WOW! We've reached 90 likes! Thank you guys so much for taking the time to read my story!
Thank you guys so much for taking the time to read my story! I am finally back. No excuses for why I have been TREMENDOUSLY late with updates. Here is a shiny new chapter for ya'll!
P.S. I wrote most of this on a long car ride home from family vacation, so apologizes for any grammar errors.
I've never really understood people, I probably never will. I know that they enjoy undermining others and getting satisfaction from their humiliation. They can be so quick to betray one another, when they no longer want you around and it is no longer fun for them. For years, I resigned myself to cutting off my connections to other people in the hopes that it would save me from that kind of heartache and prevent myself from getting hurt. In a way it did, but I also cut off people that could potentially be my friends.
Not only did cutting myself off prevent me from meeting people who were actually kind at heart, but it convinced myself to make assumptions and think badly about people I didn't even know. I became someone I realized I didn't want to be.
There couldn't be a bigger social gap between me and Eli, the prince of high school who could dazzle the school girls without even trying. How wrong I was to think that his reputation was the most important thing to him. But apparently, even after becoming friends with him for a whole year and a half, it's a shock and a bit of a upset to realize how little I really know about him.
The air caught in my throat as I free fell into nothingness! I felt as though the oxygen was siphoned off from my lungs as I plummeted into the dark, the blood in my shoulders rushing down to my legs. Through bleared eyes, I couldn't make out anything but the faint glow of Banter's light in front of me! The wind lapped at my legs and whipped at my hair as I fell.
Banter's light flashed brightly for a single moment!
My hands suddenly collided with something and it cushioned my fall! I could tell I was still moving downwards, but on top of something. And it felt like...skin? And it was breathing! To my surprise, I felt a soft but rapid beat of a heart thumping underneath!
What was this thing? Whatever it was, it turned and dipped with the movement of the tunnel. I buried my face into it, tightly gripping the edge of it and prayed that I would not fall off! Then I realized that Banter was nowhere to be seen!
Wait..."Banter?!"
Instead of soft trill, a loud squawk like hawk echoed in response.
In the corners of my eyes, I saw a white light erupting from underneath, slowly swallowing us up. Even with my eyes shut, it felt like the light was burning right through my eyelids like paper.
The surface beneath me suddenly shifted upwards. We weren't falling anymore, but...gliding.
I blinked my eyes to keep the light from stinging them. I pinched myself twice to make sure I was not dreaming!
Stalagmites of an enormous size covered the ceiling of a massive stone dome, and it had to be 2 times the height of an average-sized skyscraper and 5 times as big as a football stadium as far as I could see. Instantly, it brought me back to when I went touring the Grand Canyon with my folks in a helicopter. Below 'us' grew a forest of multi-colored fungi, some I didn't think could even be the sizes or the range of colors they were. Some of the surrounding trees looked like they were glowing! Everything was buzzing with beautiful flowers, and plant-life like none that I had ever seen or even my parents would have known about! Whatsmore, all are around were little tiny figures, busily moving about the ground or moseying along on the tree branches. Are they...slugs?
Will Shane wasn't kidding. This is...NOTHING AT ALL like anything I have ever seen before!
I gently
Suddenly, we swooped into a hard dive again! The wind whipped my hair as we plummeted straight down! Right as we were about to drill into the ground, we pulled up to a slow float. In a white flash, I gently tumbled onto solid ground! My legs felt like they were made of jello. I finally remembered to breathe and before I knew it, I rolled over onto my back and was glad to feel wonderful ground under my hands.
"What a rush!"
My happy little slug flitterED around my face, trilling playfully as he plopped onto my forehead.
"Banter, you never cease to amaze me." I asked him as I sat up and picked bits of grass out of my sweater, "It was you, wasn't it? You were that...thing that flew me all the way down here?"
I gently rubbed his head and he chirped again, "You are just full of surprises, aren't you? I wonder what else you can do!"
What in the world are these slugs? Will said in his letter that there is a lot more to them than meets the eye and they were a whole lot more than just "ammo," whatever that means.
The place where we had landed looked like a little glade, completely enclosed by the trees with thick branches and carpeted with grass. In fact, it reminded me an awful lot of my little secret spot beneath the crepe myrtle trees at school. The humid air was already beginning to make my jacket stick to my arms.
It felt so warm all around, with the distinct scent of flowers and moist earth. The very air there was humid and heavy with moisture. I couldn't imagine any other place on earth quite as beautiful as this.
A strange tingling feeling swept through my all four of my limbs, a pleasant internal warmth flowing through my arms and legs, almost rejuvenating them. The weariness from my long fall was almost instantly gone.
Banter laughed and fluttered in circles around my face.
Another chirp resonated just outside of our little circle, and it was not Banter's.
"Hello?"
No answer.
"Don't be afraid. I'm a friend." Banter, who was perching on my shoulder flew into the air, chirping loudly. Dozens of eyes peaked out from the recesses of the hollow.
Slugs!
Two little figures hopped from their hiding places, but kept their distance from me. They looked very similar to Banter and started to doubt if these creatures could actually be labeled as "slugs." These slugs had human like faces with distinct eyes and mouths, unlike actual slugs.
These slugs are not nearly as friendly as Banter. Even though they gave up their hiding places, they won't come very close.
Banter landed in front of them, flapping his wings and chirping before landing back on my shoulder. Both of the other slugs chirped back happily like they were greeting each other. One had dark blue skin with yellow antennae that look like lightening bolts. The other was purple with really big eyes and looked to be a female. She had small antennae and four black dots in a circular pattern between her eyes.
"Hello little friends, nice to meet you. My name is Kida."
Both slugs looked at each other before scooting closer to me and Banter.
"I am looking for a friend of mine and it may take me a while to find him. I'd would love to have some friends with me along for the ride. Would you like to come with me?" I half-heartedly held out my hand to them, hoping they didn't bite.
They recoiled slightly, unsure of me. Part of me was still wondering if they could understand me. Banter could understand me as if I was talking to another human, but these little guys seemed rather untrusting towards people. I am not some animal whisperer (not that they're really animals), but they were wild compared to Banter.
Banter flew down toward them, almost barking at them in his little voice. Both of them flashed each other surprised looks, like someone had suddenly clapped them both in the face.
Both of them chirped to one another, as if they were talking amongst themselves, before the both of them hurriedly hopped right into my hands.
"Welcome aboard little guys. Now, what to call you? You'll need names."
"You look like you have some spunk," I said, scratching the head of the blue slug. He happily chirped. Little flicks of blue light like electricity buzzed between his yellow antennae and sent a tingling feeling in my fingers, "How about Shocker?" I took his happy trill and the sparks crackling between his antennae as a yes.
They're all so unique.
"What about you? You're a sweet little slug and you really remind me of a spider."
She cocks her head curiously. I won't say it, but they are sooo cute!
"How about Widow for you?"
She chirped gleefully before hopping onto my shoulder with Shocker, both of them burying themselves in my hair. I was a little surprised that they were so quick to trust me, but definitely not complaining.
"Hey stop, that tickles! Well Banter, you know where Eli is. Lets go find him."
We walked for what felt like half an hour, or it may have been an hour. The terrain where we landed was rather high up and wildly overgrown with unusual plants. There was so much to look at and see, but none of which consisted of anything remotely relative to a hideout of any kind. Although, I wasn't tired in the least. A strange feeling was dwindling in my gut, like I had so much energy to burn I wanted to just run instead of walk. However, I resigned myself to a paced walk and enjoyed the scenery around me as I followed Banter's lead. Anansi and Shocker made themselves comfortable in my backpack, under the condition that they didn't eat all my food. It was supposed to be the middle of autumn on the surface but down here it felt like early summer. Maybe Slugterra doesn't have seasons like up on the surface?
After a while of walking, I realized how much I let the urgency go to my head. It felt so peaceful, just to be enjoying the scenery and environment around me without worrying about any pressing deadlines or jobs to get to. Sure, I was going to find Eli, but I wanted to enjoy the experience too because Slugterra was nothing short of beautiful.
For the most part, we were still steadily heading down the slope and hopefully closer towards the place where Eli was supposed to be staying. There was no sign of any path or road to follow and I also noticed that there were still no signs of any other creatures besides slugs or even other people. If there were people down here. Although, it makes sense since Will wanted the existence of this whole world beneath the surface to be kept a secret.
Admittedly, I hadn't thought much about what I'd be expecting in regards to the people that live down here. There had to be other people living down here besides Eli. Why else would Slugterra even need a protector if there was no one else down here besides the slugs? Unless of course the ones that really need protecting are the slugs. But should I really trust to my knowledge of my world in a bizarre place like this?
I was, quite literally, knocked out my thoughts when I felt my foot snag on something and I lost my balance.
My hands stung as they collided with the ground and broke my fall as I landed flat on my face with a mouth full of grass. Rolling onto my stomach, I sat up and rubbed my palms so I could start forgetting about them
"Ugh. Maybe I should rather focus on finding Eli for now, or better yet just staying on my feet,"I said, spitting into the dirt and silently pray that no one saw me face-plant.
I am such a klutz! Eli would have gotten quite a laugh out of that and never would have let me live it down.
Looking up, Banter fluttered around in my face, giggling and shaking his head in mock disapproval. I scowled at him as I dusted the dirt off my pants. "Laugh it up you dork! Are you sure you're leading me to Eli's place?"
He chirped earnestly at me. He flew upwards towards the canopy above us, flying worriedly in all directions.
"Banter, I can't understand you. What's wrong?"
But he wasn't listening to me. He was zipping in all corners of the woods where we were, stopping every few seconds to look about. He made me even more nervous when he suddenly let out a shrill squeal of distress. Two distinct calls answered a little ways into the brush. Then I realized!
"Banter! Where are Widow and Shocker? Where did they go?"
Banter squealed again and before I could do anything, he shot into the brush like a glowing arrow.
"Banter wait!"
As I ran after him, the trees grew wider apart and terain became steeper. I looked around everywhere on the ground nearby and they were nowhere to be seen anywhere! I know they probably just fell off of my shoulder, but because of the fact that I simply fell down and I can't find them anywhere starts to make me worry!
"Widow? Shocker? Where did you guys go?"
"Well, well, what do we got here," a gruff male voice ordered from behind me. I wasn't afraid, until I heard the mechanical wind and click of what sounded like a gun near my head and I froze on the spot.
"Turn around so I can see ya! And don't even think about runnin' away or I'll blow ya sky high."
Instinctively raising my hands in the air and sure enough. I didn't move. I bit my lip to keep from crying out as a cold shudder shook me to my core. I was all alone! My slugs were gone! Everything about this situation screamed danger!
"Now!" I turned around to see the muzzle of gun pointed right at my face!
I could see a slugdown the barrel and in the chamber of the gun! A festering-ugly slug, with black skin and beady red eyes!
This place just keeps getting weirder and weirder!
The person holding was male and much larger than me. Just the barrel of his gun alone was the equivalent size of my fist. His face was riddled with scratches, as if he'd been previously involved in a series of fights. But what freaked me out the most was the crazy look in his eyes. There's something else that I forgot before I blindly rushed into heading down here. I don't have any kind of weapon to defend myself with!
"Uh…hi? Can I help you with something?"
His hands tightened around the handle of his gun. "You can explain what you're doing out here, and all by ya' self."
"Load, whata ya doing?"
"Take a look see Locke."
Another man with the same scratched face and red hair aimed a gun at point blank with my face. Would they really shoot me?
"Lock and Load? Huh, that's catchy." These guys…are weird. Whatever momma gave birth to these two had a very unoriginal taste in names.
"She ain't no slug. She's a girl and scrubby one at that. Dr. Blakk ain't gonna pay us nothing for her," his tone layered with annoyance.
Dr. Black?
"What? You got something against my clothes? Cause where I come from, this is what we wear." My words are out again before I can think about them.
He scowled with his gun still trained closely on me and seemed to have not even heard me. "You seen anyone 'round here look like her, Locke?"
His twin shook his head, "Nope. She one strange gal Load."
"Um, excuse me? 'She' is standing right here?"
"Duh! You sassing us little mouse?" His gun hummed and its muzzle pointed directly on my head.
Wait a minute!
"No,….but if I were you, I'd be worried about that giant Gila Monster standing behind you."
Both of them squealed in unison, and whirled around.
"Where?! Where is it!?"
I turned tow, gingerly stepping away to make as little noise as possible. They were still turned around when I moved into the thicker part of the wood. With that, I turned tow and took off!
It is absolutely ridiculous that that worked. Now time to see if all that training for track and field actually paid off!
I pushed past vines and anything else that caught at my arms as I ran, determined to put as much distance as possible between me and the trigger-happy power twins behind me! Banter flew in front of me, weaving back and forth through the trees crazily! A loud boom shook the ground behind me!
Voices called out to me, but they were a ways off behind.
"Where are you, ya little mouse!?"
"Come out come out wherever you are!"
Nothing but forest covered the ground before me, but the farther we went the farther apart the trees grew! The trees themselves were hardly large enough to cover me!
This isn't good. There is hardly any place to hide out here. Just then, something large and big hit the ground with a large boom directly behind me! An invisible force knocked me in the back and I rolled forward onto the ground. I kept rolling down a hill until something hit me hard in the forehead!
I can't stop rolling until finally I landed on flat terrain. Three little voices chirped in my ear loudly.
Widow? Shocker? How did they find us?
"I-I'm…okay guys," I tried to sit up and see clearly. Although I must have moved too fast because my head started to pound even more, making me dizzy. Rubbing my forehead, something warm sticks to my fingers. Little flecks of blood smear on my hand.
"Owwww…."Pulling myself up I looked in the direction of where the blow had come from. The ground tremored again, hinting that Locke and Load were not far behind us.
"Where in tarnation did that rascal run off to?"
"This way!"
I closed my eyes tightly and ducked down in a low spot. I could hear them trudging through the brush. Another boom hit the ground, too close to where I was hiding!
I waited for them to come closer, rubbing my head futilely to clear away my dizziness. Several moments past, but they seemed to be moving in the opposite direction.
"Banter, where do we go? We need to get out of here before they find us!"
Through my ringing ears, I hear thumping like heavy footsteps right in front of me!
Oh crap!
I look up to see….hooves? Horses' hooves?
"You seem to be in a bit of a pinch ain't ya?"
Seriously?"Really? How could you tell?" Another boom shakes the ground!
The stranger dismounted and bent down in front of me,"It also looks like you also took a good hit to the head."
"Yeah, is there a chance you can lend me a hand?"
The boy stood up and pulled me onto my feet. Mounting his horse, he looked at me skeptically. "Sorry, but I really don't do favors."
This is embarrassing! I don't usually resort to groveling, but desperate times call for desperate measures!"Please! Those guys back there are after me! I don't know where I am, I don't have a place to go, and I don't have a gun either!"
"Ha, you're dead meat without a blaster." It's almost like he's enjoying watching me beg!
"I am begging you! I will do anything that I can so long as they don't find me! Please!"
The boy smirked at me. "Anything?"
"That I can, yes. That's what I said, didn't I?"
Another shot trembled the ground!
He held out his hand to me, "Let's get going then."
"Hey guys, check this out!"
Everyone crowded around the big screen. "What is it Trix?"
"I just got a report on the Slugnet. Locke and Load have been spotted about 5 clicks north of here."
"Ah, Locke and Load. They are a truly dangerous pair of adversaries...for Pronto."
"A yes on the dangerous Pronto. They do work for Blakk, and whatever they are doing, it can't be good."
"That's the thing. It doesn't really seem like they are doing anything serious, besides shooting up the forest like crazy people. They aren't exactly the sharpest blasters in the shop."
"But they are seriously destructive and tearing up the forest like that could disrupt the surrounding environment for the other native slugs living there."
"It's your call Eli." Kord clapped him on the shoulder, "What do ya think?"
Eli only smiled to himself. "Let's check it out."
As always, please comment and let me know what you guys think!