"Everyone is hungry and we're running out of water. We have to go," said Sebastian. "It's been two days already."
He looked at the canopy, where a rare beam of sunlight penetrated the giant trees' leaves. Around them, men and women huddled together, softly talking, trying to keep their minds off their situation. The rock formation was not very big and it was almost too crowded to freely move around.
"But how?" said Svetka, concerned. "Those things are still around. Last night, Ann saw two sand devils constantly circling on the far side of this rock."
It had seemed an appropriate name, "sand devil," though those local to this continent called them differently.
"We know, but we can't stay here," said Jarod, who had asked Sebastian to come and help make his point to Svetka. "Waiting time is over. We need to do something or we'll starve."
"Just look at them," responded Svetka. "You can't expect them to make a run for it. They're scared and tired. If we all make a break for it, they'll panic. It will be complete chaos. And just where do we go?"
"That's why one of us needs to have a look around."
Surprised, Sebastian looked at Jarod. That had not been part of their discussion when Jarod had approached him.
"But who will dare take such a risk?" Svetka asked after carefully considering this.
"Obviously, that will be m—" started Jarod, when Sebastian interrupted him.
"I'll do it."
Both Jarod and Svetka examined him with questioning looks. He half expected them to object. During their escape, he had not exactly been the example of active decision making. It would be a dangerous task, and if he froze in fear or even hesitated for the slightest moment, it could prove fatal and the group would lose another while gaining nothing.
But Jarod's expression changed, right before he asked, "Are you sure you want to do this?"
"I'm hungry but I'm not weak. I want to do this. I want to help. Besides, I can still run and you can't—you twisted your ankle yesterday while climbing the rock, didn't you? How were you planning on making a run for it?"
"Actually...I wasn't," said Jarod.
He grabbed a few tiny stones nearby and walked toward the edge. Sebastian wondered what he planned to do as Jarod scanned the near surroundings, flipping the little stones in his hand. Then he threw them all in one motion across the forest floor. The pebbles skidded, bumped and tumbled across the ground. Immediately, two burrowing trails moved toward the tiny stones. As they slid to a halt, one of the trails ended right below them and before Sebastian knew it, the pebbles disappeared into the ground.
"I think they react to the sound of our footsteps. I thought if someone could make a distraction on the far side of the rocks, I would scout in the other direction, walking as slowly and softly as possible. Maybe if we walk softly enough, they won't hear us."
Sebastian had not thought about that, but it made sense. They had not been able to find and grab Wes until he started to run again. Perhaps it really was that simple.
"Even better. I can walk softly, move toward that rock in the distance," Sebastian said, pointing over Svetka's shoulder. "Perhaps I'll see a way to get out of this mess."
After going over the plan a few times, they decided not to waste any more daylight—being stalked by ground-burrowing killers seemed even less appealing in the dark. So, while a dozen of their group moved to the edge of the rock formation they were on, Sebastian went to the opposite side. Those who had volunteered to help cause the distraction took whatever long branches or rocks they could find and prepared themselves.
"Ready?" called Jarod.
"Ready," Sebastian shouted back, nervously keeping an eye on the ground.
"Start clobbering, everyone," he heard Jarod yell, after which the thumping sounds of branches hitting the sand and stones hitting the rock under their feet began on the far side of their little refuge island.
Sebastian counted to ten, then twenty, scanning the ground for any reaction. When he reached thirty, two small tracks started to move, making their way around the rock formation. He counted to thirty again, but did not see anything else move. He swallowed, inched toward the edge and extended his foot. With a soft exhale, he put his foot on the sand as softly as possible. The tiny grains of sand crunched under his weight. He stopped and held his breath until he could not hold it any longer. Another five breaths he waited, then he took another step, each time nervously looking around to see if anything rushed his way.
Behind him, Svetka watched him closely. Sebastian froze as someone screamed. One of the creatures had ventured close to the rock's edge, forcing a few of the volunteers to stop. Immediately, Jarod spread them along the edge and told the others to double their efforts and make up for the ones forced to pause when one of the sand devils came close.
Sebastian's heart pounded, but nothing happened. He inhaled deeply through his nose, trying not to make too much noise, and forced himself to relax. Then he took another step. And another, softly and carefully. After what felt like half the morning, he finally reached the first safe point—a half-buried boulder twice his length.
He waved back to Svetka to let her know he was safe. Straight away, he looked for his next safe haven and pushed on, knowing full well he should not waste too much time looking for a way out. The rock formation disappeared from sight behind the trunks of several giant trees. Sebastian still heard the distant beating of sticks and rocks, but wondered if any of the creatures this far out would be drawn toward it still.
He spotted his next destination as he moved around the next big tree. One of the forest giants lay flat on the ground, toppled over by means never to be known. Along its trunk, saplings of different ages had sprung to life, reaching for the sky as they bathed in the sunlight shining through the canopy where the toppled tree had left a giant hole.
With one stop in between, Sebastian reached the uprooted tree and climbed on top of it. Most of it was still solid wood, but here and there the giant trunk was riddled with holes like a giant honeycomb. Ignoring his curious surroundings, Sebastian quickly walked the length of the trunk. When he reached the end, his face brightened at the gift the world laid before him. A long cliff ran beneath, solid stone that ran for as far as he could see, slowly descending as it snaked between the trees. It looked like it could go on for miles, and with solid rock beneath their feet there was no way these burrowing creatures could follow them. This was it—this was their way out!
He made his way back as quickly as possible, using signals to time his walks as people took turns hitting the sand. When he reached the rock formation with sweat on his back and told of his findings, the group quickly went from stifled enthusiasm to laughter and cheers.
"Alright, alright," said Jarod loudly. "We're not out of the woods yet. We can't afford to make mistakes here. We didn't break out of those mines to get eaten or starve in this forest. Let's get everyone ready and do this."
This time, Sebastian was part of the diversion. After explaining his successfully discovered route to several of the men, they started their risky trip toward the fallen tree. There, they would regroup before leaving this blasted forest. Led in small groups, men, women and the occasional youngster stepped off the rock. They walked softly, hand in hand, in groups of five. None of them spoke as those on the other side put all their effort into banging on the ground.
By the time of Sebastian's second break, nearly the entire group had left the rocky isolation that had been their refuge. He was watching the single line of people carefully sneak across the forest floor when one of the elderly men tripped and landed heavily, pulling two of his group with him to the ground. Instantly, one of the trails in the sand moved around the rocks Sebastian stood on.
"Look out! One is coming around!" he yelled, only adding to the group's panic.
Those who had fallen scrambled back to their feet and started running, which only sped up the sand devil's reaction. Sebastian saw the other groups look around, frightened. Another trail broke from the main diversion and moved around the rocks. If he did not do something, all of them would panic and start running. They could not abandon the plan.
"No, stop running! Stop!"
Sebastian's voice echoed through the forest. If any of the Stone King's men were still following them, he might have just given away their position. But he had to do something; he refused to let his fear get the better of him any longer.
Before he knew it, his legs made the jump and he landed on the forest floor.
"Stop running! I'll draw it away!"
The complete madness of his offer shocked the panicking group so much they finally stopped. Sebastian's feet shot forward as the first of the sand devils made its way to their side of the rocky island. He only had to run a few steps parallel to the creature's movement before he noticed it turning toward him. Right away he adjusted his heading, now with the creature quickly gaining on him.
"Is the second one following as well?" he called back, hoping someone had bothered to track it after he jumped.
"It's closing in from behind," Jarod thundered. "Run! You have to get off the ground."
They did not need to tell him twice. Sebastian headed straight for the nearest tree; an immense wooden giant, with roots that looked like walls rising from the ground. His metal ring jolted uncomfortably around his neck as he heard the sand sift behind him—too close for comfort. He sped along one of the massive roots until he reached his intended destination: a somewhat smaller malformed tree root he intended to climb. He jumped, pushed off the wooden stepping stone he had spotted and grabbed the top of the root firmly with both hands. He put his foot against the lower part of the vertical root and felt it slip. With all the power in his arms he held on, dangling against the tree root, trying to keep his feet off the ground and get his footing back. Below him the sand devil cracked the surface, but instantly dove back under without an attempt to grab him. A tiny screech followed by a submerged hiss rose from the dirt. Finally, his foot found a knot in the wood and had something to push off from. His arm muscles bulged so much they hurt as he pulled himself up and sat on a flat part of the tree's base.
Sebastian looked down and saw the two sand devils circle underground between two of the tree's giant roots. He looked around as he tried to calm his breathing; the group of five still stood frozen on the spot where they had stopped.
"Keep hammering," screamed Jarod back on the rocky island.
The team redoubled their efforts, but it took a while before the sand devils abandoned their pursuit and slowly—as if they were reluctant to give up the chase—made their way back to the other side of the rock. When they turned the corner, Sebastian slid down from the tree root and landed as softly as possible on the sand. He waited and counted twenty breaths before making his way back to the rocks ever so softly.
Once he made it back and gave the all-clear, the other groups started moving again. Not long after, they disappeared from sight, leaving only their small group doing the clobbering to make the crossing.
"You go first. Take the others," said Sebastian. "I'll keep them occupied until everyone is safe."
"There will be nobody left to distract them," said Jarod.
"I know, so you'd better make certain the path is clear, because I do not plan to go slowly this time."
Jarod looked as if he was going to object, but something in Sebastian's eyes made him swallow his words.
"You'd better make it."
"Don't worry. You're not getting rid of me that easily," said Sebastian.
Jarod gave a nod and turned to make his way to the edge.
"Listen, Jarod," said Sebastian, making the man turn back around. "About what I said back in the mine. About you not being my father. I just—I wanted—"
"It's okay," said Jarod. "You don't have to say anything. Just keep your eye on the prize and run like hell."
Now it was Sebastian's turn to nod. He grabbed two of the longest sticks they had and moved to a small extended boulder at the base of their rocky refuge.
"Ready?" he called back.
"Ready!"
He started to drum the ground. Two—three—four trails started to sift through the sand. If one of them got too close, Sebastian ran to a different part and started to whack the ground there instead. His arms started to cramp, but he had no intention of slowing down. This was his turn to give back to those who had taken care of him. It was something he needed to do.
Next time I see Marek, I'll have something to tell, he thought. Something he could be proud of.
A whistle rang among the trees. It was the signal that all of them were safe.
Now it's my turn.
He stretched his legs, still tapping one stick on the ground while he waited for the numbness to slowly pull away from his muscles. He walked along the edge, trying to determine his best exit route—the longest path across the rocks, with the flattest surface possible. Making up his mind, he took a few deep breaths, drew back the heavy stick in his hand and hurled it as far as he could. Immediately, he pulled back his other arm—this one holding a branch a little more top heavy than the one soaring through the sky—and threw it even further away from the rocks. Recognizing the change in sound, the sand devils sped toward the thrown branches as Sebastian ran the other way.
He jumped from the rock formation, trying to cover as much distance through the air. He landed heavily but managed to keep on running without so much as a stumble. In no time, he had reached the first rock plateau that had seemed so very far that morning. Without stopping, he set a course for the second one. The sound of sand and dirt being torn aside reached his ears as he tried to focus on his breathing; the last thing he needed was a muscle cramp.
That's two, he thought as he crossed the second boulder of his route. The noise behind him was becoming louder.
As he turned the corner of one of the root walls, the toppled tree came into view. Those waiting for him on the trunk let out a cheer, which quickly turned to shouts of warning about the dangers that were chasing after him.
He panted heavily through his dry throat. How he would love to have a drink now—but that would have to wait. The sun shone brightly through the hole in the canopy and as Sebastian ran toward the fallen giant the light blinded him, if only for a moment. It was enough for him to miss a step as a small pothole went unnoticed. Unable to correct his step, he slammed hard onto the ground and skidded to a halt. He turned around in fear and saw the sand devils quickly close the gap. He scrambled backward, trying to get away, but it was too late.
With an eruption of dirt, the four horrors burst out of the ground, ready to pounce on their prey. Sebastian saw their disgusting mouths spread wide and their pincers open and close as the creatures launched through the air. He threw up his arms to shield himself, but as the first sand devil entered the sunlight it let out an angry screech that cut to the bone. The creature slammed into him, wildly thrashing around. The others showed similar distress as they entered the light. All fell beside him, where they rapidly burrowed back underground.
Sebastian kicked the one that had landed on top of him, cutting his skin on the many tiny sharp legs of the creature. It let out a hiss, burrowing after the others of its kind as Sebastian ran the last stretch toward the fallen tree. Jarod and the others helped him climb on to the trunk, where he sunk to his knees. He stared at the sky through the hole in the canopy—a clear blue sky with its yellow heavenly fire, already starting to warm his exhausted muscles as he lay panting on his back. His face broke out in a smile and he started to laugh. Not even the sharp-edged reminder around his neck could make him stop. Such a beautiful sky. How he had missed it!