Timber held up his bandaged arm, his fingers puffy and dangling. “Maybe not.”
Below them, inside the elevator car, Wulf spoke.
:I can start the elevator—
There’s no power. It’s off at the top.
:I have power—
Wulf positioned himself in front of the open panel and made a buzzing sound. A zap of electricity flowed from Wulf to the panel and the smell of ozone filled the air.
The lights all around them flickered, then lit up and the elevator motor hummed to life.
“Nice one,” Timber said, jumping down. Canyon followed.
Timber put a finger to his lips.Do you hear… something?
Canyon did. Outside there was definite skittering.Think that thing could fit in the cave?
“Sideways maybe.”
Canyon peeked out. The spider was right there, mostly flat with long legs spread out like a tick, and it was almost on top of them. Canyon reached for his rucksack—too late! The spider got it first with a hairy pedipalp and jammed it into its mouth, then chewed and swallowed!
Canyon pulled his head back in, mashing his finger on the G button.Go, go, go, I don’t need my ruck!
The doors slid closed. The tip of a spider leg reached in at the last second and pulled them back open.
“Gross!” Timber said, kicking at the thing.
Wulf scooted over and pressed his mechanical arm to the leg. Zzzap.The leg withdrew.
Clearly that spider didn’t agree to shit,Canyon said.
CODElit up on the touchscreen above the buttons.
APHOX, Canyon typed.
A chime beeped pleasantly and the elevator lurched. Canyon sagged against the elevator wall, then he shot bolt upright.My phone was in my rucksack.
“That’s the spider’s phone now, bro,” Timber said.
Wulf’s screen pulsed rhythmically.
Timber laughed and pointed. “Wulf thought that was funny!”
Canyon only shook his head, fuming. His phone was in a spider’s guts and he didn’t like it.
Within moments, they were at the top, looking at a wide path through a forest. They walked in, getting their bearings.
“What’s that?” Timber said, his posture alert.
They all stopped to listen.
Car,Canyon said.Not too far away.
They plunged into the forest, not following the path, but rather the sound of the car. A scent reached Canyon, sweet and compelling. He reached the road in time to see the tail end of the car.
Follow,his wolf demanded.
