Seeking Shapeshifters Read online

  “I think I better hit the sack,” I said. There was no way I’d be able to function if I kept sitting between them. The last thing I wanted to do was make a fool of myself.

  I shot to my feet and gave Dad a quick kiss goodnight, then waved to everyone else before bolting for my tent.

  “Hey.” Brady caught my arm right outside my tent.

  “What’s up,” I said trying to keep the breathlessness from my voice. What was wrong with me? This was Brady! We’d been friends since birth. But then his hand brushed my cheek, and I lost all rational thought.

  “Listen, I wanted you to know I had a great summer because of you…” he trailed off as if in search of the right words. “I don’t want to say goodbye.”

  “Really?” I took a staggered breath. My heart pounded against my ribs like an animal trying to get out of a cage, as he held my gaze and leaned down.

  Oh my gosh! Is he going to kiss me?

  My breath! I just had hotdogs. My mind raced wildly. Thank goodness I passed on the onions tonight. Brady moved closer and I raised my hands to his chest, wondering if I should put them around his neck. I tilted my head to the left then to the right, unsure of which way to go.

  Brady’s warm breath fanned across my cheek before he gently tipped my head to the side. He leaned in. Lips almost touching. I closed my eyes. This was it.

  Something big and furry barreled in between us, and Keetah nudged me playfully with his head. I groaned. Leave it up to my own dog to ruin my first ever almost first kiss!

  “He’s got the worst timing,” I said with a strained laugh. My pulse still hadn’t settled back down, and it felt like I was floating on air.

  Brady shook his head. “If I didn’t know better I’d think he did it on purpose, see, he’s smiling.”

  Sure enough, Keetah’s teeth showed in the dark like a wide grin.

  “Yeah, well he’s going to sleep out here tonight if he keeps it up.” I gave man’s not so best friend a stern glare. Keetah whined but didn’t move from my side.

  “Well, I guess you better get some sleep. I’ll see you before we leave tomorrow.”

  Brady acted as if he wanted to say more, but Keetah wedged himself more firmly between us so he just squeezed my hand goodnight. Man, talk about anticlimactic!

  “You could’ve let him kiss me, you know,” I whispered to my dog as Brady sauntered off.

  “Aweuah,” Keetah howled.

  I had no idea what that meant, but was certain he didn’t agree. I unzipped my tent and crawled into my sleeping bag. Keetah settled in next to me and we watched the firelight dance outside through the screened window.

  It was nights like these that I missed my mom the most. There would be no late night talks about boys, or almost first kisses. No shopping or lessons in applying make-up. How could I miss someone I never got the chance to know? I had pictures of her from before I was born. And one photo taken at the hospital of her holding me before she passed away.

  What I wouldn’t give to have her here now.

  ****

  The sun blazed in through the tent the next morning and I kicked off my covers. The heat of the day crept in, making the tent stuffy. Keetah whined from beside me and I unzipped the door for him to go use the bathroom.

  I had just laid my head back down when my dad’s shouts sent me flying upright again.

  “This can’t be happening. Dang it!” he yelled.

  I slipped my flip-flops on and staggered out into the dew-covered grass. My mouth fell open as I gazed around me. Our camp lay in shambles. The casts we took last night were smashed on the ground. The cooler with the DNA hair samples was busted open; its contents nowhere to be found. Most of the equipment was intact, but some of the DVD’s and tapes were broken.

  Dad glared at our campsite. “I don’t understand it—why can’t anything go right?” His voice got louder.

  I glanced back to find Matt and gave him a pleading look, like he alone could find words to make my dad feel better.

  Dad put his hand over his face. Brady came to stand behind me, his arm falling across my shoulder, a small comfort. I hated to see Dad like this, so upset and confused. But what I really wanted to know was who’d do something like this? Kids? Animals? Bigfoot? Okay, so the last choice didn’t seem likely, but in my world, who knew.

  “Hey Lou,” Matt said at last. “I’ve still got footage I filmed last night. And Ima’s thermal images.”

  Dad gave a half-hearted nod but said nothing else.

  Jefferson on the other hand had no problem finding something to say.

  “Perhaps you angered Bigfoot,” he said. He held his head high as his words mocked Dad. “Maybe you should just give up. After all what do you have to show for your years of hard work?”

  I stepped forward. “Why don’t you quit being a jerk! He’s gotten plenty of information from his investigations.”

  “Ima.” Ken placed a hand on my arm. “Let us handle this.” I glared at Jefferson but did what Brady’s dad told me to.

  “Now Jefferson, the network wouldn’t have given Lou his own TV show if he wasn’t good at what he does. Not to mention you wouldn’t have a job,” Ken said sternly.

  Jefferson’s jaw tightened, but he backed down. “Sorry, I’m just mad about the loss of the DNA samples.”

  The men apologized back and forth, but it didn’t make me like Jefferson any more than before. Everyone tore the camp down in record time, their moods more subdued than they were the previous night. When the last of the equipment was taken care of, I said goodbye to the Berry S.I. team members unsure of when I’d see them again.

  Soon it was just Ken, Brady, Matt, my dad, and me. Brady shoved his last bag into the rental Jeep then ambled over to me.

  “Well this is it,” he said. His smile faded and sadness filtered into his features.

  “Yeah,” I said in a hushed voice. “So you’ll email right?” The lump moved up into my throat, like I’d swallowed a tree trunk.

  “You know I will.” He pulled me into a tight hug and rested his chin on my head. “I’ll miss you.”

  Tears burned my eyes. “I’ll miss you, too.”

  “If you need anything just call, okay? There’s not a leprechaun in Ireland who could keep me from you,” he teased.

  “Ha-ha.” I sniffed.

  “Don’t cry. Besides you’ll see me at Christmas, your dad said you guys are gonna fly to Ireland this year.”

  “That’s a long ways off,” I said.

  “Well, maybe Jefferson will stop by to keep you company.” He grinned, dodging my punch.

  “Just for that I’m so getting you a calendar with his picture all over it. You like nude shots right?”

  “All right, c’mon Brady, or we’ll miss our flight,” Ken said and gave me a hug, too. “You take care of your dad, love.”

  “I will.”

  Brady hesitated then planted a quick kiss on my cheek. “Christmas,” he whispered in my ear.

  That single word held so much promise, and I smiled at the possibilities. My dad and Matt came up beside me as we waved goodbye to the O’Doyles. I stood rooted in place until their Jeep disappeared from sight.

  “Farewells are always the hardest,” Dad said.

  I nodded my agreement. Matt patted me on the shoulder, and I gave him a weak smile.

  “C’mon Keetah,” Dad yelled.

  The dog stopped running around the empty campsite and raced into the backseat of the extended cab pickup.

  “So where to next?” I slid into the truck between Dad and Matt. The two of them eyed one another warily. That didn’t bode well.

  “Since you mention it, I suppose it’s time to reveal the surprise.” Dad seemed far too happy.

  “Surprise?” The word left a bad aftertaste in my mouth. Breathe, I told myself. It can’t be that bad. I mean Matt was still smiling so it’d be okay, right? Or not. I mean, I remembered the last time Dad “surprised” me. We ended up in some remote village in Mexico and not one of the nice �
�touristy” type towns, either. It was a “don’t drink the water or you’ll get sick” kind of place. As in half the crew spent most of the week crapping themselves due to drinking some of the “bad” water and the other part of the week researching livestock carcasses for evidence of Chupacabra bites. Yeah, I didn’t want any more surprises.

  “We’re moving to Alaska, Ima!” He beamed.

  “Wh—What?” I couldn’t have heard him right—Alaska?

  “We’re moving up to Point Hope, Alaska and don’t worry Matt’s family lives in Fairbanks, so he’ll come stay whenever we need him to. Besides, I got a job as a pilot up there. We can settle in for a few months, maybe longer. And while we’re there we’ll investigate shifters amongst the Inuit tribes.”

  “Seriously? Dad, it’s freezing there. I mean out of all the locations to choose from and you pick one of the coldest.” I threw myself against the seat and crossed my arms. Yes, it was childish, but when would I get to have a say in where we went?

  “It won’t be that bad.” He patted my leg.

  “Great, I’ll have to wear a bear rug, and put German Shepherds on my feet to keep warm,” I said with a snort.

  Keetah whimpered from behind me then slapped me in the back of the head with his paw.

  “Aw. She didn’t mean it big guy,” Dad said.

  “It’s not so bad, Ima.” Matt shifted in his seat. “I grew up in Alaska, and I turned out all right. And I didn’t even have to use my dog as boots.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Fine, but if the only people in town are snowmen then I’m so leaving.”

  Matt messed up my hair and Dad smiled with relief.

  Goodbye sunshine, hello icebox.

  Chapter Two

  September

  My fingers traced my soccer ball, and I listened to the hum of the bush plane as we flew above the Alaskan frontier. I didn’t know why I brought my ball with me. I doubted I’d get to play any time soon. A sigh of irritation escaped my lips. No matter where we went, I played soccer—whether for the schools or through the community centers in the towns we stayed in. It was my favorite sport, and I’d made All-State in three different places over the years.

  I glanced at Keetah asleep in his kennel. At least he was with me. Was it sad I counted on my dog that much? I fingered the four-leaf clover necklace Brady sent to me from Ireland. He said it’d bring good luck. I definitely needed it this week. The thought of starting a new school already had my stomach tied in knots.

  My eyelids fluttered shut and pressed my head against the cold glass, not wanting to stare at the pillow-like clouds any longer. At least Matt came along. He prepared for our arrival back in August by getting our household goods, vehicles, food and everything else sent up to Point Hope by barge. He even went to our new house and unpacked most of our belongings to save us the trouble. He then flew back to Fairbanks to meet up with my dad and me.

  We spent two weeks in Fairbanks sightseeing and getting last minute details in order. I even managed to get a shopping spree out of it.

  I shifted in my seat and my pant leg lifted to reveal the new tattoo on my ankle. I caught Dad staring at it then he glared first at Matt, then back at me again. He’d freaked when he found out Matt had brought me to get a tat. We both got small Bigfoot prints as a reminder of our wild summer spent hunting the mythical creature in California.

  “You’re not still mad about the tattoo are you, Dad?”

  “Yes, I am, you didn’t ask permission!” he snapped.

  “Well you don’t ask my permission about a lot of things,” I said in a hushed voice. “Like moving to Alaska.”

  “We’ve been over this, Ima. Besides, this is a good opportunity for you. I want you to be happy,” he said.

  “I was happy, Dad. And this tattoo is to mark everything that happened over the summer—Matt and I thought it’d be cool to document the footprints we found.”

  “I’ll get over the tattoo but it won’t happen again.”

  “Be glad we didn’t investigate giant dragons.” I teased.

  Matt chuckled from the seat in front of me. “I am sorry, Lou—I was just trying to cheer Ima up.”

  “There are other ways to cheer a person than permanently branding them,” Dad grumbled.

  “Yeah, like dates and dances and…”

  Dad cut me off.“I changed my mind. The tattoos were a great idea.”

  Matt smirked and gave me a wink. If I wanted to make Dad uncomfortable, all I had to do was mention boys or dating. He didn’t like the fact I’ve grown up and discovered the opposite sex.

  “Here we are, Mr. Berry,” our pilot said. I peered down at the runway. The small peninsula jutted into the sea.

  The plane bounced and tilted as we eased down, and I gripped the seat in front of me. What if we didn’t stop in time? I envisioned the plane missing the runway and plunging into the cold depths.

  “You can let go of my seat now.” Matt pried my fingers from his headrest then motioned for me to look out the cabin window again. We were safe.

  “Sorry.” I gave a faint smile.

  When the plane rolled to a stop, I fought to get my seatbelt off and put my soccer ball under my arm. Dad handed me two duffel bags and my coat.

  “See, no snow yet,” Dad said. “And here you thought we’d arrive to a blizzard.”

  “Thank God for small miracles,” I muttered.

  We made our way off the plane and into the crisp, Alaskan wind. I tried to pull my coat tighter about my body, but my bags caught my sleeves and it was all I could do to keep it from falling off.

  Keetah ran by me with his tongue hanging from his mouth. He sniffed the air then glanced at me.

  “I know you like it.” Even my dog was a traitor.

  With a sigh, I knew I was stuck here until Dad decided otherwise. This might mean a month or a year; it depended on whether or not we found what we were looking for.

  “Okay Mr. Berry, I’ll be back to get you and Matt in two days. We’ll have your plane ready in Kotzebue so you can start your runs,” our pilot said.

  “Sounds great. Thanks for your help.” Dad shook his hand then we walked over to where our truck was parked.

  After we piled our things into the vehicle, I climbed in between Dad and Matt. Keetah took his usual spot in the back. The sky loomed overhead; its slate gray color matched my drab mood. Gravel covered the ground and there were no trees in sight.

  In the distance, I caught sight of an eerie graveyard. Bones surrounded it like a picket fence; some were as tall as I was, while others stood only knee high. Wooden crosses sat amongst the bones, pointing toward the sky like giant arrows. Chills swept up and down my body like a raging river.

  “What in the world?” I said.

  Matt’s gaze followed where I pointed. “That’s a whalebone graveyard. See those taller bones—those are whale jawbones and ribs. They mark the graves of Whaleboat Captains.”

  The vision haunted me, and it became worse when I spotted some ancient, abandoned houses. I tore my focus away as we drove closer to town, which appeared desolate.

  “I’ll give you guys the grand tour,” Matt said.

  I took a deep breath. Point Hope was so small. I spotted a store, a place to get a fuel, along with a health clinic, which stood out with its bright green-blue color.

  “Back there is the school.” Matt gestured down the road.

  The tan building didn’t scream school to me, but rather seemed like a large pole barn.“This isn’t the high school is it?” I asked.

  “K-12 is in the same building together,” Matt said.

  I rubbed my head; this so wasn’t what I had in mind. Taking off my seatbelt, I climbed over the backseat and sat next to Keetah, burying my face in his fur. How would I survive in this town? There wasn’t any shopping centers, no movie theatres, no soccer fields. Not that I needed those things, but it’d be nice to have a place to go if I needed a distraction from the investigations.

  “That’s the Kalgi Center. It’s Point
Hope’s community center, where they have bingo, dances, and card games,” Matt said.

  “Okay, Mr. Tour Guide.” With a snort, I went back to staring out the window.

  Three teens came around the corner where we had pulled to a stop. A strange humming sounded in my ears. My arms and neck tingled. My whole body vibrated as an odd thread glittered in my vision. I blinked then rubbed my eyes. One of the guys raised his dark hooded gaze to meet mine. Yes. A whisper thronged in my mind. He stared after me for a moment before he nudged his friends to walk again. Something about him struck a chord with me. He looked away, and instead, I found his friend giving me a wide grin. A knowing look flashed in his eyes as he winked. Somehow, I got the feeling we’d meet again. He spun a basketball on a single finger then turned to follow his friends.

  Man, I’ve really lost it. There was no way the whisperings were real. Maybe it was all the fresh Alaskan air messing with my mind. But deep down, I knew I’d heard them. Even now, my skin tingled with the memory.

  Matt continued showing us around town, and I saw the large water tanks, which stood like stadiums, the only big structures I’d ever seen like it. We passed a hotel and a post office. That pretty much summed up Point Hope. It was one of those don’t-blink-or-you’ll-miss-it kind of places.

  “Look over there?” Dad gestured to what appeared to be a skeleton of a boat propped up on stilts. “It’s an umiak. During whaling season the locals will stretch skin over the frame.”

  I nodded with distaste, not wanting to hear anything more about the subject or the move here. Just because he was excited didn’t mean I needed to be too. Silence settled in, until we pulled up to our new house. The wooden siding was the color of buttercups, while the shutters looked more like dirty eggshells.