The Seeker from Above: A Gregor the Overlander Fanfic

Chapter 16

Previously...

Although she was grateful to Gregor, the memories ached her heart. She had to turn the other way and sleep so no one saw the tears streaming down her cheeks. But eventually drowsiness overtook and she fell into a fitful sleep. But it wasn't long before she was awakened by Temp's alarm.

"Going, the shiners are, gone!" the cockroach croaked.

.

.

.

Stella awoke and saw that the light of the fireflies had disappeared. There were only silhouettes in her vision. She could hear Howard fumbling around behind her, muttering, "conniving, vile creatures!"

Gregor flipped on the flashlight he always kept right next to his bed. Everyone was stirring now.

"What is it? What has happened?" Mareth asked, springing to his feet.

"The shiners have deserted!" Howard said, getting a torch lit.

"Deserted? They were bound for the entire journey!" said Mareth.

"By what? Their honour? They have none. Their word? Equally worthless! The shiners are bound only by their stomachs, and as we cannot satisfy those, they have broken with us!" said Howard.

"But where could they go?" asked Gregor.

"Yeah, didn't you say that there's no land around for miles?" Stella asked.

"They'll go to the rats," Twitchtip said flatly. "They'll receive food and safe passage home in exchange for information on our whereabouts." She looked around at their dismayed faces. "On the good side, we won't have to listen to them whine anymore."

For an instant, everyone else was too startled to speak. Twitchtip had made a joke! Then, everybody — humans, bats, roach, rat — laughed. If there was one thing they all could agree on, it was how annoying the fireflies had been.

"Yes," agreed Luxa. "That will be a blessing." She and Twitchtip eyed each other. "It is a shame you did not get to eat them, though."

"Oh, shiners taste nasty," said Twitchtip. "I only threatened them to shut them up."

"Well, no one shall miss them, but they have left us with more trouble," said Mareth. "How holds the fuel, Howard?" Howard shook his head. "Not well. Much of it was in the other boat. We will get to the Labyrinth, but we will not have many more hours of light after that."

"I have life — I mean, light! I have light, too!" said Gregor.

"You have the greatest task ahead of you, Overlander," said Howard. "You must keep your light."

"Well, I will, some of it. But I could spread it around. Wait a minute!" Gregor dumped out his bag. Five flashlights spilled out with some batteries and duct tape.

"Hey, Luxa, give me your arm! Not the sword one!" he said. Luxa held out her arm curiously. Gregor placed a flashlight on her forearm so it would shine out over the top of her hand. Then he wrapped duct tape around and around, securing the flashlight to her sleeve, but leaving the on/off switch clear. "There! That way you won't have to hold it, and you won't lose it, either." Luxa flipped the flashlight on and shone it about. "Oh, yes, Gregor. This will work well."

"Stella, now you." Stella scooted over to Gregor. "Wait, which hand is your sword hand?"

"Sword hand? I've only used a sword once," she admitted. "I'm left-handed so I think I'll be able to fight with my left hand."

"Okay," Gregor said. He did the same for Stella's arm as he did for Luxa's.

Gregor fixed up Howard and Mareth with flashlights, too, then attached one to his own arm.