Larkspur Mittel: The Lark & Owl Trilogy

17 - A Force To Be Reckoned With

Aggie woke as they ran and so they stopped to put her down.

Unsteady on her feet, she held onto Ivan's arm. She blinked a few times and shook her head while Hero leaned against the tunnel wall to catch her breath. There was no sound apart from their heavy breathing. The dragonfly remained alert and hovered nearby.

"Are you okay?"

Aggie stared at Ivan. She tilted her head to one side and frowned.

"You don't remember anything do you? From just now I mean, how you got here?"

Aggie slowly shook her head no. Her face had taken on its sickly pallor again, and even her beautiful curly red hair now appeared dark. The curls lay flat and lifeless upon her shoulders.

"Well don't worry, it's passed," Ivan said trying to sound cheerful, and then more urgently to Hero, "we've got to get out of here."

"I know," Hero responded irritably, and glanced up and down the tunnel.

She didn't think the soldiers would be able to open the grate to follow them, but suspected it wouldn't be long till they found some other way.

Meanwhile, they had to help Adelmus- how would she explain his predicament to Ivan and Aggie?! She wished she could spare Aggie the sight of her brother wrapped in a slithering, gelatinous lark-eating beast.

She was tired and hungry again.

"Do either of you remember that song about sysipals that Boer Mam used to sing to us?"

"Why do you ask? Who cares about some stupid song right now- we've got to get out of here!"

Ivan was worried for Aggie, Hero could see, and also a little terrified from all that had passed. She had to tread carefully.

"It's important," she replied calmly.

"More important than getting out of here?! Hero, these tunnels are dangerous, especially for - oh wait a minute, you don't mean to say?"

He glanced rapidly back and forth between Aggie and Hero.

Aggie's eyes grew large and fearful, and it was clear that she understood- Adelmus was in some kind of trouble.

"Just tell me! Do you remember?" Hero asked impatiently.

"I always hated that song, it terrified me! I did my best to forget the words," Ivan replied, panicked and looking around wildly.

Aggie turned and started running down the tunnel, shooing the dragonfly out of her way.

"Aggie, no! Wait, don't go!" Ivan hollered, chasing after her.

Hero caught up with them both and grabbed Aggie's arm. Aggie tried to shake her off.

"Wait- it's not pretty. I just want you to prepare yourself."

Aggie furiously yanked her arm away from Hero and ran on.

They reached the cavernous junction of the tunnels and were horrified by what they saw.

Adelmus lay very still on the central, flattened boulder. His head was turned towards them, propped up on the sack of provisions, and he appeared to be sleeping. The sysipal that covered him had grown slightly, and was now draped over the sides of the boulder.

Sitting upon the smaller stool-like ones that surrounded the large boulder were six more sysipals. Like the one that covered Adelmus, they were a dirty grey-yellow color, undulating organisms which looked like they were at a dinner table waiting patiently to be served.