~Chapter 17~
Back to Growlar's Lair
Louis filled his backpack with a few containers of fresh drinking water, some fresh cooked sweet rolls, a dozen link-sausages, dried venison, and a couple slices of apple pie to quell his hunger for the long arduous trip back up the dark mountain.
Without giving it much thought, he placed his small metal flute into his rear pocket in case he might get lonely, during his trip, and would need the comfort of music to keep him company. Spending the night on the mountain by himself might be scary so playing the flute would at least keep his mind occupied and busy.
Louis grabbed his trusted walking stick, bearskin hat and coat, gave Molly a heartfelt hug, shook Chug's hand goodbye, then just like that he was, gone out the front door of the small elfin home.
His heart was full of determination and daring again, for he knew he would have to face the dangers of the mountain, and everything that lives there all by himself. This would be the first time in his whole life that he would be completely alone out in the wilds. This scared Louis to no end, but he knew that some things were just bigger and more important than facing his own fears, and that this was just one of those times.
Molly sat on the front porch of the small home in an oversized, wooden rocking chair, with a hand-made woolen comforter (given to her by Elvina) draped over her lap to keep her warm. Alone she sat there, late into the night watching Louis climb the mountainside with a small, lit gas lamp held high in front of him, to light the dangerous the unforgiving mountain up ahead of him.
The light grew fainter and fainter the higher and higher he climbed, until finally Louis's guiding-light disappeared altogether from sight, as he passed around the last turn on the mountain trail, and up and over the upper crest of the mountaintop.
As he passed away from view the worry in Molly's heart grew only that much greater.
Would she ever see Louis alive again?
Would he ever return to the safety, and comfort found in her arms, or would he run into other wild beasts; like Growlar that lurked in the darkness, of the mountain.
As the twinkling northern stars passed across the winter skies, her two eyelids grew heavy as she fought off the sleep that she so desperately needed. It was well pass three o'clock in the morning before she finally fell asleep, with images of Louis and her dancing at the big square dance that night in Centerville, which seemed so long ago.
Louis was truly alone for the first time in his short life, and the farthest he had ever been away, from his friends or family. Solitude and loneliness started to overcome him in the darkness that continued to engulf him, the farther he traveled upwards. Sometimes when you are truly alone, in the darkness, and far away from the distractions of everyday life, is when you really have the opportunity to find inner-peace, courage, and the inter-strength that lies within, even if you do not know where to look. Sometimes: the courage will come naturally, and sometimes you will have to go looking for it, but everyone has the ability to find it if they look hard enough, and soon this is exactly what Louis was going to have to do.
These things are found within us all, but only the truly blessed and gifted are able to find these only human qualities, and apply them into your everyday life. Louis being so inexperienced, could only think over and over in his mind; was he up to the task at hand, or had he bitten off more than he could handle? When one is as young as, Louis these self-doubts come only naturally. It is just a part of growing up, to become the good-man, or good-woman, that you are destined to be.
Louis just did not have the self-awareness to know this yet.
All Louis truly knew was that he was deftly alone on the snow-covered mountainside, not knowing what lay ahead, or what his immediate future would hold for him. He had to put into operation his plan, to save Charlie and climbing up this mountain, and reaching Growlar's den again, must be done tonight, and he must return by nightfall the next day, back into Santa's Village, or all would be lost. Little did he think of or remember what Algar had kiddingly said to him the night before, in the clearing, standing by the firelight, that a wild beast that all the residents of Santa's Village knew about lived upon the dark mountain.
The Terrible Nebuka the Orange Yeti.
This abdominal snowman is a half-man, half-beast; who has been known to roam the great wilds, and mountain ranges of the North Pole, and the Ingnok mountains, since the beginning of time it's self. Throughout the history of man, the story of the Yeti and his walking upon the earth has been, documented about in: sacred scrolls, old books, and in ancient cave paintings. His legend has been passed on from generation to generation throughout the ages, in this part of the world. He is sung about and remembered in legends and lore, but none have ever captured or killed this beast; because it is believe that if, you bring harm to one of these animals your soul will: travel straight into the darkness, and heart of the Ingnok Mountains. Never to be found again and when this happens you will never know happiness or serenity again.
Nebuka stands well over seven feet tall, and weighs almost eight hundred pounds. He is covered from head-to-toe with thick, long, orange hair that has been known to glow, in the northern moonlight at certain times of the year. He has: long sharp claws, is very thick in the middle, and has a large stout head, was extremely muscled, had enormous broad shoulders, and had a very strong and wide back. He has a nasty temperament, not unlike that of Growlar...but in one way, he is very different from him because, he does not like to eat his victims, he only likes to scare them.
Just for fun.
He especially has a tendency and deep-seated love, to scare the wits out of younger children. He lives for this almost as much as, Growlar lived to fill his ever growling and hungry stomach.
This is Nebuka's calling.
To keep little children cleverly and completely, afraid of the dark, and of the things that lurk there.
Oh, the look on his face each time he finds a new unwilling victim. Pure pleasure and delight can be seen in his glowing, and very deep, red fiendish eyes. The eyes are so devious and scary that they make Cool Joe's teeth, seem like child's play.
Just the sight of one of these beast, has been known to give full grown, brave and grizzled men pause, and almost die from freight, instantly right on the spot. To stare into heart of the glowing red eyes of this beast, hear his frightful ear splitting laugh, and to able to live, and tell the story of your encounter with him, without dying, will truly turn you into a man among boys.
Now, if a small and very innocent boy (which Louis is) has an encounter with one of these great beasts and lives to tell the story, it is known, that he will be destined for greatness, for all his remaining days living on earth. Because from that day on his sole calling in life will be, to spread joy and happiness to all the children of the world, because he has survived what all children of the world collectively, and individually fear the most.
The Monsters...that lurk...in the night!
Nebuka the Orange Yeti...is that monster!
Up and up Louis climbed into the darkness of the mountain with only the sounds of the snow falling down all around him, and the shallow breath springing from his chest, to keep him company. This night not one living thing was seen on the earth, below or in the heavens above by Louis as he slowly ambled upward along the rocky pathway toward the northern Nanaluk passage, at the foot of Growlar's den. For over five straight hours, he climbed upwards until he finally saw again, the cave opening to the Polar Gates and Growlar's home.
Louis sat on a nearby rock ledge to catch his breath, and gather his courage for a moment. He then looked over the edge of the nearby cliff where Panthera had fallen.
Sadness overcame him again for a moment, as tears welled up in his eyes.
He called out loudly, again in futility, "Panthera can you hear me? Panthera are you there?"
Again, no answer in return came up the mountainside.
&nbs
p; Louis now turned his attentions back towards the cave. He started his decent back into the fallen bear's great den. As he passed through the massive Polar Gates, the image of Growlar, and his near miss with death, gripped him all over again. This was the last place on earth that Louis wanted to be but it was the place he had to be at this time.
All the while, all Louis could remember was the look of anguish and hunger in Growlar's eyes, as he had climbed up and over the last ledge, with his outstretched claws, trying to find Louis's tender flesh.
The images were still terrifying to him.
Louis finally made his way downwards and back into the center of the den, only to find Growlar's body, lying exactly where it was before, twisted and contorted, and lying lifeless on the rocky cave floor. Louis took off his backpack and winter coat, took out a carving knife out of his backpack, and began a grisly and horrible task.
For Louis was to skin the great cave bear, and take his mighty head and heavy bearskin, back down into Santa's Village.
Louis knew his fight with Growlar (a few days earlier) had almost come to a tragic ending for him and his friends, but even more importantly than that, even though Mr. Beamer and Black Elk the Indian Chief had given Louis all the courage they could, and thought he would need to fight Growlar, they had really only failed him. By giving Louis: the walking stick with the carved Bear's head on the top of the staff, Broadfoot's bearskin coat, and then the string of bear teeth from Mr. Beamer, these gifts were just that, only gifts. To have courage, and take the courage from these things, you have to have done the deeds...yourself.
Louis finally understood this.
He knew now that he could take the might and courage of Growlar alone, since he was the one that had slain the mighty bear in combat. Growlar's powers would transfer into Louis as soon as Louis wrapped Growlar's great bear fur around him. This was known in lore though out the world, past and present. Indians the world over knew this, and now Louis, truly knew this, for he remembered reading about this up in his room in one of the books that Mr. Beamer had given him.
Louis had concluded that the best way to get into The Great Hall where the wrapping-machine was, and directly under the Magic Jingle Bells was to bring Growlar back to life, and to take the courage from Growlar for himself.
This added courage, would surely help Louis full fill his plan to save Charlie.
Louis's plan with the help of the elves handy-work was, to build a large wooden skeleton of Growlar from the plans and sketches Louis gave to Molly before he left.
Then Louis was to climb back up the mountainside, and enter back into Growlar's den. He would skin Growlar and then head back down the mountainside with the great bearskin in hand, all within two days. He would then: re-create and re-build Growlar in all his nastiness and horror, by placing his fur around the wooden skeleton and roll the re-born Growlar right down the middle of Santa's Village, and into The Great Hall. This would absolutely scare the heck out of the Barker Boys, Black Jack Tilly, and his band of misfits.
If they only believed for a moment that the bear was real, that would give Chug enough time to climb up through the heart of the skeleton, dislodge and take The Magic Jingle Bells from the ceiling beam, and be off, and out of the hall to safety. With the string of magic bells in hand all they had to do then, would be to repair the jingle bells, by stringing into the other bells, "the one bell" that Louis held in his pocket, and the magic would be returned. They would place the restored bells back around Charlie's neck, bring him back to his old courageous self, and then he could run Black Jack Tilly, Rags Martin, Cool Joe Biggs, and the Barker Boys right out of town.
Nothing to it, thought Louis.
All he had to do was to: skin a thirty foot tall bear, spend a horrifying night alone on the dark mountain, all the while trying to get some sleep with one eye open to watch out for wondering or marauding, wild beasts, and animals that were known to inhabit the mountains. Then at daybreak, he would have to carry the great bearskin back down the mountainside, and get back into Santa's Village by nightfall.
He would then have to get the bearskin mounted on the skeleton, and prepare it for the next night, for its grand entrance into The Great Hall on Christmas Eve.
Although exhausted from the long climb Louis continued with the unwelcome and off-putting task of skinning Growlar.
The bear was just massive and so heavy.
Louis could never have imagined before, that he would be doing this one day.
There was a faint glow from the embers of the small fire that still lit up the cave walls and ceiling. This threw out a strange glow over Growlar, as Louis continued with the work at hand.
This was certainly not a job for the faint of heart.
After the longest hour of Louis's life, he was done. The smell of the great bear filled his lair with thick heavy, lifeless air. Louis could not wait to exit the den, and be off down the other side of the mountain, and back down to Santa's Village; but one more task was needed, Louis had to build a wood sled to carry the heavy coat and bear's head back down the mountainside.
Louis lashed some of the bare animal bones, and large sticks laying about the floor together, with some rope that was lying about the den. After another half, an hour of toil, and hard work Louis was finally done and the sled was ready.
It was now around one o'clock in the morning as Louis passed back through the Polar Gates of the northern Nanaluk passage, and on towards the mountain's highest peak; where he had stood with Molly and Chug just two days before. As Louis stood and looked over the side of the mountain back down into the valley below where Santa's Village was, a great weariness and overwhelming desire to sleep moved down upon him.
He was just so tired.
His eyelids grew ever heavier as the light blue fogs of the mountains started to engulf the surrounding mountaintop where he stood. A light cool wintry wind swirled the fogs about him in a, alluring dance with the falling snow, which only added to the surreal, and strange images that Louis was now seeing.
As the thick blue fogs swirled about him, and as the snowflakes mingling with the fog were being illuminated by the bright starlight shining through a small clearing directly above his head Louis felt like he had just entered into the small glass ball that held the Orange Yeti in it (that Mr. Beamer had given him, the night before he left Centerville). The feeling was of complete and total calm, for Louis knowing that whatever befell him this night, all he had to do was: place a part of Growlar's bearskin over him, and a new found courage, would come forward from deep down inside him, and help him overcome any danger that might await him.
With this thought in his mind, the dreamlike and unreal magic that now surrounded him, and had captured this waking moment, finally got the better of him. H started to fall, fast asleep. As Louis was about to close his eyes for the last time of the evening and fall deep asleep, out of the corner of one sleepy eye, he saw the outline of a large peculiar and odd-looking beast, sitting on a lone rocky out-cropping high above him. It glowed, a strange color of orange.
Louis softly fell backwards into the snow in between the handles of his sleigh and his precious cargo.
A deep sleep was finally his.
Snowflakes gently fell on his cheeks, as special otherworldly dreams started to fill his mind. These were not his normal daydreams (that he had had so many times before), no these were dreams of himself sitting in a little sleigh packed full of children's toys, with a very small and young, magnificent white horse pulling it along. He was suspended high up in the cool night air above Centerville, just ever so slightly, drifting and floating about.
As he dreamed on, he could see far below him a wonderful Christmas celebration going on, in the center of the towns square, on the very same stage where he danced with Molly, a few nights before he left on his great journey, so long ago.
There was a band playing a lovely tune as he and Molly were hand
in hand dancing around, and around the dance floor, laughing all the while. As he looked to his left, his mom was dancing right alongside him, with a handsome man in a crisp blue military uniform, with a starched white hat on his head. As his mom and the man danced about, their faces finally came into full view. His father Captain Jeremy Parks was dancing with his mom, in the most loving embrace. His dad had bright red lipstick in the shape of two lips across one cheek, and a smile so wide on his face.
If that image, was only true!
If true, Louis knew from that day on, his life would be filled again with joy, and happiness. It would be the full of the joy and happiness that he had been missing all his young life. Since his father had left him. The war must be over, and his dad had returned home to him. His family was back together, and the universe had fallen back into in natural order.
Louis all alone on the dark mountainside dreamt that he: was on a dance floor on Christmas Eve in Centerville surrounded by all his friends that his father was home again, and that all his friends, and the community that he loved, had come to celebrate his return home, with him.
What a wonderful vision.
If only it...could...all...be true...
As Louis laid, sleeping in the snow on his back with the blue fogs and shimmering snows swirling all about his head, in his dream state, he slowly reached into his shirt and found the silver locket, with the picture of his mom, himself, and his dad standing by a fireplace on a Christmas Eve, from a long time ago. He knew one day that with great courage, and by using his undying imagination, and endless daydreaming, his family would be back together again, and that someday all his dreams would really come true.