Chapter 4 The Red Eyes that promise Chaos (1/2)

Jane and Falla looked up in surprise at the rapidly approaching Diggory. He looked terrified.

”Diggory?” asked Falla, ”What happened where's Rass-”

”Rassa's in trouble! We need help! He's stuck in the cave!” Diggory insisted.

the girls looked at each other as Diggory sprinted past them and towards the village.

”Cave?” asked Falla in confusion, ”There isn't a cave around here. How far did they go past the boundary line? They weren't gone that long”.

”Well, whatever happened, Rassa's in trouble, we should go get help too,” Jane insisted. She helped the other children towards the edge of the forest, Falla following behind.

Diggory crashed through the forest edge and into the field next to the village, ”Help!”

The villagers who heard looked up in concern, and saw Diggory, Sir Lincoln's son, sprinting towards them. They straightened, afraid that something had happened as they other children began to emerge from the tree line. Anxious parents looked for their child, relief filling their expressions when they saw them.

”Help!” Diggory shouted again, rushing into the village. He made way to Rassa's house where his mum was busy sorting through lentils out front of their home, ”Help!”

He said as he came to a stop before her.

She looked at Diggory in surprise, ”Diggory? What on earth is wrong?”

Diggory gasped for breath, ”It's *cough cough* It's Rassa...he...he's stuck in a cave”.

”Cave?” she frowned, ”There aren't any caves in the forest Diggory, not for many miles”.

”I swear it's true!” Diggory insisted, ”Please we have to help him!”

Regardless of whether or not there was a cave, this was her son the boy was talking about. She stood and turned to one of her neighbours who was watching with concern, ”My husband needs to be told”.

”They are out in the far field, it will be some time before he can be brought back,” the woman replied sadly.

”He still needs to be told,” Rassa's mother insisted, then she turned to Diggory, ”Show me. Show me where my son is”.

Diggory did not need to be told twice. Rassa's mother moved to follow, then paused, turning and grabbing the axe from the wood pile beside her house, then she followed after Diggory.

”Anne! Whatever is out there you can't face it alone!” one of the women called as Rassa's mother rushed past after Diggory.

”Well if you wish to offer help, I would not be opposed to it,” Rassa's mother replied, ”But he is my son, and whatever danger he is in, I will attempt to save him”.

A group of villagers drew together and followed Anne and Diggory into the woods.

***

All Rassa could see was an endless darkness. He didn't know how far he'd been dragged into the cave before he'd been held aloft, restrained by chain-like bindings that held his arms and legs in place. The only thing he could ascertain is that he'd been brought into a large cavern, as his cries for help echoed off the walls, and he couldn't hear his tears hit the ground. Kept suspended in the air, Rassa could feel something touching various parts of his body. His chest, his arms, his legs, his head. It scared him immensely not being able to see what it was, but something told him he would rather be faced with the darkness that what horror had brought him into its lair.

”Such a valuable specimen...”