Return to Underland

by Alan Nayes

  “Grab him!” Reglan screamed.

  With swiftness and balance Spinner never imagined he possessed, he reached down, gripped Otter’s collar and yanked the Lab to safety.

  With a bellow of anger, the tyrannosaur scraped and clawed, attempting to reach them, but fortunately the ledge was too narrow.

  The children slid further along the shelf until they were well out of reach of its terrifying jaws.

  After a long pause, once they’d caught their breath, Reglan wondered aloud, “Now what?”

  She was right, Spinner realized. Now what?

  They were trapped on a narrow ledge, hundreds of feet above the forest floor, in a land that wasn’t supposed to exist, with no place to go and surrounded by animals that would just as soon eat them as look at them. What had initially begun as a short adventure in Underland had turned into a major meltdown, fast.

  Against his own advice, Spinner couldn’t resist gazing down over the canopy of calamites, conifers and enormous cycads. If their situation wasn’t so precarious, he would have been awed by the magnificent view. Beyond the primordial forest below he could see the green gleam of a huge underground lake, its meandering shoreline bordered by reeds and swamp grass. Mist hovered over isolated patches of terrain, making the treetops appear to float in midair. Even in the dull light, he could pick out what he guessed were gargantuan moving forms—bulky bodies, thick limbs and long, snake-like necks. From this distance, however, the huge, grazing dinosaurs appeared more like plastic toys. He could only imagine what mythical monsters swam in the inland lake’s waters.

  Spinner could hear the tyrannosaur still grunting and bellowing at the cliff’s edge. “We can wait and see if he leaves. Then try to return the way we came,” he suggested. Even as he spoke, he didn’t really believe it. The sound of powerful claws ferociously slashing the dirt path told him the hungry T. rex would not be leaving anytime soon.

  “The ledge curves around the cliff face to my right, but it gets narrower,” Reglan told him. “I can’t tell what happens past a few yards.”

  Reglan sounded a lot calmer than he felt. Maybe because she’s already faced death once—the leukemia, he thought. Still, he vowed he would remain brave.

  “Take it real slow,” he cautioned, but an orange flash in his peripheral vision lodged the words in his throat. “Did you see that?” he asked abruptly, thinking he’d imagined it.

  “See what?”

  “Down past you, a flash of light.”

  Reglan began to shake her head, then said, “You mean that?”

  This time, Spinner was sure it was not a figment of his imagination. Just where the cliff curved, a burning torch seemed stuck out from the rock wall, and it was waving at them!

  Suddenly Spinner understood. “Oh my God,” he murmured. “They have fire.”

  CHAPTER 12

  * * *

  Reglan reached the safety of the small passage first, followed by Spinner and Otter.

  Their escape route was nothing more than a low, narrow tunnel cut straight into the cliff wall. It hadn’t been visible from where they’d been perched, but it was more than high enough for them to duck through. Spinner had no idea where it led, but at the moment he was just happy to be off the cliff face and out of reach of the hungry tyrannosaur’s claws and vicious-looking teeth.

  Once all three were safely inside, Spinner exhaled in relief. The episode with the T. rex had been way too close. From now on, no more going off on their own.

  The young hominid who’d rescued them was the same one they’d seen in the drawing room, Spinner was sure of it. Same face, build, and jagged scar on one shoulder. He stood a few feet away, the flames of his torch casting shifting shadows on his bronze body. Spinner couldn’t resist wondering about the torch—had these hominids mastered fire before entering Underland eons ago? Or had they discovered it later, once they were living underground? Perhaps a parallel discovery to what was happening “outside”. The possibilities intrigued him. As Spinner watched, the Underlander remained aloof and his expression difficult to decipher. Curious, or amused perhaps, Spinner guessed. For an instant, Spinner’s eyes flashed to his pack. But it would be impossible for the hominid to know what Spinner had taken. Still, he experienced a twinge of nervousness.

  “He keeps staring at us,” Reglan said.

  “Yeah, and we keep staring back.” Spinner was suddenly struck by an odd thought—I’m staring at my distant past and he’s staring at his distant future. How weird?

  “I really want to thank him for saving us. But how?” Reglan took a hesitant step forward.

  The hominid leaped back, making a harsh grunting sound. “Aghh.”

  When Otter padded toward him, he vigorously thrust out the torch. “Aghh.”

  “Come boy,” Spinner called the Lab. Domesticated dogs were still thousands of years in the hominid’s future. “Let me try.” Spinner set the pack on the ground and held out both palms, face up. “Thank you,” he offered.

  Reglan did the same. “Thank you for saving our lives.” Her tone was sweet, and Spinner thought he detected a hint of a smile on the prehistoric boy’s lips.

  “I think he does like you,” he said.

  Reglan grinned widely but said under her breath, “Don’t go there, Spinner McPherson.”

  Spinner squinted into the dark passage. “Behind him, Reglan. There’s more. I can see them in the shadows.”

  The young hominid glanced rapidly behind him. More “aghhs” sounded in the stony confines. Then, very slowly the hominid approached Spinner.

  “What do I do?” Spinner asked nervously.

  “Nothing, just wait. I have a good feeling about this.”

  Spinner stood his ground. When Otter began to growl, he quieted the Lab with his hand. The hominid stopped a foot away.

  “Hi.” Spinner forced a big smile.

  “Aghh.” The hominid said again, but this time his tone was totally different. Friendlier?

  Hesitantly at first, the hominid raised his left hand, the right still held the torch, and placed his palm on the left side of his own chest. Then, slowly, he reached out and placed his palm over Spinner’s heart. He held it there. Then he grunted and motioned to Spinner’s left hand with his head.

  “I think he’s telling you to do the same,” Reglan said.

  “I believe you’re right.” Spinner cautiously raised his hand and placed it over the hominid’s heart. His skin felt warm and leathery, yet smooth too, except for the hairs. For no longer than a second, the two individuals—past and present—held their positions, then the hominid abruptly lowered his hand and stepped away.

  Moving to Reglan he repeated the ritual. “This is cool,” she beamed.

  Spinner thought he gazed at Reglan a wee bit longer than he’d looked at him, but he guessed that was only natural. For sure, the hominid boy had never seen anyone as cute as Reglan before.

  “I wonder if he has a name,” Reglan said.

  Spinner grinned. “Try Aghh.”

  Both chuckled uneasily, aware of just how close death’s jaws had come to chomping out their young lives on the cliff face. They eagerly followed the hominids down through the narrow passage, leaving the Wild of Underland exactly where they wanted it—well behind them.

  CHAPTER 13

  * * *

  Aghh, the cave boy, led them down through a series of cold, damp narrow passages. The tortuous turns reminded Spinner of a huge stone labyrinth. Very quickly, they noticed the greenish sparkles of cave pearls and immediately began to breathe easier. The route directly through the cliff wall must have been an incredible short cut. After only fifteen minutes, Aghh and two older hominids slunk under a low rock outcrop and pushed past a wall of horsetail ferns to a path that led the children out of the hidden passage and onto the same trail they had taken from the illustrated chamber more than an hour earlier.

  “There!” Reglan pointed to the limestone quarters where they had been confined.

  “Awesomely cool,” Spinne
r said. But when he and Reglan turned to thank their rescuers, Aghh and his two companions had already ducked out of view.

  Reglan gazed around. “Whoa, they sure left fast.”

  Ebo appeared in the stone passageway. So the Two-legs return. We did not expect you to attempt to flee into Underland.

  Spinner adjusted his pack. “We weren’t fleeing. We were exploring.”

  The larger saurid’s expression could only be described as a smirk. Ah yes, of course. Exploring. Your species has not changed in thousands and thousands of years.

  Kali appeared at her mate’s side. Ebo and I are relieved both of you and your pet are safe. Our mission was a success.

  “You sent Aghh to find us?” Reglan asked.

  If you refer to the one-who-draws, yes. In many ways he is like you. Kali moved closer to the children. It was foolish what you both did. You could have been killed.

  “We almost were killed!” Reglan gushed.

  Spinner stole a quick glance back at the hidden passageway; only the ferns were visible. No wonder he and Reglan hadn’t noticed it on the way down the trail. “Where did Aghh go?” he asked.

  Exploring no doubt. Ebo ducked back inside the chamber, but not before casting Spinner a look that said the saurid was happy the children made it back safely.

  Kali grinned slyly at the children before gesturing with her head. Follow.

  The children quickly gathered their belongings and followed Ebo and Kali out the same passage they’d entered when they arrived at the saurid den. Spinner purposely did not look at Ebo and Kali’s nest as he hiked past.

  Four saurids marched in front and three more behind as Spinner, Reglan, and Otter were led away. Spinner noticed suspicion etched on the Underlanders’ faces now, distrust in their eyes. It wasn’t just Ebo or Kali, but Scroffle also. As they passed, the shadows moved. Other creatures! He thought some might be walking upright—more hominids. Was Aghh among them? he wondered. What would they do if they knew what I’d been thinking earlier? About the true value of a place like Underland? Especially if it were open for the whole world to see. He couldn’t resist thinking of what might happen if scientists could witness the pearl-free area—the Wild Underland with its huge underground lake, swamp, hungry tyrannosaurs, and giant grazing dinosaurs. It was far easier getting excited about the primitive world now that he, Reglan and Otter were safe, or more safe, at least.

  “Where do you think they’re taking us? At least we’re not moving in the direction of the Wild,” Reglan said.

  Reglan had a point. Spinner tried to smile. “I wouldn’t worry too much. If they’d wanted to do anything drastic, they’d have already done it. Remember it was Ebo and Kali who sent Aghh to rescue us.”

  “What do you mean drastic?” Reglan kept a wary eye on Kali.

  “Sorry, poor choice of words.” Spinner reached down and felt Otter nuzzle his hand. When he looked up, Reglan had moved closer to the female saurid. “What are you doing?”

  “I’m going to ask Kali.”

  “Reglan—” but he spoke too late. She’d matched pace with the smaller dinosaur. He saw them speak and just as quickly Reglan was back at his side. “Well…?”

  Reglan shrugged. “That didn’t do much good. She just said ‘where we belong.’”

  “That’s it?”

  “Yup. I tried.”

  If the nearest saurids heard them talking, they gave no sign. Instead, they continuously looked forward, off to the sides, and behind them.

  Run for it. Spinner wasn’t sure when the idea first entered his mind. He glanced around. Thinking at first that it came from one of the Underlanders. Go ahead, run for it. He quickly realized it wasn’t one of their voices. It was his own. Run for it! The entrance can’t be far.

  Spinner looked around again. In his immediate vision he counted seven saurids, including Ebo and Kali. There also was Scroffle, but from the looks of his squat, turtle-like body, Spinner doubted he’d be any challenge in a foot race. Of all the saurids, Ebo was the biggest, and he barely reached to Spinner’s chest. Though the small dinosaur’s powerful appearing jaws and huge teeth looked scary, Spinner hadn’t seen any of the saurids move particularly fast. However, the hominids could pose a problem. Although short, Aghh and his companions had looked pretty strong and speedy. He glanced around again. He no longer saw any sign of them. Maybe they were off drawing more pictures, or exploring, as Ebo had put it.

  Spinner pretended to clean his glasses. The more he thought about it, the more he liked their chances. He had to communicate his idea to Reglan.

  Suddenly, Kali stopped. A huge limestone boulder blocked the trail. There was no way around it except to climb over it. And that seemed impossible because it was enormous and nearly perfectly spherical.

  Reglan watched the saurids sizing up the situation. “That is one big rock.”

  “We may need to turn back,” Spinner said.

  Kali backed off a few paces and returned to the children. Spinner clutched his pack tighter.

  Stand back, Two-legs.

  “What for?” Spinner asked.

  Reglan took Spinner’s arm. “Just do what she says.”

  Backing off a safe distance, they watched and waited.

  Kali let out a deep growl. Immediately, the trail was surrounded by at least twenty saurids—Spinner didn’t have time to count. Ebo began working his jaws and grinding his teeth, as did the others. Then Ebo growled.

  “Oh boy, I got a funny feeling about this,” Reglan said, her voice barely more than a whisper.

  “Tell me about it. They look awfully mean.”

  “Shhh…”

  Spinner felt his knees weaken.

  For a moment, nothing happened. All eyes were fixed on the limestone boulder, which sparkled green with dew. Spinner waited, still nothing. He glanced at Reglan and shrugged. Suddenly, he saw Reglan’s eyes widen in shock. He whipped his head around just in time to see all twenty saurids converge on the boulder in short hops.

  Using their powerful jaws like chisels, the saurids began to chew into the rock. Tiny fragments of limestone flew off in all directions as the saurids’ diamond-sharp teeth gnashed off larger chunks. They circled the boulder like sharks, and Spinner ducked, narrowly avoiding a chip of flying limestone. As he stood again, Reglan pulled him aside just as another chunk of rock whizzed past their heads.

  “That was close.” He dodged another fragment, yanking Reglan along with him.

  “Too close!” she exclaimed.

  Spinner saw that some of the saurids were now using their muscular front and hind clawed limbs to cleave off additional slabs of boulder.

  Spinner shook his head, totally impressed by their awesome strength, but fearful as well. If he hadn’t witnessed the destruction of the limestone, he never would have believed it could be done. No wonder the saurids were the guardians of Underland. The power in their compact bodies was off the scale as far as any animal he had ever seen or read about. If they could do this to a rock, imagine what those jaws and teeth could do to flesh. Like giant piranhas attacking a side of beef—only this beef didn’t bleed, the rock just fell apart. The entire demonstration lasted less than two minutes. By the time the saurids backed off and the dust had cleared, the limestone boulder was nothing more than a large pile of gravel. Spinner no longer wondered how Underland’s many tunnels were formed. The saurids could literally chew through the limestone!

  Spinner let his knapsack drop to the ground, took a deep breath, and ran both hands through his hair. Reglan stood silently, staring at Otter, who quietly walked over to sniff at what was left of the boulder.

  Spinner exhaled with a sigh of relief and glanced once more at the pile of limestone rubble. Lucky they hadn’t tried to run for freedom.

  They resumed the journey, passing tight clusters of ferns that sprouted from the bases of tall stalagmites. Some reached way above Spinner’s head, at least ten or twelve feet. Every so often, he’d see a cave pearl or two glowing in the shadows. When he pointe
d them out to Reglan, she nodded. “Beautiful, aren’t they. See how they sparkle. It’s like they possess their own energy.”

  Spinner thought Reglan’s comment was not too far off base. He’d been wondering the same thing. How do they maintain that luster, even underground? Once, when no one was looking, he reached down and picked one up. It was heavy and warm in his hand. Grabbing another smaller one, he dropped them both in his pack.

  For the next half mile, the path zigzagged in a series of steep switchbacks, up and down. Spinner detected other paths angling off in different directions, but he still had no idea where they were being led. The path provided no clue either.

  As the convoy rounded a particularly sharp curve, Spinner hurried to catch up with Ebo. “Do the big ones ever come up this far?”

  Big ones?

  “Like T. Rex, stegosaurus, or Apatosaurus. You know, really big dinosaurs.”

  A strange look, something like alarm, crossed all the saurids’ faces. No. They keep to themselves, deep in the Underland forests.

  “You mean the Wild.”

  Reglan motioned for him to shush. “Don’t say that. They might think we want to go back.”

  “Just curious.”

  “Kali’s watching us.”

  When the air filled with dust after the Great Cataclysm, all surviving creatures moved underground. Kali’s voice rang out clearly in their minds. She finished speaking and hopped up with Ebo and Scroffle.

  “What does she mean, Great Cataclysm?” Reglan asked.

  “It’s not just a theory then.” Spinner’s mouth hung open.

  “I read about a huge die-off in science class.” Reglan stayed close to Spinner’s side as Otter padded along behind them.

  “So a mass extinction really took place.” Sadness filled Spinner’s voice. “Scientists think maybe a comet or asteroid collided with Earth millions of years ago. That’s what wiped out many of the dinosaurs.”