Big Springs Park sat on an underground karst in the heart of the city. Unable to override nature, city planners built around it. Gray boulders the size of a two-story building lined a crystal clear canal, filled with orange, white, and black goldfish along with huge, gray catfish. A red, Japanese-inspired foot bridge crossed the waterway further down. In the daytime, business people had lunch on benches surrounding the grassy park. Occasional ducks waddled in and out of the water, which bubbled up from a subterranean spring. Hence its name.
Fee studied the rocks, not seeing any cave—only fresh water rushing down the jagged surface at one point. No apparent opening. She almost didn’t want to know.
Mai sprinted over to her, happy as always, and Niko and Jill followed behind her, talking low and amongst themselves.
“You made it,” Mai said, jumping up and down. “What about Faron?”
“He’ll be here.”
“He seems nice,” Mai told her with a wink.
“He has his moments.”
“I think he really likes you.”
“Why do you say that?”
“His body language and everything, like he is your personally-assigned guardian angel.”
“That’s crazy.”
Niko and Jill finally reached them, so Fee changed the subject.
“Have you been in this cave before?”
“All the time,” Jill admitted, almost as if bored.
“You aren’t scared, are you?” Niko asked. “We could get caught.”
Sweating slightly, Fee admitted, “We better do this before I change my mind.”
“Should we wait for him?” Jill asked, slipping her headlamp over her head.
“He’s coming. I see him by the bridge,” Mai said, noticing the shadowed figure approaching.
Elated at the news, Fee peeked in the direction. Faron walked like he owned the world. No, she corrected herself. He walked like he was at one with the world. Just being in his presence comforted her. She waved, pleased that he showed. He was a man of his word.
She put on her helmet light, followed by elbow and knee pads before joining them on the edge of the canal. Several fish swam over, expecting to be fed. At least, they weren’t piranhas. Still, Fee hoped she didn’t fall in the water and embarrass herself.
“It’s not deep,” Mai assured her, balancing on the canal ledge like a gymnast.
“Where is the cave, anyway?” Fee asked, staring into the water and not liking the idea as Faron put on his helmet.
“Behind the waterfall,” Niko told her. “It’s amazing.”
“I’m sure it is.”
“You ready?” Faron asked Fee, who didn’t answer. “There is some rock climbing involved. Let me give you some tips.”
“That sounds like a good idea.”
“I’ll make it quick.”
Faron picked an easy looking boulder to practice on and gave a brief demonstration. He moved with agility and strength, pulling on handholds and pushing off with his feet to reach higher holds. Without hesitation, he quickly ascended to the top as if at one with the rock.
“Always look ahead and plan your next move. Look for places that you can wrap your hands over. That’s the easiest,” he said, grabbing onto a protruding part. “This is called a jug—an area easy to grab onto.”
“A jug?” Jill giggled.
Ignoring her, he continued, “If there aren’t any, look for cracks where you can get finger holds.”
After his demonstration, he motioned for Fee to give it a try. Grimacing, she sized up the boulder. She wished the others weren’t watching in case she embarrassed herself. Helpful as ever, he pointed to places for her to grab hold of and to pull herself up. This was not going to be easy. Even with his patient coaching.
“I’ll spot you,” he told her. “I’ll catch you if you fall.”
Fall? She didn’t want to hear that word. She awkwardly clasped a jug. Her hands began to sweat, making it harder to get a good hold. He got behind her and supported her weight. Her muscles weren’t used to this kind of workout.
“Use your feet. Seek out a good foothold, and then test it by putting a little weight on it.”
Furrowing her brow in concentration, Fee found a narrow space for her foot, wedged her fingers in a crack and then reached for a higher one, muscles working like never before. He let go, and she struggled up a few more holds of jagged limestone. Finding footing tested her patience, causing her to stretch while trying to maintain balance—not an easy task.
“Okay, come on down,” he said. “I think you got it.”
Fee felt like a cat stuck in a tree. Coming down didn’t seem as appealing, but they were waiting, so she kept a level mind set and planned her descent. She carefully sought out footholds while jamming her fingers into any crevice she could—not wanting to fall. Finding stable footing proved to be difficult, but one toe-sized ledge after another became her staircase. Once down, her muscles felt alive.
“That felt good.”
“Good. Let’s get on with it,” Mai said. “It’s about time you learn the mental and physical pleasure of being one with nature.”
Niko added, “A security guard makes rounds at night, so we better get going.”
“The last person inside needs to keep a lookout,” Jill called, bravely traversing smaller rocks aligning the boulders. Right behind her, Mai gracefully gripped the rock wall with her fingers and nimbly scaled its surface.
Not so natural, Fee pressed her body to the wall, with shaking hands searching for a hold while clumsy feet perilously hovered above cold water. Faron patiently pointed to rocks to step on, coaxing her near the waterfall, slippery from damp moss. She asked herself why she was doing this. Deep down, she knew the answer.
Niko, Jill, and Mai disappeared into the unseen hole. As Fee got closer, she noticed a fold in the rock that led to a narrow gap. Fee worked her way toward it, even as water splashed on her, dampening her clothes. She grumbled. Faron’s soft laughter didn’t help.
More a crevasse than a cave, she forced herself into the space, less than two feet wide. The walls took a sharp turn and then another. Fighting claustrophobia, she squeezed around a bend, hoping to find her way back out if she survived this. Sticky threads clung to her face.
Fee suddenly jerked back, shaking her hand and muttering,
“Oh, gross.”
“What?”
“Spider webs.”
Faron laughed. “What did you expect?”
“It’s in my hair!”
“Do you want to quit?”
“No.”
She cleared her face as best as she could.
“I just thought nature was supposed to be pleasurable, not gross.”
“You are impossible.”
Fee hesitated, pushing on the thick walls, as if wishing to pry them further apart. Something cool covered her left hand. She jerked her head in that direction to cast her light upon her fingers, when she saw Faron’s hand on hers.
“You’re doing great,” he whispered. “It’s a small cave. We probably won’t stay here long.”
“Unless we get stuck.”
As if answering her pessimism, Fee heard voices.
“Oh, no!” a female voice gasped. “I see something.”
“Help! It’s got my foot!” It was Niko. “Save me!”
How much further were they? The twisting corridor gave no clue.
“We have to hurry!” Fee said, shoving her body through a tight gap. “We have to help him.”
Images of large reptiles, like she had seen before, popped into her head. He could be bitten or worse! She started to slip, but got a grip.
“Fee, help!” Niko called again, making a gurgling sound.
“Don’t rush, Fee. Pay attention to where you are stepping.”
“He could be dying!”
“And so could you if you don’t concentrate.”
Fee froze and started shaking, grabbing hold of Faron. She was about to beg him to save Niko, but Faron pressed his lips into her hair, brushing them over her ear while saying, “Don’t get upset.”
“Why not?”
“He’s teasing, Fee. He probably wants to rile you up.”
“How do you know that?”
Before he could answer, giggles erupted in the darkness. Feeling betrayed, Fee hung onto an overhanging ledge, releasing her shattered emotions.
“That wasn’t very nice.”
“I know. Some friends,” Faron agreed.
Fee gathered her nerves and negotiated a short crawl through a corridor before finding a small room no bigger than her bathroom at home. Three bodies sat in a circle, where she happily plopped her nervous body. Faron joined her.
“You didn’t seem concerned,” Niko pouted.
“Fee was about to call the National Guard,” Faron said, with Fee elbowing him.
“No, I figured you’d be a worthy sacrifice to the cave,” Fee retorted, making Jill laugh for the first time.
“Serves him right,” Jill agreed. “He’s done that to me plenty.”
“How many caves are there, again?” Fee asked, hoping her voice didn’t shake.
“4,100 known caves,” Niko said. “Unless you go by the new official report of 2,000.”
“But only 114 public ones,” Faron added. “Though I suspect the number will soon dwindle.”
“And this isn’t one of them,” Jill giggled.
“There’s one on my uncle’s land that’s far scarier,” Mai said, breaking glowsticks to add an eerie green feel to the space.
“Where?” Faron asked.
“Paint Rock Valley.”
“That will be our next one,” Jill suggested.
“Actually,” Niko said, “this was an easy one, just to see if you would do it, Fee.”
“I’m here, aren’t I?” she retorted, putting on a brave face.
“We went to the library before we came here. The city took away all the maps of the underground caves and even some books,” Niko explained. “They are classified now. Doesn’t that make you wonder why?”
“Maybe there’s a good reason,” sensible Faron offered.
Niko challenged, “Do you know the reason?”
“Yeah, they aren’t safe.”
Even Fee sensed there was more to it.
“Can you show us any caves, Faron?” Mai asked. “You seem ‘in the know.’”
“If you want to try a vertical cave, I can teach you how to do it.”
“That sounds fun,” Jill said, looking to Niko for his opinion, who shrugged.
“Let’s do it,” Mai concluded.
“Fee and I will arrange it, and we can meet at the coffee shop tomorrow afternoon if you’d like.”
“A vertical cave is better than this boring fissure,” Niko remarked.
“We’re already here, so let’s enjoy it. We can tell ghost stories,” Jill suggested. “It’s nice and spooky in here.”
“I got one,” Mai said, switching off her light to make it darker. “It’s about something I saw slithering in a tunnel downtown. I got separated from Jill, and I kept calling her. I heard a hissing, so I started running, but I couldn’t find my way. I shone my light in front of me and behind me. Then, I saw it.”
“What?” Fee demanded. Goosebumps erupted on her arms.
“It was ugly! This scaly, green thing on two legs like a man stood there, holding up its clawed fingers, as if waiting to strike. It had a horrible face, somewhat human, but the mouth was more pronounced with larger teeth, and the skin was thicker with extra folds of skin over the cheeks.”
“I believe you,” Jill softly said. “There’s something down there.”
“How did you get away?” Fee asked.
“I screamed my head off, and a security guard found me.
The creature went back into the shadows, I guess.”
A flashback hit Fee, recalling the lizard figure. Her mind resisted the accusation. She turned to Faron, eyes wide with fear. Was he really evil? She had been alone with him, but he hadn’t hurt her. Friend or foe?
“Have you ever seen it, Faron?” Fee asked.
“I think I’d better go,” he said. “I have to work tomorrow, and you all have school.”
“We’ll see you tomorrow,” Mai reminded him.
He got up and began feeling his way to make the crawl through the passageway.
“Seems like someone got scared,” Niko snickered.
Ignoring Niko, Fee said, “Hey, wait.”
She reached for a handful of Faron’s shirt and followed him into the tunnel and around the turns, until it was time to climb down. She traversed with more ease this time.
“Don’t go. They were just teasing.”
“I’m not scared of silly stories,” Faron said, jumping the last few feet to the canal ledge.
“Then, what is it?”
Faron held his arms out to help her over the wet rock, until her feet were firmly balanced beside his. He didn’t let go, holding onto her waist, thumbs pressing into her abdomen.
“It’s nothing.”
“I thought I did well.”
“Yes, you did. I was impressed.”
“Then, what?”
“You broke the law. You could have gotten arrested.”
“So? You could have, too.”
“I promised I would help you and keep you safe.”
“Look at me. I’m wet and covered with dirt and webs.”
He plucked a spider web strand from her hair, letting her long locks fall through his fingers.
“I think I need to sit down for a second,” she whispered.
Fee sat on a nearby bench, and he joined her. There was so much she wanted to say, but he went first.
“I can’t believe you like that guy.”
“It’s not like that…anymore. Is that the only reason you agreed to do this? Because you were curious to see who this guy was?”
“One of them.”
“But you still want to go caving with all of us?”
“I want to show you amateurs how it’s really done.”
“Without killing us, I hope.”
“That’s the point. I hope to teach you how to be safe. It’s incredibly dangerous, and some of you seem incredibly stupid.”
Ignoring that, Fee wondered aloud, “How am I supposed to help plan it? It’s not like I know anything.”
“I’ll give you my phone number. Call me after school tomorrow. I get off work around the same time. We’ll talk about it, then.”
“Do you want my number?”
“What for?”
I guess I meant nothing to him, after all.
“In case you want to hang out.”
“Really?”
“I might need help with something else.”
“Like what?”
Fee bit her lip.
He touched her shoulder. “Come on. Tell me.”
“I’m afraid of the house I live in.”
Faron covered his face to hide his amusement, chuckling in disbelief. “Why? Is it haunted?”
“Worse. It’s on a cliff.”
“Come on, show me,” he laughed even harder, eagerly rising to go see it.
“Don’t you have to work tomorrow?”
“I can spare a few more minutes.”
“It’s on Montesano.”
“That’s just a little hill.”
“Maybe to you.”
“Prove me wrong. I’ll follow you there.”
As they headed to their cars, Fee muttered, “No turning into a lizard man.”
“What?”
“Nothing,” she shrugged.
In less than ten minutes, Faron joined her in the semicircle driveway in front of the wooden box house. He took his time surveying the structure arising from red clay. He walked around, carefully appraising its location on the outcropping. A stone pathway wound through scattered pine trees to a large deck out back. He spied the sheer drop behind it. Lights lit up the valley below like stars in the Milky Way.
“It doesn’t look so bad,” he said, climbing the deck steps.
“Look how far down the drop is!”
Faron tried not to smile. The gently sloping yard ended ten feet away from the deck, before falling vertically twenty feet and then continuing into a more gradual decline.
“It’s a nice view,” he told her, taking it all in. “I would just sit out here for hours.”
Fee frowned. “I grew up in a very flat area. This takes time to get used to.”
“Why not start now?”
“What?”
A devilish glint told her to be on her guard.
“Come here.”
“Why?”
“Don’t you trust me?” Faron raised his hands like a wrestler, ready to take her down. Fee ran around the yellow deck chairs, trying not to laugh. After all, heights were no laughing matter to her, but he was in a playful mood.
“I just want to show you something.”
“I don’t believe you. You want to dangle me over a cliff.”
“Maybe by a toe, but just for a moment. Until you agree to stop all of this nonsense about caves.”
“You better behave,” she warned. She shielded her body with a chair, but he was quick, chasing her out into the yard.
“Don’t you dare!”
Faron scooped her up into his arms, grinning down at her,
and bounded toward the precipice. She wiggled in his arms, kicking her legs, trying to get free until the close proximity to the mountainside froze her. A few feet to their right, a loose rock broke free and bounced out of sight.
“Faron!” she yelled. “You better put me down, right now!”
“Not until you see how lovely this place is.”
“Well, I guess that’s never.”
“I can wait that long.”
“I’m serious.”
“Then agree that caving is not right for you, and we’ll end this right now.”
“But, I don’t want it to end…”
“Hello? Is everything okay out here?”
They both turned their heads toward the open sliding glass door, where the brown-haired woman in a gray skirt and white blouse greeted them, appearing as the stern mother and probably wondering if she should intervene.
Faron gingerly placed her down, while Fee quickly explained, “We’re just horsing around.”
“I didn’t know you had company, Fee,” Deidre said, her face softening.
“This is Faron.”
“Faron Rothschild,” he told her, shaking her hand.
Deidre gave an appraising glance of the clean cut boy and said, “Well, it’s nice to meet you.”
“You, too.”
“I was showing him the death-defying ridge.”
Actually, it was the other way around.
“You can always come inside,” Deidre suggested, opening the door wider, almost an order more than an invitation. But, at that moment, a gecko slithered up the glass, causing Deidre to jump back and shriek. She shooed at it with her manicured hands.
“It’s just a little lizard, Mom,” Fee told her, shaking her head.
“Hurry. Get it!” her Mom cried out.
The reptile darted away.
“It’s an innocent creature,” Fee remarked. “Leave it alone.”
“Well, hurry up and get inside before we let a lizard in the house.”
Fee muttered, “I’m not sure Faron can come in. It’s late.”
“I’m sure I can stay a little longer,” he offered, quietly laughing from the comment about the lizard. “Unless you have things to do?”
Fee lowered her head, whispering, “There’s not much to see. I’m staying in my Mom’s old room.”
Of course, she didn’t want him to see that.
“I might want to see that,” he said low, so her Mom couldn’t hear.
Ignoring him, Fee stepped inside, as if entering a stranger’s house. She would have loved for him to see her beach home with the bright, sunny rooms. This place was another story—like an heirloom meant for the attic. Past the bright yellow kitchen, Fee led the way into the paneled family room. Embarrassing childhood photos lined the walls. Fee rested on the plaid couch with Faron choosing the opposite end. Only a dim lamp lit the small room.
“Did Fee eat anything?” Deidre asked Faron, who in turn scrutinized Fee. Fee slouched down into the couch.
He probably sensed this was an issue between them, but he told the truth. “No. I don’t think so.”
“Fee?”
“I meant to get something when I was out.”
“We’ll discuss this later.”
Fee stewed. This was not an argument she wanted to have in front of him.
“I’ll fix you both a snack,” her mother replied as she walked into the kitchen, off to the left of the family room. She got busy rummaging through the refrigerator.
Fee turned on the TV, muttering, “My Mom thinks I have an eating disorder.”
“Do you?”
“I don’t think so.”
The conversation left her feeling uncomfortable. She didn’t want him wishing he could escape a troubled person’s house. She leaned forward, gripping her head in her hands.
“Do you have annoying parents, also?” she asked Faron.
Fee bit her lip. She didn’t mean to say parents, since his mother had left. It slipped out. His eyes said he forgave her.
“I live with my grandfather. He can’t hear very well, so we don’t communicate much. My Dad is always gone…working.”
“You know, you seem more mature than any guy I know.”
“Living in the country makes you grow up fast. Not street-wise like city kids, but self-reliant. I can grow and kill my own food, and I can fix just about anything.”
“I guess the suburbs didn’t teach me much, other than how to shop at the mall.”
Deidre walked in, carrying sandwiches over to the coffee table. She gave Fee a warning stare, silently ordering her to eat before retreating from the room, again. Fee heard her footsteps going to the stairs, hopefully to turn in for the night.
Finally, they were alone, Fee thought. She was suddenly aware of his closeness. The clock ticked loudly on the wall behind them, as if telling her to hurry up and get it over with—to have a conversation with Faron about the kiss. She focused again on the TV, channel surfing to pull herself together. She couldn’t help focusing on unexpected feelings. The air grew heavy.
“Faron?”
“Yes?”
She struggled to formulate the words.
“When you…when you kissed me,” she whispered, “was that part of my kung fu cave training, with me being the grasshopper or the cave cricket, and you being the wise teacher?”
Faron’s lips curled in a sexy smirk. “I wanted to do that from the moment I saw you.”
“Why? Maybe the sunlight distorted your vision. What did you see?”
“I saw a vulnerable girl who moves with such gentleness that I was in awe. You would probably love the Earth if you weren’t so scared of it.”
“And that means a lot to you, that I love the Earth?”
“It means everything.”
She bit her lip, peeking as he slid over toward her. A few, mere inches separated them. She could feel his probing stare.
“What do you see when you see me?”
Their eyes tentatively met. She would have poured her soul out had he asked.
“I see goodness, like a guardian angel protecting me.”
He soaked in her words, shaking his head in disagreement.
“I’m a loner, Fee. I’m not the best kind of boyfriend.”
He picked up her hand and brought it to his lips, negating his own words.
“You probably shouldn’t think of me like that,” he added.
“Then you probably shouldn’t have kissed me or be touching me, now.”
He nodded in agreement.
“But I’m glad you did.”
To keep the mood from deepening, Faron lifted the plate of sandwiches and placed it between them, saying, “You better eat something.”
Fee reluctantly picked at the ham to prove she didn’t have a problem, while offering Faron one of the sandwiches.
Seeming hungry, Faron ate half, focusing his attention on her, as always, while he ate.
“What are you thinking?” she asked, admiring his flawless skin, as if its perfection was an indicator of its illusion.
“This sandwich is pretty good.”
Fee snickered. “No, what were you really thinking?”
“It’s getting late. I have work, and you have school.”
“I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“What if I say I changed my mind and that you should find a new hobby and stay out of caves?”
Her green eyes challenged him. Was he serious?
“Then I will go into the tunnels.”
“That’s blackmail.”
“I don’t play fair, and neither do you.”
Shaking his head, he whispered, “No one could save you in there.”
“Not even you?”
“What do you think you know, Fee? I can feel it when you look at me. What are you trying to see…or trying not to see?”
I’m waiting for your pupils to elongate, dummy!
“I don’t think you need to hide from me. I want you to trust me.”
“Come on,” he sighed, getting to his feet. “It’s late.”
At that proximity, she could see he was almost a foot taller than she was.
“Are you sure I can’t hide you in my room? I don’t want to be alone.”
Faron whispered, “I’m sure your mother is pacing in her room right now, wondering when to shoo me out of here.”
Like that lizard?
Fee laughed and slowly followed, though not wanting him to leave. Breezy mountain air hit them—a bit cool even in May at that elevation—as they stepped into the star-covered night. Fee loved the patterns of stars against the blackness—little pinpoints of light guiding the way. She found the night peaceful when she was not alone.
“I think it’s a full moon,” Fee said, pointing to the huge rock above them and happy she’d never have to climb it in her lifetime.
“I don’t turn into a werewolf, if that’s what you’re afraid of.”
“I wasn’t afraid,” she retorted, “but do you turn into anything?”
Faron grunted in annoyance. “There’s only one way to seal your lips.”
He gently cupped her head with his hands and bent closer, gliding his lips over hers and sending electric waves through her. He briefly captured her lower lip between his before coaxing a deeper kiss. Her mind went blank, erasing her question…for a moment.
She needed a second to slow her heartbeat and restart her brain.
“Um, you didn’t answer my question.”
“Wasn’t that better than an answer?”
Fee lowered her head, grinning. She couldn’t argue with that.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Fee.”
“But I need to tell you something.”
Faron opened his car door, cautiously asking, “What?”
About a man who guards caves who morphed into a creature when I was five years old…like you did in the car.
“Nothing. It can wait.”
Faron warned her, “Don’t get into any trouble before tomorrow.”