Ky'Mera: The Next Generation (Sequel Series to the Ky'Mera Adventures Trilogy)

Book 1: Ky'Mera Reborn

Back Underground

          As we walked through the reddish-brown rock tunnels, I looked over at Gabby to see how she was holding up.  Her cream fur blended in with the rock very well, and if not for her silver highlights, I would be hard pressed to see her in the dim glow of our lamps. 

          She caught me looking and turned her head to look me in the eyes, “What?  Am I too good looking to keep your eyes to yourself?”

          “No,” I countered, “I was actually checking to see if you were still there.  For a second your fur acted as camouflage and I wasn’t able to see you at all.”

          It was a long-standing argument between my sister and me.  She would say something to the like of her being beautiful, and I would refute it with a quick jibe.  It was not so much an act of insult, more like friendly sibling rivalry that went sour every once and a while.

          As we walked further into the tunnels, Gabby asked me, “What are we doing down here again, Jason?  Last time I heard Ky’Mera was nothing more than a huge fish tank.”

          “Have you thought of the idea that the water could have drained away over times?” I asked back, “It’s been almost twenty years since dad led the Furan out of Ky’Mera when it was flooded, so who’s to say it still can’t be explored?”

          She shrugged, “Just thought I’d ask.”

          We continued down the corridor, our lamps shining on the rock and making monster faces within the shadows.  I pulled out our father’s GPS to check our progress again, and a quick glance showed us to be on the direct route to the ancient staircase.  I powered it down and nodded to Gabby, who followed me as I navigated the twisting caverns and passageways.  As we came up to the old stairs, Gabby looked around and noticed something off to the side. 

          As I walked over to the stairs, she called out over to my left, “Jason!  Come look at this!”  I turned and saw she had picked up something over to the side of the small cavern.  I walked over and she lifted up what looked like a doll.  It was falling apart and so faded it had next to no color left, but there was no mistaking the tail and fur of a Furan citizen.

          “It must have been left over from when the original Furan left Ky’Mera.” I said, thinking out loud, “Must have been dropped as dad led them up to the surface.”

          “Yeah,” she said, her voice distant, “To think that some little Furan boy or girl was standing right here were we are, thinking that the world was ending and there wasn’t any hope that things would get better.”  She sighed, “It kind of makes you think about what it must have been like back then for them.  Their world was falling apart and there was only dad there to say there was a way out of it.”  She fell silent.

          “Yeah,” I said, “it must have been one hell of a trip up to dad’s world where everything was different and not anything like what they had always known.”  I shook my shoulders, “Well, let’s get on with this so we can get home before everyone misses us.”  I turned and we started down the uneven steps into the dark and toward what I hoped was not just a wall of water. 

          As we climbed down the steps, sometimes having to lean on the wall so we didn’t fall on our faces, we reached a part of the tunnel that had a dark line that went all the way around the tunnel on one level.  Past the line the rock had been partly dissolved in places and had cracked in others.  Also, every inch had been changed from striated reds and oranges to a deep mucky brown.  I took a step past the line and almost fell on my butt because the rock was still wet in spots.  I looked up and smiled at Gabby, “Well, does this answer your question about the water level?”