The Bloodstone Prophecy - Book 2 (complete)

Chapter 3 - Waiting

Kami got on her hands and knees and crawled over the gritty surface to the mouth of the cave to take her watch. Waves of emotion rolled through her. She felt a guilty twinge when she saw how exhausted Chris looked.

"Here," she ordered. Chris gave her a little smile and handed her the laser sabers.

"You want to whip, or do you want me to?" Haji asked.

"I don't care," Kami said. "We can take turns."

Haji inclined his head and accepted the whip from Samuel, who followed Chris into the belly of the cave.

They sat in mutual silence. Apparently the shadow creatures were either licking their wounds or rallying for another attack. Either way, the two of them would be ready.

Kami thought of Gedo's last word. Hope. What hope did they have? How were they supposed to get to Neina now? They had been caught. The element of surprise was gone. Liam and Yasmin were being held captive, or at least she hoped so. For all she knew, they were dead. And Gedo might be next. She couldn't even think about that. The guilt gnawed at her again. It had seemed like the right choice at the time to leave. Looking back, she still didn't know what she could have done differently.

A heavy darkness settled on her heart. Why was everything so hard? Kami felt so alone. She wanted to feel like fighting. She wanted to feel like they had a chance, but the truth was she didn't. Kami touched the glowing the necklace and felt its familiar pulse. It was calming, somehow. Wasn't that supposed to be one of the qualities of the bloodstone? She shook her head. The next thing she knew, she'd start believing all the other crazy things Haji had said about it. Then again, the shield had been pretty impressive. The only problem was she had no idea how it had worked, or if she could make it work again.

She rubbed her thumb over the smooth surface. If only she could find a way to heal Gedo and save her family and Liam.

"Kami," Haji whispered. "Look."

A mouse poked its face around the corner. So the clever buggers were sending a little guy to do their dirty work. She flicked the switches to the laser sabers, trying to catch the creature, but the slippery mouse scurried away.

"How am I supposed to whip a mouse?" Haji asked.

"I don't know. Use it like a broom, I guess," Kami offered.

They watched and waited. After another five minutes or so, their patience was rewarded. The mouse poked its head in again and Haji was ready for it. He swept the mouse out the door, sending it flying into the dark night.

"Sweet shot," Kami said, and he smiled slightly. "I think it was just a mouse though, not one of those shadow things."

"Either way, I do not want it around me."

They waited for a couple of hours with no sign of a creature. The day's stress and exhaustion were beginning to catch up to her.

"Do you think they've given up?" Kami asked.

Haji shrugged. "We must find a way to leave if they have. It won't be safe here for very long. They will send more monsters, or her bodyguards might find us. If we stay here, we will perish from famine or thirst. We are trapped in here. Our best option is to return to the vehicles."

Kami's heart sank. She hadn't thought of that. Haji was right. They needed to find somewhere else to hide, or this cave would become their tomb. 

"Do you think that girl is okay?" Kami asked.

"I don't know," Haji said. "I've been worried about her all night. I never intended to leave her there alone."

"It wasn't your fault," Kami consoled.