Reasons to be on the menu included defending their space, defending themselves, or straight-up desperate hunger. If I could determine whether any of these were factors, I could figure out the level of danger I was in from whatever was sharing this spaceless space.
“Is this your home?” I asked into the dark.
There was a pause before another huff sounded, carrying a slightly different tone. It sounded uncertain. Most creatures could sense their home, whether they could see it or not. Was the darkness playing tricks on their mind, or was it just as lost as I was? Either way, it was one question answered; now to keep trying.
“Are you hurt?”
A heavy snort of air sounded. With it, I heard muddled words that sounded thick and distant. Whatever it was, must be something I hadn’t encountered before because the language wasn’t recognizable… not yet, at least.
“My name is Bowen. I’m not here by choice. Something brought me here. Do you know why you’re here?” If it was meant to eat me, then I’d find out pretty soon.
It sounded like something very large shifted against a wall or the floor. With the movement came a low groan that sounded almost human. I cocked my head to the side, listening intently for any signal that it was about to make a move on me, but then I heard a voice. It was faint, with a deep, gruffquality to it.
“Not… my choice.” It wasn’t spoken in English, but the words were actually spoken. What language was he speaking? I suppose it didn’t really matter if my ability allowed me to interpret the languages of speaking beings, as well as animals, which was something I’d have to dwell on later.
Aside from using another language, there was something beast-like about it, too. Whatever it was, the being was in the same situation I was, but maybe we could help each other out.
“I’m sorry. How long have you been here?”
A huff came again, laced with confusion. “Do not know.”
With the complete darkness surrounding me, it was easy to lose any kind of awareness of time. I didn’t know how long I’d been here either, but there was something about this being that felt… worn, like the kind of exhaustion that came from fighting for a long time.
If he’d been here for a while, maybe he knew more about the space. “Do you knowwherewe are?”
“Underground.” The one-word answer came with another blast of air, as if exasperated by either the location or my questions, I wasn’t sure which.
Underground. The thought made my stomach sour. What did that mean? Underground where? I supposed it made sense why there was no hint of light anywhere. I could still hear the slow drip of water,which was comforting. The water had to come from somewhere and had to lead somewhere.
“Okay. Well, I can help you. There are two of us now; I’m sure we can figure something out.”
“No. Not help… hurt.”
What did he mean by that? A sliver of dread sent an icy chill through me. “Were you brought here to hurt me?”
A gruff, indignant laugh sounded. “No.Youwere brought here to hurtme.”
My head snapped back at that. “What? No! I don’t want to hurt you. I don’t want to hurtanyone. Why would you think that?”
“They said you are the key.”
The key? What did that mean? I was trying to think of what to ask when I felt the slithering around my wrists tighten. It wasn’t just on my wrists; it seemed as if the darkness itself slithered. It moved and wafted around me until the shadows drew back enough to reveal a light. The contrast to the total darkness was so drastic that I squinted; the light too bright for my eyes. They watered and burned as I tried to take in any details of the space that were revealed behind the shadows.
Wooden frames lined the dirt walls, and there was a metal track on the ground. As I adjusted to the break in the darkness, my brain was slower to interpret the images than it would normally be. I wanted to shield my eyes from the brightness ahead, to try to blockout the most intense parts and focus in on the edges, but my hands were firmly secured behind my back.
When I saw the tiny splash of water hitting the track, it seemed to be what I needed to understand the space I was in. It was some kind of mine shaft. An old iron pickaxe lay discarded feet away from me, and I found myself wishing I could reach it to have something to defend myself with. Seeing as I couldn’t, I would have to rely on the only tools I had at my disposal. My mind, and with the tug of determination I felt within me… my mate.
A figure stepped in front of the light, providing only a faceless silhouette. It was human-shaped, at least, though that didn’t really mean anything anymore. Not with the understanding that the world was so much more complex than I knew before finding Creature Comforts.
“Yes. Good. I see you two are getting acquainted. That should make this easier, from what I’ve heard.” The figure’s voice had a high, nasal pitch, like the vocal equivalent of nails on a chalkboard. It was rather unsettling, especially given the inability to see them.
At the mention of two of us, I swung my head to the left to try to see my companion, but all I found was a wall of shadows concealing what felt like a rather large figure.
“Who are you? What do you want?”
The light brightened as the figure drew closer, casting their features in onyx shadows, hiding their facedespite the nearness. A chill swept through me. It felt like sleep paralysis. To be awake but unable to move while something dark and ominous crept closer. A shadow person.
They reached out and ran a finger down my cheek, leaving an icy trail behind. I tried to keep myself still, to keep from reacting, but my heart was beating wildly. At the same time, I felt that familiar itch in my mind again. Was Rudy trying to talk to me, or was it wishful thinking? I didn’t know whether I could speak to him from a distance or even how far away I was, but I couldn’t pull my focus away from the figure before me to try to call out to him.
