Across Frozen Seas by John Wilson Read Free Book Online

noticing, my massaging it seemed to suggest that my dreams were beginning to impose themselves on my daily waking life. Maybe they were not just a story my mind was making up while I slept. Maybethere was something suspicious about them.
    I was beginning to worry. After the dinner table incident, I resolved two things. Firstly, to be more careful about what I let slip in front of other people. I might get away with saying something dumb in front of my parents, but the guys at school wouldn’t let me forget it so quickly and the last thing I wanted was a reputation for being weird or talking to myself.
    Secondly, if the dreams persisted, I would have to talk to someone about them. They were just too strange to dismiss and perhaps they meant something. I didn’t want them to stop but, on the other hand, I didn’t want to “go crazy” either. For the moment though, I would wait and see where they were leading me.
    The next day, Jim came to visit. He didn’t get into town much, especially in the winter, so I guessed he had come to see me. When I got back from school, he was in the kitchen with Mom. They didn’t hear me come in.
    â€œSometimes I wish he was interested in the farm. Then we could move out and be close to you.” Mom sounded tired.
    â€œThe farm’s been good to me, but it’s not the life for everyone,” Jim responded. “How are things between you?”
    There was a pause before Mom answered.
    â€œNot good, Jim. The business isn’t doing well and that adds a strain. I think it’s affecting Dave too. He’s been really quiet and withdrawn the last few days.”

    I didn’t like the turn the conversation was taking. Next, Jim would begin talking about my dreams and I didn’t want that. I dropped my bag loudly in the hall and went into the kitchen.
    â€œHi, Jim,” I said as cheerfully as I could.
    â€œDave, you’re back,” Mom said as she stood up. “Is that the time already? I have to go out and get some groceries for supper. I’ll see you later, Jim. I won’t be long.”
    Kissing me on the cheek, a habit I have never been fond of, Mom picked up her bag, put on her coat and left. Jim looked up at me from his seat at the table.
    â€œThere’s some tea in the pot,” he said. “Should still be hot.”
    â€œNo thanks,” I said, but I did grab a pop out of the fridge and sat down.
    â€œSo, how are you?” Jim asked.
    â€œFine,” I replied.
    â€œAny more dreams?”
    â€œA couple,” I said as casually as I could manage. Then, to move the conversation away from them, I talked about my reading on Franklin.
    â€œI can’t believe how dumb those guys were. McClintock said that the boats Franklin’s men were dragging weighed hundreds of pounds and were full of useless junk like cutlery and curtain rods. They could never have made it across the Barren Lands with all that stuff.”
    â€œIf that’s where they were going.”
    â€œWhat do you mean? They left a note saying theywere going there.”
    â€œNot exactly.” Jim took a sip of tea. He was settling into a story. “The note of 1848 says only that they are going to Back’s Fish River. People have always assumed that they were going to continue south from there across the Barren Lands to try to reach a Hudson’s Bay post. But Crozier and Fitzjames weren’t stupid. They had Back’s journal with them. They knew how impossible that trek would be with over one hundred sick men.”
    â€œSo what were they trying to do?” I was being pulled into the story despite myself.
    â€œHunt. They probably had scurvy and the only way to cure that is to eat fresh food. Both Back and Simpson talk of the abundance of wildlife at the mouth of the Fish River. If they could restore their health, then they could return to the ships and escape when the ice broke up that summer.”
    â€œSo why