by Jen Crane
“Damnation,” Barker whispered almost reverently. “The hell have you gotten me into, girl?”
“What?” Nori said. “What are you talking about?”
“Those eyes. That’s what I’m talking about. Shining like new nickels.” Barker shook his head and paused to spit. “You shoulda told me. This wasn’t parta the deal.”
“Told you what?” Nori asked. “Oh, you mean my eyes? How they reflect in the light?” She shrugged. “Didn’t think it mattered. Just one more of my eccentricities.”
She smiled, but Barker was not amused. He let out a long breath and shook his head, then set back into his hurried pace.
Nori fell back and resumed her mindless trudging, observing the details of the tunnel. The floor was permanently damp, its gray gravel worn flat with footfalls. The sides of the tunnel were the dense gray of wet earth, and when she ran her fingers along the wall it was rough, even sharp in places.
When Barker stopped abruptly, she did the same. He faced her, the lines of his hard face dark, worn, and well-travelled, like the ground beneath them. Cold gray eyes peered at her, his thin lips curled in distaste.
“This is where you get off, kid.”
Nori shook her head and squinted at the wiry old man. She exuded confidence, but the beginning stirrings of panic were sneaking past her tough facade. “What?”
“I’m going this way.” He jerked his head to the left. “You’ll want to go that way.” He motioned toward the right. “That means our arrangement is fulfilled, and we’re separatin’.”
“No.” Nori’s reply was more decisive than she felt.
“I said I’d take you Subterranean, and I have. This is the crossroads,” he said. “We’re partin’ ways. Go on, now.” When Nori stared at him dumbfounded, he said it again, as if running off an unwanted pet. “Go on, now. Go on.”
“You’re supposed to help me,” Nori said, her shock at the abandonment morphing into indignation. “You’re agreed to get me through the next sunscorch.”
“I did no such thing.”
“But Nate…my father…you’re supposed to help me.” Nori’s voice broke on the last words, and she turned her head to hide the tears that fell unwelcome down her cheeks.
As Nori wiped her face with her sleeves, humiliation smothered her like soured air. She was not a crier. She’d never wallowed in pity or panicked in distress, and she’d sure never been a damsel. When life handed her a raw deal, she rolled it into sushi.
Being forced to leave her home and loving parents to live underground with strangers for God knew how long was bad enough. But for the one person she’d known for a few silent hours to abandon her in the darkness and send her directionless down an empty tunnel… No. No, that was too much for one girl to bear, tough or not.
Nori sniffed and cleared her throat then turned to Barker. “You’re really going to abandon me here? I don’t have the first clue where these passageways lead, or who I might meet along the way. What do you expect me to do?”
Barker had produced another cigar from his shirt pocket and held it between slick gums. “Well, I tell ya what I expect you’ll do. I expect you’ll learn a valuable lesson.” He pulled the cigar from his mouth so his next words were clear. “Don’t trust nobody. Don’t depend on nobody for nothin’. And for God’s sake, don’t ever let another human bein’ see you cry.”
“Oh, screw you, you vile old fart.” He’d hit her right where it hurt—her pride.
Barker wheezed a laugh and re-inserted his cigar. “That’s a start.”
“Where are you going, anyway?”
“This way.” He motioned with his head. He showed his gums, but it wasn’t a smile.
“No kidding,” Nori mumbled. “What if I follow you?”
“I wouldn’t advise that. This ain’t the way for you. This way holds… Well, let’s just say this direction leads to more endings than it does beginnings.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Nori’s voice was sharp. “How do I know you’re telling me the truth?”
He closed in on her, his face so close that the acrid stink of his liquored breath made her gag. Before Nori knew what had hit her, he jerked the backpack from her and held it out of her reach.
“Give me that back.” Her voice was high, desperate. “Give it back! Please. Everything I have is in there.”
Barker’s look of disgust filled her with shame, but also fury. How could he be so heartless?
“You’d better get tough if you want to live down here, girl, and fast.” He threw the backpack at her feet. “Now get out of here before I take everything you’ve got, including your clothes. I could sell those boots for a fortune.”
“You wouldn’t,” she seethed.
“I sure as hell would,” he said. “Follow me, if you think I won’t.” He held Nori’s gaze until she cast her eyes to the floor.
“One more thing,” he said, “in case you’re ignorant of this, too. You let anyone down here see those eyes, and you’re good as dead.” His lips stretched and Nori knew what came next. Those disgusting, toothless gums. “Or you’ll wish you were dead,” he said and turned, trudging down the dark passage.
Nori stood at the crossroads of the subterranean shaft with her hands balled into fists as Barker left her behind. She had a few more choice words for him, which she muttered with the full knowledge that they bounced and echoed down the tunnel toward him. He’d heard her, she could tell from the cackles he let out before he fell into another coughing fit. Served him right. She hoped he choked on the filthy cigar and fell gums-first into the mud.
Should she follow him, despite his warning, or go the way he’d directed her? Where was he going, anyway? Where was he sending her? And what did he know about her eyes?
With one last look at Barker’s retreating back, Nori huffed out a breath and attempted to get herself together. She bent to grab a loose, jagged rock, took a running jump up the side of the tunnel, and carved a wide arc in the earthen wall. She hoped she’d recognize her own trail of breadcrumbs when the time came to follow it home.
10
Trek Through a Tunnel
The rumbling growl of Nori’s empty stomach echoed through the small space. Over the last several hours, she’d trudged through the tunnel, cautiously at first, keeping both her eyes and ears on high alert. It was quiet underground. Disturbingly so. She hadn’t seen anything but blackness and rock for miles. At times, chills skittered up her back at the sound of creepy-crawlies scurrying behind her. She’d whipped around, arms in in front of her face, ready to fend off whatever pursued her. But even with her remarkable night vision, she never caught sight of anything.
“Probably true what they say,” she mumbled, just to hear something solid. “Only cockroaches could survive the scorches.”
The tunnel was maddeningly monotonous, expanding in some places and narrowing in others, but just a long, dark tunnel all the same. She closed her eyes in relief when the landscape finally changed. At first glance, she thought the tunneled passage would fork, but instead found a large alcove carved into the rock. A dead end. Rusted cans littered the ground, as did charred pieces of wood from long-extinguished fires.
She shivered and rubbed her arms, which had sprouted semi-permanent goosebumps. A fire sounded heavenly. The air underground was cold and damp, and she wished she’d brought a heavier coat. Though it was her favorite, the olive-colored utility jacket didn’t fend off the constant chill. There were matches in her backpack she remembered, perking for a moment before sagging again. Using them to start a fire seemed a terribly naïve thing to do. She might as well announce her presence with a bullhorn. Or, maybe it didn’t matter at all. She’d walked for hours and hadn’t seen another soul.
Closing her eyes against the barrage of questions that had hammered her mind every step of the way, Nori finally allowed herself to honestly consider her options. Where would she stay the night? Should she backtrack and wait out the week where she’d entered the tunnel with Barker? Was th
at a smarter plan than following a tunnel with no idea where she’d end up? Maybe if she really conserved her food she could make it the entire week on what she had. But if she couldn’t, where would she get more? Would she ever feel warm again? Could she stay sane while waiting alone over a week in the damp and cold until she could see her parents?
The weight of helplessness sat heavy on her chest, making it hard to breathe. She slid to the ground in the alcove and buried her head in her knees. Nori stayed there, arms wrapped around her legs, her whole body squeezed into a ball, until the feeling of hopelessness passed. It took a while.
Finally, she raised her head and pulled her backpack around, fumbling for one of the energy bars her mother had so carefully packed. Mom. Nori hoped she was managing all right. She probably wasn’t, but her father could help her through it.
At least her parents didn’t know Barker, that jackass, had abandoned her. Every time Nori thought of him, she ground her teeth. God, she hated him. If she ever ran into him again, she was going to show him “tough.” As she sat in the frigid alcove, her jeans and hands covered in gray silt, and her eyelashes still damp from the last round of tears, she decided she would get tough. She would be tough.
Working to unclench her fists, Nori gave a long-gone Barker the finger. Then she threw on her backpack with tenacious flair and stalked farther into the tunnel toward the great unknown.
Several miles down the passage, Nori’s head shot up, eyes wild at the sound of a voice. A man’s voice. No, men. Her heart thundered as she searched the small space around her. She couldn’t see past a curve in the passage ahead. Were they friend or foe? No way to know. She did know what lay behind her, though. The alcove.
Running on the pads of her feet in the direction she’d come, she tried not to breathe too loudly, to stay as silent as possible. The alcove’s shadow was just ahead. Nori closed her eyes, praying for ten more seconds. When she finally reached it, she slipped into the space, staying low to the ground and not daring to make a sound.
The men approached, their footfalls clipped and intentional. They were in a hurry. Nori couldn’t make out the words of their muffled voices, but the tone was stern. One was clearly giving instructions to the other.
Though her palms lay flat on the rocky path, they shook. She pressed them into the stones until the sharp edges threatened to break her skin. She focused on the pain and put her ear to the ground, making herself as small as possible. The tunnel floor didn’t smell like she’d expected it to. It smelled of minerals. Metallic, almost. Foreign.
Heavy footsteps slowed as they reached the alcove then stopped at its entrance.
“This the place?” The voice was guttural.
“Yeah.”
“We’re early.”
“Yeah.”
“I’ma take a piss.”
No, no, no, Nori silently begged. She closed her eyes and prayed to anyone who’d listen that the man wouldn’t pee in her corner.
He didn’t. She made a silent sigh of relief at the splattering sound against the wall opposite her.
Inch by inch, Nori turned her head to sneak a look at the man’s back. He was huge. Dressed in threadbare military fatigues, he laid a gun against the wall as he conducted his business. A big gun. She squeezed her eyes shut and prayed a fervent prayer she was uphill from Mr. Drizzle.
Who were they? Who were they meeting? Why did they carry guns? God, how long would she have to lie on the cold, wet ground?
“Here he comes,” the second man called.
She heard it, too. Someone approached from the opposite direction. Anger rippled through her as she imagined Barker’s return.
Though she couldn’t see outside the alcove, she could hear, and she listened. Someone else spoke—not Barker’s voice. Whoever these men were, they weren’t brilliant conversationalists. They communicated in short sentences when one-word answers wouldn’t do. Emotionless, straight to business. Almost military-like. A trade or transaction was made, but she had no idea of the details. As soon as their business was complete, the three men left.
Pressing her forehead to the rocky floor, Nori squeezed her eyes shut. She had no idea if there was another alcove ahead, a place where she could seek shelter again, if necessary. What should she do?
The new, tougher Nori resolved to wait for a count of one-thousand then keep going.
Nori woke to a sting like a knife to her cheekbone. She jerked from the pain, and the back of her head struck something hard. Groaning, she blinked and tried to move her arms, but the right one wouldn’t budge. Soon, everything came into focus, and her brain computed her circumstances. She’d fallen asleep in the alcove. Her cheek was pressed against a particularly vicious rock and her arm trapped beneath her body. She lay on her side against the wall, the back of her head bleeding into it. She closed her eyes, thankful no one had found her unconscious and vulnerable.
With a hand to her aching back, Nori stood and stretched. She rolled her neck and tried to form a plan. There was no way to know how long she’d slept. Then she shrugged. Even if she’d known what time it was, it made no difference.
Nori rubbed her eyes and let out a frustrated groan. Her hands were filthy. She wiped her face with the front of her pale orange shirt and scrubbed her hands on her jeans. No wonder Barker had been so grungy. It was impossible to stay clean in such conditions. Could she make it a week without a shower in this filth? The thought caused saliva to pool at the back of her throat, and she took a deep breath before it formed into a full-on gag.
One thing she couldn’t live without for a week was water. She had only enough for two days. Three, maybe, if she made it last. With that in mind, she sipped from the stainless-steel canteen in her backpack. Her stomach growled in protest. She needed food, but she had to be smart. Best conserve supplies until she knew where to find more.
Drawing her leg up, Nori patted the sock where the little money she had left remained hidden. She might need it in the days to come. With the few, but very important, goals of seeking food and water and staying alive, she stood and donned her backpack, resuming the trek through the tunnel.
11
We Meet Again
Nori angled her head to the side as she tried to determine the source of a low hum. The sound increased, its pitch both higher and louder. It was getting closer. Was there more than one hum? If she hadn’t been underground, she would’ve almost thought—
“Oh God,” she breathed and jerked to a stop. Turning, she looked frantically, futilely for an escape. She’d walked for two hours at least. Much too far from the alcove to reach it.
The motorcycles were coming fast, the sound of their high-pitched motors reverberating through the tunnel. They would be on her in a matter of seconds. Her heart clamored toward her throat as she realized her only chance was to sprint ahead and hope for a place to hide.
There wasn’t one. With nowhere to go, Nori slowed to a stop and pressed her back against the cold wall. Her ears rang and her heart beat wildly in her chest as four motorcycles sped into view. They looked like dirt bikes, or those old military-style motorcycles—small and made for speed and quick turns.
She lowered her head, keeping her eyes on the tunnel floor. The bike in front stopped just inches from her, sliding to the side and spraying her with gravelly silt. Instinctively, she covered her face with an arm and held her breath. The silence was deafening when, almost in unison, the bikers switched off their wild machines. She risked a look over her arm, and wished she hadn’t.
“What do we have here?” the man in front sneered, throwing a long, leather-covered leg over his bike to dismount. She couldn’t see the other men’s faces, but they all wore riding boots. The man in front looked her up and down, gaze snagging first on her face then her shirt. “What’s a matter, sister?” he asked. “You lost?” When he looked past her, his eyes widened. “Surely you’re not alone?”
A man in the back let out a hyena-like laugh that put Nori’s nerves on high alert. It didn’t take a
genius to know they weren’t Boy Scouts out to help lost girls. No, these were the type of men who preyed on them. She took a step back, scraping her shoulder on the rocky wall.
A second man snaked toward her. He flanked the first man, effectively pinning her to the wall. If she ran right, the first biker could grab her. If left, the second.
“Don’t worry, hon,” the second man soothed, as if he were speaking to a frightened animal. “We’ve no mind to hurt ya.”
Hyena boy laughed again and crept forward. There was something not quite right about him. His inset eyes were too close together, what her mother had always called “beady.” He said something horrifically vulgar, and the others laughed. Nori’s gut twisted. Surely, she hadn’t heard right.
She was in trouble. Four foul-mouthed men in filthy riding leathers against a single girl. They weren’t on their way to church on those bikes.
“I-I’m just meeting some friends down the road,” she croaked, her heart making a frantic attempt to exit through her chest. “My guy friends,” she added and swallowed hard.
“Oh, I don’t think you have friends anywhere close to here.” The first biker, who appeared to be the leader, pushed loose, greasy hair behind his ear.
“Yeah,” Beady Eyes barked. “We look stupid to you?”
Nori held her tongue.
“Shut up, Jenks,” the leader growled. “Where you headed, anyway, sweet thing?”
Nori’s breath left her in a rush. “That way” was probably not an acceptable answer. She didn’t dare tell them she was lost and alone, that she didn’t know where she was going or a soul in the entire underground world except the wiry old fart who’d ripped her off.
“My friends will be here any minute.” Nori forced the words through her lips, commanding them to sound bold. They came out too loud and desperate.
“No. Now,” the second man, the greasy one, said. “We’re past that. You ain’t got no friends nearby.” He slithered in close to her and ran a finger down her sleeve. His nails were long and packed with that same black grime. It took every ounce of strength Nori possessed not to scream. She turned her head from him and squeezed her eyes shut as he said, “But you could make some. We’ll be your friends.”