Chapter 41

Mr Calhoun’s truck was parked just in front of the cabin, corroborating what Jay had said about taking me to the hospital for stitches. I still had a pounding headache, but I choked back any temptation to change my mind.

Jay turned away from the route down the mountain and headed in the opposite direction. Once clear of the plateau and outbuildings, Jay led us along a wide, badly rutted, farm track that was obviously well-used by farm vehicles. Since I was still feeling disorientated, I was very glad of the use of Mr Calhoun’s walking stick, even at the sedate pace Jay was setting.

We were treated to spectacular views over the town of Mountview and its surroundings. I couldn’t understand why this area wasn’t more popular with visitors. I had never been up here before but under different circumstances it would have made for an excellent day out, especially for a picnic.

The farm track gradually petered out into a rough footpath that seemed no more than an animal trail. There were occasional forks and branches but each time Jay chose the route mostly closely following the mountain’s contours, and we had no steep gradients to contend with. As the path curved round, we gradually lost sight of the town but gained a better view of the neighbouring mountains in the range.

After perhaps half a mile or so, the town was no longer visible and we had reached the edge of the CDC’s quarantine zone. There was no physical barrier to keep people out, just metal signs every twenty yards or so down the mountain saying ‘DANGER. KEEP OUT. CDC.’ with a contact phone number.

“I’d better stop here,” said Jay. “If I go any further my pa will whup my ass. Keep following the track round and The Stacks is about half a mile on. I’ll wait here for you.”

“Thanks,” I said, “but you don’t have to: I have no idea how long I’ll be. If I don’t come back, please tell the police which way I went.”

Jay nodded.

Swerving around a CDC notice that had seemingly been placed intentionally in the middle of the track to block it, I continued along the path Jay and I had been following. Perhaps the painkillers were kicking in or perhaps the absence of farm-vehicle ruts made the going easier, but I was able to pick up the pace somewhat, although stumbling a couple of times due to almost imperceptible rocks.

Suddenly the previously gently curving track made virtually a ninety degree turn round the mountainside and I found myself side-on to a magnificent, vertical cliff face. Despite the barrenness of the cliff, the soil at the bottom must have been fertile because it supported a profusion of berry bushes. I could see why Jay had ignored his pa’s warning not to come here, especially since there was no evidence of fallen rocks.

I continued along the track as it followed the base of the cliff, keeping my eyes peeled for anything that might constitute a dwelling. The worrisome thought occurred to me that the witch might be living in an underground lair, in which case I might never find her. That would certainly explain why Jay had never seen a dwelling.

Then, almost dead centre in the middle of the base of the cliff, I saw what looked like the entrance to a cave ahead of me. How could Jay have missed it? As I got closer I saw that the vegetation seemed to have been worn away by constant access. Someone or something was definitely living here.

I had no option but to investigate the cave if I wanted to find Jo. The only thing I had with me that might serve as a weapon was Mr Calhoun’s walking stick. But a witch powerful enough to escape a locked jail cell, kill a judge, transport girl victims all the way up the mountainside and make everyone who saw me think I was gay, would surely not be unduly threatened by a mere piece of wood. Still, I found some meagre comfort in brandishing it in front of me as I approached the opening in the cliff-face.

The cave entrance was large enough for me to pass through without stooping, and inside it opened out into a large single chamber. I was both relieved and dismayed to find nobody was home. The cave was surprisingly light and airy inside as if ambient light was somehow being reflected off the cave’s rocky walls, but even then the cave seemed to be far better lit than could be accounted for by the natural light coming through the cave’s entrance. That phenomenon alone would have made for an interesting scientific study and I wished that circumstances were different so Michael could come and do a proper scientific analysis.

The cave contained some of the basic necessities of a simple life, including a bed, rugs and shelves, but no appliances such as a cooker or a fridge. The bedlinen was mussed, indicating someone had slept in it very recently. But most frustratingly, there was no sign of Jo, nor that she had ever been there.

While I was standing in the middle of the cave, feeling deflated and distraught and pondering my next move, I realised there was a gentle movement in the air and I could hear water running. I scanned the walls of the cave but could see nothing but solid rock.

Although the pounding in my head was impacting my ability to think straight, it occurred to me that since the cave was unnaturally light inside, perhaps the apparent solidness of the cave’s rocky walls was also an illusion. I devised a simple strategy - starting at the cave entrance and following the wall all the way round, I checked to make sure it was solid by prodding it every foot or so, at a range of different heights, with Mr Calhoun’s walking stick.

It wasn’t till I reached a point on the far side of the cave, almost diagonally opposite where I had started, that the end of the walking stick seemed to pass through solid rock. With some trepidation, I tested it with my hand. That also passed through the rock and was unharmed when I retracted it: the appearance of rock was indeed an illusion. Wielding the walking stick in front of me, I stepped through.

I found myself in a smaller side cave, almost as light and airy as the main cave despite the impossibility of any natural light being able to reach it. The sound of running water was stronger now, but I still couldn’t see where it came from: perhaps there were more side caves disguised by illusion.