“I tell you Peter, it’s okay. Here, you take him. The mom’s just out for a break. She needs it now and then. These hungry babies can’t get enough and paw at her all day.” She unceremoniously dropped the small cub in his lap and pulled out another one while Peter held his arms in the air, afraid to touch.
“I don’t, I mean, what if . . . ah . . .” Suddenly the cub let out a short squeal.
“He needs to feel more secure. Put your hands on him so he doesn’t feel alone.” Slowly, Peter lowered his arms to place his hands on the warm soft body. It started to purr as he gently patted it, becoming confident enough to cradle it in his arms. As he turned the cub to look at its wizened furry face, it reached out to cuff him softy and Peter fell in love.
“Oh my, this is amazing. He’s so little. What’s the little guy’s name?” He lowered his head to rub his face on the fur of the cub, planting a kiss on its forehead. Bonnie could hear the enchantment in Peter’s voice.
“We haven’t named them yet. Why don’t you think about names and come around before breakfast? Abby or Ginger Mae are usually here by then.” At the mention of Ginger Mae, Peter’s body tightened visibly, his face darkening with a scowl.
Bonnie rushed to explain. “Don’t worry. She’s just here to do the daily census. If she sees you, she’ll leave us alone. Don’t you think it’s time you got over her, Peter?”
He startled, the cub squeaking again. “What makes you think I’m not over her, Bonnie? ‘Cause I am.” His tone of voice left no doubt. “I just don’t appreciate being played for a fool.”
“Shh, it’s okay,” she soothed him. “I’m happy to hear that. Sorry I mentioned her name. What do I know? I’m just a kid that hangs with animals, anyway.” Placated, Peter went back to admiring his cub, beaming at his tender newfound love. The only thing Bonnie remained to be convinced of was that no insurmountable damage remained over his relationship with Ginger Mae.
*
Later that evening as the survivors filtered into Netty’s vintage kitchen for dinner, they were all surprised to see the four Elders with their minions, Baby and Echo, standing expectantly to attention. Conversations ceased as the survivors muttered their surprise and curiosity. After greeting Barney and the posse of assorted dogs ensconced on the comfort of Netty’s hand-braided rugs in front of the huge fireplace, individuals made their way to one of the long wooden tables that would serve as dinner and entertainment central for the rest of their evening.
As Captain Cobby and Karen took their seats, he called out to Abby, “Did someone die? You all look like you’re going to a funeral.”
Kenya screamed from her modified chair near the fireplace with Chance and the dogs. “You all are gonna see me kill someone real soon if you don’t do something about this baby a mine. I’ll give ya a funeral.”
Johno knelt in front of her. “Shhh, Miss Kenya. You do not want to be talking like that. Crystal, can we bother you to pour some tea for Miss Kenya?” Crystal muttered under her breath as Salina passed her the copper teapot.
“Listen, chickey. Anytime you decide I have it cushy around here, you can take my place with this beach ball an all. I’ll be happy ta pour you some tea now and then.”
Crystal rolled her eyes as Kenya gave her a glare meant to fry bacon, if they had any. Ignoring the pregnant teen, Crystal poured her tea, giving Johno a shove. “Now you get your sweet butt over to the table. You don’t need to be fussin’ over this girl every night. Does he, Kenya?” She fixed Kenya with her own searing glare.
“I don’t know why you gotta be so mean ta me, Crystal.”
Crystal swiped Kenya’s hair back off her neck. “Now Kenya, you hush now. Somethins up. If we can keep it down, maybe the beauties up there might have some news to tell us. This might be your chance to question Netty about your pregnancy since you’re so sure she hiding something.”
As Crystal scrambled back to her seat by Johno and the muttering fell silent, Jose stepped forward. Clearing his throat, he began. “I think it’s safe to say that we’re all happy to be here.” Heads nodded as murmurs of gratitude floated around the huge kitchen. “And I’m sure it hasn’t gone unnoticed that pretty much all of you are looking better than when you got here. Gloria, your diabetes is clearly gone. I bet you have never looked this great and felt this good in your whole life.”
“You got that right, Jose,” Gloria simpered as red-headed trucker Billy’s arm wrapped possessively around her. “And Billy doesn’t need to use his inhaler anymore.”
Jose nodded his head in agreement. “And Peter, I notice you don’t wear your glasses anymore. Are you seeing okay?”
Peter flushed to the roots of his nondescript hair, embarrassed by the attention. “I can see just fine.”
Jose panned the crowd. “Ginger Mae, Abby says you sure look like your old self again. I’m so happy for you.”
She nodded an acknowledgment, her mega-watt smile stretching from ear to ear as Dezi gave her a kiss on the cheek. Daisy jumped up and down like her mom was the guest of honor.
Jose turned to the fireplace and whistled. “Mimi, come here, girl.”
The sweet skunk-like puppy mill mommy, one of Echo’s favorites, trotted over to Jose, happy to be the center of attention. Jose scooped her up in his arms and turned her heartbreaking, agreeable face to the crowd.
“Has anyone noticed her cataracts are gone? She has no problem seeing now.” Jose set Mimi on the ground with a hug sending her scampering back to the posse. Turning back to the crowd, he asked, “Does anyone recognize the miracles at work here?”
The voices in the crowd of hungry survivors shouted their jubilant agreement as Kane entered the kitchen and, with a wave to Scotty and Chloe, inched his way over to an anxious Kenya, who had not failed to notice the absence of Emma in the room.
Clyde stood up to address Jose as Salina tugged on his arm, shaking her head with displeasure. He scanned the group of survivors at the table as if soliciting support. “You all know I’m a man of few words. So if ya don’t mind, Jose, I wish you’d stop beating around the bush here. We’re not stupid. We know there’s something at work and it ain’t the food. Not that I’m complaining about the improvements, it’s just that I think we have a right to know what’s happening to us.”
“You tell ‘em there, chickey. This girl done had enough.” Kenya’s indignation set the crowd whispering; infectious agitation whirling the room.
Billy stood up, giving Jose a nervous, respectful bow. “If you don’t mind, Jose, I’m of a mind that you’ve known the truth for about six months now. So I’d like to hear the truth from those that have been hiding it.” All eyes moved pointedly to Netty and Wil.
Wil shared a glance with the other three Elders before addressing the crowd. Lifting Baby from the floor by his side, he placed him on the counter. Stepping forward, he turned to Billy. “We have no ulterior motives in keeping the explanation from you. I realize it is now time for you all to understand what you are facing. I will be blunt.”
Silence descended on the crowd, no one wanting to miss a syllable of the news they’d only gossiped about in dark corners of the Hive.
Staring with calmness into the collective faces of the survivors, Wil dropped the bomb. “The Earth will not be in a condition for any of you to resurface for the next one hundred years.”
Shocked silence met his pronouncement. Ginger Mae grabbed on to Daisy, who sat holding young Kimir’s hand. Kimir’s tiny voice could be heard all the way to the front of the room. Out of the mouth of babes they say . . .
“We’re all going to die here, without ever seeing the sun or the moon again.”
The kitchen erupted with exclamations and invectives. A sob was heard from Kenya as Kane tried to comfort her. From the kitchen door, Emma quietly entered to take her seat next to Bonnie and Dezi. Johno and his men sat, quiet and pensive, as Crystal added her quarrelsome voice to the bedlam.
Cobby stood, his hands held out in a supplicating gesture. “Please, please. We’re a
ll friends here. Can you give the man a chance? Let’s hear him out.”
The crowd slowly simmered down, turning their attention back to Wil at the front of the kitchen.
“The ground above is contaminated. You must recognize this. Many years have to pass before life can exist on the poisoned Earth. The Womb had planned to eliminate Homo sapiens safely while allowing the other species to flourish without the pain and assaults humans bring to their lives. This wondrous planet could then heal and regenerate from the multitude of wounds perpetrated by man. Now, the only life that is left is here with us. The Womb will eventually create new life forms and import a select few that will integrate with our wildlife and create a new world. You are all needed to help with the integration. Happily, you will all be able to find a new life with a new, peaceful purpose.”
Karen’s voice rang out. “Wil, how do you figure we’ll be here in a hundred years? Won’t we be all dead and buried? Except for you guys. You get to live forever.”
Cobby reached over to comfort her as the bitterness rang from her voice, pumping up the crowd again.
“Please . . . can you all please settle down? Let me finish.” Wil’s tail rose high in the air, his wings snapping like whips, his demeanor no longer calm. “Do I need to remind you that if it were not for Abby and the plans of the Womb, you would all be dead now anyway?” As Wil regained their attention, he spat out his words with no further regard for gentle niceties. “You will all live to see the day we resurface. Yes . . . you will all emerge the exact same physical age you were when you entered the Hive. The Womb has been ensuring your health since the first night you slept here, as well as the animals.
“As you sleep, microscopic armies of biosensitives enter through the pores of your skin to repair and replace any cells that have been damaged from free radicals, mutation, and existing disease. They correct or destroy any cells that have begun to divide improperly as a result. The age mechanism will never be allowed to turn on. That is, until you leave the Hive to resume living above ground.”
The stunned silence deafened them all as fearful eyes cast around blankly in search of a way to absorb the ramifications of Wil’s disclosures. Slowly, the women turned to Kenya, their expressions dawning with the horror of her obvious reality.
“No,” she screamed, as the full brunt of Wil’s words hit her. “You can’t do this to me.” Kenya’s huge, beautiful eyes popped out of her sockets with incredulity. Her heaving breasts threatened to explode from her smock as she struggled to stand. Frantically, she searched the crowd for support.
“Johno, Salina . . . please . . . you can’t let them do this to me. Kane, help me stand up.” She continued to struggle to her feet as Kane tried to assist. Her eyes searched the crowd.
“Scotty, help me. You can talk to them. Make them stop. I need this baby out now. I can’t be pregnant for a hundred years.” Her face screwed up in tears and shock as her fellow survivors looked down, afraid to meet her eyes. No one wanted to stop the process, squeamish as it sounded. They wanted to live and continue to enjoy their miraculous heath. Kenya moaned and collapsed back into her chair, Kane as useless as most men when it came to pregnant females.
Netty approached with a mug of yellow liquid. “Take this, it will help.”
Kenya flailed out knocking the mug from Netty’s hands. “No. I want this baby out, right now. You can do it. I know you can. Talk to your Mr. Womb. Tell him . . . tell him I promise to be good.” Her voice reduced to a whine between her sobs.
Johno hurried over to the distraught teen. She threw herself into his arms. “There, there, Miss Kenya.” He turned and nodded to Netty, asking with his eyes for another mug of her medicine.
“We will all be here to help you. It’s okay.” He rocked her gently. “Yes, it’s all okay. Everyone will help. You are not alone here, right Kane?” Johno stared at Kane who stood dumbfounded. “Kane?”
Johno’s voice startled him out of his paralysis. Kneeling he gripped her hand. “Babe, you know I’m here for you. And the baby. We’ll get through this together. It’s just going to take a little longer, that’s all.”
A fresh bout of wailing erupted as Johno and Kane cringed. Johno shook his head at Kane, rolling his eyes as Kane’s mistake registered on his face.
Netty appeared with a fresh mug of the yellow liquid, handing it to Kane. “Here, drink this. You’ll feel much better.”
Kenya eyed it suspiciously. “What is it? I don’t want it to hurt my baby.”
Netty answered in calm low tones, her voice as soothing as could be under the difficult circumstances. “It is a natural remedy from Oolaha. We have been preparing for this moment so we grew some of it from seed provided by the Womb.”
Kenya took a cautious sip. “It tastes like plain water. Why doesn’t the Womb just let me have my baby if he can do so much?” Her bitterness resonated around the kitchen.
“Drink up, my dear.” Netty watched as Kenya finished the contents of the mug.
Suddenly, the walls of the kitchen started to undulate; streaks of color and light flashed with the gyrations. Netty and Wil froze. Auras from Baby and Echo slammed into the Elders, including Scotty.
*
“Brothers, Sisters, we have danger. We must go.” They took to the air in a wink, their wings invisible with the quickening of their flutters. Without a word, Netty and Wil drew their wings to their bodies, covering themselves from head to toe and just disappeared without a word.
One last aura, a plea from Echo. “Protect My Barney, Brother Scotty. He must not follow.”
Scotty shouted into the air. “Where are you going, Echo?”
The aura faded as Scotty heard the words. “The big rock. Your big rock.”
Chapter 7
All of the men in Netty’s kitchen scrambled towards the door, Cobby and Clyde pausing in front of the women. Turning to confront Karen and Salina, they hugged them both. Clyde removed Salina’s arms from around his neck, wrapping her hands in his enormous fists.
“You have to stay here and look after Kenya. I don’t want you in danger. There’s no telling what this is about.” He kissed her hard as her wide frightened eyes spoke for her.
“Everyone, please wait.” Captain Cobby stood on a chair. “The women must remain here. We don’t know what to expect. Only the men should come. We don’t even know where to go yet.”
Scotty spoke up as Abby prepared to object. “Chloe, please make sure Barney stays with you. Keep all the dogs here. Abby, please keep an eye on everyone.”
He lifted Mimi up to place her in Chloe’s arms where she nestled down next to Teddy. He scanned the room quickly, spotting the pair of pit bulls. “I know where to go, Cobby. Let’s take King and Queenie with us.” The majestic pit bulls rose upon hearing their names, the fur on their backs standing up like bristles.
Ginger Mae drew Daisy and Kimir to the fireplace near Kenya, who searched frantically for a hand to grasp for reassurance.
“Abby, please hold down the fort for us here. We need you with the women in case danger gets this far.”
Johno and his keepers stood anxiously waiting at the door, ready to spring into action. Scotty headed toward them, giving a shout. “Let’s go. I know where they went. Echo is directing me.” As they rushed out the door, Scotty spied Caesar, standing tensed, yet clearly not ready to join the rush of men. Hmm, that’s odd. He’s not coming with me?
Slipping over to the big cat’s side, Scotty gave him a hug. “That’s okay, boy. You stay here. Don’t let anyone or anything into the kitchen until we get back. Keep your eye on Chloe and the women.” Caesar gave a deafening roar, something Scotty had never witnessed before. Reassured, he ran down the corridor toward the waiting men, Peter bringing up the rear.
The frightened men followed Scotty down the corridors, the membrane covered walls still exhibiting the contortions of light and color that had set Netty and Wil off with Echo and Baby. No one had visited the original cavern that led to the corridor by the entrance since th
ey’d entered the Hive over six months ago.
Cobby caught up to him. “Do you think someone is trying to break in?”
“No, I only found the entrance to the Hive by accident when I was a kid. So did Jose when he followed Barney into the woods one day. And Netty never would have found it if Baby hadn’t called her to the Hive so long ago. That’s a remarkably low incidence of discovery over the one-hundred-year time span it’s been here. It must be something else.”
It had never occurred to them that someone could get in. Scotty now wondered if the problem was just near his childhood refuge. His granite rock was where this whole adventure had begun.
As they traversed the expanse of the cavern where they had huddled on their frightful inaugural night, Scotty realized they all were experiencing similar emotions. The demons that deviled them that night were back: Fear of the unknown.
Entering the corridor that led to the entrance of the Hive, they stopped to listen and catch their breath. The unexpected silence served only to ratchet up the suspense. Walking as quickly and quietly as they could, the group rounded the bend to a formidable scene.
Netty and Wil stood stoically and calmly at attention, their wings spread wide as Baby and Echo continued to flutter in the air behind them. The entrance of the Hive appeared to be nothing more than the translucent membrane: thin and stretched as the outlines of two humans were revealed in the organic glop. Slowly, the membrane stretched and began to tear as the two human forms put more pressure on the flexible wall.
Suddenly, the two figures fell through, followed by a foaming red fox, emaciated and rabid, blood leaking from every orifice. The two human figures were in no better condition: walking skeletons with unrecognizable features and bloody trails from various body locations. One appeared to be minus an ear and in the throes of a severe infection, swollen and leaking a viscous fluid.
Cobby and Clyde stepped up to the two figures as they attempted to dodge the whirling fox.
“Wil, get over here. These people are dying. Give us a hand.”
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