Chapter 33 The Descent
They lay there for a few more minutes, soaking in the blue-gold light of the forest one last time, engraving the peace of the moment into their memories.
Eventually, reluctantly, they got up.
They dragged their feet moving back into the cabin, moving with the sluggishness of people checking out of a five-star hotel to go back to work. They took their time packing up the empty wrappers and water bottles, neither of them wanting to be the first to say "let's go."
Fennigan retrieved the heavy quilt and the two pillows from the nature hammock outside. Instead of stuffing them back into the bag, he folded the quilt neatly and stacked it on the dusty table in the center of the room, placing the pillows on top.
"Leave them," he said, catching Leela’s questioning look. "We’ll be back. This is our place now."
Leela smiled, running her hand over the soft fabric one last time. "Our place."
They grabbed their duffel bags and walked out to the Mountain Climber. The beast of a truck was sitting exactly where they had left it, looking out of place amidst the ancient ferns and glowing moss.
Fennigan tossed the bags into the back and opened the passenger door for her. Leela climbed up, settling into the seat. It felt different this time. She didn't feel small inside the massive cab anymore. She felt solid.
Fennigan climbed into the driver's seat and fired up the engine. The roar shattered the silence of the Grove, but Leela didn't flinch. She just felt the vibration and let it pass through her, grounding it instantly.
Fennigan rested his hand on the gear shift, looking over at her with a mischievous glint in his amber eyes.
"Ready for the ride back down?" he asked, revving the engine slightly.
"Ready as I'll ever be," Leela said, buckling her seatbelt.
Fennigan grinned, shifting into gear.
"Good. Because you thought the ride up was a little hairy? Gravity is working with us on the way down. It's basically a controlled fall."
Leela laughed, a genuine, fearless sound. She reached out and placed her hand over his on the gear shift—not because she needed the anchor, but just because she wanted to touch him.
"Just get us home in one piece, wolf boy."
"Yes, ma'am," Fennigan winked.
He punched the gas, and the Mountain Climber surged forward, tearing through the wall of brambles and plunging them back into the real world Fennigan hadn't been joking.
The ride up had been a slow, grueling climb against gravity. The ride down was a mud-slinging, heart-stopping slide.
The Mountain Climber didn't so much drive down the mountain as it surfed the terrain. Fennigan wrestled the steering wheel with casual expertise, correcting their trajectory every time the back end tried to swing out on the slick mud. They bounced over roots, slid down embankments, and splashed through the stream with enough force to send a wall of water cascading over the windshield.
A week ago, Leela would have been curled in a ball, hyperventilating.
Now? She was holding onto the grab handle with one hand, her other hand resting confidently on her thigh, watching the trees blur past with wide, excited eyes. She trusted the truck, she trusted the driver, and most importantly, the stone in her chest kept her equilibrium perfectly steady.
"You doing okay over there?" Fennigan shouted over the roar of the engine as they navigated a particularly steep drop.
"I'm great!" Leela shouted back, a laugh bubbling up in her throat. "This is better than a roller coaster!"
Fennigan grinned, spinning the wheel to dodge a boulder. "That's the spirit!"
About an hour later, the dense, ancient canopy finally began to thin. The oppressive, heavy magic of the deep forest receded, replaced by the familiar, lighter air of the lower foothills.
Suddenly, the CB radio mounted on the dashboard—which had been silent static for days—crackle to life.
“...check... static... copy?”
Fennigan reached out and grabbed the mic.
"This is Fennigan," he said, his voice clear. "We've cleared the dead zone. We are inbound."
A relieved voice crackled back. It was Damon. "Copy that. Good to hear your voice, kid. We were starting to wonder if the trees ate you. What’s your ETA?"
"About forty minutes out," Fennigan replied, glancing at the GPS that was finally flickering back online.
He paused, glancing over at Leela, his eyes lingering on the spot where the emerald-and-moonstone gem was fused to her skin beneath her shirt.
"Dad," Fennigan said, his voice serious. "Tell mom to meet us in the garage."