“Daucina cannot see all, but he will sense our purpose. He will know the spirits have gathered.” Bolo spoke the words softly to them, while listening to the old woman at the same time. “It is possible He will remain at His Bure, where He is strongest. It is also possible that in His anger and impatience He will range around the island to look for us before we can reach the child. We must confront Him, but she must be prepared to do it. If He comes on us in surprise then we are lost. She can try to bring Him to us, but if He remains at His temple then we have no choice but to confront Him there. We have a decision to make. What path will we choose?” The question hung over them like a storm cloud threatening to strike out at them should the wrong choice be made.
There was silence, the gravity of the situation settling in, then Sophie spoke up. Hearing her strong but feminine voice was like music ringing out and the cloud that hung over them seemed to flee before it.
“This is what we’ll do,” she said. “We will go to the shore of the lake and summon him there. The spirits don’t seem to cross the lake, so maybe there they will offer help, if they can. With luck, Daucina will cross. If He does, while the confrontation is taking place, I’ll get to the island and get Bolo’s wife and my baby. We can make a run for it. And hopefully, if I can be quick enough, we can all get away without anybody getting hurt.” She stared hard at Thomas, and he looked back, his face set in stone and his eyes impenetrable. They both knew what that plan required. It meant he would be left behind to battle. It meant that if she was successful in escaping with Kai, he wasn’t likely to be there with her.
“It’s a good plan,” Thomas said. His face softened and he reached out to wrap Sophie in a bear hug. They clung to one another like that, both wondering if it would be the last time they held each other.
Bolo cut into their moment, “What if He doesn’t leave the Bure. What if He stays on his little island and waits for us to come to Him?”
Sophie disentangled herself from her brother’s strong, protective arms with a degree of reluctance. “I suppose then things get more difficult. Noni says she needs some time to prepare. How much time is that?”
Bolo spoke briefly, and Noni considered for a moment, then responded. “What she is trying to do has not been done. She wants us to understand that. But to answer your question, she needs a fire, and when the fire is built, she should be ready of minutes. It will go much like it did tonight with the summoning of the spirits, only her spell will be different.”
“So, we need to build a fire, while Daucina is trying to destroy us?” Thomas asked, with a look of disbelief on his face.
Sophie echoed his sentiments. “I’ve been on the island with the Bure, there is little firewood there, mostly sand and plants. It’s impossible.”
“We can take fire with us,” Bolo said. “We can make a fire before we cross, with long pieces of wood. Once it is hot, we will each grab a piece and swim over to the island with it. It will be slower, but it might be our only choice.” He watched the others, waiting for a response. Thomas and Sophie both stared at the fire, looking unenthused, so he continued, “We can use some long sticks on this fire to make torches to light the rest of our way. Like practice.” He meant it as a small joke but it garnered no response and he stayed silent after that.
Finally, Thomas broke from his thoughts. “It’s a good plan, Bolo. Better than anything I can come up with. I guess we’ll hope this fucker gets pissed when He sees us and comes out to play. If not, we’ll do as you say, carry fire across and try to keep Him busy while the wi … while Noni, does what she needs to do. Agreed?” He looked down at Sophie.
“Agreed,” she said.
With her voice she consented, but in her mind, Sophie thought about the horrible tragedy of losing her parents and the months of grief that had followed. Months where she had difficulty getting out of bed at times, much less facing the world. Even if she succeeded at getting Kai back, how rosy would her victory seem if she lost her only other family, her consummate protector, in the bargain? She loved and admired Thomas as much as any person she’d ever known, her parents being the only comparison, and she wanted Kai to know his uncle. To have him as a role model. The thought of losing him was near unbearable.
“Agreed, Thomas. But no silly risks. You’re not to get into a stupid, macho war with this Thing. Agreed?”
Thomas smiled, a genuine smile that turned a ruggedly handsome face into an enchanting one. She looked so much like their mother just then, with her stern look that was born out of love. It made him think of moments where mother would be wagging her finger at him when he was small and got caught literally with his fingers in the cookie jar. She would get that same stern look and tell him he was a “challenging” child. Then she’d smile, give him a pat on the head, and say, ‘Just one, but next time ask!’
“Agreed,” he said, still smiling.
Bolo spoke then to the old woman, telling them of their plan. She responded with no more than a curt nod, then began putting her things in order.
With that complete, they each grabbed the longest piece of wood they could find out of the fire and began their journey into the dark heart of the island.
30
Sala paced around the Bure full of nervous energy. It was impossible for her to stop moving, she had tried. She would sit on a step and work to still her mind, closing her eyes and focusing on slow and steady breathing. Then a foot would start to tap, a leg start to vibrate, and she was up and moving again.
Feeling like her anxiety would affect the child, she had tried to settle back down and distract herself by staring into the big, blue eyes and playing at baby talk. Any conversation at this point would be preferable to the agonizing silence that only enhanced her anticipation of dreadful things to come.
Occasionally she would stop at one of the four doorways of the structure, always a different one than the time before, and peek out at the beach and the lake, then the jungle beyond. Always there was nothing but silent emptiness. Her fear and anxiety were only heightened by this sense of desolation. In her mind, she kept urging herself to grab the baby and run. A deeper, darker part of her even suggested she leave the baby and run. He’ll let me go, He won’t let the baby go. If you leave it then you can get home! Then she would stare down into that sweet innocent face and lose all thoughts of abandonment. She kept catching herself running her nose along his tiny head, taking in deep breaths of that subtly sweet odor. I can’t leave him, she realized.
But could she take him? Could she get away? It wouldn’t be the first time she had tried, or even the second. How could she think she could get away with a third attempt? Surely, she’d be caught, and who knows whether the foul beast would have the patience to allow her to live after yet another failed attempt. Although, he certainly couldn’t feed a newborn child without her. This thought only added to her restlessness.
She peeked out another door. Silence. Nothing moved, nothing made a sound. Go Sala! He’s gone, somewhere else, away, you can make it! But where was He? Maybe it was a trap. He could be out there, watching and waiting for her to flee. Maybe He was just bored and needed some sport.
Then a sudden, horrible realization hit her. He’s not here spying on you, you silly woman! He’s out hunting your husband! Either that, or Bolo was dead, overcome by those he’d set out to hunt. If that had happened, wouldn’t Daucina go to finish the job? Either way meant her Bolo was dead, or soon to be. Wasn’t that more reason to flee? It was either attempt escape, or wait here, doing as Daucina wished, until He no longer needed her. And who knows if He cared to have another baby around. What if He didn’t?
Sala shuddered and peeked out another door, scanning the dark as far as her eyes could see. The moon was casting a soft, silvery light, but not so much she felt confident to go on the run without some other source to guide her way. Likely she’d get lost or fall and break her neck, or the baby’s. You’ve got light, Sala. Two torches, and a lamp overhead.
She gazed up at the tall ceiling.
The two torches that were always aflame were within a reasonable reach, but the lamp was a good twelve feet in the air. That would seem to make her decision easy, but she didn’t like the idea of running around with a torch. She couldn’t protect the baby from the small embers that were constantly being shed from it. A small consideration, in the grand scheme of things, but her maternal instincts were strong. Get the lamp, Sala. Get it and go!
The altar was roughly four feet off the ground, she figured, and placed in the middle of the room, directly below the lamp. If she could find something just a foot or two in length, she thought she could stretch out and lift it off its hook. Looking around, she saw just what she needed. Daucina had placed a few tools on one of the tables, giving her husband a choice of weapons for his grisly task. Bolo had taken what looked like an axe, leaving behind a crude hammer and what appeared to be a spade or other type of digging tool. That instrument was a couple of feet in length and had a flat stone at the end. She placed the baby on another table and went back to snatch up the shovel. With a great deal of caution, thinking of her own baby’s safety, she slowly climbed up on the altar and stood erect. Holding the stone portion of the tool in her hand, she reached the handle up toward the lamp. It was plenty long enough and she almost laughed with delight. Gently, she pushed the end of her tool up on the lamp’s handle and watched it rise off the hook. Then she was balancing it, ever so carefully, and lowering it back down. Just like that, she had it in her hand.
“We’re ready, little one. Be brave now.”
She stared down at the eternally happy child, who was entranced by the lamp in her hand. Scooping him up, she went back to the doorway nearest to where she would want to cross the water at.
I’ll have to make two trips, she thought. Then, with a firm resolve she thought further, I’ll do whatever I must do. The light first for a practice run, then the baby after.
Bathed in the small circle of light thrown from the lantern, Sala took a tentative step out into the night, prepared to see what fate had in store for her.
31
Thomas moved through the early morning darkness in a bubble of yellow and orange glow that radiated out to only ten feet or so on every side. What lay beyond that bubble of light was anybody’s guess and he figured all of them had imaginations running out of control on that front. Occasionally a piece of the darkness beyond the scope of their meager torches would shift, indicating one of their spirit companions were keeping track of them. Maybe even offering some protection. He found some strange comfort in that.
He knew what could happen. They all did. At any moment, the trees and bushes around them could separate in a sudden and violent commotion, with a raging Daucina tearing out of the night and through their little ragtag assault team.
What a team it was, Thomas had to laugh inwardly. In the lead was Bolo, a reasonably imposing man who appeared to be a strong physical ally, but only a while ago was bent on murdering them all with the crude but wicked axe he now carried. Behind him, the creepy old woman, small and bent, who rarely spoke but seemed to have some power hidden behind that dirty robe and wrinkled face. Despite her feeble appearance, she moved easily and almost gracefully through the flickering light, which made Thomas even more suspicious of her. Directly in front of him, his little sister, Sophie. Also physically capable, but Thomas wanted her to have no part in the coming battle and he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t concerned how she would react when they got near to the temple, where they presumed Kai to be. How would any mother act in such a situation? He could easily picture her bolting the moment the temple came into view, leaving them in the dust and making a mad dash for the baby, plans be damned.
“Ungh, shit!”
A low-lying branch jabbed into the side of his temple and snapped him out of his thoughts. He reached up to his head and dabbed at the stinging sore spot where the tip of the branch had gouged him, raising up a small flap of skin. His fingers came back with a smear of blood that looked black in the torchlight.
Then he realized they had stopped and each member of his small group was staring at him, in anger or concern he couldn’t be sure. The jungle around them was deathly quiet. My curse must have sounded like a pistol shot out here, he realized.
Once they all determined they weren’t going to be under sudden attack, Bolo and Noni resumed their march. Sophie lingered a moment longer, looking over Thomas with momentary concern, then hurrying to catch up when she realized he was fine.
Thomas followed suit, but not before offering the invading branch a reproachful look. Sophie was near to leaving the edge of his bubble of light, which was equivalent to entering a whole other world away from him. Only a fading image of her back was visible, the other two ahead of her lost in the darkness completely. He trotted forward to catch up.
They were over an hour into their slow march when the rise of a giant hill, or small mountain, loomed up out of the darkness. Bolo paused at its base and turned toward the group. Once they were all huddled together he whispered to them, the flames of his torch casting a light that licked at his face and made him look like a storyteller using a prop to scare children around a campfire. As if to add to the effect, the squeaky chittering of a fruit bat pierced the surrounding darkness.
“We’re almost there. The mountain is not very high and going over is the quickest way. Once we get to the other side, there is a stretch of trees maybe one hundred steps long, then a small beach and the lake. We will be there soon.” The words came out like a warning.
Sophie hugged herself and rubbed her upper arms rapidly as best she could with her makeshift torch in hand, as if the statement had inflicted her with a sudden chill. “Will it be light by then?”
Bolo cast his eyes up at the sky. “Maybe just the start. A little. I am eager to go. Does anybody need to rest first?” It was a strong suggestion hidden in the guise of a question and they all took the hint, shaking their heads. Besides, none of them wanted to rest, at least not Thomas or Sophie. They were every bit as eager to reach their loved one as Bolo was.
Their axe-wielding leader set off up the side of the mountain, which really wasn’t all that steep. The ground had absorbed most of the moisture from the storm already so even their footing was solid. Peppered along the ascent were several short, skinny trees and deep-rooted bushes, giving them all the handholds they needed. Off to their left, a subtle glow was creeping up over the horizon.
Thomas started to suggest to Sophie he go ahead of her to help the … to help Noni, but then he saw the old hag scurry up the side of the mountain with relative ease. Well, that’s not right, he thought. Daucina might be a God, but this woman is like a wolf in a shaggy dog’s clothing.
Sophie was already laboring up after her so Thomas brushed aside the thought and pushed to catch up. They reached the top without any pauses, even from the old wolf, but they did take a moment to catch their breaths at the top. The peak of the mountain was rocky but not very wide. Cautiously, Bolo moved toward the far edge to peer out at what lay beyond. The rest followed suit, crouching in the dark to remain hidden, just in case.
Below them, the landscape would have looked astounding if not for the dire circumstances that they were in, but even so, it was a breathtaking view. The mountain continued straight to their right, on their left it bent around toward the North side of the island, creating kind of a half bowl shape. In the bowl was a small lake and centered in the middle of that lake, a tiny island with a pyramid-like structure, its wooden roof tall and steep. Light flickered out from the doorways, showing that its structure was likely stone. Circling around the pyramid was a stretch of sand that glowed white under the moonlight.
“Look,” Sophie said excitedly, pointing down at the lake. “In the water, a light!”
It took only a moment for them to see what she was referring to. Moving slowly through the water was a small prick of light, flickering like a torch.
“That could be Daucina, guarding the island. Come! If we can see Him, He can see us!”
With that, Bolo dropped over the side and began his descent.
They followed closely behind, using sidesteps to control their footing and speed. Both arms were necessary for the descent, leaving them feeling vulnerable. One used for leaning back to steady themselves on and the other for keeping its torch held high.
The trip down was quicker than the climb up and soon they were standing at the bottom. All of them trying to catch glimpses of the lake, but if it could be seen between the trees that dotted the landscape, it was too dark to tell.
Sophie looked at her brother and pointed to her left. “There’s a cave right over there. That’s where we stayed, me and Jacob. It’s full of bones. Human bones.” It should have been an ominous declaration, but she wore a sad smile on her face, thinking back on her time there.
Thomas had a look on his face that talked of women and how impossible they were to understand. “People bones, sounds charming, sis.”
“Had to be there, I guess.”
“Another time, maybe.” He gave her head a little push, trying for a playful gesture to keep the growing tension at bay. She responded with squinted eyes that promised retribution when the moment was right. He hoped that moment would come someday.
“It’s almost time,” Bolo said, though to them or to himself they couldn’t tell. Then a little louder, “If He is going to come to us, it is more likely to happen now than before we crossed the mountain. Be ready.”
Thomas ran his hand along the small spikes of his club, imagining the damage he could inflict with such a weapon on a normal man. Just one good crack along the side of that fucker’s head, he thought, then we’ll see what a god is made of.
Cave of Bones (Dark Island Series Book 2) Page 20