52 The twins went missing (1/2)

An Ning didn't panic until after the morning passed and the twins still hadn't come back. She called Taey and together the two of them gathered some men to start a search.Hippolyta's grove was some distance from the village and between them lie deep valleys and mountains the twins could have explored on their own.

”They don't have phones?” Taey asked An Ning.

”No. We talked about it and they decided they're okay with the laptops for now. Besides, they don't need it yet. Maybe after they start school I'll talk to them about it again.”

”Is this the first time they've done something like this? I mean, they don't make a habit of doing this, do they?”

”This is the first,” An Ning answered. ”Cas usually likes to self-study in his room and Lux...she likes to do artistic stuff life flowers and jewelry. When they go out, they usually tell me where they're going so I won't worry. But this time, I woke up and they're not here.”

”You said you slept until nine so they probably didn't wake you up and just went hoping they'll be back before you woke up. Then they lost track of time and are now probably on their way back hoping you won't be angry at them. Kids do stupid stuff, you know,” Taey said, smiling. ”A lot.”

”That must be it,” An Ning agreed although she was thinking the twins didn't normally do stuff that were out of the ordinary. ”But where could they have gone?”

The men spread out to search. An Ning stayed behind in case the twins return and then she would call Taey. The house suddenly fell into complete silence when the men left. An Ning frowned. Something was not right. She could feel it. And Richard was here again, mocking or threatening her, she didn't know.

She was about to go back to the living room when her eyes alighted on Hippolyta's time machine. It didn't look out of place with the expensive chairs and wooden tables strewn around the room because Han had ingenuously made it part of the room's design by building it as an arc, like a doorway linking the living room with the big kitchen. The controls sat inside a small cubbyhole, looking as harmless as a vending machine. The cubbyhole, however, was open.

An Ning threw the door to the cubbyhole open and examined the controls from top to bottom.Itseemed to be okay. No knobs were broken or missing. She extended a hand to touch it and frowned. The metal was still emitting a faint throbbing as if it had been running and was now taking a break. It felt warm to the touch. Her glance settled on the arc which looked graceful sitting in her living room. Nothing seemed to be out of place but the controls bothered her. She switched it on. There was nothing on the panel. No new data was inputted. So why did it feel like someone had messed with it?

An Ning shook her head. She must be imagining things. She closed the door on the cubbyhole and went outside. The sun was on its zenith, the weather warm. She lifted her face to the sun and closed her eyes. When the sound came, it seemed like a part of the sunny afternoon that she didn't even open her eyes. Then she finally heard it, the cry for help.

She ran to the entrance of the maze, straining her ears. Only silence greeted her and the feel of the wind on her face.She called out to the twins. No answer. She ran to the viewing house, screaming at the top of her lungs, but there was no one inside the maze. Even the small pagoda at the center was empty.

An Ning quieted the panic in her heart and listened. The wind again caressed her face but it also came with the sound of a voice. So soft and faint she could barely make out whose it was. But she distinctly heard one word. An Ning left the viewing house and ran to the river. The waterfall was bearing its way down the spring. The sound of the falling water was heavier, the clear water somewhat murkier as it battered against a rock wall.

She waded into the pool and stared at that wall, following the flow of water as it stirred the vine growth. She took out her phone and called Taey's number.

”Where are you?” she asked.

”On our way to village. Why? Are they back?”

”I think I know where they are. Better come back. I need backup in case something happens.”

'Why? Where are they?”

”I found some kind of a cave in the spring. They might be trapped in there. I'm going down to check.”

”Wait,” Taey's voice was stunned. ”A cave in the spring? How?”

”It's hidden behind some vines on the rock wall. It looks undisturbed. The kids might have found something that scared them. Come back. I'm going to check it out.”

”Wait...An Ning!”

An Ning disconnected the line, throw the phone on the bank then walked towards the rock wall and swept away the vines away. The opening was not that big, just enough for one body to get inside. It was not a downward slope inside but an upward walk that surprised An Ning. The walls were a tight fit but once you pass through it the length and breadth of the cave was exposed.

It was enormous. The ceiling was high and there was a clear pool, illuminated by sunlight that passed through a large hole on the ceiling.On one side of the banks, Cas was lying down as if asleep. Beside him, with his head on her lap, Lux was sobbing brokenheartedly.

”Lux!” An Ning screamed as she hurried down the rocky path.

”Mom!” Lux shouted, crying and laughing as she saw her mother. ”Cas slipped on the rocks and hit his head. Mommy, I think he's dead.”

With her heart in her throat, An Ning sped up until she reached the bank and took Cas from his sister's arms. She saw blood on his temple. His face was cold and blue but he was breathing. Barely. An Ning didn't hesitate. She bit her finger until it bled then she pressed the finger against Cas' lips.

”Mommy, what are you doing?”

”Giving some of my blood to your brother so he'll be okay,” An Ning said, not even bothering to hide the truth.

”You can do that?” Lux was wide-eyed with shock.

”One of the perks of being an Amazon,” An Ning said. ”You do know who were are, don't you, Cas?”

”I think I have an idea,” Cass nodded.

An Ning was about to add something when they both heard a groan. The warm liquid must have awakened something in Cas because he opened his mouth and his tongue licked slowly at the blood on An Ning's finger. With his eyes closed, and his tongue exposed, he looked like a tiny kitten licking at a bowl of milk. At the sight, An Ning furiously blinked at her eyes but her tears flowed and she couldn't stop herself from crying out.

”Mommy?” Cas slowly opened his eyes and looked up at her.His eyes suddenly widened with surprise. ”Why are you crying?”

”Mommy's not crying, baby,” An Ning sniffed. ”I'm just so happy I found you.”

An Ning opened her other arm and pulled Lux into her embrace. The three of them embraced each other for a long time, the children burrowing their heads into their mother's body like frightened chicks seeking their mother's warmth.When An Ning looked up, she met Taey's worried eyes.