Descending Road - NOT FAR AWAY by Dana W. Paxson

NOT FAR AWAY

1563 4D

The alarm hooted high and clear. “How do we get out of here?” Andrew muttered to himself, or maybe he wanted Turiosten to hear him, he wasn’t sure. He stared wildly up, then down, through the grillwork. Leil stirred and struggled to sit up.

Wait. It’s not for you. Oh, my.

“What? Someone else got in here? How do you— oh, an andro? Can you tell where?” A crash and rattle of grillwork somewhere not far off. Andrew oriented himself to it.

Yes, an andro. No, not an andro. I’m not sure. It’s hurt, a man, he was fleeing. Take me to him. I want to sense him directly. I’ve never seen one like—

“No! Why should we get caught too?” The sound of many feet, faint and far above, strummed the grillwork.

He might know a way out. And you can hear others coming after him. They’ll find you and Leil before they find him.

Leil clambered to her feet, moving heavily. “Andrew, have you found a way out? What’s that noise?”

“Come on, maybe so,” he said. “Turiosten, show me the way to this guy. Fast.”

Climbing down two levels, they found Jeddin staring up at the grillwork above, his lips moving slowly. Andrew bent over him. “I know him! He was at the inn when I met Grendel and Ezzar. He deciphered Engel‘s datacard. What’s he doing here?” Leil shrugged and shook her head and looked up through the grillwork, tear stains and grillwork shadows barring her cheeks in the blue light.

“Someone’s coming,” she said. The sounds of feet rattled overhead, then stopped, becoming a gabble of excited voices.

“They’ve found that woman,” Andrew said. The voices dropped, and one began shouting orders.

Hurry up and get your mouth on his. I can get him started. He knows a way out of here, not far away. Turiosten‘s words tumbled rapidfire into Andrew‘s mind. Andrew kissed Jeddin, a frantic, almost electric, flow of fluid ran thin and fast from his lips to Jeddin‘s, sending spatters flying, and then he recoiled as Turiosten retracted into him; Jeddin doubled up and stood, wobbling, in one motion.

On seeing Andrew, Jeddin only blinked, and said, “She’s fixed me up for a bit, but I need repair to my lower spine. Come on.” Jeddin winced, sucking breath sharply, as he led them straight past two rows of vat columns to a wall, turning left. “Here.” His fingers danced over depressions in a panel of dull-gray lights. A steel pressure door opened beside him into a rounded chamber. “Get in.”

“Wait a second,” Andrew said. Leil drew back.

Jeddin spoke fast. “It’s this or them. I’m getting in with you. Hurry up.” The footsteps echoed louder on the grillwork above. Andrew stepped in and pulled Leil in after him. Jeddin‘s fingers punched the panel twice more, and he stumbled in as the door swung to. His face contorted, he fell against Leil. She put her arms around him and lowered him to the floor as the door blotted out all light.

“He must be in terrible pain,” she said to Andrew.

“Sit down. Hang on to each other,” Jeddin grunted to them. They fumbled, gripping arms. The floor disappeared beneath them.

Story List	SURPRISE ME	Author Page
USER SURVEY	PUZZLE ME	MAKE ELM MARK

HOVER Lucida Bright BARE	HOVER Lucida Bright FULL	HOVER Palatino Linotype BARE
HOVER Palatino Linotype FULL	HOVER Times New Roman BARE	HOVER Times New Roman FULL
PAD Arial BARE	PAD Arial FULL	PAD Lucida Bright BARE
PAD Lucida Bright FULL	PAD Times New Roman BARE	PAD Times New Roman FULL


	NOT FAR AWAY 1563 4D The alarm hooted high and clear. “How do we get out of here?” Andrew muttered to himself, or maybe he wanted Turiosten to hear him, he wasn’t sure. He stared wildly up, then down, through the grillwork. Leil stirred and struggled to sit up. Wait. It’s not for you. Oh, my. “What? Someone else got in here? How do you— oh, an andro? Can you tell where?” A crash and rattle of grillwork somewhere not far off. Andrew oriented himself to it. Yes, an andro. No, not an andro. I’m not sure. It’s hurt, a man, he was fleeing. Take me to him. I want to sense him directly. I’ve never seen one like— “No! Why should we get caught too?” The sound of many feet, faint and far above, strummed the grillwork. He might know a way out. And you can hear others coming after him. They’ll find you and Leil before they find him. Leil clambered to her feet, moving heavily. “Andrew, have you found a way out? What’s that noise?” “Come on, maybe so,” he said. “Turiosten, show me the way to this guy. Fast.” Climbing down two levels, they found Jeddin staring up at the grillwork above, his lips moving slowly. Andrew bent over him. “I know him! He was at the inn when I met Grendel and Ezzar. He deciphered Engel‘s datacard. What’s he doing here?” Leil shrugged and shook her head and looked up through the grillwork, tear stains and grillwork shadows barring her cheeks in the blue light. “Someone’s coming,” she said. The sounds of feet rattled overhead, then stopped, becoming a gabble of excited voices. “They’ve found that woman,” Andrew said. The voices dropped, and one began shouting orders. Hurry up and get your mouth on his. I can get him started. He knows a way out of here, not far away. Turiosten‘s words tumbled rapidfire into Andrew‘s mind. Andrew kissed Jeddin, a frantic, almost electric, flow of fluid ran thin and fast from his lips to Jeddin‘s, sending spatters flying, and then he recoiled as Turiosten retracted into him; Jeddin doubled up and stood, wobbling, in one motion. On seeing Andrew, Jeddin only blinked, and said, “She’s fixed me up for a bit, but I need repair to my lower spine. Come on.” Jeddin winced, sucking breath sharply, as he led them straight past two rows of vat columns to a wall, turning left. “Here.” His fingers danced over depressions in a panel of dull-gray lights. A steel pressure door opened beside him into a rounded chamber. “Get in.” “Wait a second,” Andrew said. Leil drew back. Jeddin spoke fast. “It’s this or them. I’m getting in with you. Hurry up.” The footsteps echoed louder on the grillwork above. Andrew stepped in and pulled Leil in after him. Jeddin‘s fingers punched the panel twice more, and he stumbled in as the door swung to. His face contorted, he fell against Leil. She put her arms around him and lowered him to the floor as the door blotted out all light. “He must be in terrible pain,” she said to Andrew. “Sit down. Hang on to each other,” Jeddin grunted to them. They fumbled, gripping arms. The floor disappeared beneath them.