As they stood to leave they realized it wasn’t possible wandering in the dark cave. They needed light to avoid stumbling, knocking over things or entering where they shouldn’t, but how to get it was the problem.
“Anyone with lighter?” Dylan asked.
“No!” Everyone objected.
“Let me check if Zack still have his” Rickie said. Nobody knows if he left immediately or was still standing to get approval. It was so dark that only darkness could be seen. They recognize themselves by voice and touches.
“Oh shit!” Rickie exclaimed.
“What’s up?” They asked sharply.
“I trampled on someone”
“Please be careful”
Richie searched quietly. Whenever they asked if he has found it his answer was usually NO.
“I found it!” He shouted suddenly. The passage echoed to his voice. He lighted it and flames leapt out.
“The gas is at the bottom”
“Oh thanks be to God! This is better than nothing”
Rickie lighted it to find his way back. As they walk along the passage and it seems they were getting lost the more, Dylan asked them to stop.
“If we had known we would have gathered those books we found in the large hall” Bond regretted
“It makes no difference”
“We may be fortunate finding something useful”
“And where do we find the light to read with?”
“There is sense in what Bond is saying” Dylan supported. “I think I have one of the books here, THE WAYS OF THE SPIRITS” He quickly reached for it.
“Let’s know what is inside” They drew closer.
“Is this the book?” Rickie asked as he recognized it.
“That is what I have been thinking too” Dylan turned to the back to see the title.
“SEARCH BOOK. No, wonders” Dylan said.
“This is the one I was reading. But I didn’t pay much attention to it” Rickie said.
“How to find TOOLS” They read together as Dylan turned the pages.
“How to find LIGHT
How to find VACCINE
How to find TREASURES
How to find the EXIT”
“I never knew that those letters on every path represent something. Now, which one do we find first?” Dylan asked.
“We need light. We don’t have to rely on this. Besides it’s not bright enough”
Dylan skipped back to 'how to find LIGHT' to read about it.
Start from any door with letter L drawn above it. Next door to take should be the one with letter I. Find all the letters that complete the word LIGHT.
“This is simple!” Dina said excitedly. She quickly leapt on Sonia with a tight hugged.
“So we have this book here and we have been wandering here in sorrow”
“Let’s try it first. Where can we find a door”
“let’s move ahead”
They walked up and saw a door. It started with T.
“Light first” Dylan reminded.
“We may need the other things too”
“We need light first” Someone insisted.
Finding letter L became a problem. It takes a minute or two to find a door but finding letter L took up to fifteen minutes, which means they found over six to eight letters before the one they needed to start with.
After finding the letter L the other letters weren’t difficult to find. They skipped ones they don’t need and follow the ones they sought. Finally they reached where the light is. It’s a stone glowing brightly in the dark in what looks like a big nest surrounded by small colorful snakes, hung near the top wall. Finding the light now is not as difficult as taking it.
“How do we take this?” Dylan asked.
“I’m clueless on this. Snakes are my worse creatures” Bond said.
“This ones must be very poisonous. How did they get here and why must it be here?” Emily asked rhetorically. Rickie leaned forward to watch them closely.
“Hey, protect your eyes from their spit. It’s very dangerous”
“And we don’t have anything like sticks here” Dylan said.
“That is why I said everything will be needed. If we had found the tools”
“We need light to find tools, remember? Light first. With light we can find the rest. And besides you don’t know what’s surrounding the other ones”
“You are right. But how do we take the light? They are awake now”
“I will try” Dylan determined.
“How?”
“Chill, I have an idea” He removed his jacket and asked Dina to help him tie it on his left arm, covering his skin. This was to protect his hand from the snake bite yet the fear haven’t left him.
He stretched the first time, all the snake raised their heads towards him. He withdrew immediately. They began to slide and roll over themselves. Dylan became scared now than before. Rickie helped him retie the cloth and persuaded him to give it another trial assuring him that the bite won’t penetrate the clothes.
Dylan summoned courage again and stretched as fast as lightening to take the ball but the snake got him so he let the light fall and broke into halves. The pain and fear didn’t allow Dylan to go for it again even as it was now on the ground. It was Rickie who quickly snapped half.
“Yes. I got it!” Rickie rejoiced “This will suffice”
With the light they could see everything they needed to see. Dylan was in pains. Holding his bleeding hand tight.
“I can’t believe their bites could penetrate the fabric” Rickie wondered.
“Me too” acclaimed Sonia. All drawing closer to examine it.
They helped to tied the spot with a piece of cloth. No one could tell what purpose that was for but they believed it’s advisable to tied up an open wound either to control bleeding, from getting infected or getting dirty. But in this case of a snake bite it was difficult to understand if it was better tying it when the poison will be right inside.
“Now let’s find the vaccine” Dina urged. Immediately they started looking for letter V.