The Morrow Secrets (21 page)

Far below in her cave, Tallitha felt the rope tug, one‒two‒three‒four‒ five times! She closed her eyes, put her head in her hands and waited for the noise to begin.

There was a cacophony of blood curdling screams as an army of Groats landed at the top of the chimney and surrounded the hapless explorers. Ruker and Neeps never had a chance to strike back as the bright blue eyes of the Groats mesmerised their captives and dragged them back to their lair.

Tallitha heard the screaming and froze. The Groats must have captured the others. She sat in her cave waiting for the Groats to find her. They were sure to discover the rope. She could hear her friends being dragged away from the top of Sour Pits. Then all became deathly quiet. In their haste to capture the intruders and free their comrade the Groats had somehow forgotten all about Tallitha. She waited and waited, listening for any sound, clutching the rope which hung down the shaft of the chimney, hoping for a signal. Anything at all, that would let her know her friends were still alive.

*
The prisoners were taken down a series of narrow passageways and left in a cave that looked out over the shaft of the chimney. There in the corner slept Tyaas, curled up and snoring deeply. Esmerelda shook him

firmly.
‘Tyaas, Tyaas, it’s me, Essie. Wake up.’
But Tyaas moaned and turned over. Esmerelda smelled his breath and

the cup that had held the amber liquid.
‘He’s been drugged,’ she said flatly, ‘it’s a heady potion. We mustn’t
drink anything they bring us.’
The Skinks immediately began sizing up the problem, peering up and
down the chimney shaft.
‘They brought us in the back way then they barred the entrance. That
Groat told us the only way in here was by scaling the chimney wall,
which was a lie. Perhaps Tallitha’s cave is in the same shaft,’ said Neeps
optimistically.
‘Shine the lantern. Let’s try and pinpoint where we are,’ said Ruker. Esmerelda shone the lantern up and down the walls of the immense
shaft. Outside the span of the single beam of light the chimney shaft
was totally black. As the lantern moved along the rock face Benedict saw
something move.
‘There, over there! I can see the rope!’
‘I can’t see it,’ said Esmerelda.
‘Hanging by that greenish mark in the rock,’ said Ruker pointing
upwards.
Across the abyss the rope hung limply down. Then it moved like a
snake, twisting down the rock face. Esmerelda shone the beam of light
along the length of the rope until it alighted on a pair of feet. Sitting,
with her legs over the edge, sat Tallitha, twisting the rope round her
fingers. As the beam of light struck her she leapt up and began waving
madly at her friends. Now that they had found her, what were they
going to do? One thing was clear. Somehow they must climb up to her.

*
In time, Tyaas woke up.
‘Ohhh my head,’ he groaned, ‘am I glad to see you lot.’ Eventually the guards brought them food which they immediately

‘There’ll be a Groat patrol outside, so there’s no use trying to get out that way,’ whispered Neeps.
‘Seems to me we have no alternative, we must climb up to Tallitha. Then we can escape from there,’ said Ruker.
‘That’s easier said than done,’ said Esmerelda narrowing her eyes and peering into the darkness.
‘What do you think?’ asked Ruker scratching her head.
‘It’s impossible,’ said Benedict.
‘Nothing’s impossible’ said Neeps, ‘we have to be positive.’
The Skinks went into a huddle. Tyaas watched them talking animatedly to one another and making complicated hand gestures, as though they were sizing up the width of the shaft. Eventually they turned round.
‘We have a plan,’ said Ruker triumphantly.
‘Yes and it might even work!’ said Neeps, and Ruker pushed him.
Benedict groaned, ‘No, no, it won’t work. We’ll all be killed. I’m staying here.’
‘Shush, Benedict, and listen for once,’ said Tyaas.
His cousin was embarrassing.
‘Remember the rope-swings in Hanging Brows?’ said Neeps.
Benedict groaned again.
‘We have to get Tallitha to swing her rope over here. It just depends on the angle. It’s tethered securely so...’
‘No way‒you’re all mad!’ shouted Benedict.
‘Shhhh! Shut up, will you, the Groats will hear us,’ snapped Esmerelda.
‘Now just watch,’ insisted Ruker.
She flashed the lantern to attract Tallitha’s attention. Then Ruker began to mime what she wanted Tallitha to do, to swing the rope over to their cave. Tallitha stood at the edge and swung the rope out over the chasm but there was insufficient weight to reach the other side.
‘No. Show her, like this,’ said Neeps excitedly. ‘She needs to tie knots in the end, like at Hanging Trees. She has to make a rope swing.’ He began tying knots in Esmerelda’s scarf. ‘Shine the light on me so she can see.’
Tallitha copied the Skink and this time she ran to the edge of her cave, thrusting the rope out over the abyss as far as she could. They watched in silence as the rope flew across the chimney void, picking up speed, but again it fell just short of their cave. Tallitha shook her head and raised her hands in the air. Then Ruker had another idea. She gesticulated wildly to Tallitha to try once more.
‘Stand next to me and hold me steady. I’m going to reach out for the rope,’ explained Ruker. ‘Once we have it this side we can add more knots to give it weight.’
The Skink leaned out over the ledge as far as she dared. As the rope swung towards her she caught it firmly, almost slipped and was pulled to safety by the others.
‘Well done!’ said Esmerelda grabbing hold of Ruker.
‘What now?’ asked Tyaas staring out over the blackness.
‘Good question. How can we swing over there without dashing our brains out on the other side?’ asked Neeps frustratedly.
Benedict sat on the edge of the cave. ‘I have an idea,’ he said cautiously, ‘not that I’m necessarily going to try it. But you lot might be crazy enough.’
‘OK brainbox, what is it?’ asked Tyaas.
‘You could use clothes for padding, on the soles of your feet. Then when you sit on the knot, you can use your feet as brakes when you hit the wall on the other side.’
Ruker looked impressed. ‘It might work. But will you be able to do it?’
Benedict went pale. ‘I don’t know. But I’m not going first,’ he said looking sick.
It was agreed that Neeps would go first. He tied his shirt and jacket to his feet and Ruker held the rope firmly until his friend was sitting snugly on the big knot.
‘I’ll guide you to the edge to reduce the swing, then I’ll let go. Make no noise at all, not a squeak,’ she said sternly.
Neeps swung out over the abyss, gathering momentum as he moved soundlessly through the steely darkness, the air whistling past his face. With a thud he slammed into the rock face on the other side of the chimney and raised his thumb to indicate success. Lithe and brave he advanced in quick crab-like movements, deftly scaling the rock face using the rope and crevices in the wall to pull himself up to Tallitha’s cave. Then Neeps leaned out and swung the rope back to the others.
Next it was Esmerelda’s turn. Apprehensively she sat on the big knot. Ruker let go and she flew out into the stomach-churning darkness. Esmerelda’s climb to the cave was arduous. Her arms shook with the sheer effort of hauling herself up the rock face. The others watched terrified as she faltered, shining the lantern as she ascended in slow jerky movements. Eventually she made it.
‘That was dreadful. I never thought I’d make it,’ she cried, hauling her exhausted body over the ledge and falling into Tallitha’s arms.
Again the rope went flying back across the pit. This time Ruker turned to Benedict.
‘I can’t leave you until last. If Esmerelda can do it, then you can. It’s your fear you must conquer.’
Ruker handed him the rope.
‘But I hate heights,’ he wailed.
Benedict had been steeling himself. His face was ashen and his stomach was awash with fear. He wrapped his feet as Neeps had demonstrated and Ruker helped him on to the rope swing. Benedict whimpered.
‘Remember, no noise.’
Ruker let Benedict go and he swung out over the ghastly chasm.
Benedict kept his eyes tightly shut and stuck his feet out rigidly in front of him. In a matter of moments he felt the full force of the rock wall as it collided with the padding. His chaotic heart beat was erupting out of his chest in terrifying bursts. He froze, unable to open his eyes. What was he doing in this dangerous place? It had been foolish to come along in the first place. He kept his eyes screwed tightly shut.
‘Err, o-o-oh no, oh help me,’ he whined.
Tallitha whispered down to him. ‘Come on Benedict, you can do it. Pull yourself up using the handholds, just like Neeps.’
The only emotion forging through Benedict’s body was absolute churning terror. Shaking uncontrollably he reached out for the first crevice, trying to remember the basics of Tyaas’s training at Winderling Spires. But each movement was torturous as he focussed on the drop below him–to certain death and OBLIVION! He couldn’t stop the terrible shaking which made the rope wobble over the abyss. He peered helplessly at Tallitha with tears rolling down his cheeks.
‘I can’t do it,’ he cried, ‘I can’t move!’
Benedict was stuck and so they were all stuck on both sides of the chimney, just waiting to be picked off by the Groats. Whatever nerve Benedict had mustered for the flight across had now vanished. Ruker raised her lantern and signalled to Neeps. The Skink looked down the shaft at the helpless boy and braced himself. Unfortunately he knew what he must do next.
‘Damn that awkward boy,’ Ruker said under her breath, ‘he’s been nothing but trouble from the start.’
‘We should have left him behind, like I said,’ whispered Tyaas.
What if something should happen and they both fell to their deaths? Tyaas watched as Tallitha and Esmerelda held the rope and the brave Skink stepped off the edge of the world and into jaws of the dark chasm. The rope heaved as it stretched further down the shaft, pulling taut under Neeps’s added weight. Benedict put his head down, screwed up his eyes and whimpered.
‘Shut up, Benedict, please shut up,’ said Tallitha, hugging herself nervously.
It was unbearable to watch. Tallitha could see the strain on the Skink’s face as his neck muscles tightened and he manoeuvred his way down the rope. He descended the shaft crab-like, using both the wall and the rope, which he twisted round his leg. The rope strained under Neeps’s weight and jarred Benedict who moaned pathetically as each movement rocked his body.
‘If he doesn’t shut up, the Groats will be upon us,’ said Ruker staring desperately at Neeps, willing him to make it to the bottom of the rope.
But somehow the Skink’s foot slipped and in the awful confusion that followed he let go of the rope. In an agonising split-second, the others watched in terrifying slow motion as Neeps lurched towards the rock face and miraculously clung on to the wall like a spider, his fingers digging into the small crevices and his feet managing to position themselves on the chimney wall, while Benedict swayed helplessly next to him.
‘What will he do?’ cried Tallitha ‘He can’t stay like that.’
They all knew that Neeps had one chance to save himself before his arms gave way and he plummeted to his death. Desperate pairs of eyes watched as Neeps swiftly turned in one daring movement, lunged for the rope and grabbed it, swinging out over the chasm with his legs flaying madly below him.
‘Ahhhhhhhh,’ shouted Benedict as the rope lengthened and jerked over the shaft.
Ruker put her head in her hands in horror. The Groats would hear them and unless Neeps could steady the rope and control Benedict’s fears they were done for.
But the Skink had nerves of steel and arms that were adept at climbing the tallest trees. He pulled himself up the rope with deft hand-over-hand movements until he was standing with both feet squarely on the knot.
‘Give me your hand, Benedict,’ Neeps instructed as he towered over the cowering boy. ‘You’re going on my back. Grip your legs round my middle. Hold on, but don’t strangle me.’
The sweat dripped from the Skink’s face as he yanked Benedict on to his back.
‘Ahhh, I’m slipping,’ yelled Benedict as he gripped on to the Skink.
‘Shut up and hold tight or we’ll both fall,’ said Neeps desperately.
He began climbing the chimney-wall using the rope and the handholds as Esmerelda and Tallitha steadied the rope from above. His muscles bulged with sheer exertion and he made grunting noises at the back of his throat that seemed to propel him up the shaft. With a final groan the Skink hauled himself and the miserable Benedict up the last stretch of the rock, over the edge of the cave entrance and lay exhausted on the floor. Neeps pulled his trembling body to a sitting position and mopped his brow on his sleeve.
‘Th-thanks,’ stuttered Benedict and reddened.
‘You almost killed us both,’ said Neeps and stared in disbelief at the foolish boy.
Tyaas and Ruker followed in quick succession making the task look easy as they rapidly scaled the chimney. When Tyaas arrived in Tallitha’s cave he hugged his sister and she kissed him far too much for his liking.
Ruker roughly grabbed Benedict by his collar. ‘You nearly killed Neeps with your stupidity. Let this be a warning to you,’ hissed Ruker shaking with rage, ‘the next time I’ll leave you to rot, do you hear me?’ she shouted into the boy’s sullen face.
Benedict lifted his head as if to say something but changed his mind.
‘We need to find the way out,’ said Ruker turning her back on Benedict, ‘Tallitha, have you searched the cave?’ she asked, trying to compose herself.
‘There’s a boulder covering the exit,’ she said staring anew at Benedict. Perhaps she had been wrong about him after all.
They moved the boulder to reveal a small gap and Ruker was the first to crawl through. One by one they followed her into a dismal tunnel and began creeping upwards along a dark low passageway that turned back on itself like a spiral. Up and up they went until eventually they came to a huge cavern to the north-west of Sour Pit Tunnels.
‘Wow, look up there,’ said Tyaas, shining his lantern on the cavern roof which writhed and twisted like a snake.
In the light the roof shone black and silky, covered with roosting, squirming bats jostling for position, their rodent-like faces peering down at the unwelcome visitors.
‘There are thousands of bats,’ exclaimed Tallitha.
‘That must mean we’re near the surface,’ said Neeps.
‘We must press on before the Groats notice we’ve escaped. Once at Raven’s Stones we’re outside their territory, they won’t follow us there,’ said Ruker.
‘Let’s get out of here!’ cried Esmerelda, peering up at the writhing black roof. ‘They seem really agitated.’
As if the creatures had overheard Esmerelda they began to swoop, darting towards the visitors. Esmerelda covered her head and began to scream.
‘Stop shouting, you’re scaring them,’ said Benedict.
Suddenly the whole bat colony took flight and the cave became a mass of black-winged creatures flapping in their faces. Esmerelda froze as the bats swooped around her and she screamed and screamed. Ruker grabbed Esmerelda and dragged her from the midst of the whooshing creatures but it was too late, she had made too much noise.
Far below, near the prison entrance, a Groat warder stirred and looked up from licking his spongy grey suckers. He shouted irritably to his companion and they ambled over to the cave. It was empty. The Groat scratched his head and looked out over the void. Then the Groat picked up the battle horn and blew it loudly three times. Now every Groat within hearing distance would be stampeding up the tunnels or scaling the walls ready to do battle.
Ruker heard the horn from deep within the caves. Now they were being hunted. They must reach the Ravens’ Stones before the Groats caught them. On and on they raced through the dripping darkness.
‘We have to rest,’ pleaded Tallitha, ‘I’m so thirsty and my feet are aching.’
Esmerelda stumbled behind her, tired and weak with hunger.
‘If we stop they’ll catch us,’ said Ruker.
So they crawled, through dripping caves, slipping and sliding on the wet, slimy surfaces. Eventually, when sufficient distance had been put between them and the Groats, Ruker began to look for a place to rest.
‘Here behind these rocks,’ she said.
They fell to the floor with exhaustion and Benedict began foraging for the little food they had left. ‘I have some biscuits, what about you?’
Esmerelda had potions but nothing else, Ruker had some soda bread, Tallitha some dried fruit and Tyaas had two stale buns. They put the food in the middle and looked at it despondently.
‘What are we going to do? Our remaining bags have been taken by the Groats. We have some water and this paltry amount of food. We’re done for,’ murmured Tallitha.
‘It’s my fault,’ said Esmerelda, ‘I’m sorry I panicked, but the bats...’
‘Stop it all of you. It’s no one’s fault,’ said Ruker trying to rally their spirits. ‘We’ll feel better once we’ve rested. Neeps and I will take it in turns to sleep, come on let’s use our bodies for warmth.’
They nestled together behind the rocks, falling asleep within minutes. Neeps was on first watch. Perhaps it was the strain of the climb with Benedict but eventually his eyelids became heavy with sleep. He woke himself up with a start but within seconds his head sank to his chest again... perhaps he would just shut his eyes for twenty winks...