Jrec of the Rockies

Roni stepped off the sled and turned to take in the mountains. Her breath turned to fog in the cold December air. The Rocky Mountains were simply gorgeous this time of year. It almost made up for the price a cabin and several acres of land cost her just to have a summer home, well, winter home, in the mountains.

Taking a final deep breath, she turned her attention to her dogs. They had cost no small amount, but with their land so high up in the mountains, travel via sled dogs was the only way to go. Besides, they reminded her of her kids.

"So what do you think?" Roni looked up at her husband. They had first met, coincidentally, on an Alaskan cruise. They were always taking skiing trips to the northern Rockies. Together, they had put two boys through college. Now, for a Christmas present, Paul had gotten them this cabin. Roni was sure it would be a Christmas they would never forget.

"Roni? Are you listening to me?"

"What? Oh, I’m sorry Paul. This place is just so perfect!"

Paul moved to wrap one arm around her waist. "I wish the boys could have come here with us."

"Travis and Jennifer are spending their time preparing the baby’s room, and Lucas still has another year of college to pay for. I’m still worried how he plans on paying off all those loans on his own. I know he said he wanted to do it by himself, but maybe we should send him a little money."

Before she could say anything else, he kissed her. Not one of those romance novel kisses that seem to last forever. Just a quick peck that best friends share. They spent nearly thirty years together. If they weren’t best friends now, there was something very wrong with their marriage. "We decided to take this vacation so we could get away from the kids. Travis and Lucas are big boys. They can take care of themselves."

"Umm, excuse me. Mr. DuLac, if you aren’t too busy..."

"I’ll be right there, Nathan. Don’t worry; you’ll get your money."

Paul moved away from her, leaving Roni once alone with the dogs. Sled dogs were the most adorable creatures on Earth. They were almost on par with children. As she started petting her lead dog, Denali, she couldn’t help but overhear the conversation Paul was having with their guide up the mountain. "Are you sure you nice folks don’t want my number? They say these parts of the mountains are haunted. That yeti thing lives in the Himalayas. Well here, we’ve got the Jrec."

"Thanks for the warning, Nathan, but I think we’ll be all right. We have a cell with perfect reception. If we see any monster, we’ll be sure to dial 911."

Paul laughed as he handed Nathan the check. Their guide was not amused. "Just you be sure to be careful. The Jrec is said to come out in storms, and there’s suppose to be a doozy of a storm hitting these parts tonight. It can sound like the wind, and eats raw meat. Leave a little something for it, and it might just leave you alone."

"Good bye, Nathan."

Nathan grumbled as he hopped on his snow mobile and drove away. He didn’t bother to return the enthusiastic wave Paul was giving him.

Still laughing, Roni’s husband turned back to her. "Are you ready? What do you want to do first?"

"Why didn’t we get one of those? A snow mobile, I mean."

"Because you wanted the dogs. Now come on. I don’t want some superstitious yokel to ruin our vacation."

Unleashing the dogs, Paul and Roni made their way inside their new cabin. After settling the dogs in, Paul started gathering his skiing gear. "Where’s the map that shows where the slopes are?"

"Already here and you want to test out our ski slope? I thought it would be better to go out walking. I want to see more of the mountain first."

Paul sighed. Roni knew he was there for the skiing. They lived in Arizona. There wasn’t much skiing to be done there. "I guess we should explore more of our new domain. I’ll put the skis away."

"I’ll see you out side."

Roni stepped out, but before she could close the door, Denali rushed into the snow by traveling between her legs. Their lead dog was a born human companion. An Alaskan husky, her parents had been bred sled dogs. Their daughter followed rightfully in their footsteps.

"You are one tricky dog. Did you know that?" Laughing, Roni walked off the porch and, with her fists on her hips, inhaled the cold air. "This place really is quite beautiful," she said to the dog. "Wouldn’t you say?" Denali cocked her head, giving a faint whine. She abruptly barked, sitting down in the snow. Realizing just how cold the ground was, she then immediately jumped to her feet again. Roni couldn’t help but laugh.

As her laughter faded on the wind, another sound rose above the trees. It was a mix between a moan and a whine. It was an echo of an echo, traveling from as far as the far side of the mountain or as close as beyond the tree line next to their cabin.

"Paul?!"

She waited a moment before calling her husband’s name again. The sound fell away as Paul came to meet her outside. "Roni? What’s wrong?"

"There is an animal out there. I think it’s hurt. You should have heard it. It was in so much pain."

Paul cocked his head, visibly straining to hear whatever it was that his wife had heard. After a moment or two, he shook his head. "I guess it went away. If we hear it again, we’ll call Nathan’s office. He can do something about it."

"Maybe it’s the Jrec."

Paul laughed and laughed, tears starting to form in the corners of his eyes. "Please, don’t even joke like that. If we start believing that, we just might hear that thing wherever we go." Taking a step forward, he turned back to face Roni. Extending his hand out, he waited for her to take it. "Shall we get going? Those trees aren’t going to see themselves."

Roni smiled playfully as she took his hand. "Don’t worry. We can go out to the slopes tomorrow." Pulling him along, they started walking; Denali following happily in their wake. The mountains in winter really were the most beautiful things. There was a path ready made for them to follow. Nathan had said that it wound around the whole mountain. It was the perfect chance to see their land, and dream of what they could do with it. There weren’t any animals that they could see on the trail. None of them had probably heard of humans before.

The farther they ventured the darker it became. Just before dusk, they started heading back. "We can do some real exploring if we had the dogs with us."

Denali barked.

"I mean the other dogs. It’s too bad it gets dark so quickly up here."

Paul nodded. "Yes, it is a shame that we had to turn back so we could get back sooner. It’s also a darn shame that we’ll probably have more time on the slopes for this."

Roni playfully rolled her eyes and shook her head at her husband.

"We don’t even have any kind of equipment to spend more than a walk out here. We don’t even have a lunch with us."

What they did have were their coats, a pair of flashlights, some rope, just in case, and a blanket. As it grew darker, it didn’t take long for them to become dependent on their flashlights. Roni and Paul tried to move more quickly as the wind picked up, but the numbing cold slowed their motions. Night came upon them and the wind grew ever colder, it suddenly became very clear that they wouldn’t be able to see more than a few feet in front of them.

"Do we even know if we’re on the path?" Paul wiped away quickly forming tears. These weren’t from the result of laughter.

"You always hear horror stories about hikers that get lost and dying while up in the mountains, but you never think that you’ll be one of them."

"Don’t say that. Come on, we’ll be all right. Right Denali?"

The sled dog barked cheerily. She lived for this kind of weather.

"Besides, things couldn’t get any worse!"

Taking another step, Paul instantly regretted saying those infamous words. They had indeed strayed from the path. Just enough so that one of them would be able to slip and fall. Paul reached out for Roni as he lost his footing, and they both fell. It was a vertical drop, but the ground below them wasn’t that far down. Somewhere between a perilous fall off the mountain, and just crashing down the stairs.

The last thing Roni remembered before making contact with the ground was the sound of a soft moan reaching out across the wind.

It could have been minuets or it could have been hours. No matter the time, Roni woke in pain and half covered in snow. It was dark out, but the two flashlights of theirs still worked. Luckily the fall didn’t cause them any permanent harm.

Paul was lying only a few feet away from her. He wasn’t awake. Denali sat next to him. She pawed at his arm and whined. I know how you feel, Roni thought to herself.

Roni didn’t move for a while, for fear that something was broken, but after a few minuets of wiggling her toes and fingers, she struggled to sit up. Denali was immediately gladdened by her movement and trotted over to her to lick her face.

"It’s okay. I’m okay." Gently shoving Denali out of the way, Roni moved to crouch next to Paul. With one hand, she gently shook him. "Paul? Paul?! You have to wake up."

Denali barked; shouting at something in the shadows.

The wind and snow blew against Roni as she stood to examine the cliff from where she had fallen from. It wasn’t that high up in a general sort of manner, but it was twice as high as she was tall. There was no way they would be able to climb back up.

Denali wouldn’t stop barking.

"Denali, shush! I have to think." This time with the wind came the familiar moan that hadn’t faded away since they first came to the mountains. As the moan grew louder, Denali stopped barking, and instead gave a small, faint whine. With her tail between her legs, she slowly backed away from where she stood and fled to seek Roni’s protection. "Denali, what’s gotten into you?"

Looking up in the direction the snow dog had fled, Roni’s jaw fell slack and her eyes nearly fell out of their sockets. It walked with a slight slouch in its back, and it almost looked to be favoring one of its hind legs. The creature that emerged from the tree grove was nothing like she had ever seen before. A mix between a sloth and a grizzly, the creature walked on its hind legs slowly towards her; its long, claw tipped, arms swinging back and forth. Its fur could have been green or purple, but in the shadowy darkness, it took on a sickly ebony.

As it came to stand only a few feet in front of Roni and Denali, it towered over them, much like the cliff they had fallen from had. Roni was too busy staring up into its glowing gold eyes, she hadn’t noticed her legs had collapsed right under her.

It was the Jrec. It had to be.

The Jrec leaned in, taking in a big whiff of her. When it had all it could inhale, it snorted. Stretching back out to reach its full height, it lifted its muzzle to the sky and—

— the sound that came out wasn’t like the moan she had been hearing. Instead, it was as though a muffled sound she had always known suddenly became clear. It rang out through the forest and down the mountain range. A low drone that hummed to its own tune. Almost like the sound of humpback whales, which she was so familiar with.

The Jrec didn’t slouch like before, but it did turn its head back towards Roni and Denali. Looking down, it tilted its head. In doing so, it noticed Paul.

Giving another snort, it fell on all four of its big paws and sort of lazed itself over to him. As it had with Roni, it inhaled and smelled out what it was dealing with. But not like with Roni, it didn’t cry out to the night when it was finished.

Digging into the snow, it scooped up Paul, cradling him in its arms and started toward the cliff. "Wait, stop!"

The Jrec did, but swiveled its head to stare down at Roni. Its eyes were old and wise. Almost like it knew her and what she was afraid of.

In one quick movement, its legs bent at the knees and it jumped. Reaching just above the cliff, it landed with a soft thud. Its feet spread apart slightly, pushing the snow out of the way. Only a few clumps fell to land on Roni.

Dusting off the snow, she looked back up. There was no sign of the Jrec or of Paul. She turned back to Denali to try and find her own way up the cliff, but before she could, she heard a loudwumph. When she did look back, she saw the Jrec again staring down at her. With the same consideration in its eyes when it had scooped up Paul, the Jrec wrapped her in a tight hug and pulled her close, much like a child would hold a teddy bear.

Denali started barking again. The Jrec didn’t seem to get upset at this. It stretched a claw out, and, with much care, picked up the sled dog by the nape of the neck. The only distress that Denali showed was a quick whine that was quelled when the Jrec made a low growling noise in the back of its throat.

The Jrec prepared to jump. Roni held her breath.

Moving through the air was like riding in the dog sled; only vertically. There was a slight jolt as they landed on the cliff, and Denali gave a yelp. Roni exhaled deeply as the Jrec put her down. Paul lay only a few feet away. She wanted to check on him, but the Jrec again scooped him up and started walking.

With ever step it took, Roni could see a dark splotch in the foot print it left behind. It was hurt, but she couldn’t tell how bad the wound was. Nor would she be able to as long as it was walking.

When Roni didn’t immediately follow after it, the Jrec turned around and looked back at her. Lifting its head, it gave one short, clear bleat before moving on again.

This time, Roni followed. Denali trailed behind, forming the end of their strange procession. To match the speed of the Jrec, they trudged along slowly along the mountain pass. It didn’t feel like too much of a long march, but nothing seemed long when you were concentrating on something so hard. It wasn’t long before Roni found herself standing in front of her cabin again. The Jrec carefully laid Paul on the cabin porch, then proceeded to flee back into the confines of the oh so familiar trees.

"Wait! Please wait."

The Jrec stopped. Carefully keeping its wounded paw just above the ground, it looked back at her.

Cautiously stepping closer to it, Roni put her hand against its hind leg. The fur was even softer than her pillow back home in Arizona. Looking up to meet the creature’s eyes, she did her best to smile without showing any of the awe she felt. "I could bandage this if you let me."

From that moment, she knew that this would be a trip she would never forget.

****

Paul was wakened by a narrow sunbeam glaring into his eyes.

"Thanks for coming all the way back up here, Nathan."

"No problÀmo. I told you the Jrec would get ya’."

"Oh please, that’s just an urban legend. We were out hiking and Paul slipped. That’s all."

"Okay, okay. I guess I deserve that. Call me when he wakes up. And don’t let him move around too much."

Paul tried to sit up. "I guess that means we won’t be skiing anytime soon."

Both his wife and their guide rushed over to his side. "Oh Paul, I thought you might never wake up!"

"You should have watched where you were going. That path is a death warrant in the dark. And out in a storm to boot."

Even Denali was there, licking his hand with her ears pulled back flat against her head.

Standing up, Nathan made his way to the door. "Well I’ll leave you two alone. Just be careful from now on. I do have other clients to worry about you know."

Opening the door, he gave a small nod before leaving. Roni moved only to pull up a chair next to him. "How did we get back to the cabin? If we fell, how were you able to drag me back here all by yourself?"

"I had some help. Denali was there with me." Leaning down, she kissed his forehead. "Try to sleep. We can go skiing once we’re sure you’re over your concussion."

"I’m cold. Where is the extra blanket we had?"

His wife looked at him in surprise. Half in wondering why he would have asked that, and half in putting together a quick enough lie. Roni wasn’t good at lying. Why would she want to now?

"We lost it. In the fall," She quickly added. "Don’t worry, I can find you another one."

Paul watched her intently. As she dug into their closet, she gently removed a piece of cloth. One of its edges was frayed, and there seemed to be blood marks spotting it. Was that his blood? There was so little he remembered for him to go on.

The actual time it took for Roni to deem him snow worthy was two days. In that time, they played board games that had come with the cabin, or they played with the dogs. Roni didn’t step outside anymore than she had to during that time.

Finally, Paul’s dream came true. Gathering their map, lunch, and skis, they planned out their fun filled day of the outdoors. This time, it was Paul who stood outside while waiting for his wife. Looking around, it didn’t seem to have snowed since Roni dragged him back to their cabin. Taking a once around their cabin, he caught sight of something very strange following the mountain trail and leading to the cabin doors.

It appeared to be foot prints, but there was no animal he knew that had feet that big. Almost like bear tracks, these had long claws, and stretched almost twice the span of normal bear’s feet.

"What are you looking at hon’?"

"These." He pointed at the tracks. "There is no normal animal that could have made them. And they trail all the way to the cabin door!"

Roni looked down at them, but gave them no more notice than she would give any of the trees around them. Denali sniffed at it, but seemed to recognize the scent and walked away. "If anything, Paul, it was probably Nathan pulling a prank on us. See, there are shoe prints running along side them too."

She was right, there were shoe prints with the bear prints. There was also an entirely separate set of dog tracks going in the same direction. There were so many tracks and prints, Paul didn’t know what to think of them.

As he pondered what was going on, he thought he heard a faint moan drift through the air. Denali lifted her head, and howled. After one long call, she returned to exploring the tree brush. "Roni, did you hear that? What kind of creature do you think made that sound?"

"Don’t be silly, Paul." She said as she nudged him. "It’s just the wind." Paul thought he saw a faint smile on her face as she turned down on the path with her skis in tow.