Chapter 8: Oskar Flies

The Professor and Eli carried the small lab refrigerator down the stairs and placed it in the trunk. It was 3:00AM, and they had already made three trips to his house. This would be the last. No one had noticed anything; they had made sure of that. With Eli standing guard as he made trips to and from the car, he was confident that no one, even by chance, had seen them at all. Eli had already cleaned the apartment and wiped all the surfaces to remove fingerprints, but the odds of getting them all were against them. They had also removed all the cardboard from the windows, but had closed the drapes. Everything looked more normal that way.

Eli climbed into the car and they pulled away from the apartment. “How is Oskar going to find us if they let him go?”

“He could always go to the University, but I think it’ll be our job to find him – with your special help.” He smiled at her.

Thank God I put the phone on the phony name that Eli used to rent the apartment. But the phone repairman saw my face. He didn’t see Eli, though. Oskar had put the envelope with 3-months rent in cash into the landlord’s mailbox last week, so there will be no reason for him to be suspicious. I left a small light on in the bedroom, and Eli will carefully check the mailbox every few days. That way, we can keep up with the monthly bills. I’ll close out their savings account in the next few days. I just have to hope that they don’t connect it with Oskar, or else I’ll have a lot of explaining to do, and Eli will be in grave danger. All we can do now is hope they don’t find the apartment.

***

They pulled into the winding driveway that led to Dawson’s house. It was an old two-story brick house surrounded by trees, owned by the University for use by visiting professors, and was secluded enough so neighbors would have to go out of their way to snoop. Eli would be safe here.

They moved the last of the boxes into the storage area, and moved her refrigerator into the kitchen. Then Dawson showed Eli her room, just down the hall from his on the second floor. It had massive wooden shutters on the window, so sunlight wouldn’t be a problem for her. These old houses didn’t let much light in anyway, so making it safe for Eli was a trivial task.

He sat next to her on the bed. “We need to be patient, and wait until the dust settles. Then we’ll figure out the best way to communicate with Oskar, and let him know that we’re working hard to get him free. Do you have any thoughts as to how we can do that?”

Eli had a dark look on her face, “I want to get him out – now. He’s scared and alone! I could do this!”

“No! You can’t! I don’t want innocent people hurt. You have to remember that and have some patience! We’ll get him back, I promise you. It’s almost morning, so I suggest you try to get some sleep”

He gave her a quick hug, and closed the door behind him as he left.

Eli listened until she could tell by his breathing that he had gone to sleep. She took off her clothes, folded them neatly on the chair, and opened the window. She carefully unlatched the shutters, and pushed them open slowly, making as little noise as possible.

She closed the window, crouched on the sill for a moment, then leaped into the darkness. She spread her wings, banked to the north and headed for downtown Karlstad.

********

“Sorry we had to be so abrupt with you, but we couldn’t take any chances that the killer might still be nearby. Are you ok? Can I get you anything?” The detective was sitting across the table from Oskar in a small room on the fourth floor of the police station.

“Could I have a sandwich? And a glass of milk?”

“Sure! Odvar, would you get Oskar here a sandwich and a glass of milk?” The policeman by the door turned and went down the hall.

“Now, Oskar. Tell me where you have been the last four months.”

“I don’t know. He kept a hood over my head. He dropped me off at the department store this morning and drove away”

“I’d like to believe you, but if that’s true, why did you have a considerable sum of money in your pocket? And why would you buy a girl’s dress?” He opened the box on the table and pulled out a blue dress, leggings, and a pair of black shoes.

Oskar didn’t say anything.

“Why are you trying to protect him? He can’t hurt you anymore. We’ll keep you safe and get you back to your parents in a day or so. Is he holding a girl captive too? Is that why you’re not talking?”

“No! It was just me.”

Odvar put the sandwich and glass of milk on the table in front of Oskar and stepped back outside the door.

Oskar ate the sandwich eagerly and started on the milk. He suddenly realized how hungry he was.
“Listen! We need to get to the bottom of this. Why do I get the feeling that you don’t want to cooperate with us? Is he threatening your family? We already have them under 24-hour surveillance. They are completely safe.” The detective was becoming impatient.

“I just don’t want to talk about it. I’m just tired. Could we talk about this tomorrow?”

“By tomorrow, your kidnapper could be out of the country. This is serious! You could actually be in trouble by not cooperating with us. We might even have to keep you in custody. Don’t you want to see your parents as soon as possible?”

Oskar looked down at his feet, with tears in his eyes. “I just don’t want to talk about it right now. I’m sorry.”

Another detective stepped into the room and sat down in front of Oskar. “Jocke, back off a little. You’re scaring him. Remember who the victim is here.”

“Let’s get you set up for tonight. We’ll talk more in the morning when you’re feeling better.” He put his arm around Oskar’s shoulder and walked him out of the room.

Jocke yelled after them as they continued down the hall. “I’ll be talking to you tomorrow morning, and you’d be wise to have some better answers for me then!”

“Don’t mind him. He’s a bit of a blowhard.” He led Oskar down the hall to a barred metal gateway, where a guard unlocked the door for them.

“I know how this looks, but you’re really not under arrest. We just want to make sure you’re safe tonight.” He led Oskar into a room with a bed, nightstand, and a small separate bathroom. “This will be your bedroom tonight. It’s set up for the detectives on short shifts at night, so it’s not fancy. If you need anything, there’s an intercom on the wall here and someone will come right away. Your parents will be here tomorrow morning when you get up. There’s some reading material in the nightstand if you get bored and a small TV mounted on the wall over there. Any questions?”

Oskar shook his head.

“Ok then, We’ll talk to you tomorrow morning.” He closed the door behind him. Oskar could hear the key turn in the lock.

He went over and looked out the window. His room was on the corner above the alley. To the right, he could see the police cars lined up on the main street in front of the building. He went over and sat on the bed for a while. What am I going to do? I won’t tell them anything that will lead them back to Eli and the Professor. No matter what they do to me. I won’t!! I think it would be better if I just don’t say anything at all. I’ll just say I can’t remember anything.

He lay down on the bed. This is the first time in four months that I haven’t been with Eli. I miss her so much! He fell into a fitful sleep.

He dreamed that Eli was flying over the city, back and forth as though looking for something. He saw through her eyes as she spotted the row of police cars, descended quickly and landed quietly on the roof. He watched as she looked over the edge of the building on each side, paced back and forth for a while, then sat down with her head in her hands, frustrated. ELI! I’m here! ELI! He jerked, then sat up in bed completely awake.

On the roof, Eli’s head jerked up. Oskar? Is that you? Where are you!?

Oskar could feel his heart racing. Was Eli really nearby? Or was it just a dream? He concentrated, Eli! I’m in a room on the fourth floor in the corner by the alley, near the front of the police station. Eli? Can you hear me?

Nothing! His hope began to fade. He knew it was impossible. But he was wide awake now and knew he would never get back to sleep. He paced the floor for a few minutes, then sat down on the edge of the bed.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

Startled, he looked up at the window. Eli! He saw her face framed in the window, smiling at him. The rush of joy almost overwhelmed him. She gently put her hand on the window and looked at him. He placed his hand over hers. Eli! I’ve missed you so much! I’m such an idiot. I saw the poster when I went into the store, but I had to get you some clothes. I really didn’t think anyone would notice, and at first no one did…

Oskar! Do you know what you’re doing? I can hear you but you’re not talking! I heard you while I was on the roof. You told me where you were. It’s like when we are kissing.

Oskar smiled at the thought. Eli, can you get me out of here? I want to go home.

The Professor told me not to…but…She raised a clawed hand to the window and pressed gently, and then more firmly against it. It didn’t give. She began methodically digging away at the mortar surrounding the frame, and gradually was able to force a couple of fingers on both hands in between the window frame and the brick wall. She pulled hard, and the window made a cracking sound as the safety glass fractured and deformed. Finally, the window frame came lose in her hands. She disappeared for a moment as she reached up and quietly placed the broken frame on the roof.

“Say that I can come in” she whispered.

“You can come in!!” he whispered fiercely.

She dropped to the floor quietly, took him in her arms, and hugged him tightly. “I hope I can carry you. I’ve never tried to fly with anyone before. I’m not wearing anything for you to grab hold of.”

Oskar took off his belt and fastened it around her waist. “Maybe this will help. I can put my arms through it like this and…”

There was a knock at the door. “Oskar? I’ve brought a doctor along. You need to be checked over before your parents arrive this morning – and we can have that talk afterwards.” They heard the jingle of keys as the lock turned.

Eli jumped up on the window sill and hesitated a moment as she thought her wings a bit bigger than usual. The door opened just as Oskar was slipping his arms between the belt and Eli’s waist.

Jocke couldn’t understand what he was seeing, but he yelled and pulled his gun reflexively. “Stop! What are you doing?” Oskar gasped as he was suddenly jerked rapidly out the window. He got a better grip, pulled himself forward, and laid his head in the small of her back. They fell like a rock two stories toward the pavement below as he hung on for dear life. He almost lost his grip when she suddenly leveled off, banked right, and flew out into the well-lit street in front of the police station about 20 feet above the ground. The shift was just changing and uniformed policemen were milling about in front of the station. Twenty pairs of eyes followed them as Eli flapped her wings powerfully and disappeared over the low wall on the other side of the street. She smiled wickedly. The devil was in her!

“Oskar, you’re heavy! You’re going to have to stop eating all that candy.”

“No, it’s not that! You just need to get a bit more exercise and stop hanging around the apartment all day. You’re not a bat, you know!”

She gracefully turned south and headed back toward the Professor’s house. Oskar could feel the muscles in her back rhythmically tightening with each powerful thrust of her wings. Suddenly, it was as though he were Eli. He could feel the wind in her face, could feel the air currents and eddies as they flowed under her wings, the pressure with each downward thrust, and the calm serenity when she glided on the updrafts. He felt exhilarated as night became as clear as day and he could see into the windows of homes almost to the horizon. The stars in the sky were almost unbearably bright, and the street lights twinkled unevenly as the shadows of tree branches and power lines passed between them as they flew past. He could see the red glow of animal eyes as they went about their nighttime business, and off to the east, he could see the first signs of a lightening sky. He ever so gently tightened his grip around her waist, and he could feel Eli smile.

As they approached the house, Eli descended quickly, then abruptly pulled up and circled around. The window is wide open. I left it closed. She listened carefully, then slowly descended again and dropped gently into the room. The Professor is here! Oskar stood up and removed his belt from Eli’s waist. She quickly put on her clothes.

The Professor was sitting in a chair in the dark, watching them. “Eli, didn’t I ask you to wait? That we would work this out together?” he sounded angry.

“Yes, but…”

“If we don’t trust each other, how are we going to get through this? I need to know that we’re together on these things.” He went over to Oskar and gave him a big hug. “Are you all right? Did you see your parents? I was so worried about you both when I saw that Eli was gone.”

“I’m fine! My parents were supposed to see me later this morning. Please don’t blame Eli. She wasn’t going to rescue me. She just wanted to find me. She told me you didn’t want her to, but I talked her into it. It’s my fault!”

Dawson turned to Eli, “I should have asked you what happened first. I’m sorry. I’m sure Oskar’s request would be hard for you to turn down. In fact, for you, I know it would be impossible.” He smiled at her.

“Now! Tell me all about it. What happened?”

They both started talking at once. When they got to the part after the leap out the window, Dawson interrupted them. “You mean to say that you deliberately flew out into the street when you could have just as easily turned left down the alley and gotten away relatively unnoticed?”

Eli nodded and flashed a huge grin. Dawson shook his head, but smiled in spite of himself.

“I should be angry with you, you know. They’re going to scour the city looking for you. They’re going to be especially angry now that you both have made utter fools of them all.” He was surprised that somehow he felt relieved. He knew his sabbatical would be up soon and he dreaded the decision he would have to make. Now, Eli had pretty much made it for him.

“Oskar, you realize you can never go back now don’t you? They will make life miserable for you until you tell them who and what Eli is, and that would be the end of it for your chances to be together.”

“Yes, I know. I understand and I’m ok with it. I will want to write my Mom a letter sometime soon though.”

“Yes, of course. I understand perfectly.”

He paused a moment, “I’ve given our situation a great deal of thought and have come up with what I think is our best long-term option. What I’m proposing is that you two return with me to England when my Sabbatical is over in June. You would be living with me permanently, and I would take steps to become your legal guardian. It will be difficult, especially for you, Oskar, because obtaining fake papers and passports with your photograph all over the news, could cause us problems. Assuming it can be done, how do you two feel about it? Obviously you would be much safer there, and I would have access to many more resources to make sure Eli has an adequate food supply. And my research could continue uninterrupted. What do you think?”

Eli looked at Oskar, “I say yes. It means we won’t have to stay hidden.”

“I agree! And I’ll be able to work in the lab again. Won’t I?”

“Of course you will. Now then, how’s your English?” He looked questioningly at both of them.

“I speak English just fine,” Eli said, in almost perfect English.”I spent 15 years in England about 50 years ago.”

“Well, you’re full of surprises. Oskar?”

“I speak some English, but I’ve only had a couple of years in school.”

“Good! Eli can tutor you. For the next couple of months, I want you to concentrate on it. Any questions or concerns?”

“I’m hungry” they said in unison, then laughed.

“Well, come on in the kitchen and we’ll see what I can come up with.”

As he prepared breakfast for Oskar, Eli went to her refrigerator and helped herself.

They had a long talk with the Professor about the details of the “Great Escape,” as Oskar called it. He was astounded that Oskar was able to communicate with Eli over real distance.

“Oskar, obviously the injection had an effect on you. Let’s try something.” He took a deck of cards out of a drawer, shuffled them, and placed them on the table. “I’m going to look at each card, and you are going to tell me what it is.”

He picked up the Four of Clubs, and looked at Oskar. “Well?”

“I’m sorry. I don’t see anything.”

They tried a few more cards, with no success.

“Ok. Eli? You try it.”

She took the deck. “Ready!”
“Six of Hearts?”
“Yep.”
“Three of Diamonds?”
“Yes”
“Two of Clubs”
“Yep.”
Oskar correctly guessed the rest of the cards in the deck.

“Ok! Now, according to both of you, Eli was able to communicate her thoughts to you sometimes before you injected yourself. How did she do that?”
“I’m not going to kiss you!” Oskar said, red-faced.

Dawson laughed, “No, of course not. Not even in the name of science?” Oskar turned even redder.

The Professor shuffled the cards, remembering his attempt to save Eli’s life when she stopped breathing. Physical contact must be the key here.

“Why don’t you just take hold of my hand, like Eli did when we first met.” He reached across the table and took Oskar’s hand, and looked at the first card.

“Eight of Clubs.”
“Correct.” Dawson looked pleased.
“Ace of Spades.”
“Correct again”
“Nine of Hearts?”
“Nope. Try again.”
“Nine of Diamonds.”
“Correct!.”

It wasn’t perfect, but he guessed about 2/3 correctly the first time, and the rest on the second try. Chance obviously played no part in it.

“Ok, each of you take a piece of paper and a pencil. Oskar, go upstairs to the study at the end of the hall. Turn over each card and write it down. Eli will stay here and do the same. Just yell when you are ready to begin." Oskar went upstairs.

“OK, I’M STARTING” he yelled.

Eli started writing, Slow down, Oskar! I can’t write that fast.

Ok, Ok! Try abbreviating them. It goes faster! You know, 3s for three of spades, kd for king of diamonds, and so on.

I was! Do you think I’m stupid?

Well…

She could see him grinning.

“What’s wrong? Can’t you hear him?” the Professor asked.

“Actually I hear him a bit too well,” she said sarcastically.

Dawson looked up after checking their papers “Well, that was a complete success! You both get A plus on the test. Now, we’re going to try something a little different. Oskar, this time I want you to look at the cards, but don’t communicate them to Eli. Let’s see if she can still pick them up. Then we’ll reverse it to see if Oskar can pick them up if Eli tries to block them.”

When they had finished, Dawson checked the papers twice just to make sure he had gotten it right.

“Well, Oskar. It seems you have the advantage on this one. You were able to successfully block over 50% of your ‘transmissions’ to Eli, but she was unable to block any of hers to you.”

“So that means Eli’s mind is an open book to me?” he grinned.

“Well at least my ‘book’ isn’t full of blank pages like yours,” she snipped.

“Now, now. I don’t think it’s as simple as that. Oskar, can you actually read her mind right now?

He hesitated for a minute, “No, I can’t. It must be empty.”

“Eli? Can you read Oskar?”

“No.” she glared at him.

“I can now!” Oskar said, laughing, as he dodged away from her just before she grabbed at him.

The Professor laughed, “Neither of you need to worry about your personal privacy. Communication only seems to happen when you are both trying at the same time, or,” he paused, “trying not to at the same time, if that makes any sense. Strong emotions seem to play a part also, which is why you were able to communicate with Oskar on the roof of the police station. Remember, he heard you first – he saw through your eyes. That’s why you were ultimately able to save him.”

Eli and Oskar smiled at each other.
Truce?
Truce!

“Well, that’s enough for now. We all have a lot to think about, and the sun is already up. Let’s get some sleep, and tonight, we’ll check the TV and newspapers and decide what to do next.”

He put his arms around their shoulders as they went up the stairs together. He waved them down the hall, as he went into his own room and closed the door. “Every day is better than the one before! This is the most fun I’ve had in years!” But there was a dark side, he remembered. What else about Oskar could have changed since the injection? Were there others still incubating?

***

Eli and Oskar took their showers, brushed their teeth, and practiced thinking at each other.
Oskar, were you afraid we wouldn’t come?
No, I knew you would come, but I was afraid it would be too late. I was afraid my Mother would take me back to Blackeberg, and I wouldn’t see you for a long time. But you came. You came!

I couldn’t stand not knowing where you were. I was so afraid. The professor didn’t want me to go, because he thought there was a chance I would hurt innocent people, and maybe he was right – but I didn’t.

Finally, Eli and Oskar climbed into their new bed together. Oskar hugged her tightly, “Thank you for saving me – again.”

“I just felt sorry for you. I knew you couldn’t stand being without me for even a single night.”

Oskar looked at her for a moment, then closed his eyes and kissed her.

Suddenly Eli saw herself as a beautiful kneeling angel, surrounded by light, head down, and wings folded in front of her. As she rose and spread her wings, Eli saw her face, more beautiful than she could ever have imagined. “Oskar! That’s not me! I’m not like that at all!”

“Stop talking!” He kissed her again. Eli saw herself as a slightly more disheveled angel with tangled black hair tumbling chaotically around her face, but this time she was wearing her favorite pants.

“Oskar!!”

They both started laughing hysterically.

Dawson smiled to himself, as he heard them laughing down the hall. In spite of Eli’s strengths, they’re both so fragile, like two little fireflies sparkling in the dark. And it will take all my strength and determination to keep them from flying into the flame. They are each other’s greatest weakness – and strength. I’m lucky to have them both in my care. I suppose that makes me selfish, but at this point, it doesn’t matter.