by Sophia Sharp
“If you value your friends life, you will,” Selaine said. “Now. It might take you a number of days of travel before you can find the ingredient.”
“Days?” Laura asked, aghast. “You said he doesn’t have any time! How will he survive if it’ll take days to get the remedy?”
“You are right, of course,” Selaine said with only the slightest hint of sarcasm. “How smart of you it was to point it out.” She coughed once, then continued. “I can make him something that will relieve the symptoms. But if the poison remains in his system unabated, those symptoms will return within the week, and he will be beyond my powers to heal. You will have your days, girl, once I have my herbs prepared.”
“How long will that take?” Laura asked. “You can do it now, right?”
Selaine shook her head. “No, his symptoms will take more than what I’ve brought with me.” She tapped a pouch tied to her belt. “I will need some hours to prepare the remedy.”
“Hours?” Laura asked. “Do we have that long?”
Selaine’s tone turned harsh. “Do not question me, Laura! You think I do not realize the severity of your friend’s condition? It will take me hours to prepare, and that is if I move my fastest. The only thing you can do is pray he lasts that long.”
“He will,” Laura said to herself through gritted teeth. “I know he will.”
Chapter Eighteen
~Into the Mines~
Laura followed Selaine back to her shop. They walked briskly, and there wasn’t much conversation between the two. Instead, a steely determination gripped both woman and girl.
Selaine took Laura through a side door that led into her shop. The inside was dark, and there wasn’t a single light on. Laura could see just fine, though, and Selaine moved with the surefootedness of somebody who’s walked the steps a thousand times before.
Inside, a set of dusty stairs led to a small second storey. Selaine gripped the handrail tightly as she pulled herself up, and Laura followed silently behind.
When they reached the second floor, Selaine flicked a switch on, which powered a single low-hanging light bulb in the middle of the ceiling. If it was possible, Laura thought the upstairs level was even more crowded than the one downstairs. Tables and shelves covered nearly every centimeter of the floor. On the shelves, old worn books and dark metals twisted in odd shapes stood beside strange flasks and empty glass bottles. On one table, Laura noticed a collection of impressively-sized gems, which lay in a neat pile atop a collection of scripts and papers and parchments. On all the other tables, parchments and open books and documents lay sprawled open. Everything was dusty, though, as if it hadn’t been moved for a very long time.
“Here, girl,” Selaine said, sitting down on a wobbly stool behind a large table. “You’ll need to know where you’re to be going.”
Laura walked up to her, and leaned on the edge of the table. Selaine tsked loudly, but didn’t comment otherwise. She pulled out a yellowing parchment, and produced a quill pen in her hand.
“This is where we are right now,” Selaine said, drawing a small circle in the middle of the parchment. “And this is the general area of our town.” She traced a much larger, uneven circle around the first. “The river is on the west side, here.” With a few quick strokes, she drew a few wavy lines that bordered one side of the bigger circle, on the left. “One road goes into town, and another one out of it, and there’s forest all around.” She drew another set of lines, these ones straight, going south and north. “If you follow the road north, you’ll walk until you find a set of browning cliffs.” She designated them with a few triangles. “When you see the cliffs, you’ll find an old wooden sign. The lettering has long since worn off with age, but the base is there.”
“What does it say?” Laura asked.
“No matter,” Selaine replied. “All you need to know is that once you see the sign off the side of the road, you’ll need to walk straight towards it. Down, towards the cliffs. There’s a twisting path craved into the rock, there.” She marked the spot with an ‘X’ on her makeshift map. “Go down all the way, and continue forward. Eventually, you’ll come onto a long fissure of sorts. There used to be a road there, once, and you’ll be able to see its remains if you’re alert.”
“Ok,” Laura said.
“Now, you need to keep going straight, continuing down the fissure. There’s only one path, so you won’t get lost. Keep going straight, and at the very end, you’ll find an entrance to the old mineral mine. It is inside where you will find the mushroom that will keep your friend alive.”
Despite herself, Laura shivered again. She was not looking forward to going underground.
“How will I know what to look for?” Laura asked.
“Ah. That’s easy. The fungus grows in small bunches, and looks much like any regular mushrooms you would find anywhere else. The difference is this. It has a long blue stalk that’s dotted with small white stars. Remember that, Laura – it’s important. Although there really is no other mushroom you can confuse it with. But, as I told you earlier, it only grows in the deepest reaches of the earth. Likely, it will take you a full day, maybe more, of walking down the mine before you stumble upon it. And the same time back.”
“Ok,” Laura said determinedly. It would take her days, would it? Too bad Selaine didn’t know how fast Laura could go. Laura would run faster than she ever had before, if that’s what it took to get Alexander the cure.
“You will have to be observant. The mushroom only grows where darkness rules and moisture beckons. When you start to hear the drip of water off the rocks, you will know you are close.” Selaine paused, and ducked down to reach underneath the table. When she emerged, she held an old oil lantern. She set it down with a loud thud. “You will need this. It is recently filled, and should last your entire travel time.”
“A lantern?” Laura asked. “Why do you have a lantern?” Then, thinking quickly, she added – so as not to look suspicious – “Couldn’t a flashlight do just as well?”
“Could, yes, would, no. Flashlights are undependable, and besides, I don’t have any on me. If I recall correctly, you don’t have any money with which you can purchase one, either, hmm?” Laura sighed and nodded. “Take it or not, it’s up to you, but I assure you you will find it difficult to traverse the old mine without a source of light.”
“Thank you,” Laura said, taking the lantern. It was unfortunate she would have to carry it – it wasn’t heavy enough to give her pause, but was uncomfortable to hold. But she knew she had to put up certain appearances so Selaine wouldn’t become suspicious. Maybe she could leave it just outside the mine, and pick it up on the way out…?
“You’ll also need food, and supplies. I don’t have much, but I will give you what I can. You have to ration it carefully, though. Food and water are your lifeline down in the mines.”
“Right,” Laura agreed. Fortunately for her she had fed recently, and wouldn’t need to again for a very long time.
“Come on down then,” Selaine said, “and take the map.” Wrapping the parchment up, she thrust it into Laura’s arms. “We wouldn’t want you getting lost, would we?”
Half an hour later, Laura left Selaine’s residence. Bundled onto her back was enough food and water to last for three days, if not more. The food consisted of little more than dehydrated bread bits and tough jerky. Laura was glad she wouldn’t have to eat it, much less worry about rationing it properly, on her upcoming journey.
She had agreed with Selaine that she would go to the mine right away. Selaine, in turn, would look after Alexander, giving him the herbs that would ease his symptoms while Laura was away for whatever number of days.
Laura had other plans, however. She planned to be back before nightfall with the fungus, or mushroom, or whatever it really was. And if Selaine made comment, she would just say she got lucky and found a patch of the stuff close to the entrance.
She thought she could do it. With her near-perfect night vision, and blinding speed, she
doubted it would take her more than a few hours to find the mushroom. She would be deep enough in the mines very quickly regardless. She had to. Alexander’s fate rested squarely on her shoulders, and she was determined to not let him down. Not after everything he did for her – from staying with her on the journey, to fighting off three other Vassiz, to taking the arrow for her. For her. It had all been for her, and now he was the one suffering. He was the one nearing death. Laura couldn’t let him drift away.
Quickly, Laura went back to the barn. She found Gray outside, still keeping watch. Kneeling beside him, she formed the connection briefly to show him where she was going. After a split second, another image came back to her, this one of her in the mine but with Gray beside her. She smiled and shook her head. “No,” she said, “you need to stay here.” She felt disappointment, but also understanding.
Next, Laura came inside to check on Alexander. He was still lying down, near the side wall where Selaine had tended to him. He had turned to his side, however. Laura came close to put a hand on his face. He was still burning up. She hoped Selaine would prepare the herbs quickly.
Standing up, Laura took one last look around the barn before heading out. She itched to run, to make use of her speed, but knew she couldn’t do it just yet. She had to at least walk to the mine entrance at a normal pace, lest Selaine think she had not gone at all when she came back. Forcibly, Laura made herself walk slowly.
She followed the main road out of Nakusp north, just as Selaine had marked on her map. Small houses dotted the sides of the road, and some random cafes and shops stood out here and there. Laura had no time for any of them. She picked up her pace. A little. Eventually, she was out of town, and walking alone down a long stretch of road. Every once in a while a car would pass by, but besides that, the place felt absolutely abandoned.
The wide river roared to her left, and she could see the dense trees lining the uninhabited opposite bank. On her right was also the same dense forest; the one she had gotten so used to over the past week or so. It went on in both directions as far as she could see. She doubted the cliffs Selaine pointed her to would be nearby.
She wanted to run – she was getting anxious with how much time it was taking her to get there – but again deliberately made herself walk slower. It was hard, though, as the forest on her right showed no signs of letting up anywhere up ahead.
Had she been misled? She couldn’t possible see why Selaine would do that, but then again, she had walked for over an hour, and Laura had no idea how the forest to her right could just turn so quickly to – oh. She saw something in the distance, where the road curved slightly, that had been out of her line of sight before. It looked to be a clearing of sorts, where there was an edge to the trees before they just stopped. Laura’s self-control vanished, and she bolted the short distance to it.
Sure enough, brown and dark orange cliffs stood where forest had been before. They weren’t huge – maybe the same height as a four- or five-storey building – and the distance down wasn’t very far. And further away, a bit in the distance, stood the big wooden sign Selaine had told her about.
Laura came up to it. There was no lettering, and it looked just like an old billboard, except made from split timber logs. And, right beside it, Laura saw a path carved into the side of the rock.
Carefully, she started picking her way down. The balusters that had once been put up had long since fallen away, although a few metal spokes still stood in place every few paces or so. The path zigzagged down and across the side of the cliff, and some parts were so narrow that Laura had to press her back against the rock behind her to avoid losing her footing. The bag of foodstuffs over her shoulders and the single lantern definitely made the trek down harder than it should be.
Eventually, though, she reached the bottom. She looked back up – and saw the top edge of that sign. She looked around her. The cliffs on either side were dusty and weathered with age, although some parts looked cleanly cut. She guessed when the mine was operational, those parts had been cut away to make room for the road. On the ground lay the barest remnants of that road – pieces of graying and cracked concrete here, a bit of asphalt there. Although most of it had been worn away by time and age.
Laura set forward. Further down, she could see the cliffs on either side narrow, making it possible for her to walk down the middle of the road, reach out with her hands, and brush her fingers against the sides. At the end of the fissure, she would find the old mine.
She continued on slowly; deliberately. She walked for thirty minutes, an hour, two hours. All without seeing an end to the terrain. She guessed the road she was on, and the thin fissure she was walking down, must stretch for miles.
Soon, the shadows grew long, and not long after, twilight fell onto the area. The sky became a dark red, which embellished the coloring of the hard earth cliffs. Laura felt herself shiver. It was not because of the cold, no – rather, it was because of how long this expedition was taking. But she continued walking onwards, stubbornly set against making use of her speed.
She kept walking. There was only one path, and one way forward, but Laura still had an uneasy feeling in the back of her mind that she may have taken the wrong path. Why else would it be so far away?
Then, taking another step forward, she saw it. The rocks on either side of her opened up, and made room for a wide clearing. And directly in front of her stood the ragged slope of the bottom of a mountain. A small pond stood off to the side, filled to the brim with crystal clear water.
Laura frowned. Why hadn’t she noticed it from further away? She stepped back – and gasped. The opening was gone; she couldn’t tell it was there or ever had been there. She took a step forward. And everything reappeared, as if hidden by some veiled cloak of light.
After a minute of studying her surroundings, Laura realized what was happening. It was the way the dusk light shimmered off the surface of the pool, and the off angle at which the earth sloped down in front of her, that hid everything, camouflaging it with the rocks. An optical illusion. As if there was an edge to the air, before which it looked like the rock face of the cliffs just continued, but after, it was possible to see everything.
Slowly, Laura walked to the mountain slope. She looked up, and saw that trees started dotting its terrain about a quarter of the way up, and as it ascended even higher, it only became greener. The bottom half of the mountain, however, had been stripped down to its core, as if someone had taken a butcher’s knife to mother nature’s side.
In front of her was the small entrance into the mountain. A few rotted planks of wood barred it haphazardly, and a hanging red sign read “Danger.” It was the entrance to the mine where she would find the mushroom that could heal Alexander.
She took a deep breath to brace herself. Going underground like this was eerily familiar of what she’d done before, on the run from the Vassiz. She told herself it was alright, that there were no vampires trailing after her this time, and that she’ll be able to get out. Her… apprehension… was her own personal weakness, a psychological flaw, and she recognized it as such, but still… it was hard to push away the uneasy feeling she felt in her gut.
At least this time, she would be able to see. Taking another deep breath, she ducked beneath the wooden barrier and entered the mine.
Chapter Nineteen
~The Inner Path~
Inside, rocks and boulders made up the walls and ceiling. But the walls were spread wide from one another, and the ceiling was high up. Surprisingly, it felt more spacious to be in here than in the narrow cleft between the cliffs.
There was a single path in front of her leading deeper into the mountain. She set down the supplies she had carried beside the entrance, and started down the path. The ground, even after all these years, was fairly even, and provided surprisingly good footing. Feeling sure of herself, she picked up her pace to a light jog, then a run.
She ran, picking up speed, until she met an unexpected structural arrangement. The path she was goi
ng down forked in front of her, and split into three different tunnels. Strange. Selaine hadn’t mentioned this. Laura wondered which way she should go.
From where she stood, the inside of each path looked exactly the same. Rock walls and a hard floor gave her little indication of where to turn first. But standing around and not moving was wasting time. Picking at random, Laura turned towards the right-most entrance and began down its path.
But not even 200 meters further along, she came across an enormous rubble of rocks that blocked the way. Laura looked up – and saw a crater in the high ceiling from where they had probably had fallen. She came up to the pile of rubble, and tried pushing against some of the rocks with her shoulder. They wouldn’t budge. She tried again, harder this time, but ended up losing her footing and slipping backwards. Her ears picked up a light grating noise, and she looked up just in time to jump out of the way of a sharp falling rock. Had she triggered that?
She backed away, wondering to herself how stable the mine still was after all these years. She had seen firsthand what happens when large quantities of heavy boulders collapse on top of a vampire, and had no inclination to allow that to happen to her.
She turned back, careful to step lightly lest she trigger another collapse. A tiny bit of frustration started to creep in for finding the way blocked, but she forced it down. If one of the paths were obstructed, well, that meant that she still had two more to explore. Two more in which she may be able to find the cure for Alexander’s illness.
She emerged back at the fork, and this time took the path directly in front of her – the path leading left. This one curved deeply before straightening out again, and Laura moved quickly to make her way down. So quickly, in fact, that she nearly overlooked the giant chasm in the rock directly in front of her.
Recognizing the drop just in time, she skidded to a halt. If she had taken one more step… she gulped. There, right in front of her, the earth just gave away. She took one cautious step to the edge, and looked down carefully. Even with her eyesight, she couldn’t see to the bottom.