My teeth chattered as I tugged at my wet clothes. Mike put an arm around me, and I snuggled close, absorbing all his body heat. Guilt flooded me as I gazed into his eyes, still regarding me with that look that told me he wasn’t thinking about their time punching away on a PlayStation. I had to be the worst best friend ever. Mike might have given me a run for my money, but there we were, kissing, while Jack was…
I couldn’t even bear to think about it. Whatever it took, I’d bring Jack home. Dark hair or not, he didn’t deserve to be abducted by a bunch of aliens with a hidden agenda of turning the world into their own hideous playground. Besides, I was sure it was all my fault. I was the one who had begged him—begged both of them—to join me on my family trip to Fiji. Mike was always up for any adventure, but Jack didn’t even really want to come because he was looking for a job so he could pay for his first car. I lowered my gaze from Mike and his expectant stare. Jack wouldn’t have been aboard some alien spaceship being probed and poked and who knows what else if I had simply left him alone. I’m so sorry, Jack, I thought but dare not say. Speaking the words out loud would make it all too real.
* * *
Orthon motioned ahead. “This is the path we must follow.”
To my amazement, the cave path extended far beyond the beam of my flashlight.
“Be careful not to step on any katanos,” warned Orthon. “They can be deadly.”
“Katanos? How are we supposed to watch out for something if we don’t know what the heck it is?” asked Mike.
I pointed ahead to the multitude of phosphorescent millipede-like creatures with yellow spots and legs, crawling across the cavern floor, blocking our path.
Mike jumped back. “I’m barefoot. What the heck am I supposed to do? Jump over them?”
I nudged him. “Just do it.”
He nodded.
I stood, watching the millipedes’ legs and bodies moving in wavelike patterns from one side to the other, barely leaving any room for us to pass.
Swinging the light beam over the critters, Orthon said, “They won’t hurt you as long as you do not touch them.”
Mike shot me a sideways look. “Wanna hold my hand, babe?”
Even if he was acting like a proper boyfriend, I wasn’t about to let him see me scared again. “Nope, I’m good. Nothing scares me—certainly not a bunch of poisonous insects crawling up my leg, sneaking their way into my mouth and nose and—”
Mike cut in. “I can’t believe you’re scared of those little things when you used to pick up daddy longlegs and dangle them in my face.”
“Uh, that was when I was, like, eight years old. I’m all grown up now.”
“I know.” He inched closer, his grip tightening around my waist. “And you’ve turned out quite nicely too.”
Heat flooded my cheeks. “Thanks.”
“I bet that was your first kiss.”
Could he tell? Apart from the usual peck on the cheek, I’d never locked lips with anyone before. Was it horrible? “Yeah, you wish.”
“The first one is always special…especially when it’s with someone like me.”
“Wow. Maybe I should call a press conference.” I rolled my eyes. “And anyway, just for the record, for all you know I could’ve kissed plenty of other boys behind your back.”
He stiffened. “Plenty, huh? Just how many is that?”
“I dunno.” I shrugged, my heart fluttering in my chest. “I’m not like you. I don’t go around counting my conquests, keeping score to remind myself and everyone else how great I am.”
His gaze narrowed. “You’re bluffing. I’m your best friend, remember? I know everything about you…and what you don’t tell me, your mom does.”
And that’s exactly why you don’t kiss your best friend. He knew far too much about me, and the whole thing was getting embarrassing. There were plenty of rocks I could hide under, only I didn’t want to be stranded here all by my lonesome with that giant snake and those glowing millipedes. Besides, I wondered if Jack would be disappointed in me. What would he say? Could he ever forgive me? He’d always warned me to keep my distance with Mike, but I couldn’t seem to listen. “She’s my mother. Obviously, I keep things hidden from her. Like I said, girls have secrets. Maybe I have lots of guys you don’t know about…and maybe I even have a date for prom. And you of all people should understand secrets considering how many girls you’ve dated at the same time.”
“Ouch.”
“I’m sorry. That was uncalled for.” Throwing his past in his face was a childish move.
“But you know I’ve changed,” he said.
“Really? Since when?”
“Since that fantastic kiss we shared in all that glitter back in the jungle.”
As he peered over at me, his smile made my heart skip a beat. I decided (again) that I just couldn’t let myself get involved with Mike. There was too much at stake. He’d been my best friend since birth. I’d seen how he had cheated and broken the hearts of countless girls, and he always shared every sordid detail of his destroyed relationships with me. He’d made it more than clear that he was a player—something he even seemed proud of at times—so I was sure there was little chance for our relationship to end any way other than badly. If that happened, then we could never be friends again. I couldn’t let that happen; I just couldn’t.
Far ahead, Orthon called over his shoulder, “Are you two coming? Careful where you tread now. This is their home, and we have to respect it.”
Oh gosh. The shining bugs. Drowning in my own thoughts, I had forgotten all about jumping over them. The sooner I got it over with, the faster I would be on the other side—or dead. Taking a deep breath, I paced forward and stepped over them, careful not to touch a leg or shell. The critters changed formation, moving toward me like an army, ready to strike. I jumped just in time, then hurried across the path before the killers returned.
Ducking through the twisting tunnel, I hurried forward, eager to get as far away from the creepy crawlers as possible, and then I stopped, waiting for Mike. Spinning, I noticed the phosphorescent orange salamanders—long and thin with slick, shiny skin—covering the walls. “Not more of this. Call me superstitious, but I’m sure this has something to do with kissing you. I’m cursed now.”
“What? No way,” said Mike.
“Maybe we should just be friends.”
“I’ve made mistakes in the past, but it’s different with you, I swear.” He blew out a breath as he pulled me forward, his eyes fixed on the narrow tunnel.
I so wished it was the truth. I flashed the light in his eyes, then away as I cleared my throat, swallowing down a remark. There was no need to argue about it when our lives were at stake. Besides, an article I’d read in Teen Vogue warned that arguments were really pretty pointless. If girls can change, then maybe guys can too. Maybe he really will be different with me, I hoped.
“People can change, ya know,” he said, as if he was answering the questions blossoming in my mind.
“I understand that, but I have to ask, what’s with the sudden interest in me?”
“Huh?” He paused for moment and then continued. “I’d be an idiot not to be crazy about you, Casey. I mean, one minute you’re kicking my butt at dirt bike riding, and the next you’re running around in a cute skirt with high heels. You turned into a girl right before my eyes—and a good-looking one at that.”
“Hmm. I didn’t realize you saw me as a boy before,” I said, smiling.
“You know what I mean.”
“Did you think I was going to be a tomboy forever?”
Mike didn’t answer.
Moving slowly, we followed Orthon through another chamber.
“I’ve dated gorgeous girls before, but you’re different, like I said,” said Mike. “Not only are you one hot chick, with the prettiest eyes I’ve ever seen, but you put me in my place. You tell me how it is. No other girl has ever had the guts to do that. You’re funny, snarky, and an awesome artist. You’re tough and kick butt in
karate. And I could listen to your stories about your world travels with your parents for hours. I would never get bored of you, Casey. How could I?”
“Really?”
“Wait…there’s more. I admire the way you love life, just like I do. And best of all, you’re my best friend.”
A flattered grin crept across my lips.
“We click, and you get me. I mean, you even liked me when I was thirteen and had all those pimples.” He laughed. “You’ve always liked me just for who I am. I’ve been searching and searching all this time, when love was right before my eyes all along. I don’t know why it took me so long to figure it out, but you’ve always been the perfect girl for me.”
I couldn’t believe I could possibly be the girl of Mike’s dreams, especially since he had so many to choose from. My heartbeat quickened at the thought, for it was all a little too overwhelming. Everything seemed to be happening so fast, but his words still managed to touch my heart. “That’s the most beautiful thing anyone has ever said to me.” Maybe falling in love with Mr. Wrong might work out after all, I tried to convince myself.
He smiled. “I meant every word.”
My eyes darted about nervously as I focused on the narrow opening. The lizards seemed to stay still, but I could feel their gaze on me, watching me, just waiting to pounce. Forcing air into my lungs, I tried to calm my racing heart. Orthon had warned us about the katanos, but he hadn’t said anything about the lizards, so I could only assume they weren’t dangerous. Orthon disappeared ahead into the darkness, and I hurried out of the salamander tunnel to try and catch up with him. I still wondered how he managed to walk so darn fast.
Mike gripped my hand and spun me around. His eyes locked with mine. “It’s hard to just be friends with you when I want so much more…and I know you want it too. You’re just scared to give us a try, and I understand why you would be, considering my track record with girls.”
“Can we talk about this later?” I didn’t see any point in hashing out my love life while my other friend was possibly chained to some operating table in an alien mad scientist’s laboratory. The sudden realization of betrayal weighed heavily on my heart. How could I even be thinking about kissing Mike? All this time we’re wasting might be deciding Jack’s fate. Stupid, Casey. Just plain selfish and stupid.
Mike reached around my waist and pulled me close. “Why? Now’s just as good a time as any.”
“Look, we’re stranded in the middle of nowhere. My parents have to be worried sick. Jack’s been kidnapped by…” I hesitated, barely able to say the word. “…by aliens. What if they’re doing some horrid experiments on him this very minute, digging into his eye or something like on all those abduction movies? We’re heading toward a city that’s under attack by UFOs aiming to destroy everyone on Earth. I know you’re scared and trying to distract yourself from it all, but time’s not in our favor, and all these distractions aren’t doing anyone any good—especially not Jack.”
Mike wrapped me in his strong arms. “We’re going to get through this together, babe. I promise.”
It felt so good that I didn’t ever want to let go, but Mike was never one for staying focused, even on the important things. “I hope so. We better go.”
He broke away. “I bet the big guy’s probably wondering where the heck we are.”
“Yeah, he’s probably hiding around the corner, trying not to tune in to our soap opera,” I said, sprinting to catch up with Orthon.
A sulfur-like, nasty smell invaded my nostrils, something like rotten eggs or used sparklers. Keeping my breathing shallow, I shone the bright light around.
Mike waved his hand around. “Ugh! It smells like something died.”
I took a few steps forward and turned the corner, the pungent odor rising in intensity with every step I took. A long screech pierced the air, stopping me mid-stride. I raised my gaze and noticed an enormous pair of wings fluttering overhead.
“What the heck…what’s that?” whispered Mike behind me.
As I strained to listen, a black shape flittered overhead, blowing cold air into my face. Another screech cut through the silence, so shrill and loud that I had to cover my ears.
“Harmless bats.” Orthon shone his flashlight upward.
I looked up, meeting millions of yellow eyes, staring right back at me in a most eerie fashion. The mammals huddled together in the darkness, upside down, squeaking in a high pitch. Ducking forward, I covered my head, just in case one decided to do a swan dive into my tangled mess of hair.
Mike covered his ears. “Geesh. Can those things get any louder?”
Orthon’s flashlight beam bounced along the ceiling. “They hate visitors, not to mention any source of light.”
I pinched my nose closed. “Do they hate bathrooms too?”
The corners of his mouth twitching, Orthon pointed to Mike’s feet. “Next time, you might not want to step in that.”
I lowered my gaze to the small puddle of goo, tiny black chunks oozing between Mike’s toes. Laughing, I jumped back. “I can’t believe you didn’t watch where you were stepping.”
“What?” He followed my gaze, and his jaw dropped. “I’m barefoot, you know, and my feet are numb from all the rocks we’ve been walking on.”
“Either that, or you have the soles of a gorilla,” I said.
He met my gaze. “What is it?”
“It is water that has been sitting there for a long, long time, mixed with a little bit of—hmmmm…how should I say it?” Orthon said, with a big grin on his face. “Let us just say bats have their elimination process too.”
“Bat guano.” I winced, wiping my shoes along the cave floor, just in case I had stepped in it like Mike had. I shook my head vehemently. It was beyond disgusting, and I thought I might throw up right there on the spot.
“Gross!” Mike shuffled his feet, trying to knock off some of the grit. “I knew I shouldn’t have left my sandals back at that stupid dinosaur nest.”
I gagged. I imagined that from now on, Mike would have sandal-phobia and would only wear tennis shoes. Watching Mike clean his feet was an image I wanted to get out of my head forever. If he ever did become a movie star (which would fit his personality perfectly), it would make a great tabloid story to blackmail him with, if the need ever arose. I smiled as I thought of it and then darted down the pathway.
Orthon guided us through a series of rooms and twisting passages, finally leading us to a small tunnel in the cave wall. “Time to crawl.”
I grimaced, but followed behind nonetheless. The whole journey was getting weirder by the minute. I wondered if Orthon had gone that way to find us, and if he had, I wondered what the point of his pilgrimage was. Questions raced through my mind. Why would he take us into the city while the rebel Greys are attacking? Why is he out here wasting time with us instead of with his people, trying to fight off the intruders?
There had to be a reason. I knew he was hiding something, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. I tossed Orthon a skeptical look. “Hey, why don’t you tell us the real reason you’re taking us to the city?”
He turned to face me. “You showed up on our security cameras being chased by the Greys. General Ashtar wants to save your lives. I know nothing more than that.” He touched Casey’s arm. “I do not mean to frighten you, but we must move along. The serpent is on the loose once again, and he is none too happy with us.”
I looked him straight in the eye. “Is that supposed to scare me into believing your every word?”
“I will not force you to come with me. You have followed by your own free will to this point.” Orthon pointed back to the tunnel they’d come from. “By all means, if you have changed your mind, you are free to go back.” He started walking again before glancing over his shoulder. “But just for the record, know that the serpentine creature can smell humans from ten lingons away.”
I blinked. “Lingons?”
“That would be the equivalent of two of your miles. It is best to stay with me, for
I know which tunnels and rooms the beast will avoid. Do you?”
The serpent flashed through my mind, and a shudder rolled down my spine. I knew Orthon was trying to manipulate us into following him without questioning his intentions. I decided I may as well go along with it, but only because I saw no other choice—unless I wanted to become a delicacy for that snake. “Was there any other way you could’ve taken?”
“There would have been, were it not blocked by a cave-in. We were forced out of our way to escape the serpent, and we must get back on track if we are to escape.”
So, there was another way, but he preferred taking the dangerous path with the killer insects and a snake as big as a house. Who in their right mind would want to risk an encounter with a snake that was longer than a bus, weighed more than a freight train, and could swallow me whole, not giving one thought to the heartburn it’d have the next day?
I suddenly felt somewhat important, for whatever Orthon and his people wanted, he must have thought it worthy of risking his own life, as well as ours. I set my jaw and said, “Please, lead the way.”
One by one, we squeezed through the crawlspace.
“Ouch! I hit my head. Can this place get any smaller?” Mike shuffled forward on his knees, continuing to mumble under his breath.
“Tight enough you will have to belly crawl,” said Orthon.
I had stifled the urge to make a joke about Mike’s big head, but I couldn’t resist teasing him any longer. “Hey, Mike!” I called. “What is it that you can’t get through, your belly or your rear end?”
“My broad shoulders, obviously.”
I laughed. If Orthon could get through, so could he.
I inched my way along, crawling, sliding, and squirming on my stomach, using my elbows and feet to push me along the narrow tunnel. By the time I emerged into a humongous room decorated with stalactites dangling from the ceiling, my knees were burning, and my breath came in labored heaves. Standing, I glanced at the stalagmites rising from the floor and sparkling quartz and crystal formations covering the walls, the different shapes and colors reflecting in a gigantic pool of clear blue water. I smiled, forgetting all my sorrows, if only for a moment. It was a subterranean paradise. If only Jack were here to see this!
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