SquidgeWorld Archive

The Silence
by Donna S
It should have been apparent that something was wrong the minute they had reached their destination. However, Judson shrugged off the feeling as mere imagination. Mac glanced cautiously around, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Gabe felt the oppressive air and knew that this was not the place for them to be.

"Judson, are you sure this is the place?" Gabe questioned the leader of Adventures Inc.

"Gabe, I checked the coordinates. According to the curator at the museum, this is the spot noted in Cortez's diary as where Estevanico was taken," stated Mac as she turned toward the young man.

Judson left the two looking over the map again as he wandered in the canyon. The group had come to the canyons of Texas to find the supposedly treasure of Estevanico, an African slave who was part of Cortez's expedition. According to the legend, Estevanico was given a gold ceremonial bowl for healing the son of a local chief. He had hidden the treasure from the Spanish conqueror. He had witnessed what had happened to other tribes who exhibited signs of gold. Estevanico did not want this to happen to this tribe. He had then placed an African curse on the dwelling place of the object as further protection from the Spanish.

"See I told you we were in the right place." Mac shot a smug expression at her companion.

"Okay, but this just feels wrong," Gabe muttered. Mac cuffed him on the shoulder. "Leave the brooding to the master." She stated nodding her head in Judson's direction.

Gabe went to the back of the jeep and began to unload the equipment and gear. Mac watched Judson for a minute, then turned to help Gabe. They unloaded their camping gear first. Mac began to set up camp, while Gabe set up the delicate equipment that would help in their search.

Judson shouted down to the pair, "Hey, I am going to check on the other side of this slide. I'll be back in about 30 minutes."

Mac waved her hand in acknowledgement and returned back to her self-appointed task.

Every so often, Gabe or Mac would stop and wipe the sweat from their faces and take sips of water. The temperature in the canyon was just 98 degrees, but the dry air sucked all moisture from the area. The constant, warm wind provided no relief from the oppressive heat.

"Okay, we have been here about 3 hours and I am already tired of the wind. Does it ever stop?" Mac complained as she leaned up against the jeep.

"According to what I have read about this place, nope," Gabe replied with a quick grin at the disheveled woman. It wasn't often he saw Mac looking like a wrung out rag, and the sight was amusing. But he knew better than to let her see his amusement. Mac, when she was hot, was not to be trifled with.

"Hey, how long has Judson been gone?" Mac suddenly questioned.

Gabe's muffled voice came inside the tent, "Probably about 20 minutes or so. What time is it?" He crawled out with a
connecting wire in his teeth.

"I have 4:00. What time did he leave?"

Gabe stood up, concerned. "I thought it was about 3:00. He was only supposed to be gone 30 minutes. You don't think he got in trouble do you?"

Mac smirked at Gabe. "More likely, he lost track of time and has been mooning over some pottery shard." Inside, though, Mac was worried. Judson knew better than to wander off.

Mac grabbed her back pack and threw Gabe his. "Let's go find him. I'm getting hungry, and he's in charge of supper tonight."

The pair began to climb the formation known as "Devil's Slide". The loose shale caused Gabe to slip a couple of times. Once, he slipped on a particularly large piece and would have slide down the entire side if not for Mac's quick reflexes in catching his flailing hand.

"Be careful. We are about 3 hours from any type of civilization, so any injures will be handled by me," Mac warned the young computer genius.

Gabe shuddered violently. "Mackenzie Previn, RN. That is enough to scare anyone into being safe. No offense, Mac, but your bedside manner is more Terminator than Nightingale."

Mac grunted as she continued her climb up the rocks. Gabe grew concerned as he realized that Mac had been hiding her concern for their missing leader.

Finally the pair reached the top of the slide. Mac shielded her eyes against the sun. Gabe reached into his backpack and took out a pair of binoculars.

Mac scanned the desolate terrain. All she could see was scrub brush and rocks. Nothing moved on the floor of the canyon.

"Gabe, do you see him?" Mac's hand reached out to grip his arm.

He continued to look around, trying to see Judson's bright red shirt. "Nothing. Damn. Mac, what now?"

"We go down," Mac stated as she began the perilous trip down the loose rock. Gabe followed warily.



Part 2

Judson watched Mac wave in response, then turned and headed to the other side of the slide. He contemplated the best way to reach the bottom, but every way looked dangerous.

Instead, he focused his attention up. "Maybe if I go higher," he thought, "I might get a better lay of the land." Judson began to pick his way higher up the canyon. After a few minutes, he pulled himself up to a small tableau. There was just enough room for him.

Judson looked down and picked out Mac's pink tank and Gabe's purple shirt. They weren't that far away, but the terrain made it seem they were. Everywhere Judson looked it was desolate. The only green came from the numerous cacti or occasional mesquite tree. A large bird circled lazily in the sky. It was the only sign of life Judson had seen since he had entered the canyon.

"Okay. The diary stated that Estevanico was taken toward the Kneeling Woman Mountain. Let's see if we can find it." Judson reached for the binoculars attached to his belt.

He searched the horizon. A formation about 4 miles west looked promising, as did a formation 5 miles south. Judson checked his watch. "Damn, I'm late. Mac will have my head if she has to come looking for me."

Judson replaced his binoculars and turned to make his way back down the slope. However, his hand knocked a stone away from the side. He felt a searing pain in his right forearm. He jerked his arm back and his hand dislodged a baseball-sized stone that hit him directly on the side of his head.

Judson felt pain explode in his head. He stumbled near the edge of the tableau. He could feel himself falling backwards, but at the last minute he flung himself forward, smashing directly into the rock face.

The pain in his head increased. His arm burned. Mercifully, the darkness closed around him, blocking out the pain as he slumped to the ground.

Judson lay on the tableau, hidden from sight of those who searched below. He never heard the nearby voices call his name. He lay alone with his head bleeding and the poison of the rattlesnake coursing through his body.



Part 3

Mac and Gabe made it to the bottom of the canyon in record time. Mac was starting to get scared. She turned a worried face to Gabe, who wore an equally worried expression.

"Something is wrong. Judson would not be gone this long without somehow contacting us," Gabe declared. He took a swig of water from his canteen.

Mac yelled out again for Judson. "Damn it, where the hell is he?" Mac's fear was evident as she angrily stalked about.

Gabe reached over and grabbed her arms. "Mac, he is not here. He could not have gotten this far. We need to backtrack." Gabe attempted to soothe his distraught friend.

"I know he is not here, Gabriel Patterson! I need to know where he is!" Mac jerked her arms from his grasp. She began to retrace her steps.

Mac's mind began whirling, "Oh God, what if he is....No, don't say that. I refuse to let that be a possibility. But, he has never left me for this long without some type of sign." Mac leaned her head back and rapidly blinked her eyes. "Keep it together Previn. Gabe does not need you to fall apart. You've got to be strong for him. God, look at him. He is not cut out for this. You should send him back to camp in case Judson has returned."

Mac turned to Gabe and started to speak, however she was interrupted by him. "Don't even say it. I am staying here. He is my friend too. He would be looking for me. Don't worry, I won't slow you down."

Mac swallowed the words and mutely turned back to her climbing. They finally reached the top of the slide. Gabe stood next to Mac, desperately looking for some sign of Judson. The sun was slowly setting in the west. They had about thirty or forty minutes of light left. After that, it would be too dark to see anything. Their search would have to wait until the morning.

"Gabe, you go down and see if he has returned. I am going to climb a bit higher and see if I see him," Mac ordered.

Gabe stared at her intently before slowly nodding. He pulled out a pair of two-way radios from his back pack. "Call me if you see him. "We don't have much time left." With that, Gabe turned and made his way down the slide and back to camp.

Mac looked up and started climbing the side of the mountain. This was dangerous. It was really becoming too dark to see properly, but if she was fast enough, she could at least make it to the next shelf before the dying light forced her to turn around.

Her feet and hands nimbly felt the terrain for holds that could bear her weight. At last she felt the edge of the shelf. Her hands grasped the edge and she prepared to pull herself up the rest of the way.

Instantly, she felt a tearing sensation in her right hand. She grasped the offending object and flung it behind her down the mountain. Pain lanced through her entire body. Gingerly, she finished pulling herself up and lay panting for breath.

Mac turned her head and froze. Not a foot away lay Judson's still form. She crawled over to him. She carefully turned his face to the dying light. The purple bruising and red blood smeared across his face told the story. She then noticed his arm. The twin dots and red swelling made clear the urgency of the situation.

Mac scrambled for the radio. "Gabe! Gabe! Gabe!" she screamed in panic. Her heart was racing with fear. Mac could face many things, but not the sure knowledge that if she didn't do something, Judson Cross would die.


Part 4

Gabe's heart skipped a beat as he heard Mac's desperate voice come through. He quickly grabbed the mic and spoke. "Mac what is it?"

"I found him, Gabe. He is hurt bad. He has two huge lumps on his head, and it looks like he got bit by a rattlesnake." Mac's teeth chattered.

"Okay. I am coming up again. Together, we should be able to get him down. Hang on."

"Gabe, wait. You can't do that. You need to get a doctor here, "Mac told him.

"Mac, the cell phones won't work down here. I'd have to drive to the top of the Caprock just to get a signal. That's wasted time Judson doesn't have. When I get to the top of the slide, shine your light down the side. That will help light my way," Gabe replied as he mentally reviewed the contents of their med kit.

Mac glanced down at Judson's pale face, and then to the twin holes that marred her own hand. Gabe was their only hope, but only if he got help. There was no way he could get them both down.

She grabbed the transmitter, "I got bit too. I am going to try and take care of myself, but realistically I don't know how much help I am going to be. Plus, with the sun going down, the climb is treacherous at best."

Gabe swore violently. Judson hurt . . . dying. Mac injured . . .possibly dying. What was he supposed to do? Gabe hit the side of the jeep in frustration.

Gabe collected his thoughts and spoke into the mic, "Mac, take care of your arm first. Do you know what to do?"

Mac's voice sounded very far away as she confirmed that she did.

She grabbed her knife and made two cross-cuts across the bite. The only indication of her pain was a swiftly inhaled breath. She then began to try to suck the poison from the wound, but realistically Mac knew that enough poison had already entered her bloodstream to be dangerous.

"Okay, Gabe. I've done what I can for myself. You need to get going. We are counting on you." Mac's voice sounded tired.

"In a minute. Tie something around Judson's arm, but not too tight." Gabe waited for confirmation. "Mac, answer me . . . have you done it?"

Finally, Mac's voice returned. "Yeah, but Gabe, I don't know how much longer I can function."

Gabe whispered a silent prayer that this plan would work. "Mac, I need you to lay down next to Judson and cover up with your blanket. You have to keep him and yourself warm. I am going for help. Do you still have that flare gun in your back pack?"

Silence greeted his question. Panic gnawed at him. "Mac . . .answer me."

"Yeah, I found it."

"Good. Now, stay awake. You need to stay awake for Judson. I will be back very soon, okay?"

"Okay." Mac whispered. "But, Gabe, hurry. I don't know how much longer I can last."

Mac's words terrified Gabe. Never before had he heard the tough woman sound so young and scared. Normally she was the invincible one getting him out of trouble. Now both Judson and Mac were relying on him. Gabe could not afford to make any mistakes.

"I will, Mac," he finally replied.

Gabe jumped into the jeep, and with a flick of his wrist, started it. Mac watched with glazed eyes as the two red tail lights faded in the distance.



Part 5

Judson' body was on fire. He moved restlessly in an attempt to get cooler. He flailed his arms trying to get loose from the confining bonds around him.Hazy images seemed to dance in front of his eyes. He could see Gabe, smiling one minute, then the light dying in his eyes as a red blossom appeared on his chest. He could feel Gabe's body fall heavily into his arms as Stefan laughed manically. Judson cried out as he tried to stop the blood pouring from the wound.Gabe looked up at Judson accusingly.

"If only you hadn't asked me to come, I would still be alive. This is all your fault. How could you let him kill me? I believed that you would take care of me. The Great Judson Cross, a failure because he couldn't stop a madman."

Judson stared, horrified, as Gabe's face and body melted away to nothing in his arms. "Gabe! Gabe!" he hoarsely cried.

Mac tried to hold Judson down before his actions knocked them both over the side of the shelf. Her strength was waning and waves of sleep washed over her. Valiantly, she fought back. Judson's life depended on her. She had to stay awake. The temperature had dropped noticeably, so she wrapped the blanket closer around them.

Judson's anguished cries caused her heart to clench. She could only imagine what he was dreaming. She began to whisper soothing words to the distraught man.

Judson looked up from the space where Gabe's body had been to stare at Stefan. He tried to lunge at the figure, but felt his arms and legs bound. He lay helpless on the floor at the mercy of Stefan.

Stefan circled him while sharpening a knife. Suddenly, Mac appeared in the doorway. Judson called out to her. "Mac! He killed Gabe! You need to get the knife from him!" He was confident that Mac would save him and seek revenge for the murder of Gabe.

Mac nodded once before confidently walking into striking distance of Stefan. She grinned at Stefan before launching herself at him. Judson waited with bated breath for Mac to beat the hell out Stefan and save him.

His eyes filled with confusion as Mac grabbed Gabe's killer and proceeded to kiss him. One of Stefan's hands roughly grabbed her hair as their mouths violently mated. Coming up for air, Mac turned to Judson and laid her head on Stefan's shoulder.

Her voice mocked the pain and confusion in Judson's eyes. "Oh. Did you think I was here to save you?" She said condescendingly. "Now why would I want to save a pathetic soul like you? Did you really think I would want to stay with someone who can't protect his friends? Did you think that I might actually love you?" Mac's voice ended in laughter.

She kneeled closer to Judson. "You had potential, but you blew that when you failed to keep Gabe safe. Why would I trust you with my life?"

She stood and crossed back to Stefan's arms. "Stefan protects those whom he claims. I hope you burn in hell, Judson Cross, for betraying your friends." Mac swiftly kicked Judson in the stomach. Judson grabbed his middle with one hand and stretched the other out to Mac in entreaty. However, she and Stefan dissolved before Judson's eyes.

Judson was suddenly alone in the room. Tears trickled from his face as he came to terms with his failures. How many times had Gabe or Mac been put into danger because of his foolishness? He wasn't worthy to have them as friends. And now they had left him. Proof that he was right.

He closed his eyes and gave into the pain in his body and heart. What good was living if those who you lived for were gone?

Mac felt the change in Judson's body and in his breathing. She sighed with relief that the fever-induced dreams had apparently stopped, but the tears on his face bothered her. Her Judson didn't show his vulnerable side often. What was going on in that brain of his?

Mac wrapped her arms around his writhing body. He was burning up. Sweat poured off his body. She had tried to pour water in his mouth earlier, but her movements were uncoordinated and feeble. The poison dancing through her veins was making coordination difficult. She pulled Judson closer to her and drew the blanket tighter around them.


Part 6

The tires on the jeep spun in the loose dirt as Gabe hurled the vehicle up the treacherous path. Time was of the essence. There was no telling how long Judson had been up on that ledge.

He mentally reviewed all his limited medical knowledge. He didn't remember the specifics, but he did know that without treatment Judson and Mac would die. He was scared to death. He had never had to be the strong one before. Yeah, he was there to watch Judson and Mac on a dive and such, but he knew in his heart that if he wasn't there, they would be alright.

Gabe could hear his father's voice reminding him how he was a screw-up and not reliable. His father had predicted failure when Gabe had decided to join Judson's crew. Now, if Gabe failed, not only would he prove his father right, but Judson and Mac would be dead.

He slid to a halt at the top of the caprock. Grabbing his cell phone, he leapt from the jeep. He dialed 911 and waited. Nothing. He looked at the phone. No signal.

"Dammit to hell." He threw the phone to the ground in a fit of anger. His mind was whirling. How could he save Mac and Judson if he couldn't even call for help?

It would take hours to drive to the nearest town. Even then, there was no telling how close a medical-rescue helicopter was.

"Think. Come on Gabe. You can do this. Just calm down and think," Gabe told himself.

Suddenly, he grabbed the cell phone from the ground and quickly opened up the back of the jeep. He grabbed various electronic equipment. If he could just boost the signal enough to catch an orbiting satellite, he could call for help.

Gabe knew that he was making a decision that would decide Judson and Mac's fate. If he failed, there would not be enough time to go for help, and they would die. But, he trusted his instincts and proceeded to tweak the cell phone's signal capabilities.

After about twenty minutes of work, he dialed in the state emergency number and waited for it to ring. He was greeted by silence. It was not working. He had failed. He had failed Judson and Mac. He crumpled to the ground, a single tear etching its way down his face.

Gabe could picture their bodies still and lifeless. The guilt crushed down on him. Why didn't he just go for help when he had the chance? How dare he think he could save Judson and Mac.

Then, in his mind, Gabe heard Judson's voice reminding him that he was a valuable and important member of the team. He had many times used his technical wizardry to help them out of a tough spot.

Gabe wiped the tear from his face. He stood up and started working on the equipment again. He pulled wires loose and reconnected others, all the while sending prayer upon prayer that Judson and Mac were alright.

Finally, he was confident that this would work. He dialed the number again and waited. After a pregnant pause, he heard a voice pick up on the other line. Gabe breathed a sigh of relief before giving the operator their location and situation.



Part 7

Mac turned and looked at her watch. Gabe had been gone for over 4 hours. Something had to have gone wrong. He could have wrecked the jeep or maybe he was injured. Maybe dead. Morbid thoughts filled her mind.

How fitting that all three would die at the same time, she thought to herself. It was time to give up the fight and just let go. Judson was going to die. There was nothing she could do to save him. This was one instance that her skills were useless.

In a way, Mac was glad that she would not be there to mourn Judson's and Gabe's passing. She had been the sole survivor before, but when she joined Judson and Gabe that was supposed to be a thing of the past.

Mac looked down on Judson's still face. His breath barely stirred her hair. She could feel the life draining out of him. One hand reached out and caressed his face. It was funny how he had given her peace. Hers had been a violent and stressful life before Judson. He showed her how to temper the violence within her and find the joy in life.

Mac's mind recalled Judson grinning up at her, his hair slicked back with water. Images of shared laughter, promising glances, and unspoken words flashed before her. Her heart broke as the possibilities withered with their potential deaths.

Gabe's face intruded on her images of Judson. A small smile touched Mac's mouth. Gabe had been the brother she never had. She felt protective of him, but she also enjoyed their camaraderie. Many times they had conspired to torment Judson. She was going to miss his infectious smile and quick wit.

Mac's eyes grew heavy. She could feel herself losing consciousness. She welcomed the darkness. The fight was over.

Suddenly, a bright light filled her vision. Was this death? She had heard tales of a bright light at the moment of death. But this light was not peaceful. It hurt.

She felt herself being pulled and twisted. Mac tried to strike out at the unknown. It was taking her away from the peaceful blackness. A voice echoed through her brain.

"Mac? Mac? It's Gabe. We're here. Let go of Judson. It's okay. You did it."

The voice was familiar, but Gabe was dead, right? The voice commanded that she let go, so Mac released her tight hold on Judson. Then she felt herself being gently lifted and placed next to him.

She felt weightless as they were lifted up from the shelf and into the waiting helicopter.

Gabe watched anxiously as the rescue workers loaded his injured friends on the helicopter. He grabbed Mac's hand as they strapped her down and brushed the hair from her face.

The technicians had to work around him, since Gabe had no intention of letting Judson or Mac go anywhere without him. He continued to rub Mac's hand and was finally rewarded with her eyes opening slightly.

Mac's vision cleared enough so that Gabe's face appeared. She weakly nodded her head at him so he would lean down. As his face got closer, she whispered, "You did good kid. You did good." Then she succumbed to the blackness.

Gabe looked over at the technicians. "Well, how are they?"

The lead tech looked up with a very serious expression. "They are alive, but only time will tell if they make it. But, I will tell you this, if you had tried to drive for help, they woulda died before we got here. It is a good thing you got a call through. You know, you're a hero." He then turned back to his patients. Gabe smiled slightly and once again resumed his vigil of watching over his friends.

As the helicopter sped away, a dark figure watched from the northern face of Kneeling Woman Mountain. When the distant lights of the chopper had faded, the figure melted back into the shadows. The explorers would be back, and it would be waiting.

The End