The Dracula Index - Vampire Epoch//01

48 - Mell

"This has been quite an eventful month for us. A Waster roaming our valley, Scavers attacked, it's a miracle we are all so relaxed, even now. I want to extend my regards, as your High Elder, to the Scavers." He paused and gestured to the table where Rufus was sitting. "This morning, your job-mate has fallen. He now rests, as we all will, unmarked in the Sorrow Plots behind Church Hall." I glanced over at the Helpers table where Edie was sitting, and I could tell at once that she knew he was lying. Elder Hemaris sniffled and wiped his eyes as if he were crying. I don't think he was. "Please do him an honor in your first bite, and let us take up a spoonful in silent remembrance of the sacrifice made."

I heard Roz openly gasp as Hemaris reached down and took the spoon from Samod's bowl. He held it up proudly. "To Scaver Ficcin. May the Neverdowns bring him rest."

Each of us ladled a spoonful of soup and repeated the words. "May the Neverdowns bring him rest."

And then, to our relief, instead of drinking down the spoonful, Hemaris placed it back in the bowl and pushed it in front of Elder Samod, who nodded and began eating.

Once dinner was through, each of the tables were dismissed, and Bryne and I exchanged a look of hope as we followed the others out of Mess Hall and watched the Elders return to their designated bunkhouses. As we had hoped, Elder Samod, who occasionally frequents the Breeder house, joined Crevan and the others for the night.

It was then that we waited. There was no use doing anything else, in case the plan failed. Crevan met us beside the pipe heap during never-hour with the key in hand.

"Did you bring the sheers?" he asked, handing me the key and looking to Bryne.

"I did," he replied. "We're going to use the bottom pipe. It's the widest and ends at the razor wire. If we crawl inside and cut out a circle wide enough, each of us can pass through. We'll move some of the brush aside, and then use Lenny's help."

Luther Priest looked up. "What do you need me to do?"

"You're the smallest of the men. We need you to squeeze past the picket and replant it to the right with enough space so each of us can get by safely."

"It's dangerous to move the crosses. They protect us in ways you can't understand."

"A foot isn't going to make a difference," I breathed before leaving. "Wish me luck. Trigger said there is a lot of stuff down there."

I left the boys and joined Roof, Lane, Roz, and Felicity at Inventory Post. Edie was still too weak to follow. Strength comes and goes for Edie, and none of us knew what to expect in the storage cellar. Lane led us into the Post and toward the only door where she didn't have access.

"Here goes," I said hopefully, fitting Samod's key into the lock. The bolt dropped with a smooth click.

A musty sort of air filled the room as the door opened and we entered the space. Rufus brought one of his flash-lanterns, but it wasn't needed. There was a string of lights leading down the stone stairs to a vast and hazy darkness. I led the way with Roof and Felicity right behind. Lane and Roz kept watch.

I wish I could adequately put into words what I discovered in the cellar. There were rows upon rows of metal shelving, filled with the strangest trinkets, boxes, and tagged clay jars. It was a scavenger's haven. At first, I thought we had failed. There was no way we could have searched even a tenth of the space before sun up.

"It has to be close," Rufus said. "The job-head gets these maps every few weeks. And he doesn't take all of them. He just brings a map for the area we're searching and a pencil to mark the new territories. So there has to be a place where the maps would be laid out. Maybe a table with some drawers."

To make the most ground, we separated. Of course, I wanted to search the shelves for answers, to maybe find the Chronoscope that was designated for our own encampment, but I focused on the maps until I heard Rufus calling out for us. I found him a few rows over, unrolling a spool of large paper.

"These are them! The maps. We did it."

"Do you remember where you got the book?"

"Yes, there was a large boulder we had passed, and the ruins of a few dwellings. Also, there was a lone cross picket at the top of a mountain in the distance. That has to be on one of these maps."

Then Felicity joined us. She looked strange. I asked her what was the matter, and she didn't answer me. She must have seen something down there. I'll have to press her for an answer after this whole situation has ended.