They got tired and fell to rest. Soon they infected ones began to feel dizzy. The poison was beginning to make them grow weak. And the reaction was rapidly spreading.
“We don’t have much time here. Let’s hurry up!” Dylan said terrified as he noticed the change.
“Which way?” Bond asked helping Zack up to his feet. The paths were very confusing.
“Any of them”
They took one direction. When they get to a place where the road is two or more they quickly follow the widest one. But when they seem equal they choose anyone. They ran until they got to a closed place. They had to go back to find another way. Each room has a long hole that sends light in but every passage was as dark as anything.
“I am beginning to understand something” Rickie said.
“What is that?” Sonia snapped.
“Those patterns we saw means something. There is a symbol I saw there I saw somewhere in the big room”
“Now how do we return? Do you know how far we have gone?”
“That isn’t my point actually. Do you think finding our way back to the big room will be easy?”
“I think that’s the only way out. There’s just one way out”
This time the three infected guys were so weak that they could not stand on their own. They were carried. Dylan carried one of his brother on his shoulder, Rickie carried the other one, Bond and Sonia waged Zack on both sides while Dina carried their belongings and Emily held the fire and led the way following orders.
Locating the big room became the worst task. They follow a path they thought was the right one and at the end they discover it leads no where. There’s one they entered, and immediately all of them got in a large stone rolled across and blocked the entrance. They rushed to pull it away but all their strength didn’t have any effect on the rock. They had to wait inside to cry for their ends or ponder to bring up a plan.
Rickie checked the walls and saw square shaped stones fixed In the wall. Each one has a symbol, like a puzzle. He thought it was for opening the lock and that will require matching the symbols. He thought of how to start. He stared at it very confused until at a certain point he decided to start anywhere. He matched it and waited for something to happen and what they heard was noise like that of dried leave when moved by wind. Emily lifted the light she had and saw big black beetles surging out of an opening in the roof. Tiny ones were running very fast, coming towards them. Emily noticed they were scared of fire so she tried to frighten them with it but they were too many and were beginning to fill the room.
Rickie continue trying as fast as he could but the more he was matching them the more the black insects were rushing out. Bond and Dylan began trampling on them yet the ones still alive were still coming. Before they could know what was going on they have climbed Bond’s body and started biting him.
“The stone is rolling away!” Dylan shouted and quickly rushed out with Nazi and returned for Mata. The girls took Zack out while Rickie rushed to pull Bond. If not for the fire Emily brought that made the beetles shift back they could have entered Bond's body.
Their light burned out since there was nothing to keep it steady. They rested in a narrow passage, the light from the next room was reaching them. Though it wasn’t bright but they could recognize images.. Nazi, Mata and Zack were lying motionlessly. Dylan stared at them pathetically. Sonia was crying for Zack while Dina sat beside her to console her. Bond sat at the other end examining his body. The beetle bites caused irritating changes on his skin.
“Nothing has happened to you since we got here” Bond said to Dylan.
“Seriously, I have thought of that too” Dina said.
“Maybe its this necklace”
“Is the necklace not for protection against evil? Not all that’s been happening that are evil. Some are natural occurrence” Bond said.
“Please, enough. It shouldn’t be as if we wish pain for each one here. Let’s think of how’s to get out of here first” Rickie said.
“What do we do with them?” Dina asked.
“We can’t continue to carry them along. We are weak and hungry too. Instead let’s look for a way out and come back for them. If they must survive they will” Dylan said with tears- filled eyes.
Sonia turned to Zack hopelessly. Tears flowed down more. She can’t believe she was leaving Zack in a cave.
“Would it not be better if we were caught by those savages? Now all these wouldn’t have happened”
“Blame no one for this, Rickie”
“I blame myself for not objecting to the idea of running to this dungeon for refuge”
“It is ok. We will find a way out” Emily said feeling their pain.
“With or without them?” Rickie asked staring at his brothers. The reaction haven’t stopped spreading.
“If we must get out of here we ought to start looking for a way now we still have the strength to walk. And when night comes there will be no light therefore we won’t be able to move until day break”
“Now, where do we go from here?” Dina asked.
“I wish we can find the same way we got in here”
“Not while we sit here. Let’s try first. On your feet”
They stood up, Dylan, Rickie, Bond, Dina, and Emily. Sonia found it difficult leaving Zack there. But Dina helped her rise. They left the weak ones there grieving.
Continues…..