Gabe looked the man in the eye. Potus’s eye shifted back and forth, making Gabe uneasy. Finally he said, “I’m looking for someone. My mother.”
“Ah, you lost family. Very common. We are all lost in one way or another, but today, you found somebody, and somebody found you. A good thing, eh?”
Gabe managed a shrug.
“I assume it’s related to this.” Potus fished inside his jumper pocket and pulled out the locket that Mabel had given to Gabe. He popped it open. A tiny picture of his mother, Grace, was inside. She was pretty and had a tiny smile on her face.
Pie-eyed, Gabe blurted out, “Have you seen her?”
“I’m Potus. I see—I know—everything.” He clasped the locket shut and placed it back in his pocket. His good eye bored into Gabe’s. “But, what price are you willing to pay for this information, young man?”
CHAPTER 4
Daphne let Gabe eat enough of the pasty white grits, which were scarcely enough to keep his groaning stomach from swallowing itself. The water that he drank from a metal cup was cool but not very refreshing. It had a taint to it that left stinging bitterness in his mouth. The two of them sat alone, despite being in the same room. Daphne, with her lone bulging eye, stared at him. She looked away when he looked back. The sudden odd shyness was weird, considering that she hadn’t hesitated to bash his head earlier.
This place is weird. She’s weird and ugly.
Gabe rubbed his wrists as he stared up at the ceiling. The tiles were like the ones in the hospital’s old rooms. It reminded him of the compound, which he’d begun to miss. The Count, Angela, didn’t lie about everything. The compound in Newton offered protection and a fair degree of comfort. Now, it was sinking in fast that that was all gone. He was on his own, leaving his grandmother, his only link to the world, behind. And that wasn’t all his heart ached for. He thought of Angela’s daughter, Mandy. The young seductress had fooled him in ways he was too young to understand, but he still liked her. Her laugh, touch, and kisses echoed in his thoughts.
Maybe I shouldn’t have left. I could have just taken the Count’s deal. Now, I’m stuck in a damp tunnel with a pair of one-eyed freaks.
His bound feet scuffed over the ground. Daphne shot a look at him. He noticed she’d placed a strip of purple ribbon in her hair. He hung his eyes on her for a long moment.
“What are you staring at, two-eyes?” She slobbered over herself a little as she spoke. “Don’t make me whop you again.”
“Uh, of course not, Daphne.” For some reason, as aggravated and miserable as he was, Gabe chose to play it nice.
It was something he’d learned from his father, Saul, who more than once had said, “The more soothing the words, the more persuasive they become.”
Now was a time when Gabe needed information about where he was and about his mother. Potus dangled a carrot in front of his face, promising answers to his questions. He needed to find his mother or wait for Mabel. He kept wondering if these were the people she’d talked about. “Daphne, do you know a woman named Mabel?”
She sat in her chair with her legs crossed and the top one kicking. Daphne’s face pinched up. “Don’t try to be wise with me. Potus answers and asks questions. So you shut your face hole, pretty boy.”
“Okay, uh, speaking of pretty, that’s a pretty ribbon in your hair. I like it.”
She sat up. “You do?”
“Er, well, yes. It brings out your eye.” Gabe wanted to slap himself in the forehead, but Daphne seemed to receive it well. Her winsome smile lifted the hair up on Gabe’s arms as she scooted her chair closer.
“You like my ribbon, Gabe.” She flipped her hair over her shoulder, revealing ugly tattoos on her neck. “I have other colors.” She placed her thick hands on his knees. “There is one called turquoise. Canary yellow. Burgundy. Sky blue. Gold. Silver. Crimson. I will wear them for you, Gabe.”
“All at once? That would be…unique.” Freak. He shifted away from her.
She hooked her leg over top of his. “I found you, Gabe. In the building. What I find is mine.” She tickled him under the chin. “I saved you from the chewba.”
“The chewba was dead.”
“You would have been dead too. You needed treatment from Potus. He takes care of us all. He knows everything.”
“Sure.” Gabe gently laid his hand on top of her knee that had his knee pinned down. “Did you see anything else there?”
“Like what?”
“A winged lizard?”
“Nope.” She put her hand on his. “Just you and the chewba.”
Gabe’s temper started to rise. He was mad that Squawk left him. It didn’t make any sense that the dragon would, but then again, what did he know? Perhaps Squawk thought he was dead, or he was frightened off. Still, it ate at Gabe. He needed his dragon.
Someone approached from outside of the room. Daphne unlatched from Gabe and scooted away. Potus entered the room, tapping his cane on the side of the entryway. “Daphne, unfasten the young man’s feet. Gabe, I assume you won’t try anything foolish, will you? The folks in the Under City can be very jittery, and once startled, they become very aggressive.”
“I’m grateful that you’ve helped and fed me. I haven’t had much to eat or—”
“Yes, yes, I don’t care. Let’s go.” Potus rapped his cane again. “I’m not getting any younger, and neither is anyone else in this buried city.”
Down on one knee, Daphne loosened the ropes on Gabe’s feet. She ran her hands up his ankle as she did so and grinned. Quickly, Gabe was on his feet, hustling after Potus. The old man led him down a long corridor with stores on either side. Most of the glass panes were still intact. Ahead was a larger chamber with a sunken floor down a short flight of stone steps. In the center was a three-tiered fountain made from modern block. Water trickled down from a spot at the top with a face of a deranged man painted around it. The man had a horn on the top middle of his head, one eye, and the water came from an open mouth. He looked more like a frog than a man. The water streamed into a pool.
Potus took Gabe by the arm. “Come, come,”
Gabe noticed a gathering of several-dozen people kneeling alongside the pool where the water emptied. Their backs were too him. All of them wore prison-style jumpers, mostly orange, but some of them were pale yellow. Many of the people chanted under their breaths. A few, Gabe swore, made the ribbiting sound of toads.
Potus clacked his cane on the floor. The murmuring stopped. The people of the Under City stood. Slowly, they turned.
The blood in Gabe’s veins turned to ice. Each and every one of them was missing their left eye.
CHAPTER 5
Horror stricken, Gabe backed away. Daphne blocked his retreat. The woman clamped her hands on his elbows, locked them tight, and pulled him into her body.
“Meet the family, Gabe,” Potus said with a subtle wave of his cane. Every face had a marred left eye. Many wore eye patches of different fabrics and styles, but most didn’t. Instead, there was an ugly scar where the eye had once been. Their eyelids had been crudely sewn together. Their numbers were mostly men, but there were women too. “We are the Eyewatchers. Keepers of Wisdom.”
You’re crazy!
Water continued to fall from the pipe inside the frogman’s mouth, splattering into the pool. It made the surrounding silence more uncomfortable. The heavy stares made it even worse. Gabe squirmed. Daphne’s fingers dug deeper. The woman was as strong as any man Gabe had known.
“That,” Potus said, pointing at the mouth pouring the water, “is the Bullywug god, our provider of water. We give thanks to him. You will as well. He provides the wisdom that we so fondly desire. Bullywug, the Giver, speaks through me. I am his prophet.”
Potus’s words weren’t entirely foreign to Gabe. Even in the compound back in Newton, some of the people worshipped strange things. As Gabe watched the water, the Eyewatcher family approached him. Forming a line, each walked up to him, offered a grim but somewhat friendly salutation, patted his
head, and moved on. The last woman in line had a beautiful face. A scarlet patch covered her left eye. She caressed his cheek with gentle fingers.
Gabe swallowed. He was left alone in front of the pool of worship with only Potus and Daphne. All of the others vanished as if they hadn’t been there at all, but he felt eyes on him from beyond the gloom.
“Come, sit down and refresh yourself, Gabe.” Potus sat down on the wall that retained the pool of water. He dipped his hand in it and wetted his face. “Bullywug is good to us.” Once Gabe and Daphne took a seat he continued. “Knowledge has a price, Gabe. All of us have paid it. You will have to pay it too. You see, we have a motto, a creed actually. Would you like to hear it?”
No. Gabe gave an approving nod anyway.
Potus held his finger up to his eye. “One eye to lead you. One eye to deceive you. You cannot trust both of them.”
Gabe’s eyes twitched. His skin crawled. You freaks aren’t cutting my eye out!
Potus leaned over and touched his knee. “Take it easy, Gabe. I can see the fear in your eyes, but with fear comes enlightenment. You, like all of us, will be enlightened. You will be able to drink from Bullywug’s well for all of your life. You will never thirst again.” His voice became a dark hush. “What more can one ask for in this bitter, bitter world run by the Dominion?”
“You know about them?”
“What, well of course I do. I protect my people from them. I am all knowing, Gabe, a sage of mercy.”
Sage. The word triggered memories of the man who’d taught him so much after he was alone. Sage was a good man, who the Count had killed—who the Dominion had killed. Gabe missed the bald, tight-faced man. “I need to find my mother. I was told that there were people here who could help me find her. Are you those people, or are there others?”
Potus stiffened. “It is just us. And I am all knowing.”
“All knowing,” Daphne repeated in Gabe’s ear.
“Then you can tell me where my mother is.” Gabe didn’t hold back his tone. “You need to tell me, Potus.”
“You will only know what I deem you should know. I decide that! If you want wisdom and knowledge, you must make the same sacrifice that we all have made. It is the only way. Pay tribute to Bullywug. Trust the right eye to lead you for the left eye will deceive you.”
“Left eye bad,” Daphne grunted in his ear.
“Not as bad as…” Gabe cut himself off. He was about to say her breath but chose against it. He needed to play along for now and look for an avenue of escape. “May I have a drink?”
Potus gave him a nod of approval
The water in the pool was clear as glass. There were navy-blue tiles on the bottom, giving it a refreshing look. He cupped his hands, filled them up, and drank. The water was the same as the other. The taint was still there, but it was more like the water in rain barrels in Newton. The metal gave it a harsh taste, and sometimes, people got sick from it. He had his fill and sat back, wiping his arm across his mouth. “Thanks.”
“It’s good, isn’t it, Gabe? All that you can drink. A gift from Bullywug.” Potus gave him a smile. “Are you ready to make your sacrifice and become one of the Eyewatchers?”
“Can’t I just leave?”
“NO!” Potus yelled. He drew back his cane to strike. Nostrils flaring, he said, “We saved you. Now you will become one of us. Only a fool would not join. Death is out there, Gabe!”
“I’d rather take my chances out there,” Gabe said.
Daphne walloped him upside the head. The blow knocked his chin into his chest. “Shut up!”
Standing up, Potus said, “You have insulted Bullywug and his prophet. Now, you will pay the price. Gabe, you have forfeited your choice. We will take your left eye as tribute, but we will take your right eye for punishment.”
“What?” Gabe gasped.
“Take him away, Daphne, while I make the preparations.”
CHAPTER 6
Bound up again, Gabe sat inside a different store in the underground building. There were rows of metal shelves, mostly empty. Some type of merchandise must have been sold there at one time. The store had been converted into a living space with blankets on the floor, covering a mattress. There were chairs, tables, and a sofa. Daphne sat on the sofa, rocking back and forth and humming to a blond-headed doll with a blue dress with white polka dots she held in her hands. Gabe’s pack was beside the sofa. His spear rested back against the wall.
Gabe sat on the floor with his back to the wall, staring at the lone lantern that glowed in the room. The only thing on his mind was escape. The lunatics that called themselves Eyewatchers were going to cut his eyes out. There was no reasoning behind it, just madness. He would run if he could, but at best, he could hop. Daphne would bear down on him like a bear if he did.
“Ahem,” he said.
Daphne stopped humming and looked at him. “You be quiet. Your mouth ruins everything.”
“I’ll say,” Gabe agreed. “Without my eyes, I’m never going to be able to put those ribbons in your hair. That’s kinda sad. I was really looking forward to it.”
The burly woman’s jaw hung a little. She set the doll aside, lowered herself to the floor, and crawled over to Gabe. “You want to put ribbons in my hair?”
“Certainly.” He fixed his stare on the purple ribbon on her head. “You see, if I tie it for you, it will be nice and straight. Extra pretty. I’m really good at tying things. As a master of fact, I could make your hair full of ribbons. You’d be unlike any other. You would be…dazzling.”
She cozied up to him. “What does dazzling mean?”
“It’s extra beautiful, like a sparkle from a bright stone, but it’s too bad I can’t do that if I can’t see. It makes me sad, Daphne.” He put his bound-up wrists on her knee and rubbed it a little. “I’m scared.”
“Ah.” Daphne clutched her head and swayed side to side. “I don’t want this. I don’t like. No!”
Gabe almost felt for the woman. She was easily confused, but he needed to use her the same way the Count used him. He had to lure her in. She was the only ally he had. “Do you think Potus would forgive me if I apologized?”
“No, no, you insulted him and the Bullywug. There is no forgiveness for that. Many have died for less.”
“Died? You mean, the Eyewatchers kill people?”
She gave a feeble nod.
“Haven’t you heard of the Blood Law? You can’t kill people. If you kill people, the Dominion will hunt you down and kill you?” It was a lie, but Gabe had to make up something to keep her interest. “I’ve seen it, Daphne. The Dominion, they have guns. Do you know what guns are?”
She shook her head.
That was a good sign. If she hadn’t seen a gun, perhaps they didn’t have any. He asked, “What did they kill them with?”
Daphne gave him a funny look. “I was little. I think they hit him with pipes. He wouldn’t give up his eye. The price was death.”
“And you were little when you saw this?”
“Uh-huh, I had both eyes then, but I wasn’t very smart, so I gave up my eye for wisdom. I’m much smarter now.” She held up four fingers. “Four.”
If Gabe weren’t so uncomfortable, he would have laughed. Instead, he pressed on. “You know I’m afraid that if I’m blind, they will just kill me. They won’t have any use for a blind boy, would they? Are there other blind people in the clan?”
“Nope.”
“Well, once I’m gone, I’d like you to have my pack. It has some really neat stuff in it. It would mean a lot if you had it.”
Daphne’s head snapped around toward the pack. She glanced back at Gabe. Her good eye beamed with excitement. “I’m not supposed to touch it. I guard it.”
Gabe shrugged. “Well, I think you should take a peek. You can always put it back. I won’t say anything to get you in trouble. Besides, you’re the only girlfriend I have.”
Her eye lit up. “Girlfriend?”
“There is something in there I think you
would really enjoy. It would be a shame if Potus kept it.”
On all fours Daphne crawled over to the pack. It was a sturdy pack, made from black nylon with heavy stitching on the straps. There was a label on it that read “Grunt Pack.” She dumped out the contents. Among the knickknacks Gabe collected were his breathing apparatus for storms, his dragonry glove, and a canteen. He was relieved it was still in there. His mind drifted to Squawk. He was worried about the missing dragon but knew in his gut Squawk was alive and somewhere.
“This is what I want to give you.” Gabe reached toward the pile. She slapped his hand. “Ow!”
“Don’t be tricky!”
“Who? Me?” He gave her an innocent look. Seeing her melt, he pointed at a black tube on the floor. “That’s what I want to give you.”
She picked up the black cylinder highlighted with thin golden trim. “This?”
“Yes, it makes your lips pretty. Open it.”
She took the lid off the tube of lipstick and suspiciously eyed it.
“Here.” Gabe gently took her hands in his and twisted the tube. A hot-pink color popped up.
Daphne gasped. “It’s so beautiful.”
“And it will make you more beautiful. You put it on your lips, and it makes you prettier and a perfect kisser. Just pucker up, and I’ll put it on.”
“And you’ll kiss me?”
“That’s what lipstick is for, isn’t it? Now, close your eyes, and pucker up.” As she puckered and shut her eyes, Gabe reached for a lighter Malak had given him. As he covered it with his hands and started to scoot it underneath his knee, Potus appeared from the dimness. “Nice try, Gabe.”
Flight from the Dominion (The Gamma Earth Cycle Book 2) Page 2