Crimson Skies

Part 9 - Stand Flower

“Flower,” Aila whispers as she lowers her face to Sarla’s planting a gentle kiss on soft lips. In her hands, she feels thin gooey lines of blood begin to congeal and scab. Even in the dark, she can tell the superficial grazes will not take away her cousin’s beauty. “We must leave.”

             Violent scratching sounds off in the gloom. Both girls’ stiffen; their hazel eyes search the shadows and come up empty. The things laugh, again, though this time their cackle resonates from deeper within the tunnels and in multiple places.

            “They are taunting us,” Aila says in an even quieter tone than before, her eyes fixed to the pitch-black air in front of them.

            Sarla’s hush equal to hers, “They must have fed not too long ago to play with us this way.”

            “Thank the Ravens we aren’t dessert... yet.”

            “Let’s move.”

            “Can you make it?” Aila lowers her eyes to Sarla in her lap, though she sees nothing, she is reminded of the wounds all over her cousin’s body.

            “Yes, it’s not anything. We’ll keep left.”

            “Left? That’s where the laughing comes from, though,” Aila points out, frowning.

            “Yes and they did that to trap us, to the right they sit and wait for us.”

.................................

Laughter echoes towards them, as if the number of voices coated with malicious intent weigh the sound down and it travels slow and drawn out through the tunnels.

            The distorted and ugly sound twists up their bodies and make both boys shiver. The mole squeaks, halting in its tracks, one leg hovering above the dirt, afraid to put it down and taking that one-step closer.

            “Come,” Dyle calls to it.

            Upon hearing his voice, the creature turns, running into his muscular legs. Dyle picks it up and holds it close to his face. Jex watches as the glowing animal illuminates Dyle’s features. He can clearly see how sombre his friend is; whispering words of reassurance to the young pet.

            “They will not get you... They are still far off... Please... We must hurry... Sarla...” Jex just barely hears Dyle’s speech. But it works, soon the gleaming mole is on the ground again, running through the caves.

            Its nose twitches every few steps, as if seeking out the girls and the right tunnels to lead them.

            Panting, less fit than his friend, Jex falls to the rear and rasps, “Did... you see... the walls... are...”

            “Weak at the entrance?” Dyle finishes his thought, glancing back. “Yes. I saw that.”

..............................

Sarla crawls through the narrow space, keeping her head low so as not to knock the cave roof. She feels Aila’s constant grasp around her ankle as they worm their way out.

            Time seems to pass slower in here, though it cannot have been longer than half an hour, the tunnel begins to open up. In the pure blackness, Sarla is only aware of the opening tunnel by sense. She senses the space above her head recedes, the hairs on the back of her neck less sensitive. She reaches out to feel the rocky ceiling is far above them now. She begins to stand.

            Aila feels her movements through her leg and does the same. Her hands work their way up Sarla’s body as she rises up behind the older girl. Sarla finds Aila’s hand and holds it tight. The two girls step in next to each other, hands joined at the middle and their outer hands outstretched, feeling before them. Every step they take is hesitant. Their feet tap the ground in front of them to seek out any ridges or rises that may trip them in their journey forward.