In The Shadows of the Cavern of Death (Shadows of Death Book 1) (7 page)

“You’re still taking us with you?” she timidly asked, always having more courage than Tina. It was her quietness that made people believe that she was the weaker sister.

“What’s been done cannot be undone. Rose gave her life to make sure that you would have one. She unselfishly gave her life for her family and no matter how angry I am at you, you are my family and I can give no less than she has,” I explained, as if dealing with infants who had not yet learned about honor or family loyalty. Taking a deep breath, I hardened my voice so that they would understand what I said next I meant with everything in me. “But should you ever betray us again, I will slit your throats without a thought. Family or no family, I will protect Tristian––I owe his father this. I owe his father his son’s life for the sacrifice that he was forced to make because of you two.” Standing without another word, I went to collect my things.

I could hear the shuffling behind me as they gathered their things, their sniffling stopped at my words. “Do you have an idea where the fissure is now?” I asked Tristian.

“Yes, I have a general idea. If we keep moving south we should find the entrance,” he replied, before turning to Tina. “What exactly did you tell Weston about the fissure?” he asked in a bland voice.

“I only told him that there was a spot that may lead to the surface in this cavern, but we weren’t going to take it unless we had to because you weren’t sure where it lead to or if it was clear. I told him to meet us at the Cavern of Death so we could travel together because we were going to head into the next cavern past the Loyalist Cavern,” she hoarsely answered.

“So they’ll be searching the whole city, that’s good. We’ll have a better chance if they’re not concentrated in one area,” he concluded, picking up his pack.

“Tristian I’m…” Tina began.

“As your sister said, what’s done is done. Let’s not speak of it again,” Tristian tersely said, cutting her off and moving to the door.

Waving the girls in front of me, I brought up the rear as we made our way out of our hiding place and cautiously back into the street. At least we knew that they were looking for us––this way we could be more vigilant. Making our way quietly south, we dodged two patrols easily, hearing them long before we saw them. By the time we had finally made our way to the south wall, we were all exhausted, physically and mentally. Finding a defendable house ,Tristian lead us in to rest and eat while he pulled out the map to see if there was anything on it he had missed that could tell him where our exit was hiding.

Leaving them in the room, I made my way to the house’s kitchen and checked to see if there was still water. Turning the handle on the sink, I smiled when water started to pour from it. Leaving it to run, I searched the room looking for anything that we might use to carry extra water. Hitting the jackpot, I found two jugs with lids and quickly filled them before cupping my hands and drinking my fill. Taking the two jugs back to our little hideaway, I went around and collected everyone’s water containers, urging them to drink them dry before taking them to get refiled. Bringing the girls their water, I whispered for them to “close their eyes and rest” before finding a wall and doing the same. Whispering to Tristian to “wake me in twenty minutes” so he could rest while I stood guard, I closed my eyes for a quick nap.

Fear shot through me when I opened my eyes, a hand covering my mouth. Seeing Tristian’s face in front of mine, I calmed enough to hold in my scream. Voices could be heard clearly outside the house. Nodding to the girls, we made our way to them, placing our hands above their mouths before waking them. Terror shot through their eyes when they opened them and stayed there when they heard the crude laughs coming from outside. When we were sure they wouldn’t scream, we removed our hands, motioning for them to be silent. Crawling toward the window to hear them better, I sat very still and listened.

“Yes, sir, I understand.”

“Well, what did the commander say?”

“They still haven’t found the escape Contributors, we’re to begin a house-to-house search to make sure they aren’t hiding in one. They’re going to send out perimeter teams to all the cave walls to find this fissure and make sure that they don’t escape through there.”

“Are you kidding? We’re to check all these houses? It’ll take weeks!”

“Stop complaining, more teams are coming. Let’s move to the beginning of the block and work our way down in rows so we don’t miss any.”

“Sounds best. Is there a reward for whoever catches them?”

“Don’t worry, Paul, I’m sure we’ll be allowed to play with them before we kill them.” The soldier said, him and his friend laughing and making suggestions on how they were going to play with us as they moved away.

Jumping up, we all moved quickly, gathering our things and leaving the house. Moving faster than before, we ran silently after Tristian, stopping and moving at his signal. We could hear voices approaching in the distance, we were so focused on them we didn’t notice the silent threat until we were standing in front of it. We had turned to take an alley, quickly moving through, and we didn’t hear the two soldiers that stepped in from the other side. I don’t know who was more shocked, them or us, but luckily we recovered first. Turning on our heels, we dashed back the way we came, their shouts and heavy steps following us.

We ran. We ran until we thought our hearts would burst and kept going. The sound of more soldiers approaching gave us strength. In and out of allies we dashed as they got closer and closer. Soon they would have us and our deaths would not be quick or easy. It was by sheer luck that we found what we had been searching for. Forced down an alley where the houses butted the cavern wall, we were trapped. Making our way to the back, thinking that this was it, I took out my knife, ready to kill my sisters rather than let the soldiers have them. Luck or fate was on our side, as we reached the very back of the alley and saw it, the fissure. Relief and fear coursed through me as I pushed the girls forward and yelled at them to run. Turning sideways, they squeezed into the crack one after the other until I was the only one left. I could see the soldiers at the head of the alley waving to others, and not waiting to see what they were doing, I followed the others into the darkness.

It was a tight squeeze for the first sixty to seventy feet as we pushed and pulled each other through. It widened up after that, enough so that we could move side by side. In the distance we could hear the voices of the soldiers. I didn’t think they were pursing yet, but it was only a matter of time, most likely they were waiting for equipment to follow us with. Taking time we didn’t have, we stopped long enough to strip off our outer layer of clothing, stuffing them in our bags. Our less baggy climbing clothes would make it easier and safer to move through the cavern.

Silently and as quickly as we dared, we moved through the pitch blackness with only little lights to guide our way. Every step we took was dangerous at our speed, unable to check for cracks or chasms in the floor. Hours passed and still we heard no pursuers, but we didn’t lessen our pace, falling and tumbling on each other as we tripped over unseen rocks. The girls, unused to the physical strain, were unable to get back up after the last fall. Completely exhausted, they tried, but their legs were unable to hold them. Looking to Tristian, I saw the resignation in his eyes as he took out food and water and announced that “it was safe enough that we would rest here for a moment.”

After seeing to the girls needs, I collapsed next to Tristian, leaning into his side. Closing my eyes, I allowed my head to fall back to the wall. It was only a matter of time before they came after us. Professional cave climbers that wouldn’t hide their light like we do, but allow it to shine bright, uncaring if we saw it. This would allow them to move much faster than us. Opening my eyes to our dim light, I looked to the girls, who valiantly held back their tears and I was proud of them. For all their mistakes, they hadn’t gave a word of complaint at our pace, never faltering till now.

Moving my hand out slowly, I found what I was searching for and entwined my fingers with Tristian’s, leaning my head onto his shoulder. I heard the sound as I sat there in the silence––it was faint and in the distance, but it was there; our reprieve was over. Tristian tensed next to me, tightening his hand and letting me know he had heard it, too. I squeezed my eyes shut before I pulled my weary body up and went to the girls.

Leaning down, I shook their shoulders. “We have to go,” I whispered. I watched as they weakly opened their eyes and nodded that they understood. With sadness I stood back as they helped each other struggle to their feet, not making a sound of complaint. Wanting to slow our pace, but knowing we couldn’t, I kept my words to myself as we moved forward.

They had found us. We had been slowed down by climbing, deep chasms, and wrong turns so much that they had caught up with us easily. Now we worked our way through a tunnel that I knew was going to be our death. Every sound that we made caused bits of rock to rain down upon us. The whole place was a cave-in waiting to happen and we were trapped within. Moving as fast as we could only brought us to the end sooner, literally. Reaching a large opening at the end of the tunnel, we stood there staring at our doom. There was no way out, we were trapped. A large ledge stood prominently high into the air, and going forward, Tristian began to climb, moving studiedly up. Hurrying to reach the top so he could throw down a rope to pull the girls up with, he wasn’t quick enough. He had just finished pulling himself over the lip when the soldiers burst through. Turning to put myself in front of the girls, I was horrified to realize that they weren’t next to me but near the soldiers.

Terrified, they tried to run to me, but it was too late. Their first step hadn’t landed before hands wrapped into their hair, pulling them back, throwing them to the ground. Their screams shook the cavern as they clawed desperately at their captors’ hands. I knew what was coming and I welcomed it––at least I knew that we would take our pursuers with us. At first dust rained down on us before small pebbles joined in. A rumbling began to sound as their screams of terror grew, a loud cracking sound our only warning before a large chuck of the ceiling came down near me, causing me to dive to the side or be crushed. In terror, the soldiers covered the girls’ mouths, pulling them back into the tunnel, trying to escape. In a desperate move, I got to my feet and raced after them, but I was too late. The last look I had of my sisters was of them being dragged backward, silently pleading with me to save them.

I had almost reached them when the ceiling collapsed in front of our only exit, throwing me back with force. As I laid upon the ground, my last thought before the darkness took me was that I failed them and this tomb was my punishment for my failure. 

Chapter 8

I woke with my head in Tristian’s lap. Opening my eyes hurt, but what hurt more was the pain that tore through my heart, leaving an empty hole that my sisters once existed in. Burying it deep, I slowly rose with his help, fighting back tears that begged for freedom. The silence after a cave-in is eerie, and the sound of our breathing echoed in the silent space. Looking around, I fought not to let my fear take me, but we were trapped. Rocks that we could never move were piled in front of the tunnel, keeping me from my sisters, most likely trapped on the other side. Had they died quickly, crushed by the rocks, or where they buried deep, slowly suffocating, waiting for me to save them?

I couldn’t hold back the sob that broke my throat at the thought of them hurt, alone, afraid, needing me. Pulling me into his chest, Tristian didn’t try to quiet me or give me empty platitudes, but let me ride out my grief, absorbing it into him. When I was finally able to stop my body’s racking sobs and fight them back into whimpering gasps, I was exhausted. I hurt both physically and mentally as the pain of my fall began to fill my grief-stricken mind. Pressing firmly into Tristian, I wrapped myself around him, letting oblivion slowly claim me.

I don’t know how long I slept, time had no meaning in the darkness. Blinking slowly, I sat there stiffly, waiting for my eyes to adjust. For a moment I panicked, thinking I was trapped here alone, that I had imagined Tristian’s arms around me, until I realized his coat cushioned my head. Rising up slowly, the pain in my head still there, though fainter then before, I sat very still, listening for sound. It took a few moments, but finally found what I was looking for, there up on the ledge, a tiny sound broke the silence. Squinting my eyes, I saw a slight difference in the darkness, as if a tiny light was fighting to be seen.

Reaching my hand out, I found what I searched for and pulled my bag toward me. Groping around, I found the light and took it out. It blinded me for a moment, but after my eyes adjusting I got out the water and food, using it sparingly. I don’t know why; it would just prolong our deaths. Putting back my meager supplies, the girls’ packs caught my eye, causing me to fight back my grief. Pushing it aside, I pulled my aching body to its feet, ignoring the pain, and made my way to the ledge. Seeing the rope that Tristian had dropped, I wrapped my grip firmly around it and slowly pulled myself up. Hand over hand, I concentrated on reaching the top, my light clenched firmly between my teeth. Reaching the lip, I was met by Tristian who pulled me over, helping me to my feet.

Gripping my hand, he pulled me toward the wall, stopping a few feet away. “How are you feeling?” he asked.