by Alan Nayes
“Maybe.”
But neither of them believed it. Spinner reached into his pack and pulled out what was left of his jacket, handing it to Reglan.
“Thanks.” She covered her shoulders. “I guess we should be getting back.”
Spinner stood up and switched the flashlight back on again. His whole body ached.
“You lost this when you fell.” Reglan pulled another round object from her pocket.
Spinner reached out one hand and Reglan dropped the cave pearl into his palm. In her other hand, she held hers. Both stared at the stones for a moment. Even in the beam of the flashlight, they no longer sparkled. They didn’t even glow. They appeared dull, lusterless, more like ordinary rocks than the beautiful crystals they were earlier. Spinner just shook his head. Without a word, he bent down to retrieve his knapsack and began walking away from the cliff.
After crossing the Little Horn, they both proceeded toward the large oak. Spinner paused when he reached the place where he’d fallen. He stared at the branch that had splintered under his weight. Shining the flashlight high up on the trunk, he saw the scar the oak would carry forever.
Exhausted, Spinner stopped and stared back toward the rocky face of Majestic Mountain. A flurry of feathers landed on the ground beside him.
“Look,” Reglan pointed.
Two tiny birds huddled together on the cold ground as Spinner turned the beam of his flashlight on them. Spinner recognized the tiny birds instantly. “Gnatcatchers!” he said in wonder. “So they weren’t all dead.” Then he frowned, knowing that Echo Valley’s last pair just missed Underland.
Bending down, he reached out an index finger. “You guys don’t belong in some museum.”
“Will they be okay?” Reglan asked, kneeling down beside him.
“There’s still hope. I’ll tell Mr. Tisdale. Maybe they have a nest nearby. We could protect them.”
Reglan cocked her head slightly. “Listen.”
From between the two boulders, Spinner heard a small rock fall, and then another. Then more. Before long, it sounded like a bucket of pebbles being scattered on the ground.
Dropping his knapsack, Spinner jogged, and then sprinted, back to the place where Underland had been. He knelt down before the granite face.
“Look! It’s like the rocks are popping out of the cliff,” Reglan exclaimed, pulling up behind him.
Spinner didn’t reply. His heart beat like a jackhammer. Dropping the flashlight, he used both hands to scoop a pile of gravel away from the cliff face. Dirt clung to his sweaty fingers, the gravel now as soft as sand. His forehead wrinkled in astonishment and he dug faster, feeling the tiny pebbles vibrate from some unseen force.
When he glimpsed the first dusty paw, Spinner feared Otter was dead. Then the second paw wriggled and the dog’s head broke free. Spinner heard a weak bark. “Otter!” he shouted jubilantly.
As if pushed from behind, the Labrador popped out of the cliff wall, a blur of paws and fur attached to a wagging tail. His gleeful barks rang out across the valley.
“I don’t believe it!” Reglan shouted jubilantly, rushing to pet Otter.
For the longest moment, all three sat huddled together in the dark, too relieved to move.
When Spinner rose, he placed one palm against the cliff wall. Once again it was cold, and hard as granite.
“Thank you, Ebo and Kali.”
As one, the threesome began their trek back to Maramac. Halfway across the clearing, the children spotted the beams from several flashlights coming in the other direction.
“Spinner?” His dad’s voice floated through the darkness.
Otter dashed ahead.
“Ready?” Spinner asked.
“I’m right with you.” And they both began to run.
As the flashlight beams grew closer, the two young adventurers slowed. Reglan took Spinner’s hand. “Will we ever see Underland again?”
To Spinner, the answer was as clear as the night sky above. Momentarily, he gazed back at the dark silhouette of Majestic Mountain.
“They’ll be back. Somewhere, sometime, Underland will return.”
Silently, he added, And I plan on being there when it does!
EPILOGUE
* * *
Spinner was nervous, really nervous. He wasn’t used to speaking to a room full of people, and the museum auditorium was packed.
But today was “Spinner McPherson Day.” Mr. Tisdale had declared this Saturday the day Spinner would become an honorary museum curator. His story had already made the local headlines: Local Boy Discovers “Extinct” Gnatcatchers—Starts Echo Valley Wildlife Conservation Program.
And the program had been successful. Just last week, Echo Valley’s gnatcatchers had been removed from the endangered species list. Spinner hoped more endangered species would be saved as well.
“Ready, young man?” Mr. Tisdale asked from the podium.
Spinner swallowed and nodded, thankful his mom had helped him with his speech. As the applause began, he rose from his seat and made his way to the podium. Images, some good, some frightening, flashed through his mind: the Wild, Ebo, Kali, Scroffle, the tyrannosaur, other marvelous yet sometimes frightening creatures, the cave pearls. He felt a flutter in his chest as he thought of the cave boy Aghh, and how he had signaled his friendship, but most of all he thought of Underland. What a strange, magical place it was. Is, he corrected himself.
As he positioned himself behind the podium, he tried to gather his thoughts. He was supposed to talk about what had inspired him to go out and discover a species that scientists had already declared extinct. But he knew he couldn’t do that. Not tell the entire story, at least. Not now, not ever. He smiled to himself. Besides, who would believe him?
The applause died down and Spinner cleared his throat. “Ladies and gentlemen, and classmates, I’m up here to talk about inspiration. And it’s not just about what inspired me to save an entire species from extinction, although that was pretty cool…” He paused, spotting Reglan in the front row, and then grinned as she gave him a thumbs up, and continued.
“But really it’s about what inspired me to do what was right.” He paused again. “And in my case, it wasn’t what, but rather who inspired me. There’s another individual who deserves to be up here just as much as I do, and I’d like to bring her up on the stage now.” He saw the slow nervous shake of Reglan’s head, but it only made him smile. “Reglan, please come on up and join me.”
The End
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
* * *
Alan Nayes was born in Houston and grew up on the Texas gulf coast. He lives in Southern California. He is the author of the horror/thrillers, GARGOYLES (Resurrection Trilogy, Book One) and THE UNNATURAL. His most recent releases are BARBARY POINT, SMILODON, GIRL BLUE, PLAGUE (Resurrection Trilogy, Book Two) and RETURN TO UNDERLAND, a children’s adventure story.
An avid outdoorsman and fitness enthusiast, he is one of only a few individuals to ever swim across Wisconsin’s chilly Lake Winnebago. When not working on his next project, he enjoys relaxing and fishing at the family vacation home in Wisconsin.
Read more about Alan Nayes at http://anayes.com/
The Eclective
Alan Nayes
Heather Marie Adkins
Jack Wallen
M. Edward McNally
PJ Jones
Shéa Macleod
Table of Contents
Books by Alan Nayes
Title Page
Copyright
Acknowledgments
Dedication
Contents
Half Title Page
Part One
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Part Two
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Part Three
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Epilogue
About the Author
The Eclective