Olivia's Escape

by Cindy Matthews

"Including the fearful Mungenast?" Olivia chuckled. "He sounds like a regular Paul Bunyan character. I wonder if he has a blue ox named Babe somewhere."

  "Paul Bunyan?" Annara wrinkled her brow. "I don't think I've heard this story, but 'Never Go Down in the Deep All Alone' starts out one old ballad I'm quite fond of." Annara sang the tune softly and others joined in as they wound down a steep path full of switchbacks.

  "I like it," Olivia said as they finished. "It's tells a story and has a catchy refrain. Do you know who wrote it?"

  Annara shrugged. "I don't know if we humans wrote it to tell each other about the secret caves, or if it was simply a way to convince their masters that we wouldn't dare do anything as foolish as hide out in the caverns to get away from them."

  "Probably both." Olivia tried hard not to stare at Hernando's back. She forced her focus back to the conversation and the slippery path under her feet. "It reminds me of songs my ancestors sang before the American Civil War. 'Follow the Drinking Gourd' is about following the Big Dipper constellation. In its handle lies the North Star, and by following it toward the north, they'd find their freedom."

  Annara smiled. "On this world the two stars coming together will bring us our freedom."

  "This astronomical event doesn't happen very often?"

  "Only every few Earth centuries or so I'm told. Caveman can probably tell you the last time it happened. The servants have revolted against their masters every time the two suns do come together in the BloodDark sky."

  "They have?" Olivia felt thunderstruck. "They've revolted each time, but they've never been successful?"

  "No, not until now." Annara lifted her chin high. "This time we will succeed."

  Annara's confidence in their operation impressed Olivia, but it didn't sound like the Pure Bloods would be unprepared for just such an occurrence.

  "So, every time the two stars come together, the Pure Bloods know they're at risk of having to defend themselves against an uprising?" Olivia asked.

  "Yes, but they also realize that they are at their most vulnerable."

  "Because of the double sunlight?"

  "Yes."

  Olivia wasn't so easily convinced. "Don't you think by now they would have perfected some sort of sun block that would help them cope with the extra light so they could defend themselves?"

  "That's the beauty of it all," Caveman interrupted. Olivia felt renewed respect for his powers of hearing. "While in the last few centuries humans and Quadsangs have become more organized and determined, the Pure Bloods have become the opposite. Don't get me wrong—they are still very powerful—but they are growing more degenerate, weaker both physically and mentally. They depend more on the Overseers than ever before, and because it's been so long since the last attempted uprising, they've falsely come to believe that their servants have accepted their fates."

  Olivia frowned. "That's ridiculous. I mean, what would make them come to such a lame conclusion?"

  "People like me." Hernando turned and grinned at her. "My family has been working to spread disinformation among the bloodsuckers for generations now. Our job has been to convince our Pure Blood masters that the Quadsang race would never do anything to change the current system, and that humans are mostly harmless"

  "Mostly harmless." Olivia smiled to herself. "Sounds like the title of a Douglas Adams book I read."

  "The Pure Bloods are arrogant enough to believe they still possess the same level of influence over the various peoples of BloodDark," Hernando continued. "They don't believe the separate races even speak to one another, and if we don't speak to each other... Well, we can't organize any Resistance because we refuse to cooperate with each other."

  Arrogance. Murnau displayed a lot of it, but Olivia couldn't believe it was that simple. "So, how do you know they haven't seen through the smokescreen? How do you know they actually believe the disinformation?"

  "On occasion, we act in a way that makes them feel assured of the lies," Caveman said. "Be careful up ahead, folks. There's a big abyss to your right. You could say it's the fastest way to the dark side, through the middle of the planet."

  Olivia took smaller steps as they maneuvered through the narrow trail along the drop off. The low ceiling began to open up, and she could hear the sound of rushing water ahead. A waterfall? The sound grew in volume and a few moments later their lanterns' light revealed the source of the now-deafening noise.

  A vast cavern opened out to their right. Olivia noted how the narrow path they were walking upon ran along a shelf of rock with a sheer cliff on one side and a matching drop on the other. Wet stone gleamed across the void at the very edge of the pool of light, indicating the presence of the wall opposite. The atmosphere felt warmer and damper than in the previous caverns, and a fine mist hung in the air.

  "Here it is!" Caveman exclaimed. Olivia spied the waterfall some twenty feet across emerging from a cleft in the rock face above them. Its stream ran across the path and plunged over the edge at a rapid rate. Time and millions of tons of flowing water had eroded the edge so it formed a square cut in the rock shelf. Olivia could hear the water impacting against a solid surface far below. She shivered at the thought of landing at the bottom of the rocky ravine.

  Caveman waded into the flow, white water bubbling around his knees. He peered into the crevice with his lantern held high. "This is the way," he called back. "We follow this side stream until we get to the next part of the cave trail. The water's shallow enough to wade through, but the current's strong and we're going against it. For all our sakes, stay tied together and keep tabs on the person in front of you."

  With his warning ringing in her ears, Olivia double-checked that the rope was tied well about her waist. One after the other, they waded into the stream and followed Caveman's lead. She took a cautious step into the water. It chilled her to the bone and she gasped. The bitter cold grew worse as the water level rose level to her hips. None of the others complained. She bit her tongue before she could utter some choice words.

  Caveman isn't lying about the strong current. Olivia struggled to push her legs forward against the insistent force. The smooth bottom beneath her feet gave little purchase, and the tunnel closing in about her didn't calm her mind at all. Once past the mouth of the tunnel, she found the roof descended by degrees until they all were forced to stoop to prevent from knocking their heads on the ceiling. Her arms ached as she held her lantern above the water's surface. Its light didn't penetrate far into the black and oily water.

  She shuddered and coughed. "Ugh. Someone's been dumping their industrial wastes in this watershed."

  "Keep going!" Caveman's voice echoed eerily from up ahead. "It'll get better before long."

  "How long?" she grumbled. A heartbeat later, the earth buckled beneath her.

  Olivia felt her feet slip, and she went down. Freezing cold water closed above her head. She fought to stand and choked as she opened her mouth to gasp for air and found water instead. She lost hold of the lantern, and the yellow glow went out, plunging her into darkness. The flow hurled her against something that resisted for a moment before giving way. The rope!

  I've come untied from the group. I'm about to be swept away from them. They'll never find my body.

  Thrashing about to reach the stream's surface, Olivia felt something heavy plunge into the water alongside her. Hands flailed against her for a moment then grabbed her and held her against its bulk. She struggled to free herself from her savior's grip, thinking only of the terrible death that must await them both at the bottom of the waterfall.

  What seemed like hours, but she knew was only moments later, Olivia's head broke the surface. She spat out the foul water she'd swallowed and took a deep breath. Coughing and spewing water, she found Hernando's strong hands pulling her onto the dry land. Her comrade behind her in line had been caught and held by the rope and those following made it to the stream bank with the others' help.

  Welcoming hands and arms helped Olivia to a small boulder and commanded her to
sit until she regained her equilibrium. She wiped water from her eyes and coughed until her chest ached. When at last she had the strength to look up, she found Hernando standing beside her.

  "Are you okay?" He wrapped his arms about her, his anxious expression speaking volumes. "I thought we'd lost you."

  "I'm okay." She took comfort from his clasp and hugged him back. "Thanks for rescuing me, but you shouldn't have untied your rope from the others. That was stupid and dangerous."

  "I know, I know. Caveman's scolded me already."

  Hernando's smile warmed her heart. Olivia knew they were good again, that they would trust each other from now on. She squeezed his hand and grinned.

  "What the heck happened?" she asked as the others gathered about her. "I was being so careful and then the ground beneath me jumped. Was it an earthquake?"

  "It was a quake." Caveman frowned. His tone sounded grim. "I remember tales from the old timers which spoke of quakes striking BloodDark when the other sun drew closer. We've not much time. If everyone's okay, let's press on. Follow the stream."

  Hernando shrugged and help Olivia to her feet. He took his place behind Caveman, and she was tied to the rope position behind Annara once again. Sighing, Olivia trudged after the others, her wet leather clothes squeaking and sticking to her, weighing her down.

  This is the worst feeling ever. Will we ever get out of these caves?

  Her answer came sooner than she expected. The cave ceiling began to slope upward, gradual at first and then it shot up to ten feet above their heads. The cavern had transformed itself into a tunnel of worked stone, the walls and ceiling showing countless tool marks. A dressed stone walkway appeared on their left, its surface a foot or so above the waterline. The now channeled waterway flowed ahead into darkness.

  Caveman and the others ahead scrambled onto the walkway, helping each other to overcome the weight of their saturated clothing. Annara helped Olivia climb onto the path and sat with her along the edge to catch their breath. They pulled off their shoes and shook out the rain sewer-like water.

  "Oh, thank God that's over!" Olivia cried. "I don't think I'll ever feel dry again."

  Caveman checked with each of his team members, making certain they hadn't lost supplies in the underground stream. "We need to keep moving," he announced, receiving more than one groan in response. He held up his hands. "No, people, we cannot rest here. Too much depends on our being in the right place at the right time. That moment isn't too far off." He pointed ahead. "The crypt lies that way. Above it lies living quarters. If we reach them in good time we can rest and dry out some, but until then we have to keep traveling. Up!"

  Grumbling, they rose to their feet. Olivia cringed. She shivered as her heavy leather clothing dripped water across her skin. Annara put an arm around her shoulders.

  "It's not far to go now. We'll find a place where you can dry out."

  Olivia patted her friend's hand and smiled. "It'll be great to feel warm."

  "You think the rest of us feel warm?" Annara raised an eyebrow and laughed. A few yards later, Olivia glanced up and saw Hernando approaching.

  "It's my turn to help Caveman navigate since I know these crypts." Annara winked as she trotted away. "I'll leave you in better hands." Hernando stood aside to let the fighter pass by on the narrow walk.

  "How are you feeling?" he asked, brushing back a strand of wet hair from Olivia's face.

  Olivia wrung out a fold of her shirt and dripped water on his feet. "I've felt better."

  "And dryer." He chuckled and took her hand. "Walk with me?"

  "Of course." Even in the dim light of the lantern light, Olivia could see the twinkle in his eyes as she squeezed his hand back. How could she not love a boy who'd risked his own life to save her from drowning?

  Caveman and Annara conferred and eventually settled on a route that led the party to the foot of a spiral stairway. The stonework of the walls grew in quality, and Olivia saw wrought iron sconces for burning torches. Faded soot stains above the sconces gave the impression the stairway had been disused for some time.

  This is the ultimate haunted castle. I bet Britt, Jace, and Alex would love to explore it at Halloween. Too bad the real thing isn't as fun as the pretend kind.

  They trailed behind their guides in single file, a slow and steady rise up the spiral staircase. Olivia's legs ached. "I can't deny the trek through the caves was good exercise, but these stairs are killing me," she moaned.

  Hernando turned and shot her a wry look. "As a house servant, I was up and down these things all the time at the Pure Bloods' beck and call. Here we have a choice and a noble goal at the end. It's worth a bit of pain, I think."

  "Yeah." She flashed a winsome smile. "Sorry to be such a whiny brat."

  He returned the grin. "You have cause. You've never experienced anything like you have here on BloodDark, have you?"

  "True. It's not like I've ever almost drowned in an icy cold cave river before."

  "Quiet, everyone!" Caveman ordered. "We're approaching the crypt level. Hernando? Olivia? Come up front."

  They squeezed past the others in the narrow confines of the stairwell and made their way to where Caveman and Annara waited at the head of the stairs. Olivia saw the stairs ended at a broad passageway running from right to left, disappearing beyond the lantern light to either side. Annara pointed to the left.

  "The first of the crypts lies along here," she said in a whisper. "We might encounter Pure Bloods."

  A tremor ran through the ground and the lanterns flicked with the movement of air. "Another quake?" Olivia looked nervously up at the ceiling.

  Caveman nodded. "Yes, but don't worry. They never get severe enough to destroy anything."

  "You hope!"

  "We hope." He drew an ornate brass-chased pistol from his belt. "Now, keep quiet and follow me."

  Hernando unsheathed the shotgun and held it across his chest. Olivia eyed it and wondered if she dare ask for a weapon. As if he read her mind, he reached into a pocket and produced a knife in a scabbard make of black, tooled leather. She nodded as she took it. The thing didn't come with a belt so Olivia held it, her hand on the hilt ready to draw at an instant's notice.

  The passageway ended after a hundred yards, blocked by tall double doors. Their surface gleamed a deep oily black, polished to a shine. Olivia could see her reflection in them. Each door hung by huge brass hinges, and a matching lock escutcheon took pride of place in the center.

  Caveman put his ear to the doors and listened for several minutes. Finally he nodded, took hold of the handle and pushed the left hand door open. He held his pistol so the muzzle followed where he looked, like a dog questing for a scent. For a moment he hovered on the threshold, then he stepped into the chamber beyond. Olivia and Hernando followed with Annara bringing the others up behind them.

  Olivia hadn't known what to expect, but the burial chamber revealed by their lantern light looked like a photo she'd once seen of a crypt beneath a medieval cathedral. Ten rows of four sarcophagi each with wide aisles between them occupied most of the floor. A set of matching double doors stood at one end of the hall and an altar on a dais was set in a deep niche along a side wall. As lantern light filled the chamber, Olivia saw how each sarcophagus had what appeared to be runes incised into their sides.

  She blinked and blinked again. Could it be? The runes resembled not so much a language but numbers and symbols, like scientific formulae.

  Maybe they're not coffins after all. Maybe these aren't really dead people. Something isn't quite right here.

  "That's the way out." Annara indicated the double doors at the far end of the chamber.

  Olivia cleared her throat. "You know what, guys? I'm getting a very odd feeling about this place..."

  The doors at the far end swung open with a swiftness and strange silence that made them all jump. Olivia heard her heart pounding in her ears. She'd sensed them before they could smell her. Somehow, she'd known they were coming... two hulking Overseers followe
d by a Pure Blood.

  Chapter Twelve

  The Overseers stood framed in the entrance, mouths gaping when they saw the Resistance fighters. Olivia prayed the Pure Blood hadn't noticed her.

  Caveman recovered first. He leveled his pistol at the closest Overseer and fired. The brute staggered with the bullet's impact. His comrade roared and ducked behind a sarcophagus as Hernando leveled his gun and fired. His shot smashed a corner off the container and ricocheted, smacking into the door above the Pure Blood's head. Olivia blinked when the vampire flinched and simply vanished.

  Others forced their way into the room, jostling her out of their way. Olivia pressed her back against the cold stone wall and drew the knife. To her disgust, she saw the blade was fashioned of some kind of green wood. Hernando crouched behind the nearest sarcophagus. Olivia shook the blade at him.

  "What the heck am I going to do with a wooden dagger?"

  He glanced up, hands busy with reloading. "It's lignum mortiae or death wood. Stick it in a Pure Blood's body, and it'll hurt it far more than a metal blade."

  "I guess I'll have to go along with that until proven otherwise," she muttered, staring at the odd thing.

  The others fanned out into the chamber, stalking their prey between the tombs, eyes flickering back and forth. Olivia gasped as the Pure Blood shot out from an aisle and seized a comrade from behind. For the briefest instant, the Pure Blood looked right at Olivia with its beady dark eyes. She heard a snapping sound and with a blur of motion the creature had gone. Her fellow fighter dropped to the floor, his head twisted at an unnatural angle. Olivia gave a soft scream of horror.

  "Protect Olivia!" Caveman shouted.

  Hernando scuttled over to her and crouched at her feet, his weapon swinging to cover the area. Others formed a loose cordon around her as the Pure Blood materialized among them.

  His unearthly screech of triumph rang in her ears as he flung her would-be guards away like empty paper cups. Hernando's gun roared, but the creature dodged the bullets with a sneer of contempt and kicked the weapon out of Hernando's hand. Hernando scrambled to his feet only to be felled by another kick to the chest. The Pure Blood lost interest in him and rounded on Olivia.