looking into its eyes—they are the only thing you can see of the creature in the dark—and it takes only a fraction of a moment to be frozen in place.”
All became still again, each one pondering the nearly impossible jam they were in, while the creature patiently awaited its opportunity for a substantial meal. Finally, Thorn said, “I have a plan, and I think it will work. Elli, you will tie the rope around your waist and the rest of you will take hold behind her, beginning with Beatríz and ending with Jamie. At the moment I determine best, I will slip out of the tunnel and run back toward my home. The Mortejos will immediately come running after me. I can run fast, so I may be able, with my speed and eyesight, to elude the creature for sometime before I have to dive into a side tunnel to hide, expecting then that the creature will continue to run past me.
“As soon as the Death Eyes pursues me, you, Elli, will lead the others out of the tunnel and turn to the right, continuing the journey as quickly as you can. If you hurry, you can make it almost immediately to the multiple-tunnel intersection where you will take the second tunnel to your right, which will be too small for the creature to follow you into. Once in that tunnel, you can continue until you rejoin the main root tunnel in some three hundred yards. By that time, the creature will have learned of your escape, but frustrated because it cannot pursue you any longer, it will go back to its customary place of rest. Once back in the main tunnel you will be starting to ascend. Just continue to stay on the packed earth tunnel that ascends, and you will find yourselves emerging from underground within another day or so. The air will continue to thicken and enrich itself, so you will have more energy and be able to make better time. I can’t guarantee that you won’t encounter any other obstacles along the way, but this is your best chance. I will try to join you before you’ve gotten far, but that depends on how long it takes for the Mortejos to get beyond me.”
Thorn paused to catch his breath and steel his mind, while focusing on the softening of his heart that he hadn’t experienced in many years. He knew that his death at the jaws of the Mortejos was virtually inescapable, and perhaps even imminent, but he also knew that these four children whom he had already come to love had only this opportunity to live and, perhaps, complete their mission that quite likely was the last hope of his beloved Bairnmoor. “So,” Thorn said, with an almost cold resolve, “time taken is time wasted. Elli, ready your companions. As soon as I leave and you hear the Mortejos running by the tunnel after me, leave the tunnel immediately and run as fast as you can in the other direction, saying nothing to each other and, of course, not letting go of the rope.” Thorn rummaged quickly in his rucksack. “Here, Elli, take this torch and some matches; but do not make any light until you have reached the next tunnel to your right.”
Thorn, crouched on all fours, moved next to the passage opening. He turned to look one last time into the children’s eyes and then braced himself for a dash.
“Wait! Wait!” yelled Beatríz. Thorn had started out the tunnel, and then stopped, pulling his head back in.
“Beatríz,” said Thorn, firmly, “there is no other way.”
“But, there is—I’m quite sure of it, Thorn. And if I’m right, then you won’t have to die to save us—and we all know that that’s what’s going to happen if you leave us. And we need you! And I really believe there is another way. Please, just hear me out!” Beatríz pleaded. Without waiting for Thorn’s answer, she continued. “You said the Death Eyes paralyzes its prey so that it’s in no hurry to kill it, correct?”
“Yes,” said Thorn.
“Well, what if I confronted the creature just outside the tunnel and pretended immediately upon looking toward him that I was paralyzed in place? I would already have my knife held above my head when I turned to face the creature. You would tell me when I’m directly facing the creature. Once frozen there, I will simply wait for the Mortejos to come to me. As soon as his head in within reach, you will yell, ‘Now!’ And I will then plunge the knife into its head—that would kill the creature, wouldn’t it—or at least severely injure it?” Beatríz could hardly believe it was she who had just spoken.
The other children looked into Thorn’s slowly blinking eyes, waiting for his response, not knowing either what he would think or what they were to think about the alternate plan.
“Yes, it would.” Thorn said. “But, Beatríz, if you would move yourself the least little bit once you pretended to be paralyzed, the Death Eyes would rapidly fall upon you and kill you. There would not likely be time for us to help you. Do you understand this?”
“Yes,” said Beatríz, “I do, and I still think it’s the best plan if there is any hope at all for all of us to survive.”
“But, Butweece,” said Alex, almost weeping, “ahnt you afwade?”
“Yes, Alex, I am afraid—more afraid than I had ever imagined being afraid. But we are here on this journey for a reason, and this Good that Hannah and Peterwinkle talk about must want us to succeed, so we have to trust in that—I have to trust in that.”
Reluctantly, filled with fear and sadness and unspoken incredulity, they adopted Beatríz’s plan to fool the Mortejos into believing it had paralyzed Beatríz and so meet its death at her hands.
“But,” asked Alex, “what if it doesn’t wook? What if it doesn’t wook?”
“It will, Alex. It has to,” answered Beatríz.
“Are you sure you want to do this, Beatríz?” asked Thorn, offering a final chance for her to withdraw. “You don’t have to do this, Beatríz.”
“Mr. Thorn, I really don’t want to do this.” She gulped softly. “But, I believe I am supposed to do this—that someone or something has called me to do this, Mr. Thorn, and so I know that I have to.”
Each of the others, with unseen tears in their eyes, laid a gentle hand on Beatríz’s shoulders.
“Are you ready?” asked Thorn.
“I don’t know how to be ready, Thorn, and, even if I did, I don’t think I ever would be, so let’s just get on with it,” Beatríz replied, feeling strangely detached, as if she were more a spectator to what she was about to do.
“Do you have your knife out, Beatríz?” Thorn asked. She fumbled behind her back.
“I do now,” she said.
“Beatríz! Remember what Hannah said—about the knife and its extraordinary powers!” whispered Jamie, sharply.
“Yes,” Beatríz remembered. “In the will of the Good,” she said to the knife.
“As soon as you exit the tunnel, Beatríz, stand up with your knife held fully aloft and ready to strike. Then, start turning to your right. I will yell ‘stop!’ when you are facing the Mortejos. At that moment, with your eyes open, freeze, and do not move—or even flinch. You should, within a few moments, hear the creature creeping slowly toward you. It will sound like it’s moving faster than it is because of its many legs, but it will advance casually, unless it receives signals that you are not paralyzed. As soon as it is within striking distance, Beatríz, I will yell, ‘now!’ Then, strike down in front of you with all your might. Do you think you have it?” asked Thorn.
“Yes,” said Beatríz, under her breath, as if she were in the middle of praying—which she was, but to whom or what she could not have said.
“Okay, on three,” ordered Thorn. “One, two, three!”
So
