Chapter Sixteen

The creatures surrounding Devon and the others watched them with interest. They grew especially interested when Jacinda began speaking to Devon.

“Where do you think they are taking us?” She asked.

“I’m can’t be sure, but I guess wherever they are taking us must be safe from the bowzers. They must have learned how to deal with them…or they wouldn’t be there.” Jacinda began to say something else, but stopped when the creature leading them stopped and cocked his head, as if listening for something. He sniffed the air, turned and motioned at two of the creatures that were accompanying them.

Those two disappeared into the trees, all but invisible among the foliage.

“It’s no wonder we didn’t see them creeping around earlier. Those feathers blend in to the leaves perfectly. They must have been watching us the whole time.”

“I don’t think those are feathers.” Merrell spoke up for the first time since they had been taken. “When the creature touched me it didn’t feel like feathers.”

Jacinda turned to him, a question in her eyes. “What did it feel like?”

Merrell’s brow furrowed in thought for a moment. “This is gonna sound weird…but it felt like it feels when you are rolling around in the grass.”

“Huh? What do you mean?” Devon asked.

“Well, have you ever rolled around in grass? You know how it is kinda soft, but scratchy at the same time? And, it didn’t feel warm, like our hands.”

“I guess…but how could that be?” Devon glanced at Jacinda, looking for any help she could offer.

Jacinda simply shrugged. “Don’t ask me, on the mining colony we didn’t have grass, so I’ve never rolled in it.”

Merrell grinned sheepishly at Devon and Jacinda. “I know this sounds crazy, but I don’t think they are…like us. I think they’re, plants, maybe.” Even he did not seem convinced by his own argument.

“Maybe that is why they don’t talk,” Devon added. That would make sense.

Their conversation was interrupted by a hoot from the forest just ahead. Two of the creatures emerged from forest, approaching the one who had led Devon and his friends here. One of the approaching creatures was much larger than the others. As it neared the group it held out its hand. The creature who had led the children reached out and grasped the offered hand. They each closed their eyes and a low thrumming resonated through the clearing. The two creatures stood unmoving in the late afternoon sunlight.

Jacinda started to say something but a pointed look from the other newcomer silenced her. A few more minutes passed as Devon, Jacinda and Merrell traded shrugs and confused expressions. The creatures had made it obvious that this meeting, or whatever it was, should not be disturbed.

What did they expect from the children? Why had they taken them? Would they be safe? Where was Flim? All of these questions weighed on Devon’s mind. Right now it did not seem like these creatures were ready to give them any answers.

Five minutes turned into fifteen minutes and then into a half an hour. Devon felt the urge to ask how long this would take, but remembering the look that Jacinda had gotten from one of the creatures convinced him to hold his tongue for now.

Abruptly the communing of the two creatures ended. The larger one hooted so loudly that it almost sounded like an elephant trumpeting. At this all of the creatures, except for the two newcomers, disappeared into the nearby forest.

Jacinda shook he head. “I’m sure they are not gone. I’ll bet they are all still creeping around close by. Dumb creepers.” She crossed her arms and harrumphed in irritation.

The large creature stepped forward and eyed the children. He towered over them, bigger than most adult humans. Devon watched the creature as it looked them over. He thought that despite its fearsome appearance, it had kind eyes.

The creature stepped closer to Devon and put out its hand, just as it had earlier. He glanced over his shoulder at Jacinda and Merrell, who shrugged, as unsure of what he should do as he was. This close to the creature his nose detected the rich, earthy aroma of moss, like a damp forest. The smell was somehow comforting.

Swallowing his fears, Devon grasped the creature’s hand. It felt just as Merrell had described, soft yet scratchy, like deep, dry grass. The creature’s hand closed gently around Devon’s. This time Devon both heard and felt the thrumming. It filled his chest with a giggly feeling, like the feeling you get when you swing a little too high and your heart flutters in your chest.

Suddenly images tumbled into Devon’s head. He saw a huge forest that made this one look like a garden. He saw oceans at sunset with the waves sparkling like fields of jewels. He saw clear, cool nights filled with meteor showers like fireworks. Devon even saw things that he could not understand, but made his heart sing anyway. The strongest image he received was of a vast range of mountains covered in smoke. Several large peaks glowed with the red of lava and belched smoke and ash into a dreary, gray sky.

Devon’s head was filled with so many images that he had trouble sorting them out. It was as if he were living a lifetime in only minutes. Just when he felt like he could not take anymore, the creature released his hand.

Devon looked up, staring into to creature’s eyes. A connection, like a spark passed between the two. He suddenly realized that the creature had shown him parts of its own life. Somehow it had shared its experiences with him. Devon realized that this must be how the creatures communicated. The first creature that had touched Merrell had only been trying to communicate. Devon had probably frightened the creatures by trying to stop it.

Devon’s head was filled with so many thoughts and images that he stood dumbfounded for a moment. He took a deep breath and tried to sort them out. One of the strongest was a feeling of peace, just like Merrell had described. Perhaps the creatures were trying to reassure Devon and the others that they meant them no harm. But that didn’t explain why they took them away from the ship. The creatures must want something from them, Devon thought.

He also had another image in his head. It was an image of just a few moments ago when Jacinda had called the creatures creepers. He sensed acceptance, as if they had taken the name as their own. They liked the name and felt it suited them. He also remembered an image that he thought might be the creature’s name. He could only translate it as DeepRoot.

“Well, Jacinda, they like the name you gave them.” Devon chuckled.

“What?” Jacinda looked confused. “How do you know?”

“They told me, sort of. I think they communicate with their minds, but not with words. When I touched the big one’s hand I saw all kinds of things in my head. It was showing me its life. I think that is how they communicate. With images.”

Merrell clapped his hands. “That is what I saw. I knew there was something to it.”

“How can you be sure?” Jacinda shook her head, unconvinced.

Merrell and Devon looked at her, both wearing irritated looks.

Devon stepped toward her. “Just wait, Jacinda. You will be just as sure when it happens to you.” Merrell nodded in agreement when Jacinda looked his way.

The young girl glared back at Devon and Merrell. “Why can’t I do it too?”

The boys shrugged. Devon stepped toward her, trying to lay a calming hand on her shoulder. “I’m not sure why DeepRoot hasn’t talked to you yet.”

“DeepRoot? So you are on a first name basis now?”

“I think that is his name. It just popped into my head.”

Jacinda cocked her head in thought seeming to ponder a decision. Finally she nodded and strode toward DeepRoot. She stuck out her hand, waiting for the creeper to take hold of it. Instead it shied away from her, perhaps uncertain of her intensions. Jacinda grunted angrily and stepped forward, her hand held out. DeepRoot skipped away from the offered hand and hooted loudly.

The smaller creeper who had been standing nearby suddenly stepped forward, placing itself between Jacinda and the large creeper. Jacinda took several steps back, but quickly regained her courage. Once again, she held out her hand to the creeper, this time to the smaller one.

It looked back at DeepRoot, who gestured at it. The smaller creeper gently took Jacinda’s hand, filling the girl’s head with racing images. She knew instantly that this creeper’s name was ClearSky. She saw images of groups of smaller creepers gathered together in a field, arms raised to the sky, as if they were soaking up the streaming rays of sunlight. Other, larger creepers moved among them, seeing to their needs. She also saw images of vast forests and serene oceans. Suddenly the images grew more intense. She saw the same field of small creepers, but this time a spaceship was raining fire among the field of creepers. The larger creepers ran among the smaller, trying to save as many as they could from the flames. With a flash of pain Jacinda realized that the smaller creepers were rooted in place and had to be pulled up before they could escape. She could feel the anguish of the keepers as the fire forced them to flee the field, leaving behind many of their charges.

Jacinda began to sob when the creeper broke contact. She fell to her knees, unable to control her crying. Devon and Merrell rushed to her side, desperate to see if she was okay.

“Oh, Merrell,” she sobbed, “someone attacked their young. So many died.” Merrell knelt down and cradled her in his big arms.

Devon felt like an intruder in their moment of grief. He stood up and approached DeepRoot.

“DeepRoot, what is going on? Who did this.” DeepRoot did not respond, merely cocked his head at Devon. Perhaps he could not understand the question. Did the creepers want their help? Could that be what they were trying to tell them? Devon tried several more times to make himself understood, but failed each time. Finally he decided to take a break. He slipped off his backpack, looking for a place to rest for a moment. He found a soft spot in the grass and sat down, rummaging through his pack for a waterpouch. It was too bad that all he had was water. He could use a nice bit of juice. That would be nice. Sammy always had plenty on hand.

Devon jumped up in shock. He realized that Sammy was not here. He had not seen him since they started looking for Flim. He had completely forgotten about Sammy.

“Sammy,” he blurted before regaining his self control.

Devon only had a moment to think about his missing luggage before the sky lit up with a flash like nothing Devon had ever seen. For a moment he was distracted by a flash of something pink hidden among the bushes just outside of the clearing, but his attention was soon drawn back to the sky by more flashes, each a different color. The whole sky glowed, like they were inside of some sort of giant globe and some unknown giant was shining different color glowsticks at it. The display continued for quite a while, mesmerizing the children and the creepers. Its hauntingly beautiful hues danced across the sky from horizon to horizon. The patterns changed constantly, whirling in complicated swirls and eddies of light.