CHAPTER#54

"Okay, tell you what. I'll stitch you up if you tell me the details. Deal?"

"Yes." He reached under the stump he sat on and pulled out a small box. He opened it up to reveal a suture kit. "I took this from a vet clinic, but my fingers are too big."

"It's a shame I wasn't home. I live with a couple of people who are phenomenal with a needle and thread. Then again, you wouldn't have gotten through to me, I guess." She opened the kit and pulled out the thick needle. "Do you need anesthetic or something? Or some antibiotic cream?"

"I don't feel pain like others do and I do not worry about germs. Just do it quickly." He lifted his arm and grabbed the mud patch. "And do it quick. Even if you do a bad job, it will still heal."

"I can't believe I'm stitching up Bigfoot in Canada..." She looked at the wound, which was leaking heavily. "Try and press it together for me."

"Yes." He used his large fingers to push the skin together and she went to work. It was tough pushing the needle through his skin, and she did a simple stitch, yanking the thread to pull the wound shut. After several minutes, the wound had been closed enough that Bigfoot led out a loud sigh and lowered his arm.

"Is that good enough?" she asked.

"Yes. I can feel it mending already." He took her hands in his and squeezed. "Thank you, Emily."

"So tell me about the men who did this."

"There were a few of them, but the two I encountered almost captured me. I sensed their magic through the trees and went to investigate. They accused me of upsetting the Balance and said they were taking me in. I refused." He placed a hand over the wound and winced. "They used a magical snare to keep me in one place, but I broke free with little effort."

"So a wizard then?"

"No. The snare was a magical object. I crushed it and threw it at the man who set it for me. That's when his partner attacked me. I thought he was holding a knife, but it unfolded like paper and slid clean through my flesh. When I struck him, it was like hitting a boulder." He held up the back of his hand. His knuckles were bloody. "I knocked him down, but he was surrounded by a magical aura supplied by a staff his friend carried. That's when he cast a ball of fire at me, and I stepped between the trees to here."

"Someone was hunting you? How?"

He shook his head. "I do not know, but they were able to track me as if a star hung over my head. I tried to avoid them for nearly an hour, and every time I stepped between the trees, they corrected their course."

"Interesting." She looked over at Daisy. Were they using a method similar to hers? "Do you know anything about them?"

"No. But I get the impression they know what they are doing. The way they tracked me through the forest, how quickly they attacked from the shadows, these all speak to experience." He turned his head, his eyes on a distant mountain. He let out a groan. "Shit, they're here already."

"How close?"

"Ten miles. They must have hopped on a plane shortly after our fight." He pushed off the stump, letting out a groan. "C'mon, let's go."

"Go where?"

"California." He held her hand and walked toward the trees. This time she saw it; the trees seemed to bend around them when they passed through. There was no shimmering glow of magic or sparks. If not for the drastic change in scenery, she barely would have known.

Looking back, she saw that the portal was gone. "Are we in California?"

"Need a few more steps to get there. We're in a place you call Seney, Michigan." While they walked, he tilted his head again. "Here, too?"

"How? I thought they were in Canada?"

"The forest can't tell the difference. Two men, one with a sword, the other with magic. Apparently, they are headed toward us." He took a step and stumbled, his knee leaving a giant imprint in the ground. "The next portal is just a mile up ahead. Let's go."

They moved through the woods as quickly as they could, pushing aside branches. There was no definable path, so Emily stuck behind Bigfoot, his huge body securing passage. It was as if the forest bent away from him, closing up like a zipper as they passed.

"So each tree goes to another specific tree?"

"The long-distance ones do, yes. I planted each of those myself. Before man came to this continent, I traversed every last hill and valley without a care in the world. Even then, I recognized the advantage of a good shortcut. There used to be many more such portals, and I could go from coast to coast in a matter of minutes. But when the white man came, so many of my precious trees were cut down to make way for your roads and your homes. Others like me have experienced that same loss." Bigfoot's fists clenched tightly, his raw knuckles bleeding once more.

Emily didn't know what to say. She followed in silence until they walked through another portal. The moment they stepped through, Bigfoot stiffened up and pushed her back into Michigan.

"What's wrong?"

"They were there too, but much too close." He frowned. "How do they know where I am going?"

"Hold up." She placed a hand on his large back. "What if they don't know where you're going? What if they're guessing?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're Bigfoot. When you go to these places, you occasionally get spotted. If they tracked you, they saw you jump across the map, metaphorically speaking. What better way to trap you then to put men on the ground where you've been spotted the most?"