Rachel felt Cody stir beside her. She and Mike were lying close to him to keep him warm. In the night he’d gotten chills and his fever seemed higher. She’d emptied the packs but couldn’t find any blankets, so she’d piled the canvas bags on him and ordered Mike to lie down next to him.
Cody moaned deliriously and threatened a guy named Sidoron and then rambled wildly about someone hanging from a flagpole.
A twig snapped behind her.
Mike raised his head. Rachel felt for Cody’s gun. She’d deliberately laid it beside her before going to sleep but it was too late. They were suddenly surrounded by a circle of men, dressed in animal skins and holding torches.
Rachel pulled the gun around and pointed it at the man in front. “What do you want here?”
The man moved forward. He was dressed only in a tanned hide tied loosely around his waist. Mike growled but didn’t attack. He allowed the man to kneel by Cody and examine his wound.
“This boy is dying. We can help.” The man signaled for two of his men. They lifted Cody gently and carried him to the edge of the circle.
“Wait. Why should we trust you?”
The man turned. “Do you want him to live?”
Rachel hesitated. “What about our things?” The man inclined his head and the others started gathering Cody’s belongings. Rachel double-checked to make sure nothing was left; then she and Mike followed them along the river and up a steep hill.
The sun came out and the hill turned into a mountain. Now they were in the middle of a wilderness. The grass was green and the trees were tall. Above them were high red bluffs practically hidden by the wild overgrowth.
The group stopped at the foot of the cliffs and Rachel sat down to catch her breath. No one spoke to her. They went about their business as if she weren’t there.
At last the largest man in the group put down his spear and stood still while the others placed Cody on his back, tying the boy’s hands and feet securely together.
Two men moved some branches and exposed a homemade wooden ladder next to the cliff. The big man started up it.
Rachel put her hand over her eyes to block the sun’s rays and looked up. There were several ladders going all the way to the top of the cliffs.
One of the men indicated that it was her turn to climb. She held on to Mike. “What about our dog? He can’t go up there.”
“The dog will stay. We have hidden your supplies in the woods near our horses. He can guard them until your friend is better. Don’t worry. Our hunting parties will bring him food from time to time.” The man took the gun from around her neck. She started to protest but he interrupted. “Too heavy. I’ll carry it.”
Rachel nodded wearily and started climbing. Halfway up she looked at the ground and started feeling dizzy.
“Look up only,” the man behind her ordered.
Rachel took his advice and soon found herself on a ledge. She stumbled onward and stepped through a curtain of brush.
She stopped and held her breath. It was amazing. Hidden deep in the heart of the cliff was a whole village. Children were running and playing while women dressed in skins sat near cave entrances making baskets and cooking.
The scene was right out of prehistoric times, except that these people spoke English and one of them now carried Cody’s submachine gun.