We twisted through blackness, walking blindly until Loren’s growls and threats were a distant noise. The silence that followed felt eerie. The drip-drop of liquid echoed around us along with the echoing shuffle of our shoes. I was chilled again, unable to warm up. I shivered and closed my eyes. I couldn’t see anything anyway.
I wanted to ask if we could stop. If we could go back out now but I was afraid that my voice would alert Loren which way to go.
We continued to walk in a line, each one of us touching and brushing against each other so we wouldn’t get lost. Brandon had a strong grip on my forearm and never let go. Caspian clutched my hand to his chest, walking in front of me.
At first I figured he had to be gripping Mothman but then I realized he could probably see in the dark. He had those oversized eyes with the big pupils. My mind wandered, probably trying to concentrate on something other than the dark cave. I wondered how Caspian hid what he was for so long. I wasn’t angry, I could understand why he did it. It just seemed such a strange life to live, continuously hiding what he was, having no deep connections. I squeezed his hand and he squeezed it back in the dark.
Red, glowing eyes swung around and looked at us. The sound of something scratching hissed in the dark and then a tiny flame ignited. Mothman held a match aloft, guiding it into an oil lantern. He lit it and adjusted a knob on the side.
The place brightened softly around us—still dim but I could see now. We were in a little cave room. There were things inside here—old wooden crates, a metal mining cart, a pick axe. Outside the opening to the room was a long tunnel. Left was towards the way we came and right went deeper in. Under the dirt floor in the tunnel, I could see the glint of buried metal. It appeared to be tracks for a mining cart.
Mothman set the lantern down near the wall and began moving stuff around. He seemed familiar with the place even though it was all coated with a thick layer of dust and dirt. He grabbed a green canvas sleeping bag, shaking it out and then laying it down near the back wall. He then went over to some wooden crates and collected some cans out of them. He grabbed a canteen hanging from a nail in the rock wall and shook it. Water splashed inside. He set it all next to the sleeping bag while I watched him. It was as if he was building himself a nest.
Brandon shuffled around, his eyes taking everything in. Caspian leaned back out of the cave room and peered down the tunnel both ways for a while, his eyes large and black.
A hand slid around my wrist and I startled. I looked up to see Mothman gently encouraging me towards the sleeping bag. I followed him and he set me down on it. He rushed over to another spot and grabbed a worn blanket. He shook it out and dirt snapped off it. Once he’d cleaned it enough, he draped it over my shoulders.
Then, to my shock, he settled himself behind me. His long legs spread out on either side of my crossed legs. His body bumped against my back. Mothman tentatively brought his arms in closer, setting his hands on my knees. His fingers rolled in slow circles over my skin, playing with the crease where my leg was bent.
His warmth drew me in. My shivering body needed it and he was big and all around me, warming me up.
Caspian came stomping back in with a furious look on his face. Just then Brandon slunk to the floor, pressed his face into the rock wall, and started to cry. Caspian halted, looking like a deer in the headlights as he watched Brandon cry. His wide eyes swiveled around in panic. It was the only part of him that looked inhuman at the moment.
Mothman began to pet my head and made a little chirp noise in his throat, like he was pleased with me settling into him. Caspian shot Mothman a glare but then tentatively shuffled towards Brandon. A look of discomfort was barely contained on Caspian’s face. He swallowed and bent down next to Brandon.
“Hey, um… “ he started. Brandon suddenly reached out and grasped Caspian, holding him. Caspian crouched in wide-eyed shock, his arms held aloft like he had no idea what to do. Brandon cried against his chest.
“They’re dead,” he croaked before resuming his sobs.
“Yeah,” Caspian commented forlornly. He relaxed and began rubbing the other man’s back. My own eyes began to water too but then Mothman reached up and removed his hat, setting it on the floor next to me. I looked at it in shock, unsure if I should turn around and look at him. I gulped.
Soft fur began rubbing against the side of my cheek, Mothman rubbing his face against mine. His hands began rubbing up and down my thighs. I turned my head slowly to see the creature beside me.
Black fur was everywhere. I couldn’t see a nose or mouth, just lots of fur and two red glowing eyes. At the top of his head two feather-like antennae stuck up. They moved, slowly swirling about. Then they pressed down to the back of his head as I looked at them with wide eyes.
Mothman brought his hand up then his long, thin fingers slid across my face, cupping my jaw as he looked me over. After a moment he made sure the blanket covered my shoulders then opened the canteen for me to take a sip. Caspian watched without expression, saying nothing as he observed Mothman take care of me. Brandon still clung to him but seemed to lack the energy to sob anymore. He slumped down and eventually fell asleep gripping Caspian’s arm as if afraid to be left alone.
My head began to fall forward. Now that we could rest a moment, I felt exhausted. We all did.
“When will we leave? What happens next?” I asked with a sluggish voice, trying to stay awake as long as possible.
“Loren is still in the caves, shuffling about near the entrance. There’s no way he can find us though. This place is a maze,” Caspian said, confirming to me that hecouldsee.
“So we’re stuck?” I asked as Mothman gently traced his fingers up my arms. His warmth bled into my back and legs, making me even more tired.
“He’s hurt badly. He can’t stay out there for long,” Caspian said, watching Mothman touch me. His face twitched and his jaw flexed. “Are you okay, Ava?” Caspian asked.
“I’m fine for now,” I answered, then wondered what exactly he meant. Was he asking if Mothman was bothering me? Mothman leaned back against the wall and pulled me to rest on him. I wondered what it would feel like to rest my cheek on his fur. It sounded better than the leather. That didn’t really matter when I was this tired though. It didn’t take long to fall asleep, my eyes slowly closing as I watched Caspian watching me.
I woke up,having no idea how long I’d been asleep. The lantern was still going. Caspian was asleep, slumped against the wall. Brandon laid on the floor next to him, his face relaxed as he slept. I started to close my eyes again when I heard it. It must have been what woke me.
At first I thought it was Loren and felt dread. The distant voice came again. It didn’t sound like Loren at all. I moved off Mothman and he didn’t stir. His eyes were closed and he didn’t wake up when I shuffled off him and towards the tunnel. I grabbed the lantern and moved out onto the buried track, looking towards where we came. I saw nothing.
“Please, is someone there?” A faint voice came from behind me. Chills lifted on the back of my neck as I turned to look down the tunnel that went deeper into the darkness. “Please, I need help.” I looked at the men sleeping and decided not to wake them until I knew something more.
I stepped further down the tunnel, not wanting my voice to accidentally wake them. Little rocks moved as I walked. I didn’t go far as I lifted the lantern higher and tried to see anything in the darkness in front of me.
“Hello,” I called. My voice whispered down the empty, black tunnel. I waited for a response.
