Alone

by Holly Hook

  It's coming out. This is working. I'm actually getting the rabbit-dog out of here.

  “Hold on!” I shout.

  Keep going, I tell myself. My arms are already sore from climbing the tree, but I keep pulling.

  Its head appears on top of the pit. Its ears stand up in joy and at last, I let the branch flop down to the ground next to the hole. The rabbit-dog holds on for dear life, claws digging into the wood, as I stand there, panting. I've done it.

  Where's my axe?

  This creature could kill me now and no one will ever know.

  My axe. I've dropped it by the boulder.

  But the rabbit-dog sits on the branch, trembling with exhaustion at the edge of the hole. We both are. The creature straightens up and stretches like a cat would. Looks at me, but makes no motion to attack me. Is it a silent thank you? Maybe. Maybe not.

  I like to think that it is.

  "Don't leave," I say, holding up a hand. I grab my backpack—it's much heavier after my effort—and head over to the boulder to sit. I keep the axe next to me, not taking my gaze off the rabbit-dog. If it gets up to leave right now, I'll have to follow if I have any chance at keeping the Dwellers away from me. My arms ache. I got this guy out and shut up Melissa at the same time. It's an accomplishment.

  But I'm still hungry and thirsty. I reach over stone to see if I've left any of the berries. I have. I close my hand around the cluster and prepare to finish them off. There are more in the woods, but I'll have to find something else to eat soon.

  Then I hear something pattering onto the boulder with me.

  My heart leaps. The rabbit-dog enters my vision, eye level with me. It's only inches from my face. Its breath is terrible—like rotten garbage—but it doesn't try to attack me. Its orange eyes are soft, tired. It turns away and heads towards the spring, tail wagging. It's so much like a dog I can't believe it.

  We have a truce, at least. I relax and let out a breath. I'm not going to die right now.

  I imagine how long it must have been stuck down there and I sit up. The rabbit-dog laps up water as if in a desperate bid to make its breath a little better. I don't blame it. It just ate a Dweller.

  I finish eating the berries and the rabbit-dog sprawls out in the sun just feet from the spring, falling into a nap.

  I check the premises again. No one. No Dweller will dare come out here for hours. The rabbit-dog's taking a nap. There's a bubbling spring next to me.

  Now's a good time to take a bath.

  I've never wanted one more in my life.

  I have something else here guarding me and I'm safe in the sun. I doubt those Dwellers are going to want to peep at me. I used to think they were a little bit like people, but now that I know I'm wrong, I can let my guard down here.

  Provided Mr. Larconi and Roger don't come this way.

  The spring is about two feet deep and the water inside is sparkling, almost. It's magical. The rocks glisten with every color of the rainbow as if the water has given them some kind of power. I put my hand in. The water's cool, but not cold. It'll work for a bath. I wish I had some shampoo. I run my hand through my hair. It's oily. Yuck. I could never stand that feeling.

  I undress and keep the axe next to me. I might as well wash my clothes here, too. The rabbit-dog's snoring now. It clearly has no intention to attack me. If it did, it would have done so already.

  It might have a short memory, though. I had better stay on guard just in case.

  Bathing is awesome. The spring smells way better than the river and I rinse my hair out as much as I can with my hands. While I'm in, I rinse my clothes off as well. The water bubbling up from underground is almost warm, like it's coming from warm reservoir. I wonder if the Dwellers have any springs underground that come to the surface. They must, if they rely on water to survive like we do. Or the slaves underground must have some source of water. The Dwellers wouldn't pay the Flamestone Society for workers if they're just going to die of thirst.

  I get done after about half an hour and put my damp clothes back on. They'll dry in the sun, but at least I'm not going to stink.

  The sun's reached mid afternoon.

  I have to leave. This place is open. My stomach growls. The rabbit-dog raises its head at me and I freeze. But it gets up, walks towards me, and rubs against my leg.

  Yes. We have a truce.

  Maybe even a friendship.

  “Hey,” I say. I pet it on the head. It lets me. This guy isn't like the one outside my first shelter. He's...tame. Maybe this rabbit-dog is used to people and it's gotten separated from the ones it knows. That's a good sign. Maybe it can lead me to those people.

  I could be getting closer to civilization after all. The arrow could be good. And they might know where a gateway is out of here. If I can get back to the regular world, I can show someone how to rescue Shawn and Talia and Travis.

  “Do you know where people are?” I ask.

  The rabbit-dog looks at me and cocks its head.

  I don't know what that means.

  I point to myself, since I seem to have better luck with sign language here. Then I point out into the trees, turning in a full circle. I repeat the gesture three times. I'm putting my full trust in this creature that I've only just met, but the trees all look the same now. I don't even know what direction I came from. My heart pounds.

  The rabbit-dog faces the trees. Unlike regular dogs, this one knows what pointing means. I used to throw chew toys for my aunt's dog when I was little and would point at them, but she would never get it. She'd just stare at me. This is different. This creature is smart.

  And I killed one.

  Maybe even one that this rabbit-dog knows.

  The thought makes a bubble of oily guilt rise up inside of me. The rabbit dog sniffs at me, just like a regular dog. He has no idea.

  “Can you take me to people?” I ask. I point to myself and move my hands, like I'm framing myself. Then I point to the forest again. “Someone who isn't Larconi or in league with the Dwellers?”

  The rabbit-dog looks into the forest.

  Then it steps forward, looks at me, and makes a motion like it's nodding in that direction. And walks away. I know what it means. Follow me.

  I grab my backpack and put it back over my shoulders, realizing that I should have washed it while I had the chance. I pick up my axe and follow the creature. I might have just made the worst decision of my life. This creature could take me right to Larconi for all I know and I'll have to fight him. I might even have to kill him. The axe feels very heavy in my hands as I follow the creature out of the clearing and into the woods. The canopy blocks out the sun. I stay close behind the rabbit-dog. Something skitters nearby, but then the tall grass bends and thrashes as the lone Dweller flees. More squeaks of horror ring out around us. I watch a yellow and orange head disappear into the gloom.

  Or maybe I've made one of the best decisions of my life.

  “You know what?” I ask it. “I think I'll call you Pit."

  Chapter Eight

  Dweller Trap

  We walk through the forest for some time. The holes grow farther and farther apart. Only stray skittering sounds ring out and those get less frequent. I keep my gaze on Pit's magenta spots. Maybe we're heading away from the Dweller nest or whatever. It makes me feel a lot better, knowing that they're not going to come out and snatch me at any moment. They're too afraid of Pit, and rightly so.

  If I hadn't found him, I might be far underground already. And maybe even dead.

  Pit keeps walking. His ears are up along with his tail. He seems happy. The magenta spots on his back move up and down with his shoulder blades. Every once in a while, he glances back as if to make sure I'm still following. This is better than wandering around this place, accomplishing nothing.

  I try to glance at the sun as we walk. The light's changing and getting yellower when it does poke through the trees. This forest shows no signs of thinning. We seem to be in here for the long haul. My stomach's rumbling again and
I pick more of the glowberries to eat. They're not going to keep me going for long. They're fine for today, but I need something more substantial to eat if I'm going to be here for a while. I wonder if Pit can hunt. I can cook meat now, at least.

  And what I can do for him in return.

  The light's turning to dusk now. I need to find a place to hide. Once it's full dark, the Dwellers will really be able to swarm and maybe not even Pit can hold them back. I think we only got through that nest earlier because there was still some light. “Pit,” I say.

  He turns and faces me, a question in his gaze. Is that my name?

  I nod. I make a motion above my head and turn my arms into a roof. I doubt he'll understand.

  But Pit straightens up like a hunting dog and looks around. Then, he shakes his head at me and changes direction, heading deeper into the forest. What if we walk around in here for weeks? These giant trees could cover hundreds of miles for all I know.

  The light gets longer. More tired. We walk for another twenty minutes.

  But there it is.

  A cave.

  There's another outcrop of rock where the land rises above the rest. A single giant tree grows above the cave and its roots hang over the entrance.

  He actually got what I was saying.

  He knew this cave was here. Pit's familiar with the area. That's good. I walk up to the entrance. It's big enough for me to just walk in.

  “No Dwellers?” I ask.

  Pit walks up to the cave and sniffs the ground. Then he looks back at me again and shakes his head like he's waving me closer.

  "So you're telling me it's safe?” I can't get over how smart he is.

  He shakes his head again, gesturing me closer. I'm going to have to take that as a yes. I get out my phone, which has still survived. I turn it on. I get a low battery warning, but I hold the screen up to the cave and turn on the app for one final time.

  The cave is shallow, only going in about ten feet or so. There are no holes leading deeper into the ground. Just leaves, old and crumpled and dead. And stone. I don't even see any animal droppings here.

  I turn the phone off. It's good enough, if I can start a fire in the entrance. This forest is so thick that there's no way Larconi or anyone else will see it unless they're very close. I'll take the risk. I need to keep the creatures of the night out of my hiding place and I can think of no other way to do it. A fire will hold back any Dwellers, too.

  Of course, there's a chance that the Dwellers could just bring Larconi here. He seems to show up wherever they are. A fire won't stop him, but I have Pit.

  Right next to the cave is another small hole. I shine my phone down into that, too. It's ringed with stone and it doesn't look like an entrance to Dweller land. It's about three feet deep and far enough from the cave so that the fire won't light it much. It's not enough to trap Pit, but enough to get some Dwellers stuck.

  I look right at Pit. “You know what?” I ask. “I think tonight's going to be beneficial for both of us. Watch.”

  I drop my backpack. Get out the orange stone and dump some of it into the hole. I can easily get it out in the morning. But Dwellers seem to love this stuff. Need it, even.

  “You want some easy dinner tonight?” I ask Pit. I motion with my hands as I speak. “You stay out here, and I go in the cave. I'm going to start a fire to keep the Dwellers away from me, and you're going to wait here.” I point to the ground next to the hole. “You're going to get an easy meal tonight.”

  Pit seems to understand. His eyes light. He studies the rocks at the bottom of the hole and looks back up at me. Is he smiling? It sure looks like it.

  These rabbit-dogs must be as smart as dolphins or something. Or even smarter. I can't believe I've found something like this out here. I'm not so alone after all.

  I go to work picking up dry, dead sticks from the ground. All I'll need is a fire that'll burn all night. The trees here are still the same type as before, but none lean to the side enough for me to climb. The cave is all I have and I have fire now. That can't run out of batteries.

  I take a few pieces of the stone for myself and drop the armload of sticks near the entrance. Pit sits and waits on top of the cave, right next to the giant tree trunk and a huge root that's sticking out of the ground. I catch a flash of orange eyes. When I spot him, he ducks down. He's waiting in ambush. I'm glad. I can't wait to see those Dwellers get it tonight—if they'll even come close enough to look at the flames. That alone might keep them away. In that case, I'll need to get Pit some dead ones off the ground in the morning.

  I enter the cave and kick all the dead leaves into a pile along with the sticks. I need to keep plenty of fuel here for the night and put the fire at the entrance. No further in. I don't want to die from the smoke. I get out a piece of the orange stone and drop it in the pile. Get out the piece of flint and go to work hitting it. Sparks fly, but after a few tries, the stone ignites. I'm getting better. This is so easy to do now that I know how. I wonder if any people out here have discovered the same thing.

  There's a loud, echoing scream.

  Whatever's making the noise is louder tonight. Closer. My heart flutters. Will the fire keep more than just the Dwellers back? It won't keep any other humans back, that's for sure. All they have to do is kick dirt on the flames. And I don't like this entrance being open.

  The fire will protect me.

  Pit starts to sniff around. He's at home there in the night.

  They'll both watch out for me.

  I settle back into the very rear of the cave. I might stay out of sight here. The fire blazes higher until it blocks out my view of the night. I hope the tree above me doesn't catch. The roots hang dangerously close to the flames. It's a risk I have to take. There are no other options.

  I wait.

  And wait.

  There's another scream. What is that thing? How many miles away is it?

  Should I even try to sleep?

  Pit's sniffing continues outside, cutting over the crackling of the fire. He doesn't seem too concerned. I'm warm in here. Secure. I add more wood to the flames and watch the air ripple. So far, so good. The roots hanging across the hole don't catch. They must be moist. Maybe they won't burn since they're still full of life. I don't want to start a forest fire. That would be horrible and I might not be able to escape it.

  And I don't want anything to happen to Pit.

  I grab the axe. Just to be safe, I go to work hacking at the roots that hang over the fire. The two of them fall and make the fire erupt even higher. That's one less thing I'll need to worry about. I settle back into the cave as Pit continues to sniff around outside. Light flickers. There aren't any more screams.

  My stomach growls. My head thumps across the temples.

  I would kill to have something to eat right now.

  I wait for an hour. It remains silent outside and I don't hear any skittering. The Dwellers must be out, but if I'm lucky, they've emerged from the ground miles and miles away.

  The orange stone makes them fearless. They love it more than life itself. They have no sense of self. Do they think? Or do they just swarm?

  I wait some more. Pit walks around the tree above me. I grow used to the noise. It's reassuring.

  And then I hear the first soft thunder of little feet.

  “Here we go,” I shout at Pit. I grab some sticks and pile them onto the fire, making it climb higher.

  It's full dark now. The fire makes the outside seem even blacker. The Dwellers won't even want to look at this. It'll be too bright for them. Shadows dance on the inside of my cave as if they're already bursting in. Every little movement makes me jump.

  Pit growls.

  Is he doing it to protect me? To warn me?

  I scramble to the back of the cave and sit. The flames lick the air. It's bright in here. The soft thunder fades and I spot something on the wall for the first time.

  Writing.

  Purple writing right on the stone. If I hadn't scooted back and added to t
he fire, I would have missed it.

  I crawl over to the shapes on the wall. It looks like someone has written something with the flesh of those burnberries or used them like some kind of paint.

  Others have sheltered in here. Others who might have escaped from the mines.

  The flames spit and grow high again. Sparks and glowing ashes fall to the stone a couple of feet away. There's more skittering, but it's distant. If the Dwellers are close, they haven't seen the fire yet. Or they're too afraid to approach with Pit out there. Maybe they have some brains after all.

  I lean closer to the writing.

  Steven was here.

  Steven.

  I reach out and rub the ink with my finger. It burns a bit. Yes. Someone has used the burnberries as ink. It's good to know. I should write that down in my notebook in case that fact comes in handy later.

  I look for anything else in the cave, and on the opposite side of the wall, there's another word.

  Wompitt.

  I read it again to make sure it's right. Is it someone's name? What does it mean? Maybe it's the name of a hiding place or something like this world's version of the underground railroad. It could be the name of another gateway back to Earth.

  Pit is leading me in the right direction after all.

  He growls again, this time in anticipation. The stampede grows louder over the flames. The Dwellers are coming.

  I shovel more leaves on the flames to make them higher. The fire grows bigger. The Dwellers can't close their huge eyes. It sucks to be them right now. And I can't see anything past the flames except for darkness.

  The noise grows louder until I'm sure they're going to burst into the cave with me. Then, it veers off to my left.

  To where the hole in the ground is. To where I left the bait.

  Dwellers squeak with joy. I hear tiny feet and claws running over stone. The trap is working. I'm luring those Dwellers to their death.

  There's a soft thump and the clicking of Pit's claws on the rock. He's going after them. I hear terrified squeals as he jumps again and then a satisfying crunching sound. Little feet speed back off into the night.