Once everyone was freed, he planned to stop Anna forever. He prayed to the goddess that Amber did not betray them again. If she did, he would leave her to Andrea.
Inside, Nettles had been watching the scene between Amber and the demon with disgust. She wanted to shout at them, scream even, but knew that another shock would probably kill Seth.
I hope you can hear me you bastard, it’s the end for you. Nettles held her breath as the demon turned to stare at her. She thought of Hawk’s gift, and swallowed hard. He was interrupted by one of the drones. But it was the words that appeared in her thoughts when he walked away that made her freeze in horror.
‘Wrong, you stupid human, it’s just the beginning.’
Across the room, Amber looked confused by how quickly he left and prayed she hadn’t given the game away. She didn’t have long to get everyone out.
From across the room, Nettles itched distractedly at the white tunics they had been given. Her hatred for Amber was overtaken by what he had said to her. What did he mean – what beginning? It sounded ominous and once again helplessness took over. It took her a moment to register the new Amber. Whatever he had done to her, she was healed and she was half glad Seth wasn’t awake to see it. Seth shifted in the nearby cage, his body twitching and she felt her festering hatred boil over. This time she was unable to keep her silence.
They had both prayed, when Amber was brought in, that she would die on the table and the disappointment of her recovery rose like bile in her throat. Seth had been so ecstatic when he saw how awful she looked.
‘You see Nettles, my totem rejected the cow! How brilliant is that?’
Amber had been part of their group for such a long time now and accepted by everyone. She had seen the hold Anna had over her and had tried to reason with her, but Amber had scuttled away. The only reason Nettles could think of why Amber would try to join with Seth’s totem was to deceive their group. Out of everyone, Anna had chosen her, the most inexperienced one of the group.
She looked away from the drone that shoved a plate of tasteless soup and bread through the grate. She found it so difficult to look at their blank faces, any trace of humanity was gone. She even recognised one, when she was first captured. The middle aged woman was at one of the meetings and to make matters worse, her mother was friends with her. She had cried then, thinking of her own parents and prayed that they had gone underground. The older trancer’s powers were more useful than younger initiates. It was the way of totem groups to protect the older ones, their power filtering into their children when they passed through the veil. Nettles stared back at Amber, alarm triggering at the absence of the demon and Anna. Anna has been missing for ages. Something big was going down; she could feel it and sat up straight, her senses on high alert as she turned her attention to the sleeping Seth.
‘Seth, wake-up please, c’mon…I need you.’
‘Seth,’ she hissed loudly. He moaned and rolled over; his blood shot eyes squinting at her.
‘Wha’ happened?’ He grimaced, pushing himself up on one arm. He followed her gaze to Amber who sat swinging her legs from on top of the platform. His mood was foul and from what she remembered, being shocked gave you blistering headaches. His memories flooded back and he turned back to Nettles wordlessly, his eyes questioning her. Nettles nodded.
The demon did it.
Seth looked like all the air had left him and he hugged his legs rocking slightly.
Seth…I feel something else…push them out…can you feel it too?
Seth shook his head staring at Amber with undisguised hatred and couldn’t help himself.
‘You’re going to pay Bitch, you and everyone connected to you.’
His voice echoed across the room and Amber stared at him fearfully and they both watched her take a deep breath.
Seth, be careful, if she calls the demon, we’ve had it. Nettles warned Seth, he looked from her to Amber fearfully. They both gasped when she purposely looked towards the inner chamber, as if she was looking for him.
I don’t think I can take anymore, Nettles – I’d rather die, Seth sensed to her and Nettles held her hand to her lips. The room was silent except for the drones who were still tapping at the computers. Then Amber did something unexpected and they followed her gaze towards the dome. Nettles frowned, who was she waiting for?
31
Above
I can’t believe what I’m seeing. The earth is really dying.
32
Below
Nettles mind worked through different scenarios, for some reason they were still alive. Even though Amber had abused her boyfriend’s totem, they were still alive. She felt dread creep into her bones. Something was going on and the way Amber was acting, she knew that their time in the cages were nearly over. Amber was the only chance now and she had to convince her to let them go. Nettles sensed Seth a message to keep quiet and focused her attention on the girl she had once thought of as family.
‘Amber, I…’ She began, keeping her voice soft.
She stopped, staring in confusion when Amber held a finger over her mouth. She could feel Seth stiffen nearby. She had to try again.
‘Amber, please listen. I need to talk to you. We haven’t had a chat in so long. Remember how we used to do that?
She felt her mouth drop when she saw Amber flick off the frequency switch that held them in their cages. Nobody moved, and she looked at her suspiciously, expecting a trap. Amber waved them out, still keeping her eye on the inner chamber. The thought of being free was too much to resist and she sprang into action. For a brief moment outside, her eyes filled with tears.
She stumbled towards the shocked Seth, almost dragging him out of the cage before darting across the room to the chamber. The essence of each totem, frozen inside a capsule almost broke her heart. She untwisted the top and a whisper of delicate mist drifted out. She could hear her totem stretch and sigh before disappearing into the air. Soon she was joined by others, and the air was filled with their sounds of freedom. Tears welled up and someone nearby spoke the ancient language of her ancestors, calling on Gaia to embrace them. She recited with them.
‘Mehk-a, I am here, Neter – ba, sacred soul.’
The relief made her weep uncontrollably. To hold a totem, goes against the natural law of Gaia and she prayed her totem returned to her. Nearby the soft whimper of an Eco child brought her away from her grief. She gently picked her up, taking her to the centre of the room.
It was only a matter of time before shivering Ecos and sobbing trancers alerted a nearby drone. The alarm created panic, and with it, the hope of escaping. Nettles looked past the large telescope to the top of the dome, and prayed for miracle.
She almost screamed in shock when an Eco stepped out from a wall near her. Others followed and soon the chamber was filled with more frantic pulling at the cage doors, where some were too frightened to move.
The Ecos concentrated on their own kind. Some had collapsed onto the floor, curling up in pain, their bodies turning blue. Unlike the totems, Ecos needed to be outside to live. Nettles stared in horror at the remains of some of them left in the cages.
‘Damn you,’ she raged. Anna had caught some when they were water or had become part of the air. Frozen, they were still alive, but no-one expected them to remain that way. She turned away from the pained face in the water as it dripped away thinking of how many ways she could destroy Anna. The anger fuelled her energy her energy as she ran to the aid of another young girl.
‘Blankets, they won’t make it without blankets.’ Nettles whispered to no-one in particular. She cupped the head of the youngest Eco in her lap, trying to rub life into her body. Her bottom lip was blue and her body shivered. Nettles knew it was only a matter of time. Someone touched her arm and she looked up to see a female Eco kneel beside her.
‘We don’t need blankets…we need to get out. Our power is outside.’
Nettles watched her gather the child in her arms, mutt
ering to the faint light above them. The lucky ones that had survived the freezing were moving together, surrounding those less fortunate and Nettles moved away. She nudged Seth as the Ecos radiated a green light which pulsated over those that lay huddled and hurt beneath. It was something they had all heard of but never seen and for the first time she understood how connected they were. They seemed to meld, until they, like the totems, dissolved into the night.
The light from the moon cast reflective spots on the dome as Nettles snapped out of her trance. The ones that were left behind followed her upward gaze, pointing at the shadows that darkened the dome. Cramped conditions inside the cage made her paranoid. She noticed Amber waving at the dots that circled above frantically. Rage and suspicion filled her even further – it had to be a trap.
‘What are you doing Amber, calling more friends? Is this how you get your kicks, by freeing us to destroy us?’ Amber backed away as Nettles walked slowly towards her.
‘Shit, you’re in trouble now Amberrr.’ Seth sneered.
Amber held her hands up.
‘Wait, let me explain…’
Nettles waved her hands.
‘Explain? Explain this – look at what you’ve done? You helped her, for what? To become a monster?’ She looked Amber up and down before grabbing the front of her shirt.
‘Nettles, you’ve got every right to be angry with me but not now….listen.’ Amber rasps.
The noise from above had become louder, and cracks appeared in the opaque glass. It was only a matter of time before it broke. Nettles loosened her grip and Amber seized the opportunity to speak. She pointed to the dome.
‘It’s our, your group – Hawk and the others. They sent me back, but you have to help me.’
Nettles looked at her like she was insane.
‘The Ecos are outside. If we can disarm the frequency they can help their own.’ Amber gurgled as her windpipe was slowly crushed and small white dots started to appear in front of her eyes. Nettles stared at her for what felt like forever before the grip was loosened completely. Amber dropped to the ground, gasping for air.
The Ecos were calling their own, clusters of them swaying, prayer-like on their knees. The low mumble of their voices gave Amber goose bumps and she took the opportunity to peer into the adjacent room. The drones in there were still tapping into their consoles intently. They were not trained to guard which was confirmed by the noise beyond the console room and were quickly overwhelmed. A higher pitched alarm than before sounded through the chamber and Seth’s legs buckled as he held his head in pain.
‘The Harp perimeter is going into shut down.’ Nettles screamed at the clustered groups.
She looked at the drones and realised that by disconnecting them from their computers, they had triggered an alarm. Everyone froze, looking in horror as great pieces of opaque glass, followed by the large telescope smashed onto the floor, raising plumes of dust into the air. Flapping wings filled the room and within seconds, everyone was shouting and clambering over shards of glass to the exits. Grunts echoed from outside the open door. They had swept like a flock of sparrows at the guards, disorienting them. Some of those that clambered towards the exit stopped trying to get the attention of what they saw as relatives or friends, not drones. They had to be pulled away.
‘You have to leave them,’ Amber shouted. The full impact of what Anna was up to, hit them as they passed the large screens. Ships turned over in high seas by rogue waves, or beached whales and dolphins calling to their mates.
Only when they stumbled out of their prison and up the hallway stairs did they realise how deep they were. Growls and screams echoed through the hallways as they followed Amber towards the gated exit.
Outside, Nettles watched as everyone behind her ran across the slowly lifting drawbridge. Some jumped straight into their totems after being caged up for so long. Most were too weak and frail to complete their joining. She watched horrified by the desperate way some half crawled into the nearby forests. Their sobs and cries of pain from unused muscles were carried by the wind. She felt immobilised on the grass as she watched the strange metal antennae disappear into the ground. It took a few minutes for her brain to realise that the heavy breathing was hers. She gulped down the fresh air as tears poured down her face from the effort. Elated at being free, she watched as those on the ground and sky became smaller and smaller. Nettles frowned, wondering where Anna and her sidekick were lurking. The thought threatened her freedom and she quickly scanned the outlying crops of trees – thankful for the full moon. From what she could make out, they were alone. It didn’t make sense; she had seen how Anna raged about security. She had to be here somewhere. She just wished she knew where.
A flicker of movement caught Nettles attention. She nearly cried in relief at the sight of Amber sitting on the wet grass. Part of her knew she shouldn’t be feeling relief - Amber was more dangerous than any viper she had previously caught in her totem body. Amber was sitting on the wet grass – her knees drawn up to her chin rocking rhythmically. That’s when Nettles registered Seth’s absence and felt a sense of guilt that she hadn’t noticed earlier. She didn’t have to worry too long; Seth was running back towards her, waving his hands.
‘Hey…c’mon, we have to get away from here,’ he shouted, skidding to a halt in front of her. She looked over his shoulder before staring back at him questioningly. Seth coughed, shifting uncomfortably.
‘Babe, I’m sorry, I really thought you were behind me, I just had to get away from the noise.’ He stopped then, frowning at Amber who was still rocking, and growled. Nettles put her fingers on his mouth shaking her head again, this time more slowly, before turning to kneel in front of her. Amber seemed disconnected, and in shock. For a brief moment, she felt pity but not for too long. This friend,’ had nearly destroyed everyone and everything that she loved.
The thought propelled her forward, and she grabbed Amber by the shoulders, shaking her.
‘Anna….where is she? And where is that demon?’
‘Babe, we have to get out of here. If you like, I’ll get her to talk really quickly.’ Seth’s voice sounded hoarse but Nettles ignored him.
‘Amber? Where’s Anna? Where’s that thing she fawns over.
‘My angel?’ Amber mumbled.
Nettles felt the bile rise as she remembered the demon’s angelic face when he had turned up the frequency. She still couldn’t believe who he was and how easily he had deceived all of them. Amber must have known who he was, and the thought that she knew from the beginning made her feel ill. Was she that desperate for attention?
‘How could you be so stupid and blind?’ She shook her then and Amber’s head lolled forwards. Nettles let go, feeling weary. Wherever they were now, it was clear they weren’t interested in them, or they would have been caught. She stood up angrily, her fists clenching and unclenching.
‘It’s no use, she’s in shock.’
She didn’t have time to register the fierce growl or flash of movement from behind her. All she heard was a loud slap and watched as Amber rolled over into a heap. Nettles swung round to Seth who held his arms up.
‘What? We had to do something.’
A small sob filtered through to them, and they both swung around to find Amber looking up at them in horror, holding her cheek.
‘Well the theory works then,’ Seth muttered.
‘What theory?’ Nettles mumbled, still staring at Amber.
‘A good slap brings people back.’
Before she could answer Seth pushed her forward, making Nettles look at him in anger.
‘Now ask her, and if she doesn’t answer…’ he held up his hand.
‘Seth.’ Nettles stood in the spot she'd been pushed, turning her head slightly to one side.
‘What are you waiting for Nettles? If you don’t do something, I will. That cow’s not going to get away with this, I promise you.’
‘Seth, shut up and listen, what do you hear?’
/> Seth sighed loudly, he didn’t like being so isolated and the silence was eerie, almost threatening. He noticed then how close they were to the fortress. Everyone else had left but them, and he felt a rising frustration.
‘Jeezus Nettles, let’s just get out of here. Just because, it’s quiet, doesn’t mean we’re not in danger. You think those things can’t see us? They can see all over the friggin’ world. Let’s get out of here while we still can.’
Nettles gave him a sharp look.
‘Listen you idiot – what do you hear?’ He stared patiently at her before holding his hands up in resignation.
‘Nothing, I give up, what’s the big deal anyway; let’s just get out of here.’ Nettles stepped towards him, whispering in his ear.
‘It’s too quiet because the alarm has been turned off. Who turned the alarm off Seth?’
33
Power
The power in me is growing, and it’s magical. I feel as if I can see every creature that roams the planet. Hawk, if you can hear me, he’s teaching me about the place we live in. Do you remember telling me that I was here for a reason? I’m beginning to understand now. I wish I could show you what I’m learning. I can be anything I want. I just have to think it. I know now what my totem is Hawk - Earth. The whole Earth is my totem and his.
34
Roots
Seth flanked Amber and pushed her forward through the thick undergrowth. He kept glancing around nervously, certain they were being followed, cursing the wasted time. Why they even had to bring her, he had no idea – fat waste of space, he thought grimly. Every time she flagged, he smacked her from the back. Out of the three of them, Amber struggled the most. They were used to the forests, used to joining and most importantly used to exercise, he thought miserably.
Heaven's Children (Earth Totem) Page 15