Tunnels 04, Closer

round.
    "No, the range is too great," Eddie said. "The wind would make the shot drift."
    "I don't care. I'll take that risk," Chester rasped. He was silent for a moment, then began to chuckle strangely.
    "What is it, Chester?" Drake asked, concerned that the boy was becoming unhinged after his recent experiences.
    "I don't believe it!" Chester replied, still chuckling. He'd caught sight of something above Martha, who was now running like a frightened rabbit in a zig-zag pattern. "She wasn't completely nuts. A Bright did follow her up here." He could see a huge moth-like creature making passes over her head, although it was moving far less rapidly than if it had been in its usual habitat. Chester knew this was because of the increased gravity up here on the surface.
    As he watched, the Bright spread its wings wide, the scales on them catching the morning sun. They flashed with a dazzling whiteness, making the creature appear like a giant swan in flight. Then the Bright tucked them back along its body and tipped into a sheer dive, hurtling straight for Martha. She flung herself down on the beach, just managing to avoid it at the last moment. Picking herself up, she began to run again. "She's got nothing to defend herself with. She hasn't got a chance," Chester said, taking great delight in the spectacle as he saw the Bright make another dive. "It's homed in on her because she's bleeding. It knows the smell of her blood. It's going to get her."
    "If you want I can go down there and make sure the job's finished," Eddie said, as casually as if he was offering Chester a cup of tea.
    Chester lowered the rifle and turned to the Styx. "Thank you," he declined the man politely. There was a steeliness in the boy's eyes as he added, "But she's more scared of Brights than anything in the world... and I don't want it to be quick. I want her to die really slowly."
    "Okay, Chester... why don't you give the rifle back to Eddie, and sit down again," Drake urged him gently.
    Chester looked from Drake to Eddie, then back to Drake again. "I honestly don't know what's more upsetting -- what that horrible old bag put me through... or the fact that you're best friends with a Styx... and he's called Eddie ."

13

    Will collected some water and supplies, and was just about to return to his father when Elliott appeared. She was carrying some firewood in her arms, with Bartleby scampering along behind her.
    "Going somewhere," she inquired, seeing the Bergen on Will's back and the Sten gun in his hand.
    Will looked at her, the resignation in his eyes saying it all. "I left you a note. Dad thinks he's got as far as he can with this pyramid, and he's set on seeing one of the others. You know what he's like -- he's decided it has to be right now."
    Elliott clicked her tongue against her teeth. "And after all I've tried to tell him."
    "Yeah, I know," Will sighed.
    She dropped the pieces of wood. "Right, I'm coming along for the ride too."
    Will was delighted. "Really?"

    * * * * *

    Dr. Burrows was far from pleased when he saw Elliott was with Will. But he didn't say a word because he knew that he'd gone against her advice that they shouldn't stray far from the camp.
    It was unusual for all three of them to be together on an outing. In fact, other than the odd foray to the ruins of the city in the jungle, Dr. Burrows hadn't been anywhere for some time, instead concentrating all his energies on the pyramid by the base camp.
    They were following a bearing he'd taken on the nearest of the two new pyramids, tramping through the jungle in an extended line. As expected, Dr. Burrows had chosen to lead the party himself and was striding off ahead, with Will next, and Elliott and Bartleby bringing up the rear. It reminded Will so much of the moment they'd entered this secret world for the very first time, without any idea what they'd find, or where they were going. It felt like an age ago to him now.
    Other than the odd bird call or crack as a twig snapped underfoot, all was silent as they traversed the platform of leaf detritus on the jungle floor. The three of them were soon covered in sweat because of the high humidity; the huge weight of tree foliage above trapped a layer of air where they were walking, and there was very little in the way of a breeze.
    Then they began to notice that the ground was becoming damper and that the giant trees were no longer affording them as much protection from the sun. They had entered a sparse forest of dumpy-looking