They craned their necks wildly as they witnessed all of the attention directed at the dying fox. Baby and Echo landed and stood with their long bulbous tails high in the air. The smell of sulfur permeated the air as pressure was directed at the little fox. In less than five seconds, the fox fell on its side twitching, seemingly in the throes of death. As three quick heartbeats passed, the men watched as the fox shook and righted herself. She stood with legs straight under her, head flicking as she pawed at the drying blood and saliva on her muzzle. The miracle canine yipped, then trotted over to Echo to receive a pat on her head, depositing herself at Netty’s feet as if to inspect the rest of the crowd.
“Over here . . . now. Can we have some help with these two? I don’t think they’re going to make it.”
Clyde desperately tried to get the attention of the Elder, his voice indignant and incredulous as they helped the two people to the ground before they collapsed. Scotty watched as the smaller of the forms opened its eyes. Clyde pierced him with a withering look.
“For Pete’s sake, Scotty, can you do something? They’re on their last legs. Heal them.” Johno and his men clustered around the dying twosome.
“Kerp . . . ca . . . Clyde.” The voice was a cracked whisper but everyone close by clearly heard the whisper call Clyde’s name. “Clyde . . . hake . . . we . . . we made it.” The figure, now identified as that of a woman, reached out with a trembling skeletal hand. ”My love . . . ca . . . am I dreaming?” Her words came in faint, choked whispers.
“Holy shit. Help, I need help!” Clyde cupped the woman’s head in his arms, tears flowing from his disbelieving eyes.
“Baby, you made it. Oh my baby. Lorna, Lorna.” He covered her face with kisses. “Help . . . for the love of God. This is my wife!”
Netty approached, calmly assessing the condition of the two figures. She signaled to Johno and his men.
“Carry them to the sleeping quarters. We will attend to them there.”
“No. You will goddamn cure my wife now. Right here.”
The keepers moved in to lift the man.
“No, Wil . . . Netty. Come on, Scotty . . . this is my wife.” He sobered momentarily to scream. “Where are my grandbabies? Jen and Suzy, where are they?”
He let go of his wife’s head as she closed her eyes as if dead. Rising, Clyde grabbed Scotty, lifting him up off his feet, his wings crushed in Clyde’s strong grip. Before he could blink, Echo and Baby flanked him, their crystal antlers swirling with red and black color.
“Put me down, Clyde. It’s okay, Echo. Let me handle this.”
“Enough.” Wil appeared alongside Echo and Baby. “Dezi, Billy, Peter . . . Peter, can you please get over here?” Peter jumped, obviously surprised to be asked to help as he lurked in the background, trying to fade into the cavern walls.
Clyde stood alone and morose as they carted his wife away to the sleeping quarters. His dejected shoulders shook with the tears he shed, making Scotty unsure what to say to the man who had been giving Salina—his Mama Diaz—his love and support.
“Why . . . why, Scotty? Aren’t we worth as much as the stupid animals?” Clyde’s voice gagged with bitterness.
“Come on, Clyde. You know I can’t heal her. None of us can. Let’s just get to the sleeping quarters and see what Netty has to say.” Scotty shook out his wings, discovering several of his flanges twisted and broken from the force of Clyde’s attack.
“Don’t worry; I’m sure your pet freak will fix them for you.” Clyde spat in Scotty’s direction, causing King and Queenie to rise and pad over to Clyde, their growls forcing him to back down and head for the sleeping quarters as Scotty’s wings healed themselves in a matter of minutes.
Turning to the entrance of the Hive, Scotty inspected the opening that had closed behind the fox, Clyde’s wife, and her companion. The wall looked solid with the membrane firmly back in place, undulating now over the solid rock.
Calling to the royal pit bulls, they hurried to catch up with the crowd on its way to the sleeping chambers.
As Scotty re-entered the first cavern, he found Echo fluttering heavily in the air. Echo’s aura reached for him. “I sense the heartbeat of another, Brother Scotty.”
“Another what, Echo?”
“Another dying human and the creature that is near her.”
“Take us there now, Echo.”
Echo flew over Scotty’s head to journey back to the opening of the Hive with Scotty, the pit bulls bringing up the rear. They watched as Echo landed and stuck her hand into the wall, the membrane closing on her tiny leather arm up to her elbow. Before Scotty’s eyes, the cave wall parted and let in the gloom of the dangerous surface into the cavern.
“We must hurry. There is danger in the air.” Echo wobbled out followed by Scotty and the dogs. Rounding the huge granite rock, they were greeted by an empty pathway. Scotty surveyed the trees in the forest, no longer familiar and comforting but with the limbs denuded, gray and mourning. Searching for a spot of green became futile. The wind chilled and left them with a coating of dull grit.
“The heartbeat is down the pathway. We must hurry.” Echo took to the air as they rushed down the pathway to come upon a contraption piled high with rags. Another emaciated fox, not as far gone as the other one, sniffed suspiciously at the rags, desperate for a morsel to eat. As they approached, the fox growled, unwilling to relinquish or share the jackpot that had appeared in its territory. Scotty could see an arm outthrust from the rags that the fox had been worrying meat from, the bone now exposed and gnawed on.
Echo landed and faced the fox: a male, perhaps the mate of the one in the Hive. Echo’s crystal antlers spilt and a red projectile sallied forth to land on the ear of the fox, quickly disappearing inside as the fox gave a quiet yelp accompanied by a whine, then promptly turned and marched toward to the Hive.
Scotty knelt on the hard, cold ground, clearing away the rags to reveal the creature that was once called a teenager, now unrecognizable.
“She’s still alive. Let’s get her to the sleeping quarters with the others. Maybe this is one of Clyde’s granddaughters he was screaming about.” Establishing the likelihood it was a she, Scotty picked up the lump of bones in his arms and rushed back to the Hive, stealing a furtive glance at the unrecognizable sky.
Scotty and Echo arrived in time to witness the reunion of the mated foxes. Baby surreptitiously directed his tail and its healing powers on the sick fox, completing its recovery as Clyde sobbed in the corner, watching Netty and Johno make his wife comfortable.
“Hey, everyone. I found someone else.”
Clyde rushed to Scotty’s side to help with the pitiful bundle, her arm with the exposed bone extended for all to see. “Oh, my Lord. Jennifer?”
They eased her over to a stone dais and made her as comfortable as possible. Clyde cupped her head to stroke her unrecognizable face, quickly pulling back. As her filthy, shedding hair came away in his hands, he held his fingers up in horror.
“My sweet baby. What has become of you?”
Scotty cringed as Clyde turned to him, wild eyes filled with hate and insanity. “Where is she? Where’s Suzy? My baby . . . where is she, Scotty?”
“Calm down, Clyde. No one else was there. This is all I saw. Now let’s get them some care.” Scotty turned to the bones on the dais as Billy returned with wet cloths and water. Clyde calmed down with the effort of cleaning Jennifer’s body and Scotty’s attempt to dribble water into her cracked and blistered lips, swollen beyond all recognition.
Suddenly, Netty and Wil withdrew from around the other two figures, motioning for everyone else to stand back. Scotty dragged Clyde away from his granddaughter, her shedding hair still gripped in his hand, his face drained of color.
From the walls emerged the tendrils of the night, never before witnessed by humans. They inched over the cool, hard floors and up the three daises to sink into the minute pores of the newly washed figures. All movement stopped as the figures appeared to be sleeping.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Clyde broke free of Scotty’s restraining arms to approach the fragile tendrils, stomping on them and ripping them from his wife’s body.
“Stop, you will kill her!” Wil and Netty converged on Clyde, grabbing at his arms. “Johno, Scotty, help here,” Wil shouted. They pulled a wild and ineffectual Clyde away from the dais, his breath heaving, his face now raging with blood. Netty stepped up to face him, her dazzling eyes forcing him to look away.
“No, don’t you dare look away.” She gripped his chin, forcing him to confront the luminous glare of her anger.
“How dare you question our methods with violence? So much like a human.” The strength of her bitterness and condemnation sobered him. She turned, pointing to the remaining tendrils at work on his wife. “They are healing her. You may have done damage. If your wife lives, it will not be because of you. Now take him out of here.”
Clyde threw her an emotional plea as they escorted him out. “Save her, Netty . . . please. My grandbaby . . . Lorna . . . .” His sobs could be heard down the corridor echoing loudly as the men returned to Netty’s kitchen to face the blank stares of the women.
Clyde jerked his arms from the grip of the men who held him, flopping down on a chair to lay his face in his arms. Salina hurried to his side, where she was met by Scotty who pulled her away, whispering in her ear. All eyes rested on her face as she registered her shock. Quickly, the word of the new survivors circulated the room. All were sad for Salina, but the possibility of increasing their numbers overwhelmed the personal considerations of Clyde and Salina.
“New people . . . now that is music to my ears. They were topside. They’ll have news.” Crystal clapped her hands with joy, while giving Salina an embarrassed and sympathetic glance.
“If they live.” Johno’s somber voice cut through the speculation.
Clyde’s head popped up; his voice emphatic, belying the tears. “They will live. They got this far. Don’t talk like that, Johno. They will live.”
Johno nodded his sage head. “Yes, my friend. We will pray to the Womb that they live.”
*
Days passed as the original survivors waited impatiently for word of recovery for Clyde’s wife Lorna, his granddaughter and their male companion.
The atmosphere at dinner was glum. Sidelong glances at Salina and Clyde failed to elicit a sign that their relationship would weather this unimaginable roadblock. Since they were not interacting themselves, everyone refrained from bringing up the subject. Even Kenya felt the charged atmosphere, dampening her nightly pregnancy complaints.
Then a sudden turn of events. Late one night, as the subdued survivors enjoyed the day’s confections from the ever-changing menu of Salina’s desserts, and Wil and Netty relaxed at their table enjoying a cup of tea, Baby waddled into the kitchen, sending auras to the Elders. Scotty felt the excitement of Baby’s aura as he rushed them with his announcement.
“Brothers and Sisters . . . there is change. Come quickly.”
Wil jumped up, calling to Clyde to join them.
Clyde shot up like spring and raced to the kitchen entrance without a word. Scotty turned to see the pain on Salina’s face. Rising from his seat, he went to her side where he was joined by Bonnie and Emma. They wrapped their arms around her.
“Don’t worry, Mama. We’re all here for you.”
“No matter what happens, Mama, we’re here,” echoed Emma and Scotty. Salina bent to kiss all three.
“I have everything that’s important to me right here.” She glanced over to Abby and Jose to be met with their smiles of encouragement.
But some things never change. Scotty observed Kenya watching them from the corner of her eye as Kane hovered nearby. Reaching out for his hand, she hollered over to Emma. “Can you please bring me a cup of tea, Emma? I’m feeling a bit uncomfortable.”
Emma glanced up from the huddle around Salina. “Can’t Kane get it for you?”
Kenya’s smug grin feigned innocence. “Oh, he needs to be here with me, don’t you Kane?” A burgundy flush crawled up Kane’s face as he kept his eyes averted from Emma.
Kenya arched a brow. “You don’t mind now do ya, chickey?”
Emma moved to Netty’s stove, ignoring the question, her face set, trying not to show the humiliation as she poured Kenya her tea. Kane averted his eyes as Kenya watched every move she made.
“Thanks, chickey. I think I’ll just take this tea to my bedroom. Kane, you coming?” As Kane wrapped his arm around Kenya to assist her rise from her chair, Scotty could not fail to notice the pain in Emma’s eyes and the smirk of triumph on Kenya’s beautiful lips. Yeah, even in the veil of chaos, some things never changed.
“Mama, I think I’ll bring some soup down to Clyde and Wil. They may need some more nourishment for the new people by now.” Emma made herself busy at the fireplace warming the soup.
Salina cast her eyes at her eldest daughter. “Why don’t you let Abby go with you?” Salina motioned for Abby to join them.
Bonnie hopped up quickly, her words bubbling out. “I want to go too, Mama. I can help.”
Abby placed her hand on Salina’s shoulder. “Don’t worry. I’ll look after them.” Abby tousled Bonnie’s hair. “Come on, pretty girl. Let’s go see if we can help.”
Chapter 8
A few minutes before Wil and Clyde reached the sleeping quarters, Seth sat up, dumbfounded to find himself in what appeared to be a cave and lying on slabs of rock that felt like velvety feathers.
He spotted movement from the corner of his eye, spinning quickly enough to catch a glimpse of the tendrils as they receded back into the membrane of the wall. What the fuck?
Seth scooted back up on the dais, drawing up his feet. The quickness of his response amazed him. He held out his arms to inspect them, reaching up to his ear as he realized he no longer felt pain. His wound felt closed for the first time since the ear had been removed by Doc Benjamin’s man’s machete. He could actually feel a nub of skin where his wound used to be.
Seth remembered the dead end he and Lorna had found as the sick fox attacked. Lorna had been on her last legs and they’d left the sled with Jennifer down the trail. Looking around, he could see their bodies on another rock. Squinting closer, he noticed webbing of some sort plugged into their bodies in various locations. Are they dead? Why do I feel so much better? He remembered nothing from the point at which the fox launched its attack. A gleam of cunning sparked his eyes. They must have been saved by someone. I’m saved.
He licked his lips compulsively as his attention rested on the other two forms on the stones. If he was alive after residing on the verge of death, there was a better than even chance that the other two would also live. Could he stand those odds? Not by a long shot. The first thing the old bitch will do is start flapping her mouth.
He slid to the edge of the rock, still amazed by the contradiction in texture. Tenderly, he stepped on the floor and eased his weight to a standing position. He scanned the room to search for cameras or an alarm. Satisfying himself they were alone, he quietly inched over to the stone that held Lorna. He took one look at her and realized she looked the same as she did the day they met the fox. How long have we been here? For some reason, she wasn’t getting the health benefits that he’d had from their hosts. Easing away from the strange webbing that appeared to be connected to her, he wrinkled his nose. For sure, he couldn’t have her recovering and blabbing her fat mouth.
Sayonara, Lorna. I think I’ll just have to hasten you along to the big daddy in the sky. He jerked his fingers away from her nostrils as he was startled by the approach of a strange sight.
“What the fuck?” Stunned, he inched back to his stone to crouch at its side as a golden man with shining eyes and huge wings approached. He was followed by a winged creature easy enough to swat as it fluttered like a golden furry overgrown gnat in the air above the man’s head.
A tall, lean man in his late fifties rushed over to Lorna. Seth’s eyes stayed on the glor
ious winged ones, unable to formulate a thought as vertigo attacked him from the luminescent sheen emanating from their eyes.
A voice pierced his dizziness as he realized the man with Lorna was her husband. Time stood still as he inched his way over to her stone. He weakly extended his hand. “Hi. You must be Clyde.”
Clyde turned from Lorna to embrace Seth, blubbering and leaking tears all over the new smock they’d given Seth to wear.
“Easy there, guy. We made it. Everything’s going to be fine now.” Seth attempted to extricate himself from Clyde’s embrace.
“I am Wil. And you are?” The winged man approached, holding his pet on his hip.
“My name’s Seth. I’ve been traveling with Lorna and the kids for a long time now.” He paused, mesmerized by Wil’s eyes, unable to stop himself from looking away. Blinking rapidly, he turned back.
“So . . . er, Wil. Where the heck am I? And do you mind if I ask what . . . er . . . who you are?”
“I am an Elder. Perhaps you should sit down. We have a few questions as you probably do, too.” As Seth returned to his stone bed, two more figures entered the room.
A female winged creature directed two pretty young girls to his side. One smiled shyly down at him.
“I’m Emma.”
“Well heeeello, Emma.” Seth grinned as he decided things were looking up. Taking the mug of soup from Emma, he grazed his fingers with hers, eliciting a rise of blood in her face. She met his eyes with her own and received a quick wink from Seth. Casting her eyes down, she scampered over to Clyde, who put his arm around her.
Seth settled in for a long inquisition, but he had a little cross-examination of his own in mind. Plastering a simple, blank expression across his clean-cut face, aware of flutters of anticipation in the pit of his stomach, and a shiver buzzing in his psychotic brain, he turned to face the possibilities.
*
Scotty and Chloe lounged near the fireplace watching Barney and Echo snuggle as they tried to fend off Chance’s relentless attempt to insinuate herself between the two. Penny, the springer spaniel, tiredly fended off Teddy’s advances to her ear. King and Queenie monitored all as Mimi scuttled from one person to the next, looking for affection. As the rest of the dogs dozed, conversation turned to the mundane routines of the Hive and the projects in which the survivors were involved.