Chapter 15

We were free now and standing tall next to the Coblynau. I was more aware of my surroundings now. It gave the impression of an underground mine. Now that he was discharging us, and I didn’t feel my life was in danger, I decided to ask the ‘mannerly’ question.

“Who are you?” I asked.

The Coblynau answered with that gravely accent, “I be Onode. I know yer Ralella but who be yer partner?” He gestured to Francis.

“Francis Bent.”

“Yer her fan, yer are?”

Francis and I shared a strange gaze before I asked, “Fan? And what do you mean you know I’m Ralella. My name is Bonnie Bertrum.”

He kind of snickered at my question. “Yer know! Yer boy? Yer mate?”

“No, we’re just friends.”    “No!”

We exclaimed uncomfortably at the same time.

Francis and I looked at each other for a second longer than normal before I repeated my question, “What do you mean you know I’m Ralella?”

Onode rolled his gold eyes at us and started walking. “Let’s get out of ‘ere firstly. Follow Onode!” We obeyed and tracked him down a stretched hollow tunnel.

Eyeing everything as we paced, I noticed the weirdest bugs I have ever seen in my life. There was one that looked like a caterpillar but with every millimeter it inched along, a different color it became. I pointed it out to Francis and we both watched it in awe. I mentally named it chamopillar.

After a long stroll down the shaft, we came to a stop in front of a wooden ladder constructed into the earth. I tried to get a peak of what was at the top but it seemed to be miles away. My fear of heights crashed into me.

“Umm, how high is this?” I stammered.

Francis agreed, “Yeah, I’m kind of damaged here. I can’t do much climbing.” I had completely forgotten that Francis’s thumbs were broken.

“Yer shouldn' have hurt yerself! Dumb lad,” Onode spat at Francis.

“I was just trying to do the right thing,” Francis argued.

I didn’t hear their continued banter due to the fact that my eyes were glued on the slight sunbeam emitting from the opening. Suddenly I was close to being claustrophobic.

“Francis is right, Onode. There is no way he is going to be able to climb up that. There has to be another way.”

Onode stopped and thought for an inkling of a second. “No'm he has to climb. Ders no otha way.” I felt trapped and started contemplating other possible tactics. Racking my brain, it came to me.

“I know what we can do!” They both looked at me in waiting. “I don’t know if you're going to like it though.” I told them the proposal and was praised with skeptical faces.

“Are you serious, Bonnie?” Francis shot me an incredulous expression. Onode didn’t seem too pleased either.

“It was the only thing I could think of! Do either of you have a better plan?” They looked at each other for a second and neither said a word. “I didn’t think so!”

Francis looked back at the ladder and started shifting around uncomfortably. “Bonnie, that’s a long way down. What if he drops me?”

I thought about it and quickly snapped my fingers. “Got it, we will tie it off at the top so if he does lose his grip, you won’t fall all the way to the bottom!” I beamed with pride at my laborious plot.

“Well,” Francis started and stopped before looking back up to the top, “Were going to need a lot of rope.”