"Wow," Kevin said, as he observed the ores in the stone walls, "that's a lot. I don't think I've got enough room in my pack."
"Let's just get the stuff we really need," Sasha suggested.
Kevin nodded and got to work mining, after holding her gaze for a bit longer than normal.
They both went to work mining. Redstone was their primary objective. Diamonds are also useful. There was plenty of iron back home; no need to grab that.
Sasha mined a piece of redstone. The little red ores fell straight through - down. Sasha took a step back. "Kev!"
He came right over. "What?"
"I broke a redstone, and the redstone just fell through the floor," Sasha explained.
"Must be a cave down there," Kevin said. "Could be diamonds. Let's look?"
"Sure," she said.
They mind a hole large enough for them to fit through and then jumped in. It was a short drop but Sasha felt pain spike up her legs when she landed. "Ow," she said.
"You alright?" Kevin said, turning to her.
"Yeah, just landed funny," she assured him.
They held their torches up, illuminating the darkness.
"Whole lot of nothin'," Kevin said, and waltzed off into the dark. Sasha followed him.
"Could be lots of good ores down here," she said. Kevin didn't answer.
She noticed some redstone in the wall. "Kev, redstone," she said.
Kevin didn't answer. He kept walking. He turned a corner, leaving Sasha in the dark. "Hey!" she said. She ran after him. Catching up to him, she grabbed his arm and turned him around. "Kev!" His eyes were funny. They didn't focus on her face like usual. They seemed to stare right through her. Suddenly he blinked, and shook his head, and his eyes finally focused. "Uh, what..." he said.
"You just started walking, and you wouldn't answer me," Sasha said. "Are you feeling alright?"
"No, actually," Kev said, holding his head. "I feel... wrong."
"What do you mean?" Sasha asked.
"I don't know... I can't explain..." he said.
Sasha felt a chill creep down her spine. "Maybe we should head back," she said.
He nodded. "Yeah."
They quickly made their way back to the hole. They began to pile blocks to make a staircase.
"Sasha."
Sasha screamed and jumped back. Kevin spun around and looked at her worriedly. "What happened?"
"Sasha."
Sasha grabbed either side of her head. "No!" she said.
Kevin had her in his arms, was looking at her nervously. "Sasha, what's wrong!"
"Tell him to let you go."
"Let me go!" Sasha said. Kevin obeyed, backing away slowly. "Sorry," he said. "I didn't mean -"
"It's okay," Sasha said, still clutching her head. "There's something not right about this place! We have to go."
"Tell me what's wrong," Kevin urged.
"I hear him..." Sasha whispered. "Tom."
Kevin's eyes widened with shock. "How?"
"I don't know," Sasha said. "He's in my head..."
Kevin grabbed her arm, looked around nervously. "We have to go," he said.
She nodded. They quickly left that dark place. Got back to the cave they were in before. They started running back up to the surface.
***GCG***
They made it back to camp before nightfall. Orion came out to meet them. "Hi guys," he said. He had a sword strapped to his waist. "Just in time, it's almost dark."
"Hey Orion," Kevin said. Sasha didn't say anything.
"How you, Sasha?" Orion asked.
Sasha shook her head, as if clearing it. "Uh, fine," she said.
Orion raised an eyebrow and looked at Kevin.
"I'm going to go unpack," Sasha said, and went inside.
Orion fixed Kevin with a quizzical stare. "You guys didn't..." he started to say.
"No, what?" Kevin shook his head. "Of course not. Just, something... odd... happened back there in the caves."
"What?" Orion wanted to know.
"I don't know myself," Kevin said. "It was spooky, man. Sasha says I started just walking off and wouldn't answer her. And then Sasha heard some strange voices in her head."
Orion made a face. "You pulling my leg?"
"No, of course not!" Kevin said.
"Huh." Orion scratched his chin. "I'll have a word with Sasha. You guys better eat, it looks like it's been a long day for you."
They both went inside where the team was coming for dinner. Sasha wasn't there among them. Kevin excused himself to go upstairs. At the top of the stairs, he went down a hallway and came to Sasha's room. He knocked on the door. "It's me," he said.
Sasha took a long time to open the door. "What do you need?" she asked rather briskly.
Kevin winced at her tone. "I was just wondering if..."
"Yeah, I'm fine," Sasha said hurriedly, pushing past him. "Is it time to eat?"
"Yeah..." Kevin said, following her.
They went downstairs and sat at the table. Orion said prayer, and then they began to eat. Sasha talked with Kelly and David about their trip, while Kevin mostly kept to himself, dodging questions anyone asked.
After dinner it was time to go to bed. Kevin went upstairs, glancing down the hall at Sasha's room. He sighed and went down the opposite hall to his own room. He went into his room, which was small but served its purpose. It had a bed, dresser, chests, everything you could need. Kevin threw off his jacket and looked out the window at the vast, empty, bleak, harsh magma desert. Not the nicest view in the world.
He collapsed onto his bed and closed his eyes.
"Sasha."
Sasha's eyes flung open as terror pulsed through her. "Tom!" she exclaimed.
Silence followed. Sasha stared straight ahead, as if there was no wall there, and she could see into the void. Her heart thrummed in her chest. She heard footsteps outside, and then there was a knock on her door. "Sasha?" It was Kelly.
"I'm fine," Sasha called. There was a pause.
"Okay," Kelly said warily. "If you need a hand, tell me."
"Okay," Sasha said. She heard receding footsteps, and then a door opening and closing. She sighed and sunk back into bed. "Tom," she whispered. "I can hear you. Where are you?"
There was no answer, but Sasha was left awake all night.
***GCG***
The next morning, after breakfast, they were separated into teams. Today, Sasha would be accompanying Kelly, Merle, and Orion to the ash fields. She waved goodbye to Kevin before heading out the door.
They went to the stables and mounted their horses. It felt good to be riding in the open air, the wind in her face. The rode for about fifteen minutes before they came to the ash fields. They dismounted and tied their horses up, to ensure that they wouldn't accidently wander into the deadly ash.
"How much do we need?" Merle asked as they got their vials ready.
"About three gallons," Orion replied.
"Who's going with who?" Kelly asked.
Orion thought about it for a moment. "I'll go with Sasha," he said. "You two go together," he told Merle and Kelly. The both of them nodded, and then headed off.
"Let's go," Orion said. He led her to the designated spot, and then they began the strenuous process of collecting ash from the deadly pits. It was hard, difficult work that stretched on well into the afternoon. They broke for lunch, and when they returned to work, Orion asked, "Sasha, are you feeling alright?"
"Yes," she assured him.
There was a pause. "I only ask because you've managed to burn yourself several times," Orion said. "And you've never done that before."
"I'm just thinking," Sasha said.
"About the voices?"
She looked at him. "Did Kevin really tell you?"
He shrugged. "He's worried about you."
"Ugh," Sasha said. "Now everyone's gonna be thinking I'm crazy..." she muttered under her breath.
"Listen, I need you to tell me exactly what happened down there in the caves," Orion insisted.
Sasha didn't reply immediately, thought about how best to answer. Suddenly, there was a high-pitched scream, and Sasha and Orion stood up. Sasha looked across the field, and saw Kelly standing near one of the pits, a terrified look on her face, her hand covering her mouth.
"What is it?" Orion shouted, starting to run toward her.
Kelly didn't answer, just went on staring into the pit, her hand on her mouth.
"I don't like these people."
Sasha's pulse quickened. "Tom," she whispered. "What do you want?"
He didn't answer. Sasha began running after Orion, and when she reached him, he was holding Kelly in a comforting hug. She was sobbing hard. "What happened?" Sasha demanded. Orion turned to her with a horrified look in his eyes. "Merle fell in," he reported.
Sasha couldn't believe her ears. "In there?" she said, pointing to the pit.
Orion nodded. "She says someone pushed him."
Sasha's heart began to beat faster and faster. "Who?"
"She doesn't know," Orion said. "She said he had a beard. Was wearing blue and green."
A beard. Tom had a beard. Sasha's heart was beating so fast it hurt. "Where did he go?" she asked.
Orion shook his head. "Haven't seen anyone."
"We have to go," Sasha said urgently.
Orion nodded. "Help me get her on a horse," he said, indicating Kelly.
Sasha comforted Kelly and managed to convince her to get on the horse with her. Orion led Merle's horse, and they all started back home.
When they got back they reported the news of Merle's death to the team. Stunned looks followed the reveal. Sasha led Kelly to the couch and let her sit down on it. She was still crying but seemed to have calmed down a little bit.
"Someone pushed him?" David said disbelievingly.
"Well, that's what she said," Orion said.
"Who could it have been?" Carrie asked.
Orion held out his hands. "I don't know. I didn't see it."
Sasha looked across the room at Kevin. He was sitting at the table, listening to the discussion with wide eyes. Their eyes met. Sasha quickly looked away.
A few moments later she felt a hand on her shoulder. Kevin was there, looking down at her. "We have to talk," he said.
Sasha shook her head feebly. "I don't want to," she said.
Kevin crouched down, looked her in the eye. "It was Tom, wasn't it?" he asked.
"Tom is dead!" Sasha whispered back.
"But you heard him," Kevin insisted. "And Kelly's description matches Tom's appearance. Tell me the truth, Sasha. What if we're all in danger?"
"I wouldn't know," Sasha said. "But what I do know is, Tom's dead, he's been dead a long time, and he can't come back. Believe me, I wish it could be different!"
At that, Kevin's gaze faltered and something like sadness flashed in his eyes. He quickly stood up and turned around to compose himself.
"I'm going to ride out and talk to mission control," Orion was saying. Sasha turned to look at their leader, as he made his way to the door, backpack in hand. David and Carrie and Samantha were following him.
"It's not safe out there!" Carrie said. "Besides, it's almost nighttime."
"This is a serious situation," Orion said.
"Yes, but going out there now is too dangerous," David reasoned. "Wait till tomorrow, and I'll go with you."
Orion shook his head. "There's still work to be done, no matter what happened. Without Merle, we're short on hands. I can't afford to let you come."
David grabbed the man's arm. "Tomorrow, at dawn, I will go with you."
Orion smiled at his loyalty. "Alright, you dolt," he said. He raised his voice to address the rest of them. "It's been a..." he struggled to find words. "It's been a bad day. All of you will have a funeral for Merle tomorrow. I will ride out to mission control and inform them what's happened. David's coming with me. The rest of you have a day off. But only one day. There's still work to be done."
He glanced around at the group.
"Now I suggest you all try to get some sleep," he finished. He took Samantha's hand, and the two of them went upstairs. Everyone else trickled upstairs over the next few minutes, until it was just Sasha and Kelly in the living room. Kelly had fallen asleep; sorrow had completely exhausted her. Sasha found a blanket and covered her with it. As she was going back upstairs, she passed the living room window. She froze. A figure was standing right outside the window. It seemed to be looking right at her. All she could make out was the light produced by his eyes. She screamed, and fled from the window, accidently colliding with the wall. In seconds, Orion and Kevin were downstairs, flicking lights on, asking her what was wrong. She knew there was no shirking the truth this time.
"I saw someone," she said. "Right out there. Standing right outside!"
Kevin looked at Orion. "I'll get the others," he said. He ran upstairs, and came back a few moments later with Samantha, David, and Carrie. He quickly filled them in on what Sasha saw. "That psycho better say his prayers!" David said, drawing his sword.
"We'll go around the house together," Orion said. "Sam and me on one side, David and Carrie on the other. Kevin, you stay with Sasha. Let's go." Everyone, except Kevin, left and started making a sweep around the house. Sasha was shuddering with fear, but she got to her feet. Kevin was looking at her with worry. "Let's get Kelly upstairs," he said.
She nodded, glad that he wasn't going to ask her questions. Somehow, Kelly had slept through all the commotion. Sasha woke her and told her to go upstairs. She nodded and did as she said without protest. When she was gone, Sasha turned to Kevin. Without thinking, she walked forward and hugged him. He put his arms around her back.
"Am I going crazy?" she asked fearfully.
"I dunno," he replied.
At that moment the door opened. Orion and the others came back inside. Orion shook his head. "There was no one," he said. "Not even any footprints."
The group was quiet as they quietly removed their shoes and armour and retired to the living room. Sasha and Kevin pulled apart and followed them.
"No footprints you say?" Kevin asked.
Orion nodded. "There was nothing at all. It's like the guy just - appeared and then disappeared."
"Are you sure you really saw something?" David asked, looking at Sasha.
Sasha opened her mouth to say of course, but realized then that she wasn't actually sure.
"It's been a rough day," Orion said. "Maybe you just imagined it."
"Maybe I did," Sasha said. "I'm not sure."
"In any case, someone should stay up, and guard," Kevin said. "Someone killed Merle; that we know. So we have to be ready."
Orion nodded. "I'll take the first shift."
"No, you won't," Samantha said. "You're leaving tomorrow, remember? Let us keep watch. You get some sleep."
"Alright," Orion said. He stood up and started making his way to the stairs. "Wake me at 6! Not a second later, you understand? Or rations for you all!"
Kevin volunteered to take first watch. Everyone else headed upstairs. Sasha stared down the dark hallway. She didn't want to be alone. Tom's voice would come back for sure, and say all sorts of horrible things. Making up her mind, Sasha went back downstairs. Kevin was sat at the kitchen table, sword in hand. Without saying a word, Sasha went and laid down on the couch, using her hands to cushion her head. "Goodnight," she said.
"Night," Kevin replied.