The Children of Amargosa (Amargosa Arc Book 1) by TS Hottle

Author:TS Hottle [Hottle, TS]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Clayborn Press
Published: 2018-05-10T22:00:00+00:00

***

The scream ripped through the train the moment it entered the tunnel. Davra had gone up front to relieve Nardino who had started chattering on about something funny Duffy had said when the tunnel rushed up outside. When it became pitch black outside the windows, she shrieked like a murder victim and dropped to the floor.

“Oh, God! Oh, God! Oh, God!” she moaned, sucking in quick, shallow breaths as she rocked on the floor.

Instantly, the interior lights came on, followed by the maglev’s outside flood lamps. By then, Duffy and Yuwono had burst into the cab.

“What happened?” said Yuwono, who had his pistol drawn.

Davra had not moved, keeping her hand on the throttle on her side. “I don’t know. We hit the tunnel and…”

Duffy looked down at Nardino and went pale. “The tunnel. I forgot.”

“What?” said Yuwono.

“She’s claustrophobic,” said Duffy.

Nardino lay on her back, convulsing, breathing erratically.

“Why didn’t this happen when we trudged through the tunnel from the spaceport?” asked Yuwono.

“She knew she could run in either direction,” said Duffy, now kneeling beside her. “Now she’s in a metal tube inside a pitch-black space with nowhere to go.” He stroked her hair. “It’s okay, Ellie. It’s okay. We’re almost there.”

Nardino started to foam at the mouth.

“Ellie,” said Duffy. “Els, it’s okay. We’re still on the train.”

Davra stood back, unsure of what to do. Yuwono looked even more helpless, his eyes clouded as he watched Duffy try to soothe Nardino and calm her down. Davra could not see that happening thought, not until the maglev emerged from the tunnel.

“Get me out… Get me out… Get me out…” Nardino repeated between gasps. Her eyes rolled back into her head.

“Oh, crap,” said Duffy. “This is really bad.”

“What do you normally do?” said Yuwono.

“Get her out of cramped quarters and take her to the ER.” Duffy shifted on his haunches and worked off his belt. Folding it in half, he shoved it into Nardino’s mouth. She clamped down on it and began moaning. It was the most bizarre sight and sound Davra had ever seen or heard.

“She could swallow her tongue,” explained Duffy.

Then, as instantly as Nardino’s screams had come, the attack seemed to stop. She went limp and silent. Slowly, she raised her arm and pointed upward. The others looked up from her and saw what she did.

They had reached a large, well-lit chamber built from a massive cavern. The maglev began to slow on its own accord. Side rails ran off the main rail on which they rode. Uncoupled maglev cars and a couple of engines sat idly in various places around the chamber.

Nardino spat out the belt, which she had nearly bitten in two. Pushing herself up to sit, she said, “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” said Davra. “I think we’ve reached Edoras.”

“Or the rail center beneath it,” added Yuwono, still at the controls.

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