Alysium
Page 17
Abree gave a nervous laugh, looking back at the clear rock. “What do you think it’s made of?”
“I have no idea,” said Gideon, as he pounded his fist on the formation to check its sturdiness, “I think its stone.”
“Clear stone?” said Abree, as if the idea was ridiculous.
“Do you have a better explanation?”
Abree opened her mouth then, thinking better of it, she closed it again and shook her head, admitting her shortcoming.
Gideon gave her a smug smile, patting the tepid rock with satisfaction.
“Should we press on and take a closer look at this cavern, or head back to the others?” Abree asked, placing her hands on her hips expectantly.
“It’s silly to come this far, just to turn back, now that we've actually found something.”
Abree looked visibly relieved with his answer.
Gideon paid no notice as he moved forward through the new cavern, crisscrossing back and forth among the field of see-through rock formations with interest. As he stared up into the inky blackness of the cavern ceiling, he thought he spied a flash of light far above his head. Allowing his curiosity to drive him, he narrowed his eyes, attempting to see better as he stopped his advancement through the cavern to investigate what was above.
“Abree, look up! Do you see that sparkling?” He squinted harder, desperately trying to tell what it was. “Do you see it?”
After a moment, Gideon realized Abree hadn't answered.
Tearing his gaze from the cavern ceiling, he began to turn around as unexpectedly, something came crashing down onto his head. Falling backward hard onto the sandy cavern floor, Gideon felt an intense pain spreading out from the crown of his head. He groaned, squeezing his eyes shut to the agony he was feeling. Struggling to sit up, Gideon braced himself with his palms on the floor, but then, a new sensation came as a thick stream of warm fluid flooded down over his face and into his eyes. He tried frantically to wipe it from his face, but his strength poured from him as fast as the fluid did. Vision blurring as his head grew heavy, Gideon was unable to clear his eyes. His attempts simply mixed the blood from his face with grime as his hands were covered with sand from the cavern floor. As he pawed at his eyes futilely, he found he could no longer hold his head up. It fell with a soft thud to the cavern floor. As his sticky eyelids drooped lower, the last image he saw was a pair of booted feet approaching him slowly, before darkness welcomed him.
As the hours passed, Charlie's strength slowly returned. First, his color, then his temperature returned to normal. Eventually, even his appetite reappeared as he made his way through an entire day's worth of rations. The girls smiled as they watched him polish off the end of his meal.
“Better?” asked Lara, a happy glint in her eyes.
“Much...I can’t believe how hungry I was,” he said, plopping one last dried mushroom into his mouth. He wanted to lick his fingers clean, but bending his arm was difficult as the incisions at the crook of his elbows were still very tender. Thinking better of it, he chose to wipe his hands on his pant leg instead.
“Healing requires more nourishment than you've apparently been getting,” said Ranelle with a smile. She felt better now that she’d found a treatment for the enzyme secreted by the beetle’s shells. It brought comfort knowing that if they came up against the ‘skincrawler’ beetles in the future, she’d be ready for them.
Since Charlie's condition had rapidly improved, it gave Ranelle ample time to ponder how Gideon was faring as he and Abree scouted ahead. She felt her cheeks warm as she recalled the harsh words she’d spoken to Gideon before he left. She squeezed her eyes shut and pictured the look of hurt that he’d worn like a badge–a badge of betrayal. The memory of that look broke her heart and brought her eyes to the brink of tears. She sniffed, pushing back the emotions as far as she could, wiping her eyes.
“Geesh, I'm sorry ladies but nature's calling,” said Charlie with a look of embarrassment.
“And?” said Lara with a smile, “need our help?”
“Hardly,” he said as he winked at Lara, “just turn around then.”
Ranelle joined Lara in picking up their supplies as Charlie relieved himself in the tunnel a few paces away.
“Feel better?” Lara asked as Charlie returned, looking less stiff and more like himself.
“Lots. Must’ve just emptied out the last few days of stress. I feel loads better now.”
Ranelle contemplated his words for a few minutes. If he was indeed better, then the herb that she’d used to cure the beetle poison must have also strengthened him greatly. She made a mental note to investigate the plant further when she had the resources and the time.
“You seem preoccupied,” Lara observed, startling Ranelle slightly as she’d been lost in her own thoughts.
“Just thinking about the herb that I used on Charlie. It's rejuvenated him much quicker than I expected.”
“And, that worries you?”.
“Not at all. There are several other herbs I don’t recognize from station two. They may be stronger than those we already use back home.” Ranelle continued to pack away the medical supplies as she spoke. “It’s a shame I’ve never seen them before.”
“Never?”
Ranelle shook her head. “If I had, I’d be more familiar with their uses.”
“You're obviously really good with herbs... I’m sure you can figure out how to use ‘em with a bit more time,” Lara replied with a smile as she finished packing the food rations.
“Yeah, I suppose I could,” Ranelle replied, as a thought entered her mind, “if we ever get out of here.”
“I think we should move on and meet up with the others,” said Charlie.
“Why?” Ranelle turned toward him with a frown.
“You're much too pessimistic without him.”
Ranelle laughed, the action immediately lightening her mood. She also felt relieved that she hadn't been the one to suggest they get moving. She desperately wanted to see Gideon again, but didn't want to rush Charlie in any way, not after all that he’d been through. Now that he was feeling better, though, she was anxious to reunite with Gideon. After being so curt with him before he’d left, she felt compelled to explain herself. She had been so angry; she still felt in shock that he agreed to go with Abree in the first place.
He didn’t suggest it, Abree did.
The feeling of worry poisoned her gut again. She couldn’t concentrate on much else besides her thoughts about Gideon. She knew that he could take care of himself, but she also knew that Abree was treacherous, and Ranelle didn’t trust her. Pulling her thoughts back to the present, she turned to see Charlie and Lara already packing up the bags.
“I guess we’re moving out then?” Ranelle questioned.
“If Charlie's ready, we probably should,” said Lara as she paused her progress to look at Ranelle, “he's right anyway. Gideon obviously took your optimism with him when he left.”
Ranelle pursed her lips goodheartedly. Looking between Charlie and Lara, she realized how much had changed since the cave-in. Grateful for the relationships they were forming with everything they’d been through together, she stepped in to help the others pack.
That was quick,” Lara said as they finished loading the bags.
“When you've done it as much as we have and no one's complaining,” Charlie emphasized, a subtle jab at Abree who was always testy whenever work was involved.
“She's just lazy,” replied Lara.
“I think it's utter joy at seeing us suffer,” Ranelle stated, making her feelings well-known.
“You've got more cause to hate her than any of us,” said Charlie, nodding.
“I didn't even hate her at first. It was her aggression toward me that made me dislike her,” said Ranelle, being honest.
“Yeah, she’s annoyed by everyone and everything,” Lara commented.
Ranelle smiled in agreement as a thought crossed her mind. “Neither of you know her outside the mines, do you?�
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They both shook their heads.
“I'm pretty sure I never met her before we started in the mines. I think Gideon’s the only one I've heard her speak nicely to,” Ranelle said as the three of them swung their satchels up and over their shoulders.
“When I think about it, you’re right,” Lara admitted, grabbing their pyrus lantern and quickly refilling it with fresh oil.
“I'm not sure we’ll ever know where her hostility stems from,” Charlie reflected, “and here we are hurrying off to meet her yet again.” He rolled his eyes and gave the others a look.
The girls giggled.
“Can't change your mind now,” said Lara with a grin, beckoning to them to follow her.
Charlie and Ranelle both smiled and followed along, finding a comfortable pace after a few minutes of walking.
As the time passed, Lara and Charlie fell into soft conversation as Ranelle let her mind wander. Her thoughts inevitably settled on Gideon and their last moments together. She still felt so much guilt. It festered and writhed around inside, twisting her thoughts whenever her mind wasn’t strictly on a task. She longed to reach him and explain why she’d been so disappointed. She was also excited to show him how fast the needles from the red herb had healed Charlie.
Her thoughts then lingered on the herbs she’d found. The red-needled herb had effectively neutralized the skincrawler poison. It boosted Charlie's overall health and stamina much more quickly than she’d anticipated. Apart from it, there were also two other plants she didn't recognize.
If these plants don’t grow in the burrows, where are they from?
Alysium was a self-contained environmental system. There wasn’t anything outside the caverns, just solid walls of rock. Listing off each burrow in her head, there wasn’t one in which any of the mystery plants could have been grown.
As a child, Ranelle had only been outside of Ashbourne once. She remembered her mother telling her that she’d been to visit the Grotto as a baby. When she’d asked why, her mother had said the visit was for work. She couldn't remember going, but ever since she’d been told about her trip there as a youngling, Ranelle had dreamt about going back.
In her lessons, she’d learned all about each burrow and their responsibilities to the Grotto. Her and the other children had been told how each burrow was liable for a trade. In Ashbourne, different ores were mined for various purposes. Metal ore was used to make metal objects, while pyromite was processed into the pyrus needed for the other cities to light their streets and warm their homes and dormitories.
Evermoore was where all clothing in Alysium was made and recycled. When cloth of any kind was torn or unwearable, it was sent to Evermoore to be broken down and recycled into new clothing. This was done by grinding the fabrics with different stones to break them down into reusable fibers for re-spinning.
Cinder was the burrow that handled Alysium's deceased. All waste products from the cities were sent to Cinder for burial or recycling. Massive graves were maintained as well as Alysium's vast death records.
The healing arts were practiced in Stillshade. Healers were raised and trained to use different herbs. One such healer had taught Ranelle all she knew about plants–her mother. Rayn had fostered in Ashbourne after she had finished her medical training. It was common for healers from Stillshade to foster out and bring their skills to the other burrows. Instead of returning to her city, however, she fell in love with Ranelle’s father, Jeb, ultimately remaining in Ashbourne to work in the mines with her husband.
The fifth and last burrow was Jericho, which made paper. Reed roots that were found growing in the abundantly large mud flats that sprawled across the eastern edge of its cavern were also harvested and used in trade.
At the center of the massive ring of burrows was the Grotto, which supplied food to the inhabitants of Alysium. Through the center of the Grotto ran the Surge, a tumultuous and vast river where fish were netted as well as other edible marine life. The banks of the Surge were also used as a catch-all for driftwood. This precious resource was rare and always used in great moderation. Mineral-rich mud was also harvested from the banks of the river. The mud was then used in the growing of mushrooms, which was a food staple in every burrow.
Alysium’s vast population depended on the food grown and harvested in the Grotto. Therefore, routes of trade were established between each burrow. Medicinal herbs were prepared in Stillshade and shared with each city as trade. Ranelle searched her memory, trying to remember if she’d ever heard her mother reference other herbs she’d encountered. She just couldn’t remember.
Maybe there are places in Alysium that we haven't explored yet.
As they walked on, Charlie and Lara still deep in conversation, Ranelle stared blankly ahead, willing the tunnel to end. A moment later, she was shocked when suddenly, the tunnel walls appeared to fan outward. “Look!” she called out, her arm extended, finger pointing to the path ahead of them.
Charlie and Lara stopped dead in their tracks as they peered forward.
“A cavern!” Lara exclaimed, her eyes wide and voice full of excitement.
“Where's Gideon and Abree then?” asked Charlie slowly, “they were supposed to come back when they found something.”
“Maybe they went in to explore?” Lara shrugged.
The three of them moved ahead with anticipation, eventually reaching the part of the tunnel that stretched upward. The teenagers gazed above at the sprawling ceiling, immediately taking notice of the unusual, finger-like appendages hanging downward. They walked on, each timidly placing a hand on the nearest outcropping.
“What are these things?” asked Charlie as he knocked his fist on the structure nearest to him to see if it was hollow.
It wasn't.
The girls stifled their amusement as Charlie cursed, shaking his fingers as he winced with pain, rubbing his knuckles.
“They must be stalagmites and stalactites. I've heard some of the other burrows have them,” said Ranelle, holding up the lantern to cast more light on the structures.
“How wonderful!” exclaimed Lara with amazement as she ran her palm along the smooth stone.
“It won't be wonderful if one of those falls on us,” said Charlie, pointing to the large stalactite hanging delicately from the cavern ceiling above them.
“Good thinking,” Ranelle agreed, eyeing the hanging mass with uncertainty while passing the lantern to Charlie, “best keep our voices low then.”
The others nodded in agreement as they fanned out. Each took a different path to investigate the cavern as Charlie walked down the center of the cave, pyrus lantern held high to illuminate the surroundings.
Stepping lightly among the clear giants of rock, Ranelle peered through the closest stalagmite, watching as it distorted the objects beyond, giving them the appearance of being underwater. Ranelle shivered. The expansive cavern gave her chills as she heard unnerving sounds and the echoing of dripping water.
Suddenly, the eerie quiet was broken by a frantic call.
“Ranelle!” she heard Lara call out, “come quick!”
Ranelle knew Lara wouldn't risk yelling unless it was necessary, so she halted her progress, crisscrossing across the large room with haste, heading for the opposite side of the cavern where the call had originated.
When she reached the wall, she called out gently.
“Over here!”
Ranelle shadowed the wall until she found Lara, standing still as stone, staring upward at the cavern ceiling.
“What's wrong?” she asked breathlessly.
“Look!” said Lara pointedly.
Ranelle gazed up at the ceiling to see what was so pressing. As she stared, blinking her eyes several times and squinting into the inky blackness of the roof, she caught a glimpse of lantern light reflecting off something. Several somethings. Then she saw it again. Whatever they were, they appeared to be moving.
“What are they?” Ranelle whispered, unable to tear her gaze from whatever was above.
The two girls watched for several moments before noticing a change. As they stood transfixed, the shimmering points began to move collectively. Foot by foot, the mass moved slowly toward the edge of the cavern ceiling. Eventually, the object began to slowly slide down the cavern wall.
It's not sliding, it's crawling.
“I don't have a good feeling about this,” said Ranelle, slowly stepping backward away from whatever was descending.
As the twinkling mass detached from the ceiling, it continued its way down the wall in a slow, albeit controlled descent.
When Ranelle abruptly realized what they were witnessing, she let out a scream of horror.
“Skincrawlers!”
Lara needed no prodding, as she was already retreating toward the center of the cavern to find Charlie. As Ranelle made to follow, she took one last glance at the giant wave of advancing insects, realizing that there were far too many for them to kill.
The threat gave her step a sense of urgency, as she broke into a run, catching up with Lara and pulling her forward.
“What about Charlie,” Lara gasped as they ran.
Ranelle took an educated risk and called out for him.
“Charlie!”
“Huh?” came a voice as Charlie rounded a stalagmite a few paces ahead of them.
“Run!” said Lara, looping her arm through his and wrenching him around forcefully.
“What's wrong?”
“Skincrawlers…hundreds,” Ranelle panted as she ran, her heart beating wildly within her chest.
Luckily, Charlie's firsthand experience with the insects made him all too aware of the danger that even one of the beetles presented. No further explanation was needed as he immediately fell in step with the girls. The three of them hurried toward what they hoped would be an exit at the other end of the cavern.
“What if there's no way out?” Lara cried as they ran.
“There has to be!” called Ranelle, unwilling to face that reality unless she had to.
Suddenly they heard noises of pursuit behind them. Ranelle hazarded a quick look and saw mountains of skincrawler beetles hurrying after them.