Keepers of the Cave

by Gerri Hill

  “Come on.”

  Paige nodded, following close behind CJ. Paige wondered why this part of the tunnel was lit by torches. Perhaps it was a main corridor. That thought made her glance over her shoulder, making sure they were still alone. While she didn’t see anyone, she certainly felt eyes on her.

  “I feel like we’re being watched,” she whispered, giving voice to her thoughts.

  “It’s probably just the spiders,” CJ murmured with a quiet laugh.

  The only sound thereafter was the muffled steps they took. Paige stayed close behind CJ, knowing that the next turn would take them into the open. CJ stopped, motioning Paige against the wall. She listened, hearing voices in the distance.

  “Fiona?”

  CJ nodded. “And Belden.”

  “At least we know where he is.”

  ***

  “You should not be down here,” Belden said.

  Fiona’s breath was coming in quick, short gasps, the pain nearly unbearable now. Her face was drenched in perspiration, and she wiped a drop of sweat from the corner of her eye.

  “Get her,” Fiona said again. “I want to see her.”

  “Mother Hogan left instructions for you to wait. You should not be in the chamber without her.”

  Fiona shuffled closer to the altar, leaning on the edge to help support herself. She felt a wet stickiness between her legs and knew it was blood. She didn’t have much time.

  She turned to Belden, hoping to use his fear of Mother Hogan against him. She pointed to her belly.

  “I’m about to give birth. If something happens, you’ll be to blame. Do you want that?” She took a deep, excruciating breath. “You know what she’ll do to you, right?”

  Belden hesitated, then his eyes widened as she let out a sharp groan, the pain nearly bringing her to her knees.

  “You stay here. I’ll get her.”

  He hurried off, disappearing down the tunnel that would take him to Mother Hogan’s estate. She gripped the altar, pulling herself along its length. She closed her eyes tightly, waiting for the pain to subside. When it ebbed somewhat, she stood up straighter, glancing across to the back of the chamber. The dark entrance to the main tunnel stood like a gaping mouth. Beyond it, smaller tunnels converged. Were Paige and CJ close? Had they managed their trip through the woods? Did they find the stables? Was Don’s map sufficient for them to find their way? If so, she hoped they were close. She was bleeding, and she felt her strength quickly leaving her. If they wanted to take Mother Hogan at her weakest, it was now. Once it was over with, she feared they would be no match for Mother Hogan’s anger.

  Each step she took was agonizing, severe shooting pain hitting her core. She glanced down and even in the darkness, she could see the blood staining her Friday work slacks all the way down to her ankles. She felt a great sorrow hit her then and she nearly sobbed with it. So much time wasted. Gone forever. The little normalcy in her life took place at the school, Monday through Friday. She hadn’t realized how much she treasured it. If she’d only had the strength all those years ago, she could have maybe lived an ordinary life. She and Don could have run away together. But no. Mother Hogan must have anticipated that. She had to have known that once they’d been outside they would know things. Things the others did not. They were kept separated until the very end. She closed her eyes for a second, then shook her thoughts away. There was no need to bemoan it all now. Her fate was sealed. Her only hope was that it would all end soon. Very soon.

  She mustered what strength she had left, holding tight to the altar for support. She felt blindly along the cold stone facing, seeking the crevice where Mother Hogan kept her knife. Her fingers brushed the leather sheath, and she closed her hand around it, pulling it out of its hiding place. She leaned heavily against the altar, her elbows on the edge, keeping her upright.

  She took quick, short breaths, feeling her eyelids getting heavy. Amazingly, she felt no more pain. Just a cold numbness that was permeating up her legs. She could feel a slow drip, and she wondered how much blood she’d lost. Her slacks felt soaked. She knew she was cramping, she could feel her insides contracting but she felt no pain.

  “Fiona, child, what are you doing?”

  Fiona turned her head slowly, seeing Mother Hogan coming toward her, Belden right on her heels. She slid the knife out of its sheath, holding it out so they could see it. As expected, Mother Hogan stopped up short, her eyes widening in disbelief.

  “Your...your baby is coming,” Fiona said, her voice sounding odd to her own ears. She looked away from Mother Hogan’s intense gaze, trying to close her mind. She felt a nearly physical tug on the knife, but she held on tightly. Mother Hogan would not win. Oh, where were Paige and CJ? Surely they were close. She couldn’t do this on her own, she knew.

  “Put the knife down,” Mother Hogan said, her voice nearly booming in the chamber.

  Fiona shook her head, her grip steady around the smooth handle of the knife. “You have no power over me,” she said, surprising herself by her valor. “I am no longer one of your little sheep.”

  “You do not speak to me that way, child. You must not disobey.”

  Fiona felt a tear trickle down her cheek and felt her resolve slipping. She feared she wouldn’t be strong enough to go through with it. She clenched her teeth, warding off the sudden panic that was gripping her. Her anxiety ebbed as she felt another contraction.

  “Look at me,” she gasped. “Look at what you’ve done to me. And for what?”

  “It is not for you to question.”

  Fiona felt the knife loosening in her hand, and she turned her focus to that, willing her fingers to hold tight to the blade. Mother Hogan has no power over me, she reminded herself.

  “No,” she said weakly. “No one ever questions you, do they? Until now.”

  CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

  Paige tugged on her arm and CJ turned around, eyebrows raised.

  “Do we have a plan?”

  “No.” She shrugged. “That’s pretty much how this whole assignment has been, right?”

  “Let’s just try not to shoot anyone,” Paige said.

  “I’m more concerned with Belden. He could snap us in half with his bare hands.”

  “Right. He could. So you lead, tiger.”

  CJ silently unsnapped the holster on her thigh, hearing Paige do the same. She crouched low, moving quickly along the wall to the last corner, trying to stay in the shadows. Taking a deep breath, she moved into the large room—the chamber. There was enough light from the torches for her to make out the altar against the far wall. There was Fiona, leaning weakly against it. Ester Hogan—dressed in a dark robe—was facing her. Belden appeared to be flanking to her right. CJ motioned for Paige to go opposite her, toward Ester. CJ hugged the wall to the left, intending to intercept Belden.

  It was then she saw the knife, the blade shining brightly as Fiona waved it at Ester.

  “Put it down,” Ester instructed Fiona in a firm voice. “I command you.”

  “Get away from me. You don’t command me anymore.”

  CJ glanced at Paige, whose eyes were riveted on Fiona. Now would have been a good time to have a plan.

  “Put the knife down, Fiona. Now.”

  CJ didn’t think Fiona would try to take down Ester Hogan on her own, but she watched her intently, waiting for some sign to move. Did Fiona know they were there? Could she see them?

  “It’s too late. I won’t be your pawn.”

  It happened so fast—the knife flashing in the torchlight. Her heart lurched in disbelief as Fiona plunged the blade into her own belly, a terrible mewing sound leaving her lips as she pulled the knife out, only to plunge it in again.

  “No!” Paige yelled, running forward. “Fiona...no!”

  Ester Hogan whipped her head around, her eyes nearly bulging out of her skull. She pointed at them, shrieking loudly.

  “Outsiders! Outsiders! Outsiders! Outsiders! Outsiders!”

  “Oh, fuck.”

  Befo
re she could take another step, Belden was upon her, one large hand wrapped around her throat choking her as he lifted her off the ground, pressing her back firmly against the wall. She kicked at him, trying desperately to draw breath. She couldn’t see Paige, didn’t know what was happening. All she heard was Ester Hogan’s screeching voice. She brought a knee up, catching Belden under the chin. His grip loosened enough for her to draw in a deep breath. She blinked her eyes, trying to remember the phrase Fiona taught her.

  Yellow sock? Yellow rock? Yellow clock? What the hell was it? Yellow fucking...what?

  She kicked at him again, catching him in his groin. His hands fell away from her as he doubled over in pain.

  ***

  Paige ran blindly to Fiona, pushing Ester Hogan out of the way with a fierce blow. Fiona lay motionless on the cold ground, blood gushing from her wounds. She blinked slowly, her eyes finding Paige.

  “Oh, God, Fiona.”

  “Don’t look at her,” Fiona whispered. “Close yourself to her power.”

  “Don’t move. I’ll—”

  But her words were cut off as she was flung against the far wall. She hit it solidly, the impact nearly knocking the breath from her. She shook her head, finding Ester Hogan’s gaze locked on her. Ester had never laid a hand on her, yet she’d been picked up like a ragdoll. She pulled her eyes away from the stare, then dropped to her knees as she felt a vise-like grip around her throat. She stared in utter disbelief. Ester Hogan was at least twenty feet away from her, yet she felt her cold, bony fingers around her neck.

  Paige’s vision swam as her breath was cut off. She felt along her thigh, finding her weapon still secured in its holster.

  ***

  “Yellow sock,” CJ said as she danced around Belden’s furious attempt to capture her. “Yellow clock.” She ignored a blow to her shoulder, a grin on her face. “Yellow rock,” she said. Yeah, that’s it. “Yellow rock in the sock.”

  Belden stopped, his head tilted, as if searching his memory for some long forgotten riddle. But he shook it off, one long arm grabbing her again and slamming her against the wall.

  “Goddamn,” she hissed as she felt her ribcage nearly shatter. “Clock. Not sock,” she murmured. She met his eyes, seeing a man totally devoid of emotion looking back at her. His hand tightened dangerously around her neck. “Yellow rock in the clock,” she choked out, her voice raspy from his grip. Amazingly, Belden’s eyes seemed to roll back in his head. “Yeah, that’s it. Yellow rock in the clock,” she said again. “Tick tock.”

  “Yellow rock.”

  “Yeah. Say it with me,” she said as his grip loosened. “Yellow rock in the clock. Tick tock. Yellow rock.”

  “Yellow rock in the clock.”

  She rubbed her throat when he released her, his eyes glazed over. “Yellow rock.”

  “In the clock. Tick tock. Yellow rock.”

  He turned abruptly, his feet moving in a measured cadence, marching back into the mouth of the dark tunnel and disappearing, his mumbled voice chanting the phrase over and over.

  She jumped at the sound, then dropped to her knees as a single gunshot echoed over and over again in the closed chamber. She whipped her head around, finding Paige bent over, gasping for breath. Ester Hogan lay motionless on the ground.

  CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

  Paige knelt beside Fiona. Her eyes were closed, but her mouth was open, drawing in shallow breaths. She glanced at CJ, who was standing over the lifeless body of Mother Hogan.

  “I thought we weren’t supposed to shoot anybody.”

  “I had no choice.”

  She touched Fiona’s face, seeing her eyelids flutter. She didn’t know what to do. The knife was still inside her, buried up to its handle.

  “Oh, Fiona. Why?”

  “The only way,” she whispered.

  Paige took her hand, squeezing tightly. “You hang in there. We’ll get you to a hospital.”

  “No. Too late.”

  “Not too late.”

  “Paige...thank you, my friend. You were the best thing to ever happen to me.”

  “No. You stay with me,” Paige said instantly, cutting her off. “We’ll get you out of here. You and Don both.”

  “That was always my dream,” Fiona said, her voice weak. “To escape.” Paige felt Fiona’s fingers tighten around her own. “Don’t run from CJ,” she whispered. “Trust her. The awful things her father did to her...it makes her wary of others. But she wants to love you. Let her.”

  Paige stared at her in disbelief. “How did you know about her father?”

  Fiona’s grip loosened and fell away, but her eyes held tight to Paige’s. Paige watched as Fiona’s hand found the knife, then, in one last gesture, jerked the knife out. Blood gushed, but Fiona never made a sound. She simply lay still, her hand—and the knife—falling futilely to the ground.

  Paige stared at her, seeing Fiona’s last breath leave her, seeing the life fade from her eyes. Just like that. Gone. By her own hands.

  “Paige?”

  She felt CJ’s touch on her shoulder, and she turned toward it, letting CJ pull her up. She clung to her, burying her face in her shoulder. She felt her heart breaking, yet no tears would come. The scene was surreal. Fiona lying in a pool of her own blood, by her own making. Ester Hogan lying not twenty feet away, a bullet to her heart ending her life without ceremony. Surreal.

  “Belden?”

  “I did the yellow sock thing. He went into a trance, just like they said he would.”

  Paige frowned. “Yellow sock?”

  “Sock, rock, clock. Whatever.” CJ held her at arm’s length. “Are you okay?” She turned her to the torch, inspecting her neck. “You’re bruised.”

  Paige touched her tender neck. “She never laid a hand on me. I was flung against the wall. And she was choking me. But she never touched me.”

  “I guess Fiona was right about her powers.”

  Paige glanced back down at Fiona, slowly shaking her head. “Why? Why did she do that? We could have helped her.”

  “Could we?” CJ shrugged. “Maybe. But it could have all just been too much for her. Even if she survived giving birth, then what? She becomes a sideshow in a circus?”

  “I don’t know. But this just seems—”

  Her words were cut off by a hideous roar from back in the cave. She and CJ locked gazes, both of their eyes widening.

  “Oh fuck,” CJ murmured, pulling Paige with her. “We need to get out of here. Now!”

  The roar was followed by a high-pitched scream, similar to the ones they’d heard at night. When he was hunting. She ran after CJ, both ducking into the first tunnel they came to. They stopped up short, hiding in the dark shadows. She clutched CJ’s arms, peeking around her, her view of the chamber slightly obstructed. She saw his silhouette first, the light from the torch surely distorting his shape. But no. The creature stood on its hind legs, easily ten feet tall.

  “Dear God, what is it?” she whispered as she shrank back against the wall.

  “Hell if I know.”

  His head was scaly and lizard-like, and he swung his gaze around the chamber, landing first on Ester Hogan, then on Fiona. He let out an awful roar, a pitiful sound full of distress and—dare she say—pain and mourning. Her hand dug into CJ’s arm as the creature bent down and scooped Fiona up, her arms swinging lifelessly at her sides. Paige wanted to turn away from the sight but didn’t. With another tormented wail, he shuffled off, back into the cave, taking Fiona—and his baby—with him.

  “I can’t believe I just saw that,” CJ said quietly.

  “What should we do?”

  “We sure as hell aren’t going after it.”

  “But—”

  “No way.” CJ fumbled for her flashlight, going deeper into the tunnel. “Come on.”

  “Do we know where we are?”

  “Look at this,” CJ said, shining the light along the walls.

  Whereas the other tunnel they’d come through was haphazardly constructed, this
tunnel was reinforced with shiny, varnished wood. Carved into the wood were strange symbols, none of which she’d ever seen before.

  “Where do you think this leads?” Paige asked.

  “I’m going to guess to Ester’s house.”

  Paige followed, glancing behind them to make sure they weren’t being followed. She wondered how they were going to explain everything that had happened. No one was going to believe them. Like CJ, she couldn’t quite fathom what she had seen either.

  They stopped at the bottom of a short staircase. These stairs too were much nicer than the ones in the stables. Handrails on both sides and again varnished wood. The steps creaked under their weight as they climbed to the top. CJ turned the doorknob slowly. It was unlocked.

  Paige took her flashlight out too. The room appeared to have once been a den or living room, although it was sparsely furnished. CJ flashed her light around the room, landing on an open door. Paige followed her, standing in the doorway as CJ went inside. It was an old study. Even in the limited light Paige could see how worn the furniture was. She moved her flashlight to the window, the drapes so faded she couldn’t make out their original color. The window was open, letting in what little breeze there was. It was only then that Paige realized how hot and stuffy it was. She wiped at the perspiration on her brow.

  “Try the light,” CJ said, motioning to the switch on the wall. Paige did, but the room remained dark. “Off the grid,” CJ murmured.

  “Maybe she only runs a generator when she needs it.”

  “Probably.”

  CJ’s light moved across the room, landing on a door in the back corner. She opened it, revealing another flight of stairs. This one going up, not down. CJ looked back at her with raised eyebrows. Paige nodded.

  It was a narrow staircase and they walked up single file. She wondered if this was a shortcut to Ester’s bedroom. CJ opened the door cautiously, pausing to listen but all remained quiet. The door opened into a hallway and the staircase appeared to only be a shorter route to the second floor. There were four doors, two on each side, but it was the fifth door against the opposite end that appeared unusual. The door trim was at least a foot wide, carved with the same symbols that they’d seen in the tunnel.