The Dark Planet

  heavy gravity.

  It's really too bad they can kill me, thought Edgar.

  Now that his fate had been determined, Edgar forged on. It was

  an eerie feeling, walking toward the inside with no way of

  escape, and he dreaded the idea of dying there alone.

  Edgar's route turned into a climb again, though not a very steep

  one. When he neared the top the tunnel was glowing orange

  and yellow. Above him flowed a channel of liquid, a river of

  molten rock behind a ceiling of solid glass. The glass kept the

  river of fire from flowing into the tunnel where Edgar stood, but it

  seemed to Edgar that touching the ceiling could be hot enough

  to set him on fire.

  Without any warning whatsoever the warm wind stopped. All

  was perfectly still inside the tunnel for a few seconds as Edgar

  realized the danger of what had just happened. He was

  suddenly paralyzed with fear.

  "The firebugs," Edgar whispered. Soon he would be

  surrounded by thousands of the deadly creatures.

  Edgar's mind raced. What could he do? He looked every which

  way and saw nothing that might be of use to him. He gazed

  back along the distance he had come. It was quite a long way to

  the opening, but already a fog of firebugs had halved the

  distance. They were merrily dancing toward him without effort.

  Edgar tried to remember what Isabel and Samuel had said

  about the Inferno. He knew he couldn't let firebugs touch his

  skin, but his legs and arms were exposed. He didn't have

  anywhere near the amount of clothing he would need to cover

  himself completely.

  "There has to be a way!"

  Firebugs by the thousands were coming in a soft wave within

  twenty feet of him, glowing through the middle of the tunnel. The

  force of gravity was having a very real effect on their journey as

  they lolled along in the center of the cave. They were thick as a

  cloud at the level of Edgar's feet, thinner like a light fog at his

  eyes, and--what was this? At the top. At the top!

  Edgar's mind raced with an idea that might save him. At the

  very top of the cave, in that last one or two feet, there were no

  firebugs at all. Gravity was pulling them down, and this provided

  Edgar with a chance.

  With a swarm of firebugs ten feet off, Edgar leaped into action.

  He began scaling the side of the tunnel. It was scraped and

  grooved all around, and it would have been easy to climb if it

  hadn't been for the heavy weight of his own limbs. It took all of

  his effort to climb up to where the tunnel curved at the top, to

  clench his toes into a crevice and hold on with his fingers.

  Hanging on to the ceiling of a cave was a nearly impossible

  task, even for Edgar, but it was made twice as hard by the

  constant pulling of gravity from beneath him. The cave wanted

  Edgar on the floor, not on the ceiling, and it pulled relentlessly.

  And then there was the heat. The river of fire ran slowly in a

  ribbon down the middle of the cave, five or six feet away, but it

  was still ghastly hot where Edgar held on.

  The first of the firebugs flew beneath Edgar. They, too, seemed

  to struggle to stay so high in the air. They didn't appear to have

  the ability to see or hear anything.

  As the swarm of swaying bugs moved under Edgar, his fingers

  and toes started to slide. It was quickly becoming painfully

  difficult to hang on, and he had to constantly reset his hands.

  He craned his head around in the foot of space he had and

  watched. The sea of firebugs looked like cool, misty water he

  could fall into and be refreshed, which made it the worst kind of

  temptation. If it were possible to die a thousand deaths in a

  matter of seconds, Edgar would do just that if he let go.

  The procession of glowing blue was beginning to thin and he

  could see the last of them working their way up the tunnel.

  There were new sounds coming from up there as well. Zap!

  Zap! Zap! Firebugs were being devoured amid the snapping

  sound of something big and menacing.

  There were only a few bugs left now--easy enough to dodge--so

  Edgar climbed down the side and rested his aching hands and

  forearms.

  "I wonder what's up there," said Edgar. Seeing the very last of

  the firebugs disappear, Edgar followed slowly behind. He

  climbed up and into the rising part of the tunnel and watched as

  the cloud of firebugs continued in front of him.

  When Edgar crested the top he saw that the river of fire over his

  head grew wider, closer, and unbearably hot. The whole ceiling

  of the tunnel was clear like glass and every thing behind the

  glass was molten lava.

  I shouldn't be here, thought Edgar, terrified by the power of the

  place he'd stumbled into. This is no place for people. Whatever

  this place was, though, he was certain a lot of energy was being

  created and stored.

  Directly ahead was the end of the tunnel, where a giant,

  eyeless creature was gulping down thousands of buzzing

  firebugs. It was the same as the stone-encrusted monsters he'd

  seen outside--except far larger. Its head alone was covered not

  in stones but glowing red boulders. Supercharged beams of

  white light shot from its empty eye sockets. The monster's head

  swung back and forth in a cloud of blue. It didn't seem to be

  bothered by firebugs bouncing off the sides of its molten head.

  The head was eyeless, noseless-- senseless but for the great

  rock-coated mouth that ate every thing in its path.

  Its body snaked back into the rocks. This thing and the tunnel

  were one--the thing and Atherton were one! There was no

  separating them.

  This must be the keeper Dr. Kincaid spoke about, thought

  Edgar. I don't know how to get past it. I shouldn't have come

  down here!

  The monster appeared to be drunk on firebugs as its head

  slumped forward and then sprang to life again. Edgar stood at

  the top of the main tunnel where it split like a T. The monster

  was down the left side, and on the right lay a passageway

  leading, Edgar guessed, to more trouble.

  I can't go back out, and if that thing finishes with the firebugs it'll

  come after me next. I've got no choice but to run as fast as I can

  to the right.

  The firebugs were thinning out fast when Edgar made his move.

  He made the fateful guess that this creature, like the others

  outside, was attached to Atherton like a spring. If he could move

  quickly enough he might be able to outrun it.

  The monstrous head was energized from its dreamy meal of

  glowing blue bugs. Its head lashed hard and the lights from its

  empty eye sockets locked on Edgar. Someone had entered its

  realm, and the giant stone-covered beast was not pleased. Its

  head slashed forward, firebugs and flaming boulders flying

  every which way. Parts of the monster actually broke free,

  careening toward Edgar. Orange froth sizzled and charred the

  walls black.

  The mouth of the beast opened full and wide, big enough to

  swallow ten Edgars in
one crashing bite. Out of its mouth flew

  thousands of firebugs and streams of lava. The stone jaws

  slammed shut short of Edgar, but the wave of hot air sent

  firebugs flying every where.

  As the monster careened backward on its own internal spring,

  its head smashed back and forth against the tunnel walls. The

  deafening noise of rocks crashing into each other sounded like

  the world was coming to an end. The movement created a draft

  that pulled at Edgar's shirt and dragged the firebugs back into

  the mouth of the monster.

  The beast, battered and angry, retreated into the rocks and

  disappeared from view. Edgar felt unbearably heavy and tired.

  The weight of all that had happened on his journey finally

  toppled him to the ground.

  Little did Edgar realize that he was staring down the tunnel to

  the very place Vincent and Dr. Kincaid had dreamed about.

  Edgar was closer than he knew to something he couldn't have

  imagined.

  A way back to the Dark Planet.

  CHAPTER 6A LEAP OF FAITH

  "What do you mean he's not back yet? He shouldn't even be

  gone yet!"

  "How could they do this?" Isabel went on. "It's like they tricked

  us--tricked Edgar!--so they could get what they wanted."

  "Try to stay calm," reasoned Samuel. "We don't even know for

  sure what's going on yet."

  The two of them were standing in a grove of second-year trees

  tying strings around clusters of figs along with a number of other

  adults and children who might be able to hear them. Samuel

  was trying to keep her from giving too much away.

  "How can you say that?" said Isabel, her words like a storm

  against a door that might break free at any moment. "They sent

  us away. They knew we wouldn't let him go to the edge alone,

  without support... without us there for him. It matters, Samuel.

  You know it matters to Edgar."

  Samuel couldn't deny that Edgar was doing something that

  might very well get him killed. For all his strength and skill and

  courage, he was still only twelve and without parents to protect

  him.

  "Do you think Edgar is easy to fool?" asked Samuel. "I mean,

  do you think he would let this happen if it wasn't what he really

  wanted?"

  "He wouldn't do that--not without at least telling us first."

  "I heard them talking," Samuel revealed. Isabel had agreed to

  let Samuel secretly go back to Dr. Kincaid's cave, and he'd

  arrived just as Vincent returned to the cave. He'd heard

  everything they'd said.

  "What did you hear? Tell me!" Isabel shouted.

  "Only if you keep your voice down," cautioned Samuel.

  "Everyone on the tree line is listening."

  Isabel let out a grumbling sort of sigh. "Just tell me what you

  heard," she whispered.

  Samuel didn't have the will to hide anything from her piercing

  eyes, framed with those thick black brows.

  "Vincent and Edgar went together, but Vincent returned alone. I

  crept in between the giant rocks to listen. I didn't understand at

  first because he started speaking to Dr. Kincaid about things on

  the Dark Planet. But they weren't talking, they were arguing. Dr.

  Kincaid sees things differently from Vincent."

  "How do you mean?"

  "It seemed to me that Dr. Kincaid would... I don't know... risk

  more in order to reconnect with the Dark Planet. You know how

  Vincent is always protecting everyone? Well, Dr. Kincaid

  seemed to think it was time to start protecting people on the

  Dark Planet. Vincent wasn't so sure it was worth the risk."

  Samuel was trying to hold back the truth, but his resolve was

  crumbling before Isabel's very eyes.

  "There's something you're not telling me, Samuel. Spill it or I'll

  load a fig in my sling and go see Dr. Kincaid myself. I'll make

  him tell me."

  "You wouldn't," said Samuel, knowing what a good shot Isabel

  was with her sling.

  "I would!" insisted Isabel.

  "Okay, just calm down. I just think it's a lot more complicated

  than we realize. I mean, what if we really could save a lot of

  people? How much risk is that worth? I don't think Dr. Kincaid

  wants to risk losing Edgar. I think he feels he has no other

  choice."

  "He's willing to sacrifice Edgar to reconnect, isn't he?"

  "I'm not sure it's fair to say it that way. Dr. Kincaid is trying; it's

  just not that simple."

  "Of course it's simple! We're talking about Edgar!"

  Isabel's voice had risen once more and this time one of the

  adults was walking toward them.

  "What's the matter, Isabel? Is Samuel not doing his share of the

  work?" It was Lars, a good friend of Isabel's father. The last

  thing she wanted was her parents finding out about this.

  "He's keeping up just fine," said Isabel, trying to muster a

  convincing smile. "We were just talking about my reading

  lessons--it's very hard, and I've been getting frustrated."

  This was a good lie if ever there was one. Samuel read better

  than most in the grove, because he had long been a citizen of

  the House of Power before its collapse. The formerly illiterate

  population of Atherton, including Lars, Isabel, Edgar, and all of

  the former residents of Tabletop, had struggled mightily with the

  effort to learn to read, and many eventually gave up improving

  their skills in favor of a simple life of work.

  "I know exactly how you feel," said Lars. He glanced at Samuel

  and secretly wished he could read as well as the young boy

  from the Highlands. "Reading's not for everyone."

  "Oh, I like to read," said Isabel. She wasn't willing to feign

  laziness for a second. "It's just that Samuel is trying to teach me

  some advanced reading, and it's challenging." Lars frowned,

  already turning to go.

  Samuel glanced down the row of trees and then out toward the

  blue lake. "I think we should get out of here. If we leave now

  maybe we can get to the crevice before he comes back. We

  could be waiting there for him. He'd like that."

  "Maybe he would and maybe he wouldn't."

  She decided she'd like to be there when Edgar returned so she

  could tell him how mad she was that he had gone off alone

  without telling his two closest friends.

  "Let's finish this row. When we come to the end we'll sneak

  away and find him."

  Thick veins of yellow and gold glowed soft and warm along the

  stone walls where Edgar stood. He had come to the end of the

  passageway. It was slightly wider here, but other than that, it

  had the appearance of a dead end.

  Edgar was suddenly gripped with the alarming realization of his

  own hunger and thirst. Could he die in here? The thought

  scared him, more because he was alone than anything else.

  He touched one of the walls and found it trembling ever so

  slightly. Looking back, the passageway was entirely empty.

  There was nothing but walls to touch, a floor to walk on, a

  ceiling to look at.

  "I wonder what Isabel and Samuel are doing. I bet Isabel is

  mad."
Talking to himself made Edgar feel better, less hungry

  and afraid. "She's going to kill me if I ever get out of here."

  Lifting his heavy feet with great effort, he closed the final

  distance to the wall at the back of the chamber. When he

  reached it, he touched it, he pushed against it, and then he

  kicked it.

  Nothing happened.

  This is a disaster, thought Edgar. He was really trapped this

  time. There was a gigantic monster blocking the way out that

  spewed molten rocks and firebugs. And even if by some miracle

  he could make it past, it wouldn't matter, because there were

  seven more monsters waiting for him on the outside of Atherton.

  He ran his hand over the surface of the passageway and,

  overwhelmed by a feeling of total despair, he punched the wall.

  Edgar crumpled to the ground, holding his throbbing knuckles.

  And then, in the dim yellow and gold light of the room, he spied

  a hole near the floor about twice the size of his closed fist. It had

  blended in at first, but there was no doubt of its existence now. It

  was black as night inside as he peered down the gullet of the

  hole.

  Why are there always holes? I hate holes! thought Edgar,

  shaking his hand until the pain started to go away. He was

  imagining what might happen if he reached inside. Something

  might eat his hand. Something might grab his hand. Or maybe,

  just maybe, a treasure of some kind would be hidden inside,

  like the book he'd once found on the cliffs leading to the

  Highlands.

  Edgar looked all around the room one last time for other holes.

  None. He crouched in front of the hole and imagined what might

  be inside. A minute passed. Then another. Finally, he put his

  fingers a little way inside the hole.

  The wall inside was smooth as glass, which he hadn't

  expected. It felt alive with slickness, and Edgar was sure his

  fingers would be wet when he pulled his hand back out, but

  they were not.

  He put his hand back in, a little deeper this time, and his heart

  raced at the thought of having his fingers bitten off. He took a

  series of deep breaths and tried to calm down, then he shut his

  eyes tight and reached deeper still.

  His fingers touched a handle. Surprised, he quickly pulled his

  hand away, but then he wrapped his fingers around it and

  pulled. It wouldn't move, so he tried to turn it. The handle spun

  and clicked to the right. He tried pulling on it again, and this