Darkness Returns

Chapter 9: old

Darkness Returns

Chapter 9

Old

It had taken them several hours to get to where they were now. He was getting an Oxygen warning on the driller. They'd have to surface soon to fill the tanks back up. He turned around to see Zane running his fingers through Kairi's hair. Her soft snoring was the only thing that filled the air for about an hour now. The poor girl had such a busy day and then this happened. Cole sighed as he pushed a button and pulled the digger into a climb.

"Cole?" Zane asked softly. Cole nodded knowing what Zane was saying without him actually saying it. 'Be careful, they could have been followed.'

Surfacing the driller they were able to see that the sun was beginning to go down. The colors caused the sands to turn an auburn color. It would have been breathtaking if they weren't so worried about Kairi, and being followed by that group. Cole looked over the radar and smiled.

"I think we're in the clear. I'm not seeing anything on the radar. " He moved the driller into the sea of sands. They needed to get out of there, as far away as they could. Pixal would give the all clear when things were over. Right now their main priority was their daughter. They had to get out of there. But first, they had to find a place to sleep for the night.

A place they did find. A very small oasis in the middle of a rock out cropping surrounding a very small pool of water. The sign outside said 'Zephyr.' The people looked a little rough and tumble, but no more then the people in the first realm. Cole pulled the driller up and opened the cockpit.

"Wow...now thats a cart." An old man that sat outside a store said looking at his wife who nodded her head.

"What brings you here?"

"Just stopping for the night." Zane held out Kairi for Cole to take. "Heading out of ...dodge." Zane said. It was an odd term but people around those parts understood it. Kairi yawned and stood up rubbing her eyes.

"Ah on the run then huh? Most everyone here is. You kidnap that little young girl or something?" He pointed his cane at him. "If'n you did you may wanna keep going?"

"No these are my dads." Kairi told them and giggled at the look on their face. "They just got married." the face grew even more weirder.

"You are...gay?" The woman asked, lowering her glasses to look at the men. Spotting the brand new rings. She stood up and walked toward the door.

"Come on ya boys shouldn't leave a kid out here the night. It gets cold...and don'cha be worrying. You won't hear any lip from us. You just keep taking care of that girly ya hear? I'll bring up something for y'all to eat." The woman said walking them inside.

The old man showed them to a room upstairs. It looked as if hardly anyone ever stayed there...ever. But then again the dust could just be sand...they left the window open.

Pouring water into a basin Cole, Zane, and Kairi were at least able to wash there hands and faces before they ate something...whatever it was.

"This is an odd meat. What is it?" Zane inquired. The woman smiled up from her own bowl.

"Spider rat! Its good eaten here. Unless you want sandworm." Oh they could do without that. Kairi however didn't seem to mind. But then again most of her youth involved just eating whatever was offered to her and she wasn't allowed to complain. Dunking the bread into the stew she ate good that night. It would probably be the last meal she had in a good long time.

Tucking Kairi into bed Zane scooted into the small bed with Cole and closed their eyes.

Below them the old man opened a cabinet and turned a dial a few times before a woman's voice called out.

"What?"

"Adel you ain't gonna believe this...but that pup and those two spits are here. Yes, Zephyr. Yeah they are sleeping on the top floor. Nice and soundly." The old man chuckled.

"Keep them there Phil and you'll be rewarded."