Portal

Ben Grossman did not notice it when he moved into his uncle's house after he passed away.  It was an easy decision.  The house was off the beaten path with no running water or electricity and gas in the wooden planks that did little to stop the cold winter wind.  No wonder Uncle Clyde passed away, it amazed Ben he made it to seventy five.  Clyde Miniski was an old timer, a squatter and a fortune seeker who lived by his own rules miles from the clutches of society.  The Last Frontier drew his uncle's adventurous spirit as it had drawn so many before him such as the Yukon Gold Rush at the end of the previous century.  

"Placer gold." He had heard him say before setting off from his family in Portland.  This was his reason for leaving in the first place, but there were other considerations that started with a three year stint in the same hospital Ken Kesey wrote One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest which his uncle never read due to the fact he was illiterate by most accounts.

Clyde was likable, but it was his distrust of society that drove him to extremes, where he could escape social ridiculousness as he would call it. he would do. Ben's father told him it was part of his brother's illness and that growing up, Clyde was never right. If someone told him they were mining gold in the clouds, Clyde would get his pilot’s license. 

"He seemed as if he had been born on another planet.  He would talk about strange delusions he was having. Just about the time you were born, I got together with Cassie my sister and we had him committed ex-parte after he accosted some people in his neighborhood who he said were spying on him and reading his thoughts." My father explained. " It was almost a relief when he decided to go to Alaska in 1976."  

Back then the road was not paved in places and Lake Watson and Yellowknife seemed like you had arrived on another planet.  He managed to get there in seven days after his old Land Rover kept breaking down.  He wasn't there but a few weeks when he wired my father to declare he found a vein of placer and was now a rich man.   Of course my father did not believe a word of it.  As it turned out, Uncle Clyde built a cabin on the Tanana River where he would pan for gold.  In his cabin his pan he used to sift for gold hung on a hook on the wall over his bed next to his snowshoes. He kept a could of rifles loaded and ready for use in case any critters came-a-calling on an arctic winter night. 

Driving through to Top, Ben met Shazi, a young Athabascan woman who was fond of Uncle Clyde who treated her like his daughter and was one of the few human souls he could trust.  When Ben entered the store, she already knew who he was and she greeted him by name which startled him that someone would know him above the Arctic Circle.  After ringing Ben up on the old fashioned cash register, she told him that she was sorry Clyde had passed and Ben thanked her for the condolences which was more than anyone in the family had shown. 

She worked at the only convenience store for miles and while her gas prices were a dollar more a gallon than what it sold for in Anchorage.  Ben got a few Ho-Ho’s and some Doritos as well as filling up his tank on the Range Rover The first thing you have to come to terms with is the isolation of the great alone. In looking in all four directions, you will not see any evidence of another living soul in sight. The silence can be unnerving and then you realize that the only voice you will hear is your own.  

Mr. Collins was the real estate agent who met me on my uncle's property the morning after I arrived.

"So what do you think?" He asked as he got out of his baby blue Tundra.

"Has character." Ben said with a fake smile. 

"Ah that it does." He approached the open door where I was still standing. Inside it was dark since I did not wish to set myself on fire fiddling with the lanterns that hung on the rafters overhead. There were just two windows, but the glass was covered with dust that had been blown on the glass during wind storms. Using a headlamp, Mr. Collins trooped into the only other room in the cramped cabin.  In that room there was a cot and a subarctic sleeping bag laid on top of the canvass of the cot.  The room had a damp chill in it, but no heater or fireplace in view.  He could only guess how cold it would be in this room in the coming weeks.  

The floors were nothing but smoothed out dirt with the emphasis on dirt and not smoothed out.  There was a Franklin stove in the corner and a primitive sink that had no running water.  From what Ben was assuming about his late uncle was he used snow melt for his water needs which could be somewhat tedious as a pan full of snow, barely filled a cup with warm water. 

“You might wanna run your engine all night.” Mr. Collins whispered into Ben’s ear as if this was a Cold War secret. “Otherwise the block might freeze and you do  not want that out here in the Thule.”  

“Good advice.” Ben nodded.

"Ben, I'm going to be honest, this place is nothing more than a squatters shack leaving just the land that is worth any money and being out here off the beaten path, I can only make this as my offer." He handed Ben a slip of paper.  Ben opened it and Mr. Collins knew immediately that it did not please Ben.

"I find this insulting." He waved the slip in the air.

"Sorry, but this is the best I can do." Mr. Collins shrugged. 

"I cannot accept this." And with that Ben ripped the paper in half.

"Once again, sorry." His cheeks saddened, but he turned and walked out without another word.  

Standing there alone with the sun starting to set and no utilities available, Ben was facing the prospects of spending the night in his late uncle's cabin. There were noises he could not identify, smells that were unfamiliar to him, and a feeling of being trapped in a place he had no desire to be.  His Toyota rental was parked out front, but as the sun crept for a final curtain call from the sky and a darkness he had never known overtook everything, he knew he’d better get as comfortable as he could for the night.  In the morning he would begin the long trek back to Tok. 

Mr. Collins was a jerk, he thought as he found some stick matches in a cabinet that made a better fire starter than a functional piece of furniture as it was intended to be. He would find another real estate agent in the morning provided that Tok had phone service.  No bars.  No way to contact the outside world.  The lamp did its job once he had it lit and he felt pretty good about his ability to survive in the Great Alone.  

There was a very strong musty smell once he pulled back the sleeping bag and the cot creaked in protest when he sat on it putting his weight on it.  As soon as he got settled in, he would extinguish the light and settle into total darkness like when they would close the lid of his casket.  Never mind, perhaps keeping it lit would be alright, too.  

“Clyde” A whisper filled the icy air.

“Whaaa.” Ben’s eyes went wide.  Just the wind.

“Clyde.” This time there was no doubt.  It was not the wind.

“What?” Ben felt an icy chill run through him. 

“Where are you?” 

Ben put his foot on the dirt floor in his stocking feet.  Taking the lantern in hi hand he moved through the thick tartarean blackness

“Clyde, where are you?” The disembodied voice sounded mournful and sad. 

“Who are you?” Ben managed to overcome his terror to ask his question.

“Who are you?” The voice asked.

“I am Ben Grossman and if you are a burglar, I must warn you that I am armed.” Ben said into the darkness even though it was a total lie.  Ben was not armed and there wasn’t anything he could see to use as a weapon.  

“I assure you I am no burglar.” The voice sounded a bit offended by the implication.

“Who are you?” Ben waited, but the voice did not answer.  “I asked who are you?”

“And I asked you the same.” 

“Fair enough...I am Ben, Clyde’s nephew.”

“And where is Clyde?”

Ben bowed his head and for the first time felt some actual grieving for the passing of his uncle, “Clyde has passed away.”

There was another pause.

“Well, I’d better look for him in that case.”

“Alright, I am in no mood for joking.” Ben snapped.

“Joking, good sir, I do not joke.”

“Where are you?” Ben finally got up the courage to ask.

“Through the portal.” 

“Portal?” Ben shook his head.

“Certainly...the door in the root cellar.”

Root cellar?  He had not seen a root cellar.

“Did you not see it next to the fireplace?”

Ben walked to the old fireplace that did not seem functional at first glance.  

“There is no portal.” Ben called out.

“How can you not see it?” 

“I do not see it.” Ben was agitated.

“The portal is right there.” 

Ben put his hands on the masonry of the fireplace and felt a small bump, taking his fingers he opened the small metal door.  It opened without any resistance, but the open would not even fit his entire hand.  

“I can’t fit into this.” He exclaimed.

“Have you even tried?” The voice retorted.

“Do you see how big I am?  I will never fit in this.” Ben could not believe that this thing wanted him to come into the tiny opening.

“Stick your head in.  Clyde always comes in head first.”

“Are you out of your mind?” Ben could not believe what he was hearing.

“Have you tried?” The voice sounded perturbed.

“Alight, I guess I will have to show you.” Ben put his nose to the opening.  Suddenly the light filled the room and Ben found himself sitting in the brightly lit room with this strange looking creature that was human from the waist up but from the waist down it was a much different story. 

“Told you.” The thing rolled its eyes.   

“What or who are you?” Ben stood up in the space a minute ago he could not even put his hand in.

“Hmpt, I am Adlet.” He shook his head.

“A what?”

“Adlet.  Inuit legendary creature, but do I look like a legend to you?” He glared at Ben.

“No you look pretty real to me.” Ben had to admit. 

“Don’t worry, I’m not going to hurt you, although many of the Inuits have a much different impression of me.” He waved Ben to a chair at the table where he was sitting. “I come from a very troubled home, so I guess I am a product of my upbringing.”

“Really?  I had some troubles growing up.” Ben sighed.

“Did your grandfather put rocks in the boots of your father which drowned him? All because he was a wolf and we, his grandchildren were a mixed breed, half dog half human.  You know something like that really leaves a mark on your psyche.” He bowed his head between two bony shoulders.

“I can see that.” Ben nodded and put his hand to his mouth. 

“Clyde and I used to play cards every night and he’d tell me about his family that abandoned him and I would tell tales of my rough upbringing.” The Adlet explained. 

“My mother used to tell me that my penis was evil.” Ben remembered this from when he was five and was caught playing with it in the bathroom.  

“Um-huh, parents do that, because they think they are protecting their children.  It is my experience that exploration of our bodies is healthy and necessary.  Look at me. By most standards I am a monster, but in reality, I have no ill will and can be as gentle as a puppy.” He tilted his head, “But here I hide out so people will not hunt me or try to kill what they cannot possibly understand.  Now the people who first lived here, we got along just fine.  They may not have understood me, but they did understand that leaving me alone was a much better alternative.  You can see now how when you mess with Nature, she will bite you back.  If you try to harm me, I will rip you apart.” He looked up at Ben and gave him the most wicked smile Ben had ever seen.  There was no doubt this creature would do just like he said.  

“I come with no ill intent.” Ben swallowed hard.

“Then why did you tell me you were armed?” The Adlet put his hand over Ben’s.  His hand was warm and soothing, but Ben was repulsed by the contact. “See even now you fear what you cannot understand.  My touch terrifies you.  I do miss Clyde.  He enjoyed our time together and now he’s gone.”

“I’m sorry.” Ben could feel the deep sense of loss from the Adlet.

“It’s alright.  I will find him.  You see part of my function in this world is to rescue the souls from the horrible beings of the underworld.  Most of them are brutes and enjoy playing soccer with those poor souls who come into their lairs unsuspecting of their vileness and evil intent.  Pure hell.”

He laughed from deep inside a bottomless pit. “Sorry Ben, I sometimes forget how easily you can be terrified by the thoughts of what awaits you in the next world.” 

“What is awaiting me?” Ben sat forward with great interest.

“I wish I could tell you, but I am under contract to keep that a secret. A blood oath if you must know.” His evil smile returned, “But I can tell you this, be wary of those who claim to be your allies for human nature is greedy in most situations.”

“That is true.” Ben whispered to himself.

“You will find more genuine honesty from your enemies, because you already know they are searching for your weakness and you will be vigilant when they approach you.”  He pointed a crooked bony finger at him, then his face lightened as he said, “Now how about a game of hearts.”

He shuffled the cards and laid them on the table.

As Ben picked up the cards Adlet offered, “Care for some tea?” 

It was dawn when Ben emerged from the portal feeling quite satisfied with his evening with Adlet.  First impressions of his uncle’s dilapidated cabin, the voices in the darkness, the unusual appearance of the Adlet, his terrible attempt to cheat at cards, the size of the portal in which he passed through like Alice did in Wonderland finding a place where Ben felt as though he belonged. 

Ben found himself looking forward to seeing the Adlet for another evening of cards and tea, but when he returned to his uncle’s cabin there were bulldozers and earth movers that had removed the cabin in less than an afternoon’s work.  Running up, he found the crew taking five and the remains of what was left scattered all over the place.

“What is the meaning of this!” He asked the guy with the clipboard.

“And who might you be?” He asked, crossing his arms.

“My name is Ben Grossman, I was Clyde’s nephew and according to the terms of his will, this was my house.” Ben explained as the man nodded.

“From what I’ve seen, we did you a favor.  This eyesore has three written complaints.” The man with the clipboard said.  

“Yeah but this was his home, regardless of the complaints.” Ben felt as if he was fighting for a losing cause.

“Mr. Grossman, I cannot argue with the government, local or otherwise.  All I do is follow orders and my orders were to level this cabin.  Mission accomplished.” He waved his arm across the big empty space where his uncle’s cabin was.  Ben opened his mouth, but there was nothing more he could say, what’s done is done.  The portal was gone and there would be no returning to see Adlet anymore.  

“Sorry kid, but orders are orders.” The man shook his head walking toward a bulldozer that was removing the last bit of the cabin.  Ben took one last look before walking to his rental Toyota.  It would take him an hour to get to Tok since the road was not paved and in places was not even a road.  There was no need for a road Ben figured as he drove over stones that kicked up on the car.  The document said exactly what the man had told him, but there was no reason given for the request, only his uncle’s scribbled signature at the bottom.  There was no reason for what had been done and the only one who would know was his late uncle.  Ben sighed, so many questions would go unanswered.