Wanderlust

CHAPTER ONE The night was strange. Not in any way that could be intuited by the senses, but in a way that was felt deep down in the soul. Above the clouds there was nothing to hinder the view of the moon and thousands of tiny stars. The world always seemed brighter and clearer at thirty thousand feet than it ever did on the ground. Yet tonight he felt on the brink of something. As the plane began its descent, the ephemeral feeling slowly left him. Whatever uncanny quality about the sky above had given him a sense of the preternatural, it slowly dissipated as they moved down through the shroud of clouds and further still through a plain of fog. The change in air pressure caused his ears to pop, bringing him irrevocably out of his reverie. Jonas Uhrig arrived at Richmond International airport on time. He made his way down the ramp and out into the gate area. RIC was nearly deserted at this time of night. Only the soft hum of vending machines, the distant sound of a jet engine, and a few janitorial workers sweeping the floor with a soft swish broke the silence. The distinct airport smell made him smile. He wasn’t sure what elements made up that singular scent that was strictly reserved for airports and he didn’t wish to. He knew only that it always made him feel at home. He moved quickly toward the baggage claim. He had no suitcase to retrieve. The small duffel slung over his shoulder contained everything he had needed for the trip. Rather, he was picking up his best friend. Burke never liked to be kept waiting. If Jonas so much as stopped to check the local weather, Burke would greet him with that reproachful look he was so good at and would descend into a pout until Jonas made it up to him with a burger and a milkshake. Not that Jonas blamed him. He couldn’t imagine that being locked up inside a cage in the noisy baggage compartment of a 737 would be much fun for anyone. He pulled the claim papers from the inside pocket of his leather jacket and passed them over to the clerk. He was a skinny little man that Jonas judged to be somewhere between seventy and infinity who looked first at Jonas, then at the papers, and back to Jonas with an air of scrutiny a number of times. His pursed mouth pinched even more with every glance before he finally nodded and went to retrieve the kennel. Jonas wondered if dognapping was a serious problem or if the clerk was merely suspicious of everyone these days, as most airport personnel seemed to be. Not even the little old ladies of the world were safe from the critical eye of airport security anymore. He supposed it was inevitable, though regrettable. The clerk returned with the kennel after what seemed an interminably long period of time. Jonas thanked the man, scooping up the kennel without even looking inside. He didn’t need to. He heard the soft chuff from inside that meant Burke was going to insist on a burger and a milkshake whether or not Jonas had come directly to pick him up. Thankfully, Burke rarely barked. He was content with making his wishes known in a quiet and mannerly way. “It’s almost midnight,” Jonas said as he exited the airport and made his way to the long term parking garage. Tendrils of fog curled around him in the crisp autumn air. The yellow glow from the streetlamps added a sickly radiance to the mist. Chuff. “You’d think after all our traveling you’d be used to it by now.” GrrrCHUFF. “You’re a regular prima donna sometimes.” WhineChuff. “All right, all right,” Jonas said. He set the kennel down beside the Maxima and unlocked the door. A rustling sound from inside the kennel told him that Burke was more than eager to get out of his confinement and into the soft leather seat. “A burger and milkshake it is. I could use some pure cholesterol myself.” He opened the passenger door and then unlocked the kennel. A flash of tan and sable fur flew past him as the border collie bounded into the passenger seat. Burke pricked up an ear and cocked his head, his back stiffening for an instant. “What is it?” Jonas asked, briefly looking around. “Doggy jitters?” Burke kept his pose a moment longer before relaxing, gazing up at Jonas with soulful eyes. Jonas shook his head and closed the door, putting the kennel and his duffel in the trunk before sliding behind the wheel. The dog was strange, and often seemed afraid of some unseen danger, but on the whole he was a happy soul. Ever since the dog turned up on his doorstep two years ago and refused to leave, Jonas was constantly astounded by the dog’s keen intelligence. Burke grinned as Jonas started the engine. Despite his companion’s aversion to airline travel, he loved riding in the car. Jonas often opted to drive instead of taking a plane to accommodate Burke, but sometimes the situation called for haste. Through all this, Jonas never felt the presence that had followed him from the gate at the airport and out to his car. He had no precognition of danger, no prickling sensation at the back of his neck, no inexplicable need to look over his shoulder. He never saw the shadow that passed behind his car as he pulled out of the parking space and headed toward the I-64 on-ramp. To Jonas, there was only Burke in the passenger seat, grinning and panting as they picked up speed.