The Lands Below by William Meikle

Author:William Meikle [Meikle, William]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Severed Press
Published: 2020-08-26T22:00:00+00:00

Further conversation was curtailed when Danny arrived back. He carried two armfuls of dried roots and dumped them unceremoniously at Ed’s feet. Elsa came along behind him, looking very pleased with herself as she dropped the carcass of one of the rabbit-things beside the firewood.

“There’s another cavern down the slope,” Danny said. “A big one. More firewood and more of the rabbits there too. Get a fire going. We’ll be back.”

Without another word, he’d turned away again, and again Elsa followed close at his heel.

For the next few minutes, Ed managed to concentrate enough to, with the help of Stefan’s flint and tinder, get the fire going while the shepherd went out to the gully to gut and clean the rabbit in the water. Stefan made up a rudimentary spit and by the time Danny returned with another load of wood, the rabbit was cooking over a well-established fire.

“The breeze is going to take the smell back up the shaft,” Danny said, frowning. “But that can’t be helped. The beastie already knows where we are if it wants us. Let’s just hope we gave it enough of a fright to keep it at bay for a while.”

“It did not look particularly afraid to me, my friend,” Stefan said, and Danny laughed grimly.

“Nor to me. But it has not returned as of yet. We must take good signs where we can find them.”

Ed was only half-listening. Most of his attention was on Tommy. He had to stop himself from going back to the rear of the cave again; it had only been a minute since he’d last checked for signs of breathing. Danny saw his agitation.

“Let him sleep, lad. That’s all we can do for him just now.”

“He should eat,” Ed protested.

“We’ll save him some. Sleep and warmth, and time. Especially time.”

“Does he have enough blood left in him to give him that time?”

Danny didn’t answer but Ed had seen his eyes before he turned away. A wash of helplessness in the face of Tommy’s predicament came over him, and again the tears flowed. Elsa took note and came to Ed’s side, offering herself for petting and companionship and for a time, she helped his state of mind. But his gaze kept turning to the rear of the cave, and the tears were never far off.

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