Chapter Fourteen

Devon's eyes scanned the nearby trees carefully. The hair on the back of his neck stood up, sending a shiver down his back.

"Does anyone else feel like they are being watched?" Devon whispered, trading glances with Flim, Jacinda, and Merrell.

They all nodded in agreement.

Devon tapped the transmit button on his WristVid. "Mr. Jacobs? Are you there?" He waited for a response for several moments. "Hello, Mr. Jacobs?" There was still no response.

Devon's mind began to race, filled with images of Deke lying unconscious in the aisle of the drop ship, the children all around him screaming in panic.

Devon nearly jumped when Deke’s voice came out of his WristVid. “I’m here Devon. You sound upset, is everything okay?”

Devon paused for a moment, trying to keep the fear out of his voice. “We are okay, but I am getting a bad feeling…like we are being watched.”

“Don’t worry, I’m sure it is just your imagination. What we need to worry about right now is getting you back inside. We have plenty of time before nightfall, but I want you in here a lot sooner than that.”

“So what do we do?”

“I think we can open one of the emergency doors and lower a rope or something down to you. We just have to find something like a rope. It should not take more than a few minutes.”

Devon sighed in relief and turned to the others. “I think that’ll make us all feel better. Right guys?”

Jacinda and Merrell nodded in agreement, but there was no sign of Flim. Devon gave the others a confused look.

“Where in the world did Flim go?”

Jacinda looked around, her eyes wide. “I’m not sure. He was just here.”

Merrell and Devon began looking as well, scanning the area for any sign of their friend. Unfortunately, there was no sign.

“Flim! Where are you?” Jacinda called loudly, her voice on the edge of panic. Looking pleadingly at Devon, she seemed about to cry. In a flash her worry turned to anger as she realized that Devon was trying to suppress a grin. Her eyes narrowed and her mouth shrank down to an angry scowl.

“What…is going on?” Jacinda’s hands moved to her hips, her whole posture teetering on the edge of exasperation. “This had better not be some kind of dumb joke.”

Devon finally mastered his mirth and managed to respond. “No, it’s not a joke…exactly. But…you know Flim. He likes to play tricks on people, and I’m sure this is one of his tricks.”

“But where did he go?” Jacinda asked. Merrell was looming over her shoulder, a look of expectation on his face as well.

“Hmm, that is a little hard to explain.” Devon paused, not really wanting to reveal Flim’s special talent. Devon began to wither under her relentless glare. “Let’s just say he is really good at hiding.”

Jacinda signed, shaking her head, uttering a single word. “Boys.”

Merrell stifled a snicker as well, earning him a sharp look from Jacinda as well.

The sound of rustling leaves broke the building tension, drawing all of their attention toward the deep forest surrounding the hilltop. All three friends peered into the undergrowth, expecting to see Flim emerge with a smile of triumph on his face.

When no one appeared they all looked at each other, confused.

Jacinda was the first to speak. “Okay, so where is he? I honestly didn’t think he had this kind of patience.”

“I have no…” The words caught in Devon’s throat as a figure emerged from the undergrowth behind Jacinda and Merrell.

Jacinda recognized the look of surprise on Devon’s face and began to turn. “It’s about time you…” She froze as well when she saw the figure. It surely was not Flim.

The creature, if that word could be used, stood upright. It was about the same height as Jacinda, but the similarities ended there. What looked like soft green feathers covered its entire body. Bright amber eyes peered out of the green, fuzzy face, almost like those of a friendly puppy. The creature shifted, turning slightly toward Merrell, whose back was still turned.

Jacinda’s eyes grew wide as the creature reached out to touch Merrell. He flinched when the creature made contact with his arm, but then seemed to relax, a look of contentment on his face.

Devon leaped forward toward Merrell. His friend seemed to be under some sort of spell, but if he could jar him, perhaps it would be broken. Devon bowled over the larger boy. The two went down in a heap, tangled together and struggling.

The creature hopped back, just barely avoiding ending up on the ground with Devon and Merrell. With a fluttering that sounded like leaves in a stiff wind, it scampered back into the undergrowth, quickly disappearing, its green ruff blending perfectly with the surrounding leaves.

With a grunt, Merrell pushed Devon off of him. He sat up, scowling. “Why did you do that.”

Devon stared at him, eyes wide. “Are you kidding? That thing was doing something to you. I thought I was saving you.”

“Saving me? I don’t know about that.” The blush of embarrassment began to fill Merrell’s face. “I mean…it seemed friendly enough.”

Jacinda shook her head. “Not to Devon and me. It looked like it was taking control of you.”

Merrell shook his head. “Why would you think that? I’m strong and can take care of myself. Just because I’m big doesn’t mean I have a weak mind.” He scowled at Devon, perhaps more angry than he should be.

“That’s not what I meant…not at all,” Devon said. “I was just afraid that I might be losing a new friend. I didn’t want anything to happen to you.”

Merrell’s face softened, the anger draining away. “Oh, well I guess I owe you an apology then, Devon.” Merrell scrambled to his feet and offered Devon a hand up.

Devon took his hand and got to his feet. “No worries, Merrell, I was just watching out for you.”

Merrell still seemed unsure. “Are you sure…I mean, it didn’t hurt me.”

“But it grabbed you.” Jacinda interrupted.

Merrell shook his head slowly. “You are probably right, but it just didn’t feel dangerous. It felt friendly.”

Jacinda stared at him in confusion. “I still don’t understand.”

Merrell hesitated, his eyes full of thought. “Well, I don’t know if I can really explain it. I mean, I was startled when it touched me, but just as quickly I calmed down. I got this image in my head of my home, back in New California. It was like I was looking at a postcard of one of those fun, summer days when I had nothing to worry about. It was almost like I was back there.”

Merrell looked back at the trees where the creature had disappeared. He wore a look of longing. “It just felt so wonderful.”

Jacinda walked up to Merrell and put her hand on his shoulder. He looked back at her, still almost overcome with emotion.

“Are you gonna be okay?” She asked, concern showing in her voice.

Merrell signed. “Sure…I’ll be fine…it’s just been a long time since I felt that way. My brothers and I have been away at school for so long I guess I just miss home. We haven’t been back for three years.”

Jacinda and Devon were obviously shocked by this news. Devon began to ask Merrell about it, but bit off his question when Jacinda gave him a warning look.

“It’s okay, Merrell,” Jacinda gave his shoulder another squeeze, “You’ll get to go home…and I bet it will be soon, with everything that has happened to us.”

Merrell smiled. “You are probably right…but that still doesn’t explain why I thought about it. It was almost as if I had no choice.” He thought for a moment, “I think that the creature did it.”

“Why would it do that?” Devon asked, suddenly very interested.

“If I had to guess, I’d say it was trying to tell me something. I think it was trying to communicate.”

Jacinda’s eyes furrowed skeptically. “Communicate? Why did it sneak up on us if it was trying to communicate.”

“Maybe it was afraid of us.“ Devon commented.

“Beep, beep.” Devon’s WristVid chirped, interrupting their discussion.

Devon thumbed a button, answering in an excited voice. “Mr. Jacobs, you will never believe what just happened.”

“No time for that now, Devon,” Deke interrupted him. “We need to get you inside, as soon as we can.”

“Okay, but we have to find Flim first.”

“What?” Anger showed in Deke’s voice. “Where did he run off to?”

Jacinda stepped to Devon’s side so she could be heard. “Mr. Jacobs, that is not all. We just encountered a very interesting creature.”

“Jacinda, I appreciate your curiosity, but I couldn’t give two hoots about that. I want you to find Flim and get back to the ship. We have rigged up a makeshift rope and we will be pulling you up through one of the emergency exits.”

“But Mr. Jacobs.” Jacinda pleaded.

“No argument Ms. Vasquez. Do as I instructed.” Deke’s use of Jacinda’s last name signaled that he would not be moved.

Devon shrugged his shoulders, giving Jacinda resigned look. After a moment he spoke into his WristVid, “We will find Flim and come back to the ship. I’ll let you know as soon as we find him.”

“Good, just don’t go too far into the forest. I don’t want you getting out of range of your WristVid. Make sure you contact me every fifteen minutes.”

“Yes sir.” Devon deactivated his WristVid.

Jacinda huffed in frustration. “Okay, we have to find Flim as soon as we can.”

Merrell nodded. “Then we can go back to the ship.”

“No, I don’t think so. At least not yet.” Jacinda said, shaking her head.

Devon and Merrell both turned to look at Jacinda, mouths open in disbelief.

Jacinda began to make her way into the forest as she spoke. “Wait, before you say anything. We will do what Mr. Jacobs said. We will look for Flim, but why can’t we look for that creature too? We will contact Mr. Jacobs every fifteen minutes, just like we said we would. We just have to take our time finding Flim.”

“I don’t know about this, Jacinda.” Devon looked skeptical.

“Trust me, Devon. Maybe these creatures can help us.”

Devon and Merrell followed Jacinda into the forest. They all called Flim’s name and scanned the surrounding underbrush for any sign of their friend.

Tall, wide trees cast the land into deep shade. Thin, fern-like plants huddled around the trucks of the trees. Soft, grey grass covered the ground everywhere else. Walking on the grass felt like walking in think foam. It gave under their feet and sprang back up behind them, leaving little trace of their passage. As they moved deeper into the forest, the light grew dimmer, blocked by the ever thicker canopy above.

They continued to call out to Flim, but got no response. Devon soon realized that if they went much further into the forest, they may not be able to find their way back.

“Jacinda, Merrell, I think we need to turn back. I doubt that Flim would have gone this far, and we better not get lost.”

“But Devon, we can’t just leave him out here,” Jacinda said, determination showing in her voice.

“I wouldn’t suggest it if I thought we had any choice. But…”

A soft, melodious hoot interrupted their conversation. The hoot had come from a particularly dense clump of underbrush directly in front of them.

Devon, Jacinda and Merrell all froze in their tracks.

“What was that?” A note of fear showed in Jacinda’s voice.

Merrell stepped protectively between Jacinda and the undergrowth. “Whatever it was, it didn’t sound dangerous, but I suggest we get out of here.”

“I agree,” Devon added hastily.

“But, Flim…” Jacinda was still hesitant to leave their friend to fend for himself.

Merrell turned and took Jacinda by the hand. “We have to worry about ourselves right now. We can’t help him if something happens to us.” He started back the way they had come, pulling Jacinda along with him by her hand. They head the hoot again. This was enough to convince Devon that it was wise to leave.

They had gone only a few yards when they heard another hoot, but this one came from the forest to their right. It was immediately answered by another hoot on their left. The friends picked up their pace but were brought up short by the sound of rustling leaves coming from the undergrowth directly in front of them.

“Flim?” Devon asked, his voice nervous. He was answered by several more hoots from the direction they faced.

The brush moved, like a breeze was moving though it, and parted. Two of the green creatures seemed to materialize right out of the bushes. They were undistinguishable from the one they had seen earlier. These did, however, seem upset. Their deep brown eyes looked almost angry.

The larger of the two creatures carried a sharpened stick and motioned for the friends to stop. Devon thought about running for a moment, but a quick look over his shoulder revealed that several more of the creatures had materialized right behind them.

The creature with the stick seemed to be in charge. It motioned at the others, who quickly surrounded the children. The leader slowly approached Merrell, perhaps assuming the he was their leader because of his larger size. The creature studied Merrell, its brown eyes intent and intelligent. After a few moments it motioned with its stick and the circle of creature opened. The leader scampered past the children and motioned for them to follow.

When Devon and the others didn’t follow, it motioned again and hooted for emphasis. It seemed like they didn’t have any choice but to follow. They made their way deeper into the forest, following the leader, surrounded by at least a dozen of the green creatures.