Any fear Kimo had of this being a trap evaporated instantly. Off he trotted toward the singing damsel in distress. I followed, all the time scanning the surrounding area in case this actually was the hatching of some sinister plot.
“We’re happy to help,” said Kimo as we arrived beneath the woman on the boulder.
“Would you be afraid to jump?” I asked.
“I cannot jump,” the woman called down. “Some big cat supposed to kill me if I do. One of you guys is Gabe or what?
“Nope,” said Kimo.
“No,” I seconded, still unable to share my knowledge of the guide’s fate.
“Oh shoots,” the woman said. “Then you canna help me.”
“Why not?” I asked.
“Cuz da guy told me I gotta wait for Gabe for save me.”
“Well,” I said, “I don’t think Gabe will be coming by any time soon. Why don’t you let us give you a hand.”
“No way,” said the woman. “The man told me if I try get off this rock without Gabe helping me, I going maké.”
“Oh come on,” Kimo encouraged. “Don’t worry your pretty little head about that cat, Baby. Think of us as your knights in shining armor.”
I swear, Kimo was transforming by the minute.
“Well . . . okie-dokes,” said the woman.
“So what? I should jump and then you guys going catch me or what?”
“Right on!” said Kimo. “Jump, Honey.”
And with that, the singing woman leaped from the boulder and into our arms.
“Ho, bruddah,” the woman said as we set her upright. “Must be okay, I guess, cuz I don’t see the cat.”
“You said it, Baby,” said Kimo. “With us by your side, all is well.”
I asked, “Who’d you say put you up there?”
The woman shook her head. “I couldn’t really see da buggah. He was like one voice, yeah, talking to me out of one of those – what you call it the whirly twisting thing like in The Wizard of Oz.”
“You mean a tornado?” I said.
“Yeah yeah yeah. That’s the one,” she said.
“Not a bright aura?” asked Kimo.
“No. He came to me like one tornado and swept me up on top the rock. I could only hear his voice. Oh yeah, and I think I saw one big eye. But I was all shook up from the ride to the top of the rock. And the voice said, ‘You stay up here until Gabe come get you down. You try get off the rock any other way, then the big, black cat going rip you to pieces’. But yeah, so far so good.”
“Yes,” I said, “but that cat could still rip all three of us to pieces, so let’s get out of here.”
“Sounds good, bruddah,” she said. “But try wait. What’s your guys’ names?”
“Kimo,” said Kimo.
“Lanning,” I said.
“What?” she said. “Like one plane coming down on top da runway?”
“No,” I said, explaining that it was like planning without the P.
“Oh, cool,” she said. “My name Alta.”
“Come again,” said Kimo.
“Alta,” she said, “like altar without the R,” giving me a head nod and slapping me on the back.
The three of us laughed, but not too loud.
“Why,” I asked, “do you think you ended up down here?”
“What?” she said, “You mean down in da valley?”
“Yes.”
“Well, I tell you. My life was good, yeah? Everything going super great with my singing. I made it all the way to one live tryout at Julliard in the Big Apple. And when was my turn for sing, my voice went all funny kind. I sounded like one frog getting run ovah by one Mac truck. They told me come back the next day. Maybe jetlag, they said. But I was so shame, I just jumped on the plane and came home. Ho man, I was depressed. So that’s why I ended up down here.”
Kimo said, “Well nothing to worry about now, Baby. Your voice sounds great. When we get out of here, you just call up Julliard and tell them you’re ready to try again.”
“Yeah yeah,” said Alta. “I guess. I still kine-a shame but.”
“Never fear, Alta,” I said. “By the time we get you up into the sunshine, you’ll be ready again to sing for them.”
And with that, we three headed up the mountain. The light was growing stronger with each step. Kimo kept looking healthier, and Alta smiled more.
I was in the lead when, “Shhh,” I said, suddenly stopping.
The three of us stood still like we were playing a game of Freeze Period.
“Do you hear that?” I whispered.
“Yes,” said Kimo. “That’s not the cat.”
“Sound like someone crying,” said Alta.
“Yes,” I said. “Someone is crying.”
Lanning Lee 