章 17: Chapter 17: Follow The Enemy
Susan watched as Vinnie held Tucker back and knew at least her friend was safe.
Weak and freezing, she relaxed, knowing she simply didn't have the strength to fight the water any longer and hoping a chance might come up to save herself further along.
Who am I kidding, she thought. I'm headed for a waterfall in an underground river.
I'm not going to make it.Susan tried to be brave. She remembered her mother crying over a young girl that died back home in New England, drowned by the undercurrents that took her out in the Atlantic Ocean too far. That was when Mom insisted Susan learn how to swim. But she was pretty sure no amount of lessons would help her survive what she was about to face.
She spun in the water, letting it carry her, ending up facing forward. She could see, now, the lip of the waterfall getting closer and tried to make a plan. But now that she could actually see it, she panicked. By the time she reached the edge, all she could think of to do was hold her breath.
And over she went.
Susan fell and fell, surrounded by water, still holding her breath but not sure how long she would be able to. Before she knew it, and frankly before she expected it, she hit water and went under.
Susan let herself sink before swimming for the surface, using the very last of her strength she saved for just this moment to make it to the top. She gasped for air, feeling herself floating more gently out of the circle of frothing water at the bottom of the waterfall. She looked back, seeing the jagged black rocks at the bottom and breathed a huge, shaky sigh, knowing how very lucky she was she missed them.
Susan was able to make it to shore in the gentler current and, pulling herself out just far enough she knew the current couldn't pull her back in, she collapsed, trying not to cry. Not from sadness, but from relief and happiness. She made it! Where exactly there was, she had no idea, but at least she was safely out of the water.
Susan took a few minutes to get her breath back before sitting up. She looked around for an exit and finally spotted one just behind her, a tunnel leading away. She got all turned around with the rats and then the river, but couldn't see another exit.
"It will either go somewhere or nowhere," Susan told herself, just to hear her own voice. "And anywhere is better than just sitting here."
She pulled herself up on her feet, immediately missing her boots and coat. She looked around briefly, thinking maybe they would have been washed ashore, but no luck.
Hope Dad won't be mad, Susan thought. If I ever see him again, that is, she finished glumly.She had to find Tucker. Not only was he going to need her, but he was the only one who wanted to help her get home.
Besides, she thought, I should have warned him before we even went into the tunnel.
This is my fault.
And so, cold and weak but determined to help her friend, Susan left the cavern, hoping the tunnel she found took her in the right direction.
Almost immediately, she was lost. The tunnel branched very quickly into three others. The one she guessed at became two others and the third became four others. Now completely turned around, she despaired at finding anything, let alone ever seeing the surface again.
Stupid labyrinth, she thought.
Susan was about to turn around when she heard a noise up ahead. Sneaking as quietly as she could, she reached an intersection and peered around the corner.
As luck would have it, she saw rats. Hundreds of rats, their beady, glowing red eyes shining in the near-dark.
They, however, didn't see her.
Susan ducked back, breathing hard. She found the enemy. Would they, could they lead her to her friend? She took another quick look. The rats seemed to be waiting, and not patiently. They chattered and squealed at each other, pushing and shoving, even hopping over each other and knocking each other over. Susan never understood why her mother was afraid of rats. They were so small! But looking at that mass, moving like a living carpet of brown fur and glowing red eyes, she got it. Susan slipped back again, shuddering and rested against the wall to think.
They must be waiting for the signal to attack, she thought. And, with that thought, she had an idea, a crazy, dangerous idea. What if I could lead them away? She wondered.
Would that give Vinnie more time to seal the tunnels?
Susan held her breath and closed her eyes as she realized what she was thinking. She was actually planning to put herself directly in harm's way, she who was afraid of Halloween, who hated scary stories because she could never sleep after. Susan opened her eyes, decision made. Tucker did his best for her. The least she could do was try.She looked back around the corner. The rats were even more visibly restless, squabbling among themselves in their squeaky voices. It wouldn't take much, Susan thought. Just a little suggestionÉ
She did the bravest thing she had ever done and stepped out into the corridor to face the rats.
Hundreds of eyes turned to her. The entire group froze. She took a deep breath and waved a little.
"Hi," she said. "I'm looking for the Rat King." And then, she turned and ran.
Susan listened, hoping beyond hope as she fled the first few feet, hearing nothing behind her and worrying suddenly she accomplished nothing after all. Until she heard them coming, as though all of them were following her, their sharp claws scrambling on the rock. She risked a look over her shoulder and ran harder. Hundreds of eyes were getting closer and closer, their silence turning to shrieks and piercing squeals as they chased her.
Susan ducked into a corridor she hadn't used yet and kept running. The rats were fast, but she was bigger. Still, she knew her energy would run out very quickly and adrenaline was the only thing keeping her feet flying.
She threw another look over her shoulder and saw the rats were falling back. Susan rounded another corner and kept going. Her plan was simple. If she could run them around the maze long enough and around enough corners, maybe she could get them as lost as her so they wouldn't be able to get to the City after all.
She slowed at one point and turned around. The rats were further behind than she liked. She waited for them to catch up a bit.
"What's the matter?" She called down the tunnel. "Can't keep up?" The rats surged after her and the chase was on again.
Susan tired rapidly and decided to put an end to it. She was all turned around as well and could only hope the effort she made would be of some help. She found a corner, slipped around it and waited.
The rats surged past her at a dead run, squeaking and hissing, their eyes not once leaving the corridor ahead of themStupid rats, she thought.
Susan waited a full minute after the last rat had passed to peek out and check.
The rats were gone. She heaved a sigh of relief and looked around, quickly deciding the tunnel she was in was the only safe one to take and started out.
And almost immediately ran into rats. Fortunately for her, there were only a handful and they didn't see her. She froze, crouching against the wall as the rats skittered on ahead of her. She watched them go, trying to decide whether to turn around or keep going after them.
The rats were almost out of sight. Taking a huge risk, she stood up and followed.
Susan could hear them chattering and squeaking up ahead but couldn't make them out. She followed as far back as she dared, not wanting to lose them. It was her guess that these rats either were leader rats and knew where they were going or were deserters looking for an exit. Either way, she figured it was her best bet to see where they went.
She was so intent on keeping up with them, she almost missed a familiar sight.
Susan just glanced to her left and realized she was walking past her cell. Her heart lifted. I know where I am! She thought, excited. Susan hung back and waited a moment to be sure the rats were further ahead before easing open the door and looking in.
Sure enough, it was her familiar prison. Susan resisted jumping up and down in joy, but only barely. She quickly left the cell and began to run.
Within moments, she was at the door to Khai's house. She pushed against it, hoping to force it open, but found it unlocked. She slipped into the library where she and Tucker confided in the Councilor. It was empty.
Not even any food left, she thought, stomach turning, remembering the yummy stuff that had been on the table only a short time before.
Susan shook her head and made her way through the house. It was very quiet. She found the front door and looked out. Cats ran everywhere in a seeming panic. She hoped that meant Vinnie raised the alarm after all. But it also meant the front door was out.
She hunted some more, frantic now. She needed to get to the Gate. Time was running short. As if in response to her thought, the grandfather clock in the front hall began to toll the hour.
There has to be another exit, Susan thought, besides into the tunnels.Even as she thought it, she found it. The back door opened onto a quiet alley. Susan looked out both ways before exiting. She went to one end and peeked out. That street led down into the center of the City. Susan could only guess the Gate would be on the outside. She ran to the other end and was rewarded. The Gate was in plain view and unmistakable, a big, thick, silver structure shining softly in the permalight. Susan, throwing caution to the wind, headed for it at a dead run, not caring that the cats she ran past stared at her.
She made it to the Gate, panting and gasping, her feet aching from tripping on stones and cracks in the street, socks almost completely torn away. She caught her breath as she took in what happened. Two guards lay still on the ground and, at the Gate, Julian used red magic.
Susan ran toward the traitorous captain, but too late. As she neared him, her hands reaching out to grab him, he released his spell and the Gate began to open toward him.
The rats came flooding in.
-- 贈り物
が届きました 
-- 推薦
ランキング 
-- 推薦
チケット