissed. “May he suffer all the tortures he put me through!”

Cloudy’s ears shot up straight, her mouth flying open in utter shock and disbelief. “Meta Knight!”

The knight turned to her. “What?!”

“You cannot wish that to your own father!” Cloudy snapped. “Just because he did who-knows-what to you as a child doesn’t mean you should wish the same things to happen to him!”

Meta Knight was enraged. He screamed at Cloudy in a way she had never heard before, in a grief-stricken, shrieking tone that made her cringe. “And what do you know of the torment and pain I’ve gone through?!” he screamed. “You have no life experience! You cannot understand!”

Cloudy was nonplussed for a few seconds, but regained her sense. “So what?” she shot back. “It doesn’t mean I cannot try to help you heal! Life experience has nothing to do with helping others! Any fool knows that!”

“You are not even a year old yet,” Meta Knight sharply returned. “You have only scratched the surface on what you know about abuse. Most of this you will not know nor understand until years down the line.” He looked away. “At your age, you would not understand most of the abuse I have gone through.”

It always frustrated Cloudy when grownups thought children knew little or nothing about a certain subject or when they kept repeating the same thing over and over again to make sure you knew it when, in fact, you did know it. Cloudy’s parents played out those scenes with her a lot of the time, and Cloudy honestly never had the heart to stand up and say something about it to them. It also bothered her tremendously when her parents would not tell her certain things because they assumed she wouldn’t understand it at her “tender age”, as they put it. Just last week she had heard her mother mention the word “promiscuous” and had asked Springtime what that meant. Her parents had vaguely responded that she was too young to know about it at that point in time and had sent her to her room. That made Cloudy mad.

Cloudy was angry at Meta Knight for being so snappy with her, but she felt as if she really understood why he was so upset. Abuse, she knew, was painful. It took time to heal from. Some tried hard to heal; others refused to. And though she wanted to argue about being too young to know about abuse, she knew deep down that she was too young. Her parents knew so too. Anything she had been exposed to too early was purely unintended. Her parents and mentor were only trying to protect her and keep her safe because they loved her.

Cloudy blew out her breath. “You’re right, Meta Knight. I am too young to know all the details of abuse.” Changing the subject, she turned to Scazzarda. “We need to get going now.”

Meta Knight gently pulled away from his mother and picked up the pack again. “Goodbye, Mother. May we return to you shortly against blue skies.” He was really saying, “We we come back to you victorious in our quests.”

Scazzarda managed a smile. “Goodbye, Magnus.”

Springtime gave Cloudy one last hug. “Stay safe, my dear.”

“I will, Mommy.”

“Go now,” Meredith commanded.

Cloudy and her mentor obeyed and set off down the road, the tiny Malamute tracking the van with her finely-tuned nose. The four adults watched them, inwardly praying for their safe return.

 

* * * * *

 

Joseph slowed down and turned onto a narrow dirt road, driving slowly as there were many ruts that could jar the car. After driving for  a couple of minutes, he stopped the car and shut off the engine then got out. He walked around to the other side of the car and opened the back door, ordering Liloy and Miriam, “Get out.”

The two girls obeyed. Miriam glanced around the deserted area, trying to ger her bearings. Joseph prodded her shoulder with the pistol, ad she reluctantly followed him as he led them off to the right into a small clearing. In the middle of the clearing sat an old rickety cabin, its window filthy and the roof sagging.

“Where are we?” Liloy questioned. “Where is this place?”

Joseph didn’t reply. He merely opened the door and ordered them inside. Down a long hallway and into a dark, windowless cellar he led them, and then made them sit down on the floor.”

“All right, now I want you to turn over all electronic and communication devices you may have,” Joseph snapped. “And be mighty quick about it!”

With a start, Miriam realized she still had her mom’s phone! She wanted so much to contact someone for help! Oh, why had she not remembered that sooner? But one look at the pistol pointing right in her face and she knew she had no choice. She relinquished the phone.

“I don’t have my phone,” Liloy said. “If you want proof, I can show you.” She stood up and emptied all of the contents out of her bag. Sure enough, no phone was found. Miriam’s heart sank. Their last chance of escape was gone.

“Hmm.” Joseph tucked Miriam’s phone i his pocket. “Okay, then. Now you stay down here. I’ll be back in a few hours to talk to you. Have fun.” He flashed them a wicked leer and walked off, slamming the door behind him. Miriam heard the blot click as it slid into place.

“Well, now what do we do?” Miriam asked, distressed. “I need to get home! My mom will be worried sick about me!”

Liloy shrugged. “I don’t know. But I think. . .we could try to call my father.”

Though Miriam couldn’t see Liloy’s face in the very well in the gathering darkness, she could have sworn she could hear the wheels turning in Liloy’s head. “What are you up to?” Miriam demanded.

Liloy didn’t answer, but suddenly a bright light illuminated the room. Miriam blinked a few times in order for her eyes to adjust to the light, then gasped aloud when she spotted a phone in Liloy’s hand! “Where did that come from?!” she exclaimed.

Liloy grinned. “I slid my phone under that crack in the wall there before he could see it,” she explained. “Think I fooled him?”

“You sure did!” Miriam said admiringly. “Hurry and call Meta Knight!”

“Very well,” Liloy agreed, dialing the knight’s number. Then they sat back and waited. . .