She felt more dirt spray at her face and was sure that the ceiling was collapsing. Panic overwhelmed her and she squirmed as hard as she could to free her trapped arm.
“Shhhh,” she heard Igoss whisper. She felt the rough fur of her companion against her face. But rather than comfort her, the closeness almost caused her to completely lose control and she trashed about even harder. She felt his cold nose against her face, and smelled his awful dog breath, g’noll-breath, she corrected.
She heard scratching and after a moment she felt the
ground begin to fall away and realized that Igoss was moving the earth from around her. She sighed in relief when her arm became free and she could stretch it out in front of her.
“Stay,” he insisted.
It took every ounce of her self-control but Amanda did as she was told.
She could hear him at work, the scratching on the dirt all the while she laid still with dirt surrounding. She imagined what it would be like to be dead and buried but quickly forced herself to banish the thought. With nothing to distract her, the worry she felt about Sarah welled up inside her and a feeling of utter helplessness consumed her. In her despair she began to cry.
She could hear the sound of the g’noll moving away, only to reappear with a speed that she marveled at. In the darkness her sense of time became distorted it could have been hours or only an hour. She couldn’t tell.
“Come,” he said without warning.
She began to move again and found that she had enough space to crawl, her back barely brushing the ceiling.
It took no more than two or three minutes of crawling along before she popped her head out of a hole in the ground at the other end. She pulled herself straight up and found herself standing in a tiny clearing no larger than a phone booth surrounded by grass so tall that it blocked out her view of the horizon. As she cast about, just above her field of view she could see that the dragonettes were still floating on currents of air far off in the distance behind them.
“Come,” said Igoss. He pushed his way out of the clearing into the dense grass and Amanda followed quickly before it could close back in on her.
With the lack of cover, the brightness of the Tarsinian sky began to take a toll on Amanda. The back of her eyes ached from the harsh light like the time she forgot to wear sunglasses during their short trip to Florida when the sun reflected so brightly off of the crystal blue water and white sand that she was convinced that she’d sunburned her retinas. She squinted and covered one eye at a time as pushed herself through the wide-open field of blue grey grass that was taller than she. Gnats and mosquito-like insects buzzed around her head attracted to the oils in her sweat that darkened her white blouse at every possible crease.
“You ok?” grunted Igoss.
“No, but complaining won’t make it better,” she said more snappishly than she intended. She heard her tone and apologized immediately. “I’m sorry, Igoss, it’s this damn heat and these bugs, and, and well just everything. You must be hotter than me, you’re wearing a fur coat.” She laughed weakly at her joke.
“Stay still,” he said. He took a glazed clay vial out of his leather sack and pulled open off the cork stopper with his teeth. Dark green fumes so thick that they barely moved when the air stirred began to slowly drift upwards. He held them close to Amanda and gently wafted them towards her. When they reached her nose, she cautiously sniffed at them.
“No breathe.” he warned.
“Oh, that smells good,” she said, and took another large whiff then she inhaled deeply. “It smells like fresh cherries taste.”
“Careful. Dangerous.”
“What is it?”
“It make you feel better.” He said no more.
He furrowed his brow as he stoppered the bottle and Amanda felt a little disappointed as the cooling mist and sweet taste gradually faded away.
“Come.” Igoss turned and began pushing through the thick elephant grass.
“Ok, let’s go get my sister,” Amanda giggled feeling a little lightheaded and much happier than she’d been since her mother told them they’d be staying with Uncle Everett on the farm.
“That stuff is amazing, even the bugs are gone.” she said merrily as they pushed their way onward.
“Your scent is gone. Carried away with the smoke. Zis can’t find you.”
“Is that what you call them? Zis?”
“The sound they make…Zis-Zis-Zis…”
She laughed at this. “Oh God, I’m high, aren’t I?” Her laughter became uncontrollable.
“High? You no higher than before.”
“It’s an expression, that smoke has made my feelings soar like a bird…high.”
“I give you too much. No more.”
She tried to feel disappointed but she couldn’t, nothing could be wrong, she would find Sarah, go home, and then take the bus to Toronto where she’d find Devon and tell him how she felt. Suddenly, the thought of Percy popped into her head. As she remembered Percy lying there, his bare muscular chest intruded into her thoughts about Devon. The memory made her tingle all over. Igoss looked at her curiously; she blushed as if he knew what was on her mind.
“Come,” he turned and began to shuffle through the grass, his tough fur pushing apart the stalks and creating a passage for her to follow.
The day wore on and they made good time through the field. Amanda ignored the many minor scratches that the edges of the grass had made on her bare arms. All at once, like opening a curtain, the grass wall ended, the ground dropped away and suddenly they could see further than their hands right out in front of them. The ground sloped downward and the grass thinned. Amanda could see a deep brook that she would have to wade across.
“Rest,” said the g’noll. He crouched by the slow-moving water and began to lap at it the way Trevor would. He scowled. Amanda tasted the water too. It was oily and disgusting. They searched for a short distance, periodically checking the many small pools along its banks. After almost giving up, they found a small pool that was isolated from the flowing water. Amanda cupped her hands and scooped up a mouthful of the cool water. It was good. Together, they sat and quenched their thirsts.
Suddenly, Igoss sat up straight and sniffed the air. He cocked his head as if to listen and then slowly turned his head from left to right, one ear pointed towards the sky.
“What?” asked Amanda.
He held up his paw to silence her.
“Stay,” he commanded, then scampered away along the riverbank.
Unsure what she should do, Amanda remained where she was for several minutes but when the g’noll failed to return, in an uncharacteristic lack of self-control, most likely due to the feel-good drugs coursing through her veins, she set off after him at a run. The high banks on the winding stream reminded her of a haybale maze that she’d been to a local fall carnival. After several turns, she heard the faint sound of distant voices, no, they were more like snarls but their pattern clearly indicated a linguistic sophistication.
Creeping slowly and trying to move quietly- the wet hem of her skirt dragging in the knee-deep water, her feet squelching in her wet converse sneakers. It was around a particularly sharp curve that she saw them. Just a glimpse at first, then she slipped back unnoticed to think for a moment. She found it difficult to focus, her thoughts tried to push through the cloud of bliss that filled her head. The guttural sounds grew louder and she was frozen in place, her indecision paralyzed her ability to move either towards or away from what was happening just around the bend. It was the sound of Igoss’ voice, strained and clearly in pain that awoke her protective instincts.
Amanda peeked around the corner, Igoss was lying on his back in the water. A large leathery creature that looked like a horned armadillo pressed him downwards with his foot while two others rooted through the g’nolls leather satchel.
“Not that one,” Igoss squeaked, his face half in the water, a foot on his neck pressing him down.
One of the creatures was examin
ing a clay container and trying to pry it open.
“Grukk, Ruff, Grrr,” it replied.
“AYEE!” shrieked the g’noll as his captor pressed down harder and snarled.
“Let him up!” shouted Amanda, stepping bravely into view.
The three ferocious creatures stared at her. After a moment they began to laugh.
“Glick Bah Hey!” jabbered one of them who appeared to be the leader as he pointed towards her.
His companions took up their spears that were leaning against the bank and began to charge towards her. Bold as a red dress on picture day, Amanda raised her hands and shouted “STOP!”
She heard the sound of the whale song, distant, as though someone were shouting through into a pillow and then nothing happened.
“STOP!” she shouted again as the creatures bearing down her closed to half the distance and accelerated towards her. The sound of the whale song was stronger yet still, nothing happened.
“Damn,” she looked at Igoss now crouching. The remaining creature was holding his shoulder in his rough paw. With a nod of his head Amanda knew what to do. She turned and ran. She hiked her skirt up with one hand, and held Percy’s bag close with the other as she pelted through the water with her pursuers hot on her trail.
She was getting further away, but when she looked over her shoulder to see where her pursuers were, she slipped on a wet stone and fell to her knees. She looked back just in time to see a thrown spear pass over her and impale itself in the bank. They were no more than a dozen paces behind her and gaining. With all of her strength, she pushed off and dashed around the bend. She looked left and right frantically for a way out of the ravine. Up ahead she saw a long straight away and dug deep for another gear raising her knees, driving down hard and opening the gap up just a bit. The banks grew narrower and the water grew deeper and deeper and soon she up to her knees slogging along. She could hear them splashing behind her closing now. She felt a sudden shove in the middle her back and fell forward arms out splashing into water that was up to her thighs.
Sputtering, she surfaced and turned to see them standing over her laughing in high barks like hyenas. Amanda tried to swim away but they were too quick; each one reached out and grabbed her by a foot; pulling her under the water. Their patterns were blurred through the water under the bright sun, and the glare forced her to shut her eyes as she felt the butt of a wooden spear on her stomach, pushing her deeper.
Her lungs burned as she reached for the magic. The song was distant, barely discernable in her mind. The CO2 in her blood reached a critical point and her instinct to breath began unbearable. The last few bubbles in her lungs escaped through her cold lips as she gulped a mouthful of water.
“This is it,” she thought. Panic filled her and she squirmed desperately to get to the surface that was only a few agonizing centimeters away. Whether due to her thrashing or some other force, the pinion holding her down came away and she sprang to the surface gasping for air, coughing furiously, barely able to comprehend what was happening around her.
A brown and grey blur was tangled up with the leathery creatures many times its size. One of them, still holding his spear, waved it around trying to strike at who Amanda realized was Igoss. It missed him several times before accidentally stabbing his comrade with the sharp metal point. In the moment that the spear was immobile, Igoss counter-attacked and lunged in the air, a rock in each hand striking a flurry of blows to his opponent’s head and neck as he dug his sharp toe claws deep into its chest. They fell together with a splash but the g’noll continued to strike at the thrashing creature until the water became still and red with blood.
Rising up, his lip curled, he snarled. The wounded creature who was seated on his backside holding the spear that was still protruding from his gut. Igoss hissed like an angry cat and the much larger beast began to comically skooch away. Igoss threw one of his rocks with a terrifying accuracy and force that could get him a major league baseball contract. Blood streamed from the torn leathery hide just above the wounded attacker’s eye brow. Igoss hissed again.
The large creature gained his feet and fled; the spear still sticking out in front of him as he fled.
All at once, his fury faded and the gentle physician returned. Carefully he dragged Amanda to shallower water on the shore. He pressed his head to her chest and listened to her breath.
“This time, stay,” he commanded and scampered away.
Amanda closed her eyes for a moment, every breath she took hurt and made her cough violently. Somehow, she managed to force herself out of the water by pushing herself along the rocky bottom with her heals. With only the lower half her legs in the water, exhausted from struggling in the water in her heavy clothes, she closed her eyes for a moment and slipped away.
She was seated with her back against the high bank walls when she opened her eyes. There was a warm feeling in her chest as the smell of something resembling camphor filled her nostrils. Each and every breath she took burned and the associated pain was intense. She had the urge to take deep gasps and it felt like she couldn’t get enough air. Dry drowning, she recalled from swimming lessons, she’d learned about kids who drowned hours after playing in water, their lungs unable to purge excess water they’d accidentally inhaled and eventually suffocating while on dry land.
“Drink,” said Igoss. He held a bowl full of a clear liquid up to her lips. It was flavorless like water but it burned as it went down. When it reached her stomach, she began to cough uncontrollably. Water and phlegm sprayed down her chin as she wretched violently. Her sides ached and a stitch formed in her diaphragm as the spasms continued, but after each fit, she found could breathe a little easier. When the effects of whatever potion she’d consumed finally subsided, she took a deep cleansing breathe and there was only the slightest cough with no more liquid running down her chin.
“Up,” commanded the g’noll. “We walk. It help you”
Amanda struggled to her feet and wobbled a bit. Igoss steadied her.
“Thank you,” she said.
“Next time I say stay. You stay.”
“But there were three of them.”
“On day I can’t outsmart three k’bolts I deserve, go to the darkness.”
“K’bolts? Is that what they are called? Are we likely to come across more of them?”
“Don’t know. K’bolts sent beyond the mountains after war. Should not be here. I worry.”
“Why do you think they’ve come back?” she coughed weakly as she spoke.
He shook his head. “Enough words, we walk. It help.”
They wandered down the ravine and passed where she first encountered them k’bolts holding Igoss. The leader was lying face down in the water, his skull cracked open, the grey matter of his brains exposed. A large mottled bird stood on his neck picking at the open wound.
“Look away,” Igoss said gently.
Gladly she averted her eyes while silently in awe of her brave companion. Eventually, they found a gradual slope that led up to the far bank. The grass was shorter, and small shrubs and copses of trees were scattered about. Moose sized animals with brindle coats and large antlers grazed peacefully. Occasionally, one of them would look up casually as Amanda and Igoss traipsed along, her clothes and his fur drying, under the white-hot summer sun. In the distance, what looked like a parade with pennants was marching across the open ground.
Igoss stared and shook his head. “Strange,” was all he said.
They found a copse of trees that hide them from sight and spread their things out to dry. Amanda was certain that the tablet was ruined but when she opened the satchel, she found everything inside completely dry.
“Curious,” she said to Igoss. “I expected the bag to be full of water, but look.” she held it out for him to inspect.
Igoss inspected the bag carefully. He folded and unfolded the flaps. “Fine, work. This bag of king.” he declared. “To keep important writing dry.”
Amanda wondered why a common soldier
would have such a bag. Then she was grateful that he did.
Reunited
Fallen trees lay about like dead soldiers as Everett and Trevor picked their way slowly and cautiously through the aftermath of the latest quake. They were forced to leap over or crawl under the thick trunks as followed hoof prints along the oily creek. The long summer sun was fading and the long shadows made following the trail almost impossible.
After stumbling over fallen debris at least a dozen times they considered stopping for the night. Suddenly, like a call from across a vast ocean, Everett heard the whale song beckoning to him.
“Magic!” he exclaimed. “This way! We have to hurry!”
He climbed up on the wolf’s back, and together they scrambled across the loose and upturned ground towards the source of the call as fast as Trevor could run. With renewed vigor, he leaped and bounded over the devastation. Everett clung firmly to his fur and squeezed tightly with his knees, as stray branches scratched his arms and tugged at his hoodie.
They rode through the night and well into the morning. Trevor’s boundless energy never once wavered. The welcoming scent of food cooking greeted them as they entered a copse of trees. The sun, now well above the horizon had dried away the morning dew and buzzing flies filled the air.
A troop of g’nolls were tending a sparse camp. A medicine pot hung over a smoky fire with a lone g’noll tending it. Other g’nolls were tending someone or something under a rude tarp that was strung up between some still standing trees.
Everett approached the sick bed and found Percy lying with his eyes closed on a cot constructed from uneven branches tied together with rough twine. An attending g’noll was wiping his forehead.
Before he could reach the boy, Knoor approached the wizard and knelt before him.
“Your Eminence.”
More abruptly than he’d intended, Everett replied urgently. “The girl, where is she?”
Knoor nodded as though he understood. “She set out before the sun, moving towards the mountains.”
“Wizard,” squeaked Percy.
Amanda Applewood and the Return of the False King: An Everworld Book Page 15
