“What do you mean?’
“Like this.”
Hrólfur lifted a jellyfish to his face. He put the stalk into his mouth and the jellyfish latched on to his head. His face was distorted behind the gelatinous coelenterate. He threw himself into the river. Diljá moved the jellyfish slowly to her face, biting carefully around the stalk. Immediately the jellyfish attached itself to her face. She clawed at the creature, but it wouldn’t relent, she started struggling as if she was choking. Kryik’traak pushed her so she fell into the water. He placed the jellyfish on Katrín, who struggled weakly as he carried her into the water in his arms.
The jellyfish was so slimy and foul-smelling that Garún could hardly bring herself to hold it, let alone put it on her face. She held her breath, forcing herself to stop thinking about what she was doing, and placed the jellyfish on like a mask.
The jellyfish emitted a brief electric shock when it attached itself to Garún. Her face became numb and she couldn’t feel the stalk in her mouth any more. She was unable to breathe, but she had been expecting that. She was only able to see very faded outlines, only differences in brightness and vague colours, but when she jumped into the freezing water she was able to see as clearly as up on the surface. The bone-coloured coral structures created a sort of aquatic avenue, its bottom laid with slimy brown algae. The buildings were crooked and twisted, the windows open and empty, like primordial huts made at the dawn of civilisation. She tried to breathe but found herself unable to, choking for a few panicked moments before she realised she had to relax and let the jellyfish breathe for her. Hrólfur and Diljá were waiting for her across the street. Kryik’traak was just ahead, swimming towards an empty doorway, still holding Katrín. The marbendill, so awkward and slow on land, was an entirely different being in the water. Agile and sharp, moving like a bird of prey in the sky. They followed him as he swam into the building.
It was pitch black inside. The water was freezing and absolutely still. The cold was almost paralysing and Garún wondered how much longer they would be able to stand it. Kryik’traak’s silhouette moved into a hallway, which was lit by strange, faintly luminous plants growing from the walls. Kryik’traak tore one off by the roots and it flared up, glowing like a torch. The plant looked like a hybrid of two oceanic creatures. At its roots glowed something that seemed like a sea urchin, while a kind of sea anemone grew from its top, streaked with glowing stripes and patterns. Garún tore one plant for herself and immediately it glowed brighter with that unsettling light. Kryik’traak led them onwards through a monotonous maze of coral hallways.
After some while, when Garún was really starting to worry about the cold, a lukewarm stream of water suddenly came rushing over her. They went around the corner and found themselves out of the coral labyrinth. The glow from the plants illuminated rough stone walls. The tunnels were mostly natural, but it was clear they’d been widely chiselled and shaped. Green algae covered almost everything, moving gently in the stream like grass in a gentle wind. The luminous plants grew in the tunnels at regular intervals.
Kryik’traak led them to a tunnel with a strong opposite current, against which he swam effortlessly, but they had to drag themselves forwards using a slimy rope threaded between iron loops that had been nailed into the walls. Soon enough the luminous plant he carried was the only visible light in the darkness, as Garún had to leave hers behind to pull herself forward. The rope was slippery and difficult to get a grip on, but they still moved faster than if they’d walked along the slippery bottom or tried to swim. Their heavy clothes impeded them, making the process that much harder.
Finally they surfaced in a small cave. The same pale light reflected on shining lava rocks, uneven and sharp. Garún pulled herself up on the bank. The only way in or out was the small pool they’d come out of. As soon as she surfaced she was again unable to breathe and the jellyfish clouded her sight. She pulled and scratched at it, but stopped when she felt the webbed hand of Kryik’traak on her shoulder. He did something and the jellyfish slid off her. As feeling rapidly returned to her face, she felt the mouthpiece retract, drawing in a slimy tendril that had crawled deep down her throat. The feeling was repulsive. Garún collapsed on her knees, vomiting and coughing. A blueish mucus came out of her stomach and lungs. She breathed in the stale air and the effort tore at her lungs. She was exhausted but forced herself to get up. Behind her came Hrólfur and Diljá. Kryik’traak had placed Katrín on the floor. She was trembling uncontrollably, lying limp on her side, throwing up. Diljá kneeled and saw to her.
Kryik’traak picked up the jellyfish and put them in a small puddle of water, which filled a naturally formed bowl in the rock. There were many of those in the cave, most of them host to the glowing anemones, which were the only source of light, just as in the tunnels. Crates and barrels were stacked at the end of the cave, which seemed to be a lava bubble, deep underground. Among the supplies were blankets, clothes and supplies in waterproof leather sacks. Garún couldn’t remember what the route was to the exit, how many turns or paths leading up or down they’d taken. She’d never find her way back on her own.
“Take care of the jellyfish. Or else you’re stuck,” said Kryik’traak. “Don’t tear up the lights. Won’t last long and grow back slowly.”
“Is there any other way out?’ she asked.
“Tunnel’s
