Leaving Level Five

by L. S. O'Dea

“We’re not doing that,” said Terrance, McBrid’s father.

  “Okay, but at least go farther out to sea. You can watch for us from there.” When his father started to argue, McBrid hugged him. “I don’t want you trapped here if something happens.”

  “Why are you doing this again?” asked Uncle Rob.

  Glick clutched Charlie’s finger. They couldn’t change their minds. He needed to go now. He’d waited as long as he could.

  “Because I owe him.” McBrid looked at Glick. “I owe a lot of them. For most I can’t do anything, but this I can do.”

  His father sighed. “Be safe.”

  “I will and try not to worry. We’ll be back to start exploring the islands and relaxing on the beach in no time.” McBrid climbed down the small ladder that led to the row boat.

  “I still think I should take him, or at least let me go with you,” said Louis.

  “It’s better if you wait here.” Charlie hugged his brother. “I’ve gotten you into enough trouble.”

  “You saved me.” Louis’ voice cracked.

  “We’ll be fine. We’ll find a nice place and bury the eggs.” Charlie hugged his brother again. “We’ll be back before you know it.”

  “I can help”

  “Louis, I love you. I don’t want to put you at risk again. Please. Let me do this. Let me show you that I’ve grown up.”

  Louis nodded, his eyes filling with tears. “If you’re not back by morning, I’m coming to find you.”

  “Got it.” Charlie put Glick in his pocket. “Hang on and stay low.”

  Glick couldn’t help peeking as the Guard climbed down the ladder. There was nothing below but the ocean. He dropped down, hugging his knees. They’d be fine. The Almighty was in the boat. A Guard could certainly make the trip.

  Charlie’s body shifted and Glick bounced around in the pocket. A few moments later, there was nothing but a steady back and forth. He peeked out again and they were in the boat and heading for shore.

  CHAPTER 45: Glick

  The trip from ship to shore was fast. Before Glick knew it McBrid and Charlie tugged the row boat onto land and hid it in the bushes. Then, they took off into the forest.

  Glick couldn’t see much from the pocket but wasn’t sure he was strong enough to climb all the way back up to Charlie’s shoulder. He slapped the Guard’s side until Charlie looked down.

  “What’s the matter?”

  Glick pointed upward.

  “Got it.” Charlie put his hand near his pocket and Glick climbed into his palm. He tucked the little Brush-Man into his collar.

  Glick clasped onto a strand of hair for extra safety as the Guard followed McBrid farther into the woods.

  The forest was even better than he remembered. The scent of pine and dirt and hundreds of smells he couldn’t name surrounded him. Trees loomed above, tall and strong, but he didn’t want trees. In the enclosure, there had been a few trees but he’d always felt more comfortable in the bushes and high grasses. This area wouldn’t do for the hatchlings, but he’d remember every detail.

  Soon the trees became sparser and the grasses higher. Ahead was a vast prairie of openness. No trees. A stream and lots and lots of high grasses and bushes–some berry and some cakaonuts. Both would attract insects, birds and animals. It was perfect. He chirped and tugged on Charlie’s ear.

  “He wants to stop here.” Charlie’s hand moved to rest on his shoulder and Glick climbed onto it.

  “You sure about this place?” asked McBrid. “We can go deeper into the woods.”

  They’d sailed along the coast of the island for weeks. Glick was pretty sure they were deep enough not to be bothered by Almightys. Everything else, the hatchlings would have to learn how to handle. It’d be hard with no one to teach them, to protect them when they were small and helpless, but the strong would survive. Hopefully, they’d be kind and help the weaker ones like Bumpers and Rocky had. He chirped and nodded, pointing downward. Charlie shifted his hand as he lowered it to the ground.

  Glick stared up at the sky. He loved the sky–vast and blue with the sun warming his face like today or even gray and stormy. His eggs would love it too. He dropped to his knees and began to dig. The earth was tangled with roots, making his fingers ache and his arms feel like they were going to snap in two, which was a common feeling lately.

  “You should rest.” McBrid gently touched Glick’s hands. “We’ll do this for you.”

  Charlie knelt, using his fingers to unearth the soil as if it were dirt from a bag—easy and loose.

  Glick sat back on his haunches, inhaling the rich odors on the breeze. It was wonderful here and he was glad he’d made it. The sea had been great but the earth was his home.

  He chirped and the two stopped.

  “You sure it’s deep enough?” asked Charlie.

  McBrid stuck his hand inside, measuring. “Looks good to me.”

  Glick nodded and pointed at the container that Charlie pulled from his pocket.

  McBrid opened the metal box and grabbed one of the egg sacks, being very careful as he deposited it into the hole. He started to push the dirt over the eggs.

  Glick chirped, shaking his head and raising his left hand. He wanted them all in there. He pointed at the other sacks.

  “You don’t want to spread them out?” asked McBrid.

  He shook his head.

  “Something could happen to this section of land. A flood. Too much sun. An animal may find the eggs and destroy them.” McBrid moved over an inch or two. “We don’t have to go far, but we should give each sack its own hole.”

  “No. We’ll be fine.” He knew they didn’t understand his words, so he raised his left hand again.

  “Okay.” McBrid sighed. “But I still think we should dig separate holes. How about just one more?”

  Glick waved his left hand back and forth. What the scientist said made sense but these were his eggs and he wanted them with him.

  “It’s what he wants.” Charlie took out another sack and gently placed it into the hole.

  “I don’t understand why, but okay.” McBrid grabbed more eggs.

  When they were all inside the hole, the Guard and Almighty began to fill it with dirt.

  “The serum,” Glick chirped, pointing to Charlie.

  Charlie shook his head, glancing at McBrid from the corner of his eyes.

  Glick chirped louder. “Put it on them.” He needed to give them a chance. A chance to be better than the other Brush-Men and healthier than him.

  Charlie shook his head again, his hand resting for a quick second on his pocket.

  “Charlie, what do you...not the serum. We discussed this. I told you to leave it behind.” McBrid held out his hand. “Give it to me.”

  “No. We need that.” Glick ran over to the Almighty, slapping his leg. They may have talked about it, but Glick had never agreed with McBrid’s decision.

  McBrid ignored him. “Charlie.”

  “Okay.” The Guard placed the vials in McBrid’s palm. “But he wants you to use them.”

  “I know.” McBrid pocketed them and leaned down by Glick. “I never fully tested this. It might kill all the eggs.”

  Glick clasped his hands together and dropped to his knees. He was begging. He couldn’t make it any clearer. Without the serum the hatchlings would be monsters.

  “I-I’m sorry, but I can’t.”

  Charlie touched Glick’s shoulder. “It’s okay. McBrid knows what he’s talking about.” The Guard’s eyes darted to his pocket. “Trust him. Trust me.”

  “You have more? You didn’t give them all to him, did you?” Glick stared up at his friend.

  “Glassick, trust McBrid to do what he thinks is best for you and your eggs.” Charlie put his hand on his thigh. “We’re your friends. You know we’d do what you want”—he tapped his finger twice against his leg—“if we could, but McBrid knows best about these things.”

  Two taps. It was their secret code. Charlie was going to help him. “Thank you. Thank
you.” He chirped, knowing that McBrid would think he was angry.

  “It’s the only way they’ll have a chance,” said McBrid.

  Glick shot him a fake dirty look as he climbed down next to the eggs.

  “Get out of there.” Charlie offered his finger but Glick shook his head.

  “Did you change your mind?” McBrid reached for some eggs. “We can move them.”

  Glick slapped his hand and then stretched out on the eggs.

  “You’re not helping,” said Charlie. “We need to cover them with dirt and go.”

  Glick nodded and wrapped his arms around Charlie’s finger, resting his cheek against the warm flesh of his best friend.

  “That’s better.” Charlie lifted his hand but Glick let go. “Stop playing around.”

  “I don’t think he’s playing,” said McBrid.

  “What do you mean?”

  “He’s staying here, aren’t you Glassick?”

  Glick raised his right hand.

  “No. You don’t mean that.” Charlie’s brown eyes were confused as he looked from McBrid to Glick. “You don’t like to be alone. Remember?”

  Glick rested his hand on some of the eggs. The dark brown of his skin–brittle and dying—highlighted the white freshness of the egg sacks. He wouldn’t be alone. He’d be with his kind.

  “You said you wanted to explore the islands with us.”

  And he had, but he’d run out of time. He’d rather be here, be of use his last hours or days. He touched his heart and shook his head.

  Charlie sat back on his feet. “We’re not leaving you.” He looked at McBrid. “We already left Fersia. We aren’t leaving him too.”

  “Charlie.” McBrid reached into the hole, extending his finger. “He’s dying.”

  “You can save him. You just haven’t figured out what you need to do.”

  “I can’t. Even if we were in the lab, I couldn’t. The chemicals altered him too much.”

  “This is your fault. All of this.” Charlie stood. “I’m not doing it. I’m not leaving him alone.”

  “It’s what he wants.” McBrid stared down at Glick. “Tell him.”

  If only Charlie could understand him, he’d explain how much he loved the Guard. How knowing Charlie had made him see the world that could be—filled with friendship no matter the differences. Instead, he smiled and nodded, pulling a handful of dirt and dropping it on his belly.

  “Then, I’m staying too.”

  He couldn’t let that happen. He’d be buried and dead soon which would leave Charlie alone. Glick chirped and tried to climb out of the hole but the earth shifted. McBrid’s finger slid under his feet, supporting him as he clawed his way to the top. He ran over to Charlie, grabbing the Guard’s pant leg.

  “I don’t want you to stay.” Charlie reached down, letting Glick crawl onto his palm before lifting it to his face.

  Glick touched the Guard’s chin.

  “I don’t want you to die.” A tear ran down Charlie’s cheek, plopping onto his hand.

  Glick scurried to the side before he got soaked. He wiggled his fingers for Charlie to bring him closer. He hugged the Guard’s nose. He needed his friend to understand that he had to stay. That this was for the best. He kissed Charlie’s skin and let go, pointing to the ground.

  “Please Glassick, don’t do this. Stay with me.”

  Glick shook his head, raising his left hand.

  “Charlie, he wants to stay.”

  “Why?”

  Glick pointed to the ground again and Charlie put him down. He crawled into the hole and stretched out between the egg sacks.

  “You can’t stay in there.” Charlie looked at McBrid. “He’ll die. He’ll suffocate.”

  “There’ll be enough air for a while.” McBrid knelt. “Thank you for everything, Glassick. I’m sorry this happened to you. To everyone.”

  Glick smiled as a tear ran down his cheek. He was sorry for Bumpers and Flea and Speckles but he wasn’t sad for himself. He’d found friends, good friends, but now it was time to say goodbye. He pulled some dirt over him and looked up at his two friends.

  “Glassick, please.” Charlie knelt by the hole.

  “He needs you to be okay with this, Charlie. He needs you to be strong.”

  “I don’t want to. I’m not.”

  “Goodbye, Glassick,” said McBrid.

  “Are you sure about this?” Charlie stared down at him.

  Glick smiled up at his friend and tapped his chest twice.

  “Goodbye.” Charlie’s voice was heavy with sorrow.

  McBrid began pushing the dirt into the hole. Tears rolled down Charlie’s face, falling onto the soil as he helped. Glick touched the wetness. It was the last piece of Charlie he’d ever be near. He ran his damp hand over his heart. He wanted it close before the serum washed Charlie’s tears away.

  Using the serum was a risk, but he didn’t want to save Brush-Men like those who’d killed Bumpers. He wanted to save Brush-Men that’d be like him and the other surviving hatchlings, only healthier.

  A thump rattled the earth above as one of his friends tamped down the soil. Darkness surrounded him, but that was okay because he wasn’t alone. He breathed deeply, listening to the movements and chirps of the hundreds of tiny Brush-Men. This was how it had been before he’d been a hatchling, before they’d been poisoned and broken. This was how it needed to be.

  “Come on, Charlie.” It was McBrid’s voice, weary and sad.

  “Give me a minute,” said Charlie. “Alone.”

  “It isn’t safe. We should get back before dark. You don’t want your brother swimming to shore in the morning to hunt us down.” There was a forced lightness to McBrid’s tone.

  “No, but I need a minute. Please.”

  Glick heard McBrid’s sigh through the soil. He almost felt bad for making Charlie betray the Almighty, but McBrid didn’t understand that he needed to try, even if he failed.

  “I’ll be right over here,” said McBrid.

  “Thanks.”

  A few minutes later, Charlie’s soft whisper slipped through the earth. “I hope this works. I love you, Glassick. I’ll never forget you.”

  “I’ll never forget you either.” The wetness slipped into the soil, rolling across his body and down onto the eggs. His skin tingled, stinging just a little but it wasn’t too bad. He’d definitely had worse. The best part was the eggs continued to chirp.

  “Listen up. I have some things to teach you.” Glick only had a little time left. “Charlie is a Guard and he’s our friend.” He had to start with the important lessons first. “Not all Guards are our friends just Charlie and Louis. We have some other friends too and I’ll tell you all about them.”

  CHAPTER 46: Glick

  Glick’s words slurred as his mind began to wander. He’d talked for hours, days maybe and it was time to rest. The Brush-Men chirped, asking more questions. “I’m done. I’m leaving now to be with my friends, but when you wake there will be a present for you. Meat to eat, right here in your home. Fill-up before you breath the air from the land. Get strong.” Not that there was much to him, he was small but they’d be a bit smaller. “And take care of the littler ones. Remember my story. I was the smallest and scared all the time, but in the end, I was brave and I helped save my huge friends.”

  He closed his eyes, remembering Bumpers and Flea, laughing and joking–together always. Speckles with his wry sense of humor. Some of these soon-to-be hatchlings were like them and he’d saved them all from poison and pain and had given them the life they deserved–free in the forest with the sun and wind.

  CHAPTER 47: Gruder

  Gruder reminded himself that no one knew the secret about his parentage as he turned down the corridor to Conguise’s office. McBrid certainly hadn’t said anything. The other scientist wouldn’t do something that’d make Conguise blood test all of them. No, this meeting probably had to do with the accident. The other scientists had been whispering about it all day but none had shared anythi
ng with him. He was too new. He’d planned on finding Scottsmoor, his mostly unavailable mentor, or Bing, when he’d received this summons. Bing would talk to him. They were both new and since she was working with Crackderr, the old Almighty may have imparted some gossip to her.

  Gruder took one more deep breath and knocked on the door.

  “Enter.”

  He strode inside, making sure to take firm hard steps that could shake the earth. It was how Almightys walked, so it was how he must walk.

  Conguise was standing behind his desk, his eyes narrowed and his face pinched with disgust. If fleeing were an option, he’d take it. Almightys were never fair and it looked like he was about to be blamed for something—this mysterious accident perhaps.

  “Sit. You need to watch this.” Conguise spun his computer around and then walked to the other side of his desk, standing behind Gruder. “Pay close attention because you’ll be working with these creatures.” He clicked the play button.

  The dark screen lightened as the smaller of the two Rattus, males, Lee had been his host’s name, turned on the camera. Gruder’s breath froze. A Rattus had escaped. No wonder no one had spoken to him. Scottsmoor had been in charge but Gruder wasn’t a child. He understood that the new guy would get the blame.

  Lee grabbed the cowering Stink, by the collar and forced him to the desk. The Guard struggled but was no match for the Rattus specimen.

  Gruder leaned forward, hands resting on each side of the computer. Stink was not a weak Guard so that meant the Rattus had tremendous strength. More than they’d imagined.

  The camera moved but none that he’d encountered were motion activated.

  “Is the camera on a timer?”

  “No, but there’s a remote.”

  His eyes snapped to the professor. “That means—”

  “Yes. The other male Rattus is controlling the camera.”

  Gruder turned back toward the screen. Shit, both Rattus males were loose. Sweat began to pour down his body. This was bad, really bad but Scottsmoor was in a worse position than he was.

  The larger male, Rufus, tapped Scottsmoor with his long-clawed finger.