Tunnels 03, Freefall

despite this he was determined that he was going to see his parents. He had to let them know he was still alive. However, with Martha in tow, how would that work? It was as if he had somehow collected a third parent, a doting and rather deranged one. All of a sudden a terrible picture forced its way into his head. In this picture Martha, consumed by jealousy and frothing at the mouth, was about to use her crossbow on his mum and dad.
    "Oh, God, no." He rubbed his forehead hard. "Will, wherever you are, you've got a lot to answer for," Chester said, and then for some reason he began to laugh. "Will, Will, Will," he said, shaking his head and still laughing.

38

    Will had to agree with his father -- they'd found themselves in an Eden of sorts. Although the discovery of the impaled skulls had struck a discord in this otherwise perfect idyll, they put all thoughts of this behind them and immersed themselves in their new way of life. But, more than anything else, this uncomplicated existence was a chance for them all to have a badly needed rest, to recover.
    On one of their first excursions into the jungle, Will and his father came across traces of a city. Although the land had long since been reclaimed by the prodigious growth of the trees, the numerous ruins suggested that the city had been built on an immense scale, covering several square kilometers. Dr. Burrows was convinced he'd found where his itinerant people -- the Ancients as he called them -- had settled and established a sprawling metropolis. And the friezes and writing on the pyramids demonstrated that they had been more advanced by many centuries than Topsoil cultures if Dr. Burrows estimate of the age of the ruins was correct. Their achievements in philosophy, mathematics, medicine and many other disciplines were simply astonishing.
    Dr Burrows' theory was that the Ancients were the basis for the legend of Atlantis. He was certain that somehow Plato had heard reports of this hidden civilization back in the third century BC, and had written about it in his dialogues, but had never learnt of its true location. And so all the centuries of conjecture that ensued -- that the city had been on an island or islands in the Atlantic Ocean or Mediterranean Sea, which had been swallowed up by the waves -- was completely mistaken. Dr. Burrows was convinced that it had been hidden here in the very center of the Earth all along. Will wasn't so preoccupied with such matters, more than content to spend his days working closely with his father as they recorded their findings. It was as though Will's dream had finally come true.
    Elliott learnt to live with the sun, turning as brown as a berry in no time at all -- something which Will put down to her Styx heritage as the Rebecca twins had just as effortlessly adapted to Topsoil conditions.
    Not far from the pyramid, she built a shelter up in the branches of one of the giant trees to accommodate them all. And armed with a bow and arrow, she would go off on hunting trips with Bartleby at her side. He proved his worth in tracking prey after he'd been persuaded not to just sniff out small rodents and reptiles. The girl and the cat would often be absent from the camp for days on end, going deep into the jungle to stalk gazelle and antelope. These provided an ample supply of both meat and hides, which she knew how to prepare from the skills she'd picked up in the Deeps. She also discovered that several major rivers meandered through the jungle, and Will would sometimes accompany her to these and help her to string nets across them to catch several varieties of large fish.

    * * * * *

    It was on one of these outings that the unexpected happened.
    Taking Bartleby with them because Dr. Burrows refused point-blank to look after him, maintaining he was far too busy with his work and that it was tantamount to babysitting, Will and Elliott had set off to do some fishing in the largest of the rivers. It was a day's walk from the camp, but Will had jumped at the opportunity to spend time with Elliott and for a change of scene.
    Their feet hardly making a sound as they trekked across the thick carpet of leaf debris on the jungle floor, Elliott spoke little to Will as they went. It was as though she was unable to refrain from using the field skills that had been so essential to her survival in the Deeps. Will didn't see the need for this constant state of vigilance at all, quite content to stroll along and observe the wildlife, or to lose