“Eliza’s in there. You’ve got to go back.” The pain’s excruciating but my panic is worse.
Theo kneels and touches my shoulder. “We’ll try again tomorrow night, I promise. It’s almost dawn and we need to find the horses and set up camp. They won’t be leaving without us fighting them.”
As light returns, I drift in and out of sleep. English sets my leg — too eagerly, I think. The pain is almost welcome, temporarily erasing my thoughts of my daughter and the wicked woman holding her. While I drift in and out of exquisite anguish, I listen to the men’s conversation.
Samuel coughs. “Do you really think the girl’s in there?”
Theo answers. “I got no idea. I believe there’s a child in there. But I don’t know if it’s my goddaughter. If they got her, I’m going to slaughter them.”
“Those are the same monsters that destroyed home,” Samuel notes. “They done brush off our fire like its gnats.”
English nods. “I can’t even begin to imagine what them things are. It’s like hell’s opened and swallowing us whole.”
“Do you think Bets is still alive?” Samuel asks.
“Don’t know. I suppose they’ll keep her around until they’re sure they learned as much as they can from her.” Theo pulls out the tablet. “Look all, I’ve something to show you. Don’t know what to make of it.” I look through the corner of my eye as an image of the area appears in full color. Theo motions with his fingers and the image zooms on the clearing. We can clearly see shadowy images of the grubs, tents, and people. “I’m pretty sure this thing’s showing us what’s happening all around us. I’m getting the hang of using it. From what we can see here, we’ve killed two of their people. There are about ten of those monster things over at the north side. They’re expecting us to attack up there, near where we retreated. At nightfall, we attack from the south behind this tent.” He zooms on one of the tents. A silhouette, undeniably female from the side, is standing, apparently bound to a pole. “This is likely Bets. So, it seems she’s still with us. Samuel, English, you go and release her.” He selects another tent and there, on a mat, is a miniature human. My heart races. “There’s the kid. I’ll go there first and release hell’s fury. I’ll grab her and run back to your position here on the map. We’ll head back out where we came from, then track back to get the horses and Amy.”
“Nothing can go wrong with that plan,” I say hoarsely, trying to be sarcastic but sounding sickly. The men continue talking as I drift back to sleep. I open my eyes to a ghastly brown haze. The men have disappeared and I realize that I must be dreaming again. But this feels strange to me, like I’m really awake. I’m hovering about fifteen feet above the ground and am so very famished. I look to my right and see one of the grubs next to me. Curiously, I’m not frightened. Rather, I feel nothing but cold, lifeless need. I look down and see a gnarled claw where my hand should be, a chunk of grey meat writhing with black beetles in its clutch. I bring the lump to my mouth and savor the rubbery flesh between my teeth, juices coursing down my throat. I should feel revulsion. Instead, my hunger’s replaced by satisfaction and release.
I drift back into darkness and find myself inside the tent I was in last night. Bets is there. I’m talking but it’s not me forming the words.
“Bets, I know how angry you must feel,” the person who isn’t me is saying. Bets is drinking shine and looking flush. “Have another drink, dear. Tell me about your companions and why they don’t appreciate you.”
Bets rolls her eyes. “Thresh, I’m only traveling with them because of Theo. He saved me years ago and I owe him. The woman, Marksman, is unappreciative. I’ve no idea what he sees in her.”
This isn’t a dream. I’m apparently inside of Thresh. The feeling I get from Thresh is strangely similar to that of the grub. Thresh is empty, desperately seeking a balm to soothe her. Bets intrigues Thresh, and Thresh wants her.
Thresh shakes her head, “Bets, you owe them nothing. Stay with me. I can see it in your eyes. You belong here.”
“Thresh, why’d I stay with you? You’re a killer. How much blood do you have on your hands?”
“Does that really matter Bets? I’m going to open a door to something wonderful that makes death inconsequential. I’ll be able to bring all those people back into a world where there is no pain, no toil. They will serve us. Worship us.”
“How’s that possible? You must be as drunk as me.”
“You’ve seen what I can do. I control the grubs. I make the dead walk. You’d be a welcome commander in my army.”
“An army of freaks and deadmen. That sounds delightful, Thresh.”
I feel anger welling up inside of Thresh. She wants to throw her cup at Bets, beat her into submission with her staff. It seems that Thresh has no sense that I’m eavesdropping. I’ve no idea how I got here, so I guess I’m sticking around until I wake up.
Thresh struggles to calm her voice. “Bets, we’re sisters. I feel it. Can you tell me where you got those weapons? I’ve only seen those powerful things in my dreams, when the grubs show them to me. With those in my possession, I’d be unstoppable.”
“We found the guns and explosives in the uplands to the east. They were hidden in a cave.”
“Can you lead me to the cache?”
Bets stands up. “Thresh, I’ve got to rest. I’ll be happy to lead you to the weapons, later.”
Thresh points at a mat on the floor and walks out of the tent into waning daylight. A thick woman and a skinny man with ironwood staffs step in front of the entrance. The grubs turn toward Thresh and kneel. She motions, palms upward, and five of the creatures lumber toward the south side of the camp. This isn’t good. Samuel and English will be pummeled when they attack. I try to pull away from Thresh to warn them, but the more I think about escaping, the more I’m trapped inside of her squirrely mind.
Thresh walks toward two of her men eating something that looks like woodchuck. “Expect them to attack any time now. Drop your food and get on guard.” They both throw their meat in the fire and grab large swords.
Thresh feels different now. Perhaps elation? She’s excited about killing, fighting, conflict. These emotions fill the void in her soul. I shudder at the sensation and something compelling happens — Thresh trembles slightly. I concentrate on lifting my left arm and Thresh’s left arm rises nearly imperceptibly. With some practice, I might be able to really mess with this woman.
Night’s arrived. The men should be attacking soon. Thresh stands in the center of the clearing, surveying her crew. I’m assuming Bets is still in her tent under guard, although the tent isn’t visible from where Thresh is standing. The air implodes and Thresh falls backwards. Smoke curls in from the south part of camp. Two rockets fly in from the woods and hit one of the grubs in the mouth. Rather than exploding, the rockets disappear with a wet, sucking sound. Moist, snot-like goo drips from the holes as they close up. Thresh stands up, dusts off her dress, and smiles. She yells, “Concentrate your effort to the south. Move.”
This means doom for Samuel, English, and Bets, but should allow Theo to easily reach Eliza. More explosions and screams punctuate the night. Thresh rushes for the tent where Bets is being held. She’s about to pull back the flap when a sinewy arm wraps around her neck and forces her to the ground. “You’ll not hold me captive,” Bets growls, as she grinds her foot into Thresh’s chest and then disappears into the dark. I feel myself lifting out of Thresh and I’m back in the tan haze of one of the grub’s minds. It’s lunging at English, who’s on his back looking befuddled. If I could control Thresh, I certainly should be able direct this thing. I tell it to back off, causing it to pause and then step back. English snaps out of his confusion, rolls, and rushes back into the wood line. I then order the thing to turn toward the nearest grub and attack. It obliges, tearing at the creature with its sharp claws. The other grub is clearly surprised, falling back. I tell it to bite the other grub’s neck. It tears out its fellow grub’s throat and the beast disintegrates into a pool of muddy slime. I guide the creature toward the next grub when I feel a strong tug and a painful throb in my head. For a moment, Thresh’s angry face hovers before me and then I’m back in my own body, with Theo shaking me awake.