Chapter Seventeen

Flim pressed himself to the trunk of a tree, trying with everything he had to not move. He had somehow felt the presence of the creatures before they had revealed themselves near the crashed ship. Perhaps it was because he was an excellent sneaker, so he knew what to listen for. Their presence was overwhelming and he thought there must be over a dozen of the things in the forest surrounding his friends.

Flim felt ashamed that he had not warned them, but by the time he had realized the creatures were there he only had time to blend in with a nearby tree. His skin had turned a mottled green, with streaks of brown. When he stopped moving it was impossible for anyone to tell him from the tree. He hoped that these creatures did not share his ability to detect other hidden folk.

These creatures blended into the foliage nearly as well as Flim, but it was more because of their natural color. It did not seem like they could change color like Flim could. Their soft, feather-like skin helped them blend in too.

Flim heard Devon talking into his WristVid, but could not quite make out what he said. Flim wanted so much to warn Devon, but staying hidden might be his only chance to help if it came down to the worst. Flim watched his friends leave the clearing, shouting his name. He listened, holding his breath, until he could no longer hear their call. The presence of the creatures faded too. He knew that he was alone again…or so he thought.

Flim nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard rustling coming from a nearby bush. He froze, not daring to move a muscle as the bush shook. Relief flooded into him as he saw Sammy, Devon’s luggage, emerging from the underbrush. Sammy hesitated for a moment at the edge of the clearing. A slender stalk emerged from some hidden part of Sammy and scanned the clearing. It swung back and forth several times before stopping, pointed directly at Flim. The stalk disappeared once again, back into its hidden compartment. Sammy trundled toward Flim, as if he had called the chest. Sammy stopped, as if waiting for Flim to meet him halfway.

Flim let go of the tree and approached Sammy slowly. He nearly feinted when Sammy turned on his stubby legs and trundled off in the direction Devon and the others had gone.

“Wait, where are you going?” Flim called after the scuttling luggage. Sammy did not even slow down. Flim rushed to catch up. Luckily, Sammy’s stubby legs could only carry him so fast through the soft dirt of the forest floor. Flim was able to catch up without much problem.

As they made their way through the forest Flim caught brief snatches of the far off voices of his friends calling for him. Each time he heard them it sent a pang of guilt through him. Flim had never considered himself a hero, but he had never seen himself as a coward either. But there was part of him that felt like he was a coward for not helping Devon and the others. He could not think of what he could have done, but not even trying made him feel like a chicken. His only hope was to follow his friends and try to rescue them. He hoped that he could, or he might not ever be able to forgive himself.

Flim and Sammy followed Devon and the others for nearly an hour, careful not to be seen by the creatures. Sammy trundled along by Flim’s side, his legs beating a soft rhythm on the forest floor. Flim found the steady sound relaxing. Some of his tension drained away, leaving behind a feeling of hope that he could do something to free his friends. Sammy stopped abruptly, disturbing Flim’s thoughts.

Flim stopped as well, peering into the underbrush making sure he had not been seen. He concentrated for a moment and his skin darkened, turning a deep green to match the nearby bushes. He crept forward, carefully avoiding anything that might make noise as he passed. He inched slowly, ever so slowly, forward. As quietly as a mouse he crept through the bushes. He was rewarded by the sight of several of the creatures standing in a clearing up ahead.

Flim moved even closer, just close enough to catch sight of his friends as well. Flim froze as two more of the creatures strode into the clearing. One of the creatures, a huge one, strode toward the creature who had been leading Devon and his friends away. The two clasped hands. The feeling that something was going to happen filled the air. It was almost like electricity. The stood, their hands together, for what seemed like forever. Flim considered trying to move closer several times, but each time he tried he was filled with a strange feeling of hesitation. Something inside of him was telling him to wait.

Finally, the two creatures dropped their hands. The large creature trumpeted, starting Flim in his hiding spot. Flim watched in disbelief as all of the creatures except for two left the clearing. What happened next shocked Flim even more. First Devon and then Jacinda touched the creatures. Flim stared in horror as Jacinda collapsed, sobbing. Had the creature hurt her? He held his anger in check. It looked like Merrell and Devon were doing all they could to help her, and Flim could not very well rescue his friends if he was captured too.

Flim decided that it was time he started planning his rescue. There was no telling when he would get a better chance. With only two of the creatures nearby, he and his friends had them outnumbered, but that was sure to change soon enough.

Taking a deep breath, Flim began working his way around the clearing ahead. If he could get close enough for Devon or one of the others to hear him, perhaps they could be ready when it was time to escape. He crept closed, looking for a way to approach his friends without being seen, but it just was not possible.

Flim watched as Devon jumped to his feet and blurted out the name “Sammy”. After that things happened so quickly Flim lost control of his color changing and began a shade of bright pink. Fortunately, everyone else was as surprise by the ensuing aerial display that nobody noticed.