Tunnels 03, Freefall

of old--"
    "Codswallop," Will interjected, remembering the precise word Tam had used to describe the story.
    "Yes, codswallop -- or maybe it was just a sham," Martha agreed. "Some believed the whole yarn was put around by the Styx, to fill people with a fear of the Interior."
    "My dad thought there might be something down there," Will said wistfully. "On the pages I've got from his journal, he's made notes about carvings in a temple he found, about a Garden of The Second Sun ," Will couldn't stop his voice from shaking as he thought about him. "Dad must have been so excited -- bet he was whistling his head off." He bowed his head as he was stabbed by a sudden pang of grief.
    Martha rubbed her hands together to rid them of the fungus, and came round the table to him. she patted him on the back. "You've got new family now," she said tenderly. "We're together, that's what counts."
    He raised his head and looked gratefully at her.
    "You could do with getting out of here for a while, and we could do with some fresh meat. I've been spooning broth into Elliott, but my stocks are running low. So why don't you gather up you kit, and tell Chester we'll be gone for a couple of hours.

    * * * * *

    Chester was none too happy that Will and Martha were leaving him alone with Elliott. "What happens if you don't come back or something?" he said. "What'll I do then?"
    "But Will was relieved to be out of the stockade, even if it was only for a short while. As Martha led him along one of the tunnels, some sprigs of Aniseed Fire tucked under her belt and her crossbow cocked he kicked out his legs, relishing the exercise.
    "Now keep the noise down," she warned him as they dropped into a new section of tunnel. "This is spider country."
    Then, a little further on, she raised her crossbow and slowed to a crawl. Will fell in behind her, trying to make out what was there.
    "Careful," she whispered as they crept towards a junction. Martha didn't seem concerned that Will was using the lantern, so he made no effort to dim it.
    Then he saw that a trap had been sprung -- it was a net just like the one he'd been caught in. It was gathered up into a bundle and hung from the roof above, suspended by a single line. As they came nearer to it, Will could see the multiple legs protruding through the netting.
    "Got ourselves a catch," Martha whispered.
    Sure enough, there was a single spider-monkey inside it. Sensing their approach, it began to thrash its legs, sending the net bobbing up and down.
    "Whoa -- that's gross. It stinks!" Will said, cupping his hand over his nose.
    They do that. It's a last resort when they're cornered," Martha told him, drawing out her knife. She walked around the bobbing animal, chose a spot and jabbed at it. It was instantly still.
    "That's rank!" Will said as he pinched his nose and wondered if he would ever be able to bring himself to eat the meat again. Then, as Martha untied the net, he became intrigued by the creature and let go of his nose. "Those eyes are incredible," he said, leaning over the spider-monkey to study the three circular reflective patches on its disc-like body.
    "They're not eyes -- they're ears," Martha informed him.
    "Really?"
    "Yes -- see the two small spines there above its fangs?" she said, indicating a pair of what Will had taken to be extra thick bristles with the tip of her knife. "They send out the screeching sound, which the ears pick up."
    "Really?" Will said again. "So it's like a bat?"
    "Just like a bat," Martha confirmed, "but Nathaniel also said they use them to sniff out injured or dying creatures." Putting away her knife, she rolled the dead spider into a sack. She passed this to Will to carry, and then took them on what was clearly a regular circuit as she checked more traps along the way. In no time at all, Will was lugging around three dead beasts on his back.
    Then they came to the wooden benches piled deep with old meat and body parts. "Hey, I recognize this place," Will said.
    "You certainly do," Martha replied as she took the sack from him and emptied out the dead spider-monkeys. Then she pulled a large sprig of Aniseed Fire from her belt, lit it and handed it to Will. "Wave it around. We've been lucky so far, but I'm not taking any risks with you here. They might swarm when I begin the cutting and they scent blood."
    Will did as he was told, passing the sprig in front of him, the movement causing the smoldering fronds to glow brightly as the smell of licorice flooded the