Mana Tapu

Chapter 11

Piper was overjoyed to show me her cave. As soon as I asked her to show me around she fist bumped the air, spun in a circle, and then sheepishly looked up at me. What could I do besides smile back? She looked around for a few seconds and nodded towards the hole.

"Hmm, I think it'd be best to start over here. Yup, just follow me!"

She took off at a skip. I went to follow but I must have caught my toe on a loose stone. Buddy and Piper were a few strides ahead of me - the wall a few behind. With the clattering of rocks that ensued she flipped her head around. It wasn't my best moment. There I was— sitting on a pile of stones as the dust settled around me. I forgot how messed up my ankle was. Piper skipped over to me, helped me to my feet, and then sidled up against me. Between her and Buddy I wouldn't fall - even if I tried.

"On second thought, it might be better to show you around on another day. Three more days off of your foot and I'll show you around? Sound good?"

"That sounds smart. It's feeling a little swollen actually..." I trailed off as I looked at the purple and blue balloon. There was no need for further explanation. We hobbled through the tunnels once again. Stopping at where I assumed I had laid before, she sat me down and disappeared into the cave. She scuffled around for a minute before I felt a gentle hand on my calf. She lifted it up and placed it onto a rock.

Laughing at her I asked "Did you drag that all the way over here for me?"

"Why else would I move this rock? This cave is my bedroom — not my gym. I don't just rearrange furniture for fun." I didn't know if I should take the scoff as a joke or not. "Well you should rest. I'll go get some things and be back."

Step, step, step, and she was gone. It was just my dog and I in the darkness. I can't express how grateful I am that he's alive. With the rhythm of our breathing matching up it was easy to fall asleep. Every time I woke up there was food or a fresh bandage. My eyes gradually adjusted to the low level of light that filtered in through the tunnel and the hole above me. The purple and blue stars glittered their brightest at night. They were always there when I woke up. My sleep schedule was so messed up I had become a bat.

Night after night I laid there. It was just me and my dog. All things considered I don't think Tadmor was too bad of a place to be. Would I choose inhumane torture over isolation? Probably not. That is, until my isolation stretched past three thousand days. In and of itself that would have driven me insane. I'd only been here for eleven days? The absurdity of her staying down here for three thousand blew my mind. She brought me food; she was my doctor. When she fell there was no one. Was she injured? How did she find food? Actually, how did she find food for me? A few soft foot steps came nearer as I was stargazing with my questions.

"Am I good to walk now? It's been three days."

"About that..." Piper giggled a little and hid her hands behind her back.

"Please don't tell me it has only been two. This darkness is driving me insane. I'm even waking up at night instead of the day time."

"It's actually been six days." There was that look again.

"What?!" The echo of my voice sounded angrier than I had intended.

"It's not my fault, genius. You're the one who slept for two days straight. How did your mom even get you up for school in the mornings?" Folding her arms she raised an eyebrow at me. "I tried to wake you up several times and you wouldn't budge."

"Mmmmm, sorry about that."

A curt nod was all I got in response. She kneeled down and unraveled the vine around my ankle. As she did so the leafy bandages loosened. A few brushes of her hand was all it took to remove them.