Shadow Cave (22 page)

“
Ready?
”

“
Yes.
Let
’
s go.
”

We reached the edge of the forest twenty minutes later.
Sephora stopped in front of a line of trees that stretched as far as I could see.
The border?
It must be
, I thought.

“
The rainforest is through here.
”

“
Through the trees you mean?
”

“
Yes.
”

“
How far is it?
”

“
Not far at all.
Just cross through the trees
,
”
Sephora assured me.

“
You
’
re not coming?
”

“
No, Claire.
I am sorry
,
but it is too dangerous
—
both to leave the forest unguarded and to walk the rainforest.
”

I felt a chill at her words.

“
Where are you going, then?
”
I was stalling and I knew it.

“
Our camp is west of here.
”

“
Alright
.
”
I squared my shoulders and stuck my hand out to shake hers.
“
Thank you.
”

“
Step lightly, my friend.
”

I swallowed but could not seem to speak.

Sephora gave me a small push.
“
Go now.
Find your family.
”

They were gone by the time I turned around.
I stood in front of the line of tall trees and felt small and very alone.
It was getting dark, too, I noticed.
Somewhere in the distance, an owl hooted.

“
Just do it.
”
I ordered myself.
I darted through the trees before I could change my mind.

***

The rainforest was literally on the other side of the tree border.
I pushed a branch out of my way and crossed the threshold into the rainforest before I knew what was happening.
But suddenly, there I was.
The heat was the first thing that hit me
; the
blonde was the second.
The flash of platinum hair was the last thing I saw before I was knocked into the tree behind me.
I clutched my bag to my chest, raising it to shield my face. Strong hands gripped me and pulled me to my feet.
Another pair of hands was busy dusting off my back.
That is, unless I had been knocked down by the octopus lady.
The idea was all too possible out here.

“
Sorry friend!
Did I hurt you?
”

I stared into what I thought were the bluest eyes I had ever seen and blinked.
Well, it wasn
’
t the octopus lady.
The tall blonde who stood before me had an open, friendly face and a fast smile.
She also had two hands.

“
I think she
’
s in shock
,
”
she
whispered to the overdeveloped red head next to her.

“
Well, she did hit her head.
”

“
Juliette! Tara! What
’
s going on down there?
”

“
We found someone!
”

“
It
’
s a girl!
”

I had recovered enough to take note of my surroundings.
Everywhere I looked, I saw color.
Deep green foliage was lush and abundant.
The land was everywhere.
It was all around me
—
above me and below me.
The light was dim with the approaching night and the canopy of trees overhead.
Even though the treetops looked to be a good thirty feet above my head there wasn
’
t much light. It was like being in an endless tropical dome. Wide leafed ferns dotted the landscape and colorful flowers grew in wide sprays.
In the distance was an enormous waterfall that drained into a large pond.
The water shimmered like diamonds caught in a sunbeam.
Beyond that, I could see the shimmer of the fence.
I breathed a sigh of relief.
This area was protected.

“
Hey
,
are you ok
ay
?
”
The blonde was waving her hand in front of my face.
There was a loud splashing sound as the people who had been at the top of the waterfall came down to join us.

There were ten people, counting the two standing next to me.
One by one, they swam to the edge of the pond and leaped out of the water.
Like the Sprites, they were all women
, and
all very beautiful.
I did not remember reading about them, though.
They gathered around me and I absurdly wondered how their clothing had managed to survive the swim.
They wore what looked to be loincloths and bras fashioned from leather and leaves.

“
I don
’
t know.
I think she hit her head
,
”
someone
was saying.

“
She just came out of nowhere.
I didn
’
t even see her
,
”
the
blonde was saying.

“
I
’
m sorry
,
”
I interrupted hastily.
“
I
’
m ok
ay, just
stunned is all.
I was looking around.
”

“
What is your name?
”

“
Claire.
”

Murmurs went up all around me and the blonde put a slim arm around my shoulder and led me to a large boulder.

“
Sit down a minute, Claire.
I bumped into you awful
ly
hard.
Are you certain that you aren
’
t hurt?
”

I touched a sore spot at the back of my head, but did not feel a bump.

“
I think so.
You came out of nowhere too
,
”
I laughed.

She grinned.
“
Sorry about that.
Juliette and I were swinging.
”

“
Swinging?
”

“
Sure, on those.
”
She pointed to several thick vines that hung from a nearby tree.

“
By the way, I am Tara.
”

“
This is the rainforest?
”

“
This is part of it.
”

The rest of the group had gathered around the boulder.

“
I
’
m looking for my brother.
He came through her
e
four months ago.
”

“
Mike?
”
a brunette with curly hair asked.

“
Yes! You
’
ve seen him?
”

“
I never forget a handsome man.
”

The redhead slapped her lightly on the arm.

“
What Aries is trying to say is
‘
Yes,
we remember a young man coming through here
.
’”

“
We don
’
t get many visitors out this way
,
”
Tara explained.

“
But this is a protected zone
,
”
I argued.

“
Not the entire rainforest. Only this section of rainforest is protected.
”

“
Oh.
I didn
’
t see a fence at the border though
,
”
I remembered.

“
The border is protected.
Don
’
t worry, you
’
re safe here.
Did you have a run in with the guards?
”
The question brought a collective shiver from the group.

“
No.
Not yet anyways.
Sephora brought me here.
”

“
Oh.
”

“
Did my brother stay long?
”

“
He stayed a few days.
”
Aries informed me.

Of course he did.
“
I don
’
t suppose he told you where he was going?
”

“
No, I
’
m sorry.
”
Aries looked sympathetic.
“
He did not tell you where he
was
going?
”

“
No.
”
I looked down, unwilling to go into detail.

“
He said that he would come back, if that helps
,
”
Aries volunteered.

“
He did?
”
I frowned.
What
was
Mike up to
?
I wondered.
I took a closer look at Aries.
Was it possible he had fallen for the woman?
She was gorgeous, yes, but three days? That did not sound like my brother at all.
But why else would he promise to come back?
It was possible he had simply made a polite comment in passing
, like
telling someone
‘
I
’
ll see you later
.
’
“
That
’
s all he said?
”

“
Just that he had something to do and would return soon.
”

“
But he has not come back
,
”
Tara said with regret.

“
He might still come back
,
”
Aries said defensively.

“
It has been four months.
”

“
You
’
re welcome to wait for him
,
”
Juliette offered.

“
I don
’
t know.
”
The last thing I wanted to do was kill Aries
’
s
dreams, but I was pretty sure that Mike would not be returning.
He would have done so already.

“
Why don
’
t you at least spend the night?
”
Tara suggested.
“
It is already dark.
”

“
Good idea.
Thank you.
”

Introductions were made and someone brought out a large platter of fresh fruit, cured meat, and cheese.
We stretched out and ate the light meal by the edge of the pond.
Tara stretched along the wide concrete edge of the pond and closed her eyes.

“
It
’
s a shame it
’
s already dark.
”
Night had fallen and I looked longingly at the pond.

“
Why
’
s that?
”

“
Why
’
s what?
”
I quickly snapped out of my daydream.
You know, the one where I am in a bikini sipping a margarita.