"Adam! Adam!", Hoss and Joe froze, as the avalanche of rocks rolled down towards their brother far up there. He seemed to have frozen as well. There had been no escape for him already when he noticed the rumbling sound over his head. His brothers’ voices awoke him from this state but he only managed to make to the side before there existed only pain, and then darkness. "Adam!", ’faces.

"Adam..."

"There!", somebody shouted. "There!"

Up where the avalanche came from there appeared a being of a seemingly gigantic shape. It slowly descended to where Adam had fallen, bent down, took the lifeless body in its arms and was soon gone among the rocks.

***
Adam kept deliberately silent over his new book, while his two brothers disputed excitedly over the existence of Big Foot in the Sierras, which news was brought by three credible witnesses. The hunting party has been established, and the three Cartwright boys belonged to it. Adam was so full of doubts as to the sense of it that he enjoyed a more less quiet moment with his new book with silent, steely determination not to be interrupted.

"What are you reading?", Joe seated himself by his eldest brother and gave him a hearty pat on the shoulder. Adam scowled at him and dived into the book again.

"I’m busy", he said dryly, eyes glued to the pages. "And I’m not interested in any Big or Small Foot. Talk to Hoss about it."

"But what are you reading?", Joe smiled innocently. Adam showed him the title page without a word and read further. "Frankenstein? Some German autobiography or what?", his little brother laughed at the title. "It is German, isn’t it?", he asked curiously.

"No."

"Interesting?"

"Yes."

"What about?"

"Frankenstein."

"Does he ever stop reading?", Hoss seemed amazed by his big brother’s patience and determination. "C’mon, Adam, how do you like that Big Foot?"

"I DON’T like it", Adam lifted his eyes for a moment. "I don’t know it but it has already got on my nerves. A hideous progeny of the human mind", he muttered.

"Now, before you drag me up those mountains, I’d like to take some pleasure in reading, so if you could just excuse me...", he returned to the book.

"What’s it about?", Hoss occupied the other side of his big brother’s armchair. "Maybe we’ll read it then." Adam sent him a hostile glare and read on. "Adam...", they wouldn’t stop now and he knew that.

"It’s about somebody who animated a dead body", he explained viciously and smiled maliciously at their disgusted groan. "The corpse is enormously huge and ugly.

The creator doesn’t like it and abandons it at once. The creature educates itself, but is lonely, grows revengeful and full of hatred, and I just want to know what happened next and who stays alive in the end."

"Maybe it’s grown to Big Foot?", Joe came up with a sudden idea, but a vicious scowl from Adam eventually made him abandon any further discourse.

***

"So who stayed alive?", inquired Joe curiously, as Adam removed the book to his saddlebag before going to sleep. "The story-teller", murmured his eldest brother from under the blanket. "But only because he did not participate. Good night."

Joe seated himself comfortably by the fire to keep his watch. He felt somewhat strange, since they expected to find some traces of Big Foot any moment now; well, not Adam, of course, he persistently showed interest in his book only and made them somehow appear foolish to themselves, as though they were searching for the seven dwarfs from The Snow-white. He seemed oblivious to the possibility of something sitting on the rock behind his back or... Joe quickly ensured his rifle was there – just in case, of course. Not a slightest sound disturbed the men’s sleep. The night was fair, silent, full of stars; and so it remained until dawn.

***

In the morning they decided where to go, how to search and how to catch Big Foot, but no trace was to be found all day long.

"Adam, do something!", Bill Hayley, their leader, was irritated by such lack of success. Adam sighed heavily, put the saddlebag on his shoulder and lifted his hands in surrender. "I’ll go up there and see", he proposed, pointing to a not very steep rock nearly half a mile up. "As far as it goes. I should be able to see such a big object", he hid a smile, "if it’s anywhere around."

Nobody expected the avalanche in the least, not more a human-shaped creature of extraordinary size up there. The lifeless body in Its arms seemed through comparison to belong to a youngster. After It was gone, Hoss and Joe immediately wanted to follow, notwithstanding their companions’ hesitation, but they were hindered. "He’s dead", said Hayley gravely. "Sorry, guys, but you saw all the rocks; I mean, even if he wasn’t dead then, he would need a doctor immediately. Now, as this... this... something took him away... you saw how big it was, and it didn’t even look like your brother was a heavy burden for it; this something must be stronger even than you, Hoss. Oh, be reasonable, you can’t help him, but we can catch the beast if you help us set up the trap. Now we know there i s Big Foot, and we can avenge Adam when we catch it." Hoss looked at him thoughtfully, tears dried in the meantime. "Do what you want", he decide finally in a firm voice. "I’m gonna get my brother out of there whether I survive it or not. Joe?" The only answer was the cocking of his younger brother’s rifle. They began climbing.

***

All the others were preparing some primitive trap down in the valley, where he never went anyway; but why should these two follow him? The man by the fire bit his lip and looked at the motionless shape under his blanket. The slim, handsome man hadn’t shown any signs of life as yet. Would he survive the shock? The sitting man sighed heavily, buried in thoughts.

***

"You think he lives?", Joe’s eyes begged for confirmation. "The rocks wouldn’t kill him, would they?" Hoss patted him gently on the shoulder, pressing his lips tightly together for a moment. "A couple of rocks won’t get Adam down, don’t you worry." They were following the route of rare blood drops as long as they could see anything. The night approached, but neither felt sleepy. They moved on as soon as it dawned.

The man, observing them from between not very distant rocks, moved hesitatingly towards the still unconscious companion of theirs. He carefully lifted the limp body and holding it securely with one arm, like you hold a child, he headed towards the distant mountain crests.

Noon approaching, he made a stop to force some water into the injured man and observe how far the followers were. Not as far as he hoped, they somehow
guessed his route.

A soft, quiet moan made him startle. If the man wakes to see him... He quickly tied a bandanna over his face before bending over the injured man. The cloth on the latter’s forehead was stained with blood, but the pale cheeks acquired faint blushes. The enormously big man involuntarily recalled how near they were when the slim, handsome man read his book on his night watch. It would have been enough to reach down from the rock to touch his shiny, jet-black hair... and frighten them all away. The injured man groaned again, brows knotted in pain, and shifted uneasily. He didn’t react, however, to being lifted and carried; he only moaned softly from time to time.

***

"Drink, slowly." Adam obediently swallowed some water, struggling to open his eyes. He wanted to ask where his brothers were, but first he had to see what was going on and what was so heavy lying on his forehead, deterring him from lifting his head. At last; he squinted at someone standing just over him. Full sight capabilities slowly came back to him. A man – apparently – of enormous, superhuman frame stood by the rocks. Adam could only see his back. The man slowly untied his bandanna, knelt in front of the fire... Adam felt suddenly sick. The man had no face; no human face, at least. He had eyes and mouth but the rest was everything BUT a face. Adam tried to fight the overcoming nausea, closing his eyes and swallowing hard; however, he couldn’t help moaning as his head reacted with an explosion of dumb pain. He soon felt a cool, wet cloth on his face and neck; this made him feel a little better. Prepared already for the sight, he opened his eyes and looked up.

The man wore the bandanna again.

Adam managed to whisper, "Where am I?"

"Don’t talk", the stranger frowned.

"Where are my brothers? What happened?"

"A rock hit you on the head. Now sleep."

Adam tried to lift his head but regretted it instantly. "The avalanche...", he remembered, gasping. "I didn’t expect..."

"I didn’t want you all to go any further", murmured the man. "I hadn’t noticed you up the slope. I didn’t want to hurt you."

It took Adam a moment to analyse thoroughly what he had just heard. His instinct warned him of some yet elusive danger.

"Where are my brothers?", he wanted to know, anxiety dawning in his eyes.

"It doesn’t matter", replied the stranger hoarsely. "You won’t see them anymore." Adam froze.

"I cannot let you tell them about me", the man explained dryly. "I want no other company than my books."

The terror of sudden knowledge on his prisoner’s face made him smile bitterly under the bandanna. "Don’t worry, I won’t kill you."

"I won’t tell them", Adam whispered faintly. "Let me come back home, please."

"So that everybody knows?", bitterness strangled the man’s voice. "You want them to come and see me?", in a wild motion he pulled down his bandanna. The sight was even more horrible now as he twisted his lips bitterly. "I saw you by the fire", Adam admitted weakly. "I won’t..."

He broke off at the sight of a rope. The man began to tie his hands quickly.

"You can’t do it", Adam gasped, fighting the nauseous headache and struggling hard, as weak as he was, against the much stronger opponent. "You can’t make me
go with you, you..." Darkness overcame him; it was probably just for a moment, but he woke up already gagged and tied up.

"You won’t have to go", said the monstrous man in a strained voice, noticing Adam coming round. "I will carry you."

He went hurriedly away, not to see the big expressive dark eyes and not to hear the strangled moans of his prisoner. He said the truth, he hadn’t noticed the man on the slope while pushing down the rocks, he had just wanted to scare them away; now, he saw no other way than to convince the followers that his prisoner was dead; and although he wouldn’t kill him, he could not allow for him to betray his existence and hideouts.

The dusk hindered Hoss and Joe in their search. They made a small fire and waited for the sleep to come. The captor of Adam found no difficulty in overhearing them, since he had learned not to make the slightest sound while moving on the rocks.

"He lives, tell me he lives", Joe broke off in a sob. "The stupid rocks couldn’t have killed him." Hoss hugged his brother fiercely. "We can’t lose him, good God won’t allow for that", he swallowed a tear silently. "If this Big Foot, or whatever it was, hurt Adam in any way... Stop crying, Little Joe", he couldn’t gulp his own tears back anymore; Joe was weeping openly "If he... if he... Adam was always there...", he sobbed. "He can’t just be gone like that...If only Pa were here..." "We’ll find him", Hoss stated firmly, face in tears. "We will find him, and he will be all right, you’ll see, little brother, you’ll see." He understood his brother’s reaction; the monster-stories they had recently heard, including Adam’s book, hopelessness of the search, and first and foremost uncertainty as to their brother’s fate made the situation unbearable for a sixteen-year-old, and, in truth, for Hoss as well. "We’ll find our big brother", he repeated. "Don’t you just worry." Joe only sobbed quietly
into Hoss’ shirt.

The big shadow behind them crawled slowly backwards. He could hardly believe these three completely different men to be brothers. Loving brothers.

He was soon in his camp. The prisoner paled considerably since left alone; the ties and especially the gag undoubtedly made his sufferings immense. He moaned under the gag pleadingly, dark eyes begging for help. The captor removed the torturous gag immediately, which – unexpectedly for him – caused gratefulness to appear in the captive’s sight. Adam drank thirstily some water and asked weakly, "You saw them? You gone to see them, haven’t you?" The man looked once only into the dark expressive eyes and avoided making such a mistake ever since. He untied Adam, wrapped the warm blanket tightly around him and sat by the fire.

Headache and the very probable concussion made Adam dizzy and nauseous, yet he managed to call the man to come. "In my saddlebag...", he swallowed hard and then continued, "... there’s a book. Take it... take it", he closed his eyes, too tired to talk anymore.

***

A cool, wet cloth wiped Adam’s sweated face, forcing him to open his eyes. The bright sun immediately brought about uncontrollable nausea; somebody held his head while his stomach emptied itself abruptly. He felt water on his lips.

"Not to much." He’d heard this voice before! He swallowed hard to settle down his rebellious stomach and squinted at the people bent over him. He moved his lips – in vain, but his face told them everything.

"He sees us", Hoss rejoiced. "He recognised us!" Joe rubbed his forehead, anxiety fading into a smile. "O, brother."

"Someone brought you down, near the more commonly used path", Hoss lifted Adam to a siting position. "How are you?"

Adam managed to smile at the slowly waltzing world, and leaned on his younger brother. After a while, he asked, "I was alone?"

"Someone left you here", Joe hugged him spontaneously. "Who cares? You live, that’s what’s important now." "My book...", Adam gestured faintly towards the saddlebag. Joe reached to it eagerly, but then he reported in a worried voice, "It’s not there, Adam. I can’t find it." To their surprise, Adam smiled weakly. "Good. Listen, whoever got me out from under the rocks...", he breathed with difficulty, "...it does not matter, you saw him not." He felt a strong arm beside him, though not as strong as the one that brought him here. "I owe him that, for his help, all right?" Dizziness was coming back now. "If you say so", Hoss shrugged his shoulders. "Let’s get you home now."

***

Ben looked with a paternal smile at his eldest son. His cheeks were rosy, eyes bright, and manners tyrannous again, as Joe complained.

"I didn’t ask you this as long as you were ill and weak", Ben began, "but Hoss and Joe told me rather vaguely about what happened after the accident, there, in the Sierras." He gave his son a scrutinising look. "Well?"

Adam grew serious at once. For a long moment he was buried in thoughts; eventually, apparently having made some decision, he said, "I will answer you most honestly, but it is for your ears only what I’m going to say now. I trust in your discretion."

Ben was astonished at such introduction, but answered, "You can tell me everything, son; you know that your old father can keep a secret."

Adam nodded, reassured. "I promised to somebody that I will keep quiet about what happened there. I owe him at least that. I can say nothing more, not breaking
my promise. I cannot give you a more sincere answer, Pa."

Hoss and Joe knocked and slid into the room. Adam smiled at them and continued, "I asked the boys to do me the favour and forget what they know, for the sake
of my promise. You surely cannot be angry with us in such a situation, Pa."

Now it was Ben’s turn to nod with a subtle smile. A man of honour couldn’t have acted differently, he had to admit, and his sons certainly knew to value their word.

"Let’s say it was my guardian angel", Adam flapped his hand to make them drop the subject. "Quite like it", smiled Joe. "Now I know nothing can harm you with such a guardian." "And much more realistic than Hayley’s Big Foot, I’d say", Hoss grinned. "What a shame, such great hunters and no trophy." "Exactly suitable", noticed Adam with an air of pretended grave certainty.

THE END


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