After they were all on the same page, Geth walked over and woke up Clover. He shook the little sycophant as he slept on top of Edgar. Clover woke up mumbling.
“I know, and I shaved just yesterday,” Clover said with his eyes still closed. “More like a four o’clock shadow, wouldn’t you say?”
“Wake up,” Geth said firmly. “Clover.”
Clover’s blue eyes flashed open. He looked at Geth as if he were a confusing illusion. He rubbed his eyes with his fists and breathed in deeply. Clover yawned and blinked a few times while looking around. Edgar and Zale were still sleeping, but Geth was standing there surrounded by a cluster of strange women.
“Really?” Clover said, disgusted. “I go to sleep for a few minutes and wake up to find you with a bunch of new girlfriends?”
“Girlfriends,” four of the girls giggled, liking the sound of what Clover had said.
“I’m worried that Phoebe might not be okay with this,” Clover added.
“Who’s Phoebe?” one of the girls demanded of Geth. “What was all that girlfriend talk?”
“That’s not important,” Geth said seriously. “We need to get moving.”
“Not important?” Clover tisked. “Poor Phoebe.”
“Just get up,” Geth said, not giving Clover’s comments a second thought. “These girls are going to help. Wake up, Zale.”
Geth lightly kicked Zale’s left shoulder as he lay on the ground in a deep sleep. Zale complained for a few moments and then sat up. Edgar, on the other hand, wouldn’t wake up. Geth and Jill tried to shake him awake, but the big Tangle just wouldn’t move.
“He was pretty tired,” Clover said. “Try pinching him.”
Jill pinched Geth.
“Not him,” Clover scolded. “Edgar.”
“Of course,” Jill said, blushing. “Actually, I’m not pinching that thing.”
“Wait a second,” Clover said, reaching into the void on his robe. “I think I have something that might help.”
Clover fished around in his void for a few seconds and then pulled out the broken arm of a Barbie.
“That’s not it,” Clover said, smiling.
Everyone stared at him and the dismembered Barbie arm.
“What?” Clover said defensively. “I found this near Leven’s old home. It makes a perfect back scratcher.” Clover reached back with the plastic arm and scratched his own back. “See?”
Clover put the arm back into his void and continued to rummage around. He pulled out an old cassette tape of Hanukkah songs, a used toothbrush in the shape of a pencil, two packs of crackers, a dead butterfly, a Chinese takeout menu, and a deflated balloon.
“What are you looking for?” Geth asked.
“Remember when we were in Foo,” Clover said, “and I had to help Leven hide our ride with that vapor stick?”
Geth shook his head.
“Oh, yeah, you wouldn’t remember,” Clover said, hitting his forehead with the back of his left palm. “You were there, but you weren’t there. That was the time I had put you in my void.”
Geth shivered at the memory.
“Anyhoo,” Clover said, still rummaging. “I think a vapor stick could help now. I just need to find . . . here it is.” Clover pulled out a short, dark stick. “All I need to do is—”
“No!” Geth yelled.
“What?” Clover asked.
“I might have been in your void, but I remember Leven complaining for weeks about the smell that thing made,” Geth said, agitated.
“Leven has a really sensitive nose,” Clover waved. “But I was there, and I don’t recall it being that bad.”
“I think we’ve had enough smell with those nobleberries,” Geth said, referring to the melons they had cracked open in their prisons. “Let’s not have—”
Before Geth could say any more, Clover broke the stick and waved it beneath Edgar’s nose. Edgar just lay there, but as the smell began to drip from the stick, the poor beast flinched. Edgar’s huge, silvery eyes popped open, and a look of complete panic flashed across them. Edgar reeled his head back and scrambled up onto his feet as the crops nearest him began to wither from the odor.
The smell drifted up to Clover.
The small hairs on Clover’s nose curled and began to melt. The little sycophant tried to act like it was no big deal, but he couldn’t even breathe for fear of his nostrils exploding.
The smell hit Geth and the rest of them like a wave. Nicole passed out with a little wave good-bye as Jill and the others began running.
“Fo . . . ll . . . ow me,” Jill choked out.
“What have you done?” Geth yelled, the smell filling his mouth as he spoke. “That’s worse than the berries.”
“I didn’t . . .” Clover began to sway under the influence of the smell.
“I can taste it,” Geth said frantically.
Edgar and Zale took off after Jill as Clover leapt up toward Geth’s right shoulder. The smell was paralyzing. Clover passed out mid jump. He fell to the ground in a small, fuzzy heap. Geth had his nose plugged with one hand and reached down for Clover with his other, as more and more stalks of witt withered and bent over in repugnant defeat.
Geth spat and coughed violently as he ran after the others.
Crops were dropping like thin corpses as the smell radiated like a slow-moving explosion from the spot where Clover had dropped the stick. Geth could feel heat and stench pushing up on the back of his neck as he ran. He kept his nose plugged and held Clover by the ankles.
Edgar held Zale in his arms and was ripping through the field at a terrific pace with Jill and the other girls right behind him. It took a good mile of distance for the smell to no longer be a problem. They stopped momentarily to catch their breath and spit the taste out of their mouths.
“I’ve never smelled anything like that,” Jill said, repulsed.
Edgar growled.
“Where’d that sycophant get that?” Zale complained.
“Foo,” Geth said.
“That’s how Foo smells?” Jill asked with concern.
“No,” Geth replied, trying to gently shake Clover back into consciousness.
Clover mumbled and opened his eyes slowly. He looked at Geth and the others and shook his head while pounding on his right ear with his right palm. Clover licked his lips and winced.
“What happened?” he said, smacking his lips. “And what’s that taste?”
“You happened,” Geth said, trying to spit the taste out of his own mouth. “A vapor stick? Where did you get that?”
“Oh yeah,” Clover said, remembering what he had done. “The Eggmen had some rotten candy. They didn’t want it to go to waste, so they made those sticks.”
“What use does that have?” Zale asked, disgusted.
“Smell can be a great motivator,” Clover said as he pulled his nostrils open and blew out.
“No more vapor sticks, Clover,” Geth insisted.
“Right,” Clover insisted back.
Geth turned to Jill, who was standing there with only three other women.
“Where are the rest?” Geth asked.
“The smell sort of changed their minds,” Jill said. “They felt stinky was worse than bored.”
Clover looked at Geth and tilted his head as if studying his friend’s face.
“Wait a second,” Clover said curiously. “Are you getting frustrated?”
“No,” Geth lied. “Let’s keep going.”
“Come with me,” Jill said kindly.
Jill held out her right hand and Geth took it. She smiled wide as the other three woman steamed in jealously. Jill pulled Geth through the field with purpose. The airplane pilot reached out for Zale’s hand. Zale looked at her and grimaced.
“I can walk myself,” he insisted.
Clover jumped up on Edg
ar’s head, and everyone filed down the thick row of witt, following after Geth and Jill. Edgar and Clover took up the rear. Edgar’s large shoulders and body pushed the stalks aside like a heavy comb parting grassy hair. Clover looked down at Edgar and smiled.
“I wish you could talk,” he said, patting Edgar.
“I wish you’d stop talking,” Zale butted in.
Clover disappeared and they all hiked on.
Chapter Thirteen
Daylight Fading
Wisdom is a tricky trait. There are so many these days who profess to be wise when they are no more intelligent than most tree bark. Knowing how to coupon doesn’t make you a genius, it makes you a spendthrift who can operate scissors. Knowing how to type doesn’t make you brilliant, it makes you a type A-through-Z personality. Likewise, knowing how to Sudoku doesn’t make you intellectually superior, it simply means that you not only think in the box but you think in the little boxes. Wisdom comes from living and learning. I know how to speak to an eagle because I spent two weeks high on a mountain tied to a tree and having to learn to live with a nest full of hungry raptors. I can speak seven languages because I have been kidnapped and retrained by seven very different nationalities. And I am wise beyond my years because I once had to boil and eat an entire set of encyclopedias to survive while being held captive by a librarian.
There are very few words that I have not literally devoured.
Geth followed closely behind Jill. It had taken a couple of miles for him to finally shake his hand free from hers as she pulled him. At first Geth had tried to be kind about it, but eventually it was necessary for him to stop and yank back as hard as he could. The moment his mitt was free, one of the women behind him tried to reach out for it. Geth clasped both his hands in front of him to keep them away.
“Let’s just walk,” Geth insisted. “I think I’ll be okay without holding someone’s hand.”
The woman sighed in disappointment. Jill tried to make a case for how she would feel more comfortable if Geth at least held onto her elbow as they walked, but then Geth made a case for how that would never happen.
“We could carry you,” one of the athletic women marching behind Geth offered.
“Yes,” the female pilot said. “Let’s carry him.”
“No carrying,” Geth insisted.
Their party moved through thick fields. Hidden by the growth, they had no fear of being spotted by any boors. But, hidden by the growth, their world began to feel claustrophobic and depressing. And as darkness came on, their journey felt so heavy it was hard to keep walking.
The fields eventually came to an end at a small dirt road near the base of a tall mountain range. Once they had stopped moving, the air was silent.
“So where is this Lars from here?” Geth whispered.
“Not far,” Jill whispered back. “You and I could go look for him alone.”
“I thought you didn’t know where he was,” Geth reminded her.
“I don’t,” Jill admitted. “I just thought we could go looking. You’ll need a Stone Holder now.”
Jill walked out of the crops and onto the dirt road. She held a glow stone in her palm and opened and closed her fingers to make the stone blink. Seconds later there were lights flashing back at her in the distance. Jill opened and closed her hand some more and the lights began to move closer.
The distant lights grew brighter and brighter until they were two soft blue lights standing directly in front of them. Inside of those glowing spheres were two Stone Holders. One was a cowboy; the other was dressed like a soccer player.
“Howdy, Jill,” the cowboy said, obviously familiar with her. “What brings you to our neck of the woods?”
Clover grumbled, bothered by the folksy talk.
“These men need help, Nick,” she said. “This is Geth; the one back there with the uneven beard is Zale. They’re lithens.”
“Well, I’ll be,” Nick whistled. “I ain’t seen the likes of you in our parts before.”
“Seriously?” Clover complained. “Does he have to talk like that?”
“Hello,” Geth said, ignoring Clover. “We need to speak to someone named Lars.”
“I am Diego,” the soccer player said proudly, kicking his feet as he said it. “Lars does not speak to just anyone.”
“Well, if you’ll take us, we can find out if he’ll speak to me,” Geth said.
Nick and Diego whispered to each other for a few moments. Nick finally turned around.
“How do we know you’re not boors?” Nick asked. “You know, a wolf in sheep’s clothing.”
“We’re not boors,” Geth said sternly. “It’s dark and we’re moving. Aside from that, you’ll have to take our word for it.”
“A man’s word is good enough for me,” Nick insisted. “Besides, you’ve got a real trusting face.”
“Doesn’t he?” Jill said dreamily.
“What’s the little and big creature?” Diego asked. “Their faces are not so trusting.”
“This is Clover,” Geth answered. “He’s a sycophant from Foo. The big guy’s Edgar. He’s a Tangle.”
“There’s talk of a Tangle beyond the wall that guards Pencilbottom Castle,” Nick said suspiciously. “I’ve not heard of the beast being anywhere else.”
“Well,” Clover said proudly, “this is that same Tangle. Edgar. We saved him from Payt.”
Nick whistled a long whistle of approval.
Nick and Diego looked at each other. Nick shrugged and Diego did some fancy soccer steps with his feet.
“I believe Lars will insist on seeing you,” Diego said. “And you should have no problem with the air.”
“Diego’s right,” Nick said. “So we’ll take you, but the critters stay here.”
“You shouldn’t call women critters,” Clover said indignantly. “Wait, is he talking about me?”
“They’ll stay here,” Geth agreed, ignoring Clover. “There isn’t time to waste.”
“Way to defend my honor,” Clover complained.
“Let’s go,” Geth said, impatient to leave.
“The women needn’t come as well,” Nick said. “Lars doesn’t exactly trust the fairer sex. Sorry, Jill.”
“His loss,” Jill said flirtatiously. “We’ll be waiting, Geth.”
Jill tried to lean in and give Geth a kiss good-bye, but she wasn’t quick enough before the Stone Holders led Geth and Zale into the dark.
The four women slipped between the stalks and disappeared. Clover tried to act sad and neglected, but the truth was that both he and Edgar were pretty excited about the opportunity to sleep some more.
“What say you lie down and I sleep on your back?” Clover asked Edgar.
Having a snout made it difficult to smile, but somehow Edgar managed.
Clover lay on Edgar’s back. He fidgeted for a few moments and then got back up.
“I just remembered that I have a quick errand to run,” Clover said. “I’ll be right back.”
Edgar was too asleep to respond.
Chapter Fourteen
Hope Is Like the Wind
Being separated from those you love or feel safe around can be scary. I can remember my thirteenth birthday when I lost my entire family. I found them a few hours later when I got home from school, but still those few hours we were separated were frightening. Nobody enjoys having to part ways with those they depend on. There aren’t many greeting cards that celebrate the magic of being abandoned.
“Congratulations, you’ve been left by the wayside.”
Nope, card companies, like most of us, have figured out that having to be separated is something not to celebrate but to commiserate.
Geth and Clover were separated at the moment, and although Geth wasn’t wishing he had a card to celebrate it with, he was doing just fine. Of course, he was a lithen, and separation wa
s simply another moment in fate’s master plan.
Nick and Diego were fast walkers. The speed suited Geth. Zale, on the other hand, would have preferred a slightly more casual stroll.
“Come on,” Geth challenged his brother.
“I haven’t walked this much in years,” Zale complained. “I am conditioned to sit.”
“We’ll change that,” Geth said proudly. “Come on.”
The Stone Holders led them into a thin tunnel that sloped upward. Candles were hanging on the walls, making it unnecessary to use glow stones any longer.
“This realm baffles me,” Geth said to Zale as they walked. “So much work has been put into hiding. What could have been accomplished if you had led these people to put their efforts toward crushing Payt?”
“Don’t lecture me,” Zale insisted. “I have coped how I could.”
“We weren’t raised to use the word cope,” Geth reminded Zale. “We were born to surpass.”
“I like how you talk,” Nick said, turning his head to join the conversation as they walked. “I don’t think I was dreamt up to hide in a cave. Some little pardner named Nick dreamt me up to be something bigger than he is. I bet that kid ain’t hiding in a cave.”
“Wow,” Geth said with surprise. “You’re the first person I’ve heard talk some sense here.”
“He is a fool,” Diego pointed out. “Everyone knows that Nick is touched in the head. But we like him. He makes us feel better about ourselves.”
“What he’s saying isn’t foolish,” Geth scolded. “You’re the creations of someone wanting more. Maybe fate is wise to cut you off from them and leave you here. It seems as if you’re all content to be just what you are and nothing else.”
“Yes,” Diego said. “Now you talk the sense.”
“No,” Nick snapped. “You don’t get it. He’s reminding us that we should be more.”