When Darkness Loves Us

At the large lake, they camped. Michael didn’t know that his children and grandchildren were so close, just on the other side of the wall. No sounds escaped the underwater entrance. Suddenly she didn’t want Michael to see them. She wanted to keep him under her control. She realized that he might want to take her babies back with him, and that was out of the question. She prayed Clint or Mary or one of the boys wouldn’t come out this way while they were there.

“Tell me, Michael. Does Maggie know you’re with me?”

“Oh, yes. She didn’t like it, but then she doesn’t like much anymore. I didn’t tell her about Clinton. I told her you were taking me to see Mary.”

“I see.” Sally Ann grinned in the darkness. A plan was taking form in her mind.

3

After sleeping three or four times, Michael was anxious to get under way. Sally Ann delayed their departure as long as she dared, then led him down a tunnel, far away from the Home Cavern where the children played. She remembered from long ago another cavern, much like the one Michael expected, and she took him there. It took them a long time. She doubled back down different tunnels, and frequently he would ask, “Didn’t we come this way?,” and she would laugh at him and call him foolish. She enjoyed the power she held over him. It was time he learned something.

Finally, they stopped just outside the cavern. Sally Ann talked to Michael in a low voice, as if the others could hear. “Michael. They’re not used to anybody else, you know. Clinton doesn’t even believe in you, so he won’t let the boys believe in you, either. Mary has been here a long time, and she’s not sure who to believe, so don’t expect a major welcome. This is their territory, you know, and you’re an intruder. They may even ignore you, or tell you to go away. But they’re flexible. They’ll get used to you.”

How well he knew what an intruder he was. She had made him feel very uncomfortable since the beginning of this damned journey, and he was now sorry he had ever agreed to come. He was totally at her mercy, and he didn’t like that at all. She seemed a little crazed. “I’ll be all right. Let’s go.”

They turned the corner and Sally Ann went dancing into the cavern. “Clinton! We’re home! Mary? Boys? Come see the surprise I’ve brought.” Silence reverberated in the huge room.

“There’s no one here, Sally.”

“Oh, they’re probably just busy. Or maybe they’re hiding. They’ll come back soon.”

They sat down to wait. Sally fidgeted, as her mind raced. They didn’t wait long. “Here they are, Michael.” She got up and ran to the back of the cavern. “Hello, Clint. And Mary. How are you? I told you I wouldn’t be gone long. Come say hello to your daddy.” Michael was silent at the entrance to the cavern.

“There’s nobody here, Sally.”

“Nonsense, Michael. Here they are, right here. Clint, Shake hands with your Dad. Mary, where are the boys? Oh, here they are. Hello, fellas. My, you’ve grown, just in the short time I’ve been away. Michael, meet little Jimmy and Jerry and this is Jonah. Aren’t they sweet?” She worked hard to keep up the chatter in the empty cavern.

“Sally, stop it!” His voice echoed in the silence.

“Why, Michael? What’s the matter?”

His breath stuck in his throat. She was insane. She talked such a good story that she had duped him into coming into this hellhole, and now he was stuck down here with a madwoman. He turned and darted down the tunnel.

“Michael, wait!” She could hardly suppress the giggles that seemed to have overtaken her. Whatever had gotten into her to do such a thing to him? She followed him out, her tennis shoes silent on the tunnel floor. “Michael,” she called out musically to him. “You’ll never make it out of here aloooone.” She heard his footsteps echoing in the distance. She skipped along gaily behind him. She would be sure he wouldn’t get lost. But a good scare never hurt anyone, either.

She was surprised at the way he circumvented her roundabout path. He seemed to know where he was going and didn’t get lost in the maze of tunnels and tributaries. He crawled through the smaller tunnels with amazing speed, and this gave her great amusement. All the way back she teased and tantalized him with bits and pieces of her thoughts. Always out of reach, her voice echoed around him. He remained steadfastly silent.

When he stopped to sleep, she would sneak around him and wake him with great peals of echoing laughter, eerie in the pressing darkness. The low curses he muttered to himself tickled her even more. What had gotten into her that she would act this way? No matter. He was close to the stairs now. They passed the well tunnel and she hollered ahead to him, “Michael. Cockroaches almost ate me in there while I was coming to you. Doesn’t that make you hungry, Michael? Have some slugs, Michael,” and her insane giggles echoed through the night.