Chapter Seventeen

The mouth of the cave is narrow but tall, stretching fifteen feet above our heads. I can only see a few feet inside before the dark shadows devour the bright rays of sun. The ground is made up of pebbles, stones, and larger rocks scattered at random intervals, while thick, wet moss coats the cave walls and ceiling.

“Are we actually going in there?” Rae shudders in spite of the line of sweat that’s gathering at her hairline. “We have no idea what’s inside. We could encounter another obstacle, like this wall. Or worse, we could run into a multi-armed creature who will rip us apart.”

“Why, Rae. You don’t seem the type to believe in monsters,” Bodin says.

“That was before I landed on an island where the old legends come to life,” she retorts.

I swallow hard. Rae knows her Thai folktales inside and out. No wonder she’s hesitant. She understands, more clearly than any of us, what horrors we might face.

“Can’t you ask the birds what’s on the other side of this mountain?” I ask Sylvie.

She shakes her head. “I did. They didn’t answer.”

“Well, call them back and demand one,” Rae says.

“I don’t think it works that way. But okay, I’ll try.” Sylvie takes a deep breath, releasing it slowly from her body. And then, her eyes flutter closed and her hands form into fists. Concentrating, concentrating.

I scan the skies, hoping to glimpse a black wing or two. But there’s nothing but the cloudless blue sky.

Sylvie opens her eyes once more. “It’s not working. They’re not answering my call.”

We fall silent, even though no amount of quietness can help us process the unknown.

“Maybe…your ability comes and goes?” Rae ventures.

“Or maybe I haven’t come into any powers at all.” Disappointment saturates Sylvie’s words. “Maybe the thing with the birds was just one big fluke.”

“Forget the birds. I vote we keep going,” Mateo says with a glance at me. “If we go back, we’ll be the sitting avian creatures, pun intended. We’ll have food but no medicine. We’ll play Xander’s game, but we have no guarantee that he’ll ever let us off this island.”

“Seconded,” Sylvie says immediately. Her cheeks have cooled to their normal tan shade, and some of her calm, steady demeanor has returned.

“Thirded,” I say in a small voice. If this expedition is largely for my mother, I can’t be the one who backs down.

“Rae?” Bodin inquires. “This is strictly voluntary. None of us would judge you if you decided to go back to the beach.”

She crosses her arms and sighs. “Fine. I’ll keep going. Just don’t come crying to me when a three-headed elephant charges into you.”

We spend a few minutes gathering sticks and twigs, in case we need to build a fire, as well as some leaves, in order to mark our trail. Stones or gravel wouldn’t show up against the cave floor, and the cave walls should shield the wind. We just have to hope they don’t blow away. Sylvie fishes out a flashlight from the backpack that she brought from the yacht. (Shoulda known that our extreme-sports-loving champion would come prepared with what we need to go caving.) We’ve got plenty of rainwater in the plastic bottles, as well as a supply of water-purification tablets, courtesy of Xander’s reward. And yet, I’ve never felt less prepared.

“Welp. It’s now or never,” Rae quips.

I gulp and say goodbye to the sun.

Bodin strides into the cave first. Sylvie and I follow, with Mateo on our heels and Rae bringing up the rear.

What has become of my life? I never would’ve guessed, in a million, billion years, that I would voluntarily enter a deep, dark cave, possibly filled with insects and wild animals and deadly mythological creatures.

Desperately, I run through the little survival theory that I know. I’m already in the center of the group, Bodin and Sylvie in front of me, Rae and Mateo behind me. Theoretically, I am the safest here, shielded on all sides. Not that this position would protect me for long if we are attacked by a vicious creature. Nor would I expect Rae to give herself up in an epic sacrifice to save me. But it’s better than nothing.

As we walk deeper and deeper into the cave, the natural light filtering through the entrance disappears. We are surrounded by black shadows on all sides. From the bouncing beam of the flashlight, I can see the same mismatched rocks padding the ground, the same moss-covered walls falling in sheets around us. The only difference is that the tunnel is slowly closing in, making our path smaller and tighter.

I’m not claustrophobic. Never have been, but something about this cave is giving me the creeps on top of my creeps.

“Do you hear that?” Bodin asks, halting in his tracks.

Which causes Sylvie to stop, which causes me to run into her. I tumble backward, and then, as if in slow motion, my foot catches on a pesky pebble, and I am falling straight onto a particularly large and jagged rock when a pair of competent arms grabs me, inches from disaster.

“Careful!” Mateo says, a hint of annoyance in his voice. At first, I think the displeasure is directed at me, but his steely eyes, illuminated by the flashlight, glare at Bodin. “There’s a line of us following you. You can’t just stop without warning—”

“Don’t fight, please,” I say, pulling away from Mateo and trying not to feel icky from his touch. I participated in the group hug, true. But this is a different time and a different context. One moment of exposure doesn’t erase years and years of aversion. I turn to Bodin. “What did you hear?”

Bodin’s gaze flickers to Mateo, and then he shakes his head, letting go of the tension. “Listen.”

We all strain our ears. There’s the gentle inhale-exhale of the people breathing around me. The constant thrumming coming from my own chest. Pebbles rattling as someone shifts their weight.

And then—I hear it. A soft and mellow whooshing sound. It’s calm yet melodic, reminding me of soothing times, like when Mama and I used to bump into each other in the kitchen at midnight, both kept up by twin bouts of insomnia. It’s the sound of running water.

“A stream,” I say.

“More like a small river, from the sounds of it. If we can find it, I bet it’ll lead us out of this cave to the other side of the island,” Bodin says, grinning.

Yes. Thank you, pra Buddha cho. I needed something—anything—to go right, with all the horrors that we’ve encountered. I needed one break, and this is it.

“Let’s go,” I say, bouncing on my feet.

When nobody moves, I stride to the front of the group without a thought of my safety or the scary creatures lurking in the dark. We’re getting out of here. We’ll find help and procure Mama’s pills. We’ll reunite with Papa and be together once again—

The ground is yanked out underneath me, and I scream as I plunge down into nothingness.