"Romantic Kisses Graphics"

Oblivion 2

Chapter Twelve

"...and the mountains must drip with sweet wine..."
(Amos 9 v 13)

The drive into the Appalachian Mountains the following day, was one of immense pleasure to Devin. Stifling a yawn, he kept his gaze rested firmly on the road in front, aware of the enjoyment their surroundings gave to his father, who had not seen these beautiful ranges in a very long time.
“Perhaps you should stop, Devin, and close your eyes, have a rest, I wouldn’t mind getting out to stretch my legs.” Father told him.
“Yes, I am very tired, I can hardly keep my eyes open, I had a very busy evening yesterday.”
Father chuckled, “The four of you spent the night at Catherine’s apartment didn’t you?” “Yes, “ Devin smiled, “It was, er, fun.” he finished good humouredly.
Father raised his eyebrows. “I’d like to hear about it, if it isn’t too intimate, Devin.” He told his son.
Devin stopped the van, and turned in his seat to look at his father, “I’ll leave those bits out,” he told him, and went on to relate the evening’s events.
“Oh, ho, ho,” Father laughed. “You four, really, I would have given anything to have seen all this.”
“Catherine took some photographs when we were jammed in the door frame, she will have to let you see them.”
“Oh yes please, I can add them to the ones you brought back from last year’s holiday. My, what I would give to be in on, some of the fun you four share.”
Devin said nothing, but to himself silently whispered, ‘oh you will, you will.’
Reclining his seat, Devin leaned back and closed his eyes, while Father got out of the vehicle to walk along the deserted roadway, and look up at the mountains. It was a perfect day, blue sky, wispy cirrus clouds hanging lazily between the snow capped mountain peaks, clouds that were made from tiny needles of ice, and shaped like tufts of very fine fibres, that hardly obscured the brilliant sunshine. Putting a hand to his brow, to shield his eyes from the sun’s brilliance, Father gazed adoringly at the beautiful majestic mountains. When once he had climbed them, almost to their summit, and gazed back at the place he now stood, Father could feel the same old pull to descend them once again, and looked with annoyance at his walking stick. Oh to be young and fit again, he sighed.
There was a mystical presence to the mountains, a unseen spirit of life passing by to a time when the land knew only the Native Americans, and the life they wove into the very rocks themselves.
Father sighed, no wonder his son had gone there to live, to this place that sung healing through every crevice, every crag, every wondrous view, it truly was a place to come to hide, to lick wounds, to seek freedom, to run wild, to run free.
Allowing time to re-charge invisible batteries, he had not realised until then had run down, Father found that the very crispness of the mountain air, re-vibrated him, filled him with a sense of awe, made him feel lowly in comparison, yet gave him a strength all his own.
‘I should have come back here sooner’ he chided himself. ‘And I must come here again soon’.
There was nothing better than being in the mountains, they held a magic all their own.
Returning to the car, for the air was chilly, Father settled down into the seat next to Devin. “Sorry did I wake you?” Father asked as he tried quietly to close the door.
“No, dad, I was just dozing. Are you ready to continue the journey.”
“No, can we talk awhile. I love being here, is a tremendous place, I feel as though I have suddenly come home, Devin.”
Devin nodded, “It makes me feel that way. Sometimes when I come back here, I wonder whatever possessed me to leave in the first place. I can understand why the Native Americans were so passionate about the place.”
“Have you seen Elizabeth’s paintings, Devin, the one in particular that depicts the life of the Native Americans?”
“Yes, and heard her stories. She enchants everyone with the tale. Telling it as if she’s stepped back into the seventeenth century, and is living with those people.”
“Yes, she does. Of course everybody has heard of General Custer and his battle with three thousand Sioux and Cheyenne warriors, but Elizabeth tells stories that even I have never heard, its almost as if she were there. But that of course is impossible.”
“Elizabeth is a remarkable woman dad, what she doesn’t know about history, is not worth knowing. Have you heard her talking about the Inca’s?”
“Yes, and she enchanted Vincent one day with that story, while you and Cathy were in Austria, believe me, he spoke of it for days afterwards.”
“I can imagine. To me though, the Native American story captivates my heart, being as it were in love with their country.”
“Yes, me too, Devin. When I asked her about it, she spoke almost as if she were a descendant of theirs.”
“Perhaps she is, there is so little she actually says about herself, and I got that impression also. I asked her if she knew where the Native Americans originated from, and what became of them. When she answered, it was as if, she were right there among them, relating the story of their life.”
“Yes, she is very talented. The way she tells the tale, it makes you feel transported to that time doesn’t it, like you actually live it through her eyes.”
Devin nodded. “Perhaps we could compare notes, see what she told each of us.”
“Yes, Devin I’d like that, it’s a story I never tire of hearing.”
“One of the questions I asked her, was how the Native Americans became established in the first place, and then what became of them.”
“Yes, this too, I asked her. Tell me what she told you Devin?”
“She told me that before the time of Columbus, the Indians referred to themselves by the name of Ninuog, meaning human beings, and all other settlers into the region were, hmm, let me see, Awaunageesuck, does that sound right to you?”
Father nodded, “Yes, and that means stranger, and alien.”
“Yes, and there are many theories as to their origin. Joseph Smith who founded the Mormons, and Quaker William Penn, believed the Indians to be descendants of the Hebrews, the so called lost ten tribes of Israel, but the Indians had their own story to tell as to their origin. Care to take over the story from here, dad?”
“Yes, the natives believed that they were created from the earth itself, or from the water or the stars, although archaeologists believe that they were in fact Asians that immigrated across the great land bridge of the Bering Strait into America. However, few natives go along with this theory, preferring to believe the legends of their ancestors. What was that bit about the flood of Noah’s day, can you remember?”
“Yes, I found it interesting that the legend of Noah’s flood is so widespread, wherever you go in the world, there is a remarkable resemblance in the story, passed down over the centuries, and the Native Americans are no exception. According to one tribe, called Mandan, the First Man was a powerful spirit. A divine being, who had been created by the Lord of Life, the creator of all things, to act as a mediator between humans and spirits. And when the great flood swept the earth, the First Man saved the people by teaching them to protect themselves by building a huge tower that would rise above the floodwaters, and keep its inhabitants safe.
They even believed in the devil, though to them his name was OChkih-Hadd’a and he was an evil spirit who had great influence over humans. But was not as powerful as the Lord of Life or the First Man. And belief in the spirit realm went unquestioned, as every part of every day life was never undertaken before first consulting the approval of the Lord of Life. The Indians firmly believed that a silent creative power filled the sky, and keeps the earth, the moon, the sun and the stars moving in perfect order. Interestingly, the Native Americans, were not the uncivilised barbarians the white man made them out to be, for the Indians believed firmly in a creator of all things. Another tribe, the Winnebago, refer to the creator as the Earth-maker, and they say that the Earth-maker wished for light, and it became light, and he wished for the earth, and the earth came into existence. When you think that centuries later the white man moved in preachers to try to civilise the Native Americans, what he failed to realise was that the Indians already knew, and had known since human life began all about God.”
“Yes and they even knew the name of God, didn’t they Devin. They referred to him as the Eawawonaka, and the meaning of that name was ‘Causer Of Our Being’, which is interesting, because the Bible speaks of God being known by the name Jehovah, which translated means ‘He Causes To Become’, remarkably similar don’t you think? Their beliefs in many ways parallel that which the Bible teaches, yet no doubt, in those days, few had read the scriptures.”
“Yes it gives one a firmer belief in God doesn’t it, at least it does to me. You should speak to Mich’ael about God, boy he’s a wealth of information.”
“I think Devin, the worst most dreadful thing that the Indians had to put up with was the white man’s intrusion on their land. The land that belonged to the Native Americans, was literally taken by force, by trickery or by unfulfilled treaties.”
“Yes, and that was such a shame, because the Indians, asked for so little, and gave so much. They believed a lot of the time, that what they had was passed down by their ancestors, in means of gifts. The first gift, was the land, which the white man stole from them. The second gift was the power and spirit that animals share with humans. The Native Americans had deep respect for animals, and hunted only for food, clothing and shelter. It was the white man’s bloodlust that wiped out the bison, and left thousands of native Americans starving.
The third gift was help at the hand of spirit forces, and the forth gift is a reminder of who they are, holding fast to the traditions passed down through the centuries. And the fifth gift is the creative process, to keep their beliefs alive by the handicraft of such objects as basket weaving, painting pottery, making jewellery and ornaments and anything else which gives them a continued link to their tradition and culture. In many respects white man has a lot to answer for, believing he was better than the Indian, when in fact by his ignorance he actually destroyed them.” Devin paused, wishing for a drink, his throat was dry.
“Yes, Devin. We have learned so much about the wickedness of the Indians. But they were peace-loving people, among themselves, and among their animals and the land. All the wicked things they came to know, was brought to them at the hand of the settlers, and in later years those that came to search for gold. We hear about the savage Indians, but seldom about the savagery of the white man.”
“And his savagery went beyond his killing of the people with his own bare hands, Father. In his greed and ignorance the white man slashed down the tall grasses with scythes where once had grazed deer which provided food and clothing, and instead filled the great grassland with cattle and horses, and the pigs spoilt the clam banks so that many of the Native American’s starved. In an attempt to starve out the Indians one man even ordered that five thousand peach trees were felled, is that wicked or what? The Indians were misunderstood, they were not white and they were not Christian, they were thought of as wild and dangerous, and reservations were set up, in which the Indians were forced to live. The Native American’s did not understand the sale of land, they knew only that you could not sell the air, the wind or the water, so how could you sell the land? The Indians had never known their land fenced off. Can you imagine it Father, how they must have felt?” Rummaging in his pack, Devin found a bottle of water.
“Yes, a little, yet it wasn’t actually the starvation, the gun, the horse or the European civilisation that wiped out the Indian’s was it?”
“No, Father, it was pestilence. Though no doubt brought in by the settlers, and gold diggers, who had for centuries built up immunity to such diseases, no doubt you will know better than I what those diseases were?”
“Yes, a whole host of them, chicken pox, the flu, measles, malaria, yellow fever, typhus, tuberculosis, and smallpox. Mortality rates from village to village ran as high as eighty to ninety percent. The Mandans who resided at the upper Missouri River, were almost completely wiped off the face of the earth, from a population of one thousand six hundred in 1834, to as few as one hundred and thirty by 1837. And all the other tribes suffered similar loses. Along with disease, the white man ousted the Indian tribes off their land, tricking them into signing treaties full of empty promises, and made them march hundreds of miles in bitter winter conditions to new land. Many of the Indians died this way. One such forced march came to be known as the ‘Trail of Tears’. Its little wonder the Indians had little respect for the white man.”
“ Yes Father, and the only good that came out of the white settlers, to the Indians, was his introduction of the horse. The Indians soon discovered, they were excellent bare-back riders, and used the horse to snatch back, much of the white man’s plunder, after the Spanish first introduced horses in the 17th Century. With horses, the Indians were able to hunt more easily, and the nomadic tribes went even further, in using the horse to raid neighbouring tribes of belongings, women and slaves.” Devin drank thirstily from the bottle of water.
“And when we talk about land, Devin, its not just a mere few acres is it, it is actually millions of acres, that was stolen from the Indians. I remember reading, only a few years ago, how the U.S Supreme Court ordered the U.S. Government to pay $105 million dollars in compensation to eight Sioux tribes. But the tribes refused the money, saying that all they wanted was their sacred land back, in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Even with civil modernisation, all the Native American wants is to return to his roots, to the days of his ancestors, and to this very day, they remain fighting for those rights, for the freedom they are entitled to.” Taking the water from Devin, Father now drank deeply. It refreshed him too.
“Its a sad story, Father, sometimes it makes me feel regret at being a white man, I think the Native American’s really were the best people on earth, and modernisation and technology has a lot to answer for, the old way was best, even if it was a lot harder.”
“Yes, Devin, its the way of the world I am afraid, and I suppose in many respects that is what binds me to living Below, I can down there, forget that above me the earth is rotating changes. Changes which I’d rather not get caught up in, changes which are not always for the better.”
“I’ve really enjoyed talking with you dad, and having your company, but I guess its time to push on, we have a long way ahead of us yet, and believe me, I am itching to get home.” Taking the water, from Father, Devin replaced the top.
“I can imagine, and Charles will be looking out for you. I too have enjoyed this chat, thank you for letting me come with you today, Devin.”
“I’ve enjoyed it too Dad, we must do it more often.”
“But not for a while eh? I expect your mind is now upon your coming holiday, and if last year was anything to go by, it will remain so for weeks afterwards. Oh and Devin, for goodness sake, make sure that Vincent wears plenty of sun block, he got so badly burnt last time.”
“Yes Dad.” Devin told him, while to himself added, ‘I won’t need to do any of that, as you will be there to look after Vincent yourself. Poor Vincent!’

*** *** ***

To say that Charles was pleased to see them was an understatement. The people he had been staying with had taken him to the cabin he had shared with Devin early that morning, and he awaited the arrival of Devin with excitement, then when he saw Father getting out of the truck also, he was beside himself with joy.
Hugging the two friends, he delightedly led them inside, where he had a marvellous meal awaiting them, which took only moments to heat up over the smouldering stove.
“Brr,” said Father, “Its even colder up in the mountains that it is Below”.
“Yes, dad, but the beauty of being cold in the mountains, is being able to stand in the sunshine to get warm whenever you can stand being out in the crisp mountain air.”
“And the beauty of the mountains surpasses, anything you have in your world Below,” Charles ventured, not sure of the response, for he knew how dear the world Below was to Father. He was pleasantly surprised when Father wholeheartedly agreed with him.
“Does your Father know, about the mountains around the world that you have visited, Devin?” Charles asked him, then turning to Father added, “Devin has tried to visit all the most well known mountains, did you know that?”
“No, I didn’t, but then everything about my son surprises me, you must tell me these wonderful tales Devin as soon as possible. You must get your love of the mountains from me.”
“It’s a subject that is dear to my heart, and I’ll warn you dad, once I get started on them, you won’t shut me up.”
“Your son is a wealth of information when it comes to rocky crags and crevices, Father, it’s a wonder he doesn’t spend more time living in the mountains.”
“Be that I could I would,” Devin told him seriously, “But for Gerry.” Devin shrugged his shoulders.
“I’ve been thinking about that, Devin. And making calculations. Do you know, save for the people I’ve been staying with, there have only been four other’s pass through here, in the whole year you have been away. I think you could bring Gerry up here to live, and I know she would love being here with you, because the mountains bring out the best in everyone.”
“What do you think, dad?” Devin asked him. “You’re the one with all the insight in things like this. Do you think Gerry could live here?”
“If Gerry could Devin, so could Vincent, and you know what I think about taking such risks, personally I would never have entertained the thought of it. But it is a wonderful place to live, and so isolated. It might be worth considering.”
“If I brought Gerry up here, dad, and nothing untoward happened, how would you feel about Vincent coming too, if only for a few weeks?”
“I would worry, but since the holiday you went on last year, I am learning to accept that there are ways, and truly if anyone deserves a better life than he has known, then Vincent does. And it would be a great place for the children to thrive. We’ll take it one step at a time, see how it goes for Gerry, and take it from there. It may be that Vincent wouldn’t want to come?” Father raised questioning brows to his son, knowing the answer.
“Not want to, why, dad, it is all he has ever dreamed of, and Catherine would love it too.”
“Well we’ll talk it over with them, sometime, and take it from there. I must admit since your idea about making the movie pretending Vincent and Gerry are in make up, as far as the public are concerned, I have been less worried, but as you didn’t encounter anyone last year, we don’t know how good it works. I’d like to see that put to the test first, really, before embarking upon anything else.”
Devin nodded, “Then we will wait until after this holiday before discussing this further.”
“When are we leaving?” Charles wanted to know. Devin had written and told him they were kidnapping Father to take with them, he loved secrets, and thought it delicious knowing this one.
“What here, or on the boat?” Devin answered with a question of his own.
“On the boat.” Charles replied. There was no doubt in Devin’s mind that he had made the right choice in inviting Charles to go with them. The excitement in his eyes shone out for all to see, and to think that once Charles would not go where other people could see him.
“My plans are to take you back home Below, the day after tomorrow, and then the following day take everything we need upon the boat. Its a much bigger boat than last year, Cathy has paid for it, it has more cabins, and a larger deck, and there is something else, which I am telling you, but is a surprise to the others. Their is a secret floor, which when slid back, reveals a glass bottom, which will be great when we get to the island, the fish there are really something, so many colours, plus on top of that there is an underwater microphone, which picks up the sound of the sea. It can pick up the song of whales as far away as one hundred miles. To me there is no sound more beautiful while drifting along the ocean waves than to hear the song of whales calling to one another. And on top of that I have hired some wet suits and some snorkels and flippers, because I noticed when I was swimming around the island last time, that on the ocean bed there were oysters, only they were too far down for me to reach them. And there is also some beautiful anemones and coral to view also.” he laughed, “ Can you imagine Vincent in a pair of flippers Father?”
Father burst out laughing, “This I would love to see, oh if only.... it sounds so perfect, make sure you take lots of photographs again, my boy.” The look on Father’s face was so wishful, that Devin almost relented and told him that they were taking him with them. But he stopped himself. For he knew his Father well, and didn’t doubt that when it came to actually leaving, he would find a reason to stay behind, and miss out yet again.
“Charles, I was wondering, would you like to swim so deep in the ocean too?” Devin asked his dear friend.
“I’d like nothing better. But I don’t know if I can swim, I mean I have never tried. With you guiding me though, I could try it.”
“If not, don’t worry, you won’t have to spend the whole ten days on the boat. Cathy has hired a dinghy along with the boat, and from this you can go over onto the island, it is such a pretty place, and the sand is so warm and soft.”
Charles eyes misted over, “I have never seen a beach in all my life, and have only had a slight view of an ocean, do you know what this means to me, to be able to come along with you like this?”
“Yes, and Charles you are more than welcome, you have strengthened my life, and given me an insight into things I once took for granted, so now they are special, through your eyes Charles, I see everything I have ever known, anew, and I thank you, dear friend. And I also want to tell you that the night before we leave, we intend to hold a dinner party on board the boat. And we hope that you, Charles, and you Father, and Mary, and a few of the tunnel dwellers, will join us in an evening of merriment before we set sail the following morning. Please say you’ll come Father.”
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world, thank you Devin, this is a most thoughtful idea.” Father replied, unknowing that he had just stepped into their trap.
Charles was choked up at Devin’s words, “Come let us eat before the meal goes cold, then you can tell your Father about the mountains. It is a story I’d love to hear again, myself.”
The meal was excellent. Charles was a great cook, and he had even baked a wild berry pie, such as Father had never tasted before. “I thought berries were out of season now.” Father told Charles, his mouth bursting with pie, “This is delicious.”
“They are”, Charles told him, “I bottled some when there were plenty. There is wine also made from the berries.”
“Charles is an excellent cook, dad, and the wine is wonderful, and very strong, we must take a few bottles with us on the boat. Vincent is a dream when he is drunk.”
“Now Devin, you wouldn’t?” Father chided him.
Devin did not reply, just sent his Father one of his mischievous looks that Father knew so well.
When the meal was finished, and they were reclining on soft chairs around the fireside, with a glass of wine each, Devin began to relate tales of his trips to various mountains. Father was surprised by just how much of the world Devin had explored.
“Its not just because of how majestic they are, its more than that. For many people the mountain peaks are a point to make contact with God. Mount Olympus is the home to classical Greek gods, Mount Fuji the same, on the island of Honshu in Japan, while one can find prehistoric shrines on Monte Bego in the Maritime Alps.”
“And have you been to these places, Devin.” Father wanted to know.
“Oh yes, every mountain I speak of, I have actually climbed, maybe not to the summit, but certainly as far as I could. I would give anything to go on an mountain expedition, especially if say, it was one to reach the summit of Aconcagua, the Father of the Andes. It reaches a height of six thousand, nine hundred and sixty metres, and is the highest peak in the whole of South and North America and situated in the Far West of Argentina in the Andean chain. I find it a fascinating mountain, almost straight up, into a point, sheer white rock, of volcanic origin composed of lava, which was deposited on top of older marine sediment. Honestly dad, you have to lean your head right back to take it all in, the sight of it is awesome, splendid.
And did you know that the Himalayas can be seen from Space, even? When Apollo 9 was sent up, it sent back marvellous photographs of the huge mountain range. The Himalayas are the highest land on Earth, some eight thousand metres high, ten mountains thereabouts, and its formation dates back to the Tertiary era, on line with the birth of the Alps.”
“This is fascinating Devin, You really should teach the children what you know. And if you could give me some of your time for a moment, that actually leads me into something I wanted to ask you.” Father told him. “You know that I cannot do all that I once could, now these old bones, are getting harder to move about, as I would like, well I wondered if you would consider taking over my role in our world. There are still things I could help with, but really a younger body would be more of an asset to the tunnel dwellers, than mine would. Now when something goes wrong, it takes me hours to reach a place, and that means all the while the work force are having to wait. What do you say?”
“I am honoured Father, truly I am....” Devin began.
“But?” Father questioned.
“This is not right, you should not be offering this gift to me, it is Vincent who should have it.”
“But Vincent already holds his own place Below, the two of us are a team, you know that. And the two of you, could be an even better team, at least say you will think it over?”
“There is something I haven’t told you Father. It was only yesterday that I made plans to live in Cathy’s old apartment and find myself work in the city. Father, its not for me to be shut away beneath the ground, I need more of a challenge.”
“I see.” Father told him, while of course he didn’t, “And what of Gerry?”
“She is agreeable to it. We will be together at weekends Below, and Vincent will bring her to the apartment some evenings, along with Cathy, we shall spend the evenings together.”
“While someone is expected to look after their children no doubt, and you all run risks of having Vincent and Gerry discovered once more. Devin I thought you knew better than that. You really do have a selfish streak sometimes, don’t you? I suppose this idea is born of boredom is it?”
“Well yes, it is actually, there isn’t enough Below to keep me occupied, I feel trapped.”
“It needn’t be that way. If you took over the reins more, you could teach the children, now that in itself is a challenge, and you have proven this evening just what a wealth of information you are. From time to time, you could go off visiting places, and bring back more details to enchant others with. Please Devin, at least consider what I offer you.” Father pleaded with him.
“Okay Pop, I’ll consider it. Certainly it sounds more interesting now you have enlarged on it. Especially if I can keep travelling. I don’t think my feet can stay still for too long, and I wouldn’t be gone more than a couple of weeks a year. Maybe a month at the most.”
“And no more, at least think of Gerry.”
“Oh I was dad, I was, otherwise I’d have made it three months.”
Charles laughed, “More wine anyone?” He poured some more red liquid into their glasses, and leaned back in his chair again. “Devin tell your Father some more about the mountains.”
“Yes, Devin, tell me the names and the places of those you have climbed.” Father asked him with interest.
Devin sipped his wine, feeling the hot glow spread through his limbs, thinking, he would definitely give some to Vincent, no matter what Father said, and then went on to answer his Father’s question.
“The very first mountain I climbed and fell in love with was Grand Teton, it is the highest peak in the Teton Mountains in Wyoming, and it is four thousand, one hundred and ninety metres high. The area surrounding it has now been made into a National Park. After that I went globe trotting, and visited Mount Kenya, it is one of three mountains situated side by side in the south of the Equator, and reaches a peak of five thousand, one hundred and ninety-nine metres. These mountains are truly impressive, the wind has sculptured them, and they are the remains of an ancient volcanic structure weathered and carved by erosion.
I stayed in Africa for some months in the valley of Teleki, with a group of people who like myself visit mountains across the globe. After that I went to Everest, known as the roof of the World, being the highest peak in the world, standing at eight thousand, eight hundred and forty-eight metres. It was named after George Everest, but is known by a local name, which is much more poetic. The Tibetan name is Chomolungma and means Goddess Mother of the Earth. Very apt, I say. Then I went to see McKinley, which is the highest peak in the whole of the North American continent, situated in the Alaskan range, and stands at six thousand, one hundred and ninety-three metres. It is very impressive, with its sides covered in glaciers that reflect the sun to a brilliance that is blinding. It was discovered in 1794, but it wasn’t until 1913 that the summit was actually reached. I can see that the wine is making you sleepy, dad, would you like to retire now?”
“Yes I suppose so, but I am enjoying so much all that you are saying, just tell me about one more mountain, and then tell me about the rest another time.”
“Right. Let me finish on something appealing then. And that has to be, Cerro Torre, in the Andes. While not as tall as some I have mentioned it is truly breathtaking in that its sides offer a challenge to any would be climber. For it is continuously struck by Pacific Ocean blizzards, and covered by a soft and unsteady ice, which at the slightest sound or movement is ready to turn into a terrifying avalanche. You can be sure that I did not venture too near this mountain! Yet if there were a way to scale it, I would really like to try.” Devin drained his glass; the wine had now made him pleasantly sleepy also.
“Thank you for telling me about the mountains again Devin, no-one tells it like you do, you have such love for them, that it shines through in your speech and your eyes, and though I have not seen them myself, I can picture them well. Thank you.” Charles told him sincerely, “Well, the wine has made me sleepy too, so I will turn in along with Father. See you in the morning, Devin.” Charles told him happily.

*** *** ***

Mich’ael came along to breakfast with something on his mind. He was quieter than usual, and Catherine was quick to notice. “Something wrong Mich’ael?” she asked him.
“Not wrong exactly, but certainly something I need to talk about. Have you time to listen?” he asked her, peering over his spectacles.
She nodded, “Yes we have some time. The babies are in the nursery, and have been fed, they should still be sleeping, and Jamie is with them, should they wake.”
Vincent put down his spoon, his breakfast complete, and waited for Mich’ael to begin, while Catherine continued to finish her own.
Mich’ael began, “The institute on Sonn Alp, as you know Catherine, was government funded, but the actual complex belonged in three equal shares to Ignatz, Hans and myself. We each had a legal document written up, stipulating, should one of us die their share was to be then split between the two survivors, and should two of us die, then the sole survivor becomes sole owner of the complex, which you can now see is me. The problem arises that I have to return there. Not only are there things to see to, whereby I can sell it, for I have no plans to live there, but also there are records about you, Vincent, Geraldine and Marie that need to be destroyed, both on paper and computer. When Hans and I left we hired the security patrol to keep an eye on things for us, but they have only been paid up until the end of this month, so I must return to sort everything out. My problem is I can’t do this alone, unless I want to spend weeks there, which I do not. So...” he grimaced,” I was rather hoping, that Catherine and Devin would accompany me back there. Hopefully it won’t take more than a week. What do you say?”
Catherine put down her spoon, and looked at Vincent, shaking her head all the while. Vincent took her hand as she replied, “I’m sorry Mich’ael, for me the answer has to be absolutely not. I promised Vincent I would never go away again, and leave him for anything, and I have my own duties here.”
“Yes, I know, but you are going away in a couple of days and leaving the family, both of you, it couldn’t be half so bad if only one of you were away. Please consider this, I need your help.” he begged her.
“I don’t understand, Mich’ael, why Catherine? Why Devin? Surely some of the staff you had could help?” Vincent asked him.
“No, as far as the staff were concerned, it was an institute of climatology. Outside Ignatz, Hans and I, only Devin and Catherine knew what really went on there, believe me, if these files I need to destroy should get into the wrong hands, I wouldn’t like to ascertain your future, so it has to be someone who knows. The files are extensive, and there is some machinery in the West Wing that needs dismantling. Believe me Vincent it is vital that I have some help with those, I could not shift them alone, and I want to leave no trace before I put the place up for sale.”
“Could you do it with, just say, Devin. I’m sure he would jump at the chance of travelling so soon.” Catherine asked him.
“Perhaps, if we worked hard, we may get the job done in a couple of weeks, maybe three. It would be so much quicker if you came, but I guess I am just being selfish.”
“There’s something else isn’t there, something you are withholding?” Vincent asked him then.
“Well yes there is, but that is purely selfish. I have seen that an institute of climatology is being offered for sale at the beginning of next month. And I would really like to make a bid on it. Not only that, but the present owners are hoping to buy something in Europe, and I contacted them to see if we could do a deal. A part-exchange if possible. Naturally before they agree they will want to view Sonn Alp, and I have to make sure that every thing is deleted before they do. I was rather hoping with Devin and Catherine’s help, I could clear out my institute in just over a week, and get back here to start things moving.”
“I thought that you and Peter were going into business together?” Catherine asked him.
“We are, but climatology is my specialised field, and there is so much the world needs to know. My work will in turn helps people like Peter. For if we can prove that the that the weather is being changed due to man’s ignorance, and likewise pestilence is on the increase due to it, we can greatly help to reduce the risks, and re-educate mankind in the process. At least then the next generation should have fewer diseases. When Devin worked for us, he showed great aptitude in this field, I was kind of hoping that he may join me, the new institute is only a couple of hours drive from here, in the mountains, actually not far from where Devin and Father went yesterday. Anyway, think about it will you. If you can come, we shall need to leave almost as soon as you return from your holiday, and I am sorry to put this on you, but really, I know no-one else I could ask.”

Back in the nursery later, checking on the sleeping babies, Catherine leaned against Vincent, as he held her in his arms. Looking up into his eyes, she studied his face. “I promised I would never leave you again, and I meant it. Promises aren’t meant to be broken, Vincent.”
Vincent looked down into her eyes, “Yes, but you want to go, I know you do. If only to see Austria again?” His quizzical look humoured her.
“Oh for a glass of Apfelsaft.” she replied gaily, then on a more serious note, “Seriously Vincent, if I could take you with me, I would go, but not without you, nothing without you ever again. Devin will have to go with Mich’ael, if he will, for I’m not.” Catherine was adamant, but Catherine was to learn as we all do, that things seldom turn out the way we expect.

(See Oblivion 3 - The Conclusion)

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Father stood outside Devin and Charles’ log cabin, and literally drank in the mountain air. It was still early morning, and Father had awoken before anyone else, and had come outside to clear his head. The wine from the night before left his head feeling muzzy, and he kept bumping into things.
Settling himself back on a rock, he looked over the magnificent view with a longing to wake up and see it every day for the rest of his life.
Staggering mountain peaks glistening in the sun, snow-capped and beautiful, fringed with the first show of spring growth in the trees, and the gorse bushes that grew there. Scanning the horizon, Father could see movement beneath the trees, and smiled at his first sight of a cougar in many a year. She was filled with cub, and her ungainly movements stalked a rabbit, which was unaware of her presence.
Father watched breathlessly, as the cougar stealthily approached and ran full pelt, knocking the rabbit over before the animal became aware of the danger. The kill was instantaneous, and the cougar carried off the body to her lair. Father felt he’d seen something that photographers would have died for, a natural process in the circle of life, and it had happened just because he had risen early, and had mingled with wildlife in this special place.
Getting to his feet, his bones creaked. The mountain air was damp and seemed to penetrate right through the body to the bones and the marrow itself, yet for all that Father felt re-vitalised, fresh and refreshed. And as his stomach rumbled he hurried back to the cabin for breakfast, remembering that there was nothing like mountain air for giving one an appetite.

When Devin woke some hours later, he did, Father thought, a most unusual thing.
When Devin lived Below, he liked nothing more than to have a warm shower every day, the warmer the better, so when he asked Father to come outside with him, and then once outside stripped naked, Father was stunned to say the least.
Devin laughed, “Come, I want to show you my bathroom, dad,” he told him laughing his head off, and took Father around to the back of the cabin, where there lay a deep pool in the shadows, filled with ice cold mountain water.
“I learned this in Finland,” Devin told Father, “It really is good for the body.”
“Is that water as cold as it looks,” Father wanted to know. It was so clear, and had a look about it that told how cold it was.
“Sure is, dad, stand back I’m going to jump in.” With that, and before Father could get far enough back, Devin dived in and out of the pool in an instance, then ran as fast as his feet would take him back into the cabin, where he had left hot towels around the fire place.
Father was covered in droplets of icy water, and hurried back to the cabin to see what had become of his son.
He found Devin rubbing himself vigorously while Charles poured him a steaming cup of coffee, smiling all over his face. “You should try it dad, it is out of this world, there is nothing quite like it, believe me.” Devin told him.
“Hmmm, I’ll take your word for that Devin, if you don’t mind, it certainly must be a cure for a hangover if nothing else.” Father told him dryly. “ And my boy, you never cease to surprise me!”

The rest of the day, they spent walking together in the mountains, keeping as much to flat ground as possible, due to Father’s unsteadiness on his legs, worsened only by the wine, which Father had relented and had some more with his lunch. And as evening drew to a close, Father was stunned once more by sunset in the mountains.
Sitting quietly beside Devin and Charles, on chairs that Devin had made from logs, they watched as the reddened sun filtered its way downwards between the mountain peaks, sending the snow capped peaks to pink and gold, and delighted when the outer edges turned to green.
“I know no other place dad, where it is possible on occasion to witness a green sunset. It is very rare and very beautiful, and you have been blessed to see it, because I have only seen it once since living here, how about you Charles?”
“Once more since you did, and that not since last Spring.” He told them.
The green sunset lasted only seconds as the sun descended into the horizon leaving streaks of pink and red across the backdrop of an indigo sky.
“Well, we had best be turning in, we have an early start in the morning, so its best I think we don’t uncork the wine tonight.” Devin told them both, “And tomorrow we will start the day with one of Charles specialities I think, will we Charles?”
Charles nodded, smiling broadly, “Yes, whenever Devin leaves this place, I send him off on his favourite of foods, so that he hurries home for more. And that is blueberry pancakes with fresh cream.”
“You eat that for breakfast!” Father was incredulous, “All that stodge?”
“Not the way Charles makes them dad, they are light and crispy, and oh so delicious.” a dreamy look came over Devin’s face, “Come on lets get to bed, the sooner we do the sooner it will be breakfast time.”

Father felt sad having to say goodbye to the mountains, as the following morning after breakfast, which he had enjoyed far more than he had expected, Father helped to put Charles’ bags into the truck, then got in beside Devin, with Charles in the back. And together they drove back towards the city.
“Thank you for taking me to your home Devin, it was wonderful. A memory to fill my days with while you are away on your island.” Father told Devin sadly.
“I too have enjoyed it, please say you will come again, and stay longer?” Devin replied he had seen a side of his father he liked, a lot, for the first time in his life.
“Yes, I will, and we must find a way for Vincent to join us, he’d love it too.
” “Do you mean that dad?”
“Yes, I think it will be the perfect place to take him, but we have to make certain that every avenue is explored first, promise me you won’t mention it to him, until this is done, Devin?” “I promise dad. Now let’s get started shall we, for tonight we shall party.”

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To be continued in Chapter Thirteen.