Tidimew refused to stir. Her limbs were limp and floppy and her eyes unflinching. Amanie found it almost impossible to tell if she was still breathing and couldn’t help thinking she might be dead. Of course she desperately hoped she wasn’t. Her heart simply couldn’t bare it if she was.
“Don’t worry, she’ll be fine. I checked on her earlier. She just needs a little more time to recover that’s all.” said Telimo.
“But she’s not breathing.” insisted Amanie
“She is, it just very faint that’s all.”
“Are you sure? Check again.” implored Amanie.
For a moment Telimo had his doubts. The idea that Tidimew might have stopped breathing between now and the time he last examined her, suddenly occurred to him, rekindling his concern. He placed his fingertips over her wrist, tentatively prodded her flesh and felt for an artery. Thirty tense seconds passed in this fashion, as he found himself unable to find a pulse or even tell if she was still breathing, before he said.
“It’s okay, she has a heartbeat.”
Everybody sighed a sigh of relief, as if a great burden had been lifted off their shoulders.
“So she’ll be okay then?” asked Amanie.
“Yeah I think so. I guess it just takes a bit longer for the poison to wear off because she’s so small.” he said, after all he wasn’t a doctor.
“How long before she wakes up again?”
“Erm... I don’t know, a couple of hours maybe.”
“Do you think she’ll have any lasting effects?”
“Nah I don’t think so. You guys all seem okay.”
“I’ll never forgive myself, if there's anything wrong with her.” lamented Amanie, her eyes welling up with tears.
“Don’t worry about that now. I'm sure she’ll be fine. Lets just focus on getting back to the White forest, shall we. We can deal with Tidimew later.”
“Okay.” whimpered Amanie, drying her eyes.
“I’m sure she’ll be awake by then anyway.” added Telimo
“I hope so. I don't know what I'd do without her.”
“Come on you two! Look lively.” he ordered
“Yes boss.” mumbled Meo.
Everyone stood up, dusted themselves off and tried to shake the groggy feeling from their heads. Their wounds were sore, but not unbearable. Amanie cradled Tidimew tightly in her arms, who slept on like a baby, completely unaware of what was happening. Telimo picked up his club and led the way. Amanie found herself taking a back seat for a change, as the others trailed close behind. They hadn’t gotten much further than the steps however, before Amanie decided there was something she had to do.
“Wait! I have to take care of something.” she cried.
“What? Are you kidding? Come on! I wanna get out of here.” replied Telimo, knitting his brow into a furrow like a grumpy old man.
“Yeah come on me too! This place smells like butt rot.” protested Meo.
“Yeah it almost smells as bad as that business Telimo did in the bushes last week.” added Botog.
“Shut up bubble butt!” snapped Telimo, blushing as red as a boiled lobster.
“Calm down! It wont take long.” she said, placing Tidimew in Telimo’s capable hands and making her way back down the steps.
“Do what exactly?” asked Telimo, stumped as to what it might be.
“Yeah what’s more important than going home?” asked Meo, stressing her point.
“Yeah come on Amanie, I’m sick of this place. Stop mucking around and lets go home.” added Botog.
Amanie walked over to Nala's deflated remains and picked up her pendant, before proceeding to the nearest lamp.
“No reason for this to be a completely wasted trip.” she said. “Besides someone has to free these glow bugs. They'll die if I don't.”
“What! Who cares about the stupid glow bugs! That’s what glow bugs do, they light lamps, buzz around like morons and die. Besides you never cared much about them before.” said Meo
“Says who? And besides how would you like it if you were caged up and nobody tried to rescue you?”
Meo looked pretty hard pressed for an answer.
“Exactly, now stop being so selfish.”
Amanie unfastened the latch and let the first of the fireflies go free, making her way round the rest of the room and unfastening the next two lamps as quickly as she could. She soon came to the last, which was a little too high for her to reach and hung from the ceiling by a root, which no amount of jumping was going to fix.
“Come on just leave it.” protested Meo, who was growing more and more impatient by the second. “You’ve freed enough already, lets just get out of here?”
“No! I've got to free them all.” insisted Amanie. “Telimo throw me your club.” she said. “I’ve got an idea.”
“It’s pretty heavy.” he told her.
“Just throw it. I’ll be okay.”
Telimo begrudgingly did as he was told and threw it to her.
Amanie caught the club clumsily with both hands and promptly dropped it on the floor, narrowly avoiding her feet.
“I told you it was heavy. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” she said peevishly, pressing her hands together.
“Well you did tell me to throw it.”
“Yeah, yeah I know. It's just a shame you weren't a little more careful that's all.
“Well if I'd had both hands free, perhaps I might've been.”
“Come on.” interjected Meo. “Just free the stupid things will you.”
“Okay, okay don’t get your knickers in a twist. I’ll only be a second.” she replied.
“I’m not wearing any.” grumbled Meo. “Cats don't wear knickers.”
Telimo gave a wry looking smile and hoped to god she wouldn’t be much longer, after all he wanted to return home, as much as the others.
Amanie picked up his club, clasped it in both hands and stood beneath the remaining lamp, which was hung from a thin, twisted root, glowing green amidst the gloom. Amanie eyed it purposefully, her eyes glimmering with intent. The others looked on, watching as Amanie swung his club with all her might, clumsily bashing the lamp and freeing the last of the fire flies, as she showered the floor with glass, rattling the lamp to and fro.
“So can we go now?” Meo asked impatiently.
“Yeah come on, you’ve freed enough bugs for one day. It's time we got a move on.” added Telimo.
“Yeah, yeah, I’m coming.”
“Thank god for that!” muttered Botog, sounding mildly relieved.
“You can say that again.” replied Meo.
Amanie gave Telimo his club and planted a big, wet, sloppy kiss smack bang on the chops.
“Eurgh! What did you do that for?” he protested, rubbing his face with the back of his hand and smearing away all the kiss germs.
“To say thank you for saving our lives.” replied Amanie with a smile.
“By slobbering on me! Couldn’t you just bake a cake?”
“I can bake a cake if you like, but only if you behave yourself.” she said, swapping Tidimew for Telimo's club, who was away with the fairies it would seem.
“I’ll hold you to that. Besides I’ve been good enough for one day.” replied Telimo, who had cake on the brain now.
“True... we have to get back first though.” agreed Amanie, who wasn’t thrilled about heading back outside again. A sentiment clearly shared by all. After all who’d want to set foot out there again? It was dark, dangerous and filled with all manner of nasty creatures, not unlike their current surroundings. But then again what choice did they have? Unsure what else lurked in the shadows, or if that hideous bird monster was still out there, they began climbing the staircase.
Telimo went first and assumed the lead, grasping his club so hard his hands began to hurt, flesh and bark almost fusing together, as he made his way up the crudely formed staircase, edging his way up bit by bit, until he came to the top and peered cautiously out of the entrance. The others followed him like a shadow. Botog could feel his body tingling with nerves. A bundle of live wires, if there ever was one. His feet felt heavy, his stomach nauseous, bubbling away inside his belly like a little, yellow cauldron, making him feel sick.
“Are you sure it’s safe?” he inquired. “Make sure there’s nothing out there before we go.”
“Shush! What do you think I’m doing?” hissed Telimo, who wasn't in the mood to be pestered.
Botog did as he was told. He was too frightened to argue at any rate.
A few moments later and Telimo gave the all clear.
“Okay lets go.” he instructed, sneaking quietly out into the open, ready to pound the crap out of the first thing that moved.
Too their distress the others found themselves obliged to follow. Their options being few and far between, as they swapped the bug lit gloom of the underground for that of the forest. The trees loomed even more ominously than before. Their thick, black leaves swamped the sky and hung from the branches like a myriad of black leather quills, blotting out the heaven's. Toxic toadstools, purple leaved vines and pretty blue flowers mingled with the gloom, fraternising beneath the treetops.
The children retraced their steps, as their eyes flitted repeatedly from one shadow to the next, on the constant look out for predators, keeping their mouths shut for fear of attracting another monster or a feeding frenzy. The leaves squidged beneath their feet, squelching as they walked. The children soon began to dread the sound, wishing the forest would just shut up and leave them in peace, walking on tip toes, for what good it did. One of the branches behind them creaked, as if something had just moved. Their hearts stopped, their eyes widened and their feet froze. Botog almost had a bowel movement then and there. A look of consternation washed over their faces, as they assumed the worst. For several seconds no one moved, too petrified to even breath. A moment later and Telimo gave the order to run, his survival instincts kicking into gear. No one needed to be told twice, everyone pegged it, chasing after Meo, who shot off like a wipet out of a rocket launcher, blazing a trail of woosiness across the forest floor... Wee wee wee, all the way home, or until she’d run out of breath at any rate.
Eventually the children had to stop running. Their hearts were pounding, their lungs heaved up and down. Being tranquillised was not exactly an invigorating experience. On top of that the residue from the Polinda trees, could take its toll on an Olympic athlete, never mind a child. However their anxiety appeared unfounded. Exhausted and out of breath, it didn’t appear they’d been followed. Unable to continue, albeit temporarily, they sat down and took a rest, huddling behind a tree, until they’d caught their breath.
“Did you see anything?” gasped Amanie. “Did anyone follow us?”
“I don’t think so. At least I didn’t see anything.” answered Telimo.
“Me neither. I just heard that branch creak.” panted Meo.
“Same here.” reckoned Botog.
Amanie checked to see if Tidimew was okay. Her vital signs appeared to be improving, but she remained unconscious for now.
Once everyone had caught their breath, everyone went on their not so merry way again. After all, no sense in hanging around if they didn’t have to. Botog felt his right ankle twinging as he walked... An unfortunate consequence of running at the rate of knots, which as he discovered, was not exactly kind on the feet.
After what felt like an eternity of traipsing through the Dark forest, or Botog inquiring if they were nearly there yet and are they sure this is the right way, the gang finally made it back to the White forest, much to the relief of all.
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