you must run that way,” he said pointing toward one end of the dark tunnel, “and remember my words.”
They extinguished the light then, and I sat isolated in the darkness, my little heart hammering, listening for a threat I didn’t understand. I shivered and tried to hold in the whimper that wanted to escape.
Roulf’s son, who had already helped me once in his life, sat beside me and wrapped an arm around me.
He whispered, “When you need to feel safe, remember this.” He gave my arms a gentle squeeze, much like my father might have if I’d woken with a bad dream. I leaned into him trying not to sniffle.
He remained beside me for two days, holding me in the darkness for hours, keeping me safe with his father not far from us. I slept and didn’t complain about hunger when I woke. Roulf’s words and their cautious silence impressed upon me the need to stay hidden.
In the dark, I lost concept of day and night, but they never did. Baen, as I heard his father call him, whispered to me occasionally, telling me when a night animal entered the cave.
When I felt Baen suddenly shift into his wolf form, I knew we had been found.
Roulf pulled me to my feet, spun me to the left, and nudged me forward. I didn’t say anything. I knew what he wanted me to do. Sticking my hands out, I groped through the darkness, wanting to run but only managing a slow stumble.
“I am proud to call you son, Baen,” Roulf said.
The words struck a deeper fear in me than Baen’s abrupt shifting had. I tried moving faster. After his words, nothing but silence rang behind me.
Ahead, the distant roar, which had kept us company during our stay, grew gradually louder. Still, I stumbled forward. The thunderous rumble deafened me. The walls of the cave vibrated beneath my hands. Before me, a dim light glowed, a tiny bit of sight in the nothingness. I hurried toward it. The air grew damp. Running now, heart hammering with a mixture of fear—instilled by Roulf—and excitement for the light, I ignored the pain in my feet as I kept slipping on the sharp wet rock.
When I reached a churning wall of light, I stopped in confusion, not understanding what I saw. Mist coated my eyelashes, and I blinked away the droplets. The way Roulf told me to go was blocked. I cautiously reached out. Water tore at my small hand, pulling me forward and down. Before it pulled me too far, I tugged my bruised hand back and stared at the rushing water. I couldn’t leave this way. Turning, I looked into the darkness behind me. Could I go back to Roulf and Baen?
Something glinted in the black tunnel as I considered going back. Two somethings that slowly grew larger. Eyes. Belonging to a dog. I felt a surge of hope until the dog shifted, and I saw it was neither Roulf nor Baen. Blood coated this man, and my heart ached for my would-be friends. The man stretched an arm forward and motioned for me to come to him.
My little heart hammered as I remembered Roulf’s words, “You cannot let them take you.” My tears mixed with the mist as I stepped into the falls.
I screamed myself awake and heard someone pounding on the door. Pulling myself off the mattress, I quickly checked the peephole. A member of the hotel staff, along with a police officer, stood outside. I debated not answering the door but ended up pulling it open despite my reservations.
After explaining about a bad dream and letting the officer into my room, the hotel very politely asked me to leave as I had disturbed too many of their guests. Just as politely, I asked for a refund since I hadn’t even slept an hour.
* * * *
Duffle once again on my shoulder, I walked away from the hotel feeling the eyes of the police officer on my back. At least the hotel had refunded my money. I stopped a passerby and asked for directions to the nearest bus stop determined to keep heading west.
Still feeling exhausted, I climbed
They extinguished the light then, and I sat isolated in the darkness, my little heart hammering, listening for a threat I didn’t understand. I shivered and tried to hold in the whimper that wanted to escape.
Roulf’s son, who had already helped me once in his life, sat beside me and wrapped an arm around me.
He whispered, “When you need to feel safe, remember this.” He gave my arms a gentle squeeze, much like my father might have if I’d woken with a bad dream. I leaned into him trying not to sniffle.
He remained beside me for two days, holding me in the darkness for hours, keeping me safe with his father not far from us. I slept and didn’t complain about hunger when I woke. Roulf’s words and their cautious silence impressed upon me the need to stay hidden.
In the dark, I lost concept of day and night, but they never did. Baen, as I heard his father call him, whispered to me occasionally, telling me when a night animal entered the cave.
When I felt Baen suddenly shift into his wolf form, I knew we had been found.
Roulf pulled me to my feet, spun me to the left, and nudged me forward. I didn’t say anything. I knew what he wanted me to do. Sticking my hands out, I groped through the darkness, wanting to run but only managing a slow stumble.
“I am proud to call you son, Baen,” Roulf said.
The words struck a deeper fear in me than Baen’s abrupt shifting had. I tried moving faster. After his words, nothing but silence rang behind me.
Ahead, the distant roar, which had kept us company during our stay, grew gradually louder. Still, I stumbled forward. The thunderous rumble deafened me. The walls of the cave vibrated beneath my hands. Before me, a dim light glowed, a tiny bit of sight in the nothingness. I hurried toward it. The air grew damp. Running now, heart hammering with a mixture of fear—instilled by Roulf—and excitement for the light, I ignored the pain in my feet as I kept slipping on the sharp wet rock.
When I reached a churning wall of light, I stopped in confusion, not understanding what I saw. Mist coated my eyelashes, and I blinked away the droplets. The way Roulf told me to go was blocked. I cautiously reached out. Water tore at my small hand, pulling me forward and down. Before it pulled me too far, I tugged my bruised hand back and stared at the rushing water. I couldn’t leave this way. Turning, I looked into the darkness behind me. Could I go back to Roulf and Baen?
Something glinted in the black tunnel as I considered going back. Two somethings that slowly grew larger. Eyes. Belonging to a dog. I felt a surge of hope until the dog shifted, and I saw it was neither Roulf nor Baen. Blood coated this man, and my heart ached for my would-be friends. The man stretched an arm forward and motioned for me to come to him.
My little heart hammered as I remembered Roulf’s words, “You cannot let them take you.” My tears mixed with the mist as I stepped into the falls.
I screamed myself awake and heard someone pounding on the door. Pulling myself off the mattress, I quickly checked the peephole. A member of the hotel staff, along with a police officer, stood outside. I debated not answering the door but ended up pulling it open despite my reservations.
After explaining about a bad dream and letting the officer into my room, the hotel very politely asked me to leave as I had disturbed too many of their guests. Just as politely, I asked for a refund since I hadn’t even slept an hour.
* * * *
Duffle once again on my shoulder, I walked away from the hotel feeling the eyes of the police officer on my back. At least the hotel had refunded my money. I stopped a passerby and asked for directions to the nearest bus stop determined to keep heading west.
Still feeling exhausted, I climbed
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