Sandstorm Box Set

by T. W. Piperbrook

  The quill was intriguing, but it was also fear inducing.

  “Leave it,” Louie mouthed, and the group moved on.

  **

  Raj huffed a sigh of relief as he and the others returned to the Comm Building, laying out their spoils. The trip had been safe and expedient. Their combined provisions should last a few days, filling the stomachs of the hungry.

  More importantly, no one had disturbed the monster.

  Proudly, Raj spread his recovered items on the table, ensuring that everyone saw. Unlike before, the people in the room watched him with relief, perhaps even admiration. Looking over at Louie and Ed, who patted each other’s backs, he joined them in a huddle.

  “We did it,” he said happily.

  They nodded, congratulating each other before acknowledging him.

  “It was a successful trip,” Louie agreed.

  “I’m glad I was able to fit in that collapsed hovel,” he said, reminding them of his usefulness.

  “You’re a regular explorer,” Ed said with a smirk. “Just like your old friend Darius.”

  They snickered and looked at each other, sharing some joke Raj didn’t understand.

  And then they turned away.

  Chapter 39: Bryan

  Bryan stood in his quarters, cracking his neck. Footsteps drew his attention. He turned to find Louie coming toward him.

  “The trip was successful?” Bryan asked.

  “Yes,” Louie reported with satisfaction. “We scavenged enough food for a few days. The water was no problem. But Ed’s group had to dig deep for the Green Crops. It’s probably the last time we’ll find anything suitable for eating.”

  “I expected as much,” Bryan said. “When this is over, we’ll plant a bigger bounty than the last. We’ll harvest so much that our bellies will be eternally full.” He looked at Louie a moment. “But first, we must focus on today.”

  “Of course.”

  “I assume you didn’t see the monster,” Bryan surmised.

  “We kept quiet and away from the area of attack, as you instructed,” Louie said. “We didn’t see it. But we did find one of the creature’s quills on the way back, buried in the sand. The sharp end almost poked Raj.”

  Bryan listened to the details of the account, as well as the specifics of the recovered food. When Louie’s report was concluded, he turned and headed back into the main room with the others. Bryan stared at the ceiling, the particulars of the mission swimming through his head.

  He couldn’t stop thinking of something Louie had said.

  An idea was on the edges of his mind.

  Hopefully soon, he’d solidify it.

  Chapter 40: Sherry

  Sherry walked through the Center Cave with her head held high, weaving around the clusters of women and children, all of whom paid attention to her. A few awaited her directions, as if she might pass along a task, or an important message.

  It felt as if she were born for this role.

  She smiled.

  Earlier, she’d seen Bryan’s men far below on the ground, making a scavenging trip. She didn’t recognize many of them, but one figure had stuck out: a small, identifiable person. Apparently Raj was still alive. The fact that Neena’s brother had survived was a minor irritation. She’d deal with it later.

  Still, the sight of the men brought a much-needed burst of morale. It kept her women going in their times of doubt.

  Reaching the back end of the cave, she moved toward two approaching women. Tanya and Jodi’s faces were lit with excitement, as they hurried over. Her two biggest doubters had turned into her biggest supporters.

  Ironic.

  “What did you find?” she asked.

  “We followed the Right Cavers, like you asked,” Jodi said, huffing for breath. “We reached the new chamber where they are located.”

  Describing it, Tanya added, “They can no longer see the daylight. They have no access to open air, or visibility to the Comm Building.”

  Sherry smiled, as she pictured them living like rats, nestled in their decrepit burrow. Everything was going perfectly.

  “How far away is this cave?” Sherry asked.

  “It is a ways travel,” Jodi said. “They are deep underground. They have a spring, however.”

  She listened to Jodi and Tanya describing the path to get there, and the crevices in the walls through which they’d spied.

  “What are they doing?” Sherry asked.

  “Most are clustered in the center of the chamber. Some are sick from smoke. Others are resting. It didn’t seem as if they were doing much, other than recuperating.”

  Sherry felt a burst of vindication. But vigilance was needed. “As a precaution, I’m going to have some of the women block off one of the passages further down, in between our tunnel and theirs, so they cannot easily access us.”

  “A good idea,” Tanya agreed.

  “In the meantime, keep an eye on them,” Sherry said. “Report back to me if you see or hear anything. I’ll arrange for some other women to relieve your shift before evening.”

  Jodi and Tanya nodded, their heads held high.

  A young, brown-haired boy rushed over, hugging Jodi. “Mom?”

  “Yes, honey?”

  “Are you coming back to play with me soon?”

  “I’ll be there soon,” Jodi said. “Mommy has to take care of some duties first.”

  The child nodded, disappointment in his eyes, and then the women started back to their post.

  Chapter 41: Neena

  With their backs to the spring, Neena, Kai, Samara, Salvador, and Roberto faced the Right Cavers, who sat in nervous circles, watching them. A few held their children, while others tended to the injured. Every so often, a cough punctuated the room, as someone dealt with the residual effects of the smoke. Looking out among them, watching Amos move from one wounded person to the next, Neena bit her lip.

  “What should we do now?” Roberto asked.

  The people in the audience shook their heads in dismay.

  Surveying the tired and the pained, Neena said, “It seems as if we are fighting a war on two ends. We have Sherry’s women to contend with, and we have Bryan’s marchers. And of course, we have the problem of Raj.”

  “Obviously, Bryan’s people aren’t here at the moment,” Kai reminded her. “But Sherry’s people are.”

  Unable to contain her frustration any longer, a woman called out, “First Sherry attacks you on the ledge, and now she does this. Who knows what else she’ll do?”

  Motioning toward a coughing woman, a man spat, “Look at what the fire did to my wife! She can barely breathe.”

  Commiseration rippled through the crowd.

  “Sherry deserves punishment for what she’s done!” someone yelled.

  More time in the dank cave had deepened their misery, just as it had deepened Neena’s. Looking around at her people, who voiced their anger to their neighbors, she felt a pit of resolve.

  “Maybe it is time we show her she can’t do it again,” Neena suggested.

  Those with injured relatives nodded vehemently, clenching their fists.

  Looking around at her upset people, Neena said, “I agree with you. Sherry has no intention of stopping. She has driven us to a choice.” She paused for emphasis. “We can sit here and wait for things to get better, or we can take the upper hand. We can show them we’ll no longer tolerate what they are doing to us.”

  “What are you suggesting?” asked one woman.

  “We confront them.”

  Samara lifted the spear in her hand, showing her solidarity.

  “We attack?” a man questioned.

  “A coordinated threat might be all we need,” Neena said. “But yes, we should be ready to fight, if it comes to that.”

  The people in the circle looked at one another, gauging each other’s reactions.

  Sharing their confliction, Roberto said, “I can’t picture stabbing a cave full of mothers in front of their children.”

  “N
either can I,” Neena said. “But we have to do something. If we don’t take a stand, they’ll continue this treatment of us, and then our children will pay. We have to stop what they are doing.”

  The group turned to one another, contemplating the ramifications of her suggestion. Uncertainty had ahold of them.

  “Even a few dozen of us, armed with spears or knives, will make them reconsider their actions,” Neena continued. “Who knows? Perhaps this will be the moment that staves off later violence. It is time we stood up for ourselves.”

  Some of the hesitant people regained their courage.

  “We’ve seen the price of our inaction, in Darius’s blood,” Neena said. “We’ve seen it in the attack on me and Kai. And we’ve seen it in the way they smoked out our cave. The more we accept this treatment, the more we will receive it.”

  A few nervous breaths drifted across the cave.

  A woman spoke up. “Let’s say we confront them and succeed. What happens when Bryan and his marchers return? We might pay for our decision later.” She clutched her children.

  Neena sucked in a stale, damp breath. The odor of smoke from her clothing and the stench of bat droppings revived her anger. “Let’s say Bryan’s people aren’t killed by the monster, and they return. How long do you think it will take for them to find us in this cave, if they want to? A day? A week? Sooner or later, they’ll come across us, and then we’ll no longer have a decision. We’ve seen what they did to Darius. What makes you think that won’t happen to us? Why not surprise them now, when the choice is in our hands?”

  A few people rose to their feet, ready to take a stand.

  Inspired, Neena pressed on. “We’ll show them that we are more than weak people, waiting for their next hurled rock, or torch. We’ll show them that we’ll defend ourselves.”

  A murmur of excitement went through the room.

  “How many are with me?” Neena shouted.

  She looked around the room. A dozen hands went up, and then a few more. So did Kai’s, Roberto’s, Salvador’s, and Samara’s, until almost fifty hands were in the air. Their unity brought warmth to her heart. It was certainly better than fear.

  It was time to turn bravery into action.

  “It’s settled then,” she said, before anyone could disagree. “Let’s sharpen our spears and knives. When we’re ready, we’ll march to the Center Cave.”

  Chapter 42: Samel

  Samel looked around at all the people in his cave, who readied their spears and knives, their torches, and their bags. Neena seemed to be everywhere at once, giving directions, speaking with Kai, or preparing her weapons. At the tunnel’s ends, a few guards relayed instructions to their replacements.

  Neena’s meeting increased Samel’s anxiety. He understood her reasons. Sherry was a vile woman, capable of unspeakable violence. And the rest of Bryan’s people were just as dangerous.

  Still, he couldn’t help but think that Neena might be marching off to her death.

  He couldn’t stop thinking that he might end up alone.

  No more Neena.

  No more Raj.

  What would he do?

  Fighting off tears, he reached inside his bedroll, retrieving the rock that he’d salvaged from Raj’s bedroll, before leaving the Right Cave. The fist-sized stone was a small memory of his brother. Thankfully, Neena hadn’t hassled him over it.

  Turning the rock in his hand, he pictured himself and his family back in their hovel, sharing a nice, happy meal. One day, this would all be over, like Neena had promised, and he and his brother would be reunited.

  The more he tried believing that, the more his wishes turned to awful memories.

  Monsters. Fire. Screams.

  Samel’s breath heaved.

  His heart beat frantically. Panic took over.

  Roaming to the nearest wall, he leaned his head against it and squeezed the rock, hoping to calm down.

  When would this ever be over?

  Chapter 43: Raj

  Raj swigged from his flask, looking across the room. Unlike before, he no longer lowered his head, or wished to be invisible. After returning from his trip, he’d helped The Watchers pass out the new rations to Bryan’s grateful men and women. No one had turned away from him while receiving a dried piece of meat, or a flask full of water. A few times, he’d even received a pleasant smile, or a thank you.

  Raj felt helpful again.

  Important.

  Setting down his flask, his gaze roamed to the circular table, where The Watchers congregated. Riding his newfound acceptance, he walked across the room and joined them. Ed was among them, sliding a particularly large blade against a rock.

  “Would you like me to help?” he asked Ed.

  “Do you know how to sharpen a spear?” Ed asked curiously.

  “I’ve done it before,” Raj said. “They say I’m pretty good at it.”

  With a shrug and a smile, Ed conceded, “It’s better than standing there staring at me.” He handed Raj a spear. “Here. Take it.”

  Raj took the spear, finding a sharpening rock and getting to work, while Ed and some Watchers did the same. For a while, they worked together, grunting and smiling, speaking of the successful trip, or the enormous procession they’d hold once the monster was dead. Every once in a while, Raj added a joke, to a chuckle.

  Despite the men’s apparent friendliness, something bothered him.

  He couldn’t stop thinking of the smirks on Louie and Ed’s faces when they jested about Darius. Something dark lurked beneath those smiles. Everyone knew they didn’t get along with the Right Cavers, but it seemed like they held a secret.

  And that reminded him of Bryan’s odd behavior while they talked about the device, and the spears.

  More and more, Raj’s thoughts were growing uneasy. It felt as if something was buried beneath the surface of Bryan and his closest men, some subtext he didn’t understand. Raj wasn’t sure what it was yet, but he was going to figure it out.

  Finished with his spear, he handed it back to Ed.

  “Should I sharpen another?” he asked.

  “Sure, kid,” Ed said.

  Raj took the next weapon, working on it.

  “What are Bryan’s plans for the monster?” he asked, hoping to get more information.

  Ed cracked his neck, sharpening his own weapon. “He had an idea he said he’d share with Louie soon.”

  “Do you think we’re almost ready to fight?”

  “If we’re lucky,” Ed said. With a grunt, he added, “I hope this is over soon. I’ve got a few women I wouldn’t mind seeing back in the caves.”

  A man nearby laughed.

  Raj turned the spear in a circular pattern, performing his duty efficiently.

  “You weren’t lying,” Ed said. “You are pretty proficient. Who taught you to do that?”

  “Neena, originally,” Raj said. “But Darius taught me a better method.”

  Immediately, Ed looked away. The same, strange feeling filled Raj’s stomach.

  Swallowing—doing his best to keep an even tone—he tested his awful theory. “I’m not as good as him, though. Maybe someday Darius can teach you, too.”

  Ed glanced over from his spear, his smile fading. The look in his eyes solidified everything that Raj had feared.

  “I don’t think he’ll be teaching anything to anyone, soon.”

  Chapter 44: Neena

  Neena walked through the chamber, overseeing the Right Caver’s final preparations. Since the meeting, they’d sharpened their weapons, filled their flasks, and packed enough rations to make the trek. They’d prepared their fill-in guards, instructing them to stay vigilant.

  Still, too many uncertainties lived in her heart.

  Would they take Sherry’s people by surprise? Would the women fight, or would they stand down? Looking around at the people with whom she’d travel, she wished she could see the end of this day.

  But worse things would happen, if they did nothing.

  She was convinced
of that.

  Instinctively, Neena looked toward the ceiling, wishing she could see the sky. This deep in the formation, she had no idea whether the sun was full, or the twin moons were visible. That added to her unease.

  Looking past the people who spoke with their relatives, or adjusted their bags, she found Kai.

  “All our marchers have at least one weapon,” he reported. “And we have enough to arm those we leave behind.”

  Neena nodded gratefully. “Has anyone backed out?”

  “They are nervous, but they are ready,” Kai said.

  Neena nodded. “Soon, this will be over.”

  “I hope,” Kai said.

  “I’ll do a last check with the guards, and then we’ll leave.” Neena completed her last task, ensuring they were prepared, before returning to her sleeping area.

  It was time to start the conversation with Samel that she dreaded. She sighed and closed her eyes, mentally preparing herself for an emotional talk.

  Samel wasn’t at his bedroll, nor was he near the wall where she’d last seen him, holding the rock.

  Panic struck her heart.

  Racing over to the spot where he’d been, she shined her torch into a deep, dark crevice.

  The rock he’d taken from Raj’s bedroll lay on the ground.

  Samel was gone.

  Chapter 45: Samel

  Samel kicked and flailed against the people who held him, to no avail. One person carried him backward, arms snug under his shoulders, hand clamped over his mouth, while the other carried his legs. It felt as if they’d pulled him away some time ago, though he couldn’t be sure. All he knew was that he could no longer hear the Right Cavers, and of course, he couldn’t see Neena, Kai, or Amos.

  His heart slammed against his ribcage.

  One moment he’d been leaning against the cave wall, the next these people’s hands were on him, stifling his cries and pulling him through a dark crevice.

  Who were they?

  Why wouldn’t they let him go?

  At first, he thought two monsters had grabbed him, rather than two humans. If not for their ragged breathing, whistling past their teeth, or their sweaty clothing pressed against him, he might’ve believed that.