7 Sobbing and Bobbing (2/2)
”Oops,” said BugleHead, by way of apology.
HoneyBeard just laughed. ”Look who's on a leash now.”
Nelda kicked in the direction of his head but took care to miss.[I never had brothers, but it must feel like this.] She was struck by a sudden wave of sourceless nostalgia.For the first time since her ordeal began, Nelda started to cry.
”There, there, sister.” BugleHead pulled down on the rope leaving Nelda sobbing and bobbing. What's wrong?”
”My… head… hurts.”
”We'll get you something for that. But let's go outside first.”
They carefully guided her outside.Nelda was annoyed with herself.[I am not the kind of girl that cries.] Nevertheless. now that she had started, it seemed she could not stop.Nelda was full on ugly-crying with snot, and coughing, and deep guttural sounds like she was drowning in her own tears.
”Shhh, shhh, shhh.” BugleHead patted her ineffectually on the top of one shoe.Which to be fair, was the only part of her that he could reach.”It'll be all right.”
[Did I pass out for a moment? I am not sure.How can you tell if you blacked out in a dark cave.]Nelda's head was split with a headache like a caffeine-migraine and she wretched with nausea but had nothing to throw up. ”Just tie me to something,” she got out between sobs.”You do whatever you have to do today. Don't worry about me.”
”We planned to do nothing today,” BugleHead said.
”Yeah,” HoneyBeard noted.”And that was a solid plan.We should stick with it.”
At that moment a huff-whistling wind tore down the mountain and through the valley. It
swirly and rebounded between the trees and the rocks.It was concentrated by the narrow cleft between the red cliffs that held the Dragon Cave and the tall grey tor just on the other side of the river.
It gathered the cool spray of the river.It gathered the dead leaves from the ground.It gathered Nelda, and by extension BugleHead and HoneyBeard, and it lifted them up, up, up into the sky.
”Somehow,” BugleHead said.”This is still unexpected.”
”Jump!” Nelda screamed.”Before it's too late! Jump! Jump!”
HoneyBeard and BugleHead did not jump.
[Well, shit.]