70

Demon Headquarters?

Lottica stared into the ragged opening in the mountainside as Nick dug in his backpack for a flashlight. "You really think we should go in there?"

"Lottica, it's gonna be completely dark soon. We really don't have much of a choice now.” Nick pulled out his flashlight and clicked it on. The beam was bright in the heavy dusk. “Remember, you were the one who raced off to follow the footsteps in that heather stuff. This cave is where the tracks lead. Mom and Dad must be in there. Besides, it actually feels warmer in here."

"What about Bopei, Ladamei and Heidein?"

Nick shrugged. "They’re gonna freak that we’re gone, but Heidein knows this area well. He said the authorities would have a plane searching up here tomorrow. They’ll figure out where we went."

"What if there are bats or bears…or hellhounds in there?"

“Seriously, Lottica?”

“It’s a creepy cave. This is Lebreima. That’s probably Demon Headquarters in there.”

"Point taken,” Nick conceded, shining his flashlight around the cave opening. “I'm no expert, but this opening looks new. Blasted open by you know who. So, I don't think there's anything in there scarier than Beilla and Abzeig."

“I seem to recall them being big-time scary when they were chasing us on Cemetery Hill.”

“Yeah, but this time, we’re the ones tracking them, right? We’ve got that edge. We’ll be careful.”

Lottica didn’t exactly agree with Nick's reasoning that they had some kind of tactical advantage, but she knew she couldn’t turn around if her parents were down there.

"Okay,” she agreed. “Let me get my flashlight."

"Sure, but don't turn it on yet. We’ll use mine first and conserve our batteries."

"Then I'm sticking really close, big brother."

"Sure. I'm glad for the company. You can even go first if you want."

“Thanks, but I’ll pass on that bit of back-handed chivalry,” Lottica said, following close behind Nick as they took their first cautious steps into the dark passage, the deep unknown, that they hoped would lead them to their parents.