Lost forever

“L et us out!” Cari screamed. She began pounding on the solid wood door with both fists. “Somebody—can you hear me? Let us out!”

Eric moved quickly to help, pounding on the door with his fists.

“Let us out! Let us out!” all four of them chanted.

They stopped to listen.

Silence greeted them from the other side of the door.

No one was out there.

“Did someone lock us in?” Jan asked suddenly, her voice unsteady, frightened.

Eric turned away from the door. “There’s got to be another way out of here,” he said. “Let’s go back and follow the tunnel till we find it.”

“No,” Cari said, her fear speaking for her.

“Cari, we don’t really have a choice,” Eric said softly. “We can’t get out this door. There’s got to be another way out. Let’s go find it.”

Cari was outvoted three to one, so she reluctantly agreed. Huddling together, walking quickly behind the sweep of the flashlights, they turned away from the door and walked back through the narrow tunnel.

This time, when they reached the part where the tunnel divided in two, they took the passageway to the left.

“What was that?” Cari cried, feeling something scamper over her feet.

Or had she just imagined it?

Cari felt herself gripped with panic. She realized she was gasping for air. Her heart was pounding so hard in her chest, it hurt.

“Stop!” she cried.

Startled by the panic in her voice, the other three stopped. They drew close together. Craig and Eric kept the flashlights aimed at the ceiling so that light reflected down on them. In the dim light, Cari could see the same panic, the same fear, her panic, her fear, reflected on the shadowy faces of her friends.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I’ll force myself to calm down. We’ll find a way out of here. I know we will.”

Eric put an arm around her shoulders. They walked quickly, the light darting at their feet.

Again, the passageway divided.

“Let’s go this way,” Jan said, heading right.

They turned into another tunnel, then into another that seemed to follow a wide curve. Water dripped from the ceiling. Ping ping ping against the concrete floor.

They made another choice, this time to the left, then turned into a passageway filled with spiders and spiderwebs.

“It doesn’t seem to be leading us anywhere,” Cari said dispiritedly.

“There should be an opening or a doorway or something,” Craig said, his voice a frightened whisper.

“I think we’ve been here already,” Jan said, her dark eyes wide with fright. “I remember that weird crack in the wall. I think maybe we’re walking in circles.”

“We’re lost,” Eric said glumly, lowering his flashlight in despair.

“Lost forever,” Craig muttered to himself.

“Maybe this whole thing is a trap,” Jan said.

“That’s it, Jan. Look on the bright side,” Eric cracked bitterly.

“Maybe it isn’t a trap,” Jan said. “But it’s as good as a trap. These tunnels all look alike, and just keep winding forever. We’ll never find our way out.”.

Дата добавления: 2015-07-20