Escape Vo'Arum Read online

  ‘Thanks, Mila,’ Paiga sounded like she felt. Ready to cry. So very tired.

  Around them the adults talked. Mila listened.

  ‘Where do we go?’

  ‘The hidden caves. We can keep underground nearly all the way to the coast.’

  ‘The coast? And then what?’

  ‘Will they stop hunting us?’

  ‘Did Clarey escape?’

  ‘No…Vidna got her.’

  ‘Oh no!’

  It seemed to get darker, and colder. Mila shivered and Paiga huddled against her. They stumbled along together until someone quietly called out for everyone to stop.

  Mama crouched beside her, one of the rucksacks at her feet. She rummaged around and pulled a heavy jersey from it, pulling it over Mila’s head and helping her get it on.

  ‘Paiga, are you cold?’

  Paiga nodded at Mama’s question and Mama found another of Mila’s jerseys. She got Paiga into it and rolled the sleeves up twice so Paiga’s hands were free.

  ‘Where’s your mama?’

  Paiga stared at Mila. The little girl’s lips trembled.

  ‘Uncle Vidna hit Mama. She didn’t get back up.’ Paiga tugged the other hand she held, and her older brother looked at Mila then at Mama, his eyes shiny. He didn’t say anything and shook his head at Mama.

  ‘Ooo.’ Mama opened her arms to Paiga who stared with a blank expression. Mama gathered her up and stood, rocking the girl as she began to cry, twisting to press her face against Mama’s throat.

  Mama hummed while rocking her and Grandma hugged Paiga’s brother.

  The adults crowded close. Mila leaned against Papa’s legs when he stood behind her and Mama. Mama set Paiga back on the ground and she reached for Mila’s hand, the two girls pressing close.

  Uncle Gydon asked in his low gravelly voice, ‘Is anyone sure of the entrance?’

  No one said anything at first before one of the men on the outer edge said, ‘Yes, fairly certain. It’s been a while, but I could find it.’

  ‘Are we close?’

  ‘No. Another half hour perhaps.’

  Uncle Gydon looked worried, his gaze staring back the way they’d come. Everyone turned, Mila and Paiga crouching to see past the legs of the adults.

  A mass of light bobbed in the far distance.

  ‘There could be a hundred of them!’ gasped one of the women in the inner circle.

  ‘Or more,’ said a man in a grim voice.

  ‘Everyone listen up,’ commanded Uncle Gydon. ‘We need to keep the circle tight, and we need to walk quick. I know you’re all tired and scared, but that’s better than dead. We need to get to the hidden caves. This nightmare isn’t over yet.’

  With urging, everyone turned and walked. The adults created tiny spheres of light that floated an ankle height, offering enough light to see where you put your feet. Mila and Paiga held hands while trying to touch the lights as they walked, giggling quietly each time one bounced off their legs. The conversations now were so quiet Mila couldn’t hear them. The tiredness that had made her so heavy, and made her feet seem twice as big as normal, passed now she wore the jersey. Mila skipped the occasional step, Paiga too, and they giggled.

  In the darkness with nothing to see it was like they walked on the spot. Only the faint light by their feet showed any difference. An occasional clump of grass. A bleached stick. Puddles of water as they neared the river.

  ‘Mama, do we have to cross the river?’ Mila asked.

  ‘No, the entrance is on this side,’ Mama said.

  Mila wrinkled her nose in disappointment. It would have been fun to cross the river, to ride on Papa’s back as he waded through the water. She might have even got wet feet!

  Beside her Paiga sang a little ditty about the rocks as she hopped from one to another, her brother helping to swing her onto the next steps. The motion dragged Mila along too, making her giggle.

  A swooping sound overhead made everyone duck and gasp.

  ‘What was that?’ cried a voice.

  ‘Hush!’ Uncle Gydon sounded grouchy. ‘Keep your voices down. It’ll just be a fryna.’

  The group continued, pausing occasionally to glance back at the bobbing lights.

  ‘They’re at the village.’

  The pace of the group quickened, Mila and Paiga hung on tight to each other as they scrambled over the rocks. The other adults around them helped them along. The tiny glimpses of light showed the rocks giving way slowly to land, clumps of grass appearing.

  A shriek like a woman screaming rang out right over head.

  Everyone reacted, shouts of alarm ringing out. All the noise deafened the two girls who dropped to crouches next to each other, hands clapped over their ears.

  ‘Calm, CALM!’ Uncle Gydon shouted. ‘Come on people, it was a glamour! A cheap trick. Stay calm!’

  Mila had her eyes squeezed shut. Mama shook her.

  ‘Mila, stand up. We have to keep moving.’

  Mila nodded, standing up, Paiga too. They stared at each other for a moment, eyes wide and scared.

  It wasn’t fun now.

  Mila held on tight to Mama’s hand and focused on the light at her feet.

  Around them no one spoke, but a humming level of tension ran through the group.

  ‘How much further?’ whispered one of the women.

  ‘Quarter hour, max,’ said the man leading them.

  ‘I thought you said it was only half an hour away!’

  ‘It is,’ growled the man. ‘By daylight.’

  The air smelled cold, and something else, something Mila found familiar but out of place.

  ‘Mama,’ she whispered. ‘What’s that smell?’

  ‘What smell, lovey?’

  ‘It smells like,’ Mila paused, considering. ‘It smells like the kitchen, when cook has fresh rabbits.’

  Mama didn’t say anything but she looked at Papa.

  ‘I smell it,’ said another voice from within the circle.

  ‘Me too.’

  ‘Carrion?’

  ‘Perhaps. The scent will carry when the air is still.’

  Not understanding what “carrion” meant, but glad that the adults appeared to have solved the smell, Mila relaxed a little, nose wrinkling at the sharp edge of that scent.

  Minutes ticked by as they covered good ground.

  ‘We’re close,’ said the man leading them.

  A screech flashed past overhead, the group twisting, following the sound.

  A man shouted.

  Mila’s head snapped in the direction of the shout, just in time to glimpse the man’s boots vanishing as something, something with enormous black wings, snatched him up!

  Chapter Eighteen

  Shrieks of terror rang out above Mila’s head. She screamed, gripping Mama’s and shrieked when Paiga got yanked off her feet, pulling Mila with her.

  ‘NO!’ Mama flung a hand out, blasting out with a bright hot ball of energy. An ear-shattering screech rang out and Paiga dropped. Her brother snatched her up.

  ‘SHIELD!’ bellowed Uncle Gydon. ‘SHIELD NOW!’

  Something wet and warm splattered across Mila’s cheek, screams from one among their group alarmingly high over head.

  Papa’s hum rang through Mila’s mind an instant before she saw the shimmering transparent shield fling out, surrounding the group. Other shimmers layered over Papa’s as all the adults threw shields up.

  Seconds later the shields were battered by a swarm of shrieking creatures.

  Mama snatched Mila up tight. Everyone crouched, staring aghast.

  Glossy black eyes like Uncle Vidna, these creatures looked the size of a man with enormous wings. Their bodies were black with powerful muscular looking legs, their feet tipped with massive talons.

  ‘Dear goddess!’ gasped Aunty Graca. ‘They look like harpies!’

  ‘But those are ENORMOUS!’

  ‘They can’t possibly be!’

  ‘They do look a lot alike.’

  The adults shouted
to each other, everyone flinching each time the horde of creatures swooped back down, hitting the shields. The hideous faced harpies struck the shields in a different spot with each attack, making those beneath the shield shout in fright.

  ‘MOVE ON!’ Uncle Gydon shouted. ‘Keep focus.’

  Mila rubbed her cheek then cried, ‘Mama!’

  Blood covered her fingers.

  ‘Red, Mama, RED!’

  ‘Zayck!’ Mama yelped Papa’s name, twisting with Mila tight in her arms.

  ‘Hold on!’ Papa was there at her side, he smiled at Mila. ‘Don’t worry, it’s just muck.’ Snatching a clump of dew wet grass Papa rubbed it on Mila’s face, working away.

  ‘There, all good!’

  ‘Ju-just muck?’ Mila said, gulping back tears.

  ‘Just muck. Mucky muck muck.’ Papa grinned at Mila and opened his arms to her. She stretched out, Mama passing her over and settled on Papa’s hip.

  ‘Gather in people, quick!’ Uncle Gydon called them in.

  Everyone hastened, crowding close.

  ‘Light up, make sure you can see. We don’t want anyone tripping.’

  Uncle Gydon went on but Mila stopped listening as she stared around at the group of people, now she could see them all. Lips moving, she counted in her mind.

  Twenty, thirty, forty three.

  Only forty three Mestarns. Mila couldn’t think how many were left behind.

  The group started moving. Mila wobbled in Papa’s arms, head bobbing low. No one spoke. Every few minutes the harpies hit, making Mila jerk awake, heart pounding and whimpering.

  ‘Shhh,’ Papa murmured. ‘We’re almost at the caves.’

  When they crossed the last of the riverbed, the screeching creatures gave up attacking them, and swooped off. Sighs of relief rose from the adults. Mila dozed off, jolting awake again moments later.

  They’d reached the caves.

  With open caution the man who’d lead the way continued to lead, motioning everyone to wait as he crept in the narrow entrance, his energy extended to create light.

  The group huddled close as they waited.

  Minutes ticked by.

  The bobbing lamps in the far distance appeared to have passed the village, still doggedly following their trail.

  ‘Come on,’ the man reappeared at the entrance. ‘Watch your step, it drops off within. And watch your heads, the ceiling is low.’

  Papa lifted Mila down. She protested. ‘No, Papa. Tired.’

  ‘I know you are, Lea. But I need you to go a bit longer yet.’

  Mama took one of Mila’s hands, Papa the other. Paiga and her brother walked with them, and Mama took Paiga’s other hand too.

  Uncle Gydon stood guard at the entrance, checking everyone entered and no one was left behind. He kept his shield strong, waiting as the last person climbed through. He followed and turned back, extending his energy and pushed at the entrance, working it in.

  It started with a slither of stones. The entrance way collapsed, rocks rumbling down the sloped track.

  Mama, Papa and all the others leapt to the side as some of the hunks of stone made it that far down. Finally the heavy sound of rock fall stopped.

  The low ceiling of the cavern they stood in, some of the tallest adults ducking their heads, reflected the light of the energy expanded around them. All the faces Mila saw looked exhausted. Lines in the foreheads, following down the creases of their faces. Eyes that seemed to droop, and smears of dirt and red everywhere.

  ‘Gydon,’ said one of Mila’s uncles. ‘We have to rest, we can’t keep going.’

  Uncle Gydon shook his head, his eyes sad. ‘We have too. I’m sorry to push you all, but I must. The DeNaga’s will be here shortly. We need space, and several more cave-ins between us and them. Gather your strength. Help if you can help. Let’s keep moving.’

  Mila thought she might drop and die as she stumbled along between her parents. Each foot felt ten times heavier than it should, and no matter how hard she lifted, she tripped. Mama and Papa caught her most the time, but her elbows hit stone often, making her cry. She wasn’t allowed to stop.

  Those ahead and behind them had as much trouble, and cursed, something Mama never allowed at home. It distracted Mila from the bruise on her knee after she accidentally kneed a rock. One of her aunties cursed and swore so much Mila thought Mama might smack her.

  Behind them, Paiga gave a shocked giggle at the next tirade of curses her aunty bellowed out.

  ‘Oi!’ Uncle Gydon yelled at her. ‘Cut it out would you? We’ve got children here.’

  ‘Sorry,’ came the teary voiced but angry sounding reply. ‘It’s the only thing keeping me going.’

  ‘Well then do it under your breath. Watch the volume.’

  With that entertainment gone, Mila went back to focusing on her feet. Pull one knee high while keeping balance and drop it. Each step seemed to make her head go lower. But she kept going, with Mama and Papa pulling her along.

  Finally, after what felt like hours and hours, Uncle Gydon said they could stop.

  ‘Take your rest, I’ll be waking you in an hour to keep guard,’ he motioned an uncle. ‘Then you take an hour watch and wake the next. You get five hours rest. Make the most of it.’

  Papa and Mama and several other adults had bags with clothing. It all got pulled out and spread around the group, trying to provide a little warmth and comfort. Mila curled up between her parents, her head against Papa’s chest. It seemed so cold and strange she didn’t think she could sleep.

  Then she closed her eyes.

  Chapter Nineteen

  ‘Mila, lovey, wake up.’

  Mila stirred at Mama’s voice and the gentle touch of her hand on her back. She sat up with a jaw-splitting yawn. Blinking, she peered around in confusion.

  ‘Mama, are we still in the caves?’

  ‘Yes, lovey, where else would we be?’

  Home, Mila wanted to say but didn’t. She nodded to Mama and hugged Papa when he put his arms around her from behind. Mama’s face was dirty, but she smiled at Mila, a proper smile. It made waking in the cold dark caves much better.

  ‘I’m hungry, Mama.’

  ‘We all are darling. Here’s your breakfast. Eat it slowly, we haven’t got much to go around.’

  Mila stared in bewilderment at the half slice of rough bread. Normally she ate two whole pieces! It didn’t even have butter.

  Mama and Papa both stared at her, eyes firm. Mila accepted the bread from Mama, whispering ‘Thanks.’

  ‘Good girl.’ Papa squeezed her knee teasingly. Mila looked up, meeting his eyes with a tentative smile.

  Slowly she chewed on the bread and watched everyone from where she sat, seated between Papa’s legs. The bread was tough but the flavor still good. Mama moved around, talking to the adults and offering half pieces of bread to all the children then she stopped by Uncle Gydon, who’s droopy blue eyes looked even droopier.

  In the low cave space most the adults had to lean. Mila, chewing the final piece of hard crust, examined the cave, tipping her head back against Papa’s chest to stare at the ceiling. At the edges of the cave, long skinny pieces of stone pointed sword-like toward the floor of the cave.

  ‘Papa,’ Mila patted his knee while swallowing down the final mouthful of hard bread. It hurt, scratching the sides of her throat, making her eyes water.

  ‘Yes, Mila?’

  ‘Papa, those stones, look at them!’

  Papa looked where she pointed. ‘Ah, those are stalactites.’

  ‘Stal-ac-tites?’

  ‘Yes. And see those small ones forming on the floor beneath them? Those are stalagmites.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘That’s just what they’re called, Lea. But a way to remember the difference,’ Papa said, and he pointed at the ceiling. ‘Remember that stalactites, hold on tight! They hang on to the ceiling.’

  Mila laughed. ‘Tight! Stalactite!’

  Uncle Gydon called out for attention. Papa helped Mila up, and
they joined all the others gathered.

  ‘We need to get moving. Keep your eyes open for the Cyqs. Now you all follow Harlon, he knows the way. Keep your light low, the Cyqs have sensitive eyes remember.’

  Uncle Harlon, the one who’d led them to the caves had them group, so the children were in the center then the women and then the men. Mila stood holding Mama’s hand and Paiga’s.

  They set off.

  A massive heavy rumble that vibrated underfoot made Mila and Paiga twist back in alarm, but Mama reassured them.

  ‘It’s just Uncle Gydon, he’s pulling down rocks so the DeNagas can’t follow us.’

  Paiga squeezed Mila’s hand and squinted at Mama. ‘Why do they want to kill us, Aunty Dan’iss?’

  The wavering question stopped all other conversations. No one said a thing while Mama frowned.

  Mama stopped walking and crouched to smile at Paiga. She tucked a stray bit of hair behind the girl’s ear.

  ‘Paiga, I don’t know. But I know the people we saw weren’t the people we love. Our DeNaga relatives, those we worked with and played with everyday, they weren’t trying to kill us. Those people you saw yesterday, I think something made them sick.’

  ‘But if they’re sick shouldn’t we help them?’ Paiga’s sloping eyebrows drew close together, making her look like she was about to cry. Mama gave her a tight hug.

  ‘They don’t want our help. We have to respect that. We also have to look after ourselves first.’

  ‘Why didn’t they just ask us to leave?’ Paiga whispered.

  ‘What’s the hold up?’ Uncle Gydon called. ‘Talk and walk, we need more space between us and them.’

  Mama offered her arms to Paiga, lifting the girl onto her hip as they walked. It caused an unexpected pang in Mila’s chest. She scowled at the girl.

  Mila! None of that. You still have your mama. Paiga doesn’t.

  Mama’s tone made Mila wince. She took the offered hand Paiga’s brother extended, walking alongside Mama as she chatted to Paiga.