World of Night

Searching Within


It was dark as he woke again. If he woke at all. He was not so sure about it. His whole body hurt. A raw, gnawing pain seemed to seep into his bones, eating him alive. He paused in his thinking. Maybe that was it. Maybe he was being eaten. He had after all no idea what being digested by a giant wotm felt like. Or maybe the spider had got him?

He lay still, thinking on that for a moment. No, the spider would have been smalled than the worm. It had got into the tunnel where the worm had not fit in. So it must have been the worm who had got him. So it must have been the worm who had got him.
He groaned as silver spots of blinding lights flashed in front of his eyes. “Go away,” he mumbled sleepily as he became aware of another presence close by. “Go away,” he repeated as something – someone? – pushed him back. “Go ‘way.” He tried to move again but was pushed down into the pain once more. Irritation fuelled his last attempt at moving, at getting away from the pain surrounding him but he had used up all that had been left of his strength and was unable to push away the one who held him down.

He was sure now that there was someone with him. But how could someone else be with him if the worm had eaten him? Maybe who ever it was had been eaten too.
He lay motionless, unable to make out what he was lying on and stared helplessly up into the blackness and at the silver flashes aboce him, trying to blend out the pain. It was impossible. It was too much. Absolute darkness crept into the corners of his eyes, devouring the silver spots untilhis vision was reduced to a very small cirlcle. Cotton wool seemed to surround his ears and then all spots were gone and only darkness was left.
Dominic did not even notice the panacked hands, which were shaking him.

~~~

“Dom! Dominic! Wake up! Craig!” Karl yelled, desperately shaking the blond’s limp body. “Craig! Help!”

”Stay calm,” Craig said as he strolled through the door to Karl’s bedroom, “He’ll survive, I’ve seen it.”

”Stay calm?!? Craig, he isn’t moving anymore!”

“Has he stopped breathing?”

“No.”

“Well, there. Don’t worry, I’ve already sent Harry to fetch Dave.”

”Dave?” frowning Karl turned around, “Wasn’t he working in some hospital on the surface? To gather information on Sean’s whereabouts?”

“Yes,” Craig nodded, drawing up the only spare chair in the room and sitting down next to Karl, “His cover was blown yesterday and he barely escaped with his life.”

“Are you sure it’s alright to disturb him then? Maybe he’d rather have some time to get over it. I gathered he rather liked it up there.”

“Unfortunately he’s the only available healer at the moment.” Craig sighed, looking at Dominc’s pale face, “But he should be glad to have something to take his mind off.. certain things.”

“Off certain things?”

“Um.. yeah. He did not come alone.”

“Just what,” Karl leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees, “Are you trying to say?”

“Don’t you know?” Craig grinned, happy to have found a means of distracting Karl from his worry for Dominic.

“Would I ask if I did?”

“Guess not. Dave found a lover up there.”

“No! Not our sweet little Daisy!”

“Yes, and they lived together.”

“No way,” Karl protested, “He’s much too shy for that.”

“Some Kiwi, I think, don’t know the name,” Craig continued, the grin wiped from his face, “he brought him down with him when their flat was lifted by some special operations force.”

“But how did they find out about Dave?” deep lines of worry etched themselves into Karl’s forehead, “Do you suppose Sean could have…”

“No!” Craig said vehemently, “Where ever he may be and no matter what happened to him, he would never betray one of us. Not willingly.”

“But what if he did not have a choice?” Karl countered, his voice strained, “No one knows where he is. You’re our strongest telepath and even you can’t see him! And none of the empaths can sense him,” he added almost as an afterthought.

“He would not.” Craig insisted.

“Why?”

“Because if he truly had betrayed us, if he had decided to leave us and our cause then everything would be lost.”
”What do you mean Craig? Sean’s just a librarian. He could have blown Dave’s cover and told the where the portals are but nothing more. It would take him ages to teach them how to activate the portals. We would have been able to deal with that.”

“No, we wouldn’t. He may be nothing but a librarian now but he will be much more before this is over. Like most of us.”

“Craig...”

“No, please. Don’t ask. I’ve said all that I could.”

”Okay,” Karl mumbled reluctantly, worry clouding his eyes, “As long as we don’t have to risk an open war with the people on the surface. We are too few to survive.”

Craig stared at the floor. “I can’t tell you, Karl. Believe me, I would if I could, if I knew for sure but I don’t.”

“Where’s the patient?” a warm voice with a thick australian accent suddenly asked from the door.

“Dave! Thank God!” Karl exclaimed, jumping to his feet and dragging the blond in while shoving him towards the bed, “Craig said you were the only one who could help him.”

“Did he now?” David raised a mock eyebrow, “I’m surprised to hear that. What happened? Harry was not exactly forthcoming with information.”

“Well,” Craig started before Karl could say anything, “He did not drink enough and he ventured far enough into the tunnels to be attacked by a.. um…” he threw a curious look at Karl, “a worm.”

“A worm? He must have been very far into the tunnels then. Why did he go alone?”

“We.. ah… had a quarrel…” Karl said lamely, feeling his eras heat at the little white lie.

“oh, it’s like that then.” David grinned and quickly finished his examination of Dominic, “You were right, he is dehydrated. As fot the rest, I think I can do something about that.” His hands slowly roamed Dominic’s naked chest till they finally settled right over his heart. “Steb back,” David ordered, “There shouldn’t be any problems but one never knows what happens.”

Silently Karl and Craig obeyed, worriedly hovering in the doorway, their glances never leaving David and his newest patient.

David closed his eyes and concentrated. Dominic’s thread of life was weakened but still easily found. It shimmered with the cool blue of a cloudless winter sky in front of David’s closed eyes. He smiled. Some of the threads were already entangled with Karl’s. Blue to match gold. A good combination.
Sighing he opened his mind and let his consciousness travel along the throbbing knots of threads that were Dominic’s vein, easily making out and repairing the tissue, that had been torn or damaged by lack of water and bruises.

He slumped back in the chair as he had restored all threads and severed the connection, silently cursing his talent. Even the smallest healing always left him drained.

“Dave?” A hand steadied his shoulder, “Are you alright?”

“Yes, yes, I will be alright,” absentmindedly David patted the hand, Craig’s he realized, “I will always be alright.”

“And Dominic?” It was Karl this time.

“He will be okay again but you should have called me sooner. Let him sleep and when he wakens make sure that he drinks and rests enough.”

“We will.”

“Where’s Harry?” David suddenly asked, “I left Marton with him.It was all I could do to keep him from coming in here.”

“Marton?” Craig grinned, sitting down on the edge of the bed, “So that’s the name of your msterious surface lover. How is he?”

“Unwilling to accept that our world exists,” David grinned weakly, “I think they wanted to wait in the kitchen, could you help me get there? I need something to drink.”
At once two pairs of hands steadied him, helping him to his feet and supporting him on the way to the kitchen.

~~~

“Dave! What the hell did they do to you?” At once Marton turned away from Harry and rushed towards David, gently taking the blond by the eelbow and leading hiom to a chair, “What happened?”

“Nothing, nothing,” David waved his hand rather aimlessly at the others, “A glass of water would be nice though.”

“Just a sec.” Harry was already taking a glass out of the cupboard while Marton straightened himself, his back rigid as his dark glare travelled between Craig and Karl, who were still standing in the doorway, and David.

“Good, if you’re alright, then you can finally tell me what all this means.”

“I already told you,” David sighed tiredly, “I explained where we are.”

“You talked a load of bullshit, that’s what you did, nothing more.”

“Marton.” Another tired sigh.

“Stop it David! I’m not in the mood to pity you, not after what6 happened yesterday.”

“Perhaps we could…” “Maybe we should…” “It would be better if…” Harry, Karl and Craig started simultaniously and then broke trailed off, staring at David and Marton.

“I was almost shot yesterday,” the Kiwi continued, ignoring the others, “I want to know what this is David and if you ever want to see me again, you’d better give me a damned good explanation.”

A deadly silence fell upon the room. All gazes were fixed at David now.

“Marton, really, I can’t say more than I already did. I told you! Please give me a chance to make you believe.I’m not lying! Please.” David repeated pleadingly as he saw a bitter coldness creep slowly into Marton’s gaze, “I will make you believe, show you, I…”

“No David.” Marton’s flat voice was as cold as ice. “You had your chance. Had it since yesterday, in fact. Ever since you brought me here. I’m sure I’ll find someone who’ll be kind enough to show me the way home.”

“Marton, please,” David pleaded, “It’s dangerous to..”

“Goodbye David.

As if in a trance David stared after Marton, saw Karl and Craig step aside to make room for his lover, unable to do or say anything, choking on the sudden tears stinging his eyes. The doorway was empty.
“Marton…” he croaked, slowly lofting a hand as if to reach out for the younger man, “Stay…”
But it was too late. Harry stared at the dark emptyness in David’s eyes. He could almost hear his friend’s heart break.

“Dave?” Craig said softly, stepping forward.

“Daisy?” Karl tried again as they received to answer, “Please say something.”

“Marton!”

“Oh fuck!” Karl and Harry sped after David, through the house and onto the streets, desperately trying to catch him. Craig, however, stayed behind.

~~~

“Got lost, didn’t you?” Craig asked as he entered Karl’s bedroom once more.

“I don‘t know a way out of here,” Marton answered, shifting uneasily. He was sitting on the bed, right next to Dominic’s feet and staring at the blond. “Who is he?”

“His name is Dominic.” Slowly Craig sar down on the chair, pretending to look interestedly at the hideous painting over the wardrobe.

Marton looked up, his tired eyes mustering Craig. “What happened to him?”

Craig sighed. “He tried to get out of the caves,” he said flatly, “Just like you he was brought down here against his will; he tried to escape. Maybe that’s why Dave’s so worried.”

”How would you know?” a shadow of guilt flickered across Marton’s face.

“I know that he is thinking of you. And you know,” Craig turned to look directly at Marton, “that he is out there searching for you.”

Marton nodded. “That’s why I’ll stay here,” he said, “I don’t want to see David right now.

“Bur you still love him,” Craig pressed on.

“How could I not?” a sad smile carressed Marton’s full lips, “I will always love him.”

“As he will you.”

“It’s hard to believe that.” Marton gulped. “He’s been lying to me for so long, has shut me out for so long, I just don’t know what to believe anymore.”

Dominic murmured something and shifted a little.

“I should get some water in case he wakes,” Craig said, already getting up.

“Just tell me one thing,” Marton looked pleadingly at Craig, “What he said about these caves, this Nightworld as he called it, is it true?”

“I don’t know what he has told you about us,” Craig said slowly, “But I have known Dave for a very long time and if he said that he told you the truth this time, then he did indeed tell you the truth.”

“Thank you,” whispered Marton, transferring his gaze from the now-empty doorway to Dominic, “And just what did you do to be brought here?” he asked, knowing that the man on the bed could hear him. “Probabyly nothing, just like me.”

Eyelids fluttered and storm-grey eyes glanced at Marton in obvious confusion. Dominic had finally woken again.

~~~

It had taken almost two hours and a seven fot two tall ghoul to stop David’s desperate run. Both Karl and Harry stopped dead in their tracks as David and the ghoul stared at each other from very different heights.

Unsure what to do the ghoul scratched his head and looked at the blond man in front of his feet and then at the two men who had been following the one he had run into. He suddenly noticed a millenia old instinct to eat the offending human and went on to scratch his throat instead.
He knew he should not eat the human. Sighing he made a decision and inhaled deeply.

“Grrrrrrrrrrrrooooaaaarrr!” he growled as loud as he could, causing David’s hair to fly back in his foul breath.

“Ugh,” was all David said as the unbearable odoir engulfed him. With a satisfied harrumph the ghoul threw a last withering glance at each of the three men and marched off, proud to have resisted the urge to devour the humans. After all, their kinds had been allied for millenia. It simply would not do to eat a human. Silently he trudged on, calling up the picture of the human in his mind to take in every detail.

He would not forget this man. He knew what had happened and what should follow and he would be there to take his place when the time came, even if the others would laugh upon him for even thinking such a thing.

~~~

“Dave!” Harry almost jumped forward, “Dit it hurt you?”

“I…” David gulped, “I don’t think so. No,” he shook his head. “I think I’m okay.”

Karl could not help but smile. David had the thoroughly confused look of someone who had just lived through an earthquake and was convinced that he should not be alive at all.
“Come on,” he said finally, “It’d be better to go back hom, Dave.”

“But Marton… I mean…”

“You won’t find him if you run around like a headless chicken,” Karl reasoned, “And he will come back as soon as he notices that he isn’t able to get out of the caves.”

“That’s exactly what I’m afraid of,” David muttered in defeat, “The shape he could be in when he comes back…” Slowly the Australian struggled to his feet, looking around. “Where is Craig?”

~~~

Domninic stared at the strange man in front of him.

“Hello,” the man said. Dominic blinked.

“I’m Marton.” Dom blinked again.

“Do you want some water?” Dominic stared in shock.
“Craig has just gone to get some and…”helplessly Marton trailed off.

“Craig?” Dominic croaked, his throat strangely dry, “Who’s Craig? Where’s Karl?”

“Karl’s out in the city,” said Craig who was just coming back, carrying a silver tray with a glass and a bottle of water. “Here,” he handed a glass of it to Dominic, who took it gladly, “That way close, you know. We barely found you in time.”

Dominic gulped painfully. “Found me? You saved me from that… thing?”

“Yes, Karl, Harry and I.”

“Karl.” Dominic’s voice was raspy and bitter, “He brought me here.” Another sip from the glass. “He said I had seen too much… that I could not go back…”

“I had supposed as much,” sighed Craig, once more sitting down on the single oak chair, And I’m afraid nothing can be done about that. What the elders decide, they decide.”

“I guess the same goes for me then,” Marton calmly interrupted them, fixing his gaze at Dominic’s eyes. “I too have been brought here aginst my will and was not allowed to go back.”

Craig watched in fascination as Dominic and Marton went on to share their stories and opinions in spite of Dom’s weakened state. The two seemed to have struck a chord. An idea beagn to take shape in his mind. Maybe.
A sly grin suddenyl spread over his faec as he silently got up and left, neither Marton nor Dominic noticing his departure. It was perfect.
Perfect to keep Marton where they would need him. All he had to do was to convince the others. Quickly he stepped out of the house and waited, knowing that Harry and Karl would soon return with David.

~~~

“Craig, there you are! We were almost afraid we had lost you.” Harry grinned happily at his lover as they met in fron’t of Karl’s house.

“Hey there, darling,” Craig grinned back, “Missed you.”

“Missed you more.”

”Please,” David interrupted, “Craig you’re both telepath and clairvoyant, you will be able to find Marton if you try.”

Craig’s grin faltered. “I don’t have to try.” he said finally.

“Don’t have to? You knonw where he is?”

“Yes but… David, please!” Craig took a step back, “He’s not ready to talk to you right now, he needs some time.”

“But…” water shimmered in David’s eyes.

“Please give him some time, Dave.” No answer. Harry and Karl shifted uncomfortably.

“I know it’s difficult,” Craig continued, “But you have to accept his decision.”

“But where should he stay if not with Dave?” Karl objected, “He doesn’t know anyone else here.”

“He does.” Harry said calmly.

“Exactly,” a brief smile lit Craig’s face, “And that’s what I wanted to talk about with you.”

~~~

Marton had drawn his knees to his chest, resting his chin upon them and stared at Dominic who had fallen asleep again some time ago. It was strange. They had not even talked long but he still felt better. He smiled sadly.
It had been good to talk to someone who understood his position and who craved to be understood in return.

He got up, careful not to wake Dominic and gingerly tucked the blanket tighter around the blond. He had found something he could come back to. Suddenly he frowned, straightening himself and nervously playing with the hem of his shirt.
He would still have to face David.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to.” Craig suddenly said from behind.

Marton’s frown deepened. “Don’t have to do what?”

“Face David. Come.” Craig motioned for Marton to follow him and started into the direction of the kitchen.

Marton stood undecided for a while.
Finally, with a last glance at the peacefully sleeping Dominic, he followed.

~~~

Craig was sitting at the kitchen table, his fingers drumming on a red book that lay upon it. “So you decided to come after all.” He gestured at the nearest of the three other chairs.

“How could you know what I was thinking?”

“I’m a telepath.”

“Telepaths don’t exist.”

“They do.”

“Not.” Marton scowled for a moment. “What am I thinking of now?”

“A peanutbutter and jelly sandwich on a green plate with a glass of coke next to it.” Marton stared. “You’ve got something of a sweet tooth, haven’t you?” Craig observed.

Marton nodded. “What now?” he croaked finally.

“I have already talked with Karl, Harry and Dave,” Craig paused as Marton tensed at hearing the last name, “And we agree that it would be best for you and Dominic to have a place where you can get used to life down here without uinwanted interferences.”

“Sounds good.” Marton agreed. “But where?”

“We thought that Karl could live with Dave for some time.”

Marton’s brows furrowed, shading his eyes even more.

“While you and Dominic live here. Alone.”

“Okay…” Marton said slowly, “But what about Dominic?”

“Oh…” Craig grinned, “I doubt he’d refuse.”