The Starving Heart (Darkeye Volume 3)

The Forbidden Place

It was supposed to be a forbidden place.

Or at least that was what the murderer, Biscuit, had called it. A sacred place. A place where dogs were not allowed.

Perhaps it was because Mhumhi was a wild dog that he felt little trepidation upon entering it. After all, he and his sister had killed Biscuit themselves just hours earlier. The domestic dog had died raving.

Still, he had expected something dramatic, when he pushed through the heavy doors at the entrance. Something more than the dusty atrium that greeted the four of them.

He was the one who took the first few hesitant steps into the building, Tareq stumping behind him with one hand resting on his shoulder. Kutta lagged a little behind them, dragging Mini by the scruff. The little black dog had her eyes tightly shut.

The room was large and airy, and there were windows with colored glass along the walls. It was pretty, in a muted way, because of how the sunlight fell through the colored glass onto the white marble floor. Their claws clicked on it, stirring up a little dust, which swirled in the beams of silent light. It reminded Mhumhi of the tiny insects they'd seen swirling over a puddle.

There was a counter near the front, upon which sat an ancient-looking computer monitor, its screen black and silent. There were a lot of chairs, and then a kind of altar with a podium, and then at the far end of the round room a pair of large black doors.

Mhumhi licked his lips, and even those tiny noises seemed too loud for the stillness of the place.

Tareq was the first one to move, toddling forward with his hands outstretched. He stopped in the colored light and stared at his palms, stained yellow and blue, and then turned his hands over, watching the light race to the other sides.

Kutta slowly lowered Mini to the floor, letting her take her weight onto her front legs. The little domestic still had her eyes tightly shut.

You can look, you know, said Mhumhi, lowering his head to nudge her with his snout. There's not much to see.

Mini quivered a little, but kept her eyes shut.

Look up at that, said Kutta, who had craned her head back. Why is the ceiling so high?

Mhumhi looked up too, and found that she was right; the ceiling was extraordinarily high, painted smooth and white, with the inside of the curving dome at the very top. It made him feel small, or that he ought to stay very quiet, somehow.

He looked back over at Tareq, who was still absorbed with playing with the light coming through the glass, unaware that his own face was covered over in colors, from his round cheeks to his delicate eyelashes.

Mini whined, and they all looked over at her. She had opened her eyes.

I'm frightened of this place, she said. I think- I think I know…

She looked all around, at the high ceiling, at the chairs, at the altar, and then at the black doors.

Let's not go through there, she whined.

Why not? asked Kutta. It's so quiet here, and I can't even smell anything. It's sort of a peaceful place, isn't it?

Yes, said Mini, yes, it's supposed to be… before they walked through those doors.

She had started to shiver. Mhumhi went back around and lay next to her, nosing her.

Don't be so frightened, he said, and licked the top of her head. No one's been in this place for a long time. There aren't even any pawprints in the dust.

So maybe there aren't any hulkers here after all, said Kutta. She seemed a little distracted, looking up at the high ceiling again, tilting her head.

Mini had shut her eyes again. Mhumhi rose to his feet, raising his tail a little.

We can't go back, anyway, he said. And we've got to find water. This is a building, so there's got to be a bathroom or a faucet somewhere.

I'm thirsty! Tareq piped up, finally looking away from the colored light, and ran back over beside them.

Mini, do you want to wait here? Kutta asked, dipping her head to try and catch Mini's eye. We can look ahead, make sure it's safe…

There's nothing dangerous here, muttered Mini. Not anymore. That's why I'm frightened.

Kutta raised her head and caught Mhumhi's eye in a worried way.

I don't know about that, said Mhumhi. There is something alive in there. I saw something moving in one of the windows before we came in.

Really? What was it? Why didn't you say anything before? exclaimed Kutta, eyes widening. Mhumhi bristled a little.

I don't know, it was only a glimpse of a thing, he said. I didn't see what it was. Just that it went away from the window. Maybe it saw us.

Well, that isn't encouraging, muttered Kutta. D'you think it hasn't come out here because we frightened it- or because it's preparing something?

I don't know! Maybe it didn't really see us. Anyway, we're not going to get anywhere if we don't move forward.

Kutta gave a short huff through her nose, but said, You're right. Well, the two of us are walking ahead this time. Tareq, you must carry Mini again, understand?

Tareq's brow wrinkled, and Mhumhi almost thought he was weighing the benefits of getting fussy over the request. In the end he stayed quiet and picked up Mini again, hugging her to his chest.

The black doors looked rather ominous, yet when they approached they slid open easily enough, like the entrance doors had. The area beyond was dimmer and had a sort of grimy feel to it, walls greying, ceilings lower, grainy brown carpet covering the floors. It was still silent, but in a stuffier way.

The doors slid shut behind them, and Mini gave a sudden little howl, startling them all. Tareq nearly dropped her.

Hush, Mini! cried Kutta.

I don't want to be here, Mini moaned. This was a bad idea… very bad… what was I thinking?

We're here now, said Mhumhi. So be quiet.

Mhumhi, said Kutta, but did no more than give him a stern look. This place is a little bit familiar, isn't it…?

Mhumhi looked around, at the long dreary hallway with all the doors. Some were open, and through one he could see a glint of metal.

It's like the hotel, you mean?

I was going to say it reminded me of that place Biscuit took us to on Silent Street, said Kutta.

Mhumhi could sort of see what she meant. It had the same kind of feel.

And do you smell that? Kutta added, more softly.

Mhumhi inhaled slowly.

Hulkers, he said.

It's old, Kutta murmured, but not that old.

They moved forward more quietly, keeping Tareq behind them. Mhumhi kept sniffing, nosing the spots on the carpet where the fibers had been crushed by footsteps. The scent certainly had the same pale, watery qualities that hulker scent had, but there was something else…

I think there are dogs in here, too, he said. D'you smell it?

Kutta joined him at the spot he was nosing, sniffing furiously, and then withdrew.

Maybe, she said. It's awfully faint.

Water! Tareq piped up from behind them.

He's got a point, said Kutta, swiping her tongue over Mhumhi's ear. Water first, exploring later.

She trotted forward, with Mhumhi trailing behind more slowly, still muddled over that peculiar scent.

They looked in many of the doors, for most of them were not locked or secured. In room after room they found desks and chairs, or metal countertops, or strange instruments, or wire cages. They saw some hanging racks like those of the dispensary, but they were all clean and empty.

They came to a room with many cardboard boxes, all piled over one another. Mhumhi's slowly wagging tail raised a cloud of dust off the top of one as he passed.

No water here, he said, and then sneezed.

Hm, said Kutta. She was staring at one of the boxes. Mhumhi went beside her and looked as well.

The corner of the box was torn- shredded, really, and bits of white paper had been pulled through the hole and scattered around the side. There were more scratches and holes in some of the other boxes, too.

It looks like something a puppy would do, said Mhumhi.

Maybe there really are other dogs in this place, said Kutta. She sounded unhappy about the idea; Mhumhi didn't blame her.

They went on, examining room after room, but there did not seem to be a bathroom anywhere. Finally they came to a door at the end of the hallway with some stairs behind it. Mhumhi reared and used his weight to push it open.

The stairs led two ways, up and down. Mhumhi sniffed in both direction. Cold air seemed to be flowing upwards from the downstairs.

Shall we try down first? Kutta suggested.

Mhumhi thought that it felt more foreboding, but down also felt like a better direction for water to be in than up, so he did not protest.

They went down the stairs. Wire-covered lights over the stairwell flickered on as they approached, until they reached another door at the bottom of the flight. Again Mhumhi pushed it open.

It led into a very large room, and there were many chairs, like there had been in the atrium. Here it seemed much more businesslike, though, with the low white ceiling and the metal counters covered in things- Mhumhi saw cups, a great many of them, some stacked on the counters, some overflowing in the trash cans. There were also metal trays of objects he had never seen before, like little tiny plastic tubes with thin metal ends.

At the other side of the room was yet another door, and when Mhumhi reared up to look through the little window on top, he saw a strange room- painted all in black, with rows and rows of little cots and sheets laid out. On the far end was something that gleamed with dull yellow light.

He nosed at the door a little, and it started to yield.

I've found a faucet! called Kutta, who had been poking around behind one of the metal counters.

Mini's eyes flew open, bulging.

Don't drink from it! she cried. Don't drink anything in this room! We've got to leave, now!

Kutta gave her an openmouthed look, and Mhumhi stumbled a little from surprise, for the little dog's voice was echoing harshly all around the room. His shoulder pushed the door the rest of the way open.

A sound came forth that he had never heard before, a kind of soft, melodic noise, from inside the black room. He looked around wildly, but was unable to pinpoint where it was coming from.

Mini was shaking and drooling on Tareq's arms.

No, she whimpered. "Let's go, let's get out of here, please-"

Mhumhi turned his ears towards the strange melody, bewildered. It was mysterious, but certainly not threatening- it seemed very gentle.

Come on, Mhumhi, said Kutta, who had trotted back around the counter, her ears back. I think we should listen to her. There will be other faucets, probably, since we haven't found a bathroom. There's always a bathroom in buildings like this one.

All right, said Mhumhi, feeling a tad annoyed. But if we don't find anything else…

Kutta and Tareq were already moving back towards the stairs. Mhumhi took one last look inside the black room, with all the silent beds laid out and the gentle music playing.

The yellow light in the back of it seemed to be glowing a little brighter. Mhumhi perceived that it was coming through a half-open door. He could just make out something metal near the top of it- like a round track near the ceiling- and below it something gleamed where it hung. A sort of long hook.

Mhumhi tucked his tail at once and ran to follow his sister up the stairs.

Up the stairs they all went, even Tareq affected by the desire to move away quickly, so that he stumped after Mhumhi and Kutta as quickly as his little legs would carry him. They passed the door of the first floor hallway and finally came to the second. The stairs went upwards a long way after this.

They went through the second floor door. At once Mhumhi could tell that something was very different here. The hall was littered with debris- ripped up paper, cardboard, little metal objects- the carpet was tattered and stank of urine. The whole area was saturated with hulker scent. Recent hulker scent.

The fur on Mhumhi's back was rising a little, and he saw that Kutta was in a similar state, tense, looking all around. They saw no movement, though, from any of the open doors or all down the hall, and heard nothing either, except the very faint strains of music still drifting up through the stairwell.

They're here somewhere, Kutta said.

Mhumhi was surveying the ruined hallway. There were dark smears and stains even on the walls.

This is strange, he said. Hulkers aren't messy like this, are they, Mini?

Mini did not respond, and he looked back at her. Her eyes were open wide, and her little nose was twitching.

I don't know, she said, finally.

Maybe it was a dog, said Kutta. It still smells a little bit like dog, too.

Mhumhi eyed the stains on the wall, some of which looked very much like handprints, and made no comment.

They went down the hall, stepping warily over the mess, until Kutta gave a sudden eager yip. They had come to a door which had a metal plate nailed to the bottom and a familiar symbol etched beside it- unmistakably a bathroom door.

Kutta pushed inside first, shoving at the door, and then cringed back. A terrible smell wafted out of the bathroom, a strong stench of concentrated urine and feces and uncleanliness.

Kutta stood away from the door and hacked a little bit, while Mhumhi felt his own stomach roiling.

Someone's definitely been using it, she said.

"I don't think that could all be made just by one," said Mhumhi.

Well, said Kutta, in a brave way, the water that comes out of the faucets should still be clean, so we should go in and let Tareq have some.

If he can keep it down, muttered Mhumhi. Even the water from the dreadful black room might be better than this.

Put me down before you go in there, said Mini, squirming in Tareq's grip. I can be thirsty a little longer.

You'll have to drink eventually, said Kutta. In her voice Mhumhi detected something uneasy, something he had not really thought about yet: they would be staying here a long time. There was nowhere outside to go back to, after all.

He could only hope that whoever else lived here would be amenable to that.

I'll stay with Mini, he said, You two go in and enjoy yourselves.

Kutta gave him one of her yellow stares, but pushed the door open again with her shoulder to let Tareq through. At least he seemed barely affected- Mhumhi figured he was much too focused on the idea that he'd finally get to drink something.

The door swung shut after them. Mini wheezed a little from where Tareq had put her down on the carpet.

Are you all right? Mhumhi asked.

Not hardly, she grunted. This place is awful.

Not up to your expectations? Mhumhi couldn't help the little bite that came out in his tone.

It's the forbidden place I deserve, certainly, said Mini, in a low way, and he felt a little bit bad.

It could be worse, he said.

Hm, said Mini. Her eyes tracked over the walls. These hulkers… we've got to find them. I'm afraid of what will happen when we do, but we've just got to. They'll be able to answer our questions.

If they want to talk to us at all, Mhumhi pointed out. They may just want to kill us and eat us.

I'm sure they have food here, said Mini, so that's not a concern. Otherwise that bathroom wouldn't be so, er, robust.

They may not like dogs, still, said Mhumhi.

Maybe, said Mini, her tongue lolling a bit as she tilted her head. But I wonder if they remember dogs at all. It's been a long time since any came here…

"But it smells like dogs," Mhumhi pointed out.

Hm, grunted Mini.

She didn't seem inclined to say anything else, so Mhumhi looked away, back towards the other end of the hall, where the door to the stairwell was.

He stared at it a moment before the realization struck him: someone was staring back at him, with a pair of dark eyes.

He rose up at once and the eyes snapped off, a quick shadow moving away from the glass. Mhumhi gave a chattering whine, tensing.

What is it? cried Mini, twisting her head around, digging the nails on her forepaws into the carpet to pull her hind legs back around. Did you see one?

I think so, said Mhumhi, though he felt nervous, because there had been something off about the eyes. He needn't have said anything anyway- banging footsteps were now loudly audible from up the stairs. He began to trot forward.

Where are you going? yapped Mini. Wait for the whistle dog!

Tell her to stay with Tareq, said Mhumhi, stopping to look over his shoulder, and if I don't come back she's to hide him.

Don't be an idiot! snarled Mini, trying to drag herself forward after him. You don't even speak hulker!

I'm not losing anyone else, said Mhumhi. I'm going to see if it's safe. And if they attack me, I'll kill them.

No! Mini's eyes bulged more than ever before. Don't harm them! They're the ones that know! They know all the answers to the questions we have!

If they want to hurt us, they can die with their answers, snapped Mhumhi. He shut his ears to her continuing protests as she struggled to move forward and ran to the door to the stairs.

He shoved the door open with his shoulder, felt the cool metal under his paws. His heart was beating rapidly again. The lingering echoes of the one that had been watching him were still there, the scent, the warmth. His hunger was sharpening.

This is not a hunt, he told himself. But he was hungry all the same, that strange hunger. A part of him wanted the hulkers to be aggressive, so he could tear into them. Perhaps it was the part of him that wanted Biscuit to come back to life, so he could bite him again, and again, and again…

He went up the stairs more slowly, almost slinking, his profile flattened to his shifting shoulder blades, ears tucked. There was movement coming from the upper floor.

He eased through the next door very slowly. This hallway was as messy as the last one, and the stench of hulker was even stronger here. There was that flicker of movement again at the door at the very end of the hall.

A brush of trepidation crossed Mhumhi's mind, and he shook himself, and then prowled slowly down the hallway. His heart was hammering, pounding in his ears.

He reached the open door and looked through it.

The room beyond was very dim, but there were shapes in it- moving shapes, all clustered near the back wall. There were a lot of them. A lot more than he had anticipated. Now that brush became a full-on twinge; he had been a little bit of a reckless fool, rushing up like this.

But they all seemed intent on moving away from him, pressing back towards the far wall, just a huddle of long limbs. They were certainly hulkers and nothing else, though there was still something off- something just a little odd about them.

He looked on the ground and saw that there were piles of blankets here, arranged in dense nests, in a way that put him in mind of the little room in the sewers he had once spent so much time in. But most of the hulkers here seemed to be adults, not children, though there were one or two shorter forms among the huddle that he could see.

He only caught glimpses of their eyes, for many of them were covering them, or pressing their faces into the shoulders of their companions, cowering. He could smell their fear. He felt his heartbeat slowing.

I'm- I'm not going to hurt you, he said, hoping that there would be at least one that could understand him. Some of them put their hands over their ears, but none of them spoke, or even looked at him with any kind of recognition.

Mhumhi stepped forward, then hesitated. That was what was so strange about them. Not one of them was wearing the coverings he was so accustomed to seeing on hulkers- they were all completely bare, like the caged hulkers that the police kept for hunting.

He stepped forward again, and they seemed to cringe en masse.

Please, he called. Will you speak to me?

There came a couple of utterances from the crowd, like moans, but nothing more. Mhumhi swallowed.

It did not seem like they would be getting any answers from these hulkers, alive or not.

2

Screamer

It was a large room, but the back half was still filled with the press of long, lean, furless bodies: there might have been nearly twenty of them. Mhumhi had never seen so many hulkers clustered together like this- they made a forest of bare legs, arms shifting to their faces and down again. There was more variety in them than he had yet seen, too; he even saw some that were bone-pale in color, standing out against the darkness of the room.

They cringed every time he took a step forward, so he stepped back, and back again, through the doorway. They stayed where they were. A couple in the front of the crowd swayed silently from side to side, flicking their eyes at him.

It was certainly a different type of hulker than he had encountered before, Mhumhi reflected, but it made sense that there would be different types of hulkers like there were dogs- he supposed that the bouda were also another type of hulker. This type did not seem very keen on speaking, though.

Perhaps Mini was right, though, and none of them spoke Dog. Though it was odd that they did not react at all to his voice; the bouda had, even when they had not understood the words.

He tried one last time, softly: I won't hurt you.

One or two of them turned their flat faces in his direction.

Encouraged, Mhumhi went on. Come here. Can't you speak? The thought occurred to him that perhaps they had lost the power to, like Vimbo.

Some more of the hulkers swayed from side to side a little. One near the front was staring at him, eyebrows drawn down.

Mhumhi wagged his tail and tapped the floor with a forepaw. Come here, come.

The hulker near the front- he could see that it was a young male- took a step forward, but then one of his companions grabbed his arm and he cringed backwards.

Mhumhi gave a little twitter, jerking his nose up, and more of the hulkers clapped their hands over their ears. Well; this was frustrating, and getting him nowhere. He backed all the way out of the room, and then turned around.

At once he heard a horde of footsteps come padding forward behind him. The fur rose on his back and he whirled back around. They cringed away en masse.

You all better stay here, he said, dropping his voice an octave, and took another step back through the hallway. His paw impacted something that crinkled, and he glanced down. He'd stepped on a torn piece of paper.

Again he heard the pad, pad of footsteps, and when he snapped his head back up the ones in the front were a few inches closer.

This was an odd impasse, and not one that he liked. His gaze seemed to be effective enough to hold them in place, but as soon as he lowered it they would come forward. There was no telling what they hoped to gain from getting close to him, and he was beginning to think that whatever it was, it could not be good.

He stepped forward, stopping himself from raising his lip- no call to display aggression, yet- and they shuffled backwards obediently. Well, most of them. There were three or four that stayed where they were, looking at him, thrusting their heads forward.

One of these came forward another step, looking down at him. Mhumhi raised his head to meet the hulker's eyes.

He had not really seen it before in the dim light, but now the hulker was closer to him, closer to the light spilling in from the doorway. There was something bizarre about this hulker's eyes. They had black pupils and a ring of brown iris- but the sclera around them that should have been white was as black as the pupil.

Mhumhi did not find this sight comforting in the slightest. He tucked his tail.

The hulker took another step forward. It did not seem frightened any more. It reached out a hand towards him, fingers curling like claws.

Mhumhi decided that this was enough; he needed a door between them and himself. He tensed, splaying all his paws, and then whirled and ran for the door that led to the stairs.

The hulker behind him screamed, high-pitched. There was a moment of silence where all Mhumhi could hear was the pattering of his paws on the carpet and his hammering heartbeat.

Then they all screamed, all at once, joining their voices together, and came pounding down the hall after him.

Mhumhi squealed and increased his speed, his legs crossing in a blur, but then skidded to a sudden stop. He couldn't lead them to the stairs- Kutta and Mini and Tareq were that way!

He turned, feeling frantic, and saw the mass of furless bodies coming towards him. They were all still howling and screaming, flinging their furless arms into the air, eyes wild. Mhumhi felt almost mad with the terror- that noise! He couldn't think, he just had to get away! But there was nowhere to go!

Suddenly the door beside him clicked open and he whirled and came face to face with a new hulker. This one gave a howl and backed away, and he took the chance and jumped into the room with it- just one was better than a horde- and spun to shove the door shut behind himself.

He paused a moment, panting, then turned an ear and then his head towards the hulker cowering behind him. At least it seemed to still be frightened.

The door handle clicked and turned. Mhumhi froze.

He had been thinking that the hulkers were brainless, like hyenas, for some reason- but of course they were not, they were hulkers. Screaming, spitting hulkers.

The door opened and they poured into the room, shrieking and howling. Mhumhi made a last-ditch effort- he jumped towards the other side of the room, where there was a window- but a hand caught his hind leg and he slammed to the floor.

The hulker that had caught him dragged him backwards by his leg, and his forepaws scratched and scrabbled on the carpet. More hulkers come on either side, and one grabbed him by the scruff of his neck, the other by a foreleg, another by his tail. They still howled and shrieked. Mhumhi gave a frantic scream of his own, eyes bulging, as they pulled at him. Agony like fire spread through his limbs, and he thrashed hopelessly, snapping his jaws at air.

The hulker holding him by the scruff gave a howl and yanked, making him squeal. It had an affect on the other hulkers, too: they dropped their holds on him and stepped away.

Mhumhi, panting thinly through the constricted skin around his neck, gave a weak squirm. The hulker crouched and wrapped his arms around Mhumhi's chest, squeezing, and Mhumhi felt the terrible strength in those arms and his ribcage constricting and gave a pathetic final whimper.

After a moment, he realized that his ribs had not been snapped. The hulker was squeezing the breath out of him, but he had also laid his head on Mhumhi's back and was breathing heavily into his fur.

It was sort of a bizarre moment, with Mhumhi half on his back, hind legs quivering in the air, forelegs crooked over the hulker's arms. The hulker nestled his face a little more into Mhumhi's fur and sighed.

One of the others came forward, half-crouching, and stretched out a hand towards Mhumhi. Mhumhi showed his teeth, giving another futile squirm in the hulker's grip. The hulker himself gave a kind of low shout and turned around, dragging Mhumhi with him, so that their backs were to the others.

The other hulker came around and stuck its arm out again with a grunt.

Mhumhi's captor seemed to hesitate, and then his grip relaxed a little. At once Mhumhi started to thrash, but then the other hulker darted forward and grabbed him around the middle and dragged him into its own lap.

This one was female, and she was uttering little coos as she swayed with her arms about him.

Others were coming closer, and Mhumhi felt her arms tightening, but soon without so much as a warning he was yanked from her grip and dragged into another pair of arms. Hands from all around were coming to pat his head and neck and back, voices were uttering meaningless crooning sounds. Mhumhi was practically smothered by their eagerness.

Somebody tugged on one of his ears, and Mhumhi decided that he had had enough. He gave a gigantic thrash and sank his teeth into the hand nearest his face.

The hulker screamed, and the rest scattered, dropping him on the floor and giving him a wide berth. Mhumhi let go of his victim, who backed away with a loud sob, and panted.

They were all peering at him, and some went and looked at their companion's hand, but made no move to comfort him. Mhumhi backed towards the door, raising his lip a little when a couple of them moved forward again. Thankfully, they stopped.

He made it through the door, with the hulkers in the room still wavering and frightened-looking, and then out through the hall, still casting sharp glances over his shoulder. They were following him, but at a distance.

His rear bumped the door to the stairway. He felt slightly at an impasse; he dearly wanted to get back to Kutta and the others, but not with this mass following him. He did feel now, somewhat, that there was not a great deal of actual aggression within them, but he was not sure what to make of their overzealous- affection, was it?

He lunged forward with a growl, and they shrieked and scattered, many vanishing into the doorways along the sides of the hall. At once Mhumhi turned around and pushed on the door, scraping and shoving with his paws until he could get his nose through. He could hear a hulker padding its slow way up behind him, and whirled with a growl.

The hulker cringed, and then reached out a long arm and pushed the door open.

Mhumhi hesitated, panting a little, but the hulker just stood there cringing and holding the door. The others were peering at them, heads poking out of doorways.

Mhumhi looked up at the hulker keeping the door open, and it averted its eyes, dropping its gaze to the floor.

Slowly he backed through the door, and looked at the hulker again, and it let go and scrambled back. The door swung shut. Before the echoes of the slam faded he could hear a conference of little grunts and hoots starting on the other side.

Perhaps it would have been a better idea to go upstairs, leading them further from his pack, but Mhumhi was quite done with bravado for the moment, and ran pell-mell down the stairs and shoved his way through the door at the bottom.

Mhumhi!

And there was Kutta, running towards him down the hall. Tareq and Mini were visible on the ground behind her. Mhumhi sighed a little and wagged his tail.

Kutta did not stop running, however, her yellow eyes tightening, and hit him like juggernaut, bowling him over. She braced her paws over either side of his chest, ignoring his startled whimpers, and growled down at him.

Kutta-

She snapped her jaws over his face.

What were you thinking?

Mhumhi drew his forepaws a little closer to his chest, eyes wide.

"You ran after that thing alone! Like an idiot! D'you think you were doing us a favor? Or are you just stupid? Do you want to die?"

Mhumhi could only wag his tail between his legs and whine, but the rage in her eyes did not subside, and she gave him a real snarl.

"Do you want to die? Because I am prepared to kill you myself, right now. You left me- with these two- couldn't go after you- heard noises like death from up there-"

I'm all right, he whimpered. I didn't get hurt-

That's too bad!

I think he gets it, called Mini, from her spot in Tareq's lap. Don't maul the poor pup.

Poor pup, Kutta growled, getting closer to his face until he squeezed his eyes shut. If you ever do anything like that again, don't bother coming back!

This statement seemed to satisfy her, for she backed up a little. Mhumhi decided to stay on his back for the time being.

Ah, said Mini, voice very dry, that's real love, there.

No one asked for your opinion, said Kutta.

I guess they didn't, said Mini, voice even drier. What's that at the door?

Kutta looked up and put her ears back, and Mhumhi rolled to his feet. Dark hulker eyes were peering through the window at the top again.

There's something wrong with its eyes, said Kutta, backing up a step.

They're all like that, said Mhumhi.

"All?"

There are a lot of them, he said, glancing back at the door- yes, there were other silhouettes clustering behind the window. And they're not like other hulkers…

They wouldn't be, right, living here, said Mini. She put one forepaw down on Tareq's arm, her black eyes shining a little.

I don't think you understand, said Mhumhi. The door opened.

He and Kutta both sprang back, and the first hulker came through, peering around with a kind of wariness.

Do they understand dog? Kutta whispered.

No, said Mhumhi. They don't-

He stopped, for Mini had burst out into the hulker language, wagging her tail.

The hulker looked at her, blinking, and then looked down at Mhumhi, reaching a hand towards him. Mhumhi raised his lip a little.

Mini's voice faltered for a moment, but she spoke again, putting forth what sounded like a question. The hulker was ignoring her entirely now, its eyes flicking between Mhumhi and Kutta. Another eased the stair door open and poked its head out to look.

An edge of desperation entered Mini's voice, and she said something else, and then looked at Mhumhi.

What's wrong with them?

I don't know, said Mhumhi. I don't think they-

Maybe they speak another language, said Mini, quivering a little.

I don't think they speak at all, said Mhumhi. I don't think they can.

No, said Mini. "That's impossible. They're human. They're here. They're supposed to-"

Tareq interrupted her then by putting her down on the ground and standing up, staring at the strange hulkers, more of whom were slowly feeding in to the end of the hall. He took a few slow steps forward. The hulker that had been reaching its arm out to Mhumhi slowly turned its eyes up towards him.

Tareq said something in hulker and then ran forward.

Tareq, stop! cried Kutta, trying to put her body between him and the hulkers, but he pushed her away and stopped directly in front of them. He said something else, his high voice eager.

The hulker rose to its full height and stared down at him. Mhumhi felt a prickle of anxiety.

Tareq, he said, step back, slowly, please…

The strange hulker gave a sharp scream and grabbed Tareq around the chest, lifting him up. Mhumhi and Kutta started forward at once, and then stopped.

The hulker had wrapped his arms around Tareq, holding him close, and Tareq had likewise encircled him back, his small round face more blissful than Mhumhi had ever seen. They swayed together for a moment. One of the other hulkers came forward, hand outstretched, and the hulker holding Tareq transferred him over so that she could embrace him as well.

Oh, said Kutta, and sat down. That's good, I suppose…

That's all they do, muttered Mhumhi, casting an evil eye on the one nearest him, which had reached out a hand to him again. They just scream and hug things.

I… suppose there could be worse things, said Kutta. But why don't they speak? Aren't they, you know…?

I don't know, said Mhumhi, watching as the giggling Tareq was passed between another pair of hulkers. I don't know what's the matter with them. They don't seem bad, though…

No, this is very bad. That was Mini, from the floor, her rear legs splayed limply underneath her. She was still quivering. "These… things… they must not be human. Something's horribly wrong with them. I don't understand. It shouldn't be like this."

Her voice had finally attracted a hulker's attention- the one looking at Mhumhi changed its focus to her, and extended an arm in her direction.

No! Mini yapped sharply. Don't let those things near me!

They won't hurt you, said Mhumhi, surprised by the vehemence in her tone. He paused. Well, they may be a little rough, but it's not-

I don't want them near me, Mini repeated. They're not human. They're- they're- She shuddered.

I don't know, said Kutta, and Mhumhi looked back and was rather startled to see that she was letting one of the hulkers pat her head. They look just like them, and they're very kind. She closed her eyes a little when the hulker scratched behind her ear.

Kindness isn't what makes humans human, growled Mini.

Mhumhi had an uneasy sense that he knew what she meant.

A hulker crouched in front of him, extending its hand, and he stared into its strange dark eyes. At this close proximity he noticed something that he had not before. On either side of the hulker's long nose, between its eyes, there was a faint dusting of brown fur, and the scent of dog.

What's your name?

Tareq smiled, head tilted, holding both hands of one of the adult hulkers as he gazed up into its eyes.

What's your name?

He repeated the question a few times now, in both the hulker language and Dog. Mhumhi was sure he'd get quickly frustrated with it, in his puppyish way, but he was still smiling, giggling, even, as though it were a game. The other hulker was smiling too, in a vague way, letting himself get tugged back and forth.

The rest of the strange hulkers had fanned out around the hallway, still turned curiously towards the three dogs. Kutta had let many of them come to pet her- she seemed somewhat enchanted by them, wagging her tail as one scratched under her chin. Mini, on the other hand, growled and snapped when they got close to her. Now they were all giving her a wide berth.

It was better with three dogs to deflect the attention, Mhumhi thought, because they were not so frantic to cuddle with them now. In fact, he was the less novel, less interesting thing at this point, since they had already seen him earlier. Mostly they circled by him and patted him on their way to have a turn with Kutta.

It was strange. It was wondrous that they seemed so guileless, so friendly, but it was very strange. He had a hard time pinpointing why it was so strange, though- well, not that the whole situation wasn't bizarre, but there was something off, something unpleasant, that he couldn't quite get under his paw.

Please, Mini said. Pick me up, someone. I can't get away.

She was foundering on her forelegs, her hind legs caught underneath a ripped portion of the carpet. A couple of the hulkers were moving closer to her.

It's all right, Mini, said Kutta, her eyes half-lidded as two hulkers scratched along her jawline and neck. They won't hurt you.

Mhumhi, pick me up, Mini pleaded, gazing over at him.

I thought you liked being petted, said Mhumhi.

Her little button eyes sharpened into a glare.

I don't want these things touching me. I will be sick.

That's a bit much, said Mhumhi. Is it really so awful that they can't speak? Or do the eyes just bother you?

I didn't think you were an idiot, Mhumhi, said Mini, her voice low. "D'you think I'm so bothered by looks? Did it ever… occur to you… the reason why these creatures are like this?"

Mhumhi shifted his weight slightly.

Or rather, who…?

Well, they can't tell us, he said.

Mini licked her lips. We've got to- we've got to explore the rest of this place.

You think we'll find other hulkers? Speaking ones?

How should I know, said Mini, and it wasn't angry, just tired. But I've got to hurry up and find answers. I'm not going to live much longer like this.

This sent a startled jolt through Mhumhi's body.

Why would you say that?!

Mini sneezed with irritation.

I just said I thought you weren't stupid. Have you seen me?

Kutta broke away from her admirers to look over at the tiny dog, her brow furrowing. Mini, just because your legs- well, you've just got to get some rest. Eat something.

I won't bother eating, said Mini. I doubt it would do much good. And the next time I rest, I won't wake up. So please, wild dogs… She looked at them beseechingly, and the skin on her back quivered a little, just above where her midline went slack. Mhumhi realized that she was trying to wag her tail.

Well, he found himself saying, beset by a sudden gnawing, nauseating anxiety, well, if we find other hulkers- ones that talk- they should be able to help you.

It's possible, said Mini.

Yes, let's go then, Kutta said, and swallowed. Upstairs. Tareq, will you carry…?

No! said Tareq, and he immediately wrapped his arms around the hulker he'd been holding hands with. The hulker patted his head.

Oh, really, said Kutta, sighing hard through her nose.

Tareq, behave, said Mhumhi, a note of warning in his voice, but Tareq just hugged the hulker tighter, so that mild discomfort appeared in its expression.

Mhumhi could see that his stubbornness was not going to yield, so he walked over to Mini and picked her up in his jaws himself, by her scruff. She hung there, a deadweight, her rear paws brushing the ground.

One of the hulkers nearby reached out for him, and Mhumhi jerked his head away, letting a low growl sound from his throat. It vibrated through where his teeth clenched around Mini's fur.

Kutta went over to push the door open, rearing to use her weight. As when Mhumhi had done it, one of the hulkers ran to hold it open for her, cringing in a servile way. The one holding Tareq walked towards her.

Mhumhi put his ears back and forward again, and then began moving awkwardly forward, Mini's body dragging back against and between his forelegs. In this proximity to her he couldn't help but notice she bore a new stench, besides the smell of drying blood; a stench he was familiar with, having spent so much time in a sewer. It came from her lower belly.

Something brushed his head. He looked up. A hulker had moved beside him to stroke between his ears, smiling. Now she reached out and caught the fur on Mini's back in her fingers and tugged. The little domestic came right out of Mhumhi's surprised grasp.

No! cried Mini, struggling, as the hulker immediately drew her to her chest, like an infant. Two more appeared, shoving Mhumhi out of the way, despite his growls of alarm. They went to touch Mini, ignoring her squirming, snapping state, as the hulker holding her nestled her in her arms and rocked her.

Stop, whined Mini, panting, as they patted her. Stop…

Mhumhi reared up to growl at one of the hulkers surrounding her, and it and its companion fell back in surprise. The one holding her hugged her closer to her chest and pressed its lips to her forehead.

Mini closed her eyes and gave a very long whine.

Oh, she said, they're gone.

The hulker looked down at her with no understanding in its dark eyes.

They're gone, whimpered Mini. The humans are gone. If this is all… they're gone. We tried so hard to pick up the pieces… My man… I- I saw his pieces… I should have known…

She laid her head and her paw down on the hulker's arm, tension going out of her body.

Mini…

It's all right, said Mini. The hulker kissed her again, and her muzzle tipped limply from the contact.

The hulker holding the door open gave a grunt, its extended arm quivering.

Let's go! said Kutta, her tail tucked underneath her belly. Let's go and look upstairs now. Don't close your eyes, Mini.

Mini's dark eyes flickered, but she did not close them.

Mhumhi felt that sickness in his gut worse than ever, but he felt there was nothing to do but move forward, towards the door. The hulkers holding Mini and Tareq followed them. It seemed to come naturally to them, as if they had known what the dogs had needed by instinct.

Kutta went ahead, walking up the stairs in a wary way, with Mhumhi and their odd entourage following slowly behind. It made a loud, clattering progress up the stairs with all the large and unsubtle hulker feet.

Kutta stuck her head out the next door, and gave a low, unhappy sound. Mhumhi went to peer out next to her, popping his head above hers.

They looked out onto a hallway that was nearly identical to the two floors below it, though this was much less trashed- indeed, almost pristine. There were no hulkers here. Kutta whistled to be sure, but when they pricked their ears they heard no movement. Rather, their hulker followers seemed reluctant to even get near the open door; no one had come forward this time to hold it open.

This hallway also bore a curious low humming, that Mhumhi slowly became aware of, like a persistent itch in his inner ear.

There's nothing here, said Kutta. Let's go to the next floor.

Mhumhi looked back into the stairwell, and up. The flights repeated their upwards crawl at least a dozen more times. He had a sinking feeling that what they would discover, again and again, were more identical-looking and empty hallways.

They went up two more floors, and found the same; empty, empty, and empty, with not even the signs of screamers to disturb the dull cleanliness. It was nearly a mockery of what Mhumhi had been hoping for. A safe place? A forbidden place? It was a place of nothingness

He and Kutta pushed open the next door. Here was another hallway, with a carpet. It was very like the other ones. Except- except-

There was a female hulker standing in front of them, her arms folded behind her back.

Oh, she said. Dogs.

3

Dog's Nose

Strangely enough, out of everything they had yet seen, Mhumhi felt the most trepidation when he looked at the quiet hulker standing in front of them.

Perhaps 'hulker' was the wrong word for it, because this, more than anything else he had seen before, seemed to fit the word human. He was not sure why it felt that way. The human-hulker was standing up straight, her arms clasped loosely behind her back, watching them with calm eyes. Her sclera were white, Mhumhi noted, not black, like the screamer hulkers'.

Do you speak? asked the human.

Mhumhi and Kutta exchanged a look. Mhumhi was feeling lightheaded, almost, and frightened, though he could not say why. He felt rather relieved for how stable Kutta felt beside him.

We speak, she said.

I thought you did, said the human. She loosened her arms to put one hand near her cheek, hesitated, and then dropped it without touching herself.

Are you- Kutta started, but the human interrupted her.

Do all dogs talk now, or are there a few ordinary ones left? I can't remember.

Ordinary? repeated Mhumhi.

We all talk, said Kutta. Clearly not all of your kind do.

She had the sharp edge back in her voice. It seemed she was feeling some of the unease after all. He stole a quick glance at her, at the way she stood with her legs braced and her face still dark with Biscuit's blood. His fur, too, felt thick and matted.

The human appeared to be thinking, and she raised her hand again, then put it down again.

You mean them?

Her eyes had focused behind Mhumhi and Kutta. Mhumhi looked back and realized that none of the screamers had come into the hallway with them. He could see their dark forms still huddled through the window to the stairwell. Mini and Tareq were still with them.

He got a sense that Mini should be there to meet this human, but then again, he still felt that nervousness. What was so strange about it all?

They don't talk, do they, mused the human. Her eyes slid back to them. I forgot about them. Sorry, dogs.

That was what was strange, Mhumhi realized, as the human's calm gaze pierced him. There were two dogs- wild dogs- standing here, covered in blood, in front of this human in a place where presumably there had been no dogs for centuries. And yet the best this human could muster was a sort of vague disinterest. That hand inched its way up towards her face again, then flopped back down.

Kutta seemed at a loss for words, and she looked at Mhumhi. How were they supposed to proceed with this?

Are there more of you? he asked.

More of… me?

More humans, I mean. Not like the ones back there.

Oh, she said, blinking slowly. Yes, there are more humans.

Mhumhi waited a moment, then prompted her. And they are…?

Sleeping, said the human. Mostly. I'm not. Not right now.

Did we wake you up? asked Mhumhi, thinking to himself that he'd be surprised if that were the case. This one did not strike him as a light sleeper.

Oh, no, said the human. I was supposed to wake up. You've got to, once in a while, otherwise you go into a coma.

What's a- Mhumhi stopped himself. Perhaps it was time to go with a different tack. What's your name?

Name?

You do have one, don't you? Kutta looked rather worried now, and her tone had softened.

Hmm, said the human, blinking slightly faster. Mhumhi felt like she had almost shown a spark of irritation at being spoken down to, but he wasn't sure.

My name is O.

O?

O yes, said O. Or O no. Or O my.

What?

It's a joke, said O. She cast her eyes down for a moment, hooding them under her long lashes.

It's, um, said Kutta, and looked at Mhumhi again. He wished she'd stop behaving like he had any better grasp of the situation.

O, he said, we have a, er, friend, who's very badly injured. Can you help her?

O no, said O, and then she gave them both a quick look, as though measuring their response. O no, I said.

Can you help her? repeated Kutta, laying her ears back.

O, said O, looking down again. I mean, I don't know. Does she need a bandage?

Her back legs don't work, said Kutta. "She's dying."

O dear, said O, and then seemed to finally give it up. That doesn't sound very good.

Dying usually doesn't, said Mhumhi. But you know things, don't you? Can't you help her?

Hmm, said O. I do know things. But I'm not technically a veterinarian.

Can you help her? Kutta said again. One of her forelegs was quivering a little.

Mm, said O. Maybe somebody else is a veterinarian. I can't remember.

Kutta cast a frustrated glance at Mhumhi. I think this is pointless.

I don't know, Mhumhi replied. He hesitated. Maybe we aren't asking the right questions.

Don't you two have very dirty faces? asked O.

O, said Mhumhi, Where are the other humans sleeping?

Hm. O's fingers twitched. I think I might not be supposed to tell you.

Why not?

Hmm… Because you might be hungry.

Mhumhi felt that nervous squirm in his chest again. We aren't.

Probably not, but that's the rule, said O. I don't think you're even allowed up here. I guess the dogs just let you in.

Dogs? exclaimed Kutta. There are dogs here?

Of course, said O, her eyes widening very slightly. Didn't you mention them before? Behind you.

Mhumhi looked back again- his heart feeling like it was sinking in wet sand- and saw the lumped dark shapes of the screamers in the window.

You mean, those other hul- humans, said Kutta. I didn't think you'd think of yourselves as dogs-

I'm not a dog, said O, waving her hand, a tiny movement. Those are the dogs.

If you're not a dog, said Mhumhi, then they-

I guess they're not dogs, said O. We only call them dogs. Her voice did not vary in its tonelessness. It's a joke.

Then why do-

But O apparently hadn't finished speaking yet, and she cut over Mhumhi.

I forgot that they looked different from dogs, actually, until I saw you outside.

Outside? Mhumhi felt dizzy. Then, you were looking out through the window?

Mm, no, said O. I saw you in the desert. After somebody pulled the switch.

Switch...?

The emergency switch, said O. To open up the dome. The dome over this building. You frightened her very much, but I was pleased. We did not expect dogs.

I suppose you didn't, said Kutta. You'd need hands to pull that switch, wouldn't you?

Mhumhi had not thought about it that way before, but she was right. The lever that Tareq had evidently pulled