Facsimile by Vicki Weavil Page A

Above.
    Another fountain of water washes over us. Sputtering, I open my eyes.
    There’s nothing in the lake but spreading ripples.
    Dace crawls to the edge of the shore. He shakes his head and sends water flying in all directions. “Gone,” he says, his voice suffused with wonder. “I think it’s really gone. But where?” He raises his eyes and stares at the opposite side of the lake. “There must be a passage under that wall. A tunnel or something.”
    I’m still rocking slowly, gripping my knees to control the trembling in my limbs. “Shut up and help me get out of here. Now.”
    Dace jumps to his feet and moves swiftly to my side. He thrusts out his hand. “Grab hold.”
    I take his fingers in a tight grip and he pulls me to my feet.
    Dace looks me up and down before whipping off this jacket. “Here, this should fit. It’s yours, after all.”
    “I have a jacket,” I say, once I still my chattering teeth.
    “Now you have two.” Dace drapes the jacket around my shoulders. “What happened to you, anyway?” He motions for me to walk ahead of him as we move toward the inclined pathway.
    “Don’t know.” I pull the jacket close about me, glad it’s made of a fabric that repels water. My jeans cling to my legs, chafing my thighs with every step. “But when that thing made noise, it was as if it went all through me.” I glance over my shoulder. “You didn’t feel anything?”
    “No. I heard the sounds, of course. But it just seemed like barks and whistles to me, with some keening thrown into the mix. I did record a bit.” He pats at his waist. “Flicked on the holo. Hope it picked up the noises through the pouch.”
    “Damn, Dace.” I turn my head and focus on placing one foot before the other. “You could think of that, but ignore the fact I was, like, writhing on the ground?”
    “I ran to you as fast as I could.”
    “After you got your recording.” I sigh in relief as we reach the entrance to the cave.
    “Well, I didn’t know if I’d ever have another chance … ”
    “Never mind. I get it—scientist first, always. No wonder you act like you’ve never kissed a girl.” I slide through the narrow opening and step into the light.
    And promptly slump to the ground, falling into a different type of darkness.

 
     
    Fingers move over my face, coming to rest on my lips. “Ann? Ann, are you breathing?”
    “Could I answer if I wasn’t?” I swat Dace’s hand away.
    “You passed out.”
    “Yeah, genius, I did.” I struggle to a sitting position. “How long was I out?”
    Dace stretches his arm behind my back to brace me. “Only a minute or two. Here—some water.” He hands me his flask.
    After a few sips I pass it back to him, meeting his concerned gaze. “I’m okay. Must’ve gotten too hot or something.”
    “Hot?” Dace snorts. “Hardly. It wasn’t warm in there, and anyway, we’re still pretty wet.” He fixes his brown eyes intently on my face. “Something happened in there, when the creature voiced those sounds. What was it?”
    I snap the band holding my plait together and begin unweaving my damp hair. “Thought I heard something. Weird, like bells. Not what you heard, I guess.”
    “No.” Dace adjusts his arm so I can lean against his shoulder. “Told you—I just heard whistles and barks. No bells, that’s for sure.”
    “Well, not bells exactly, but reverberating, you know?” I sigh and run my fingers through my loose hair. “Guess you don’t. It was this strange sound that seemed to seep into my bones. And … ” I glance over at Dace from under my lashes, “There was something else.”
    There’s the color rising in his face again. “What else?” He glances up and over my head.
    “Words. No, not words exactly. But the meaning, the sense of ideas. Thoughts.”
    “Your thoughts, or something else?” Dace asks, his eyes widening.
    “Not mine. And not fully formed. Just this flicker, like an outline or concept.” I feel a tremor ripple through his