The Mark of Cain

Glaciers form as layers of snow pile on top of each other from season to season. Each layer differs in chemistry. As the years pass the buried layers of snow compress under the immense weight of the countless snow layers above them. This makes the once light semi pure fluffy snow into a cold dense layer of ice. Particulates and dissolved chemicals that were captured by the falling snow act like memories as they become trapped in the ice. Our job as glacial geologists is to drill down through those layers of time and retrieve those memories in the form of a cylindrical sample referred to as an ice core. We can view all the layers from this sample and piece together quite a lot about the past including when the ice formed, the climate at the time, the accumulation of snow, the atmosphere’s chemical composition, solar activity, and even volcanic activity…

...These words kept churning over and over in Calan’s mind. He remembered giving them at the science conference soon after his team received their generous grant to undergo the largest Ice core sample gathering operation in history. Learning about the climates of the past had become something of a public interest of late due to the changes and readings of the impending eruption of the Yellowstone Supervolcano. An ice core sample had come up with a dark band around it and further investigation revealed it to be a layer of ash from the time the volcano had erupted in the distant past.

Even though the upcoming predictions were set far out, 114 years to be exact, Calan was still concerned about ways to deal with or even prevent it, and to do that, he knew that they had to know more. Because of this public worry and hype his project was showered with grants. He and his team had more money and resources for the project than they knew what to do with. This led to new technology and to a lot of “firsts” in the industry. He was now over a team of 60, not to mention the hundreds more that helped them build the massive drilling lab where he now sat. Calan had gone from a starving dreamy scientist with a practically useless degree in paleoclimatology to the director of a highly educated group of specialists who were spearheading the arctic's unknown in an effort to learn the truths about the past.Though it was a dream come true, he had had to keep reminding himself that as he sat there shivering in the cold room studying the giant ice core sample. He looked at the lighter and darker rings going down the length of the 3 yards wide, 9 yards long sample. It was as if he was looking at the whole of time all at once. He couldn’t help but think of all the ups and down, evils and developments of his own species's incredibly short time here on earth.

“How do you do it? Holding onto all this history... the good, the bad, and the ugly.” He whispered as if speaking to the earth itself. “No wonder you're about to explode.” He said coming across a black line of ash. He grabbed his walky talky.

“Hey Stephen, we’ve got an ash layer on this one. I’m going to cut it. Get the truck ready, I want this sample shipped to NSF-ICF for analysis.” Calan said. He had known Stephen since highschool, and they had remained good friends in college. Though Stephan was not as qualified as many other members of the team, Calan couldn’t imagine doing this project without him, and as it turned out, he made a pretty good excavation manager.

“I’ll get right on it Calan.” Stephen replied.

“Oh and Stephen, we’re getting close, man, real close. Two more drill’s if I get us in the right direction.” Calan said with a pleased look.

“Haha, well you freaking better! It’s been too long since I've seen Nia. I don’t even remember what her booty tastes like.” Stephen crassly joked as was his MO.

“I’ll head out and take a look this evening.” Calan said.

“What about the storm?” A voice said from behind startling Calan a bit. He turned, it was Dallas. Calan’s current romantic partner. He was really smitten by her, but he was pretty sure that she was only with him for the stay. She was kind, smart and beautiful. Back home she could have anyone she wanted, but Callan figured 18 months isolated in the arctic really lowered her standards.

“I’ll be back by then.” Calan smiled as she shuffled closer putting her arms around him. Her wavy red hair was a stark contrast to the blue atmosphere of the room.

“Ooo, You’re cold.” she giggled as Calan began to get a little frisky with her. “Calan, my man you’re still holding the button down. Ain't nobody need to hear you clapping cheeks when we're starving for it out here.” Calan dropped the walky talky and chuckled as he resumed making out with Dallas.

Not long after, Calan bundled up in layers of coats, masks, goggles, boots gloves and the like. It was a cold day and a nasty storm was registered to be coming in at nightfall. I say day, and nightfall, but there really was no way to distinguish the two without a clock. Since the crew was just nearing the end of 187 winter days without sunlight as is the case during the arctic winter.

Calan pulled up to the drill sight on his snowmobile. He aimed the snowmobile's headlights toward the drill site to pave his way through the dense darkness around him. Then he got off and walked over to the Leviathan, the giant tank-like machine used to drill the samples. He shined his flashlight down the pit. It was very deep and even with the beam of light shining down, it seemed darker than the blackness of the eternal night he had become so used too. And it reminded him of a black hole out in space bending light and times itself. Maybe black holes were the leftover result of experiments like these done by higher beings. He thought then quickly reminded himself of his task at hand.

He looked at the rings with his flash light then out at the night cloaked landscape ahead. He had years of geological study packed tightly into his mind and had spent many months studying the satellite maps of this location all aiming towards the goal of where to drill next. Looking at a map and knowing where things should be was one thing, but Calan often found that driving out there and examining it first hand was a much more effective method, and it had been very successful for them so far. Just then a sharp gust of wind brought a chill through all the layers of his clothes. He looked over, squinting in the dark to see the corner of the sky where the storm was crawling in. He got up and walked back to his snowmobile then drove out alone into the ice and snow. He drove for a few hours looking around before the wind picked up bad and the snow started blowing in.

Calan turned back and started heading home. With the sun still a few days from showing and the thick windy snowfall it was nearly impossible to see more than 10 feet ahead even with the snowmobile’s brights on, but Calan’s course was set in and he was driving fast. All at once he heard a loud exploding sound behind him. He turned to see what it was but it was too dark to make anything out when he looked back there was a figure in the way. He veered off trying not to hit it and struck a snow bank instead sending him sailing through the air and landing in the frigid dark unconscious.

He awoke to a flash light in his face and a person crouched over him.

“Good you’re alive.” The man said. Then wrapped a blanket around him. “Let's get you out of this storm.” the man urged lifting up Calan in his arms with ease. Calan was so cold, he couldn’t feel his extremities.

“I need to get back to the lab.” Calan said barely cognisant.

“Not during this storm. We are closer to my place. I’ll get you taken care of and back on your way.” The man said as they arrived at a well worn dog sled.

The man fastened Calan to the front and then called out to the dogs in a forign language while he held onto the back. The dogs obediently dashed forward and off the sled went. Eventually they pulled up to a large old wood cabin.

A cabin? Calan thought to himself. There are no people living way out here, not to mention the complete lack of any vegetation with which to make a cabin. What is going on here?

The man unstrapped him and carried him in out of the cold. He also let the dogs in then shut the door with his leg. Stopping the howling of the wind mid sentence.The cabin was lit with oil lamps of various makes and models and had incredibly rare and valuable antiques hanging all over the walls. The man sat Calan down on a hand crafted polar bear skin couch. Calan looked up at his mysterious savoir.

The man had a long wild black beard and was wearing a white tank top with suspenders, snow pants and hefty boots. He just set me down, when did he have time to remove his coat? Calan questioned, as the beautiful wolf like dogs climbed up on him and snuggled in.

“There you are. Let me get you something warm to drink. I make a mean seal liver tea.” The man said walking over to the kitchen area and putting a kettle on his stove.

“Thank you... I’d be dead if you hadn’t come along.” Calan expressed, as his feeling started to reenter his limbs. The pain of the thawing was intense. One of the dogs with blue human-like eyes seemed to notice and tried to comfort him by licking his face.

“It’s a miracle I found you at all. I was out later than usual checking my traps and Nova there ran off.” The man said gesturing to the dog licking his face. She never does that. I didn’t have much time to wonder why because the storm was coming down. We quickly chased her for a while and the storm was getting real bad. I was pretty frustrated, but eventually she brought me to you.” The man recited then turned back to making the elaborate tea.

Calan looked at the dog with a new found gratitude and rubbed it’s head with his throbbing pale hand. The man then brought over the tea and handed it to Calan. It was a reddish hot water with a clump of meat in the corner of the tin cup. It looked far from appetizing, but Calan drank it not trying to be rude. It had a strange foul taste. The man sat on a chair across from him also drinking the tea.

“I’m a little confused. You see I’ve studied satellite images of this entire area and I’ve never seen this cabin or any other.” Calan explained.

“That’s because this cabin is built under an icey overhang at the base of a cliff.” The man replied.

“The cliffs out here are made entirely of ice. Building under them is very dangerous.” Calan explained.

“I’ve never been one to shy away from danger.” The man responded while slowly sipping from his tea refusing to break eye contact. Which made Calan feel like the probing questions were unwelcome, but Calan continued the interrogation anyway. “ Why, and how are you out here?” he asked.

“I'm out here studying a phenomenon, on behalf of my country.” The man replied, breaking eye contact only briefly to look at the door.

“Your country? Which country is that and what phenomenon are you studying?” Calan inquired sitting up straight intrigued. The man smiled with his perfect white teeth.

“If I answered either one of those questions I'd have to kill you, and that would be a waste given the miraculous way in which I saved your life.” The man said. Calan noticed an old pistol on the man’s hip.

“Yes, that would be a waste.” Calan responded nervously as he took another sip of the tea.

“Well you’d better get some sleep. I’ll take you back to your people early in the morning. They must be worried about you by now.” The man said standing up.

Calan quickly patted himself down looking for his walkie talkie. It was nowhere to be found.

“Whatever it is that you lost, I'm sure we will find it back at your wreck tomorrow. If you need anything before then let me know, I'll just be upstairs.” The man said then left up the creaky wooden staircase. Calan was past the thawing pains and was now enjoying the heat of the wood burning stove. The dogs slept all over and around him. Calan didn’t have too much experience with dogs, but alone in this eerie house he was welcome for their company. He looked about at the many decorations. Some of which he didn’t recognize and all of which were very old but in great condition. He saw an old african mask, a conquistador helmet that seemed authentic. Some grenades and bombshells from World War I and II among many other ancient treasures. Well, he certainly is eccentric, but I suppose that is exactly the kind of person it takes to spend months alone in the frigid waste, he thought to himself. Not long after, Calan fell asleep in his warm nest of furs.

When he woke in the morning there was a man sitting in the chair across from him wearing a nice old military uniform similar to the ones union soldiers wore during the Civil War. He was clean shaven other than a trim, classy mustache. His hair was close cut and stylish and he was watching Calan sleep. The man was deep in thought and holding the same old pistol he had seen last night. Calan’s eyes widened and he slowly sat up straight not saying a word as the man’s eyes met his.

“I’m afraid I wasn’t completely honest and upfront with you last night Calan.” The man said calmly. “You see my name is Biron Highgate or at least that’s the name I liked best, out of the ones I remember.” The man explained. Upon hearing his voice Calan recognized him to be the same beared hero from last night despite looking like a new man.

“Last night was no accident, and it was not the first time I have seen you. I’ve been watching you ever since your people arrived up here. You have exactly the type of inquisitive mind that I want in order to set me free.” Biron said, loading a bullet into the gun and cocking it.

“Hey whoa whoa. I don’t know what this hellish isolation has done to your mind, but you don’t have to kill me.” Calan pleaded terrified.

“Kill you?” Biron chuckled. “No no, I have quite the opposite offer in mind.” Biron said, tossing the pistol on to Calan’s lap which caused him to flinch and whimper.

“What are you saying?” Calan asked, calming down.

Biron stood up and walked over looking at the old african mask on his wall. “What I’m about to tell you, sounds like a myth, but I can assure you it is as real as the cursed man you see before you. Several hundred years ago I came across a man. Who was dangling off a cliff with a severely rusted chain wrapped tightly around his neck, by all rights and standards the man should have been dead. I freed him and asked him who he was and who had done this to him. “He told me that God was the man who cursed him and that he was Cain son of Adam.” I was shocked at this response but his sincerity and sadness demanded the utmost sympathies. I asked him if there was any place I could take him or anything I could do for him. He said there was one thing that would bring him peace. He pointed to my sword and said kill me. I was shocked at his request and naturally refused as he was clearly in the peak condition of his life, but he begged me. He explained that over the millenia life had lost its savor and that his existence was a dull and endless hell. I asked him why he didn’t just kill himself. He pointed to the rusted chain and explained that he had tried many times and that his recent attempt with the chain had started roughly 40 years ago and he had been hanging there ever since waiting for the chain to rush away. I started to believe him and told him that I was sorry for him and that hanging there for 40 years must have been so miserable, but he responded by telling me that life was so flavorless at this point that he had hardly noticed a difference between being on the end of that chain or walking about free. If you can’t kill yourself, then how do you excpet me to kill you I asked him. He responed that he was cursed for bringing murder into the world and that murder would be his only way out. I wasn’t sure how to deal with him so I took him with me, but over the course of a few weeks he convinced me of his misery and I killed him as was his only wish. What he hadn’t told me was that the curse would latch onto the person who ended it for the previous host. I lived my life and never aged, I never got sick or had to eat unless I wanted to. It was wonderful. It only began to feel like a curse once the people I loved most began to pass on. It hurt so bad to see them move on to somewhere else and leave me here alone. They were my entire world, but now I don’t even remember their names or what they looked like. Eventually I moved and made new connections and things began to be good again, But I knew in time they too would leave me. So I beat them to the punch. I traveled the world and saw all of its beauty. From the farthest point of the amazon jungle to the top of the Himalayas and everywhere in between. At one point I became the richest man in the world, but that was only enjoyable for a year or so. I hunted exotic animals and took on daunting challenges and became a master of all sports I came across, but soon I began to feel the numbing gray teeth of futility set in. Nothing mattered. I was on top of it all and had done everything and anything that had mattered to others, but still I felt bored and unstimulated. Just as a continuous noise becomes unhearable static in the background, so had pain and pleasure become to me. The most beautiful of exotic islands became as plain to me as the icy waste I now reside other than knowing there is a difference, I perceive none. I have been ready to die for a long time now. Then you showed up. Your group was full of very inquisitive minds, minds that might make the world a better place given time and time is exactly what I have to give, but as I studied the group I was most impressed with you. You’re the one that rallied these people to come out here to an icy hell for months to pursue a dream, your dream. With a spirit like yours you could lead the nations in time you could save the world from itself and maybe one day take them to other worlds.” Biron said walking over in front of Calan and kneeling before him. Biron then grabbed Calan’s hands and used it to put the gun to his forehead. “Please Calan, let me move on.” He begged.

Calan held the gun to his head and stood up nervously. The blankets slipping off his shoulder and onto the couch like water off a duck's back. Could this be true? It was impossible right? He thought to himself, then moved the gun away. “You need to work on your sales pitch,”Calan said.

“You won’t kill me?” Biron asked looking up at him. “No, I won’t kill you. First off I’m a man of science, I just can’t buy into a tale like that. Secondly, even if I did I wouldn’t want to live that unnatural life and certainly not with your murder on my conscinece. It sounds absolutely miserable.”

“The first 3 or 4 life times were splendid and it’s far more than what any other mortal is givinen. Are you sure you want to say no to this?” Biron urged one last time.

“I’m sure.” Calan replied.

“I’m sorry to hear that.” Borion said clearly displeased as he put his hand out for the gun. Calan felt uneasy as he handed back over the weapon.

“Right then. Let’s go.” Biron said, completely changing his mood to a cheerier one.

The two hooked up the dog sled and returned to the wreck sight gliding across the fresh fallen snow. The Snowmobile was able to start and Biron pulled out the walkie talkie from his pocket and handed it over to Calan. Calan acted like it was not strange for him to have it then got on his snowmobile and sped off.

After a few minutes of driving he looked back and the dark silhouette of Biron seemed to still be watching him as he left. Eventually he returned to the lab. Stephen was the first to see him. He called back in the search party and they all greeted him warmly and were very grateful to see him alive and well. They even threw a makeshift party of sorts, Which involved a lot of alcohol in red solo cups. When they asked him what had happened he told them that he had gotten in a wreck and a man saved him. He told them that he had a cabin underneath a glacier cliff.

“You're saying a random wildman pulled you out of the snow and nursed you back to health?” Stephen asked.

Calan nodded.

“Boy, you done smacked your head on an iceberg and dreamed up that shit.” Stephen laughed.

“Maybe so. I mean I could take you out there and show you, but I get a weird vibe from that guy and I think it would be best if we just left him be.” Calan said. Dallas hadn’t left Calan’s side since he returned. She was an emotional mess. Maybe she does care about me on a more serious level, Calan wondered very excitedly at the notion. They returned to her quarters and had a very pleasurable rest of the night.

Calan lay next to her wide awake, his arms crossed behind his head. He was pondering on the oddity of his experience with Biron. He looked out the camper window. The light from the lab extended far out into the snowy plain, at the edge of the light was complete darkness, but Calan couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being observed from the darkness.

The following day Calan led the drilling party to the place he had scouted out and selected. He watched as Stephen drove the Leviathan. He never got sick of watching it move. It made him feel like he was observing a part of the future, a part that he helped make.

Once to the location Stephen looked to Calan for the signal to start drilling. Calan gave him a thumbs up and Stephen lowered the drill. The Leviathan began drilling down, after a while it cut out a core section and then Stephen raised the drill back to the surface. The machine removed the massive ice core sample from the drill’s barrel and placed it in the back of a dump truck like machine. The truck then left taking the sample with it back to the lab. A few crew men would inspect the drill and ready it again. Once ready, the drill would go back down the hole to extract more ice. This process took a very long time since the sections they were retrieving were much wider and larger than others before them and they were drilling down to depths of 3 kilometers. The holes that were left were so big and deep that they were required to cap them off with a metal seal before moving on so that wild animals wouldn’t fall in. The operation continued it’s cycle fluidly all day until the truck didn’t show backup to retrieve the sample.

They waited 20 more minutes.

Finally Calan radioed the lab. “What's going on? We can’t keep going until the truck gets back here.” Calan complained frustrated.

“It’s Mike, he’s dead.” Avery responded, panicked. The group rushed back to the lab.

They found a crowd next to the truck. They were circled next to Mike’s body. His chest was crushed completely flat and blood was oozing from his mouth and nose. The ice truck was parked west of him against the lab.

Calan kneeled next to the body. “I didn’t see him. I drove down and parked the truck and I swear I didn't see him. I got out of the truck and saw him there on the ground crushed.” Avery said with tears rolling down her narrow cheeks.

“He must have been kneeling down to tie his shoes or something. The trucks don’t have vision that low.” Tucker proposed looking down over Calan’s shoulder at the body.

Calan investigated the body and saw markings around his neck. “He’s been strangled. Look at the marking on his neck.” Calan pointed out.

“You talking murder? Naw man this dude was into some kinky shit. Those markings, he did that himself.” Stephen said.

“Well regardless of what theories you two might have, it’s up to the authorities to decide what happened here. I’ll go phone this in.” Tucker said. “It will be weeks before they get here.”

“What do we do with the body?” Avery asked, tormented by the thought of leaving it there.

“We’ll just have to put it in the cold room.” Tucker responded. Which caused Avery to sob loudly. Tucker grabbed onto the legs of the body and Calan grabbed his arms. Stephen followed after. They carried him to the cold room where they found yet another corpse.

Stehpen screamed.

It was Erik the head electrician. He had frozen to death. Calan was dumbfounded.

“Two fatal accidents on the same day.” Tucker said in disbelief.

“Why didn’t this fool just leave? The door locks from the inside, not the outside.” Stephen asked, messing with the door knob.

“Because he was murdered.” Calan said at a near whisper.

“I’ll admit that this is strange, but we also have to look at the facts. Accidents happen, Erik was diabetic. He probably let his blood sugar get too low and passed out.” Tucker tried to explain.

“Yeah and Mike was tying his shoes and somehow didn’t hear or see the 90,000 pound truck heading his way.” Calan mocked.

“So what do you want me to say Calan. That we have a murderer on the loose. That somehow after 18 months out here one of these men or women we’ve worked so close with and trusted, just snapped, driven mad by the extended cold and is now on a homicidal rampage?” Tucker shouted.

“I’m just saying this can’t be a coincidence and let's not rule anything out.” Calan defended.

“Damn it Calan, the tundra is a dangerous place. Accidents happen, you yourself crashed 2 nights ago and almost died. I’m going to tell the others what happened here and then go back to work. I suggest you do the same and don’t spread your theories. The last thing we need is fear and suspicion. In just a few months we're going home. Let’s not ruin this.” Tucker ranted then left.

“But my crash wasn’t an accident.” Calan said, making a connection.“Biron staged that to get me to his house.” Calan said out loud. “Stephen, Biron might have killed these people.” Calan said, gesturing to the bodies.

“That's the imaginary wild man that saved your life?” Stephen asked.

“Yeah.” Calan confirmed.

“It doesn’t make a lot of sense why he’d save your life, then turn around and end 2 more.” Stephen refuted.

“You’re not hearing me Stephen. He set up my crash so that I would talk with him at his cabin.” Calan said more frantically.

“Okay I feel like that was information we could have used sooner. What did you do to tick this guy off?” Stephen asked.

“Nothing. He asked me to kill him and I said no.” Calan replied. “Oh shit, so this dude is flat ass crazy? I feel like that’s some shit you should have told us.” Stephen said fearfully.

“It was just so strange that I thought it best to forget the whole thing.” Calan said looking down at the bodies with guilt.

“So what? You think he’s mad that you wouldn’t kill him, and now he’s killing people you know?” Stephen asked, trying to peace it together.

“I don’t know, the guy believes he’s lived for hundreds of years. He’s crazy.” Calan explained.

“Okay, Okay lets just tell the others and see what they think about it.” Stephen decided and they left the cold room. The majority of the others sided with Tucker. One person even commented that they saw Erik skip breakfast because he wanted to get a head start on mobilizing the side generator.

Finally, they came to a compromise. They took out the emergency guns that were brought incase of polar bear attacks. They also took out flare guns and made sure that everyone was armed in some way, then they went back to work.

Calan forced Dallas to stay next to him all that day. Other than a general sense of fear, things went normally and the work got done. However around curfew. The generators went out and the power shut down.

It was dark and the heat was slowly being leached by the frigid outdoors.. Calan gathered a lot of people together to go check the generators. They used flashlights and lanterns to see as they clammored down the large chrome hallways to the back of the facility.

The generator room was large and open. There were yellow metal railings and tools that Calan didn’t even pretend to know what use they had. The main focus of the room was the three large generators that were usually quite loud.

However at the moment they were silent and damaged. Calan had that same feeling from the other night as he scanned the dark. The group fanned out looking through the room dripping with what was once steam. It was like a forest of machines. When all of a sudden there was a loud scream that echoed off the tin walls. Calan and the others rushed to its source.

It was Avery. She was shining her flash light up at a man hanging from the ceiling, a chain tied firmly around his neck. There was a static sound then a voice as the group turned to see a walkie talkie setting on a barrel.

“Calan. Oh Calan.” the voice repeated.

Calan picked up the walkie. “I’m here Biron.” Calan answered as the blood flushed from his face.

“I’ve been thinking about our chat, and I realized maybe I didn’t make it clear how desperate and miserable I really am.” Biron explained.

“Biron why would you kill these people?” Calan asked almost on the verge of tears.

“Today, tomorrow, a few years from now, it really doesn’t matter. You mortals' lives are so fleeting, but yours doesn’t have to be Calan. I want you to reconsider, I had to make a point today, and I hope it was a clear one. Meet me tomorrow night at the drill sight. You can sleep easy, I won’t do anything until then. I’ve been watching you long enough to know that the people I killed weren’t incredibly important to you, but if you try anything stupid or if you don’t show tomorrow night, I’ll have to send a clearer message. Do you understand?” Borion threatened.

“Yes I understand.” Calan said, thinking about Dallas.

“Good. Come alone and unarmed. I will provide the weapon you will use to kill me.” Biron commanded.

Stephen grabbed the walkie. “Why wait? Let's do this tonight. I’ll kill your stupid ass any way you like. That’s what you want right?” Stephen shouted.

“I wish you could, but it has to be Calan. Frankly the rest of you aren’t worth it.” Biron replied.

“Aren’t worth it? who the hell do you think you are, you crazy little ice hobo!” Stephen continued to yell into the walkie, but there was no response.

It was very cold since the heating wasn’t working. Everyone gathered into the dinning hall to sleep and made a nest of blankets. It was like a giant slumber party with a group of coworkers.They took turns staying up and standing guard, but just about no one could sleep and they had Calan repeat the entire story that Biron told over and over, until finally people laid down to ponder it on their own trying to get some rest.

Calan held Dallas close. She was looking at him with her big green eyes.

“You know I get it. I mean It makes sense.” She finally said.

“What?” Calan asked his eyes stinging with tiredness.

“Why Biron thinks it has to be you to replace him. You’re special, you really are. From the moment I met you I knew there was something about you. You accomplish things that others couldn’t even dream of and you’re so used to it that you don’t see what a big deal it is.” She praised.

“Are you talking about this project? I just got lucky. Right place, right time kind of thing.” Calan retorted.

“Stephen told me about what you did for that girl back in high school.” Dallas said. “It was nothing. Stephen exaggerates.” Calan said, trying to elude the topic.

“It wasn’t nothing. I’ll tell you what Stephen told me and you tell me what parts are exaggerated. There was a shy girl that’s entire existence was under the radar. The girl learned that she had a very aggressive form of brain cancer and had only a few months left to live, But even so she tried to keep it on the down low. You found out about it and as a 17 year old boy talked with her parents, privately asking about her dreams and aspirations. They told you that she always wanted to go to Hawaii but couldn’t now due to her advanced condition. You were then able to gather the entire school to transform her back yard into a beach. When she arrived home the entire school was there for her and spent a day at the beach getting to know her. Stephen even said that you visited her often up until the day she passed on. What part of that isn’t true?” Dallas asked.

“If I were really special I would have reached out to be her friend even before she had cancer.” Calan said with regret.

“Hey, what 17 year old boy rallies an entire school to do anything? Calan you’re special and people are drawn to that, they're drawn to you.” She said sincerely.

“Well look where that has gotten them.” Calan sighed.

“I’m not sure what you’re going to do tomorrow, but I’m sure it will be the right decision.” Dallas said. The next day the crowd ate while huddled together in their nest.

“Let’s take the fight to him, You said you know where he lives right? There is no need to wait like he wants. Let's be proactive and throw him off his game.” Stephen proposed.

“Stephen’s right, he’s only one guy and we have 41 men here on base. Let's leave a few here with the women and take an attack party to his house and end this.” Tucker argued. Calan had to agree with their sound logic.

The group armed up with guns and went into their rooms to put on their thick coats, goggles and masks. Calan looked out the window as he zipped up his second coat. The sky was black but the outside lights from the lab illuminated fat snowflakes falling down like autumn leaves. He put on his mask, snatched up his gun and went out to join the rest.

The group drove out to the house, and sure enough there it was underneath the large icy cliff. Everyone pointed their guns at the house and moved in slowly. Nothing occurred as they moved up to the door.

“Careful, He has trapps for animals and it’s likely some might be set up here in case we came.” Calan warned.

Tuker gave a nod then slowly opened the door while the others backed off. Nothing happened and so the group moved in. All the decorations were missing from the walls. They searched each room but found nothing.

Tucker tapped Calan on the shoulder and pointed his flashlight out the side window. Calan looked and saw sled tracks.

“You guys keep looking around here, Stephen, Tucker and I are going to follow these tracks.” Calan said heading back out the door. “Remember, no kill shots. Let's catch this guy alive.” Calan reminded, but it seemed to fall on deaf ears.

Calan, Stephan and Tucker followed the sled tracks clear up the backside of the cliff overlooking far out across the snowy sea that they had become so used to. There they found the sled abandoned with the dogs still attached. “He might be behind it, get ready.” Calan whispered. The 3 aimed their guns at it and walked up slowly. They looked over it, but nothing was there. They removed the wool blanket and found only a crate with some jerky in it. The dogs were tied to a stake in the ground. Just then Calan’s walkie went off. “Yeah what's up?” He asked quickly. The voice was Dallas’s. “We just found Tucker’s body. Dead, naked in his room. Biron’s here, you guys need to come back.” She begged freaking out.

Calan and Stephen turned to look at Tucker. He was holding a switch of some type and he clicked it.

A huge explosion went off spraying several showers of ice up into the air like geysers down a line. The massive edge of the cliff collapsed down onto the cabin crushing it and all inside. The blast had knocked the three of them to the ground. Calan scurried across the snow fumbling in the dark to grab his gun, but the fake Tucker jumped off the new edge of the cliff. The fall was at least 150 feet high.

Stephen and Calan shined their lights over the edge as the body hit the ground hard. No mortal man could live through something like that. They both thought, but the man stood back and sprinted over to the remaining snow mobiles. Once on one he tore off his ski mask and smiled up at them. It was, of course, Biron. His black mustache curling up with his smile.

He raised the walike to his lips as they shined their light down on him. “I told you not to try anything Calan, But I knew you would, now 20ish men are dead under that pile of ice all because you're too selfish to take on my curse.” Biron explained.

Calan fell to his knees. “You win Biron. I’ll take the curse. Just please no more killing.” Calan pled.

“You said that last night, so please forgive me if I don't take you at your word. I need a little insurance and that fiery little dame you call your own will suit that purpose quite nicely I think.” Biron said then opened fire on the engines of the other Snowmobiles rendering them useless.

“Don’t you dare touch her!” Calan Screamed. Then Biron responded only by pulling the african mask out of his backpack and slipping it on. He then revved the snow mobile and sped off to the lab.

“Dallas, He’s coming! You guys need to get out of there. Get in the trucks and drive!” Calan demanded over the walkie.

“Okay!” Dallas answered. Stepehan and Calan pulled the stake out of the ground and got on the dog sled, but the dog’s wouldn’t budge. Calan wracked his mind for the forgin word that Biron had shouted, Finally it came to mind.

“Wir sind unruhig!” Calan shouted and the dogs took off into the pitch black tundra. “We are restless?” Stephen inquired. “What? Calan shouted over the sounds of the sled. “We are restless. That command, It’s German.” Stephen explained. “I always forget you minored in German, what with you being the furthest thing from a German.” Calan said, trying to distract himself from the fear and anger he felt. “What else would I Minor in? Everybody knows German chicks have the biggest tits.” Stephen responded. Fully aware of Calan’s discussion based coping mechanism. The winds became more swift and cruel. It wasn’t long before Calan and Stephen had figured out how to stir the dogs properly, but it was clear that Biron would arrive long before them.

The walike went off. Stephen answered it. It was hard to hear what was being said due to the blasting wind, but he did hear something about the trucks not starting. He tried to relay the information to Calan, but that proved to be just as difficult.

The dogs were sprinting fast and the sled was gliding nicely hitting jumps every now and then. It was very dark now as they got off the sled and wandered into the lab.

The scene was horrific. Bodies everywhere. A zulu spear was still stuck in one man’s head, a rusted cutlass planted in another's chest. A Camanchee tomahawk sticking out of a person's back in the hall. It wasn’t long before they realised that the entire team must have been slaughtered. It was as if Biron was using all his meaningful weapons one last time in a grand finally leading up to his long awaited death. Calan couldn't find Dallas anywhere. Then the walkie went off again.

“I assume by now you’ve seen my history all laid out in blood. Each one of those weapons has taken countless lives over the years as I joined in every battle I came across. Not because I cared about their petty squabbles, but because I wanted to die, but arrows would rain down and I would leave without a scratch. I would be cut down with a sword only to wake up among the piles of the dead. Bomb shells would go off and I would be the only one left standing. You see, I guess war isn’t close enough to murder for god, Murder requires a far more personal element. I must confess there is more to the story of why I killed Cain then I originally offered. After refusing to kill him, Cain massacred my wife and child. I was so distraught that I strangled him with my bare hands and then, and only then did he die with a smile on his face. It’s doubtful if you had taken my offer and shot me that I would have died at all, but it was important that you had the chance to turn it down. So that you would hate me for what I'm forcing on you. I hope I’ve done enough to get you to the level you need to be at. If not I’m sure I could carve a few screams out of Miss Dallas here. That might be the straw that breaks the camel's back, but lets give this murder a try before it comes to that. Meet me at the drill sight. I don’t think I have to remind you to come alone. Company makes me nervous and I might end up doing something stupid.” Biron cackled.

“Oh I’m on that level.” Calan said looking into Avery’s cold dead eyes.

“Good” Biron replied and the radio went silent.

“Stephen stay here. I’m going to end this.” Calan ordered.

“Man you know I’ve always got your back. That’s not about to stop here when you actually need me” Stephen said adamantly.

Calan put his hand on his shoulder. “That means a lot to me Stephen, but I can’t risk him killing Dallas. Please stay here.” Calan responded.

“Alright, fine I’ll just hang out here alone in the cold murder lab, but no you go. Don’t worry about me.” Stephen said sarcastically.

“Thanks.” Calan said and took off on foot to the drill site.

When he arrived, there sitting in the Leviathan was Biron with his creepy mask on. The drill was running with the edge above Dallas’s body ready to cut her in half.

“I’m here. Let’s do this!” Calan roared looking at him.

Biron climbed out and started cautiously making his way over to him.

“What's with the mask.” Calan asked annoyed and disturbed at it’s creepiness.

“It makes killing me easier, It removes the humanity you might see in me.” Biron said, cocking the same old pistol.

“Well you won’t need it. We both know your humanity has rotted away long ago, besides I want to see your face when I blow your brains out.” Calan said firmly with his brow furrowed.

“Very well.” Biron said pleased as he removed the mask and tossed it down the endless pit that was a few yards away. Biron handed him the gun then got on his knees. Calan quickly put it up against Biron’s forehead and pulled the trigger. There was a loud bang and Biron was blasted onto his back.

“It’s finished.” Calan said with relief. I might have the curse, but it’s finished for now, he thought to himself as he turned to look at Dallas. Though being tied and gagged, she was still able to convey her utter shock.

Just then however, Biron sat up, the smashed bullet slipped off his forehead without a trace.

Biron let out a deep sigh. “Well I figured this would be the case, but I was hoping I’d be able to leave you someone in this new life who’d know the whole story and love you anyway, but it looks like that’s not the case.” Biron said standing up and walking over to the cockpit of the Leviathan. “You know this machine is kind of like the physical manifestation of your dreams so far, using it to kill the person you love most to solidify your hate for me was a no brainer. I mean really p-”

Biron was cut off as Calan tackled him to the ground.Calan’s attempt was short lived as Biron elbowed him in the face hard causing his nose to bleed and knocking him off his back. Biron then stood up and kicked Calan in the jaw.

“Good idea. I should have thought of this. A nasty beating that leaves you helpless as you watch me drill your lady right in half. That is tragic, if this doesn’t work, I don’t know what will. Well besides maybe traveling back home together and killing you parents, but we’ll cross that bridge if we get there.” Biron cackled between kicks as he cracked and bruised Calan’s ribs. His strength was much more than that of a normal man. Every time Calan tried to get up he was quickly knocked back down with a splitting pain. Biron then grabbed him with his hands and tossed him against the machine. Calan hit it hard and sunk down against it looking defeated.

“No, no, no, Stay conscious. That’s good. This is the moment.” Biron said, making sure Calan was awake. Look right there at her, she’s scarred. Her being here about to die, that’s your fault. She trusted you and now she’s here. Her actual death however that’s entirely on me.” Biron said then climbed up into the machine.

Calan struggled as he stood up. He tried opening the door but it was locked shut. He pounded on the window as he watched Biron lower the lever.

“You might want to back off, things are about to get messy!” Biron gloated as the drill began to get closer to her chest, until it started to slow down then all together stopped.

Biron looked confused and agitated. Hitting random buttons.

“I told you I’d have your back.” Stephen said, still holding down on the emergency power off switch, with the dog sled next to him.

Calan quickly ran to Dallas. The pain of his broken ribs jaring with each step, but he pushed through until he was able to drag her out from under the drill and began uniting the rope. Biron opened the door and leapt out. Stephen shot him which only staggered him briefly. Biron turned and shot back. Stephen ducked behind the dog sled.

“Well I suppose there is more than one way to skin a cat.” Biron said drawing a knife while trying to control his frustration. His eyes now fixed on Dallas. Stephen shot him again but it barely stopped his progression. Calan and Dallas tried to run, but Calan was halted by his injuries and collapsed, blood trickling from his mouth.

“Just run Dallas. He won’t kill me.” Calan petitioned, but she wouldn’t leave him.

Biron rushed over and Calan grabbed his hands and tried holding him back, but was easily shrugged aside. Biron kicked Dallas in the pelvis so hard she fell forward. Then he tossed the pistol near Calan and gripped the knife more firmly.

“Are you watching closely? I think I’ll start with those lovely green eyes.” Biron jeered.

Just then the Leviathan started up. Biron turned to look at it, But was only in time to latch onto it as it knocked into him and went over the endless hole. He then quickly leapt up and grabbed onto a hose sized rubber covered wire near the joint of the drill as it began to spin. From there he nimbly hopped back down onto the snowbank barely forward from the hole.

“A noble effort.” he mocked.

Then Dallas stood in front of him and shot him with the pistol knocking him off balance and into the hole.

He disappeared into the shadowy depth screaming as he went. His dogs howled looking up at the dark sky.

Dallas rushed over to Calan and hugged him tight. Stephen got out of the cockpit and ran over to look down the hole.

“He’s gone.” Dallas cried.

“Yeah probably not dead.” Stephen remarked.

“Yes, but gone.” Calan said, repeating Dallas’s words.

“Yeah I’m still gonna cap that shit off.” Stephen said. As he got back in the machine and put the large 2 ton metal seal over the hole and placed it down. The other two watched as a wave of relief poured over them.

The three gathered up supplies and got on the dog sled to head south out of the tundra. A few hours into their journey the sun came up ending the long night at last.