The Moments Between

by Christina J Thompson

  “I don’t understand! What do you―”

  The sound of eerie laughter caught Laice’s ear, and her words instantly died in her throat. She dropped to the ground, crouching down as her eyes darted back and forth before coming to rest on two dark shapes standing on the far side of the cavern. Her blood ran cold; they looked like nothing she had ever seen before, hulking shadows with red eyes and flashing teeth that snarled at the screaming bodies of their burning captives. They were slowly making their way towards her, patrolling the perimeter of the nightmare, and she felt her muscles tense up as her instincts prepared her to run.

  Eva’s body arched with pain as her flesh began to blacken yet again, every part of her being trembling with effort as she tried to speak.

  “Choose before…it’s too late…he is your only hope!”

  As the words passed between the broken, bleeding lips, Laice felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She met the woman’s tortured gaze one last time, seeing the despair in her eyes.

  “I’m sorry,” she breathed.

  Laice turned and fled, stumbling back through the tunnel as fast as her legs could carry her. As she flew towards her tent, she didn’t dare look behind her, certain that the shadows were following at her heels.

  She lost her strength the moment she burst through the door, her legs collapsing under her as she fell to the ground, the terror that gripped her heart reaching up and wrapping itself tightly around her bruised throat and choking her with sobs. She fought to breathe, her body shaking as images of the field of burning corpses flashed through her mind. What kind of horrible, impossible nightmare was this place?

  Her thoughts shifted, and with trembling hands, Laice removed the watch from the pocket of her trousers, running her fingers over the smooth, etched case. In the dim light of the burning lamp, she could clearly see the swirls and loops that spelled out her name, and her heart pounded in her ears as a bitter taste filled her mouth.

  Taking a deep breath, she snapped the case open, and the blood drained from her face.

  The hand had moved.

  “No.”

  She instantly squeezed her eyes shut, trying to force herself to stay calm, then looked again. She hadn’t imagined it; the hand now rested halfway between the six and the seven.

  Numb with fear, she quickly placed the watch back in her pocket and stood to her feet, pacing back and forth. Why was it moving now? What did it mean?

  She closed her eyes. The woman’s tortured screams rang in her ears, drowning out her thoughts, and she sank to her knees, burying her face in her hands as tears filled her eyes.

  “What do I do?” she moaned.

  A thick lump appeared in her throat, sending waves of pain radiating into the roof of her mouth as she tried to control herself, but she couldn’t contain the muffled cry that escaped her tightly-clenched jaw. Despair sank its sharp, cold teeth deep into her heart as she rocked back and forth.

  Choose.

  The woman’s words echoed in her mind, and Laice felt even more forlorn.

  “Choose what?” she sobbed. It didn’t make any sense, she didn’t understand.

  Before it’s too late.

  She thought back to what Eli had said, that she would never understand unless she left, and she felt an inexplicable strength suddenly begin to flow through her body as her heart managed to find an answer for at least one of her questions: she couldn’t stay there any longer.

  Standing to her feet, she reached for her armor.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Laice stole through the dark, moving slowly along the outskirts of the encampment. She paused to light her lamp the moment she felt she was far enough away to avoid detection by the men, then broke into a run, heading straight for the mound of earth and the cave carved into its face.

  She had contemplated telling Seph about her plan to leave, but she knew doing so would require her to admit to her interactions with Eli, and the memory of his previous reactions had quickly put the idea out of her head. Besides, Eli had told her that Seph was her enemy, and while she didn’t truly believe it, she also didn’t completely trust him. Seph had told her too many things that didn’t make sense, and after seeing the people in the cave, his interest in her watch made her even more suspicious. Beyond that, she knew he would have tried to stop her from leaving, and there was no way she was going to risk that.

  As she raced away from the camp and into the outlying shadow-shrouded wasteland, she couldn’t help feeling relieved. It was like a massive weight was slowly being lifted from her shoulders with each step she took, and she ran for what felt like forever, losing herself in the darkness.

  The solid ground soon gave way to burning earth, and she stumbled as she picked her way through the rocks that littered the dark, slowing to a walk as she tried to avoid the deep cracks in ground’s surface. Hot, glowing embers shot up into the air amid the smoke that rose from the depths, causing beads of sweat to appear on her forehead. Her steel armor soaked up the heat and began burning her skin, and she winced with pain as she walked. She glanced ahead; the ground appeared to grow solid again just a short distance away, and she sighed with relief as she wiped her brow. She would make better time once she made it past the broken earth.

  The air became cool the moment Laice crossed back onto unbroken ground, bringing instant relief as she left the stifling heat behind her. She paused for a moment to check the watch, her breath billowing out in clouds of vapor as she squinted to make out the numbers in the dim lamplight. The hand had just passed the six; it was moving fast, much faster than she had anticipated. She would have to pick up her pace.

  She hadn’t gone more than a few steps farther when the lamp’s flame began to sputter. Laice stopped mid-stride as she stared at the flickering light, panicking as she instantly realized that she had forgotten to refill the oil before leaving camp. Her eyes darted about as she tried to memorize what little she could of the path ahead in the few moments of light she had left, then, with a quiet hiss, the tiny flame died, plunging her into darkness.

  She stiffened, holding her breath as she waited for her eyes to adjust. Slowly, her sight began to refocus, and she could just barely make out the opening of the cave in the distance, the weak light from the crescent moon still resting on the entrance. It wasn’t far, and she began to run again.

  As Laice drew closer, the lone beam of moonlight began to shift and change, seeming to grow brighter and brighter. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck suddenly stand on end as she watched it glide across the earth, coming to rest on the ground just a short distance before her. She skidded to a stop, her eyes growing wide as the earth began to rumble, rippling and contorting beneath the small circle of light.

  Long, thrashing limbs broke the surface of the crumbling ground. The earth shook with an ear-piercing roar, and from the jagged hole a monster clawed free, writhing and twisting as it struggled against the dirt. Laice was frozen in place, her terror-stricken legs refusing to move as the creature burst out of the ground and spun around to face her.

  Her mouth gaped in petrified horror.

  It was as if the moonlight itself had taken solid form, as if it had been molded and shaped to create each fiber of the monster’s translucent, blue-white body. It crouched and bared its long, gleaming fangs, snarling and gnashing its teeth. She opened her mouth to scream but her voice had disappeared, and her body trembled as a gurgling growl rose from deep within the creature’s throat.

  She could see each individual muscle and tendon flex as the beast moved; it had no skin, a transparent film of thin membrane contained the pulsating, cold light it was made of. Its narrow skull had holes in each side where ears should have been, and its bulging, pale eyes glared at her hungrily from lidless sockets. Ribs protruded from its emaciated sides, its sunken belly hovering over the ground as it stalked towards her.

  Laice found her voice, shrieking as she tried to force herself to run, but there was nowhere to go. Fumbling, she reached for her sword,
but her hands were too numb to take hold of it.

  She knew it was hopeless and she fell silent, clenching her teeth as she lifted her gaze to meet the cold, dead eyes. Saliva dripped from the creature’s fangs as it stared at her, every sinew and tendon in its gleaming body growing taut as it prepared to attack. She cringed, her skin burning with fear as she braced herself.

  The creature launched itself forward, only to be knocked to the ground as a single ray of golden light exploded across the blackened sky, thundering through the heavens with a roar as it flashed down to meet the earth. Laice ducked, instantly blinded as she lifted her hand to shield her eyes, then she let out a cry of surprise a moment later when she caught sight of what stood before her.

  It was the being from the battlefield, the man made of light.

  The monster righted itself, shrieking with hatred. The man brandished his flaming sword, pure, white light emanating from his armor, and his gaze met hers. His kind eyes were full of warmth beneath his helmet, and he lifted his arm, gesturing with an iron-clad hand. Light poured from his fingers, cutting through the darkness to illuminate the path to the cave’s entrance. He was telling her to go.

  The man braced for battle, placing himself between her and the creature. She turned to run just as the monster attacked, the sound of clashing steel and screeching howls of pain ringing in her ears.

  The dark shadow of the mound of earth fell over her as she raced towards it, her heart pounding. Laice pulled herself up onto the steep, rocky outcrop that led to the jagged opening of the cave, crying out as the rough stone cut through her hands. She glanced back over her shoulder; the creature and the man were both gone, but now she could see dozens of black, vaporous figures racing towards her through the dark.

  She screamed, trying to move faster. The hilt of her sword caught on the rocks, momentarily trapping her, but she wrenched free, quickly reaching the top and throwing herself through the dark opening.

  A wave of heat hit her as she passed through the cave’s entrance, and Laice felt her body shudder with shock. The air was thick with the smell of burning rot, and she gagged, fighting to breathe through the stench. She could hear footsteps right on her heels, and she drew her sword.

  Spinning around with a cry, Laice brandished her blade as she prepared to fight, only to feel her arm drop to her side as she staggered back, mouth agape.

  The entrance to the cave, the opening she had passed through only a second before, was gone, replaced with a wall of solid rock.

  Staring at the rock wall in confusion, Laice felt her sword grow suddenly lighter in her hand. She glanced down, instantly recoiling in disbelief as her sword began to crumble. Before her eyes, her armor, boots, and blade dissolved into thin air and turned to dust, disappearing as if they had never existed.

  Now barefoot and clad only in her trousers and tunic, Laice stood there for a long moment, too stunned to think.

  “Impossible,” she whispered to herself, her mind reeling. She felt suddenly faint, and bile rose up in her aching throat as her vision began to spin. Sitting down hard, she pressed her back up against the wall of rock and drew her knees up to her chin. She was trapped, defenseless and alone in an impossible nightmare.

  Panic began to build in her heart, and she fought against the fear that filled her belly. She forced herself to take a deep breath and looked up, steeling her nerves as she tried to make out her surroundings.

  The ceiling of the cave was low and the space was small, a hollow pocket of bare rock with an opening at the far end. The air was dry and scorched, leaching the moisture from her skin, and the ground was hot under her bare feet.

  As she looked around, it seemed as if the meager light that filled the cave grew in intensity, gradually increasing until it had the strength of a candle’s flame. She couldn’t tell where it was coming from; it was almost as if the air itself was luminescent, but just barely enough to see by.

  The opposite wall of the cave was made of obsidian, its surface forming a black mirror, and her reflection caught her eye. She lifted her chin; the dark shadow of the purple bruise was still there.

  Her gaze drifted along the wall, coming to rest on a large, flat section of rock, and she quickly stood to her feet. Etched into the rock was a massive circle, its perimeter radiating with dozens of wavy lines that burned with orange light.

  Laice gasped, tilting her head back as she stared; something about the figure seemed familiar, but she couldn’t quite place what it was. Stepping forward, she reached out, gently brushing her fingers across the curved lines.

  “The sun,” she breathed, her eyes growing wide with recognition.

  A sudden shock passed through her hand, her body instantly stiffening as her mind was transported out of the cave and into a light-filled landscape.

  It was the same place she had seen outside her tent, but this time, instead of a child, there was a young woman standing just a short distance away. Long, mahogany curls flowed down her back, and Laice’s heart raced as the woman began to turn. An unknown hope building in her chest, then she let out a cry as she caught sight of the familiar face.

  “Amy!”

  Laice rushed forward, her arms outstretched, but Amy raised her hand to stop her.

  “Shhhh!”

  “But Amy―”

  Amy lifted a finger to her lips, her soft brown eyes narrowing with caution.

  “He’s sleeping! Hush!”

  Amy gestured to the ground in front of her feet, and Laice’s heart began to burn with a sudden anxiety. Her view was blocked, and she slowly edged forward, her breath disappearing from her lungs.

  The corner of a white blanket came into view, nestled amid the grayish wildflowers, and her body instantly began to ache with desperation. Gasping, Laice darted forward, unable to bear another moment, when the light disappeared from her mind, plunging her back into the darkness of the cave.

  Laice stumbled back, her mouth hanging open as she stared up at the carving of the sun. She quickly placed her hand on the carving again, closing her eyes as she waited for the light to return, but nothing happened. The magic was gone. Pain wrenched through her chest as her lips parted in a trembling whisper.

  “Come back, please! I need to see him!”

  It was no use.

  She watched the orange glow that had illuminated the carving begin to fade, swallowing back the tears that were forming in her eyes. Crying was pointless in this place; she knew her only hope was to focus on finding the mountain and getting out.

  Laice drew a ragged breath. She checked the time, pursing her lips with dismay as she stared down at the watch’s face: the hand rested exactly on five. She had to keep going. Setting her jaw, she placed the watch back in her pocket and made her way towards the opening at the far end of the cave.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  The mouth of the cave widened as Laice made her way through, emptying onto a long, narrow bridge that spanned the left half of a massive cavern. Tall, rock walls loomed up on both sides, and as she stared she realized she couldn’t see the ceiling of the cavern, just dark emptiness perforated by the sharp tips of millions of stalactites that appeared to be miles above her.

  Below her was a deep canyon, and she instantly felt dizzy in the face of its black depths. She glanced around as her stomach heaved. Eli had said to stay to the left, and the bridge seemed to be the only way to go.

  The yawning, bottomless pit seemed to laugh at her fear, its shadowy darkness reaching out to pull her down into its gaping maw, and her heart skipped a beat. Her knees wobbled, but, trying her best not to look down, she forced herself to take a step.

  “Stop!”

  Startled, Laice spun around only to instantly lose her balance. Her heart pounded in her ears as she held her breath, her bare feet curling against the rocky ledge as she desperately flailed against the force of her own weight that threatened to send her careening into empty space. She teetered there for what felt like an eternity, staring down into a bottomless abyss, then she
cringed with horrible dread as she felt herself begin to fall forward.

  Hands seized the back of her tunic just in time, pulling her backwards and onto solid ground. She landed in a heap, finding herself staring up at Seph’s face.

  “What are you doing here?” he demanded, reaching down to grab hold of her arm. He pulled her to her feet. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you!”

  “How…how did you get in?”

  “What do you mean, how did I get in?” he echoed, his voice tinged with frustration. “This was the only place I hadn’t looked yet, and I had to find you!”

  “But the entrance closed up!” Laice exclaimed. “I saw it!”

  “This place isn’t what it seems,” Seph told her, glancing around nervously. “You can’t be sure of anything you see here, you must have been imagining things.”

  “But my sword and armor―”

  “We need to leave!” he interrupted, grabbing her hand and pulling her away from the bridge. “This place is dangerous!”

  “Wait, Seph!” she protested, her mind racing as he led her back the way she had come. He ignored her, and she wrenched free of his grasp.

  “I said WAIT!”

  “Laice, we need to go!” he insisted, trying to take hold of her again. She stepped out of his reach, gripping her head with her hands as she tried to think.

  “I can’t go back, Seph! Eli said―”

  “ELI???”

  Seph’s voice boomed through the cavern, and she dropped her hands as her eyes snapped forward.

  “I should have known! He convinced you to leave!”

  “No, he didn’t! Well, not exactly―”

  Seph stomped his foot, his face turning red with anger.

  “How many times must I tell you that he is DANGEROUS?” he screamed. “You have no idea what this place is!”

  “Then why don’t you tell me!” she shouted back, her temper flaring. “Or are you just going to lie to me again?”

  His expression instantly relaxed, and his eyes widened in innocence.