Abby
“Oh my go d, Abby… could it be?”
Karl’s eyes widen next to me. I crouch down to get a closer look at the dark mushrooms nestled in the
dirt
at our feet.
“Yes,” I breathe, reaching out to run my finger along their tops. “This is it. Black truffles.”
This is exactly what we’ve been searching for, but something feels off, discordant in a way that pri cks
at
my senses.
Karl crouches down beside me, his fingers gently touching the truffles. “They look genuine. But how is
this
even possible? All these truffles growing this far from sunlight? I knew they needed low light, but this…”
Enter title…
His words are mirroring my thoughts exactly. “I don’t think they’re growing naturally,” I murmur, my eyes
scanning the cave, landing on something that makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I point
upwards, my finger shaking slightly. “Look.”
Karl’s eyes follow my finger to the ceiling of the cave. Artificial lights hang overhead. They’re turned off
right now, likely to simulate a day/night cycle for the mushrooms that are growing here. That’s why
there
are so many mushrooms in this cave; they’re being cultivated.
“Oh, s hit,” Karl whispers, his voice tinged with disbelief and a hint of dread. “You don’t think—”
“That these truffles are being cultivated? By the poachers?” My heart sinks as I complete his thought. I
should have known sooner, but I guess it never occurred to me until just now. “Yeah. I do.”
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtKarl rises to his feet, his face flushed, his eyes widening. “So should we take any?” he asks, glancing
around nervously. “I mean, what if they notice?”
It’s a fair question. We came here to pick mushrooms, not to steal from illegal poachers. Not like this, at
least. If they somehow found out that we stole from their stash, what would be the repercussions?
“There are so many, Karl,” I say, struggling with the conflicting emotions that are growing inside of me.
“If
we take just what we need, they could easily chalk it up to animals or something. And besides, we’re
not
the ones exploiting nature for profit.”
Karl’s eyes search mine, perhaps seeking reassurance, perhaps questioning the fine line we’re toeing
between right and wrong. Finally, he nods. “Okay. Let’s do it. But like you said, we’ll just take what we
need; just enough so you can practice for the cook-off.”
Getting to work, we kneel back down beside the truffle patch. My satchel lies open between us, ready
to
hold these precious fungi that could potentially change the tide in my quest to win the cook-off.
My hands tremble slightly as I pluck the first truffle from the ground and place it into the satchel. Karl
follows suit, his own movements hesitant but growing steadier with each truffle he picks.
Finally, my satchel is sufficiently filled, a lump of dark truffles gathered at its bottom like some sort of
illegal
contraband. I pull the flap over and fasten it, looking up to meet Karl’s gaze.
“We’ve got enough,” I say, the words sticking in my throat. “Let’s get back to the car, and quickly, before
we’re caught.”
We walk in silence back the way we came, finally stopping a little while later at the mouth of the cave,
curtained by the waterfall. I can see the sunlight through the loud, rushing water now; it’s much brighter
now than it was earlier this morning, which will make camouflaging ourselves a fair bit more difficult.
But there’s no turning back now. We gather ourselves, I sling my satchel over my shoulder, and
together,
we bolt through the cave’s hidden mouth, leaping through the cascade of water that covers the
entrance.
We hit the ground running, boots slipping on the wet rocks as we aim for the path leading back to the
car.
That’s when we see them: guards, three of them, standing in a line like they’re part of some twisted
welcoming committee. They’re just as shocked to see us, but that doesn’t stop them from raising their
guns.
“Hands in the air!” one of them barks, his eyes locking onto my mud-streaked satchel and my dirt-
covered
fingers.
Karl and I slowly raise our hands, glancing at each other as one of the guards slowly and cautiously
begins making his way closer. The moment stretches thin, and I feel like I care barely breathe.
But then, the moment snaps as Karl mutters, “Abby… run.”
With a swift, almost practiced movement, he shoves the guard on the far right, throwing him off
balance.
The surprise registers on their faces a split second before they react, guns firing into the air as we turn
to
sprint away.
“Get them!” one of the guards yells, and suddenly we’re running for our lives, a barrage of shouts and
bullets propelling us forward.
Karl grabs my hand, pulling me along the uneven path, our breaths coming fast and harsh. We’re both
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm
running on adrenaline and fear, but also an exhilarating kind of hope. The path ahead is a blur, but I
know
we need to reach the top of the ravine to have any chance of escaping.
“They’re not far behind!” Karl shouts over his shoulder. “Just keep going, Abby!”
I don’t need to be told twice before pure survival instinct takes over. Our footsteps pound against the
earth
in a frantic rhythm, the sound of our boots and our labored breaths echoing through the once-peaceful
forest.
Just when I think we might actually make it, a new sound slices through the air—dogs, their barks
vicious
and close.
“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me,” I gasp, urging my legs to move faster.
“Over there!” Karl points to another thicket on the opposite side. “Go!”
But we don’t stop to celebrate this minor victory. Our escape isn’t guaranteed until we’re safely away,
and
right now, we’re anything but that. Content of
Bursting out onto another path, we follow it until we reach the car, hidden among a cluster of trees. I’ve
never been so happy to see a piece of machinery in my life.
For a long moment, neither of us says anything. Our breathing gradually slows, the immediate threat of
capture shrinking with every yard we put between us and the forest.
Then, almost in unison, we start to laugh. It’s a giddy, almost hysterical sound, bubbling up from some
sort
of place that I didn’t even know existed.
“We did it, Karl,” I manage in between laughs, tears spilling out of my eyes and onto my dirty cheeks.
“We
did it.”