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“Just in case,” she persisted, “if I don’t make it, please tell Aidan I love him, too. And tell him I’m sorry…”—she sniffled—“I’m sorry I couldn’t stay out of trouble.”
“No,” Caryn snapped. “I won’t. Because you’re going to tell him yourself.”
Ignoring that, Onnika made her voice strong with authority, the way she did when her mind was made up. “When I tell you to go, I want you to run for that opening. Don’t look back. Don’t stop. Do you understand me?”
“Onnika…don’t.”
“You’ll only get one chance. If you don’t do as I say, we both die. No hesitation. Tell me you understand.”
“I…I understand.”
But Onnika had a plan—a stupid plan, sure, but a plan nonetheless, and there weren’t a whole lot of other options at the moment. And at the center of this plan, at its very core, was Caryn’s survival; it didn’t exactly include her owndemise, per se, she just wasn’t sure she could prevent it. All she knew was if Caryn died and she lived, she’d spend the rest of her life wishing it had been the other way around. And now she truly understood Aidan’s pain over the loss of his family. She hated that she might soon cause him more pain. More loss. But there was nothing she could do about it now except fight for her life and the life of her sister…and hope.
Leaping from stalactite to stalactite with delicacy and caution, Onnika took up her position, tightly wrapped around a particularly sturdy-looking protrusion from the ceiling. Her entire body was coated with red, grainy dust; she drew it into her lungs, felt it settle into her scalp and under her fingernails. It mixed with the blood on her arm, turning her wound black and muddy.
Mister Ugly followed her movements with unnerving, chiming, clicking sounds that signaled its growing excitement, sidling along the wall in hopes of finding a more favorable spot with which to snatch her from with those gruesomely long, claw-tipped legs. She was just far enough out of reach, but only just. They were nearly at eye level with one another—if indeed the creaturehadeyes—and she could see the glossy saliva on its pincers.
Focusing on the stalactite to her left, she took in a dusty breath, then swiped her leg out to kick it just above its center point. Both she and the stalactite shuddered from the impact. Bracing herself, she kicked it again, over and over, until she felt the stalactite begin to give under the force of each strike. Then, finally, a small crack opened up where the stalactite connected with the ceiling.
“Now,Caryn! Go, go, go!”
Without hesitation, Caryn dropped down and made a mad dash for Mister Ugly’s burrow, instantly drawing the insect creature’s attention. Ignoring Onnika to go after the easier meal, it dropped down from its perch, landing deftly on all six legs, and skittered across the cavern floor toward Caryn.
With all her might, Onnika repeatedly kicked at the stalactite as hard as she could. The crack widened, but only a fraction…it wasn’t as ready to fall as she’d assumed. Dear gods, the creature was closing the distance between its hungry pincers and Caryn. Would she be forced to watch it devour her sister? A few more seconds and the creature would be clear of her intended strike zone!
Fueled by a desperate determination, she dug her fingers into the mineral formation, holding on with all her strength, then kicked at the other stalactite with both feet. A sharp snapping sound rang out, like a hundred twigs breaking in half all at once. Dust exploded from the crack, raining down on her. The trembling vibrations quaked through her bones, spreading to the formation that kept her aloft, and suddenly it felt not-so-sturdy. A volley of ominouscracksricocheted through the room. She looked up just in time to see a fissure slice through the stalactite she clung to, and thenwhoosh!Both stalactites were falling, her along with them.
She was probably only weightless for mere seconds, but to her, it could have been a lifetime. Caryn was still racing toward the hole, sand kicking up in her wake. The creature lunged for her, going airborne, its pincers opening, ready to tear flesh from bone.
A soul-deep wail of despair tore through her lungs and accosted the cavern walls, bouncing back at her and intensifying.
I’ve failed…
I’ve failed…
I’ve failed…
The words lashed her like a punishment. Caryn would die here and now. Then she would die soon after, eaten alive by some nameless monster in front of the eyes of billions of spectators.It’s a better death than I deserve.
And then she hit the ground, her head bouncing painfully off the hard rocky surface. Nausea churned alongside dizziness. Before she could recover, part of a fallen stalactite toppled over her abdomen, forcing the breath from her lungs. Dazed, yet frantic, she pushed against the crumbling chunks of mineral deposit, shimmying her body in an attempt to free herself, while listening for the dreadful sounds of the creature feasting.
She didn’t hear anything.
Perhaps the fall had disturbed her eardrums. If so, maybe it would be a blessing not to hear the evidence of her life-ending mistake. Soon the creature would come for her, and she’d never hear anything again.
But it didn’t come, even though it took her several more moments to get out from under the stony debris. When she finally did, she scooted back and got to her feet, ready for anything. A thick layer of dust wafted through the room, covering everything to her waist. She couldn’t see the creature. She couldn’t see Caryn. Was it below that murky surface, savoring its catch? She shuddered.
Slowly, the dust began to settle, and she spotted a single black, furry leg angled upward…twitching. By degrees, the rest of the creature was revealed, crumpled and broken, a stalactite sticking straight through its back and nailing it to the floor.
A wide grin split her lips.I did it!
She called for Caryn, but Caryn was nowhere in sight.She must have made it to the tunnel.When the creature twitched again, Onnika decided it would be wise to follow…and quickly.
