It's a Trap!

David crept forward. It got lighter and lighter in the cave, until he was in a well-lit spacious cavern. Dark corners meandered off, and David kept checking them reflexively. He still couldn't see the monster.

"David, help me!" He heard a cry. David crept cautiously inside.

The cavern was about half the size of a football field, and to one side he could see wavelets crashing in a small pool. The whole area smelled strongly of fish and salt. Hanging from the ceiling were cages of animals: a badger, a deer, a fox, an owl, and others. They looked at him with solemn, desperate eyes, eerily silent. Treasure was scattered throughout the room in mounds, like pictures of a dragon's cave. Glowing fungi seemed to caste a spotlight on the mounds of gold and silver coins, goblets, and jewels. Crowns and even a few weapons lay scattered about. A few statues stood in the corners.

Far to the back of the cavern was a larger cage hanging low to the floor. Inside a familiar face with mascara-stained cheeks looked at him hopefully. "Hurry," Claire said, "The hag just left. She said she was getting a trap ready for you. Where's Hod?"

David advanced slowly, aware of the water, pointing a stick he'd grabbed out in front of him like a sword. Halfway through the room he paused to grab a sword he'd noticed earlier. Some nails scattered on the floor might be used to pick the lock, and he grabbed a shield as well.

"Come on!" Claire whispered everything, but in the silent cavern her voice echoed strangely. "She could be back any minute."

"When we started tracking you down," David said in a friendly voice, "We discovered that their were at least two creatures working together. A big troll-thing and a shape shifter. Hod's taking care of the troll, but we have no idea where the shape shifter went. I'm just trying to be cautious, Claire. How do I know you're not the shape shifter again?"

"Because I'd tell you." Claire said desperately, "I saw the troll and the hag. The troll was horrible, he tried to give me rotten fish. He kept talking about eating me. And the hag... I saw her change into my step mom Sheila. I saw her change into me." Claire's voice grew quiet. "I suppose it makes sense not to trust me. You're probably the hag anyways, just in another form. She said you and Hod would come for me." Her eyes widened, "I'm not going to fall for it! You've made your point, now leave me alone!" She pulled a knife from her pocket. "Don't come any closer," Claire warned, her voice shaking, eyes wide.

David kept advancing slowly, keeping his voice low. "I'll tell you something only you and I know, so that you know it's me. Then you tell me something else that only you and I know. That way we'll both know we're the real deal." David kept looking up, to where the animals followed him with their eyes. It was nerve wracking. "Remember last summer, when we had a pool party at your dad's house? And you told me about Freckles? Your cat died, and you had a funeral for him."

"I remember," Claire said, standing up from her defensive crouch. "I don't think I told you how we did it? We put him in one of Sheila's jewelry boxes, and set it up in a tree, where Freckles could be with the birds. He loved chasing birds."

"Exactly," David said. He was almost to her cage. "And last month, just before school started, and I told you I was nervous. Why?"

"Because you weren't sure you'd do a good job as student body president," Claire answered. "You were worried because you think people like you more for your looks than for what you can do."

David reached the cage, fiddling desperately with the lock. He couldn't figure out how to get it open, "I wish your dad were here," David muttered. "He could unlock things in all kinds of crazy ways."

"I think I saw the key over their somewhere," Claire whispered. "Hurry! I don't know when she'll be back, it sounded like she was going to be gone for just a second." Claire pointed to the wall where a couple of statues stood.

David hurried over, pausing to look for a moment. Their was a statue of Claire with terrified eyes, and one of Sheila, and one of Peter... and one of himself. The eyes of the Claire-statue almost seemed to watch him, and for a moment David wondered if the hag could make herself look like a statue. The keys were in the statue of Sheila's hand. David reached out and grabbed them, shuddering as a low moan seemed to come from nearby. He whirled, sword up.

"Hurry, David! I think that's her!" Claire whispered.

David almost ran back to her cage, jamming the key in the lock and turning. The cage door slid open, and Claire fell on him slightly.

"Sorry," Claire said. "I haven't eaten in a while. I guess I'm a little weak."

David tried to lift her up, twisting around to get to her side. He adjusted the sword so that it was in his other hand. "That's alright, I'll help you."

Suddenly he was thrust into the cage and the door was slammed shut. He heard laughter, starting lower than any human voice could reach and ricocheting higher until it culminated in a shriek.

"I've got you!" The Claire outside snarled fiercely, showing way too many pointy teeth. Slowly she began to change, growing taller, thinner, greener, scalier. Her blonde hair sunk down into a matted brown heap around triangular ears, and fangs jutted randomly like splinters from her mouth.

The Dark

            Hod took several deep breaths to calm himself down. He then used several meditative and concentration techniques to further calm himself and to become in tuned with his surroundings. Slowly he got back on his feet and put a hand on David’s shoulder.

            “Can you see it?” Hod asked. He had no doubt that it was the creature that he had fought.

            “No. It’s staying in the shadows.” David answered.

            “Okay let’s see if we can draw it out.” Hod said and then in a louder voice. “Where is the girl? What have you done with Clair?”

            “I knew you’s came for my pretty. But you can’t have her, she’s mine. I keep her forever and ever and she will stay pretty. If she don’t, well then I eats her.” The monsters voice kept circling the two boys. The thing continued to talk. “Mother will have your hearts. It’s the power she needs. Power to open your world to us. And then my brothers and sisters will feast on all your flesh. Then I will have all the pretties I want. Then I might not need your Clair thing. Maybe then I eat her two.”

            The troll giggled after this and kept circling the boys. Hod supposed that he was looking for an opening. He could hear David grip his bat. David still hadn’t given him the signal so he still didn’t know where the beast was either. But the more the thing talked the more Hod was able to map out the room.

            Hod had never really thought of it as a super power. Not like how he could make things freeze. He had only been working on it for the last couple of years. The only one he had told was his sparring partner Autumn, and she said she had never heard of someone that could do it as well as Hod. It was a type of echo location. Hod would just listen and pay attention to his surroundings. Everything made a noise when hit by sound. Hod would just gather it all up and use it to make a map. Almost the same way I bat did.

            Suddenly a scream echoed around the chamber they were in. it reverberated of the walls and sliced there soul. Hod and David tensed at the same time. It sounded like Clair.

            “Hod it came form that opening over there. But as soon as we go through it that thing will attack us.” Hod felt the need to go. The need to just run and find her, he almost did. But this was a game and if you didn’t play this one right everyone would die. Hod took a couple of deep breaths and then had to pull his heart out of his stomach.

            “David you go. Find her and save her.” Hod said. It was one of the heardest decisions he had ever made. Not being the one to go after Clair. But hear in the dark he had the best chance against the beast.

“Hod I can’t leave you. Remember we are in this together” David said.

            “We are, and together is how we will win this.” Hod said. “Trust me David. Walk slowly to the entrance and then go. But remember don’t trust your eyes.”

            “But Hod I cant leave you how will you be able to see…’

            “David, if you don’t go right now I swear that if we both live through this I will beat the crap out of you!”

            “Fine!” David finally agreed. “But you better be right about this. Your step mom will kill me if I don’t bring you home.” With that David was off. Hod followed close behind until he was at the entrance to the tunnel. Hod stopped letting David go on by himself and turned and waited.

            Hod knew it was Dark. He couldn’t say how he knew. He could tell the deference really. But dark just had a feel to it. Almost like the feel of water. For some reason the darker it was the more at home Hod felt. The more relaxed he was. The more it felt like he could see. He stod there waiting for the moment he knew would come.

            “Stupid fleshling.” The troll said. Circling, getting closer. “The Gold one gone, your eyes is now gone. What you do now?” the thing moved softly across the floor coming closer now Hod could smell it again. His map got clearer. Now Hod could feel the things breath. “I will eat you. Suck the marrow from your bones. Give your head to my pretty.” It was so close now Hod could feel the moisture from its breath. “You lost, you cannot see. Its dark and I see you.”

            Hod spun for leverage. He didn’t have to touch the thing to know where it was now. Like he had to in the woods. He grabbed the clawed hand that was coming for his head. Thrusting his fist, as hard as he could, into the things shoulder. If Hod concentrated he could freeze a cup of water in less than a second. Hod was concentrating really hard now. Quickly he struck again and the monster screamed in pain. Hod let the monsters now useless arm drop to the ground.

            “My name is Hod, and darkness is my Home.”

Stonewort

"Now my dear," said the shapeshifting thing, mincing as she stepped, "I think it's time for you to take a nap."

Suddenly she was at Claire's side, pinching her nose and holding her head back until she'd gagged down a rotten concoction that smelled of mildew and tasted like chalk. Claire tried to resist, tried to kick and punch the thing that looked exactly like her, down to the chips in her fingernail polish, but it was to strong. A sudden pain arced through her body and she writhed on the floor, screaming for a few moments. She subsided into wracking sobs, and lie on the floor. A numbness welled up from her belly and began to take over her entire body. Claire panicked, trying to yell, trying to move, but a drowsiness had overcome her entire body.

The creature picked her up and steadied her on her feet, posing her like a mannequin. "Stonewort takes a few moments to work, deary, let me help you up." Still chuckling to herself, she explained in a conversational tone. "Changes flesh to stone for nine hours. This was how we got you here, you know. Wonderful stuff. Of course you need to be careful not to break anything," the creature said, popping one of Claire's fingers into place with a loud crack. "Oh my, I'm so sorry. Wouldn't want you losing a finger, after all."

It picked Claire up, swinging her over its shoulder, sauntering to a corner of the cave near the chests, away from the light. "I gave you a smaller dose this time. It'll wear off within the hour. By then that lovely boy and his friend will be mine." It spat out the last syllable. Taking Claire off of its shoulder, it gestured back to the rest of the cave. "There, you see, a great view for the entire proceedings. Wouldn't want you to get broken, hehehe. But I can't trust you to scream convincingly at the right moments."

The not-Claire began rummaging around the room, placing chests of treasure in one corner, piling up the useless weapons in another, clearing space on the floor. She revealed a simple pattern on the ground once it was cleared of debris, long lines racing each other from one side of the room to the other.

Claire's eyes were heavy-open, as if she couldn't close them, but she could still move them. Breathing came painful and slow, taking minutes to inhale and exhale. Still, she managed to form words through shear desperation. "Why ...... are.......you......do...ing.....this?"

"Oh my, she spoke?" The creature laughed in malicious delight. "I like this so much better. So near movement, and so far away! How it must ache to watch your friends trying so desperately to save you, only to have their corpses mangled by my son and their skins saved for my collection." She posed dramatically, one arm flung up, another over her eyes. "Oh no! Don't! Please! I can't bear it!"

Her chest heaved and its eyes flashed as she purred, "I will break you. You and all of the miserable vermin that have overrun this world. It should be ours by right. Built on the body of our great ancestors. You filthy creatures have no more right to life here than the cattle you slaughter. Flesh puppets are what you are. Toys. The gods have had their fun with you, and now it's our turn."The creature continued arranging the cave to her liking, talking mostly to herself as she continued, the habit of one often alone. "But they are selfish. Until I can break the brambles separating your world and mine, we are forced to slip through the cracks and hope they do not sense us. But your in your friends veins is the blood of the All-Father, diluted though it may be by generations of mortal kin. I smelt it the first time I saw him, the glorious one. The dark one has it too. The blood of the All-Father will break the floodgates, and my sisters and our children will finally be free to take this world that rightfully belongs to us."

Peter

Clair had to be okay. Hod wouldn’t allow it to be anything else.

The tunnel led deep into the earth. Hod could tell because the temperature would keep on dropping. Hod could tell when they would walk through lager areas. Their footsteps had a different sound. Also in some of the passageways and caverns Hod could hear the distinct sound of water.

“Hod, do you think this is a trap?” David whispered. “I mean that thing just ran right past us. I don’t think animals lead predators to their home.”

“I'm pretty sure this is a trap as well David. The way that thing moved was premeditation. Almost like a human. We both know it’s a trap but there is nothing we can do about that. Sometime the trap needs to be sprung so that you can spring one of your own. Our you will just sit back and watch as nothing happens and those you love die because of it.”

“Hod...” David began carefully. “I don’t want Clair to be dead. I want to save her. If we can save her we will. Hod we're in this together, I'm not going anywhere.”

“I know David. Neither am I. I won’t leave here without Clair.”

“I know Hod. Neither will I.”

They walked a little further in silence. The only sound that accompanied them was the dank drip of water and the echo of their shoes. Hod could barely believe something like this existed. It had to cover the whole Stanley Park.

Hod could tell the oppressive atmosphere of the caves was getting to them. David’s breaths were too fast. Hod was keeping his muscles too tight. There fear of an attack was getting to both of them. They started to jump at their own echoes.

They turned another corner and Hod could tell that they had walked into a large cavern. Hod could feel David tense next to him. Hod couldn’t tell why. None of his senses told him anyone else was around.

“Do you see something?” Hod whispered at David.

“Hod its its its...” that’s as far as David got. Hod could hear him turn around and start retching.

“David what’s wrong? David, what’s going on?” Hod inquired. David couldn't answer him. He was too busy trying to catch his breath. It seemed he couldn’t keep his stomach still and started to dry heave.

Hod turned to help David and his cane hit flesh. Hod spun around ready for an attack but none came. He still couldn't sense or hear anyone around him. Slowly he inched forward ready for anything. The sensation of skin on skin startled Hod and he jumped. He stretched out his hand again and now he could clearly feel it. A man stood in front of him. He had stitches running the length of his body. He was hard and had no cloths. He was also as cold as the cavern floor.

“Hod don’t.” David crocked from behind him but it was too late.

Hod threw himself away from the body and landed on his hands and knees. He tried to throw up. Nothing came out. He just knelt there heaving. David eventually came over to help him. It felt like he was on the cavern floor for hours.

“Hod? Hod, are you okay?” David asked compassionately. All Hod could do was shake his head. After a moment he was able to speak again.

“I'm all right now David.” Hod said. He didn't want to but he had to ask. “Who is it?”

“It’s...” there was hesitation in David’s voice. “It’s Peter from school. He graduated last year.” David had to swallow and take a couple of deep breaths before going on. “Hod it looks like someone had him stuffed. And Hod, He's not the only one. There's others.”

“Hahahahaha.” A throaty voice laughed in the distance. “Found mothers collection you have. She will takes your heart. Then add your skins to her collection she will.”

Sees not with the eyes

"You alright?" Hod asked.

"I'm fine. That tree was mostly rotted through or something, I don't hurt that bad or anything." David brushed himself off, grimacing at the mangled bat still in his hands. "Looks like I'm going to need another one of these things." He settled it on his shoulder, saying, "Come on, we got to hurry. It took off into the woods. I think if we follow it, we'll find Claire."

David kept a hand on Hod's shoulder as they hurried up the path. It always amazed him how much Hod could actually tell about his environment. Hod had studied several forms of martial arts throughout the years, and he always excelled, somehow beating sighted opponents on a regular basis. At the same time, things that didn't make too much noise, like trees and chairs and curbs, could catch him completely by surprise. David still wasn't sure what exactly his buddy could sense, but it was definitely most people noticed with their eyes open.

The path was lit slightly, and David noticed without surprise he was glowing again, this time enough so that he didn't miss his flashlight. And Hod was cold to the touch, like he always was when he got upset.

The woods were eerily silent, without owls or little skitters, without the throbbing of frogs or the dull thrum of insects. Even the cars passing above them seemed to be on a distant plane of existence.

The path the big troll-thing took led up onto a little rise before curving sharply. A tree had fallen over, gouging a great hole in the earth where its roots splayed into the air. Rootlets clogged the hole, but David noticed.... "Hey Hod, I think their's a path underneath this tree."

"That's probably the entrance to the lair. Clair is inside."

"Hod, you don't know-"

"David, I can tell. I'm sure of it." Hod's voice was firm, unyielding. "She's alive, and we're going to save her."

David was quiet a moment. "How can you tell?" he asked softly. "Hod, we've had a lot of strange stuff happen over the years. Full on X-files. But that thing, Hod. I'm going to have nightmares about it for months. It had more teeth than a chainsaw, and these weird eyes, and the way it moved- Hod, I don't think something like that keeps prisoners."

"Love sees not with the eyes, but with the mind. Therefore is winged cupid painted blind," Hod answered. He smiled. "One of my favorite quotes from Shakespeare. I just know. Now lets get into that cave and kick some troll butts."

"You think their might be more than one?"

"Of course. You don't think something like what we fought could be subtle enough to make itself look like Clair, do you?"

They entered the darkness.

Fleshlings

Stupid, dumb, weak, fleshlings. Hag’gifr stared up at the two humans on his beach. The dark on was staring into the water with funny eyes. It was the gold one, the gold one is the one that mother wants. The gold one was stupidly looking at the ground. He was going to suck the marrow out of their bones. Haf’gifr giggled, letting a couple of bubbles escape his mouth. The giggle turned to a snarl, how he hated these humans. How easy they were to lie to, how easy they believed.

He was old enough to remember the time of the Gods. He remembered the fire burn his skin. He could remember the god nails cutting his flesh. The troll smiled, they had come to take his pretty’s then and he had killed them all. His pretty’s hadn’t been so pretty then so he had to eat them. Slowly, there screams were pretty too.

Now fresh ones had come to take his new pretty away. The dark one and the gold one. The gold one has to be saved. Mother said he was the key. The key to bring his brothers and sisters through the hedge. Mother had tried with others, but none of their hearts had the power she needed. She only needed his beating heart, maybe mother wouldn’t mind if he had one bight. They had their backs to him. The thing erupted from the water, a smile splitting its face and showing the multitude of teeth within. He almost reached them and still they hadn’t turned around. He reached out his claws ready to rip off the dark one’s head and throw the gold one to the ground. His mouth opened wider, already savoring the sweet flesh. Where did the dark one go?

All the warning Haf’gifr had was the touch of cold and then a hammer crushed his side and sent a bolt of cold and pain through his middle. There was another hammer blow of ice and pain hit him. Haf’gifr picked himself up from the water’s edge. The dark one was staring off to the side of him and jumping on his toes. Slight shivers of fear ran through the troll. The dark one’s eyes glowed. Breathing hurt.

“It man shaped. Seven feet tall. Ten feet in front of you. Stay away from the head.” The Gold one said. Haf’gifr looked over at the gold one. What was it doing? The dark one came at him. Haf’gifr snarled, he was going to enjoy eating this one. He extended his talons ready to take the dark one’s head off.

“Duck!” the gold one yelled. Suddenly the dark one wasn’t there again. There was the pain of cold and Haf’gifr looked down his arm to where the dark one had a hold of it. The dark one spun and its other hand went into Haf’gifr’s shoulder and he felt the cold hammer again. There was a crack, Haf’gifr roared in pain and threw the dark thing away. It landed lightly and turned to face him. This dark thing was dangerous. Haf’gifr needed to be careful. His hands felt like hammers. Snarling he pulled his shoulder and put it back into place. He could feel his mother’s magic healing his sides and starting to take effect on his wounded shoulder.

The troll looked over at the gold one. He was dangerous too. He was the dark one’s eyes. Haf’gifr smiled, time to blind the dark one.

“It’s coming at me, Ho….” Too late for the dark one and the gold. Haf’gifr backhanded the gold one. It flew twenty paces and hit a tree. The gold one’s body crumpled and fell the to ground. The tree broke and crashed behind him. Hag’gifr lopped over and smelled the body. It still breathed, the heart still beat, it still had its skin. Mother will still be happy. Mother can still add the gold one to her collection and still have its heart. There was a breaking branch and Haf’gifr jumped away, still it was a little too late as the dark ones leg caught the trolls tail and sent him spinning.

“David! David, are you alright!? David, are you hurt!? Where are you!?” the dark one had his hands in the air and was looking around violently. Haf’gifr smiled, this would be fun. Just like the time he told the one pretty she could leave and then found and ate her. Haf’gifr stalked the dark one slowly. It kept calling to the gold one and spinning around. Haf’gifr swung at its head meaning to take it right off with his claws. Somehow the human got hits hand up in time and stopped his death. But Haf’gifr was to strong and sent the week fleshling to the water’s edge. Somehow the dark one was able to land on its knees. It was again calling for the gold one. The sound hurt the troll’s ears, he snarled. He was going to make it stop.

He stalked over to the thing still on its knees. It was going to eat it this time. Haf’gifr tensed his muscles ready to leap and then… his world was pain. Haf’gifr ran, he ran to escape the pain. He ran into the water and turned snarling. The gold one was standing over the dark one protectively. He was holding a wooden club and was staring at the troll while he helped the dark one to his feet. How was the gold one moving, why did it have a wood thing? This was a cheater fleshling. It was going to eat both the dark one and the cheater fleshling. Slowly so that they felt much pain and Haf’gifr could hear there screams.

Suddenly a new pain filled his mind. This time the pain was as familiar as his own skin. It was mother. She wanted them now, and Haf’gifr could eat what was left. Bring them into the caves she said. We’ll kill them there she said. In the dark, in the maze. Haf’gifr smiled. This was still fun. He could still taste there flesh. Haf’gifr lopped out of the water and past the dumb fleshlings. Time to take them to the entrance. Time to take them into the ground.

On the edge

David and Hod stood looking over the edge of Lion's Gate. It was getting late, and a wind had picked up, breathing the first gusts of winter. Or maybe that was Hod.

"It looks like the signal should be right here, but I don't think-" David gestured helplessly. Cars zoomed past them, but although Claire's signal was strong, it didn't look like she was anywhere nearby. "We should be right on top of her."

"Maybe we are," Hod answered. He pointed down, to where the struts entered the water, the dying light casting it into shadow. "She might be down there."

"Do you think she was... thrown over?" David asked quietly.

"No. I would know if she was dead," said Hod, sounding certain. "But how do we get down there?"

"I think I saw a road that leads down," David answered, and they walked back to the car. The blue lights of the bridge winked on. They hurried, hands in their pockets, and got into the car.

Soon they got to the edge of the water. The wide, sandy banks of the river stretched in front of them, and they wandered a bit. The cars were a distant sound, the lapping of the water much closer, and strange sounds emanated from the nearby woods. It was rapidly getting much to dark for David to see anything, but Hod picked his way around fallen rotting trees and dead fish with effortless ease. David retrieved a flashlight from his trunk, scanning the ground for anything that could give them a lead, hoping that Hod was right and Claire was okay. But it seemed like they were looking for a body.

"I think we're close, David. Do you see any tracks?" Hod asked quietly, stopping near the waters edge.

"I... wait. Yes. But, they look like animal tracks almost." David scanned the ground, to where a long set of prints dragged from the woods to the waters edge before disappearing into the swirling depths.

"Paw prints?"

"No. They look more like... I actually have no idea," David said, puzzled. He knelt down and touched his hand to one of the prints. It was wide and splayed and looked like a monkey footprint, if monkeys walked on two legs and had long talons that dug deep grooves into the sand. If monkeys had webbed feet. If monkeys had feet twice the size of David's hand. "Hod, it looks like Bigfoot had a baby with the thing from the black lagoon. These can't be real."

Hod stood near the edge of the water, peering into the icy depths of the river. "It's real, and it's down there. I think it's waiting to ambush us. Stand up slowly."

David stood slowly, hand gripping the bat. Nonchalantly he edged closer to Hod. "What do we do?"

Hod smiled. "That thing, whatever it may be, is going to lead us to Claire." He dropped his voice. "Do you trust me, David?"

"Of course."

"Okay then. Turn your back to the water on my count, and get ready. Whatever it is, I don't think it wants to sell us cookies."

David turned, eyes straining to see in the darkness, breath coming shallowly. Hod turned as well. David could tell he was trying to look calm, but sweat beaded his forehead, and his pale eyes seemed almost to glow in the moonlight. Frost crackled in the wrinkles of his hoodie.

A moment later, something surged out of the water, snarling with glee.