Read Online Helix and the Arrival by Damean Posner - Free Book Online

specifically said the high woods, and I plan to keep them to their word.
    Saleeka leads the way, bounding forward as if she’s invincible. I follow close behind Ug. Once or twice I step on his heels and he turns around and glares at me.
    After a while, I realise that the woods are starting to become less rocky and more woody. The land is changing its skin from the grey of stone to the green andbrown of trees and shrubs. I look about me. The path has thinned out to the point of disappearing – we’re not on the Down Path anymore – and we’re walking on a soft blanket of hill moss. Looking behind me, I can see the slope of the woods heading back uphill to Rockfall. At least, I think I can – the land slopes and falls much less predictably than it did at the start of our walk. The mountain cliffs have disappeared from view. They’re hidden by the treetops that rustle and whisper in the wind as if they’re keeping a secret.
    â€˜Wait. Wait! Wait! ’ I say. ‘Just stop.’
    Saleeka and Ug stop and look at each other as if they’re confused at my protests.
    â€˜I don’t like this. We’re moving too quickly. It’s as if you’re trying to take me somewhere I don’t want to go.’
    â€˜Helix, there’s nothing to be worried about,’ says Saleeka.
    â€˜Where has the Down Path gone?’ I demand.
    â€˜A caveman should not need a path to navigate through the woods,’ says Ug, resting his heavy club on the ground.
    I look upwards, searching for the sky between the trees. A claw-gripped fork-tongued vulture passes in front of the sun. The vulture squawks as if to say, ‘I can see you, Helix. You look even smaller than normal down there in the woods. Small and tasty …’
    â€˜Helix, are you coming?’ asks Saleeka, as she starts walking again. ‘There’s no point venturing into the woods if you’re only going to tramp around thehighest parts. Anything worth hunting is further down the mountain.’
    â€˜ Now the truth comes out,’ I say. ‘You were never just going to take me to the high woods. There was always another plan.’
    Ug and Saleeka look at each other. ‘We are doing this for you, Helix,’ says Ug. ‘It is to help you pass your Arrival.’
    â€˜Think of it like this,’ says Saleeka. ‘We’ll walk a bit further – not too far – until we get to some proper woods where the beasts lurk. It’ll be perfect hunting practice for you. There are plenty of small- and medium-sized creatures in those parts – hill hogs, forest goats, tree cats – and none of them is too hard to stalk and kill. Helix, this is your chance.’
    â€˜All right,’ I say. ‘How much further do we need to go?’
    â€˜We are close to the middle woods,’ says Ug. ‘Once we are there, we can start looking for game.’
    I say nothing and turn my mind away from thinking about the act of killing another creature. My logical self tells me it’s all for the best and will help me to become a caveman. The other part of me says that I can’t throw a spear and have never caught anything bigger than a rock gerbil (which I released).
    The further we walk, the thicker the woods become. The land has flattened out now and it’s hard to say in which direction Rockfall lies. The woods have become shady and dark, and very few sunrays are finding gaps in the treetops. I can still spot the sky from time to time, but only in small glimpses. It’s as if I’m in acave – a different sort of cave, with tree trunks for walls and leaves for a ceiling.
    â€˜We will rest ahead at Cave’s End,’ says Ug.
    â€˜Where?’ I say.
    â€˜Don’t tell me you haven’t heard of Cave’s End,’ says Saleeka.
    She can tell by the blank look on my face that I haven’t.
    â€˜Why would he have? He has never been there before,’ says Ug