Chapter 9
The light dimmed and a chill swept along the ground and up their legs. Elanora breathed lightly. Ashden inched forward, hand against wall. In front of them and strewn all around, were the savaged remains of soulings. Their furry skins ripped apart. Thick wads of innards, forced out of limbs, collected in clumps on the floor. The sweet smelling souling blood pooled like syrup; blood that had generated in their changing bodies. But worst were their heads. Torn and lifeless. Eyes round in fear, staring blankly at merciless enemies. Threads bared and stitches pulled. Four faces lay peeled and empty in the fading light of the tunnel.
A moan escaped Ashden’s white lips. Anger flared in his eyes but when he finally turned to Elanora, there was only fear.
“Who did this?” she asked.
He shook his head. Words stuck on his tongue.
“It’s okay, I can help,” said Elanora gently. She took the bag that still sagged over his shoulder and began putting the souling remains into it. “Maybe we could bury them. Is that what you do here?”
Ashden stayed quiet and helped, keeping a watchful eye ahead. When the remnants were collected he leant in close and spoke in a strained voice.
“That thing I haven’t told you? This is it.”
Elanora nodded.
“I didn’t think there was anything to worry about as long as I was careful, but there’s been a change since I was here last. There’s danger. I’m sorry,” he shook his head again. “You’ll be okay, but let’s get out of this place before we talk.” He looked hastily into the darkening tunnel and took her cold hand in his. “Stay close.”
They walked back towards the light but, like a rainbow, the closer they approached, the further it moved illusively ahead. Behind them the darkness deepened and an unwavering note sounded like a war cry in the distance.
“There are other creatures down here,” he explained urgently. “They look like animals, like your average family pet. They come and go in the distance and I rarely ever see them, but there are other ones, darker ones.”
A shudder ran on icy feet up every vertebra in her spine. “Do you think it was them who killed the soulings?”
Ashden nodded. “Years ago when I first came, I ran into two of them. I know they hate soulings.”
“How did your arm really get that cut?” her voice wavered.
Ashden’s cry interrupted any reply, “Run!” he yelled and half dragged her away from the growls and scratching behind them. They darted through tunnels making new turns that had Elanora bewildered.
From a passage ahead the air crackled, scattering light in their direction. A high pitched chorus of yapping and screeching followed and a scruffy brown dog and ginger cat bore down on them, fangs exposed, coats bristling. Ashden dived out of their way toppling Elanora to the ground.
The animals continued at full pelt into the darkness, swallowed up out of sight but not of hearing. Blistering shrieks filled the tunnels as the combatants met. Claws, nails and teeth, bit, slashed and swiped.
Ashden drew Elanora to him.
“They looked like Ginger and Scrufkin,” she said.
“They did,” he admitted, lifting his chin from its protective place over her head.
“Come on, we’ve got to move.”
“We can’t leave them!” she said grabbing his shirt.
“Why else would they be here except to protect you from some threat they know about,” he half shouted. “They’re your animals! Come on!” He dragged her again. Lightweight as she was he had a hard time getting her to follow. The yowls in the darkness stilled. The shadows remained but didn’t increase.
“Why don’t you fight them?” she asked as he pulled her into the light.
“I don’t fight.” Ashden replied through gritted teeth. “You think I should have come down here with guns and knives? You don’t know anything about it.” His eyes flashed and his cheeks reddened. He turned away and rotated on the spot with his hands on his hips, exhaling loudly. “If I fight I get killed. Who looks after my mother then?” Elanora saw the muscles tense in his neck.
“See this?” He pointed at the fading scar on his arm. “One of those dark animals did this because I touched its shadow. That’s what happened last time I was here. And that was my fault. I touched the shadow. I hadn’t even seen a shadow down here for years. But now they’re back. And they’re dangerous.”
A muffled whimper sounded behind them.
“We’ve got to go,” he said.
“Wait!” she pleaded and ran back despite his protest. Not far behind limped Scrufkin on blood streaked legs. When he saw Elanora he wagged his tail.
“Hey boy, come here. It’s okay. Whatever are you doing here? Oh you’re so brave. Are you hurt? Oh yes you are, you poor thing.” She stroked him as he licked her face. “Where’s Ginger, Scruff? Is Ginger okay?”
Scrufkin stopped squirming , his ears drooped.
“Let’s go back and get him!” she cried and started running again. Ashden grabbed her school shirt and Scrufkin barked furiously, blocking her way. The earnestness in his face brought her to a halt and tears burnt the back of her eyes. She picked him up and buried her nose in his fur.
“We’ve got to get you out of here. I don’t think it’d be a good idea for them to know someone who can make soulings like you can is wandering around the tunnels. I don’t know what I was thinking, bringing you here.”
She stood in the passageway skinny and small. Her red hair escaping the plait, framed her face like a flimsy mane.
“Come on, we’re leaving,” he said.
Elanora planted both feet defiantly on the ground. “Not until you tell me everything.”
Ashden wiped his brow and scanned the shadows. Briefly he met her eyes. “I need to keep you safe,” he said.
Her heart stirred and her look softened but she remained steadfast.
“Okay, but I’ll only tell you if you keep moving.”
Elanora took a step forward as down payment for the facts. Ashden took her arm and pressed on, Scrufkin in the crook of the other arm.
“Back when I first came through the gateway and started wandering around, two of them attacked me. There was so much fur that I couldn’t make out what sort of beast was pinning me down. He asked me how many soulings I’d made. Only he called them replicas.”
“They talk?”
He nodded. “I told him only one. I remember the first one bawling out, ‘the liar, the traitor’. I thought I was dead. The other one, some sort of wild cat, took the souling I was carrying and ripped it to shreds. ‘Stay out of the shadows,’ they said. Then they left. I decided to do just that.”
“I can’t believe that you came back here after such a scare,” Elanora said.
Ashden repositioned his hold on her arm. It was gentle. “This place draws you in. I would’ve thought I’d stay away too, but I came out filled with purpose. I couldn’t stay away. And there were the soulings to consider. But I stayed to these main areas, the ones I’ve shown you. Until now they’ve been safe. But it seems the beasts aren’t happy keeping to their own part of the tunnels, they’re taking over ours. We’re going to have to move all the soulings back to my house till it’s safe,” he finished, sliding his hand down her arm to find her hand.
“That’s a lot not to have told me,” she said.
Scrufkin stiffened in Elanora’s arm and issued a warning growl. He licked her chin, imploring her to hurry. Ashden and Elanora ran, the bestial growls growing louder as the gap between them and the darkness grew smaller. He tossed the bag of torn soulings from his shoulders into the corner.
“Hurry! Here!” he shouted and pushed Elanora so that they both sprawled into the gateway. Impulsively, Elanora scrambled out to catch Scrufkin who had leapt from her arms a second before they fell.
“I won’t leave him!”
The passageway smudged over and merged into the morning sun dappling through fig leaves. Scrufkin was gone and the fearsome sounds silenced. Elanora too was g
one and Ashden sat between the fig tree roots…alone.
Oscar heard a set of footsteps pound the asphalt and braved a look around the trunk that had kept him hidden. Where was Banksy Baby going so fast? Who had he been talking to a second ago? Probably just one of his stupid toys, but he wasn’t so sure. He sauntered from his hiding place, hands in pockets feeling a growing confidence now that he remembered he wasn’t the worst off in the whole school. Ashden Jaybanks owned that title. And with pleasure, Oscar plotted his next attack.
Adrenaline coursed through Ashden’s veins on his dash home. Where was she? Why hadn’t she reappeared straight after him? Surely if she had entered the gateway after him there wouldn’t be too much of a time lag. Why did she have to run off after a pet? Who knew what the implications were now? The fact she hadn’t reappeared was a very bad sign. There was a real chance he would never see her again, especially not if the beasts got to her before he did. And her spirit! To part from that...
“Did you forget your lunch, Ash?” his mother asked dreamily as she sat overlooking the front garden.
“Yes!” he yelled, catapulting into his room to grab Eskatoria. He thundered out, the screen door slamming in his wake. His mother watched serenely as he flew by. A scruffy dog limped down the street after him. She saw him pick it up, release it in a panic and part ways at full speed.
Ashden’s mother picked up the little donkey beside her and rotated it several times, her eyebrows almost coming together from the effort of a thought. Maybe it was time for another coat of paint.