Sam and I think why not go on up to where Dance Master and Werds are looking for the cave? Be closer in more of a ‘stand by’ position even though we receive no orders to do so. It was later at the end of the second day and maybe we can greet them as they come back down the trail. Help them with their gear. As it turned out this was a good idea. I park the truck off the trail in a small space about 1000 steps down from the campground. I cover the truck with a tarp and branches.

I take blankets and rations, we start towards the forest, Sam can play, and get a ‘bath’ in the stream. We would be close enough to the trail to see them when they come down. Or go on up if they didn’t. Just as we start toward the water I hear the first vehicle from a distance. And the hovercraft in the sky. And I think gunshots. Firearms are not allowed up here. I can’t call for help from the mountains up at this altitude. I go back to the truck and take the saddle rifle off the gun rack. Sam and I go into the forest to wait. 

***

The next morning Dance Master and Werds, dress for work again, go back into the cave to dust off the walls. They have each bought large bath towels and decide to cut one in half and wet the pieces with canteen water and, after trips to the stream, and ringing out dirty towels they wipe the walls and the back of the cave. They could see faint traces of drawings and writings on the walls. Once they see these they leave the walls alone. Their last task is the floor. After they sweep it again to get as much dust out as possible they wipe it down with the towels. After that they feel the cave is clean enough to bring the rest of the supplies in from the trailer.

***

The Professor believed that the original inhabitants of the cave polished the back wall to reflect the cooking fire at the front so that all the interior would be illuminated in the evening. The cooking fires were on a flat surface at the front opposite the entrance. Above the surface is a small opening in the top of the cave, The opening leads to other openings that go all the way to the top of the hill. After Dance Master and Werds experiment lighting a small fire they see that there is an updraft, a natural chimney taking all the smoke from the cooking fire up out of the cave. 

At the front of the cave, the facing towards the road and campsite on the other side, there is a wide opening about eight feet above the floor. It would provide needed ventilation. The opening is maybe a foot high, that is, in width. Maybe five feet in length. There are good step holes the first two feet then shallow, worn indentations several more feet up the wall.  A man might pull himself up holding on to the slippery lower ledge for a quick look out. Werds climbed up for a glimpse, head turned back, before he had to come back down. Dance Master, who is much lighter, can just get his head up in front to get a longer look.

Though neither could hold the position long, they both see that the opening looks straight over towards the campsite. They both go out of the cave and over by the camp fireplace. Looking back towards the cave neither can see the opening from there even though they know where it is. It is hooded by the rock formation that casts a shadow over it.

***

The second day of cleaning was not as long so they had the midafternoon on to rest and experiment. They gathered wood and brush and added to the fire inside on the cooking area that reflected light off the back wall. Then over to the stream to wash off upper body, rinse out some outer garments, leave them to dry, and retrieve yesterday’s clothing. As they walk back over the campsite night is falling. They see that the reflection of the fire inside does not show at the upper opening. So back inside to relax. They will have dinner and stop back at the stream in the morning to get the day’s garments.

Now to talk about what they had done. Dinner, and the Valley Red they brought for ‘snakebite.’ Happy talk of how much fun they were going to have back at Rusti’s telling about it all.

So much for these plans. As night continued to fall they start hearing noises. Some seemed to be hovercraft. Others motor vehicles. 

***

The noises get louder and closer. Soon they hear voices, shouting. And even some gunfire and cheering. Firearms are not allowed up here? They cannot understand what was being said though the noise came through to the back of the cave. Both pull themselves up the foot holes below the opening but neither can stay in that position very long. They do get a glimpse that a large fire is started in and in front of the fireplace. They can hear other noises, hovercraft and vehicles. Soon the fire at the camp, on a line with the opening at the top, starts to flicker off the back of the cave. It seemed to show figures of people around the fire.

Dance Master and Werds quickly determine not to make any noise. They listen as the noises echoed. They try to make sense of the flickering and forms at the back of the cave. Soon it becomes evident that they can only know for sure what is happening if they go from the cave up to the surface. Dance Master’s camera has a motion feature, including recording sound, so that it can record action and sound. He goes out first and Werds follows. The first thing they see is a large bonfire in the old fireplace and torchlights held by the people there, formed in a large circle.  

Off to the left edge is a small row of motionless figures in wheeled chairs, They are covered with lap blankets with the National Flag design, They are slumped over, wearing large hats and large dark eye glasses, faces are obscured. Behind each is a Keeper holding the handles that controlled the wheeled chairs. Single Keepers holding firearms patrol around the outer edge of the circle. In the middle in front of the fireplace there is a speaker slightly elevated. Dance Master and Werds can not quite see who he is, but can hear him clearly. Is this Brightly Dawn? It doesn’t seem to bother any of the listeners that his speech had little logic or organization.

“Stand by”  “Be ready”  “I can’t acknowledge you now, but there will come a time, a day, when I will call you forth” “Stand back and stand by.” “And then it will be our day, our time.  Together. Shoulder to shoulder, our ranks will close . To serve our glorious leaders” – motioning to the line of wheeled chairs. “We will have our retribution on those who…I am, like you, so angry I cannot repeat their crimes.” “Their outrages against all that we hold so dear.” “But we know who they are.” “I am your retribution!” “No, we are our retribution.” “To bring a better day, a future where only the right men will be free.”

Dance Master records the scene keeping the camera steady slowly sweeping it back and forth. He and Werds whisper to each other. They think the speaker is Brightly Dawn. The speech is interrupted by cheering after most every phrase. Werds is getting very agitated. He asks if they had enough record. Dance Master nodded and Werds motions him to go first back to the cave. Werds cannot contain his rage. Dance Master would have known better. But Werds stands up at the edge of the gully and shouts “Brightly, you sissy phony!” Dance Master is stooped down and hurrying back to the corner laughing, and into the cave.

Werds quickly follows and makes it back into the cave. Confusion starts in the assembly. Keepers look around on all sides. Several shots are fired. Then the horns on the parked vehicle start honking, constantly one by one. Out in the forest a dog is barking. The speaking stops. The assembly starts to break up. Coyotes up higher in the hills start howling. The hovercraft parked out at the edge start up. Brightly, or whoever he is, and some other selected personages panic and run over to the hovercraft, which quickly filles and takes off. Keepers wheel the figures in the chairs over to the line of vehicles.

The vehicles soon fill and start to leave, horns still honking. This causes more panic, yelling. Just then a Keeper, patrolling the other side of the campground area, finds the clothes lieing across the bushes to dry. He comes running up waving Werd’s large yellow plaid shirt. This causes more confusion, more sporadic gunfire. The ones who miss having transportation throw their torches into the fire and run back down the trail after the vehicles. They leave the fire burning in the fireplace to burn out.

Dance Master and Werds stay in the cave, quietly. They think that some Keepers might remain in the campground, out of sight, waiting for revenge on whoever yelled the insults and started the commotion. Werds is sorry for yelling at the assembly. Dance Master thinks it was funny and glad it caused confusion and panic. Now they have to be very careful. They quietly wait out the night. They are able to dose off and wake when the sun starts to come up. They still wait. Dance Master pulls himself up to the high opening but does not see anybody.  

It was still early morning when they think they heard a shot fired from the direction they would take to leave down the trail. Then nothing. They exchange looks and take out their hunting knives. They are getting quite discouraged and resigned to go out and face what they would find when there is a sound at the entrance of the cave. Sam runs in and puts his paws up on each in turn. They all come out of the cave.

“Sam was concerned about you boys. So we came up.” Frank is standing with a blanket over one shoulder holding his saddle rifle in the opposite hand. “Come on boys. I have the truck waiting off the road about a thousand steps down the trail.” They gather their packs and clothes, and the small trailer. Werds finds his yellow plaid shirt draped over a bush full of bullet holes. Some of the Keepers remembered him. He liked this shirt and had several others much like it. Dance Master rides in the cab with Frank. Werds, wearing his bullet-holed shirt, in the back with Sam and all the gear. Soon they are back to their own truck, packed up, grateful good-byes to Frank and Sam, and then on the way home

***

 Frank explained that he started up towards the campgrounds the second day and encountered the rally. He could not call for help. So he stayed close. He honked the horns on the vehicles, placing sticks to jam them on, and then disappeared into the forest. Sam barked, contributing to the confusion. They waited as the assembly fled. As dawn appeared Frank saw several Keepers at the edge of the trail, one of each side, as if waiting for anyone who started down. Frank yelled at them from the forest to leave and they panicked and turned and ran down the trail. Especially since Frank fired a warning shot that bounced off a boulder above their heads.

***

Several week later, they all gathered for an evening at Rusti’s. Werds wearing his yellow plaid shirt with the bullet holes.

The film turned out to not to give a clear picture of the rally in that individuals could be identified. The sound worked but you could not, without doubt, identify the speaker from the voice recorded. But it did show the rally and accurately recorded the sort of things being said. Dance Master sent a copy to Mollie in case she thinks it is good enough to set before the public. Archaeologists from the College will work to restore the art and translate the writing on the cave walls. The cave will become a tourist attraction and so the old Ranger campground will be renovated. All will protected by the Mountain Rangers. There will be tours by reservation.

Werds remarked that the Professor’s Notebook was quite accurate except for the entrance being at the side of the cave instead of the front. Rusti replied “maybe you didn’t find the same cave,”

END