The Scourge (A.G. Henley) - By A.G. Henley Page 0,92
dirt dribbles down my nose.
Up now. You’ve found your coat of feathers.
“Feathers?”
They were buried, but you found them. Put them on and fly away.
"Don't know how to fly."
Fennel. Get up. It’s Kai’s voice now. That’s odd.
“Go away,” I whisper to the ghosts in my head.
Gladly, if that’s what you want. Kai sounds impatient.
“So thirsty,” I mumble.
I hear something slide down the side of the pit. It lands next to my head with a sloshing sound. My fingers close over a sack. Water. I fumble with the tie and choke down a few sips. Then I gulp down several long pulls.
You’re going to make yourself sick, the Kai-ghost says.
I ignore her, and drain half the sack. A minute later half of it comes back up.
Told you, the ghost says with no hint of compassion in her voice.
I frown. This doesn’t sound like a hallucination, this sounds like Kai in the ever-unfriendly flesh.
“Kai?” I whisper. “Is that really you?”
“Who did you think?”
I shake my head, trying to clear it as the water works its magic. “How did you know I was here?”
“I didn’t. I saw the sick ones. Thought I’d see what was so interesting.” But she sounds like she doesn’t find me, or my predicament, interesting at all.
“What are you doing here?” I take a few more cautious sips.
Her voice drops to a mutter. “Peree went crazy after you left. Wouldn’t wait until Nerang told him it was okay to go. I caught him sneaking away, and told him I’d bring him back. Now his leg’s pretty bad again.”
I have to work to hide my relief and excitement that he’s back. I don’t think it will help Kai’s mood, or my chances of getting out of here. A Groundling or Lofty would have run from the Scourge, not have come closer. It was total luck that Kai found me. If she leaves, I’ll die here.
“Can you help me get out?” I ask.
The sick one is pacing and almost growling, clearly more agitated since Kai arrived. At least my head is clearing a little, and my thirst could be described as outrageous instead of atrocious now.
I don’t hear anything from above. “Kai?”
She couldn’t have left.
Could she?
A magpie screeches in the trees. I wait, holding my breath. Finally I hear rustling, followed by a thump in the space next to me. I reach down to find a coil of rope. I exhale gratefully.
“Tie it around you,” she orders.
“What about the runa?” I ask.
“It won’t bother you.” She scoffs as if it’s a ridiculous idea. Next time I'd like to see her stuck in a tiny hole with one.
I don’t know how she’s going to get me out of here. She doesn’t sound very tall or big. She tugs and pulls, and eventually I dangle in the air. The rope bites into my armpits as I rise one excruciating finger-length at a time. The sick one below me moans, and the ones above murmur in response. I hope they don’t pick this moment to attack. I keep the knife poised just in case.
When my head finally clears the top of the hole, I grab onto the lip and scramble out. Kai pants somewhere ahead of me. I stand when I’m able to, pocket the knife, and limp over to her. The sick ones shuffle out of my way.
I find her arm to help her up. “Thank yo–”
She shakes me off. “Untie that rope, I need it back.”
I try to focus on my appreciation for her help instead of more murderous thoughts as I step out of the loop. “What about the sick one down there?”
“What about it?” She gathers the rope and stuffs it in her pack.
“Should we help it out of the hole?”
“It can take care of itself. They aren’t completely helpless—like some people.”
I bristle. “Then why didn’t it before?”
“Probably waiting to see if you were going to die. It looked hungry.”
“Great,” I mutter. I drink a bit more water. It tastes unbelievably good. “So, what now?”
She takes off into the woods.
My mouth drops open. “Hey, wait! Where are you going?"
“Home to Koolkuna.”
"Where’s Peree?” I call, a little frantically.
“In the trees.”
“And which direction is that?” I hiss. I hate having to ask her for directions.
I hear her footsteps stop. “I thought you lived here too.”
That’s it. “Kai," I yell, "I didn’t fall in that hole, I was pushed. So I’m a little disoriented right now. Would you please point out the way?”
She stomps over to me, takes one of my hands, and points