Escape from Harrizel (15 page)

“Tell me about them,” I request, sitting on
my bed and tucking my arms around my knees, “
please
.”

“Which?”

“Either. Both,” I shrug, hoping she’ll just
tell me everything she knows.

“Well, can’t say much about the
Rogues—Reid’ll kill me. But the
Snatchings
…”

“Yeah?”

She looks to me, her heavy eyes filled with
fear. “They’re happening more than you think.”

“When?”

“
All
the time,” she exhales, the
weight of her words in her tone, “sometimes at Rebuilding, but
mostly during Leisure Time. Sometimes the common hours.”

“How?” I tuck my knees closer to my
chest.

“Clients mostly. Every once in a while a
Kiss,” she shrugs, “no one’s really sure. We find out after they go
missing.”

“So, just so I understand… the Dofinikes
take anyone who tries to escape?”

Pratt nods.

“And the Kings also ‘Snatch’ people?”

Again, Pratt nods.

“Why?”

“Who knows? But they’re doing it for the
Dofinikes—I can tell you that much. And the Rogues are trying to
stop it…” Pratt’s face turns down, a solemn expression suggesting
personal involvement. She needs a new topic.

“And you guys gather every night?” I ask,
even though she’s told me this countless times.

“Yup.”

“And you’re sure he won’t let me come with
you? To help bring food back? It’ll be like I’m paying off my
own.”

“No. He says he doesn’t want you to come,”
she cringes at the sound of her words, spinning for the door.
“Anyway, I got to go. I’ll tell him you say thanks.”

Once she’s gone, I glance at the collection
of fruit on the dispenser. I’ve been well-fed for a couple of days
but I still don’t understand. If I’m forbidden to gather with them
at night, why even bother supplying me at all? Is it to buy my
silence or to keep me from going out there alone?

And why has Reid been avoiding me, yet sends
Pratt to bring me mention of his name every night? Or is that just
her
doing? There are too many things to sort out, but with
the pace this is going, I’ll never know. Launching myself back onto
the pile of rags, I give way, losing myself to the slumber that my
ticking brain so desperately needs.

***

Got to keep busy.

Keep busy or Tetlak will drift by.

He’s been known to do that. Stalk those who
seem less than enthused at a day of Rebuilding. Take a break for
more than ten minutes and he’s in your face, grunting and signaling
to the job. He won’t speak English, although I’m told to believe he
does, but instead, gestures to the trenches, Gollop or Transport
with his wooden staff.

He won’t physically force you, but looming
over eight feet, with that weapon in hand and, to be honest, that
crazed look in his eye—like he’s looking for an excuse to do it—no
one wants to tempt him. You can see it. The way he challenges you.
He wants to do more than intimidate. He wants to make an example of
someone. He’s
aching
for it. He just needs that one strike
of rebellion. And no one wants to be it.

It’s a good day though. Tetlak’s not really
patrolling my end of the trench so I relax a little on the digging.
I toss the Senz into the bucket and climb out, my shoulders
loosening from their monotonous overuse. With a studying scan, I
understand why everyone here is in the shape they’re in. All tight,
muscular bodies. But with the way the nights heat up, you’d think
there’d be a dozen pregnant bellies.

But I haven’t seen a single one.

If the Dofinikes are so eager for us to
reproduce , where are all the pregnancies? And what about the
babies? And the toddlers and kids? Why doesn’t—

Something flutters past.

Black wings and flapping furiously, it’s
gone. It was here but then disappeared, appearing solely to vanish
a moment later. It was just a bug, most likely. Another strange
creature of Harrizel wildlife venturing beyond the lush, damp
jungle.

That’s all.

Heading for the Water Pole, I pass the
Gollops on my right. Reid’s busy lifting and lowering the giant
silver dome, Blondie and his two friends manning the other three
corners of the Gollop with him. Blondie gestures to his partner.
The two focus back on Reid, waiting for an answer but he seems lost
in thought. Suddenly Blondie glances my way—
directly
my
way—and pauses.

My heart skips a beat.

He cracks an amused smile and continues
talking. A second later, Reid looks up, his eyes flying to mine.
It’s the first time he’s actually acknowledged me since the other
night and the stare sets me ablaze.

“Excuse me,” Erglioff’s thunderous voice
booms overhead. The Gollops stop vibrating and the clup-clup of the
digging halts as we all look up, toward the black stone walls of
the Castle, where the voice projects. “I’m sure there’s a more
civilized way to do this but as the news is already circulating, I
believe you’re owed the truth. For over a week, we worked
diligently, doing all we could to save her but… sadly, it was not
enough. I’m sorry to inform you that one of your own—Hinson—has
passed on.”

Whispers erupt all around, quick words
exchanged in low tones.

“An unfortunate discovery in what had
started as mere curiosity and a serious case of poor judgment,”
Ergiloff continues, “we thought we could help, if not save her, but
in the end, the toxic berry juice stopped her heart and there was
nothing to be done.” His voice grows stronger now, with a tinge of
threat. “Do
not
venture away. It is dangerous outside this
gate, and in the jungle, it is
deadly
. Stay at the
Castle—you’re safe here with us. And remember what’s most important
for the human race.”

We all watch, standing silent and still,
waiting for whatever is supposed to happen next. This is the first
time they’ve admitted to any sort of human casualty, at least since
I’ve been here. People go missing all the time and there’s no
mention of that. Still, it’s the first time any attention has been
brought to losing one of our own. How are we to respond as a
species trying to rebuild itself?

Ergiloff answers with a simple reminder.
“You may carry on with the Rebuilding.”

Is that it, then? With Tetlak scanning the
lines for rebellion, I continue forward, hating myself for being so
willingly obedient. First it’s Hinson, but who will be next? Raj?
Pratt? How many more will come running out of the Castle, screaming
for help? I’ve already decided not to abandon them. I made it to
the jungle and returned. And now—
right
now—I feel like
pushing back. This is their inch, their way of testing us and up
until now, no one’s countered. No one’s pushed back.

Someone’s got to be the first.

I remind myself that I’m not doing anything
wrong. It’s logical. I just want to grieve a friend’s death in
peace. Surely that’s a cross-cultural thing—can they stop me for
it? With my heart pounding, I reset my course and head for the
Castle.

People notice immediately. They stop working
and watch as I head for the Castle, out and in the obvious open. I
hear a shift of movement behind me as a chorus of whispers erupts.
I’m the first to leave the digging lines without being dismissed.
It’s only a matter of seconds before Tetlak launches himself at me,
waving his staff like a caveman and gesturing me back to my place.
But what will he do if I don’t go? They just announced the death of
the member of a dying species. Is he bold enough to kill another? I
don’t have time to wonder.

A giant force flashes ahead. It knocks me
off balance for only a minute but I steady myself, registering what
I expected. Tetlak, confusion and disbelief bubbling in his yellow
reptilian eyes, points his staff in the usual direction of the
trenches.

Here’s where it gets tricky.

Normally, when Tetlak finally acknowledges
you, he’ll gesture toward the lines, expecting his presence to be
the final warning and at this point, everyone submits and returns.
No one has ever attempted to reason or argue or refuse—no one has
even tried. But this is the first time they’ve admitted a human
death.

He continues motioning toward the lines as I
follow his stare, glancing over my shoulder at the awed eyes of the
flabbergasted behind me. They all want to know the same thing—will
I be the first to try something new? Or will I just be another
curious soul, looking to test my own limits and fears? Tetlak
snarls in a warning pitch and I look back, his yellow eyes
narrowing to slits as steam pours through his whiskers.

“I’m going to collect some of Hinson’s
things,” I keep my feet planted. “I want to give her a burial.”

Tetlak studies me, contemplating his next
move. When he finally responds, I can make out only one word.
“No.”

“We were close—I’d like to gather some of
her things.”

Tetlak leans in, but with the digging
stopped, the Gollop silenced and not a person daring to breathe—let
alone, speak—whatever Tetlak says will be carried along the wind,
new gossip to spread with Hinson’s death. He lowers his head to
mine and I fumble back at the movement, stepping on someone’s foot.
Reid’s behind me, glaring up at the towering Dofinike.

Where’d he come from?

“Not this one.”

“Explain it to her then,” Tetlak warns,
looking to me with those reptilian eyes. “Get back to work.”

Sandwiched between the two demanding forces,
I’m not sure what’s happening. But Reid slips his hand in mine,
pulling me back before I can say anything else. “We have to
go.”

I don’t want to leave. I want to stay,
fight
if I have to, but something in his words begs me to
trust him. We need to go right now. Or else. We retreat slowly, as
if moving too quickly might ignite some explosion, and then, after
much distance, turn completely around and head for the trenches.
Reid leads me like a child as I try to review the last few moments
in my head. Have I failed? Or just lived to see another day?
Whatever it is, it’s not how I planned it and for some reason, I
feel as if I’ve let everyone down.

Trying to encourage the fledgling guilt
rising from the pit of my stomach, I’m distracted by the slightest
flicker of Reid’s fingers against mine. Not even a flicker, really.
More of a slight brush. It only lasts a second before his hand
falls numb again, dragging mine like a handle.

When I expect us to part—him heading back to
the Gollops and me to the trenches—he surprises me by leading us to
the trough’s right flank, back to where I’d been working. He
descends the ladder first and heads for the exact spot I’d been.
The guys working there abandon it upon seeing Reid, but he doesn’t
notice. He simply selects the Senz from the half filled bucket and
begins to dig. I assume the station next to him, mirroring his
action.

“You really must be suicidal,” he whispers,
focused on the wall.

“I had to
try
.”

“Glad you got it out of your system?”

“It’s not out of my system.”

“Man,” he shakes his head, half laughing,
“you have no idea how close you just came to being dead. That’s
twice now I’ve saved your ass.”

“Twice? When was the first time?”

He leans in, lowering his words. “Uh—does
the other night ring a bell?”

I think of us out in the jungle, of him
securing me as Tetlak and the others dragged Hinson past. Raj and I
were already hidden, but if he wants to take credit for that too,
whatever
.

“So why don’t you stop then?”

“It’d be easy,” he inches closer, tossing
gibb into the bucket between us, “if you didn’t act so rashly.”

“Hey!” I turn to him, “I came back and I
didn’t have to! I’m not going to sit by and let—”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa…” Reid lowers his hands,
motioning for silence. He glances around before focusing on me
again, “just saying… think before you make these decisions. That’s
all.”

“I
was
thinking. I was thinking I
don’t plan on staying here forever. And I’m not waiting for someone
else when I can do it just as easy. I’m not thinking rashly. I’m
thinking
strategically
. Long term,” I shift between his
eyes, “I’m thinking revolt.”

His mouth perks into an adorable grin that
sets an unexpected fire inside me. His expression blossoms into a
full-blown smile and I have to force myself to look away. He faces
the wall too and we both resume digging. A long, silent minute
passes.

“So…” he clears his throat, “what do you
think about the Rublies?”

The question catches me so off guard that I
falter. “I—yes they’re…” I gulp, trying to calm myself, “the
Rublies are delicious. Thank you for all the food by the way.”

He nods, still focused on the wall.

“But you really don’t have to.”

“Sure I do,” he sneaks a peek at me with
another melting grin. “What kind of bastard would I be if I didn’t
keep you fed?”

Before I’m able to respond, a young boy—the
same one constantly keeping at Reid’s heel—saunters up, his wavy
black locks shaking as he walks. He joins Reid’s other side and
scratches his long, sharp nose with the edge of his Senz.

Reid glances over, slowing at the sight of
his new neighbor. If he’s surprised, he doesn’t show it, but simply
watches as the boy blinks three times, pauses, and blinks twice
more. Reid nods and the boy retreats. Before he goes, he casts me
an acute glance. Just long enough to get the information he needs.
He’s gone as quickly as he arrived and Reid’s turning back to me
with a bit of a frown, trying to decide his next move.

“Look,” he removes his Senz and tosses them
in the bucket, “try not to get yourself killed, alright?
Strategizing is one thing but challenging Tetlak,” he backs up with
a head shake, “instant death.” His eyes scan me one last time as he
heads for the ladder. “See you.”