Chapter Twelve
Feelgood & Co.
Cactus Loop / Diggers Cave
Ext. Outskirts of Cactus Loop — Night
Juba leads Blake to a cluster of iron shacks.
Arms folded, Feelgood stands and watches the pair approach.
Juba
This here is Blake.
Feelgood
(puts out his hand)
Name’s Feelgood. Juba says you helped him.
Blake
More the other way around.
Juba
Uncle Feelgood, I think we found the moon-creatures. The lost ones. Remember?
Feelgood
(stops, stern)
How can I forget. You found them? Just like that, eh?
Juba
Three fossil paintings. And a “V”. Looks like blood. You know, that old story you keep telling us?
Feelgood
(thoughtful)
The takers. If Kutji spirit gets wind of this, there’s gonna be hell to pay.
Blake
Takers? Kutji? What’s going on?
Feelgood
Bad spirits. Them takers, you call them aliens. Trouble.
(he calls out)
Budya!
A slight woman sitting by a shack stands and hurries over.
Feelgood
We got work to do.
The group starts walking back to the cave.
Int. Diggers Cave — Night
Blake, Juba, Feelgood, and a few others enter the cave.
Stray flames flare, catching twigs, briefly lighting the rough stone interior.
Feelgood approaches the open cylinder pod.
Budya is close behind.
Marwen lies slumped on the cave floor.
Blake waves a hand through the empty space between the two halves of the cylinder.
There’s nothing visible holding them apart.
Blake
This is… wrong.
Feelgood kneels and lifts Marwen’s head onto his knee.
Blake steps back, examining the pod’s interior—glowing from a source he can’t place.
No wires. No heat. No logic.
Voices echo softly.
Blake looks over.
Feelgood is speaking—but so is Marwen, lips slack, barely breathing.
Budya leans in at Feelgood’s gesture, ear near Marwen’s mouth.
She responds in the same language.
The two carry on a low, eerie exchange for a few tense minutes.
Then silence.
Feelgood closes Marwen’s eyes.
Marwen’s head lolls.
A final rasp escapes his throat.
They lower him gently to the floor.
Budya retrieves a carved stone, hands it to Feelgood.
He presses his fingers into its worn grooves.
Feelgood
(whispering)
The moon-creatures. Gone. With Kutji, for sure.
Feelgood
(to Blake)
Marwen says a man with leather skin took them. Said he carried a hollow stick that spat fire.
Blake
Then it’s the same guy. The one I saw fleeing the scene. Ponytail, attitude problem, Juba calls him “Fleabag.”
Feelgood
(grim)
I know that one. One of us. He took them. And wherever they’re going, bad news sitting close.
Suddenly, Sarah steps into the cave like a storm warning.
Danny, arm in a sling, rushes in behind her, straight to Juba.
The two stare into the cylinder, transfixed.
Danny
(awestruck, whispering)
Holy…
He launches into fast, excited chatter with Juba.
Sarah moves to Blake’s side.
Sarah
What happened here?
Blake
Can’t be sure. I guess we’ll find out.
Sarah
(low, urgent)
Bastard of a hurricane’s coming. And not the gentle kind. We need to move. I know a place.
She turns to the group, addressing them all with calm authority.
Sarah
Stinkwood Island, the abandoned lighthouse. It’s high ground and solid stone. We can ride the storm out there.
Feelgood
(blinking)
You know the passage?
Sarah
Danny showed me last winter.
Danny
Yeah, but Juba showed me first.
Sarah
(to Blake, aside)
We’ll be fine. There’s clothes for you in the van. Real ones. Less mud.
Danny
(to Blake)
Hey, mister?
Blake turns.
Danny hooks his arm into Blake’s elbow.
Danny
Let’s go.
Sarah meets Blake’s eyes, looks at Danny.
Blake shrugs.
Sarah casts one more look towards Feelgood and the tragedy, then heads out.
Blake and Danny follow.
End of Chapter Twelve