A Tall and Small Collection | S2

True Colors Revealed pt. 4

It had to work. It was a long shot, but it had to work. There was little else they could do in the moment to deter their determined menace.

Ashlynn's fingers typed furiously against the keyboard researching anything and everything she could to get Austin in trouble. While Dorian and Rey were both doing the best they could, their knowledge of human laws and how to research was severely limited.

After nearly an hour, Ashlynn was finally ready.

"Well, here goes everything," she muttered as she pulled out her phone and began dialing. There were about a dozen calls she needed to make, and she didn't have a lot of time to do it.

~~~^*^*^~~~

While Ashlynn worked in the other room, Casper and Soren had the practically impossible task of breaking the news to the Borrower community. Though still shaky, Soren was able to stand upright and help Casper inform the populous.

"What do you mean? We have to leave? Move?"

"What about our children?"

"What supplies can we take?"

"Are we safe here?"

There were dozens of questions being shouted out from the crowd. It took Casper's repeated shouting for everyone to calm down.

"I understand that you are all unsure about what to do next, but you need to listen. It is not safe to leave here. There is still that dangerous chemical in the walls and main passages and the human, Austin, is actively searching for us at the exit points," stated Casper.

"Casper, he knows we're here. We heard him and that Ashlynn woman talking," called one of the young mothers as she held tight to her infant.

"She's right. We didn't hear much, but nowhere is safe," called someone else who was hidden in the crowd. This earned a collective murmur of uncertainty through the crowd.

"And if nowhere is safe, where do we go?" called the others.

Soren looked to Casper, weariness hanging on the middle-aged Borrower's brow. Soren cleared his throat, wheezing slightly as he did, and stood as tall as he could on top of the cracker box they had moved to the center of Ashlynn's bedroom.

"That's not true. We do have a place to go," called Soren as he looked out into the concerned faces of the crowd. "Ashlynn just bought a new home. It is far away and in a neighborhood with other homes. My brothers and I went there, and we found tunnels and hooks that used to belong to Borrowers."

An ominous tensity filled the air. It was like everyone had already guessed where Soren was going with his words. Some squirmed nervously while others looked instinctively toward the walls, obviously wondering whether or not they should make a break for the relative safety behind the wood and plaster.

"It is obviously your choice, but Ashlynn can get us all there safely," stated Soren. His words were immediately met with backlash.

"You say it so easily!"

"Of course you'd suggest that!"

"This is just another ploy from the humans!"

"PET!"

It was hearing that word – pet – that made something in Soren snap. He clenched his fist and felt himself bristling. He felt Casper's arm rest on his shoulder, as if signaling that he was going to step in, but Soren stepped forward and looked determinedly into the crowd.

"If you want to stay here, then be my guest," shouted Soren. "If you have a better alternative, please come up here and suggest it. I can tell you now that the lingering gas in the walls will get to you before you make it to the ground floor. There is fear and uncertainty everywhere, and that's just the way it is.