فصل 10

CHAPTER 10

I was aware of Shawn’s body falling next to mine as we tumbled across the pine-covered forest floor, but my eyes were filled with nothing but the revolving image of trees and sky. When I finally came to a stop, I flopped down in the dirt, sucking air into my greedy lungs. After a few moments, I propped myself up on an elbow and looked back toward the clearing. The T. rex was furious. It ripped at the trees with its teeth, shredding the branches into small chips of mulch, which floated down around me.

“Can you believe how fast it made it back across that field?” Shawn huffed, sitting up beside me and running a trembling hand over his eyes. “I was about to tell you off for tripping me. I was so focused on running that I never even saw that thing.” “You’re welcome,” I said, echoing his words from earlier.

“Yeah, thanks. I really appreciate not being dead right now.”

“How about that smell? Something curled up and died in its mouth. Like, last month. I had no idea smells like that even existed.” I watched as the T. rex pawed angrily at the ground, sending chunks of dirt the size of refrigerators spewing out behind it.

“Really?” Shawn flashed a lopsided grin at me. “I thought it smelled a lot like the boys’ locker room back at the compound.” I giggled as the relief of being alive washed over me. Shawn gave me a funny look.

“What?” I asked.

“Nothing,” he said, shaking his head. “It’s just that you seem different up here. You never really giggled in the compound.” I shrugged, feeling awkward. “I’m glad Herman got away,” I said, changing the subject as I began picking sticks and leaves out of my hair.

“Yeah, I was real worried about the dumb lizard that almost got us killed.” He rolled his eyes, and I elbowed him in the ribs.

My compass still hung around my neck, and a quick glance revealed that it had survived my tumble. The T. rex moved away from us and began hunting around the edge of the trees, probably hoping for another chance at Herman. Shawn was preoccupied with reorganizing the contents of his pack, so I walked back toward the meadow to get a better view. The thing really was massive.

Suddenly, a strong hand clasped me by the shoulder, making me jump. I was about to tell Shawn to knock it off, that I was fine, but when I turned around Shawn was ten feet away from me, his eyes wide with alarm. I looked up into the green eyes of a stranger.

“Let go of her!” Shawn yelled, his voice cracking. He pulled out his stun gun and trained it shakily on the strange boy holding my arm. It was a pointless gesture. A dinosaur stun gun would knock us both out if he shot it. Shawn was clearly terrified, but I was too shocked to be scared. What was another person doing topside? The boy beside me chuckled.

“That’s a cute toy, but it isn’t going to do you much good out here.” “It’s no toy. Let her go, or I’ll shoot,” Shawn said, his voice squeaking again.

The boy snorted. “Doubtful.” I saw Shawn’s shoulders slump slightly in defeat as his bluff failed. When was he going to learn that I could take care of myself? Twisting, I smashed my elbow into the boy’s stomach. He let out a little grunt of surprise, and I ripped my arm up and out of his grasp. Not taking my eyes off his astonished face, I leaped backward. Instantly Shawn was behind me, and we stood glaring at the stranger.

“Impressive,” the boy gasped, bending over to catch the breath I had knocked out of him. I studied him. He was younger than I’d first thought, probably around our age, although his dark close-cropped hair and bronzed skin made it hard to tell.

“Come any closer and I’ll shoot,” Shawn warned.

The green-eyed boy smirked, and snatched the gun from Shawn’s hands faster than I’d have thought possible. Shawn barely had time to grunt in surprise.

“They told you this could drop a dinosaur, huh?” He gave the gun a yank and a twist, disassembled it in three moves. He looked inside and laughed. “I think they gave you a bum gun,” he said. “I’d heard they couldn’t penetrate dinosaur hide, but yours can’t penetrate anything.” He handed back the iron fragments. I gaped at what was supposed to be the deadliest technology in the compound. The gun was nothing but a shell. No wires, no bullets, no place for an electrical charge, completely useless.

“But,” Shawn sputtered. “This was supposed to, the marines said . . .” “I wonder if all of the stun guns are fake,” I said, turning to Shawn. “It would explain why the marines don’t allow anyone else to use them.” “You’re a quick one, aren’t you?” The boy grinned. “And I’d heard you moles take a while to come around.” “Moles?” I asked, looking from Shawn’s shocked face back to the boy’s.

“That’s what we call you compounders, because you all live underground,” the boy explained as though this were common knowledge. “Like blind moles in your tunnels.” I blinked at him stupidly. “Who’s we? Don’t you live in a compound?” He snorted. “Uh, no. Never have. Never will. I prefer fresh air and this little thing I like to call freedom.” “That’s impossible,” Shawn said. “No one can survive topside. The Noah said . . .” “My mom said that compound moles were brainwashed, but I didn’t think you were that stupid. Don’t you go to some kind of fancy school?” “You really don’t live in a compound?” I repeated. My mind whirled with all of the possibilities.

The boy sighed in exasperation. “I take back what I said about you being quick. I think I passed judgment too soon. No, there’s no compound around here. I would no more live underground than kiss Big Ugly over there.” He grinned and nodded toward the meadow, where the T. rex was still visible in the distance. Shawn bristled beside me.

“Who are you, anyway?” Shawn asked as he tucked the fragments of his useless gun into his pack.

“I’m Todd.” He held out his hand to Shawn, but Shawn just glared and made no move to shake it. I’d never seen someone our age shake hands before. I’d thought that form of greeting was reserved for compound officials and old men. I was apparently wrong about a lot of things. Todd shrugged and offered his hand to me. I shook it hesitantly. He was tall, with a stretched-out look like he’d grown a foot overnight. Despite his gangly appearance, he moved in a fluid, graceful way that I envied. His bright green eyes were set over a long nose that looked like it’d been broken on more than one occasion.

I heard a familiar chatter and watched in amazement as Herman trotted out of the trees and right up to Todd. The little creature sat back on its haunches, buzzing and chirping in its birdlike way. Todd chuckled and pulled a small strip of meat from a leather pouch on his belt, flipping it to the creature. Herman caught it midair, making happy little clucks.

“You know Herman?” I asked.

“Herman?” he snorted. “This is Verde, and she knows me very well. I raised her from an egg.” “That thing almost got us killed,” Shawn fumed. He took a threatening step toward the creature, and I grabbed his arm to stop him. Todd yanked a large bow off his back and had an arrow on the string and pointed at Shawn almost instantaneously.

“Take another step. I dare you,” Todd growled. “Verde saved your life, although now I’m thinking that wasn’t one of her brighter moves.” “Saved our lives?” I asked as I warily eyeballed the massive bow in Todd’s hand. How had I not noticed that thing? It was huge. It appeared to be made of a single carved bone, a dinosaur rib, maybe? Although it seemed more flexible than normal bone. The arrowhead was the size of my palm. I wondered if it could pierce dinosaur hide.

“I was on lookout and saw that stupid stunt you two pulled. Don’t you know that you never, and I mean never, run through an open field? Lucky for you, I was feeling particularly charitable and sent Verde out to distract Big Ugly over there.” I glanced back toward the T. rex and shuddered.

“Thank you, Verde,” I murmured. Verde peeked around Todd’s legs warily, her small beaklike nose sniffing in my direction.

Todd lowered his bow and glared at Shawn. “Unless you want some ventilation holes poked in your sorry hide, I wouldn’t hurt her . . .” He stopped, cocking a questioning eyebrow at Shawn.

“Shawn Reilly,” I filled in for him.

“Don’t tell him anything about us,” Shawn said, frowning.

Todd slid the bow back onto his back. “Actually, I would be delighted to hear what two compound moles are doing bumbling around my forest.” “It isn’t your forest,” Shawn said.

“If you’re not from a compound, then where are you from?” I asked, a protective hand over my compass.

“Why should I tell you? How do I know you aren’t one of that Noah guy’s lackeys?” I laughed. I couldn’t help myself. The idea was too absurd. “Because the Noah doesn’t hire twelve-year-olds to be his, what did you call us? His lackeys?” Todd stiffened, and I stopped laughing, not wanting to offend.

“That’s not what I’ve heard,” Todd said. “My mom said that guy is so power-hungry he’ll recruit just about anyone if it means keeping control.” “You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Shawn bristled. “The Noah saved us. The compound protects us; without it, the human race would be extinct.” “I’d like to present exhibit A,” Todd mocked, gesturing to himself, “that proves that statement is dead wrong.” “Well, this has been fun,” Shawn said, “but we need to get going.” He started to turn away, but I grabbed his arm and jerked him back.

“Wait,” I said, irritated. I turned my attention back to the dark-haired boy in front of me. “Have you ever met anyone else from a compound? We are looking for someone. His name was Jack Mundy?” When Todd didn’t say anything, I went on. “He was around six feet tall, brown hair, a beard? Kind of skinny?” “No, sorry,” Todd said, and I could tell he didn’t want to give us any more information than he already had.

“Sky,” Shawn said. “I doubt your dad came this way.”

Todd’s eyes softened a little. “Your dad?”

“Yeah,” I said. “He’s been missing for five years.”

Todd hesitated, biting his lip. “Well,” he finally said. “Jett might have heard of him. He’s the leader of the Oaks.” My heart gave a hopeful squeeze. “Could you tell me where to find him? Please?” I stopped, processing what he’d just said. “Wait. What’s the Oaks?” Todd studied us. “Are you sure you aren’t government spies?”

I groaned in exasperation. “I promise.”

Todd stood for a moment, torn, and I held my breath.

“I’m really not allowed to show you where I live,” he finally said, and I deflated a little in disappointment. “But after that stunt you just pulled, I don’t think you two would survive much longer without some help.” I grinned at Shawn, but he didn’t grin back.

“But,” Todd said, pointing a long finger in our faces, “if you betray us, don’t think I’ll hesitate to put those ventilation holes in you I mentioned earlier.” He patted his bow.

I gulped, nodding. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me yet,” Todd said. “Jett might not let you up.”

“Up?” I whispered to Shawn as Todd turned and headed away from the meadow, obviously expecting us to follow. I was about to when Shawn grabbed my backpack.

“What?” I hissed as Todd stopped and turned back, waiting.

“How do we know we can trust this guy? For all we know, he’s taking us back to his mud hut to eat us. He’s not from a compound, which means he’s been living with no laws his entire life.” “He saved our lives.”

“So he says. I don’t like it, Sky. He has no respect for our Noah.”

I groaned in frustration. “Listen. I’m willing to risk it if it means finding out about my dad. If things look dicey, we run for it. Deal?” Shawn’s lips pulled into a tight line. I rolled my eyes. “I promise I won’t let him eat you in his mud hut or whatever.” “I’m holding you to that.”

“Aren’t you even a little bit curious how people have managed to survive if it wasn’t in a compound?” “No.”

I gave him a look, and he huffed in defeat.

“Okay, fine. Maybe a little.”

“Make up your mind,” Todd called, glancing nervously at the sky. “It’s almost dark, and you already cheated death once today.” “We’re coming!” I called. “How far away is it?”

“Not far,” he said, smirking. “Let me show you how the real people live.”