They all hear the trickling sound together and it makes every one of them freeze. Reid’s mouth instantly starts to water, his terrible thirst almost strong enough to turn him into a desperate animal.
Almost.
Instead, he waits with as much patience as he can muster while the rest of the kids surge forward, stumbling over each other, shoving and pushing to get to the water. Reid is disgusted that Marcus is the first in line and refuses to share when the source of the water glitters into view up ahead. The kids crowd around behind him while he sticks his face into the vertical stream and drinks as it tumbles from the ceiling and into a small pool on the side of the trail. Some of the kids manage to sprawl at his feet and scoop handfuls from the pool but they don’t last long. Reid sees them spit the stuff out and back off. But it’s obviously clean from the source or Marcus wouldn’t still be taking up the whole thing for himself.
Reid helps a few kids knocked down in the stampede and sees Leila doing the same. He makes it to Marcus, gently forcing kids aside, and yanks him back as hard as he can. Marcus spins around, face wet, eyes furious, but Reid has had enough. He grips Marcus by both upper arms and swings him physically around, slamming him into the opposite wall.
“Wait your turn,” Reid says.
Marcus glowers at him, hand lifting to wipe at his face.
“I was done anyway.” It takes all the patience Reid has left to keep from punching him in the face. Only the sound of squabbling behind him forces him to abandon Marcus and see to the kids.
Savages, that is. He wades through them as they fight each other for water and stands beside the thin waterfall, feeling moisture on his skin as it tumbles happily over the rocks, spraying him with the excess. The kids groan while his own thirst is almost his undoing.
“Take turns. Those most in need first. Megan.” Reid gestures her forward. She looks like she can’t believe her good fortune but freezes up. Milo gives her a good natured shove from behind. She looks up at Reid with relief and thanks in her eyes before plunging her face into the water.
He lets her drink for a ten count then gently pulls her free. “There’s lots,” he says. “You’ll get another turn.”
She grins, nods, wipes her face on her sleeve. And hugs him around his waist so hard it takes his breath away before dodging off.
“Cole.” The skinny boy’s blue eyes light up but he shakes his head. “Alex needs it more than me. I had water yesterday and I know he’s been longer.”
Reid wants to hug the boy. Everyone relaxes instantly, like his willingness to sacrifice makes it all okay. “Fine,” Reid says. “Alex. But Cole, you’re after him. No excuses.”
The rest of the watering goes smoothly and quickly, so much so Reid doesn’t have to police it after Alex pulls himself away on his own. It’s not long before everyone has had a turn and only Reid and Leila stand next to the waterfall.
“You next,” he says.
“No, you.” Is that a smile? Reid finds himself smiling back.
“Just have a drink, would you?”
She does, one hand squeezing his arm in thanks as she moves past.
And then she is done and he is drinking and his throat thanks him while his stomach groans, his whole body begging for more.
He pulls back, knowing he has to stop. His first experience over-drinking in the forest above proved to him he has to take it slow. He can hear someone groaning and knows it’s Marcus, but has absolutely no sympathy.
“Next round. This time, drink your fill.”
They do. It takes a while. Reid wishes they were camels and could carry enough with them to keep them going for days. He fills the meager water bottle and stuffs it in his pocket, knowing it’s barely a mouthful each until it will be empty again but at least it’s something.
They all wait around for Marcus after he pukes up his stolen water, gets his breath back and returns to the stream. By the time he is back on his feet, everyone is impatient to get going.
Reid gestures for Marcus to lead the way. He does without a word, shoulders hunched forward, head down. The rest of the kids are changed, however. Soft chatter fills the tunnel, even the odd laugh. The brief respite and the water has filled them up, given them hope again. Reid knows their hope is short-lived, that none of them may survive to get out. But he makes sure he has Alex keep track of where the waterfall is just in case they need to find it again. A long shot, considering, but one Reid needs to keep in reserve anyway.
At the next break in the passage, Reid catches a hint of fresh air. His nose strains for more of it but it is gone as fast as it came. After a moment he is sure he imagined it, though part of him hopes the explorers will come back and tell them they found an exit. That would be bad, and Reid knows it. There’s no way they are past the fence yet. They haven’t come far enough. Besides, they’ve been traveling down deeper underground since they found the stream, the descent sometimes so steep they are forced to hang onto the rough walls to make to the bottom of the grades safely.
The rest of their day continues the way it began, exploring side tunnels, some of which are blocked off, some that have branches of their own. No one asks Marcus what he thinks anymore despite the fact he still marches at their lead. Instead, all eyes swing back at Reid every time a new path shows up.
He knows it’s silly to keep playing this game but he can’t help himself. Maybe it’s still his reluctance or maybe it’s a vindictive streak against Marcus, knowing how uncomfortable this must be making him but for whatever reason, Reid remains at the back of the pack and only nods when they stop to look at him like that.
They don’t need his guidance anymore anyway. They now take it upon themselves to split into groups to explore. Reid studies the odd exposed beam of wood, as thick through as he is, holding up the walls and ceilings. To him it seems as if the mine is getting older the deeper they go and for some reason that seems wrong to him.
“This isn’t right.” Cole is next to him, Alex on the other side still with his trusty lump of limestone. Reid isn’t the only one who noticed, it seems. “Everything should be getting newer the further we go. The outer edge should be the oldest. Shouldn’t it?”
Cole is right. “Unless we’re in the oldest part,” Alex offers in his little voice, squeaking up into the higher register, “and we’re heading toward the newer? Or will at some point.”
Cole thinks about it and then grins. “He’s right,” his blue eyes sparkle at Reid in the light of the bulb they are passing. “Which means you were right all along.”
Of course. If they are passing through an older section could they be on their way to an exit? Suddenly, Reid feels a whole lot better.
“Let’s keep this to ourselves,” he says to the boys. “Just in case. Don’t want to get hopes up if we’re wrong.”
They both nod like he’s entrusted them with his biggest and best secret and march beside him again, this time with thin shoulders back and a confidence in them that makes Reid smile.
His good humor is gone when he hears Marcus snap.
“Shut the hell up!” His arm rises, falls. Someone cries out and everyone stops in their tracks. Reid pushes his way to the front and finds Megan on her knees, clutching her face, a thin trail of blood running from the corner of her mouth.
His fury is instantaneous and as hot as the sun. In a wash of red and a surge of roaring in his head, Reid finds himself standing over Marcus, the taller boy on the ground, nose gushing, eyes huge. Reid’s hand aches, the same one that he used to pound on Joel, but he doesn’t care, can’t think, can barely speak. His words come out in a growl filling the tunnel.
“Don’t you ever touch her again.” His body is shaking. He can’t control it. Reid wants to beat Marcus’s face the way he did Joel’s, pound him into an unrecognizable pulp. He doesn’t recognize this part of him, wonders in a small part of his rational mind where this is coming from while the rest of him demands he kill this piece of trash for hurting an innocent girl.
That same girl tugs at Reid’s arm, still crying but gaining his attention.
“It’s okay,” she whispers. “It’s not his fault. He told me to be quiet and I wouldn’t.”
Reid’s rage surges and subsides. “It’s not okay,” he tells her. “Ever. You understand?” He spins on them all. “We don’t hit each other. Or hurt each other. That’s what the hunters do. What people like Joel do.” Reid throws that last at Marcus. “We’re not like them.”
“You did.” Alex is watching him, rock clutched to his skinny chest like a doll.
The last of Reid’s temper runs out of him. “I know,” he says. “I was wrong. We need to fight the hunters, not each other. But I will defend you,” he has never felt so fiercely about anything in his entire life, “and I won’t let anyone hurt you.” He turns back to Marcus. “Anyone.” Reid holds out his hand. Marcus snarls, ignoring it, dragging himself to his feet.
“Nice words,” Marcus says. “Like anyone here can trust you. If you’re not making stupid decisions that put us in danger, you’re abandoning us.” He made a face. “I thought you were going to leave us the moment you had the chance.”
Reid doesn’t look at Leila but he catches her stricken expression out of the corner of his eye and can’t believe it. She told Marcus. She told Marcus. Reid wants to hit him again but doesn’t. Instead, he rolls his shoulders forward in a shrug while everyone waits for him to tell them it isn’t true.
“I said that,” Reid admits it. The sigh of disappointment cuts him as much as any hunter’s claws could. “I meant it, too. When I said it. I just lost my best friend.” Reid feels a flash of guilt at the thought of Drew. “I didn’t want to feel responsible for any of you. Just in case.”
“Just in case you get us killed, too?” Marcus is finally in Reid’s face, as though sensing he has no will left to fight. Reid understands Marcus, now. He’s been waiting for this, for Reid to show weakness.
His hatred for Marcus shoves his grief aside and his fury comes rushing back.
Marcus immediately retreats. But Reid knows the damage has been done. He can tell as he looks at them. They don’t trust him anymore.
Reid takes his place at the end of the line again but this time Alex and Cole keep their distance. It makes Reid very sad for some reason. He’d been getting used to having them with him, enjoying their company like he never thought he’d enjoy anyone’s company again.
They march on. The ground is so uneven now Reid finds himself helping some of the kids when they slip and fall. They are exhausted and, he admits, so is he. His hand is throbbing and he wonders if he finally broke a bone. Nothing he can do about it but at least he can flex his fingers still.
When they reach the next crossing, Milo returns with news.
“I found a cave.” Everyone looks interested but just. They are too tired to care too much. “Perfect place to sleep maybe?”
That gets their attention. All eyes turn to Marcus. Reid sees it happen and feels the pain of it, even more when Marcus puffs up his chest like he made the discovery personally.
“Let’s have a look.”
They follow Milo down the tunnel and to the site. It’s dark inside but the mouth is fairly wide and the interior seems large enough to hold them all. Reid has to admit it’s a good idea for them to rest off of the path if they can but something about the darkness gives him the creeps.
Everyone surges into the space and collapses in the cool quiet. Marcus ignores them all, disappearing into his own corner of the dark. Reid waits by the entrance, unable to bring himself to enter. It’s as though his instincts are telling him something is wrong.
Since when were they so strong? And this rage of his… he doesn’t understand what is going on with him. Reid collapses in the tunnel, across from the entrance, right under the bulb. It shines a clear path just inside, enough he can see Leila and Milo talking. Milo looks angry, his whispers too low for Reid to make out what he is saying. But he can see Leila is crying and when Milo leaves her for the darkness she huddles there in the beam of light, miserable.
Reid considers comforting her but can’t bring himself to approach her. She betrayed him, told Marcus things Reid said to her in a time of grief. He can’t believe she did that to him and when she looks up and meets his eyes this time she’s the one who can’t hold his gaze at all.
He wants to stay awake, to watch over them, while he sinks further into his anger and resentment, but he is so tired and despite his feelings about Leila’s actions, it’s not a long before Reid falls asleep.
***
Reid jerks awake to the sound of slurping. It is such an odd thing to become aware of, it takes a while for his exhausted brain to even figure out where the noise is coming from. When he does, he instantly feels his anger rise.
One of the kids is stretched out near the entrance to the cave, his sneakers showing, but only his silhouette visible in the soft glow of the light bulb. He is hunched over, making soft smacks and grunts. Reid recognizes what he’s hearing at last.
Those are eating sounds.
Reid’s fury spreads through him, chasing away the last of the sleep that lingers. Someone’s been hoarding food while they are all starving? And has the nerve to eat it, whatever it is, right there in front of everyone while they sleep? Why not sneak down the tunnel and gorge on the stolen prize then? His rage builds as his anger forms a heartless plan. Reid eases himself up and slides over the dusty floor to confront the guilty party.
He plans to scare the crap out of the boy, and the rest of them at the same time. Someone should have been watching, which is a concept obviously no one thought of. Even him, a private and critical part of him says. Reid slaps it aside, patience long run out.
Meanwhile, his cramping stomach hopes the kid’s horde is larger than what he’s cramming into his stupid, selfish mouth. Irrational in his anger, Reid finally reaches the boy as the disgusting sounds go on and on. Fury giving him strength, Reid reaches out with both hands and grabs the kid’s feet, pulling him into the light.
The boy slumps forward, eyes staring into Reid’s, a shocked look on his face. Reid is about to ask him where the food is when several things get through his fury. First, he knows that empty stare, has seen it before, and understands even before he looks down it’s not the boy enjoying a meal.
Second, something nestles in the hollow of the kid’s stomach, a black and furry something. It spins on Reid as he bends to look and hisses at him, all bright teeth and shining black eyes, glistening wet in the hint of light Reid’s shadow allows.
***