by Thomas Rath
“Why?”
“Just do it,” he shot back, his patience suddenly at its end.
Reaching up, Tam did as she was told and felt around with both of her hands. After a few moments she was about to give up, thinking Dor a complete idiot, when her hand hit something metallic. “What’s this?”
“What have you got?” Dor asked sounding farther away then she thought he was.
“I’ve found something that feels like metal.”
“Perfect!”
Tam jumped. Dor’s voice was right next to her now. How did he do that, especially in the darkness?
He rubbed up close and touched her arm with his hand. Then, moving his hand up, he reached the metal fixture and then went a little higher. “That’s it,” he said excitedly and then moved away.
“What’s it?” she asked, tiring quickly of his game. “What’s going on Dor? Tell me.”
She could hear him striking something on the ground to her left and caught a brief flash of sparks before her eyes were suddenly blinded in brilliant light.
“This is what’s going on,” he said holding up a torch with a proud look on his face.
Tam squinted, her eyes slowly adjusting to the sudden explosion of light that now surrounded them. She hated to admit it but she was impressed. “How did you know that was there?”
Dor smiled. “Experience.”
Tam’s eyes slightly narrowed and she opened her mouth as if she was really going to give it to him for his cocky behavior, but then she stopped short. Looking past him, it suddenly dawned on her that the light didn’t touch any other walls but the one that had held the torch. She looked around, her eyes growing in wonder. “Wow,” she breathed in awe. “Where are we?”
Dor’s first thought was to say something snide like, ‘where we were a minute ago,’ but he choked it back as he also took in their surroundings. He had been right about the size of the room—it was massive—but it was nothing like anything he had ever seen or imagined. It appeared rectangular in shape stretching out well past the perimeter of their light. The walls were not just smooth but were polished in a way that reflected the light back illuminating more of the room than would have normally been possible with just one torch. They were covered with what Dor first thought were tapestries, but further investigation revealed ornate carvings embedded skillfully right into the rock itself. There were massive pictures of great battles and wonderful feasts that flowed easily from one to another as if depicting the history of a long lost community. He stared at the strange looking people that filled the scenes. They were like none he had ever seen. They were small and stout with hair covered faces giving them the appearance of being part animal. He shuddered. They almost looked like miniature trolls.
The floor was also polished but was covered in dust and dirt only exposing itself in their footprints. Along the walls they could see arched doorways with torch holding sconces mounted on either side. If there had originally been doors to cover the openings they had rotted away long ago leaving nothing but inkpots of darkness.
Dor looked up briefly to examine the ceiling only to find his light did not reach it. “We must be in an ancient hall of some sort. I have never seen its like.”
Tam reached out and touched the wall in front of her. She was amazed by the beauty and artistry. “Who could have built such a thing? Certainly not trolls.”
The torch sputtered, returning Dor to the reality that faced them. “Come on,” he said to Tam, grabbing her arm. “We need to collect as many torches as we can carry and move on.”
For a moment, she only stared at him, a blank expression covering her face. Dor was about to repeat himself when she suddenly nodded and followed after him as he moved about the hall collecting the unlit torches. Soon they had all they could carry and then returned back to where they had first entered the hall. It was easy to find since it was not a regular doorway but rather a crude break in the side of the wall as if it had been an unfinished afterthought.
“Now what?” Tam asked, eyeing Dor with a sudden newfound respect.
“Well,” he said, happy to be back in control, “first, we need to mark the opening we came through and then we need to decide on a doorway and mark it as we leave.”
“So we won’t get lost,” she added, quickly catching on.
“Right!”
Tam disappeared into the cave and quickly returned with a rock. Hitting it against the wall, she made a mark clearly indicating where they had come from. “Right. Now that that is done how do we know which way to go from here?”
“Good question,” Dor replied looking around at all the choices.
Tam was shocked. “You mean you don’t know?” she asked, genuinely surprised.
Dor took it as a jab at his competence. “No, I don’t!” he snapped back. “Since you are so well trained, why don’t you find a way out of here?”
Tam was taken back at first and then her own anger quickly flared in response. “Fine, I will,” she spat. Grabbing the torch from his hand, she marched around the room inspecting each of the doorways.
Dor, not willing to follow her anymore, stayed where he was brooding over the ‘female race’ and how the world would be much better without them.
Tam peaked cautiously into each doorway not quite sure what she should be looking for. But she pretended to inspect them like she knew what she was doing and then moved on to the next. After scrutinizing what seemed like dozens, she was about to swallow her pride and confess her lack of knowledge when she came to a doorway where the air coming out felt a little bit warmer. This must mean something, she thought, and if I’m wrong, well then we can just come right back and try again. At least I’m trying, unlike that bag of troll brains. Why can’t he be more like Thane? Tam’s heart sank at the thought. Where could he be? Was he all right? Would they find him? She wanted to cry.
Dor suddenly called out igniting her anger like a torch. “Any luck yet?”
“Yes,” she returned more defiant than ever. “I’ve found the way out so get over here.”
“Great,” he mumbled quietly as he started towards her. “Now I’ll never hear the end of it.”
Tam watched as he approached, sudden dread filling her heart. She prayed she was right, not only for their survival but, so she wouldn’t have to admit she had no idea what she was doing.
Dor finally reached her side and inspected the doorway. “What makes you think this hole is any better than the other ones?”
Tam smirked and then shot back. “Experience.”
“More like desperation I’d bet,” he mumbled under his breath.
“What was that?”
“I said, I hope you’re right, now let’s go.” Grabbing the torch from her hand, he started down the corridor taking back the lead. Tam was about to object and claim that she should go first but found that she was suddenly too tired to argue. Instead, she grabbed the unused torches and reluctantly fell in behind.
The corridor was not as ornate as the great hall but was carved in a similar fashion with different markings along the walls and ceiling. At first they went slowly, inspecting the walls as they walked, fascinated by the artistry and time that must have gone into creating such a place. No one back home would believe them when they told the story—if they ever made it back home. The thought of getting out alive and the fact that the carvings began to run together soon pushed them on shrouding their curiosity in the gloominess of reality.
Dor picked up the pace a bit striding almost too fast for Tam to keep up without breaking into a run. She wanted to object but then thought better of it. He already thought little enough of her, no sense in adding to his disliking. The corridor ran straight not seeming to deviate in the slightest until, suddenly, they were met by an intersection of hallways.
“Now what?” Tam asked, secretly hoping Dor would pick the way this time.
“You’re the great cave explorer,” he answered, dashing her hopes. “You tell me.”
Tam sighed, moving ahead
to inspect each of the other three hallways. Venturing a short way down the left and right corridors she found it got a little cooler compared to the slight flow of warm air coming from the hall directly in front of them. Well, she thought, might as well continue with the warm one. At least we won’t freeze.
Just then the torch sputtered and the flame began to die.
“Quickly,” Dor said extending it toward her, “light another one.”
Tam took one of the torches she was carrying and touched it to the other one quickly starting it on fire. “What happened?”
“I was afraid of this,” Dor replied. “If the rest of these torches are as old and as bad as the first, we’re not going to be blessed with light for very long.”
Tam felt like crying again. It was bad enough that she was stuck in some ancient ruin of a cave faced with starvation while her dearest friend was possibly lost forever. Then, of course, there was Dor and his stream of cruel remarks that made her feel so worthless and insignificant. Was it too much to ask to at least have light enough to see death when it came for her?
“Have you made your choice yet?” Dor suddenly asked, interrupting her thoughts. “We don’t have all night or day or whatever it is outside.”
Tam just nodded and pointed to the hallway straight ahead.
Without another word, Dor grabbed the torch from her hands and started in his long strides down the corridor. “Don’t forget to mark the passages,” he said glancing over his shoulder but not pausing to wait for her.
For a moment, Tam just stood motionless gaping after him as he quickly moved. She felt numb. Why were they even trying? What was the point in all of this? If they did survive, what did they have to return to? They both had their families, of course, but nothing would be the same without Thane. The light suddenly became dim causing her eye’s to adjust over to night vision and she realized she hadn’t moved. Hastily marking their path she ran after Dor and caught up to him just as he finished saying something as if unaware she had not been behind him the whole time. So, Tam thought, he’s not as all knowing about what is going on as he’s trying to portray. If he were half as good as Thane he would have realized I wasn’t behind him or, at the least, known I was running to catch up. She started to smile when another thought suddenly forced its way in. It made her miss a step and almost sent her sprawling face first to the floor. What if he did know and was trying to leave me behind? She tried to push the thought away but it wouldn’t leave, just hovering there as if to taunt her.
They continued on for must have been hours. Though it had really only been about half a day, the darkness and the strangeness of the place made time seem to slow. They had passed many different corridors since leaving the great hall. Each time they came to one Tam inspected them and then picked the one that felt the warmest. After the second or third hallway, Dor also noticed the changes in temperature discovering how she was choosing their way. At first he thought to reveal her secret but then decided not to let on to her that he knew.
What’s the use, he’d thought. I can’t think of anything better, and if I say something she’ll just go into one of her fits. Let her have her moment.
Soon the air became so warm that they no longer needed to use their blankets. They rolled them up and Tam carried them under her arm with the fast diminishing torches.
They reached another intersection and decided to stop for something to eat. They hadn’t eaten anything since the night before and both of their stomachs were growling in protest. Tam produced what was left of the food and they ate it silently each turning inward, contemplating their situation. The water was strictly rationed, both understanding that once it was gone, so were they.
“How’s your shoulder?” Tam asked, suddenly tired of the lonely silence.
“It hurts, but I don’t let it bother me,” Dor replied. “I just block it out of my mind.”
Tam smiled at his attempt at heroics. Even though he was usually hard to get along with, she had to admit that she was glad he was there with her.
“So tell me,” he added after chewing up his last radish. “Where did you learn to shoot so well?”
Tam smiled at him remembering his surprise when he discovered that she was at the bow’s end of the dead troll. But the smile quickly faded as she suddenly became very serious. “If I tell you, you have to promise you won’t tell anyone. As it is, I’ll be breaking a vow by telling you.”
“Who am I going to tell?” he smirked. “If you hadn’t noticed, there aren’t too many people around here.” But she didn’t cave to his attempt at humor giving him a threatening look instead. “All right, all right,” he finally agreed. “I promise.”
Tam sat quietly for a moment still debating whether or not to tell him the truth. Even though he had promised, she still was not sure she should trust him. After all, Thane had made her make the same promise. This was different though wasn’t it? Thane and Dor were best friends and what if Thane was...? She stopped her train of thought and then looked into Dor’s anxious face. “It was Thane.”
“Thane?” His tone reflected obvious disbelief. “He hates you.”
“No, he doesn’t!” she yelled, fire igniting in her eyes.
Dor laughed. “Yes, he does. He always complains about what a brat you are.”
“If that’s true,” she said, trying to regain some of her composure, “then why would he spend so much time with me teaching me how to use a bow you dung pile?”
Dor felt himself becoming angrier by her remark. Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind and his eyes twinkled. “You like him, don’t you?”
Tam’s face went white. “No, I don’t.”
“I knew it,” he burst out laughing. “Why, that little weasel. All this time he had me convinced.”
“What?” Tam asked, suddenly very interested in what Dor was saying.
“You’ve liked him all this time, haven’t you?”
“What?” Tam stammered. “You’ve got to be kidding. The only reason I followed you around was because I knew you hated it.”
“No way, there has to be more to it than that.” Dor was loving every moment of this. All this time Thane had him convinced that he was the reason she followed them around, but in all actuality it was Thane. “Wait a minute,” he said, trying to control his laughter. “If he really did teach you to shoot then that must mean...” he laughed even harder, unable to finish his sentence.
Tam couldn’t stand it. She wanted to shake him until he told her what he was thinking but she didn’t want to let on that she had any interest. She should have been furious, especially for his laughing at her, but she wanted to know what he was going to say—she needed to know. Dor kept laughing until she finally couldn’t stand it anymore. “Must mean what?” she asked trying to sound disinterested.
Dor wiped a tear from his eye and looked at her, fighting the giggles that kept emerging. “What?”
“Must mean what?” Tam snapped, the anger and frustration slipping through her façade of disinterest. “Finish your dumb sentence. What were you going to say?” By this time her voice had elevated and she was up on her feet glaring down at him.
Dor’s face puckered preparing for another outburst but he fought hard to keep it down. “Don’t you see? Why would Thane waste all that time training you if he didn’t like you too?” He couldn’t hold it back any longer and burst into hysterical, peels of laughter.
Tam was suddenly robbed of all her fury and she plopped back down on the floor, her eyes glazed-over. Dor’s right, she thought. Maybe he does like me. She warmed herself in the thought of Thane being interested in her. It had to be true, just like Dor had said. She tried to hold on to that idea but her mind viciously unlocked the memory of blackmailing him at his private retreat. Would he have taught her anyway? She suddenly doubted it. She was further tortured now by the thought of his probable death. They didn’t know what had happened to him or where he was. And what of their fate?
Tam’s face gradually turned dark as she wat
ched Dor, delirious in laughter, tears streaming down his face. Getting up, she went over and kicked him in the leg immediately ending his laughing fit. “Get up you worthless piece of troll dung and let’s go. I knew I couldn’t trust you with anything.”
Dor shot her a surprised look as she began gathering her things in preparation to leave. In no time she had collected everything, including the lit torch, and proceeded to march down the corridor without him.
“Hey, wait a minute,” he called raising himself up gently. All his laughing had not done his arm any good and the intense pain had returned. Trying to ignore the hurt, he chased clumsily after her. But even with the throbbing pain, he couldn’t suppress the large grin.
Tam and Thane must like each other. It’s obvious. He glanced at Tam, still in a huff as she marched along ahead of him and his smile gradually faded. There was something odd about her. And then it hit him. But what if I’m wrong? he thought, suddenly feeling quite sober. Maybe Thane was right about her and me and that’s why she’s upset. She did follow me up the mountain. Dor’s mind worked feverishly over everything that had occurred, especially how she had acted. It couldn’t be, he tried to convince himself. Suddenly, he found that he was not so sure anymore and though he tried to make himself disgusted by the idea, he discovered a strange sliver of hope beginning to grow down deep that it might be true after all.
He picked up his pace as best he could trying to catch up but his shoulder was on fire, the pain coming in throbbing waves. “Tam, wait up,” he yelled, feeling a bit nauseated while his head started to spin.
Tam paused briefly and he wasn’t sure that she would honor his request but then she just stopped and leaned up against the wall. When he finally caught up to her he saw the tears that were streaming down her face and he suddenly felt ashamed for how he had been treating her. Something stirred within him to see her this way; her hard exterior stripped away leaving a frightened young girl in its place. His heart suddenly ached.
“Come on Tam,” he said softly, looking down at his feet. “I’m sorry for making fun of you. I promise I won’t do it again. Just please stop crying.”
