Page 24 of Captured on Film
Caleb managed a small nod.
This thing, this person—they weren’t human. Josheb wouldlove this. Where was Josheb? Caleb tried to crane his neck to see.
Concerned sounds were coming from the big guy again, whoseemed to be arguing with bigfoot. Caleb hoped vaguely thathisrescuerwon the debate.
“Sleep,”urged the radiant one, whose smile heldsympathy.“Andor does not want you to know the path to his den. This is hisright.”
Caleb realized why the voice was so calming. He’d heard suchvoices before … and treasured them. “Sing me a lullaby?”
Their lips curved into a lovely smile, and somewhere far overhead,a playful cascade of notes joined the raindrops as, with alarming speed, Caleb sankinto slumber once more.
Cave Dweller
When Caleb next opened his eyes, he was indoors.Probably. Light from a pair of candles on a table showed walls that appeared tobe shingled. And the ceiling overhead was all irregular shapes and shadows.Like bare stone. Was he in a cave?
As far as he could tell, he was alone. Not so much as afigment in sight. Shifting under the weight of too many blankets, he realizedseveral things at once. His clothes were missing. He was clean, even his hair,so someone had washed him. And he’d been bandaged.
The bed was strange. A pad of thick fur beneath. Veryticklish. The blankets he pushed aside were a variety of fabrics and textures.Some woven. Some fine enough to pass for silk. All clean and smelling of sunshine.
Caleb swung his feet to the floor and touched more fur. Anunsettlingly animalistic touch. But he had more urgent things on his mind. Likefinding a place to relieve himself.
Finding his feet, he tottered forward and leaned against thetable. Yeah, he was definitely hurt. But only bumps and bruises. And maybe somescrapes, given the uncomfortable stickiness under his bandages. Unfamiliarherbaceous smells suggested a home remedy had been smeared here and there.
He really wanted a bath. But first a bathroom. Provided thiscave had plumbing. Maybe he should just go outside? Hauling one of the blanketsaround his shoulders, Caleb shuffled into a dim hallway. Which way was out? Allhe could do was guess.
The first room he encountered was a dead end lined withlarge barrels.
Three similarly equipped chambers later, he figured he wasin someone’s wine cellar.
Rounding a corner, he found his way barred by the shaggy,scowling person who might notbebigfoot, but had probably been mistakenfor him by the last group of campers.
Caleb took a step back.
Two steps later, he hit a wall.
Mister Big huffed and grumbled something unintelligible.
Upright and up close, it was easier for Caleb to tell thathe resembled the man who’d pulled him from the landslide. He was similarly burlyand brown, but he was vastly more unkempt. A furry coat hung open, revealing a darkgold tunic, and several necklaces lay against the nubbled cloth. Caleb caughtthe glint of crystals, but one necklace looked to be entirely made of teeth.Most imposing was Mister Big’s hair, a mess of thick dreadlocks that hung tohis hips.
“I’m lost. I need a toilet.”
Dark eyes narrowed.
Caleb bit his lip and made what he hoped was a universalgesture.
Mister Big grunted and turned. His words, while strange,sounded like a command.
Following, Caleb found himself back where he’d started. Movingto the corner, the big man hooked his foot around a squat, lidded clay pot thathad been mostly lost in shadows. Dragging it into the open, he made a gesturethat did indeed translate universally.
“Chamber pot. Got it.” Caleb self-consciously adjusted thedrape of his blanket. “Can you tell me where my brother is?”
With another grunt, Mister Big left.
Caleb had mixed feelings about the chamber pot, but beggarscouldn’t be choosers. He was missing all kinds of things now—toilet paper, handsoap, underpants. But all of that ceased to matter when the click of claws announcedMister Big’s return. And he wasn’t alone.
“Nessie!” Dropping to his knees, Caleb threw his arms aroundher and accepted an enthusiastic face-washing.
She wasfine.
