Maiden's Peak

by Kristy E. Carter

  Thorn held up a finger to his lips. He looked past me at Oliver and then whispered back, "I know. I'm going with him to see if I can lure out whoever is behind this. Get the real Oliver and the police to the mines."

  "That's too dangerous. Besides, he wants both of us. I should go, anyway, as it's me his boss wants. Stop trying to protect me from what you know is the best course of action."

  "Stall him, and I’ll give Oliver a call," Thorn whispered, and then he said louder so that not-Oliver could hear, "I have to grab some more batteries for the packs."

  The not-Oliver spoke from the door as he walked back over. "That's a good idea. We might need them." Thorn turned and disappeared down the hallway toward the study. Not-Oliver gave me a smile, which I returned with much effort.

  "How's Ginger?" I asked.

  The plump man nodded. "She's well."

  Definitely not Oliver, I mused to myself. "That's great," I said aloud.

  "Thorn sure is taking a long time," not-Oliver said impatiently.

  I shrugged. "He gets lost a lot."

  "I heard that," Thorn said as he came out of the study.

  I replied, "I meant for you to!"

  Once we were outside, not-Oliver explained that he’d had to walk because his jeep had broken down on the way. Thorn just nodded, and we all climbed into the truck. The dark was coming on now as we headed toward the peak.

  Not-Oliver sat in the back quietly, and I kept sliding my eyes to the side, taking peeks at him in the mirror on my side of the truck. He sat perfectly still and stared blankly, and I gave another involuntary shiver. Thorn pulled the truck onto the side of the road.

  We got out of the truck and grabbed our packs. Not-Oliver didn’t seem upset by the fact that he didn’t have one. Thorn offered him an air mask, but not-Oliver waved it off, and Thorn glanced at me as he put the mask back into the pack. As we walked toward the mine entrance, Thorn asked, "Where's the police? I thought you said something was going on up here."

  Not-Oliver said, "That's what the scanner said. We’d better check the mines just to make sure."

  Thorn just nodded. "Couldn't hurt."

  I intoned with little enthusiasm, "Yeah. Sounds great."

  I kept my eyes firmly on the snow in front of me as we walked. The light beam from Thorn's flashlight moved with his gait as he pushed through the snow. A few snowflakes had started falling.

  Not-Oliver did not seem bothered by any of it, and soon enough, we were stepping into the mines. I’d been expecting something to happen when we entered the mines, but not-Oliver just followed us complacently.

  We walked for a couple of miles into the mines in silence. "I don't think there's anything here!" Thorn said, handing me the canteen. I gratefully took a sip of the cold water.

  "I wouldn't say that," said a voice from farther down the tunnel. Thorn and I stilled. We turned, pointing our lights toward the figure of a man.

  I asked, "Mr. Marion?"

  "What do you mean leaving me here like this?” he asked as he walked forward and eyed me. “I’ve been in here for ages.”

  "I didn't send you here, Mr. Marion. I just got here myself." I turned toward not-Oliver and asked, "What's this all about, Oliver?"

  "I'm sick of the act," Thorn said. "We know you aren't Oliver."

  Not-Oliver regarded us for a moment, then the man's form shrunk. I took a step back, and Mr. Marion gave a cry of alarm as one of the creatures took the place where Oliver had been.

  "Well, honestly, I should’ve seen that coming," I said.

  "Okay. I've seen enough," Thorn said, and the creature flew against the wall as the blond swung his hand at it. It made a gurgling sound when it hit the wall, and I cringed.

  Mr. Marion shouted, "Oh my goodness! What was that?"

  "We should get Mr. Marion out of here," I said. The man was looking around wildly, as if he was scared to death.

  Thorn nodded. "Come on." He motioned for the older man to come with us.

  Mr. Marion shook his head firmly. "I'm sorry. I can't. I was under the impression I was coming here with you, Mr. Shelton. Was it that creature? It told me it knew where Caroline was," he said with anguish. "I have to find her. The truth is, I don't have another year in me. This will be the last time I come to Carver's Corner."

  I went over to the man, put my hand on his shoulder, and spoke with compassion. "It didn't know where Caroline was. It was just hungry."

  "It was a Morlan, wasn't it? Gabriel told me about them when he warned me about venturing to the mines. I didn't imagine they looked like that." Mr. Marion stared at the crumpled form of the creature.

  Thorn said quietly, "We really should go now. The noise will attract more."

  "I won't go," Mr. Marion replied resolutely. "I'm not going to live the year out. I've got advanced cancer. I'll be lucky to get a few more months. I'd rather die here."

  I said, "Mr. Marion, we’re not going to leave you."

  "You should," Mr. Marion said softly as he wiped his eyes. "I should’ve stopped Caroline. I should have seen it coming, but I didn't. I didn't see what happened to Gabriel coming either. It's all my fault."

  Sympathizing with that sensation, I gave his shoulder a squeeze. "It's not your fault. It's the fault of whoever put that compulsion charm on Caroline," I added firmly. "We need to go, but I promise I’ll help you find Caroline."

  Mr. Marion looked at me and smiled, nodding gratefully. "Thank you.” Suddenly, there was a faint rumble. "What was that?" he asked, afraid to speak too loudly.

  The earth trembled under our feet. Thorn cursed softly, "Damn it. Come on." We took off as quickly as we could toward the exit. After another low rumble, dust drifted down around us in lazy tendrils that floated to the floor as if they had all the time in the world. We raced through the dust, scattering it into swirling clouds.

  Sirens rang in the air. "Almost there," Thorn shouted to encourage Mr. Marion, who was breathing heavily with the exertion of running. The older man stumbled, and Thorn braced him. "We have to keep moving," he encouraged, holding on to the man.

  Mr. Marion shook his head. "I can't," he panted. "I told you; I'm not well. I can't."

  I paused and looked at Thorn, who stared back at me. "Go," I urged him. "Go get them and I'll stay here with Mr. Marion."

  Thorn shook his head. "You'll make better time, and I can fend the creatures off."

  "All right," I said reluctantly. The rumble thundered again, and we braced ourselves, looking up at the ceiling.

  When it stopped, I took off at a run toward the entrance. My only thought was that I needed to get help quickly. When I finally made it to the entrance, I saw the sheriff and some paramedics coming out of the tree line. Oliver was hurrying along behind them. I waved my hands at them as I stumbled through the snow. "Over here!" I shouted.

  Sheriff Mullen made his way over to me quickly, followed by the paramedics and deputies. "What's going on?" he asked gruffly.

  "Thorn and Mr. Marion are in the mines still. Mr. Marion needs medical attention," I informed them.

  We all hurried back toward the mine entrance. When another rumble hit, we took off at a run. Sheriff Mullen was shouting orders, but I was focused on getting back to Mr. Marion and Thorn. The sheriff, a deputy, a couple paramedics, Oliver, and I went into the mines while the rest of the deputies took up a position at the entrance.

  "Thorn!" Oliver shouted into the dark mine tunnel. The beams from our flashlights bounced around in the inky blackness.

  We heard a faint reply and picked up our pace. Soon enough, the light spilled onto the form of Thorn kneeling beside Mr. Marion. The paramedics rushed over to the older man, and Thorn waved off one who offered to check him out.

  Oliver hurried to Thorn’s side to make sure that his brother was okay. Sheriff Mullen had just told us all to go outside when the rumbling started again. The sound built slowly as the dust cascaded off the ceiling.

  "Get down!" Sheriff Mullen shouted, and everyone took shelter as best as they cou
ld. After a deafening sound of cracking, we watched in horror as the mine entrance and most of the tunnel in between collapsed.

  The noise was so loud that if anyone yelled, I did not hear it. I felt hands on me that tugged me away from the dust clouds and rubble. When the rumbling finally ceased, it was replaced by a silence that was so pure I could hear the blood pulsing in my ears.

  "Is everyone okay?" It was Sheriff Mullen's voice. Six voices answered. I blinked into the darkness. A cracking sound made me cringe, but it turned out to just be a glow stick that Sheriff Mullen had broken open.

  He looked around. "Where's Jacob?" The man's voice held concern. I realized suddenly that there had been seven of us and not six. I stood up as flashlights clicked on; Sheriff Mullen handed one to the paramedic near him.

  It was one of the paramedics who was missing. The deputy had already gone back down toward the rubble, and he was shifting some of the rocks, calling out the missing man's name. The other paramedic was helping the deputy look for his partner.

  "Jacob!" the paramedic called out. The man looked panicked, and I sympathized. The deputy shifted another rock, and there was a sudden cacophony as the ceiling and its support collapsed.

  Sheriff Mullen shouted a warning, but while the deputy stepped back, the paramedic did not move quickly enough. The man screamed as the rocks rained down on him. I covered my head instinctively, and we all moved farther down the tunnel.

  When the rocks settled, Sheriff Mullen and Thorn went toward where the paramedic was. They grabbed the man's legs and pulled him out from under the rocks. The ceiling groaned, and I swear I saw it move a bit.

  I wondered if Thorn had held it at bay, because as soon as they got the man out of the way, the ceiling collapsed more. Sheriff Mullen knelt beside the man and checked his pulse. I saw his head shake, and I closed my eyes.

  "What are we going to do?" Oliver asked as he helped Mr. Marion to his feet.

  Sheriff Mullen dusted himself off. "The side tunnel that leads out of the cavern isn't cleared, but it might be our best bet, as unstable as this tunnel is. If these tremors keep up, the whole tunnel system is likely to collapse."

  "I think I can get us out," Thorn said softly. Oliver gave his brother a look that I was sure indicated something about protecting the family secret. "There's another way out of the Devil's Cauldron if it isn't blocked too. Dad used to take me there. If one part of the Devil's Cauldron system connects with these mines, then the rest has to."

  Sheriff Mullen nodded. "That's right. There's a back entrance. I haven't been that way in years." He motioned for us all to follow him as he started down the hallway. Mr. Marion looked dubious, but the pace we kept was slow and cautious. The older man leaned on Oliver and me.

  The dust was heavy and made us cough, but we managed. We stopped at the small tunnel that Thorn and I had taken to get out the last time. "Where did it collapse?" Sheriff Mullen asked over his shoulder, kneeling down in front of the entrance to the cave.

  "The chamber where the entrance is," Thorn said as he crouched beside the man. "Isn't the back entrance cut off from this direction?"

  "Nah," Sheriff Mullen said, "Or at least I hope not. There’s a little tunnel leading into the old lava chamber that connects to here."

  The term lava chamber didn’t make me feel better, but before I could rethink, Sheriff Mullen was waving for us all to go through. I grimaced but took my turn behind Mr. Marion. Thorn and Sheriff Mullen were ahead of us. By the time I got out of the small tunnel, Thorn and Sheriff Mullen were walking around the chamber, inspecting the walls. Thorn said, "Got it."

  Sheriff Mullen walked over and nodded. To me, Thorn's hand looked like it was sticking through the wall, but when I got closer, I could see that there was a well-hidden narrow tunnel on the side. When we heard another rumble, everyone braced themselves, but as quickly as the tremor began, it faded away.

  "I think I need a pay raise," the deputy said in jest, and Oliver laughed as he nodded his agreement.

  Sheriff Mullen said, "When we get out of this, I'll pay it myself, Marcus." The deputy flashed his boss a grin, and then we took our turns squeezing through the narrow tunnel.

  I held my breath and prayed that Mr. Marion wouldn’t panic and get stuck, thus trapping me.

  When I emerged from the tunnel, I joined the others on the far side of a large chamber. Its walls were smooth and almost looked shiny in spots. At the center of the room was a hole of some kind. I edged closer to it and instantly regretted it.

  Far down the vertical shaft, there was an orange glow, and heat wafted out of the hole. Easing back, I realized that this was the lava chamber.

  "Where to now?" I asked, sure I sounded anxious.

  "There should be another tunnel over on the west side."

  "Damn good memory. Your dad would be proud," Sheriff Mullen said as he clapped Thorn on the shoulder. I saw his eyes follow the bushy-haired Sheriff as he walked past, and I wondered if he was thinking about what Mr. Marion had said. Signs certainly pointed toward Sheriff Mullen as Darren and Robert's elusive boss.

  Mr. Marion himself was wary of the sheriff, and they seemed to be doggedly ignoring each other. Neither of them had spoken to the other at all. Sheriff Mullen didn’t even look at the man if he could help it.

  The deputy seemed oblivious to the tensions within the group as he volunteered to go down the next tunnel. Thorn insisted on going first, and I quickly fell in behind him, leaving the deputy to help Oliver with Mr. Marion. Sheriff Mullen brought up the rear.

  The tunnel was not nearly as narrow as the one before, and the going was a lot easier. That was, however, right up until the ground started trembling again.

  "It's building," Sheriff Mullen muttered.

  Earthquake. My mind supplied me with the word I had been searching for to explain what was going on. "We need to get out," I panted as the ground shifted under my feet. Thorn grabbed my hand, and I gave his hand a squeeze.

  "Keep moving!" Thorn shouted.

  We moved as best as we could. When the earth fell silent, we made better progress. But the silence didn’t last long; Mr. Marion cried out in alarm as the ground under us lurched and sent us tumbling into the walls. We stumbled out into another chamber, and I sighed with relief.

  The chamber was much like the last, but smaller and minus the vent in the center. As we crossed warily, the vibration started. The sound was so loud that I grimaced, covering my ears; the others followed suit.

  We tried our best to stay upright as we made our way across the shifting landscape, crashing and stumbling into each other. The sensation reminded me of my childhood, like one of those toys at the playground that constantly shift and move on rollers.

  NINE

  I wasn’t sure why it had taken me so long to realize that the rumblings were heralding an earthquake that was probably building for a long time. Mr. Marion looked pale and drawn, overwhelmed with fear and fatigue. I grabbed the man's arm, and we stumbled together.

  It was about that time that a large chunk of the ceiling gave way. There were no shouts or warnings; everyone just dove out of the way. Afterward, there was a scream of pain, and we all scrambled toward the pile of rubble. The deputy had been pinned under a large boulder. His leg looked like it was crushed.

  The man was wailing in pain, sobbing. "Help me! Please, help me!"

  I dropped down beside him. "It's okay," I said softly. Not knowing what to do, I looked around at the others with panic in my eyes.

  Sheriff Mullen shook his head. Thorn looked over at Oliver. Mr. Marion was sobbing from the strain of everything. The deputy was still crying out for help.

  Thorn said, "We should try to move the rock. Victor, get ready to pull him free if we can get it off of him." Sheriff Mullen came over, and Thorn motioned for Oliver to join them. "We'll push together and lever it up on its side." They all leaned over, and Thorn counted to three.

  I held the deputy steady and got ready to drag him out. The rock seemed to vibrate for a momen
t, and the deputy moaned in pain. Slowly, the rock lifted a bit to one side, and then a bit more. When it was far enough off the ground, I pulled the deputy backward with all my might, and as soon as he was clear, the others let the rock drop.

  Thorn's breath came in sharp bursts from the exertion. That rock had looked incredibly heavy, and as I comforted the deputy, I knew that Thorn surely had shifted it with his power to help them move it. Fortunately, no one else seemed the wiser.

  Oliver came over and spoke with Thorn quietly. Sheriff Mullen paid the brothers no attention as he ripped up strips of the deputy's pant leg and tied a tourniquet for him.

  "That'll do for now," Sheriff Mullen said, "But he needs a doctor badly." The bushy-haired man looked over at Thorn and gave him a nod of gratitude. "Thank you."

  Mr. Marion asked shakily, "Can we go now?"

  As if the repulsion spell had been broken, the sheriff looked at Mr. Marion. When Sheriff Mullen spoke to him for the first time, his voice held a contempt that I did not expect.

  "Now that we’re asking questions…" The sheriff stood up and walked over to Mr. Marion. "What are you doing down here with these boys?"

  Mr. Marion drew himself up, offended. "I was led here by what I thought was Mr. Shelton, but apparently it was just one of those things."

  Sheriff Mullen didn’t look convinced, and I was trying to understand what was going on. "I don't believe you, Arthur. I think you’re trying to use these boys just like you did Gabriel, at least until he caught on to what was happening."

  "I never used Gabriel!" Mr. Marion said with indignation.

  Thorn and Oliver eyed the two older men with consideration as they squared off with each other, but both stayed silent, as if they wanted to see how this played out.

  Sheriff Mullen laughed harshly. "You aren't fooling me, Arthur. You never did."

  Mr. Marion's eyes flicked over to Thorn and Oliver. "I did nothing to your father," he said, pleading his case. "He was helping me."

  "Yes, until he wouldn't anymore. The moment he wasn't useful anymore, he ends up dead. Convenient," Sheriff Mullen said with malice.