George looked sad.
A loud “Wheek!” came from above.
Billy wheeked back and translated, “He's found it!”
George picked up his shield and hollered, “Thanks, Badger.”
Badger partially ran and partially slid down to their feet. He dropped the short-sword at George's feet. George wrapped his arms around Billy's neck. “I really like that sword. Thanks for finding it. You’re great at finding things.”
Billy said, “We better get moving. It is getting dark.”
“Which way do we go?”
Badger started to sniff the air. He took off, so George and Billy followed. “He's pretty good at finding water, too,” Billy said.
They walked mostly but sometimes had to run to keep up. The night sky was clear, and the bright stars made seeing not so bad. Badger found a stream, and they decided it was a pretty good spot to rest and make camp.
George was hungry but didn't complain. Billy and Badger were content to munch the nearby plants. Billy found some berries and said, “Here, it isn't much, but these berries are safe to eat. Badger eats them all the time.”
George ran over and looked at the bush. It was full of big red berries. He grabbed a couple and popped them in his mouth. They were slightly bitter and very juicy. “These are fantastic.” He set his shield on the ground and began filling it. It didn't take long until the bush was bare. George carried it back to where he had been sitting by the river.
“Here, would you guys like some?”
Badger said something, and Billy translated, “He said thanks, but there is plenty of food here for us. You eat them.”
When everyone had tired of eating, there was little left to do but lay down and stare up at the stars. With Billy and Badger on each side of him, the cool night air wasn't so bad.
***
After an hour of walking around and searching the towering walls, it started to sink in. They were in a giant pit and feeling a serious case of woe. Cindy's mood was worsening, and her outbursts each time they heard the howling was starting to get on everyone's nerves. When the howling finally stopped, it became very quiet, which was almost worse.
The darkness filled the pit until it was almost impossible to do anything. Stevie said, “We should just stop and make camp here.”
Jo fished around in the bag and pulled out everyone's backpacks. There wasn't much talking as she found food for each of them. She had stopped asking about George, but he was still on her mind.
It was decided that a fire was a bad idea since Jo was convinced the howlers were still watching. Stevie ate a little but mostly paced around the group at the ready.
Abby tried to get him to relax. When that failed, she said, “Jo, do you have that strange box that we found?”
“Sure,” she said, plunging her hand into the bag. “Here you go. What do you think is inside?”
“I don't know,” Abby said. The near total darkness made it hard to see much, but she ran her hands over the carvings. They were intricate and, if she remembered correctly, quite pretty. Jo sat down next to Abby.
“That was supposed to be for the sixth person in our group,” Jo said.
“I know, and it must be important,” she said, giving it a shake. Nothing rattled about inside. “It isn't very big.”
“My book isn't very big, either,” Jo said, “and the bag is tiny but really big inside.”
“I bet if we had a sixth person it would open right up for them.”
“We had to work as a team to even get the box, maybe we need to...” Jo's voice faltered as she remembered that George wasn't with them anymore.
“I know; I miss him, too. I bet he is with Billy and Badger.”
“What if all three of them are lost?”
The thought made both of them feel worse.
Abby handed the box to Jo. “Here, you try to open it.”
Jo held the box close to her face. “It is too dark to see.” She ran her fingers over each side then did it one more time. “I don't know how to open it. Maybe tomorrow we'll be able to see a way to get inside.”
Chapter Nine
The night was long and sleep was hard with the sounds of creatures circling the pit. They would run and then howl. Other creatures joined them. Fighting could be heard: growling and gnashing of teeth, and the yelps of the loser heading off into the night. Before the morning sun, a heavy fog poured into the pit and chilled them all to the bone.
The soft light and hunger woke everyone up. Abby stretched and said, “Did anyone sleep?”
Cindy stood, stomped her feet, and answered, “No, not with all the hungry creatures trying to figure out how to get down here and eat us. I hate them.”
Jo said, “They are just trying to survive. It is only instinct.”
“Are you kidding me?! We're stuck in a pit, and you’re worried about the animals.”
“Somebody has to.”
Cindy yelled, “No! They've survived without anyone worrying about them; we're the ones trapped.”
Abby stepped between them. “Stop it! I hate to admit it, but Cindy has a point. We need to stick together if we are going to figure out how to get out of this pit.”
Stevie was sitting on a stone nearby, holding his sword. He looked exhausted. “We should pack up and start to look for an exit.”
A long, low howl wailed out through the morning air. The fog faded, and the top of the pit came into view. All around the rim were snarling beasts looking down at them. A ray of sunlight crept past the top of the opening and lit up the rock wall.
Steve pointed up. “Look where the light hits the wall.”
“What's happening?” Jo asked.
Steve said, “A path is growing out from the side where the light hits.”
Stones from the wall started to fall into the pit.
Jo said, “That's our way out!”
Cindy said, “It's also their way in,” and pointed to a giant wolf that was now making its way down the edge. She grabbed her staff and said, “Let's get them before they get to us.”
Jo yelled, “Wait...”
***
George woke up and stretched. Sleeping next to Billy and Badge had kept him warm, and he'd slept like a log. “Man, I'm sore.”
Billy stretched, too, and said, “It was the fall. That could make anyone sore.”
George looked up river then down and said, “Which way should we go?”
“If I knew where we were and where the others had gone, I could help, but I don’t know. Follow your gut, my boy.”
“My gut usually leads me to McDonalds.”
“I don't know this place, McDonalds.”
“It doesn't matter. In class we learned that towns were usually built next to water. This was for travel and trading. If we follow the river downstream, we might find people and maybe someone there could help?”
“I like the plan.”
“Badger!” George yelled. A head popped up from behind a bush with a bunch of leaves in his mouth. “There you are. We're heading downstream.”
The sun was just barely up, and the morning dew glistened on the ground. George picked up his sword and shield and started walking. Billy and Badger fell in beside him. The gurgling of the river and the birds made the journey rather pleasant. “This is a strange place. How big is it?”
“It is bigger than a guinea pig can know. Most piggies tend to stay near where they were born. They are content to eat and live. Badger and I have been friends since we were born. He likes to get into mischief, and I like keeping an eye on him.”
“What sort of mischief?”
“One time, a band of gypsies stopped in the next valley over from where we lived. Badger spotted them and said he wanted to get a closer look. I told him it was a bad idea, but he was off before I could say, 'wheek.' So, I followed. When we got close to their camp, the aroma of a vegetable stew was very powerful. We don't really eat cooked vegetables, but it did smell good.
“Badger said he wanted a taste.
I pointed out that if they found us, they'd probably add guinea pig to the stew. Badger waited behind a bush for over an hour just hoping to get a chance to sneak up and get a taste of that wonderful smell. As luck, or, more accurately, misfortune would have it, there was a hunting party that returned and everyone ran off to see what they had brought back. The cauldron was left unattended, and Badger crept forward and stretched his neck out, trying to avoid the flames, and almost got a tongue full when there was a loud shout, 'Stop, you filthy vermin!'
“Badger bolted but didn't make it back to me before he was cut off by a young man with a sharp-looking sword. In no time he was surrounded and they were about to attack when I did the only thing I could think of. I yelled, ‘Don't you dare!’ Now, they couldn't see me, so they had no idea who I was, and I told them I had a cross bow pointed at the boy. If they let the guinea pig go, nobody would get hurt.
“It seemed like a good plan, but I was so busy talking a tough game, I didn't notice that someone had snuck up behind me. ‘Poppa, it's another guinea pig, and it talks.’ The jig was up, as they say, so I came out from my hiding spot. I figured if there was going to be a fight, I wanted to be next to Badger. When I said hello, everyone gave me the funniest look. They had never heard a guinea pig talk. In the end, they invited us for dinner, and we got to sample the stew though both Badger and I agreed that the hay they offered was much better tasting.”
George clapped and said, “That is a great adventure. Obviously, they let you go.”
“They did, and the elder of the group even taught me a gypsy word that would keep us out of trouble should we ever meet anymore of their clan.”
“Have you ever seen them again?”
“Oh, yes, several times.”
“They sound like good friends to have on your side. Hey, look...”
The river had run into a clearing that became straight as an arrow. George stood and marveled. “Look how the fields are perfect squares on each side. It is almost like a golf green, so flat and smooth. Do people golf here?”
“I don't think so. What's golf?”
“It's a game people play where they hit a ball down fairways like this and into a tiny cup with a flag. I've never played, but it is on TV sometimes.”
“What's TV?”
“Never mind. It is a weird-looking place.”
Badger gingerly placed his foot on the perfectly manicured grass then pulled it back. He said something in piggy and smelled the air. Billy translated, “He says it is magical and not to be trusted.”
“Magical how?”
Billy and Badger talked some more. Billy said, “We better go around.”
“But the river - we were going to follow the river.”
“It is too dangerous.”
“Okay,” George said with a shrug then asked, “To the right or left?”
Badger had already started heading off to the right, so Billy said, “I think we should follow Badger. He seems to have a plan.”
Badger headed straight for the area where the forest met the manicured lawn. Along the edge was a neatly trimmed shrub. He put his nose to the ground and rooted around searching for something. He moved along the edge and gave a loud sort of snort. Billy said, “He says he's found the path.”
As Badger ate his way through the shrubbery, George and Billy followed.
The trunks had moss growing up their sides. The thick canopy above the forest left little light for smaller plants to grow. Badge found a trail, and George and Billy followed since they trusted his nose.
“Wow, he's really moving,” George said as he broke into a trot.
“He's worried.”
“About what?”
“I don't know, but I can tell he wants to get through the forest as fast as possible.”
The path curved to the right then swung in a long arc back to the left before it straightened out. Badger's pace picked up on the straight bit, and the further along they got, the thicker the trees became. At one point, two trees on opposite sides of the trail, made him stop and go around.
Once back on the path, he took off running again. They ran for a long time around curves and through thick growth, always seeming to be moving back towards the river. The trail stopped.
“What is it?” Billy asked.
“Wheek, wheek, wheek,” Badger answered. Billy said they should be ready for anything. George nodded and looked around.
There was a loud crack, and everyone jumped. A wind started to tear through the woods, and Badger started gnawing at the bush that was blocking them in. Billy got behind George and said, “I'll watch the path. You keep your eyes up.”
George looked towards the thick ceiling of leaves and branches and saw it. A shadowy figure leapt from one of the branches to another. “Look, there's something up there!”
Badger stopped and looked up, but it was gone, so he went back to work on the bush. Billy asked, “What did you see?”
“It was weird, all black, and I saw it jump that way,” he said, waving his arm in the direction that it had gone.
Another loud crack, and the wind continued to get stronger. Badger retreated as the bush began to grow. “Wheeeek.”
“We should make a hasty retreat,” Billy said as he watched the bush expand.
It was too late; the trees behind them now covered the path. They were trapped.
“This...this doesn't look good,” said a shaking George.
The wind howled then stopped. The bush, now the size of a tall church, went still, and a chilling silence fell upon them.
A tall, thin man-like creature dropped from the trees and landed next to Badger. His voice was low, and he talked slowly. “I...think...they're...harmless.” He bolted and was gone.
A large tunnel opened in the bush, and a warm yellow light could be seen at the other end.
George said, “I think we're supposed to go that way.” He didn't move.
Badger slowly walked through the tunnel with George and Billy right behind. They walked for a hundred meters, but it didn't look like they were any closer to the end. When George looked back, the opening was still there, so it didn't seem like a trap. They walked for close to half a mile and finally came out the other side.
The clearing was wide and had a slight hill in the middle. It was hard to see the other end, but it was obvious that thick forest ran all the way around. A tiny cottage with a straw roof sat on top of the hill and had a dark grey stone tower next to it.
There wasn't any sign of the tall fellow or anyone else. The three of them, without saying a word, started for the cottage. As they got close, they saw that the tower was connected to the cottage by a hall of stone.
When they were within about 200 meters of the hill, an arrow arced from the tower and landed at their feet. It had a note attached.
George picked it up and read aloud, “What do you want?” He looked up at the tower and could see someone at the top. He yelled, “We're looking for our friends.”
There was a pause then another arrow flew towards them. It landed in the hole made by the first arrow. George looked at Billy and whispered, “Did you see that?”
George read the second note. “Why didn't you stay next to the river?” He yelled, “It looked suspicious.”
The person in the tower yelled a painful “aaaaaahhh!” then “damn it!” After a pause, he yelled in a strange accent, “Go to the cottage; I'll be right down.”
George saw the shadowy figure along the edge of the clearing. The figure was hard to see, but it was obvious he was keeping an eye on them. When they got to the door, it was too small for Billy and Badger, so George just left it open and went in.
***
Abby said, “They are half way down. In another hour the sun should finish making their path.”
Cindy replied, “I say we start shooting, pick a few off.”
Abby asked, “How many shots does that thing have?”
“How the heck should I know?”
“Exactly. We better wait.”
“Wait for what?”
“For them to get closer so we don't waste any shots. I'll run out of arrows pretty quickly.”
Jo was flipping through her book. She said, “Hey, I think I found something. Everyone stand over here by the wall.”
Stevie asked, “What is it?”
“I'm not sure if this will work, but...” she started making glyphs in the dirt next to the wall then quickly ran around to the other side and made some more. The rock started to form walls on either side of them. It grew for a few seconds then stopped after growing only a meter.
Cindy laughed. “Well, I feel much safer.”
“Shut up Cindy, it's better than nothing, ”said Abby.
Jo was furiously making new marks by where the walls had stopped. “If I could just get it to come out a bit further.”
Stevie said, “It's a good idea. If we can limit the space they have to attack, we might be able to hold them off.”
Cindy, still laughing, said, “For how long?”
Stevie glared at her, “For longer than if we were getting attacked from all sides.”
Cindy shot back, “I think we’re screwed. This sucks. I quit.” She sat down with her back against the wall.
Abby pointed at her. “You think giving up will help?”
“I'm not giving up. I'm quitting. Nobody dies on these things.”
“Are you willing to bet your...”
The sound of rocks falling made Abby stop. Everyone looked. A massive wolf had slipped and tumbled, scratching and clawing, down the side of the pit. It landed and let out a terrible howl. All the other creatures went silent. The beast shook its head and struggled to its feet.
A few seconds passed, and it turned and looked straight at them. The eyes, blood red, looked straight into Abby's soul. She notched an arrow as it started to charge. Stevie raised his sword high over his right shoulder, and Cindy fired a ball of flames at the wolf. The fireball hit the beast square in the head, and it stumbled briefly before regained its footing and continuing unafraid. Abby fired but missed. It was almost upon them.
All of the creatures howled in support of their brother's charge. Thirty meters became twenty then ten, and he leapt towards Abby, teeth bared, and primal instinct to kill dripping from its jowls.
Secret Doors: The Challenge Page 9