Take Back the Light

Chapter 38

Three days since the Game Master's challenges, Alana found herself riding alongside the rest of the gang, listening to Trixie explain a distress call she'd received from a woman in High Plains named Brodie- something about slugs in the area being drained of energy. The Shane Gang reached a small ranch town, right at the center of the cavern.

"The town we're going to is big on slug farms," Trixie explained. "It's the kind of close-knit place where everyone knows everyone. I've known Brodie for years- she's big on getting things done right the first time. Whatever's wrong, she thinks we're the best people for the job."

Alana looked around as the gang rode along the outskirts of the town. The buildings were focused around a central commons area, numerous toward the middle but thinning out the farther away they were from the center. The outer border of the town was made up of barns and farm houses. Trixie led the way to a large white house, with a barn next to it enclosed in a wire fence.

But something was wrong. It was a slug farm, right?

"This can't be it," Alana said, watching as Trixie dismounted at the edge of the fence, along with the rest of the gang. Trixie looked up at her curiously.

"Well, it's not Brodie's place, but this is where she said to go," she said. "Believe me, I know my way around this place, this is the right address."

Alana got down from Midnight, eyeing the barn as the gang walked down a short dirt path leading to the entrance. "What kind of slug farm has no slugs?"

"What do you mean?" Kord asked warily.

"I mean there's almost no slug energy in the barn," Alana explained. "One or two, maybe, but I'm telling you, there's not a whole colony of slugs in there."

But then the gang walked into the barn, and Alana saw that she was horribly wrong.

The barn was full of slugs, just the right amount Alana would have figured to be on a small farm like this. There was an aisle running down the middle of the barn, and each side had several separated pens with food, water, and shelters for all sorts of slugs- Hoverbugs, Fandangos, Phosphoros, Rammstones, Armashelts. But every slug was just laying on the ground of their pens. The food and water dishes were full, but they didn't seem to care. They blankly looked up at the Shane Gang, but had no emotion.

At the center of the barn stood a woman and a little girl. The little girl had shoulder-length black hair and wide teal eyes. She wore a white and red dress, and in her hands she cradled a lethargic Hoverbug. There were tears shimmering in her eyes.

The woman had dark purple-pink hair and dark green eyes. She wore a pale blue and white shirt and dark gray pants, and had a hand resting on the little girl's shoulder.

"Thanks for coming in," the woman said. Trixie smiled and hurried forward, hugging the woman and ruffling the little girl's hair.

"Everyone, this is Brodie," Trixie said, gesturing to the woman. "And this is Trini."

Trini seemed uninterested in the gang, instead keeping her gaze on the Hoverbug in her hands. Alana nodded to Brodie, but was more focused on the slugs. She bent down and observed one of the pens. It was like the slugs were about to fall asleep at any moment, and they had nearly no energy in them at all.

"How long do they stay like this?" Alana asked, gently picking up an Armashelt. Usually slugs seemed excited to see her- they were curious to see a human with their energy- but this one just gave a quiet whimper. It broke Alana's heart.

"So far, none of the slugs that get sick like this have recovered," Brodie said grimly. Alana shook her head.

"I've seen sick slugs. These guys aren't sick," she said. Brodie shot a questioning glance at Trixie.