Medicine Hat

Ch_001_000: Medicine Hat, Alberta

I smell smoke before I can see. Mastereye and a fair collection of eyeballs are staring back at me unblinking. I say, “Hello?” and see that my words are subtitled in French somehow. The eyeballs blink. I am worried now. Mastereye said that I needed both to keep moving on an itinerary and keep at least some eyeballs on me at all times. I will need to be entertaining somehow or interesting.

“Hello everyone, welcome to …” I say, but what was the name Mastereye gave me? I am unnamed but he mentioned something else, and it is dragged forward into my mind via Mastereye’s pressure: “… the Littlest Hobo! Travel with me as I help friendly dogs along the way. We seem to be in …”

I repeat back the inbound, eyebound data, “… Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. Who wouldn’t want to start off here?”

Ack! Medicine Hat must sound interesting soon and, unless the eye is cruel, I should have a pathway to some interesting something; otherwise, why am I roaming? I spin around and finally I see it.

-17EB

There is a large plume of ash and smoke nearby. This is at least something interesting. I will use it now.

“There seems to be a nearby brushfire. We should try to help if we can! Come with me and let’s help any dogs in jeopardy!” I say with urgency.

+8EB

I am running towards the fire and I can feel the eyeballs chasing me as I go. Before I get completely out of breath, I stop with my hands on my knees, panting. Then, I see them. Four puppies! They are trapped inside a locked house and the fire is burning its roof. The puppies are screaming for help!

“S’il vous plaît! Y’a-tu quelqu’un qui peut nous sauver? Aidez-nous, s’il vous plaît!” the puppies scream and I can see a translation in the subtitles. ||Please! Is there anyone who can save us? Help us, please!|| This looks promising and I feel a very strong urge.

+20EB

I turn to the eyeballs and announce, “The PUPPIES! I must SAVE THEM! We go now to their rescue!” as I run towards the burning building.

“I am here dear Puppies! Fear not! It is I, The Littlest Hobo! I am here!” I yell.

+12EB

||Please help us, Strange Man! Please!|| the puppies’ translation reads. I gather that the puppies have not studied English yet.

+4EB

I see the door but it is locked and I try the doorknob. I yank my hand away as the knob is too hot to touch and just avoid a bad burn. I take off my shirt and … -11EB … Damn it. OK. Point taken.

I use the material of the shirt to break a nearby glass window without cutting my hands, open it and quickly put my shirt back on. Lesson learned.

+2EB

The heat is intense on my hands and face as I search for the puppies inside the roaring fire. I cough due to the heavy smoke but manage to call out, “Puppies! Puppies! Are you here!”

||Upstairs! We are upstairs, Strange Man. Come quickly before we perish!!|| the puppies continue their pleas from the upstairs bedroom.

+12EB

I run up the stairs and open the door swiftly. I see the four puppies. One is unconscious but the other three will not leave him behind and none of them are strong enough to lift him.

“I can take you ALL to safety. Follow ME!” I say. I pick up the unconscious puppy and ask the others to hold hands.

+18EB

“Stay together and follow me. We need to get out of here before the smoke kills us all,” I say as I lead the group through the fire. Parts of the roof start to collapse and I finally say, “Run for your lives little dogs!” The puppies manage to bolt out of the building and I can no longer see as the ceiling falls in front of me.

+18EB

“I will get us out of here somehow,” I yell to the unconscious dog. I see a window to the left and fling us both through the glass. The glass splinters and shards rip through my sides, but we make it clear of the fire.

+14EB

I see an adult dog run up with an EMT badge as several firedogs appear with hoses.

The EMT’s translation reads, ||GOOD BOY! You saved all these children. But little Timmy, the sick one in your arms, needs his medicine. The roads are blocked, Strange Man? What can we do for Timmy?||

I say to the EMT, “I will get the medicine! Where is it?!”

The EMT looks at me, confused. Almost as if he didn’t hear me clearly and his translation reads ||What is it, boy? You say you can get the meds? You? A human?||

I repeat myself, “Yes. Didn’t you hear me the first time? Where are the meds? The puppy needs help!”

The dog still looks confused but he says ||Wow. You sure are a talkative one. I wish I understood what those yelps mean. If we could only find a way to the hospital up the road where Timmy’s meds are, we save him, but the fire has blocked the road.||

+12EB

“Oh my,” I say, “This is absurd! I will go and get the meds. For crying out loud, you can’t like send a helicopter? Is medical care in Canada so rationed that this puppy’s meds can only be sourced from one place? That’s just crazy…”

-9EB

I start to run towards the hospital by following the obvious signs on the road. I find an area where the road is completely blocked by fire. The heat is intense but I keep my shirt on for everyone’s protection.

I walk through the heavy flames with my arms over my head to protect my hair and face from the falling ash. The hospital is in sight and I make a break for it.

+16EB

I manage to get into the building. A dog is already waiting for me and it says, ||The EMT told me you might be coming, Strange Man. Here are the meds. Get them back to Timmy, OK? You can do it! You’re a very good human. Yes you are!|| The dog scratches me under the chin and it feels amazing. He stops and I wish he would continue; however, Timmy cannot wait and I leave.

+8EB

The passage back across the fire is harder than the first time. The fire is raging out of control and I am unsure if I’ll make it out alive. My shirt is safe but am I? Finally, I see a break in the wall of flame. The EMT is pushing towards me and together we manage to get out of the blaze.

+13EB

I cough and hand over the meds to the EMT. He says with happy eyes, ||You’ve done it! Timmy is saved!|| Several eyeballs out there seem as if they might be crying?

+22EB

The EMT is acting strangely and says, ||Hey Strange Man? You hungry for some ham?|| He’s sitting inside of his response vehicle.

+4EB

Man, I just love ham. I walk up to the car and the EMT has the pink meat in his hands, ||That’s a good boy! You like the ham, no? Come inside. I could use a good human to help me out.|| He won’t just hand the ham over. This seems suspicious and well, there’s only one way to solve this dilemma.

I quickly snatch the ham and run. The EMT is following in hot pursuit, but I feel energized by the meat and successful rescue. I will not be captured. The urgency pushes inwards and I know: Moose Jaw; you must not be late.

+6EB

The EMT calls out, ||Wait! Wait! Stay here with me in Medicine Hat!|| The ham tastes great as I start the run into darkness.