Little Fox in Big Trouble

Thirteen

“This time, I’m going with you.” My mom told me, as I lie there clutching a handful of Oak leaves and impatiently waiting to get to Jess.

“You can do that?” I asked her.

“I can.” She said, “but I need you to relax and quiet your mind.”

A few moments later, I could hear my mom’s voice coming from somewhere in the dark, though I didn’t see or feel anything else. It was like nothing existed except her voice.

“Alright, Kit. I’m here. It’s time to take us to Jess.” She said, softly.

I took a deep breath and focused on Jess. I remembered the dark, damp place she was last time. I thought about her disheveled, too thin appearance and the shaking in her voice when she spoke to me. I remembered the fear I felt coming from her in waves. A moment later, I opened smelled the damp earth and heard rain spattering upon the forest floor. I heard sniffling and low whimpering from somewhere behind me and quietly called out to my friend, “Jess? Is that you?”

“Bris?” She asked.

“Its me,” I assured her. “I don’t have very much time, Jess. I need to ask you some questions, okay? I’m trying to find you.”

“Please find me, Bris. I don’t think I have very much time, either,” she said weakly.

“First, about the other girls. Has a new girl come here in the last day or two? Was there a girl named Helena that was here before you? Her brother is looking, too.”

“Yes. A new girl came. She’s the one crying. I don’t know anything about her, though.” Jess answered.

“Troy?” A weak voice questioned from the dark at the same time.

“I spun around, searching for the voice, “Helena?” I called. “Is that you?”

“Kit, look,” my mom whispered as a small orange flame came to life in the palm of her hand and illuminated the space.

We were in a large cavern with damp walls and a dirt floor. There were five young women that I could see in various states of failing health. Jess was in relatively good shape. Only looking worse than the crying girl in the far corner. Ashley Helms. They were all filthy and malnourished with rope binding their wrists and ankles. Tears sprang to my eyes as I looked around, more determined than ever to put an end to this.

“Helena?” I queried, again. Searching the faces for Troy’s twin.

“Here,” she replied as if I were taking attendance.

When I turned to face the voice, I wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or horrified by the sight. Her black hair hung in limp clumps, covering half of her tear streaked and dirty face. Her clothes were torn and left too much skin exposed. Her cheekbones we’re sharp under her sunken, dull eyes. I never would have seen the resemblance to Troy without her speaking up. She looked so small. The other two girls looked even worse than she did, but she didn’t look like she was going to last very much longer if we didn’t get her out of here. “Listen, Helena, I know Troy. We are looking for you. We will find you. Do you know anything about where you are or how you got here?”

“N-no,” she whispered. I didn’t see anything. I was walking home and then I was here.

“Okay. Just hang on, okay. You’ll see me again. Troy will be with me.” I told her.

I turned back to Jess. “What about you? Do you know anything about how you got here or who brought you here?” I asked.

“I was at The Lounge,” she said. “I met a guy and followed him out into the alley. We were making out when I started feeling really dizzy. The next thing I remember is waking up here.” She paused. “I think the guy I met is the guy that is keeping us here, though. I think the voice is the same, but I could be wrong. He hasn’t let me see him.”

“She’s the only one he keeps blindfolded,” Helena chimed in. “I don’t know why. It’s too dark in here to see anything, anyway, but he keeps her eyes covered.”

I made note of that to examine later, but there were more pressing concerns. “Has he said anything that might help us?” I thought about all of the thing Jess still didn’t know and added, “or has he said anything especially strange or that didn’t make any sense? Anything about other strange things happening in town?”

“The night at the lounge,” Jess supplied, “he told me I was interesting and that I smelled like a fox, but I wasn’t one. I thought it was a strange way to pick up a girl in a bar, but honestly I’ve heard worse.”

“Oh, Jess,” I said and looked to my mom. “Did he take her because of me?” I asked her. How could I have put Jess in such danger without ever knowing it?

“This is not your fault, Kit.” My mom said, firmly. “Do not waste time blaming yourself. We will get her out of here.”

“What are you talking about, Bris? Ms. Jackson?”

“I will explain everything, Jess. I promise. I just have to get you home, first.” I told her.

“You’re kitsune,” Helena whispered in a voice only my mother and I could hear.

We spun to face her at the same time. “How do you know that?” My mother demanded.

“It’s a long story. My brother and I have spent years learning about the things that are kept hidden from this world. My mother taught us about yokai when we were young. If anybody can help my brother find us, it is you. Please, hurry.” She said.

“Our time is running thin, Briseis,” my mom warned as her fire flickered.

I ran to Jess and threw my arms around her shoulders. “Stay strong, my love. I will back as soon as I can.” I returned to me feet and spoke loud enough for Helena and Ashley to hear me as well. “Pay attention to everything that you can. If I do not find you soon enough, I will come back this way. The more information you can give me, the easier it will be for us to get to you. Please. Don’t give up. I WILL come back.”

I nodded to my mother and the cave faded from my sight as her fire dimmed. When I opened my eyes, I was once again on my couch, in the safety of my own apartment. Troy was pacing back and forth and my mom just starting to stir. I sat up and felt the leaves crunch and break in my hands. They were brown and brittle, not at all like the fresh green ones I was holding when I closed my eyes.

“You’re back,” Troy said. Tension draining from his face as is shoulders relaxed.

“We have a lot to talk about,” I told him.

“You have some questions to answer, my boy.” My mom agreed.

“Did you find something?” He asked as he sat down in my oversized armchair.

“We found a few things,” I sighed. “I talked to your sister.”

“Helena? She’s there? She’s okay?” He asked.

“She doesn’t look good, Troy, but she’s still alive.” I told him. “Why have you been lying to me?” I asked. I hadn’t meant to blurt it out like that, but the words were out of my mouth before I realized what I was saying.

“What?” He asked.

“She knew we were kitsune. She said you and she had studied people like me for a long time. Did you know what I was?” I pressed, “Is that why you helped me?”

“Briseis, no.” He shook his head. “How could I have known when you didn’t even know? I admit, that I wasn’t honest about what I knew after you found out, but I was afraid you wouldn’t trust me. I was afraid you would think exactly what you just did.”

“And you wanted my help to find your sister.” I finished for him.

“I wanted to help you, too. I may have known what kitsune are, and I know of some of the abilities that they possess, but I didn’t know what you would be able to do, and I did want to help you figure it out. And, yes, I was hoping that if you could find your friend, maybe you could find Helena, too.” He paused. “I swear, Briseis. That’s the truth. I never intended to lie to you, I just knew how suspicious it would look and I was afraid you wouldn’t trust me.”

“You lied to me so I would trust you?” I scoffed.

“I know. I’m an idiot.” He conceded. “I’ll make it up to you if you let me.”

I looked to my mom, and she nodded. Whatever she thought, she didn’t seem to think it was necessary to kick Troy out on the spot. I wasn’t sure what to do with the information or if I believed him. I wanted to, but I didn’t have time to figure it out right now. “We’ll deal with that later. Right now, we need to find those girls and get them out of there.”