Episode 7- Into Franklin Caverns
I was starving to death by this point. To be honest, I believe Nick was as well. For over a week we had walked the insides of the gloomy Catsora. Hiding when necessary, running when needed. Luckily, nothing we had run across was life threatening. One smaller reptilian had actually spotted us somewhere between Kiltora (the dome I had lived under for years) and the Taldeal dome. It proved to be another opportunity for me to smile as the small creature fled from Nick’s blade. I had learned to really like moments like that.
So what was the worst thing about being a free man now? The idea of nearly ten thousand of the Rotundra high guard looking to kill me and my new friend on sight. Yeah. That was definitely the worst. What was the best part? Speaking and curiosity. The two go hand in hand. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to not be able to speak freely? To stay bottled up in wonderment. Even worse, what if, your entire life, you were given a vaccine that prevented you from such creativity and curiosity. Where you wondered nothing, that things were simply the way they were. And guess what? Things were bad. Well then, life really isn’t life at all then is it?
“Where are we going, Nick?” I was demanding to know by this point.
“Franklin Caverns.”
I was quiet for a moment, “Really? That easy? I never get an answer that easy.”
“That’s because we’re almost there.” He snickered and continued walking.
“What is this place? I’ve never been this far from Kiltora, but I should have heard one of the Rotundra speak of it by now.”
“That’s the beauty of it, Adam. They don’t know about it.”
“How is that possible? They created these tunnels for travel… they made them with…”
“Lord have mercy son. You still believe the shit they rant about. Humans are for feed, they were created by giant, smelly lizards and all of that nonsense?”
“No, it’s not that, it’s just that… well… I don’t know, you have a better answer?”
Nick stopped for a moment and gently rubbed his fingers across the ooze barren wall to his right. “These were created by humans, Adam. Long, long ago.”
“So the humans made this for travel?”
He laughed, “sort of… not for themselves per say. They transported human waste. They were called sewers. The Rotundra must have tapped into them and built on as to get around under the surface. There’s a massive amount of fallout outside, I’m sure.”
“I see,” I was a little confused, I won’t lie.
“Hold for a minute,” he held his hand.
“What-“ I began.
“Shhh… listen”
There was a loud sound coming from a small device about his wrist. What I would now describe as a high pitch feed traveling in waves.
With a smile he looked to me, “you hear it?”
“Yeah I hear it… what is it?”
“There,” he pointed to his right. There was nothing there but slime and concrete.
“It’s… a wall? I don’t get it?”
‘Before I was frozen we-“
“Frozen! You never said anything about being frozen!”
“I know, just listen. Before I was frozen, humanity placed small chambers hidden underground. Within these chambers, there lies many things… but the most important are people.”
“People! People from your time?”
“Indeed,” he seemed very excited. I could tell by the fierce look within the depth of his eye, this was what he was here for.
“I’m very confused. Please explain.”
“In due time, Adam. There’s something we must do now.” He stepped close to the wall and gently placed his hand about a very vaguely marked stone. A series of x’s and o’s ran about its surface. He cleared his throat carefully and in a low, deep voice bellowed, “Not a lizard.” A loud crack resonated from within the wall, and before my eyes, a white stream of gas came pouring between the cracks of the stone.
I was a little scared, but I kept my whimpering to myself. The block slid from its resting plane and fell to the ground. Behind it sat two very distinct items: a small metal box with a flickering light on the front, and a pipe running in the background from one side of the opening to the other.
“Adam… would you like to take a guess on what’s in the box?”
I debated, but only a second, “no I’m fine.”
“Aw, come on,” he badgered.
“I don’t know… a key?”
He laughed as if he expected it. “Yeah, that would be the simplest answer wouldn’t it. I’ll give you a hint… you’re nowhere close.”