Sacred Ground. Alex Archer

hope they won’t lose their traditions in the process,” Annja said. “Because as nice as it is to give someone access to wealth and prosperity, it would be a shame to see an entire race of people lose its way over the lure of cash.”

      “It’s happened before,” Godwin said. “I know this. But I also hope the elders of the tribe will be able to exert some degree of control of their people.”

      “And preserve what they’ve respected for so long,” Annja said. “I guess time will tell for certain, huh?”

      “I think it will be fine,” Derek said. “We’re taking pains to ensure that we don’t just come in and destroy their lands. That’s why you’re here, Annja. With your help, we’ll be able to preserve a lot of their memories. And with the company’s money, they’ll be able to build something to house their legacies in. If that’s what they want, of course.”

      Annja stared out of the window. She wondered if the Araktak would want to leave this land. While she couldn’t ever imagine living in such a cold environment, she knew that this was home to the Araktak and their kind. They’d lived here for a thousand years and knew the lands better than anyone. It would be hard to convince them to give it all up.

      They drove in silence for a while. Annja stared out of the windshield. Suddenly she twisted in her seat to look out of the rear window.

      But there were no trucks barreling down on them this time.

      Annja closed her eyes and tried to relax.

      She heard it then even before she saw it. She opened her eyes and started to roll down her window.

      “What the hell are you doing?” Derek asked.

      Annja shushed him and stuck her head out of the window. It was even more audible now. But where was it coming from?

      Annja leaned back into the truck. Godwin looked at her. “What is it, Annja? What’s the matter?”

      “Can’t you hear it?”

      “Hear what?”

      Annja peered through the windshield. Far ahead of them, she thought she could make out something dark. It looked as if it was growing.

      “Oh, my God.”

      Derek leaned over from the backseat. “What is that?”

      Godwin pressed on the gas. His eyes narrowed and he gripped the wheel tighter. “Our turnoff should be coming soon.”

      “Not soon enough,” Annja said. “It’s going to be close.”

      “Real close,” Godwin said.

      “What is?” Derek asked. “What is that thing ahead of us? What’s going on?”

      Annja looked at him. “Can’t you hear it?”

      Derek stopped and sat back in his seat. He closed his eyes and then Annja saw his body stiffen appreciably. His eyes popped open. “Tell me that’s not what I think it is.”

      Annja nodded. “It is.”

      Godwin pointed up ahead of them. “It’s growing larger.”

      Annja looked and saw it was true. Shooting down the ice road at them was a giant fissure of blackness.

      The ice road was cracking all around them.

      7

      “How far?” Annja asked.

      Derek studied the map again. “Maybe a mile. I’m not sure.”

      “Kind of important that we know,” Annja said. She peered through the windshield. The fissure seemed to be shooting right at them, but she could see that it was cracking slowly. The speed of their truck made it seem as if it was happening all the faster.

      Godwin frowned. “I don’t think we’ll make it. We’re going to have to get off the ice or we’ll risk going through it.”

      “What’s the temperature outside right now, I wonder?” Annja asked. “Can we handle the temperature if we have to leave the truck?”

      “Doubt it,” Godwin said. “We need off this road with the truck.”

      Annja could see the water sloshing farther ahead as it crept out of the cracks in the ice like some black viscous blood seeping over the ice itself, dragging smaller chunks under.

      “Just how good is this truck at four-wheel driving?” she asked.

      Godwin grinned. “I think we’re going to find out.”

      Annja nodded. “Do it.”

      Godwin guided the truck over toward the bank of the ice road, and then Annja felt the tires bite into the frozen tundra and pull them up off the ice. The truck bucked like a wild horse under them as they hit bumps and dips in the landscape.

      “Hang on!” Godwin shouted. “It’s going to be rough.”

      Derek pointed back at the ice road. It looks like it’s fine about a hundred yards farther on.”

      Godwin nodded. “We’ll have to chance it. If we stay on this stuff, we’ll blow the tires and do worse to the engine.”

      Annja would have preferred to take her chances with the ground, but she could see Godwin’s point. The truck was taking terrible damage from the undulating countryside. They had to get back onto the ice.

      Then she heard the sudden pop.

      She looked at Godwin. He shrugged. “Looks like we lost one of the tires. Maybe two.”

      Derek pointed. “The ice looks fine up there. Try going back now, Godwin. We can’t take this anymore.”

      Well beyond where the fissure had forced them off the road, the ice looked as solid as it had been before. Godwin aimed the truck and Annja felt it lurch and buck again as they took another hard hit on the underside of the chassis.

      And then she felt the vehicle almost skid as it suddenly zoomed back out onto the ice. Godwin fought to control it as the popped tire’s rim bit into the ice and cause them to skid wildly. He turned into the skid and then brought the SUV to a halt about a hundred yards farther on.

      Annja caught her breath. “This is turning out to be some kind of trip.”

      Godwin kept the truck idling. “I need to check us out for damage.”

      He slid out and Annja joined him. Derek unfolded himself from the backseat and followed them around to the back of the truck.

      Godwin squatted by the right rear tire and looked at the rim. “Doesn’t look like it got bent, fortunately. It should take a new tire from the back okay. The tire’s shredded, though. We can’t use that anymore.”

      Annja could see where the rubber of the tire had been cut to ribbons against something out on the landscape. Probably a rock had started the damage, then the punishment the truck took bouncing all over finished off the tire.

      The cold wind blew in to greet them. Annja shivered and zipped up her hood. “How long until we can get going again?”

      Godwin opened the tailgate and rooted around in the back, finally heaving out the replacement tire. “Maybe twenty minutes.”

      Derek nodded. “Good. We’ve got a schedule to keep.”

      Godwin rolled the tire over and then went back for the jack. He set about getting it into position and then cranked it up. Ever so slowly, the truck frame lifted off the ice road until Godwin judged he had enough room to do his work.

      “Annja, can you get the tools from the back?”

      Annja fetched the tool bag and then left Godwin alone while she walked around. It was the best way she knew how to stay warm. As long as she kept moving, she figured she’d keep warm.

      Well, somewhat warm.