Travelle by Libby Graham (classic reads TXT) 📕

The only sound that crept into their consciousness was that of the ladder squealing as the weight of the children pressed down on it and the thumps of their feet as they descended the ladder steps.
Lillian hopped off of it, landing with a heavy thud on the hard, rocky ground. Sam was there soon after; catching his breath after the long climb. They walked quietly towards two bright, glowing lights, the torches of which Lillian had spoken of. They grabbed them off of the walls they had been attached to noiselessly, though that silence didn’t last very long.
It was broken quickly, dying as a piercing scream echoed through the caves, bouncing off the walls as if it had been thrown. It was promptly followed by another, though this one seemed to drag on for longer, and was lower pitched. Two more were fired, leaving Sam and Lillian lost for words, what was going on?
They rushed towards where it was coming from, their flickering torches lighting their path through the caverns and winding tunnels. They came to a fork, two tunnels branching off in separate directions, waiting for another scream, they sat in the moist, humid tunnel. No none came and they were left splitting apart.
Sam ran fast, dashing under crooked rocks and over boulders and mounds of dirt. He could see a light in the distance, and he could tell that something important lay ahead. He called to Lillian and in a matter of seconds she was there, it seemed like an impossible feat.
“There’s nothing on the other side, just a murky pool of water. There’s nothing in that either, which I found quite surprising,” Lillian said when she had caught up, her voice was calm and collected, she didn’t sound tired at all.
“H-how did you get here so quickly?” He stammered.
“What do you mean? Can you not teleport in your world?” She asked this as if it were a normal and everyday thing to do.
“No! That’s amazing! How I wish I could do that.”
“But you need lots of juice, so I don’t do it very often, only when I need to... or want to I guess,” explained Lillian.
Sam muttered something under his breath, and they continued on. The children were enthralled by the fact the screams had traveled so far through the tunnels, and at the same time the shrieks had kept their high volume. The long tunnel they had been crawling through had become brighter as well as hotter, it was as if they were flying to the sun, just a very miniscule one.
Sam got to the end of the tunnel first, he looked upon a turbid pond, algae floating on the surface of the murky water. Bubbles floated up, popping as they came in contact with air. A luminescent glow was coming from the bottom of the pool, and ripples disturbed the dark green algae.
He then thoroughly scanned the room studying every detail or the large cavern. His eyes rested on a dark part of the cave, a crevice located on the opposite side of the space to the pond.
“Come on,” Sam whispered, he could sense a presence within the cavern. He stepped from the passageway and into the muddy pond below him. It was cold, he grimaced as he tip-toed out of the water as fast as possible.
“Is it cold?” Asked Lillian as she dipped her toe in and took it out in the blink of an eye, “You don’t need to answer that.” Knowing she had to cross, she braved the temperature and tried to stay as close as possible to the edge of the pool. She shrieked as something gripped around her leg, “Sam! Help!” Lillian fell into the freezing, murky water, but the cold and the mud was the last thing she was thinking about. “Sam!” She screamed.
She kicked her legs and rolled, droplets of water flew everywhere, soaking herself as well as Sam. Her body pumped with adrenaline, she began to kick harder, she started to scream and use her arms to her advantage. Her fingers gripped around reeds, and she could feel Sam’s grasp holding to her wrist. It was now a game of tug o’ war. Sam’s heels dug into the ground as he pulled on her arm. Now all of her was in pain, she went limp, she knew there was nothing she could do. She opened her eyes, to see what was going on, fist her eyes settled on Sam and what was lurking behind him.
Lillian screamed. “A howler! Behind you!” But it was too late, a gentle nudge and both of them were sent sprawling into the surprisingly deep pond and as they plunged, a deep, bellowing howl rang through their ears.
 

Chapter 4 - The March

On Earth, in the large city of Kirtious, panic had stricken. Collapsed buildings were ablaze with fire, the red flames reached as high as the buildings had been tall. People ran around screaming, occasionally being hit by flying shrapnel. Horns honk as car alarms go off. The sirens of fire trucks, police cars, and ambulances wail. Hospitals are overflowing with patients, and some were burnt down.
Largely built men strut down the roads as if they owned them. They acted calm, not paying any attention to what was happening around them. They were on a mission, and almost nothing could stop them from accomplishing it. The men walked in silence, not stopping until they got to a large forest at the other end of the city.
The leader, who was at the head of the pack, waved his arm, signalling his team to continue on. They started to march and as they did their faces began to change, from a pale man’s face, to a dark blue wrinkled monster-like face. Their postures became hunched, their back bone protruding far, stretching their skin. Their feet grew, large talons emerging from their shoes. The men’s arms became large, muscles ripping their sleeves to shreds, causing them to fall to the ground in rags.
They began to march through the forest, dodging branches and hopping over rocks and fallen trees. Their claws sliced the moss from the ground, and passed through tree trunks like a knife through butter. The men went quickly, never stopping or even slowing their pace. On and on they went, walking for what seemed like forever.
It was becoming dark, and finally, after many hours of the hike, they lay down their large, now human form bodies, and went to sleep. A quiet hush took control of the forest, and soon the whole woods was asleep.
 

Imprint

Publication Date: 11-03-2011

All Rights Reserved

Dedication:
Eileen Ferdette, Besties Forever