| |
––––––––
Glick jumped to his feet, no longer worried about the Guards seeing him as a swarm of Brush-Men spilled into his home. They’d killed Bumpers. They would kill him too. He had to move but his legs only shook. The others surrounded the meat, devouring it in great big gulps. More pushed into the enclosure, finding and tearing into the packages of flesh scattered about the cage. The bigger ones shouldered the littler ones to the back.
One of the smallest ones, who was at least three times bigger than Glick, turned away, tired of trying to squeeze through to the food, and his gaze landed on Glick. “Prey,” he clacked. “Hunt.”
Some of the others stopped eating, their thin, stick-like faces covered with bits of flesh and blood.
Glick’s breath left him in a whoosh as his feet finally moved. He raced for his bush, hiding was his only chance. Some of the Brush-Men broke away from the groups surrounding the meat and ran toward him. He shoved through the thick grass, everything moving in slow motion and yet so fast. His heart pounded in his ears as his breath burst from his mouth in pants. He flew over the ground—his bush, his safety looming so far away. The others were gaining on him, their legs longer, their bodies stronger. He darted to the side, hopping over a stick that’d fallen from one of the trees.
The Brush-Man closest to him didn’t jump soon enough, stumbling and falling. The others didn’t even pause, trampling their companion into the earth. Glick ran faster, his feet barely touching the ground before sprinting off again. There was nowhere to hide and no other obstacles to use to slow down the horde. There was nothing but a long stretch of grass between him and his home.
A small group veered away from the others, racing in the same direction he was going but at an angle. They were going to cut him off. He’d never make it. Dying like Bumpers was an honor, but he wasn’t ready to die. Something hit him on the side, knocking him to the ground as teeth and claws tore at his body.
He screamed, his mouth filling with dirt and grass as pain roared through him in a hundred different spots. He bucked but they were all over him, their weight holding him down. He grabbed an arm near his face, his bony fingers tearing into barky flesh. An open mouth loomed toward him. He rammed it with his skull and chomped down on whatever got in his path. The other Brush-Man screamed and Glick’s mouth filled with hot, fresh blood and flesh. He didn’t have time to chew so he spit it out and bit at another one. He had to get up. He had to flee, but there were too many. They were crushing him as they tore him apart. He bucked again but it was a futile attempt, his small body barely moving more than a twitch.
Then, the weight was gone. The Brush-Men were running away, scattering in all directions. He had no idea why they’d left and didn’t care. This was his chance. He pushed himself to his knees when something big grabbed his foot, lifting him into the air. The larger Brush-Men. That was why the little ones had fled. He closed his eyes. This was it. He’d die like Bumpers had, in one great big bite. His stomach flopped as he swung back and forth. The Brush-Man wasn’t eating him, but it was moving fast. He opened his eyes, trying to twist to see who clutched his foot, but his body didn’t bend like that anymore, his skin too stiff and brittle.
He was high off the ground, so it had to be an Original who’d captured him. They were tall. Maybe, it was saving him. They knew he understood the Guards and Almightys, like they did. None of the others seemed to understand anything but each other.
The grass behind him shifted like waves. The Brush-Men were coming back.
“Hurry! Hurry! They’re right behind us!” They wouldn’t attack an Original, would they?
The Original moved faster almost flying across the cage, but it didn’t duck into a bush. Instead the grass and green of his enclosure disappeared, replaced by a white tile floor. The door closed and loud pings and bangs echoed through the room as the Brush-Men pummeled against the enclosure, trying to break out of the cage to attack.
The tightness on his foot disappeared and he fell, hitting something hard. This wasn’t an Original. It couldn’t be. Only two creatures entered and left the cages. He scrambled to his feet, crying out in pain. Part of his hand was gone, torn away by his kind.
“Shhh.” Charlie’s eyes darted to the door. “You have to be quiet. If my brother comes back and sees you, I’ll be in big trouble.”
He stared up into the face of the Guard, his enemy, his savior. He backed away, his leg throbbing from being carried by the foot and his body aching everywhere from all the wounds, but it was nothing compared to what this Guard would do to him. His back hit something and his eyes darted around. He was in a beaker just like the Almighty had used for Flea.
“I’m not going to hurt you.” Charlie’s voice was soft. “Are you hungry?”
Glick wanted to be brave, but his body shook. This was worse than being eaten by Brush-Men. Guards had captured Flea for the Almighty. They hadn’t hurt her at first but later they’d cut her into pieces.
“Stay. I’ll get you some food.” Charlie walked away.
As soon as the Guard turned, he scurried around the container, trying to find a way out but there was none. He was surrounded by glass, the only opening too high for him to reach.
The Guard came back. “Here.” He dropped a small chunk of meat near Glick’s feet.
He couldn’t pull his eyes away. It was red and juicy and his stomach rumbled. He dropped to his knees and dove face first into the morsel, tearing into the flesh and swallowing it in hunks. His stomach stretched and complained but he kept eating until every bit was gone.
“Dang, you were starving.”
He looked up at the Guard and nodded.
“You understand me?” Charlie’s eyes widened.
Glick nodded again.
Charlie looked around the lab and then bent over the container. “Really? You know what I’m saying?”
This Guard must not be too bright. “Yes.”
The Guard’s face wrinkled in confusion.
“I understand you.” He said it very slowly.
Charlie shook his head. “Are you trying to talk to me?”
“Not trying.” He sighed. Apparently, the Guard couldn’t understand him.
“Are you thirsty? Do you want some water?”
He nodded furiously. The blood had been juicy and good but a little salty.
“Stay there.”
“Like I have a choice.” He pointed at the opening of the container.
“Right.” Charlie laughed. “Not like you can go anywhere.” He hurried to the sink and filled an eye dropper with water. He came back and tried to get the tip of the dropper to Glick’s lips, but it wasn’t long enough to reach the bottom and Charlie’s hand was too big to fit into the opening. “Dang it. I guess, I’ll have to drop some down for you. You may want to move so you don’t get wet.”
Glick pressed himself against one side of the glass as Charlie dropped a few pearls of water into the container.
“Okay. Go ahead. I’ll give you more if you want it but I’ll make sure you’re out of the way first.”
Glick hurried to the small puddle, falling to his knees again and slurping up the water.
“Do you want more?”
“No.” He shook his head, rubbing his belly with his uninjured hand.
“Okay.” Charlie watched him closely. “You’re hurt pretty badly.”
Glick looked at himself. His dark brown body was covered in yellow blood. Although most of his wounds had sealed shut, his hand still dripped fluid. He held it up, showing it to the Guard.
“That looks bad.”
It hurt bad too.
“I don’t know much about fixing creatures like you.”
Glick had no idea what to say to that.
“Are you going to be okay?”
Glick shrugged. That depended on what the Guard was going to do to him.
“If you need help, I can tell McBrid.” Charlie frowned. “But he’ll be pretty angry at me for helping you.”
“No. Don’t tell him.”
“I have no idea what you’re saying.”
Glick shook his head. McBrid was an Almighty. The other Almighty had cut Flea.
“You’re saying, you’re not going to be okay?”
Glick shook his head.
Charlie frowned. “You are going to be okay?”
He nodded vigorously. He had to convince this Guard there was no need to get the Almighty.
“Good. I’m glad.”
Glick nodded slower now. He was too, although he had no idea why this Guard cared. Guards killed his kind for no reason, but this one had saved him.
“You’re a smart little Brush-Man.” Charlie’s eyes darted to the cages where some of the small Brush-Men still watched the window and door. He turned back toward Glick. “Can they all understand us?”
Glick shook his head.
“Hmm. Why can you?”
Glick shrugged. He had no idea.
“Maybe, I should tell McBrid about this.” Charlie straightened. “He’ll want to know that you can understand us.”
“No, please. The Almighty will kill me. Please don’t.” He raced to the side closest to the Guard, shaking his head and slapping the glass.
“Calm down. I don’t know what you’re trying to say.”
“I’m not trying to say anything. I’m saying it.”
“Stop. You’re hurting yourself.”
He stared at his hand. He’d reopened the part of his wound that had closed and it was bleeding more heavily. He licked at his skin, trying to make it stop.
“I think, you’re trying to say that you don’t want me to tell McBrid.”
Glick nodded, hand still in his mouth.
“He’s not going to be mad at you.” Charlie frowned again. “Just me. I’m always messing up.” He shook his head. “That’s not important. McBrid will be happy you’re safe and can understand us. You don’t have to be afraid of him. He’s okay, especially for an Almighty.”
Glick shook his head, removing his hand so he could speak. “Maybe to a Guard but not to someone like me.”
“I guess we can wait. I don’t really want to tell him anyway, not after what happened with Fersia.”
“Who?”
The Guard’s brown eyes were sad. Whoever Fersia was, it wasn’t a happy story.
“Listen to me.” Charlie glanced at the door. “I’m going to take you with me tonight. If you start to look sick, I’ll have to tell McBrid.”
“No. Don’t tell the Almighty.” Glick shook his head.
“Shhh. If you make too much noise, someone will hear you and that’ll get us both killed.”
Glick put his hand over his mouth.
“Good. Be quiet and rest.” Charlie picked up the container. “I have to go back to work. I’m going to hide you for now.” He opened a drawer in a corner cabinet. “It’ll be dark but don’t worry. You’ll be safe and I’ll be back as soon as I can. Okay?”
Glick nodded. He was used to being in the dark and alone. That didn’t scare him, being found did. So, he’d be quiet and see if he could figure out how to escape.