Goylegate - One Gargantuan Scandal! 10

CHAPTER 10
An entrance is an entrance is a way in.

Davina and Ghost hid behind the boulder watching Emma and Dolan arguing. At one point Emma became so angry she jumped up and down shouting.
‘We’re in trouble now Davina,’ muttered Ghost.
Davina agreed, ‘we were already in trouble Ghost now those beings are going to send a search party’
Ghost shook his head, ‘Davina you’re weird! What do you mean beings?’
Davina held back; it was apparent he couldn’t comprehend what she sensed. She accepted that. Instead she pointed at Ghost’s eyes. ‘Use your eyes Ghost. I have a feeling they are special for some reason. Why else would they look like that unless they were designed for a special purpose?’
Ghost stared at Davina, what did she mean? How did he know what other people could see if he couldn’t see through their eyes?
Dolan and Emma ceased their arguing, climbed back into the truck and drove off.
Ghost visibly struggled to determine whether he was glad or not. Was he in more trouble? How was he going to survive? He was from a city; he was used to eating fast food and buying things from shops. What did a person do when they were stuck in a vast forest? There certainly wasn’t a corner shop he could just nip into. Ghost muttered to himself, ‘Why does it always happen to me?’
Davina watched Ghost make a deep sigh, he was feeling sorry for himself.
Ghost noticed Davina staring at him. Was she thinking the same thing? ‘Davina don’t you think it’s strange they didn’t chase us or anything? They just allowed us to escape into the forest and didn’t even come after us. What do you think that means?’
Davina glanced at the road trying to fathom what was going on. ‘I think it must be a decoy. Maybe they’re trying to draw us out.’ Davina glanced back at Ghost. ‘I have a feeling they want me for something.’
Davina scanned the woods; she could hear the whispering of the winds spiralling through the trees. There was a muttering and whistling. Was it trying to tell her something? Was it a warning? ‘Do you hear what the wind is saying Ghost?’
Ghost glared at Davina. Had she just gone completely insane? ‘No Davina I don’t hear what the wind is saying. Davina nobody knows what the wind is saying. Why would they? The wind doesn’t speak.’
Davina shuddered; why didn’t he hear it too? She focused on listening to the wind; it had something important to tell her.
Thud! Her concentration was broken. All too soon there was that sensation of being watched again. Davina quickly turned to Ghost, he was searching the area for the source of the sound. Was he experiencing the weird staring sensation too?
‘Ghost something is here. Something is...’
Davina didn’t finish her sentence. A solid form shifted behind the trees. It was huge.
Davina watched the distorted shape lumber closer. She couldn’t decipher it clearly. All she knew was one moment it was flying and the next it was on the ground watching her. Davina signalled for Ghost to head towards the caves in front of them.
Ghost didn’t move, in fact he couldn’t move. He had just found something he knew meant trouble. By his foot a newly formed; steaming pile of stones appeared.
Realising what Ghost had seen, Davina recognised a pattern emerging. She wasn’t going to wait around, ‘move now!’ She said dragging Ghost towards the cave.

The cave was pitch black inside with a few crevices enabling beams of light to illuminate moss clothed walls. The rhythmic drip of water echoed in the darkness amongst the damp, stagnant air. Whatever was pursuing her was close behind; the sound of the heavy padding could be clearly made out between drips. The pair scurried to the back of the cave and found a ledge. Davina explored the cold stone with her hands. Clumps of moss and dirt revealed themselves. The ledge was stable and safe. Nimbly she climbed up and nestled against the wall. All the while Ghost stared towards the entrance, scared but curious.
Davina tapped him on the shoulder and helped him up. The pair sat in silence. Ghost fidgeted.
‘Keep quiet Ghost!’ she whispered.
Silence. Just breathing.
Davina listened carefully. Ghost’s rapid breathing distracted her from her pursuers.
‘Ghost be quiet!’ she whispered.
‘I can’t help bloody breathing!’ he muttered back.
Just outside the entrance the padding of heavy forms could be heard. Bizarre unearthly squawk-like noises, pings and burps revealed the creatures were gaining on them. Were they communicating with each other? Ghost didn’t understand a sound, but strangely Davina could get the gist of what the pursuers were saying. Why was that?
Davina listened intently.
‘Right we have her cornered... There is no escape. Do you think we should... you know- take her and her little friend back or do you think they are going to....’ said whatever was following her.
Davina frowned their intention wasn’t cruel, were they trying to guide her?
Davina leant over to Ghost, ‘Ghost don’t be scared but I think that whatever is out there is from somewhere else, a place where the rules are different. That ‘somewhere else’ is where I’m from- I think.’
Ghost rolled his eyes, ‘Davina this isn’t the time to be mucking around!’ he whispered sternly. Ghost paused, he could just about make out Davina’s outline, and he could also make out some small hand shapes in the rock behind her. ‘Davina, this whole situation just isn’t right. What have we done to deserve this?’ he whispered in an aggravated tone.
‘Look I know how you’re feeling but from what I can gather there are people looking for me for some reason.’
‘Do you think you did something wrong?’
Davina shrugged, ‘I have no idea.’
The entrance of the cave was filled with the first huge figure. Ghost grew rigid, his hands scratching at the walls. The pair pressed back into the rock; they were not ready to be discovered.
Davina craned her neck and could just make out the entrance, the silhouette of steaming stones dropped to form perfectly aligned piles. Spiralling steam rose from those fresh piles. It was illuminated by a beam of light emitted from the cave wall. Was it just the stones making the steam or was the warmth of the creature’s breath steaming too?
The cold air in the cave increased in warmth. Whatever was following them heated the surrounding area. The huge, warm creatures crept slowly into the cave. What did they want?
Both Ghost and Davina slowed their breathing to listen. Their heart beats thudding against their chests. Davina pressed sideways into Ghost. Nothing could be said to comfort him. They simply waited.
The creatures ventured further into the cave. As they moved closer to the ledge Ghost and Davina retreated. The pair made themselves small by pressing their backs as far as they could against the wall. Davina pulled her legs in and hugged them. Ghost slowly shifted so he was cross-legged. Ghost, using his lighter eye, noticed he was becoming accustomed to the darkness. He could just about decipher the dark shape near by; the dark shape which moved - the dark shape that was warm and made of stone. Ghost trembled; he wanted to close his eyes but had to keep them open. He held his breath. If they couldn’t hear him they couldn’t eat him.
Nearby a spring trickled, Ghost focused his attention on the movement of the water. His eyes were growing stronger. He turned his attention towards the centre of the cave: the hefty forms carefully searched for them. He caught the curve of its face, the glint of an eye and the shape of a large paw. The creature searching for them was like nothing on earth. Ghost turned his head towards Davina. Was she right? Ghost went to tap Davina but accidentally pressed his hands against the rock. As he did so the rock silently retracted carrying both Ghost and Davina away.

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