Shimmer by Matthew Keith
Chapter 17
Alex laid on the cold stone floor, trying to fall asleep but failing miserably. His eyes stung as if they were full of sand, his mind heavy with jumbled thoughts. How long had it been since Winston left? He had no idea, he’d lost track of time.
What was it that had made Winston leave so abruptly? Somehow, Alex had offended the big man, but why? All Alex wanted was to bring his dad home safe. He wasn’t looking to hurt any of these people and he certainly wasn’t looking to save them. The problems and history of Domus weren’t his to solve. It didn’t matter to him how they’d gotten here, even if it had been because of some long-lost relative. It wasn’t his fault and he shouldn’t be made to feel as if it were.
“Hey!” he shouted half-heartedly, knowing he wouldn’t get any answer. He’d already tried yelling to the guards. They either had very strict orders to ignore him or they couldn’t hear him through the thick, stone walls. Whichever it was, he was stuck. There was no way he could move that big stone door out of the way, not by himself. And even if somehow he could, what then? Run for the tunnels again? Not a chance.
There had to be a way out of this. What did they plan to do? Keep him locked up for the rest of his life? He gasped, abruptly realizing that the rest of life might not be very long. What if what he’d said to Winston had been the proverbial nail in his coffin?
Alex sat up, squinting through the small holes in the ceiling, into the heights of the cavern above. They were just air holes, a couple inches wide, if that. All he could see was a small section of rock and fungus on the cavern’s ceiling, nothing more.
He fingered the mechanism for the laser on his wrist. Would that work? The holes were small, but if he understood correctly how the suit worked, the size of the opening shouldn’t matter. When he teleported, he traveled in the laser. His body was broken down into tiny atoms, propelled to their destination by the light traveling in the laser beam. If that was right, he should have no problem riding the beam out through the holes.
But then what? When he reappeared, he’d be in mid-air, maybe even right at the cavern’s rooftop. He’d be as good as dead unless he was fast enough to find a spot, aim the beam, teleport himself somewhere safe before going splat on the cavern floor, all the while falling through the air.
Alex shook his head. How ridiculous could he be? He wasn’t a superhero.
He was so self-absorbed that when the door began grinding open he nearly yelped aloud, the sound deafening after such a prolonged silence.
At first no one entered, but then slowly, timidly, Sarah stepped into view with another bowl of food cupped in her small hands. She stopped three steps up from the floor, glancing down toward his wrist and back up to his face.
Alex tried to smile, but it must have looked more like a grimace because it made Sarah flinch. Shocked, he realized she was shaking from head to toe. She was terrified.
“Hey,” he said blandly, trying to sound as benign as possible. “It’s okay. I’m not going to hurt—”
Sarah quickly bent down and placed the food on the step, the bowl clattering as she released it from her quivering hands. Without a word or backward glance, she spun and raced for the safety of the door.
Dumbfounded, Alex waited as the door ground its way closed again. Sarah was afraid of him? Why? Because he was the descendant of some long-lost monster who happened to be the reason they lived like trogs in the darkest recesses of the earth?
Alex sighed. His stomach growled, reminding him that the last thing he’d eaten had been the fish chunks she had brought before. He stepped over and scooped up the bowl, sighing disappointedly when he saw it was more of the same. He blew out a resigned puff of air and scooped a piece the cold fish into his mouth, chewing and thinking about what their giving him food really meant for his situation. Of course they wouldn’t keep him locked up forever.
Domus, as far as he could tell, wasn’t a big place and it seemed to be the only place these people felt any measure of safety. It wasn’t likely they were rich in resources. They all dressed the same, and this second meal was exactly the same as the first. He’d be a draw on their resources if they kept him locked up like this, feeding him every day. If he didn’t contribute in some way, there would be no reason to keep him alive.
Would they kill him just to save food? Tabitha and Sarah seemed nice, but what about the rest of the community? Even though he had only spent a short time with him, Alex was certain Winston would always do what was best for his people, even if it meant killing someone else.
Alex snorted at his own naivety. Who was he kidding? Especially if it meant killing someone else to do it! Their whole existence was based around keeping those vampire things from getting to the surface. They lived in this cavern for the sole purpose of hunting down and killing those who’d been transformed by the Core.
Alex tossed the bowl to the side, letting the raw fish spill onto the floor. He couldn’t stay here! They couldn’t just keep him locked up!
“Hey!” he yelled. “Hey!”
When the door began to grind open, Alex’s heart stopped. He hadn’t actually expected anyone to answer! He backed against the wall farthest from the door, curling his fingers up and around the laser pointer, and was surprised to feel a measure of happiness when he saw that it was Tabitha entering the room.
His relief was short-lived, however, when he saw the stormy expression on her face. She strode up to him, already spouting angrily before she was halfway across the room.
“What did you say to my sister?” she demanded. “What did you do?” She got up close, her face mere inches from his own, eyes blazing. “I don’t care if you’re the second coming of Croatoan or just the poor little lost boy you claim to be—you will never intimidate my sister in such a manner again!” She stuck out a finger, jabbing him in the chest to accentuate her last words. “Do. You. Understand. Me?”
In spite of her aggressive tone and fierce body language, all Alex could focus on was how near she was to him. Her brilliant green eyes were deep pools of jade he could easily lose himself in. He could feel her breath coming in small, angry puffs and, despite how clearly upset she was he couldn’t stop himself from zeroing in on her lips.
They stayed like that, Tabitha with her demanding gaze and Alex feeling confused, intimidated, and strangely—almost embarrassingly—attracted to her.
Finally, Tabitha asked, “Are you going to answer me?” Her voice softened and was much less emphatic, quieter. She didn’t back away, but her posture was less combative. Alex wasn’t sure, but to him it seemed like maybe she was staying where she was because she wanted to.
“I didn’t mean to scare her,” Alex replied honestly. “The only thing I said was that I wasn’t going to hurt her, that’s all. I swear.”
Tabitha looked down at the floor, blinking rapidly and suddenly seeming shy. When she looked back up she gave a start, as if she’d just realized how close they were to each other. Her cheeks turned a brilliant shade of crimson and she stepped back.
“She’s all I have left,” Tabitha told him. “My mother and father both… they’re gone.”
It seemed like she might say more, but she didn’t. “I’m sorry,” Alex said simply. “My Mom is gone too. And maybe my Dad. I truly did not mean to scare Sarah.”
Tabitha let out a tired sigh and glanced once over her shoulder, toward the door and the guards they both knew were there. She stood straighter and gathered herself.
“Winston sent me,” she spoke formally, once again in complete control of herself. “He has shared your proposal with the people and it is agreed that what you possess is worth the risk of going to war with Rasmus.”
Alex gave a start. They were going to help him get his dad back? “That’s… that’s fantastic!” he shouted, smiling in spite of himself. For the first time since arriving in Domus he felt a shred of hope beginning to creep in. “When?” he asked. “When are you going to attack?”
Tabitha gave him a level stare, the smallest hint of a smirk curving u
p the edges of her lips. “We,” she clarified. “You will be accompanying us.”
The image of the zombie-like men who had attacked the Core guard in the Antechamber flashed through his mind. They’d been fast and vicious, and they were only thralls. He could only imagine the savagery of a full Nocuous. And the men that had been there—the Core guard—they’d been so efficient, so brutal in the way they retaliated against the thralls. Surely they didn’t believe Alex could hold his own against creatures like that?
“You want me to fight?” Alex objected. “I’m no fighter, I don’t know how. I’ve seen those things! I’d be dead in a second!”
“And that,” Tabitha answered in a tone that allowed no rebuke, “is the reason I am here.” She lifted her head proudly. “I am to be your mentor. You will learn our ways, and the ways of the Nocuous, so that you may fight by our side when the day comes for our attack.”
Alex sputtered, trying to object, but she continued on as if she were oblivious to his panicked denial.
“You will live here, in this shelter.” Tabitha cocked her head to one side, a quick movement. “We begin immediately.”
Alex laid on the cold stone floor, trying to fall asleep but failing miserably. His eyes stung as if they were full of sand, his mind heavy with jumbled thoughts. How long had it been since Winston left? He had no idea, he’d lost track of time.
What was it that had made Winston leave so abruptly? Somehow, Alex had offended the big man, but why? All Alex wanted was to bring his dad home safe. He wasn’t looking to hurt any of these people and he certainly wasn’t looking to save them. The problems and history of Domus weren’t his to solve. It didn’t matter to him how they’d gotten here, even if it had been because of some long-lost relative. It wasn’t his fault and he shouldn’t be made to feel as if it were.
“Hey!” he shouted half-heartedly, knowing he wouldn’t get any answer. He’d already tried yelling to the guards. They either had very strict orders to ignore him or they couldn’t hear him through the thick, stone walls. Whichever it was, he was stuck. There was no way he could move that big stone door out of the way, not by himself. And even if somehow he could, what then? Run for the tunnels again? Not a chance.
There had to be a way out of this. What did they plan to do? Keep him locked up for the rest of his life? He gasped, abruptly realizing that the rest of life might not be very long. What if what he’d said to Winston had been the proverbial nail in his coffin?
Alex sat up, squinting through the small holes in the ceiling, into the heights of the cavern above. They were just air holes, a couple inches wide, if that. All he could see was a small section of rock and fungus on the cavern’s ceiling, nothing more.
He fingered the mechanism for the laser on his wrist. Would that work? The holes were small, but if he understood correctly how the suit worked, the size of the opening shouldn’t matter. When he teleported, he traveled in the laser. His body was broken down into tiny atoms, propelled to their destination by the light traveling in the laser beam. If that was right, he should have no problem riding the beam out through the holes.
But then what? When he reappeared, he’d be in mid-air, maybe even right at the cavern’s rooftop. He’d be as good as dead unless he was fast enough to find a spot, aim the beam, teleport himself somewhere safe before going splat on the cavern floor, all the while falling through the air.
Alex shook his head. How ridiculous could he be? He wasn’t a superhero.
He was so self-absorbed that when the door began grinding open he nearly yelped aloud, the sound deafening after such a prolonged silence.
At first no one entered, but then slowly, timidly, Sarah stepped into view with another bowl of food cupped in her small hands. She stopped three steps up from the floor, glancing down toward his wrist and back up to his face.
Alex tried to smile, but it must have looked more like a grimace because it made Sarah flinch. Shocked, he realized she was shaking from head to toe. She was terrified.
“Hey,” he said blandly, trying to sound as benign as possible. “It’s okay. I’m not going to hurt—”
Sarah quickly bent down and placed the food on the step, the bowl clattering as she released it from her quivering hands. Without a word or backward glance, she spun and raced for the safety of the door.
Dumbfounded, Alex waited as the door ground its way closed again. Sarah was afraid of him? Why? Because he was the descendant of some long-lost monster who happened to be the reason they lived like trogs in the darkest recesses of the earth?
Alex sighed. His stomach growled, reminding him that the last thing he’d eaten had been the fish chunks she had brought before. He stepped over and scooped up the bowl, sighing disappointedly when he saw it was more of the same. He blew out a resigned puff of air and scooped a piece the cold fish into his mouth, chewing and thinking about what their giving him food really meant for his situation. Of course they wouldn’t keep him locked up forever.
Domus, as far as he could tell, wasn’t a big place and it seemed to be the only place these people felt any measure of safety. It wasn’t likely they were rich in resources. They all dressed the same, and this second meal was exactly the same as the first. He’d be a draw on their resources if they kept him locked up like this, feeding him every day. If he didn’t contribute in some way, there would be no reason to keep him alive.
Would they kill him just to save food? Tabitha and Sarah seemed nice, but what about the rest of the community? Even though he had only spent a short time with him, Alex was certain Winston would always do what was best for his people, even if it meant killing someone else.
Alex snorted at his own naivety. Who was he kidding? Especially if it meant killing someone else to do it! Their whole existence was based around keeping those vampire things from getting to the surface. They lived in this cavern for the sole purpose of hunting down and killing those who’d been transformed by the Core.
Alex tossed the bowl to the side, letting the raw fish spill onto the floor. He couldn’t stay here! They couldn’t just keep him locked up!
“Hey!” he yelled. “Hey!”
When the door began to grind open, Alex’s heart stopped. He hadn’t actually expected anyone to answer! He backed against the wall farthest from the door, curling his fingers up and around the laser pointer, and was surprised to feel a measure of happiness when he saw that it was Tabitha entering the room.
His relief was short-lived, however, when he saw the stormy expression on her face. She strode up to him, already spouting angrily before she was halfway across the room.
“What did you say to my sister?” she demanded. “What did you do?” She got up close, her face mere inches from his own, eyes blazing. “I don’t care if you’re the second coming of Croatoan or just the poor little lost boy you claim to be—you will never intimidate my sister in such a manner again!” She stuck out a finger, jabbing him in the chest to accentuate her last words. “Do. You. Understand. Me?”
In spite of her aggressive tone and fierce body language, all Alex could focus on was how near she was to him. Her brilliant green eyes were deep pools of jade he could easily lose himself in. He could feel her breath coming in small, angry puffs and, despite how clearly upset she was he couldn’t stop himself from zeroing in on her lips.
They stayed like that, Tabitha with her demanding gaze and Alex feeling confused, intimidated, and strangely—almost embarrassingly—attracted to her.
Finally, Tabitha asked, “Are you going to answer me?” Her voice softened and was much less emphatic, quieter. She didn’t back away, but her posture was less combative. Alex wasn’t sure, but to him it seemed like maybe she was staying where she was because she wanted to.
“I didn’t mean to scare her,” Alex replied honestly. “The only thing I said was that I wasn’t going to hurt her, that’s all. I swear.”
Tabitha looked down at the floor, blinking rapidly and suddenly seeming shy. When she looked back up she gave a start, as if she’d just realized how close they were to each other. Her cheeks turned a brilliant shade of crimson and she stepped back.
“She’s all I have left,” Tabitha told him. “My mother and father both… they’re gone.”
It seemed like she might say more, but she didn’t. “I’m sorry,” Alex said simply. “My Mom is gone too. And maybe my Dad. I truly did not mean to scare Sarah.”
Tabitha let out a tired sigh and glanced once over her shoulder, toward the door and the guards they both knew were there. She stood straighter and gathered herself.
“Winston sent me,” she spoke formally, once again in complete control of herself. “He has shared your proposal with the people and it is agreed that what you possess is worth the risk of going to war with Rasmus.”
Alex gave a start. They were going to help him get his dad back? “That’s… that’s fantastic!” he shouted, smiling in spite of himself. For the first time since arriving in Domus he felt a shred of hope beginning to creep in. “When?” he asked. “When are you going to attack?”
Tabitha gave him a level stare, the smallest hint of a smirk curving u
The image of the zombie-like men who had attacked the Core guard in the Antechamber flashed through his mind. They’d been fast and vicious, and they were only thralls. He could only imagine the savagery of a full Nocuous. And the men that had been there—the Core guard—they’d been so efficient, so brutal in the way they retaliated against the thralls. Surely they didn’t believe Alex could hold his own against creatures like that?
“You want me to fight?” Alex objected. “I’m no fighter, I don’t know how. I’ve seen those things! I’d be dead in a second!”
“And that,” Tabitha answered in a tone that allowed no rebuke, “is the reason I am here.” She lifted her head proudly. “I am to be your mentor. You will learn our ways, and the ways of the Nocuous, so that you may fight by our side when the day comes for our attack.”
Alex sputtered, trying to object, but she continued on as if she were oblivious to his panicked denial.
“You will live here, in this shelter.” Tabitha cocked her head to one side, a quick movement. “We begin immediately.”