by Kate O'Hearn
“Angie?” Jake asked. “Can you really see in this darkness?”
“Yes, why?”
“Because we need snake venom. Is there anything here in the boat that might work as a container to hold some? Then maybe we can find some sticks or something to use to defend ourselves.”
“Let me look.”
Just as she started to get up, Jake warned, “Move very slowly and don’t rock the boat, just in case someone is out there.”
“I’ll be careful.”
Jake felt frustrated and helpless in equal measures as Angie moved confidently around the boat. He heard her going through cupboards and pulling open drawers. Finally she returned to him. “I have a strange-looking container. It’s not glass, but it has a tight cover.”
Jake reached out and felt the container. It was very much like the ones his mother had at home for sealing leftovers in. “This is perfect,” he said softly. “Now we just have to ask the snakes to…” Before he could finish, he felt snakes gathering at his feet, and some were climbing up his jeans.
Jake told Angie how they milked the snakes. Before long, they had filled half the container. When it was sealed, he said thank you to the snakes.
“Now what?” Angie asked.
Jake sighed. “Now we have to go back out.” He focused on the snakes around his neck and carefully removed them and laid them down on the bunk. “Nesso, I can’t see you. Would you climb back onto my hands? You other guys, stay here and relax.”
He felt Nesso slip back into his hands. Jake brought her back to his neck, and she settled in her proper place.
“Nesso, would you ask the snakes keeping watch if they can see anyone outside the boat?”
Nesso hissed.
“They are moving,” Angie said softly. “One has just gone outside.”
Jake only realized he was holding his breath when he started to get dizzy. He let it out softly.
“He’s back,” Angie said.
“Jake, there isss no one outssside. He did sssee a Mimic with a torch, but they were far away.”
Jake repeated the message to Angie. “They are looking for us.”
“Maybe we should just stay here.”
Jake turned to her, and even though he couldn’t see her, he knew she could see him. “We can’t. At least not at night. We need food for us and the snakes. And we should try to find the Titans taken from Titus and Xanadu. We might even find your folks.”
“I know,” Angie said softly. “But I’m just…”
Jake squeezed her hand. “I’m scared too. Let’s give it to the count of two hundred, and then we can go look.”
Jake and Angie counted very softly and slowly. When they reached two hundred, Jake squeezed Angie’s hand again. “Would you help me find the way to the hatch? I really can’t see anything.”
Angie rose and, keeping hold of Jake’s hand, led him toward the stairs going up. “Stay here,” she said. “Let me look.”
“Be extra, extra careful,” Jake warned.
Angie moved past him and climbed the stairs. He heard her drawing back the hatch. His heart was racing in his chest as he waited to hear.
Moments later, Angie returned. “We’re alone. I don’t even see torches.”
“Fantastic.” Jake turned into the darkness and called softly to the snakes. “You all may want to come with us, but it’s too dangerous. Please stay here. We are going out to get you some food. I promise we will come back.”
There was hissing coming from all around.
“They are not pleasssed with thisss arrangement,” Nesso said.
“Neither am I,” Jake said. “But we need to move around, and I don’t want to be worried about you guys. Please do as I ask and stay.”
“They will ssstay,” Nesso said. “They are not happy, but they will.”
Jake stored the jar of venom in his waistband and climbed the stairs. The sun was completely down and there was no moon. He couldn’t see a thing.
“I think I’m going to swim this time,” he said softly.
“But I thought you said it wasn’t safe.”
“I was worried it wasn’t safe, but considering I fell in and swallowed some of the water, at least it’s not poisonous. I don’t know about monsters, but I just can’t see anything. It’ll be more dangerous for me to try to cross over those wrecks.”
“I’ll swim with you,” Angie said.
“Good,” Jake said softly. “Because you are going to have to be my eyes until I get used to the dark—if I get used to it.”
“I never knew humans couldn’t see well,” Angie said.
Jake knew it wasn’t meant as an insult. But it sure felt like one. “Yeah, I know. We’re much weaker than you guys.”
“But you’re a lot braver,” Angie said.
Jake smiled as he lowered himself to the deck and slipped quietly into the water. Angie entered beside him.
“Hold on to my back,” she suggested. “I’ll swim.” Angie led his hands to her shoulders and moved confidently through the water.
“I love the taste of this water,” she said softly. “It reminds me of nectar.”
“It does, doesn’t it,” Jake agreed. “I wonder if it will work like nectar.”
“I guess we’ll see,” Angie said.
When they reached the bank of the canal, Angie pulled herself out of the water and then helped Jake out.
“Where do we go?” Angie asked.
Jake looked around, hoping his eyes would adjust. They didn’t. He was essentially blind.
“Can you see the woods we saw this morning?”
Angie looked around. “Yes, they’re that way.”
“Angie, I still can’t see anything. It’s just a black wall in front of me. Can you lead me and stop me from walking into something or tripping?”
“Of course,” Angie said. She took Jake by the hand. “It’s this way.”
6
JAKE HELD ON TO ANGIE as they walked in the darkness. None of the buildings around them had lights on, and there were no streetlights. Peering up, he gasped. “Look, there aren’t any stars.”
“How can there be no stars?” Angie asked.
“I don’t know,” Jake said. “But stars are just suns. So maybe this planet is all alone in this part of space and there are no neighboring solar systems.”
“I don’t understand how that is possible,” Angie said.
“I haven’t a clue,” Jake said.
Each hesitant step gave him a deeper appreciation for blind people who bravely found ways to move around in the sighted world. It made him grateful that his problem was only a lack of light, and not permanent.
“How much farther?” he asked softly.
“Not far,” Angie whispered.
“The treesss are jussst ahead of usss,” Nesso answered.
“Can you see too?” he asked the snake.
“Yesss,” Nesso answered. “Ussse your other sssensssesss. Feel the ground beneath you. Lisssten to your ssstepsss. You can do thisss.”
Jake took Nesso’s advice and closed his eyes. He felt the even ground beneath his feet and heard nothing but their soft tread. There were no insects or even a breeze to disturb the overwhelming silence.
But a while later, he felt a subtle change. The faint sound of what could be crickets started. Next there was a different smell in the air. Like pine trees.
“We’re getting close, aren’t we?” he said softly.
“Yes,” Angie said. “We’re about to leave the pavement. It goes to the right, but straight ahead of us are trees. What are you hoping to find in there?”
“I’m not sure,” Jake said. “But we need food, and what they gave us was fruit. It had to grow somewhere.”
“I hope you are right,” Nesso said. “The othersss haven’t been fed at all.”
“I hope I’m right too,” Jake agreed.
“Get ready to step down,” Angie warned.
Jake stopped and hesitantly reached out with his foot. He felt the p
avement dip down, and then the ground became softer.
“That’sss it, you’re doing fine,” Nesso coaxed. “Jussst keep moving.”
This was the most surreal experience of Jake’s life as he held on to Angie and walked into what could be woods or a forest on an alien world. He felt soft bristles of the pine needles brush against him.
But with each step, he started to hear more sounds. There was wildlife around them. He’d never been happier to hear scampering and buzzing than he was right now. He didn’t let his mind linger on the fact that there could be very big, very dangerous animals lurking inside the woods as well.
“I think I see something,” Angie said.
“You’re seeing everything,” Jake answered.
“No, I mean torches or something. Farther ahead.”
Jake opened his eyes and again saw a wall of blackness. But this time, his eyes did adjust. Before long he saw the hint of a glow filtering through the trees. “Can you see movement? Are there Mimics?”
“Nothing is moving around us,” Angie said.
Jake was still holding on to her arm. “Take us there, but we have to be very quiet. Let’s circle around it so we can see what’s happening.”
“It’s this way,” Angie said softly.
They moved as quietly as they could toward the glow. The closer they got, the more Jake was able to see. When they were nearer the lights, they ducked down and started to search the area. Inching closer, Angie gasped, and Jake had to hold in his own reaction.
“Sssh…,” Jake hushed softly. He glanced at Angie, and in the glow of the light, he could see the fear in her eyes. He felt the same way. Ahead of them were glowing lights high on poles suspended over what looked like a massive prison yard. It had to be at least the size of a football field, and it was filled with people.
Some were walking around, but their movements were sluggish. Others were sitting on the ground against the tall bars. They were all filthy, and their clothes were tattered and torn. Near the closest side of the yard was a centaur. He was seated on the ground, leaning against the bars. The skin on his bare upper torso was covered in dirt, and he was so thin, all the bones in his body stuck out.
“That’s Chiron!” Angie gasped. “And look, over there, that’s Diana and Apollo; they are Jupiter’s twins.” She turned to Jake. “These are the missing Olympians and Titans. Jake, my parents could be in there!”
“It’s not just them,” Jake replied softly. “Look, that tall one with three eyes—it looks just like the statue.”
“What are they doing here?” Angie asked.
“I don’t know,” Jake said. “But we have to find out. Let’s walk around but stay in the dark in case there are Mimics.”
The lights were bright and enabled Jake to see as they moved deeper into the trees. As they circled around the prison yard, they found it was even bigger than they’d expected. There were other creatures in there that he couldn’t identify—all mixed together. They all looked too sick and exhausted to do anything other than sit.
Outside the yard and attached to it by one wall was a cabin-like building. It was made of rough timber and appeared much bigger than the enclosure. There were no windows on the side, so they couldn’t see what was in there. But as they neared it, they could smell it.
“What is that stink?” Angie asked.
“That’s the smell of Mimic food,” Jake said. “They eat these dried squished animals.” He looked at the yard and then back to the cabin. “I hope they are making those people prepare the food…”
“That’s not a nice thing to say,” Angie said.
“You didn’t let me finish. I was going to say, I hope they are making those people prepare the food and the people are not the food itself.”
Angie gasped. “You don’t think the Mimics are eating them?”
“I don’t know what they’re doing with these people. All I know is, we have to find out.”
Angie started to move. “I’ll go ask.”
Jake caught her arm and hauled her back. “Don’t!” He pointed up to the tall light posts. “Do you see that black box beneath the light? Back on Earth something like that could hold a security camera. If it does, and if we get too close, the Mimics might see us.”
There was an expression of incomprehension on Angie’s face, and Jake remembered she was from a world without electricity. “Cameras are machines that can watch us and then show the images to the Mimics. I don’t know if those are cameras, but that town back there looks a lot like an Earth town. If the buildings have electricity, I bet the Mimics have cameras, too.”
“What do we do?” Angie asked.
Jake shook his head. “I don’t know yet. Just let me think.”
He looked around the area. Up against the cabin was a line of short bushes. It wasn’t great cover, but it was better than nothing.
“Let’s try to reach those bushes; then we can call to the prisoners and hope they don’t attract Mimics. Follow me.”
Jake and Angie wove through the trees surrounding the prison yard and approached the dark end of the building. Jake lowered himself to his hands and knees and pulled Angie down beside him. “Now, stay close to me. We’re going up against that building to stay hidden. When I duck down, you duck down too. Okay?”
Her weak “Yes” told him that she was terrified. “Would you rather stay here and wait for me?”
“No,” Angie said quickly. “I’m staying with you.”
He gave her hand a quick squeeze. “I’d prefer you with me too. Just promise me you’ll be quiet, whatever you see or hear. Is that a deal?”
“Deal,” Angie said.
“Jake, be careful,” Nesso warned. “The sssmell of Mimicsss isss overwhelming. I can’t tell if they are here now or if it isss from earlier.”
“Thanks for the warning. Tell me if you see or hear anything.”
“I will,” Nesso finished.
Jake tried to sound brave and confident. But he was neither. He was terrified. But he had no choice. They needed to reach the prisoners to learn as much as they could. After giving Angie a reassuring thumbs-up, he started to crawl.
They made it to the side of the building. The stink from inside was coming right through the boards. It probably was a good thing that he hadn’t eaten. Anything in his stomach would surely have come back up.
Pressing on, they approached the bushes. Jake squeezed himself between them and the wall and looked up to the lamppost. The black box hadn’t moved. But would it move? This was alien technology. There was no way to know what it could do.
No more than five feet away were the prison bars. A person was leaning against the bars. Another was lying beside them. Jake could see their backs, but no more. They could have been men or women; there was no way to tell. They weren’t speaking or even moving. As Jake crawled as close as he dared, he wondered what he should say. The last thing he wanted was for the people to turn around.
Finally he softly called, “Hey, you against the bars, don’t turn around.…”
The person reacted to the voice, and their back stiffened.
“We’re behind you in the bushes. Cough if you can understand me.”
The person coughed.
“Cough if you are a Titan or Olympian.”
Another cough followed.
“My name is Jake,” he whispered. “I’m from Earth. I have Angitia from Titus with me. We’ve been brought here just like you, but we’ve managed to escape. Can you turn around without looking or acting suspicious?”
The figure coughed again, then slid down the bars to turn around. They rolled over like they were preparing to sleep. It was a boy, a bit older than Jake, with shaggy brown hair. His face was filthy, pale, and gaunt, and he looked half-starved.
Angie peered around Jake and gasped.
“Do you know him?” Jake asked.
“Yes,” Angie whispered. “He’s one of the heroes of Olympus. His name is Paelen.”
7
AS EVERYONE SET
ABOUT DOING their assigned tasks to prepare for departure the following morning, secret messages were passed between Astraea’s team and Pegasus. They agreed to meet up on the glass lake later that evening.
Until then, Astraea and Zephyr were working together to gather as many small pebbles as they could. Zephyr carried two large bags draped over either side of her neck as Astraea filled them.
“I feel like a packhorse,” Zephyr complained.
“Right now, you are one,” Astraea said. “And I’m glad. We’re going to need these to take with us.”
“Yes, about that.” Zephyr lowered her voice. “I’ve had a really crazy idea that I need you to talk me out of.”
Astraea looked back at her best friend and grinned. “Go on.…”
Zephyr caught her gently by the arm. “This way. I don’t want to be overheard.”
They walked deeper into the trees. Zephyr looked around to ensure no one was listening. “Well, I’ve been thinking. And I really need you to stop me—”
“Just say it!” Astraea cried.
Zephyr inhaled deeply. “I wonder if we should go back to Zomos and get Lergo and take it to the Mimic home world so it can eat them all!” She let out the remainder of her breath. “There, now I’ve said it, and we can forget all about it.”
Astraea wasn’t sure what she’d expected of her friend, but this sure wasn’t it. Considering how Lergo had nearly killed Zephyr when they were on Zomos, that would be the last place she thought Zephyr would want to go. Astraea looked down and took a few steps.
Zephyr chuckled uncomfortably. “I told you it was crazy and stupid and extremely dangerous.…”
“And it’s brilliant!” Astraea cried. She ran back to Zephyr and kissed her on the muzzle. “Zeph, this could really work. If we could get Lergo to the Mimic home world, the Mimics would be so distracted by it, we could slip in, get the others, and then get out again.” She jumped up and down excitedly. “Wait, maybe we could even get the Mimic queen!”
“No!” Zephyr cried. “Astraea, you were supposed to talk me out of this.”
“Why? It’s perfect!” Astraea cried. “All we have to do is figure out how to get Lergo into the Solar Stream. After that, we just let it loose.” She looked around. “We have to find Tryn and tell him.”