Part 1: The World Has Grown
Chapter 1: Surviving the Wreckage
Orcilla opened her eyes. She was lying inside the wreck of the crashed vehicle. She slowly sat up. She could see Yassmay. She had a piece of metal impaled in her shoulder. Orcilla crawled over to Yassmay to see if she was still alive.
‘Come on!’ said Orcilla as she shook her arm. ‘Stay with me.’
Yassmay felt quite cold to the touch, but Orcilla could sense there was still life in her. Orcilla tried to find a pulse, but she could not find one. Suddenly, she felt Yassmay move a little. Her fingers were twitching.
‘I’m going to have to move you,’ said Orcilla to Yassmay. She could see that the piece of metal impaled in her shoulder was not attached to anything else.
Orcilla slid her arms underneath Yassmay. She gently raised Yassmay off the surface of the vehicle. She then gradually crawled towards an opening. Orcilla was surprised at her own strength. She was able to carry Yassmay with relative ease considering she was hunched over and on her knees.
Once at the opening, she gently placed Yassmay onto the grass. Orcilla climbed out of the wreckage. She landed on the grass beside Yassmay.
Orcilla looked down at Yassmay. She had stopped twitching now. Orcilla carefully began to perform CPR on Yassmay. ‘Seriously, come on!’ said Orcilla with a hint of desperation in her voice. ‘I thought you were indestructible.’
Yassmay began to move slightly. This time it was not involuntary twitching.
‘Good to see you haven’t checked out,’ responded Orcilla, sounding relieved.
Yassmay slowly opened her eyes. Orcilla looked at her. At first, she slightly frowned and then began to smile a little.
‘What have you got us into?’ asked Orcilla as she flopped down next to Yassmay.
‘I knew you were still alive,’ said Yassmay in an exhausted tone.
‘I feel I have missed a lot,’ sighed Orcilla, sounding a little puzzled.
‘Daily and Emily!’ said Yassmay in desperation as her thoughts turned to her friends. ‘Are they okay?’
‘It’s just us here,’ replied Orcilla with slight alarm in her voice. ‘It doesn’t look like anyone else escaped. I think they were taken from the wreckage.’
‘Daily was in the front,’ replied Yassmay in a more coherent tone. ‘He was driving at the time.’
Orcilla quickly got to her feet and rushed to the front of the vehicle. There was no one there. There was some blood on the seat. It appeared he had been dragged out.
‘Oh, Daily,’ sighed Orcilla as she leaned forward, pressing slightly on her thighs. ‘What were you doing?’
Orcilla walked back around to Yassmay.
‘Did you find him?’ asked Yassmay, sounding more alert. ‘Is he okay?’
‘He has been taken,’ replied Orcilla.
‘So, he’s alive,’ replied Yassmay.
‘I think so,’ said Orcilla in a less than convinced tone. ‘They left us behind because they thought we were dead.’
Yassmay noticed the piece of metal in her shoulder. She was about to grab it, but Orcilla stopped her.
‘You’re going to have to leave it in until I’m able to safely remove it,’ said Orcilla in a stern tone. ‘Or until you’ve regained enough strength to self-heal quick enough to stop the bleeding.’
‘It won’t take long,’ replied Yassmay, sounding almost like her normal self.
‘The miracle of 19CE saved you again,’ chuckled Orcilla.
‘It saved you too,’ replied Yassmay as she sat up abruptly.
‘Okay, calm down!’ said Orcilla, sounding alarmed. ‘There’s no need to take unnecessary risks. And how did it save me?’
‘You have my blood running through you now,’ replied Yassmay as she grabbed the piece of metal.
‘Please don’t!’ exclaimed Orcilla, sounding annoyed.
Yassmay yanked the piece of metal out of her shoulder. Blood spurted everywhere.
‘Oops!’ said Yassmay as she shrugged her shoulders.
‘I have to stop the bleeding now,’ said Orcilla angrily. ‘Why do you have to be so difficult?’
Yassmay placed her hand over the wound and began to press down hard. ‘It’s going to be fine,’ said Yassmay in a calm tone.
‘Huh, you’re unbelievable,’ replied Orcilla, shaking her head. ‘So what’s this about my blood, your blood?’
‘You were badly injured and going to die,’ said Yassmay, leaning towards Orcilla. ‘The seaweed cure wasn’t up to it, so I gave you all my blood.’
‘That’s insane and should be impossible,’ remarked Orcilla.
‘I had some help from Daily and… well, our sister,’ replied Yassmay as she leaned back again.
Orcilla could see the sadness in her eyes. ‘It’s complicated, that I know,’ said Orcilla as she rubbed Yassmay’s leg. ‘Tell me what I missed, and we’ll figure out our next move.’
‘Yes, but we need to get moving,’ said Yassmay, nodding her head. ‘We are in great danger if we stay here. Location 10 is not far away. I’m sure we can walk it.’
‘Hmm, Flint,’ said Orcilla as she and Yassmay got to their feet. Yassmay began to wobble a little.
‘Take it easy,’ said Orcilla, shaking her head. ‘You’re still leaking blood.’
‘Yes, I feel a little off,’ replied Yassmay as she grabbed Orcilla’s arm.
The two of them set off towards Location 10. Yassmay began to explain recent events to Orcilla, who gripped Yassmay, who was still unsteady on her feet.
Half an hour later, Yassmay had finished explaining everything to Orcilla.
‘Given the circumstances, you’ve given us and the Downs residents the best chances,’ said Orcilla as the two of them walked around a rocky outcrop.
‘Do you hear that?’ asked Yassmay.
Orcilla paused to listen. ‘Yes, sounds like we have company,’ said Orcilla as she grabbed Yassmay’s arm. ‘Let’s take cover here.’ They hid behind some rocks and became invisible.
‘It might be Flint’s team,’ said Yassmay with a little excitement in her voice.
‘Caution first,’ whispered Orcilla as she pulled Yassmay down behind the rocks.
A vehicle passed by them. After travelling a short distance further, it stopped.
‘Come out, we know you are there,’ blurted out a voice from a speaker attached to the vehicle.
‘Is it one of Miro’s vehicles?’ whispered Orcilla to Yassmay.
‘Doesn’t look like it,’ whispered back Yassmay.
Orcilla and Yassmay became visible and then emerged from behind the rocks with their hands raised.
‘Kindly approach the vehicle,’ blurted out the voice.
Orcilla and Yassmay slowly approached. It was strange. Nobody exited the vehicle to greet them. Suddenly a side door opened.
‘Kindly enter the vehicle,’ called out the voice.
Yassmay looked at Orcilla. ‘I don’t like it, but I don’t think we have much of a choice,’ said Orcilla as she glanced at Yassmay and then at the vehicle.
They both entered the vehicle together. It appeared they were inside a compartment of the vehicle. There was nobody else inside this compartment with them. Orcilla and Yassmay sat down opposite each other. The door closed and the lights inside brightened slightly. There were no windows in this compartment.
‘We will now take you to meet the High Philosopher,’ said a voice through the speaker in the compartment.
‘I don’t think that is Flint,’ said Yassmay, sounding concerned.
‘I’m sure he’ll be as delightful as the other underground, folk,’ replied Orcilla in a slightly sarcastic tone.
The vehicle began to move. It appeared to be turning around. It was not long before the vehicle descended underground. However, Orcilla and Yassmay had no clue where they were.
The journey continued for a few more hours before the vehicle came to a stop. The compartment they were in disconnected from the front of the vehicle. The compartment descended further underground.
After around a minute it stopped. The door opened. Standing before them were four underground Linap dressed in black and wearing face coverings. One of them beckoned for Orcilla and Yassmay to exit the compartment. Orcilla and Yassmay slowly climbed out.
‘They don’t seem the social type, do they?’ said Yassmay as she glanced at Orcilla, who looked very concerned.
The four underground Linap turned and headed towards a corridor. Orcilla and Yassmay followed them. Several more underground Linap now followed behind them. The corridor was dimly lit and looked raw and primitive. At the end of the corridor was a staircase. They walked down the staircase. At the bottom of the staircase, they could see the underground city where these Linap lived.
‘This place is depressing!’ exclaimed Yassmay. ‘No wonder they’re not in a chatty mood.’
The underground Linap led them to a large room. Inside the room was a ladder. The four Linap climbed down the ladder. One of the other Linap gestured for them to follow. Yassmay, followed by Orcilla, descended the long ladder. They were now in a tunnel. They continued to follow the Linap. The tunnel led to a large door. The Linap opened the door and gestured for Orcilla and Yassmay to enter; they both did, but the Linap did not enter with them. Instead, they shut the door behind them.
They were inside a grand room. The floor was nicely tiled with marble-like slabs. There was a long carpet running down the middle of the room. In the centre of the carpet was a grand but empty table. Above it was a large chandelier. There was no other furniture. The walls were covered with paintings. Most paintings depicted Sapes dancing, eating or enjoying themselves in some way. The paintings were nice but somewhat amateurish.
‘Looks like our High Philosopher likes Sapes,’ said Yassmay, sounding amused. ‘He or she can’t be that bad.’
Orcilla walked over to a painting. The painting was of two Sapes dressed in fine clothes dancing beneath a tree. In the background, there were many other Sapes roaming around in a field.
‘I don’t want to jump to conclusions, but I have feelings of deep concern,’ said Orcilla as she turned to look at Yassmay, who was admiring another painting.
A large door on the other side of the room opened. A well-dressed underground Linap entered.
‘Welcome to our High Temple,’ said the Linap. ‘My name is Julio Turbo. ‘I am honoured to have you as our first surface dweller guests.’
‘It is an honour to meet you too,’ replied Orcilla. ‘I’m Orcilla, and this is my younger sister Yassmay.’
‘I see you are admiring the magnificent artwork of our High Philosopher,’ remarked Julio. ‘Does it speak to you?’
‘It does,’ replied Orcilla. ‘Sadly, I’m not able to comprehend its message.’
‘That is good, very good,’ said Julio, smiling a little. ‘The High Philosopher delights in bestowing knowledge on those most worthy.’
Yassmay began to chuckle a little.
‘Come, the High Philosopher is ready to meet you,’ said Julio as he gestured towards the door he had just walked through.
Orcilla and Yassmay walked towards Julio. Julio stepped aside to allow them to enter the room. He then followed behind them.
This room was divided into two by a large glass wall. On the other side of the glass wall was a relatively tall and slender Linap. He was sitting behind a table with a plate of bananas on it. Unlike the other underground Linap, he had greenish-brown skin, blonde hair, and blue eyes.
‘I would like you to meet our most revered High Philosopher,’ said Julio as he gestured for Orcilla and Yassmay to bow their heads in respect.
Orcilla and Yassmay both bowed their heads a little.
‘These are our guests, Orcilla and her younger sister Yassmay,’ added Julio as he stepped back to the edge of the room.
‘Fantastic, absolutely fantastic!’ exclaimed the High Philosopher in joy. ‘Wonderful fruit and now wonderful guests.’
‘Thank you for your warm welcome, most revered High Philosopher,’ replied Orcilla.
‘No need for the formalities,’ chuckled the High Philosopher. ‘You can call me Angelo. I want to welcome and entertain you as equals.’
‘I appreciate that, thank you, Angelo,’ replied Orcilla.
‘Life underground is incredibly limiting,’ said Angelo. ‘For me even more so.’
‘You’re not from the underground world, are you?’ probed Yassmay. ‘You’re from our world.’
Angelo looked across at Julio, who frowned angrily in response to Yassmay’s comment.
‘You are right, I am not from this underground world, but I am of it,’ replied Angelo calmly. ‘I strongly desire to live in the world that I am truly from.’
‘I apologise for my sister’s curt response,’ said Orcilla, sounding a little embarrassed.
‘You shouldn’t feel the need,’ chuckled Yassmay.
‘Young and so bold, I like that,’ said Angelo, smiling at Yassmay, who was rolling her eyes.
‘We would like to ask you for your help,’ said Orcilla as she tugged on Yassmay’s arm.
‘Of course,’ replied Angelo. ‘I can see you’re in quite a state.’
‘We’ve had it a little rough,’ said Orcilla.
‘Hamish and Miro Alset tried to kill us and are taking our friends to be slaves,’ blurted out Yassmay.
‘Hamish Alset!’ remarked Angelo as he glanced at Julio. ‘One of your frozen ancestors has arisen, Julio.’
‘They’ve all been defrosted,’ replied Yassmay.
‘And they’re working with Miro?’ asked Angelo.
‘We helped their frozen ancestors,’ replied Orcilla. ‘Now they’re working with Miro and his army. They want the residents of the Downs Region to build them settlements. We fear they will be treated as slaves.’
‘I’ve known Miro a long time,’ said Angelo, shaking his head. ‘He is very ambitious. This is the only underground city that he does not control. It does not surprise me that he would desire control over your world too.’
‘How about his younger brother, Flint?’ asked Yassmay in a demanding tone.
Angelo looked at her thoughtfully for a few seconds. ‘He is kind and has good intentions, but I’m afraid he cannot escape the control of his older brother,’ said Angelo in a sad tone.
‘Would I be right in saying that you’re the resistance to his tyranny?’ asked Orcilla.
‘Just enough to keep ourselves safe,’ replied Angelo. ‘We have our limitations.’
‘You keep yourself behind that glass because you are sick or vulnerable to sickness,’ stated Yassmay boldly.
‘That is true,’ replied Angelo. ‘If you are able to remedy me of this problem, I might be of greater help to you and your cause.’
Orcilla and Yassmay looked at each other.
‘You survived a horrendous crash,’ remarked Angelo. ‘It appears you were badly hurt but have miraculously recovered in an incredibly short time.’
‘My sister was given a serum to save her life,’ said Orcilla. ‘It has also made her incredibly tough and given her special healing abilities.’
‘It contains Sentray genetics!’ remarked Angelo.
‘Yes, so you are aware of such serum?’ asked Orcilla.
‘The Sentray DNA is quite amazing,’ remarked Angelo. ‘It has evolved to protect the eggs and the very young. It grants them remarkable healing ability. As they grow bigger and much stronger, their DNA loses much of its regenerative power. With such strength and size, they are close to unstoppable anyway.’
‘How did you come to learn of such things down here?’ asked Orcilla.
‘The history of every loop lives within the walls of these tunnels and cities,’ said Angelo confidently. ‘My learned mentor, Julio, has taught me the true value of knowledge.’
‘You speak too kindly of me,’ said Julio. ‘I only give to you what the higher power has shown me. The rest is all you.’
‘That is truly amazing,’ remarked Orcilla.
‘I would like to make a proposition,’ said Angelo. ‘You help me with my ailments; grant me access to the serum. I will help you win back the freedom of the Downs residents, and I’ll reveal to you the true secrets of the twelve loops.’
‘Sorry, we don’t have any more,’ replied Yassmay, shrugging her shoulders. ‘The guy who made it was eaten by a vengeful Sentray.’
‘That’s such a shame,’ said Angelo as he grinned slightly. ‘However, the Sentray are back. We just need to locate some more eggs. Then you can apply your expertise.’
‘Hmm,’ replied Orcilla, ‘I’m not sure I…’
‘I have absolute confidence in you,’ interrupted Angelo. ‘Besides, you don’t get what you want until I get what I want.’
‘I understand,’ replied Orcilla.
‘Fantastic!’ said Angelo in a joyous tone. ‘Julio will organise a search party, and then the fun begins.’
‘I’ll be honoured to do so,’ replied Julio as he nodded his head.
‘As our guests, my guards will take you to our finest accommodation,’ said Angelo. ‘At five sharp, you will join me for a fantastic feast of the delightful fruit from your world.’
‘We are truly grateful for your generous hospitality,’ replied Orcilla, nodding her head.
‘It’s the least I can do considering how much joy you have brought me,’ said Angelo as a broad smile came over his face.
Two guards opened the door to the room. Julio gestured to Orcilla and Yassmay to follow the guards. They followed them out into the first room they had entered. Once in that room, another door opened. This led to a corridor. Orcilla and Yassmay followed the guards down this corridor. They stopped at the seventh door in the corridor. The guards opened the door and gestured Orcilla and Yassmay to enter. Inside was a large, nicely decorated bedroom. Once Orcilla and Yassmay entered, the guards closed the door.
‘This is all so strange,’ remarked Yassmay as she sat on one of the beds.
‘We should expect them to be different,’ replied Orcilla as she sat on the bed next to the one Yassmay was sitting on. ‘Their world is completely different from ours. They have done what they feel is needed to survive in this very difficult environment.’
‘Well, at least he likes Sapes,’ said Yassmay, grinning.
Sapien Loop: Worlds Collide
Sapien Loop: Worlds Collide is the final book in the Sapien Loop trilogy. It continues directly after the events of the second book. The world above and the world below merge into one world. The conflicts in the underground world are brought to the surface. The new ruling elite attempt to crush any resistance from above and below in an attempt to create a new global empire.
Currently, three books from the series have been published on Amazon; see the links below:
All individual chapters can be found on my 