Underworld (Dark Passage) (24 page)

Then I have a moment of clarity. I am filled with the
realization that we are here to help Jen and the others.
I tell myself this over and over again and this is all
that holds me together. I will not give in to my panic.
I am here for a purpose and I will not leave my friend
to suffer in this place. I swallow hard and meet
Tyler’s eyes.

I don’t know if we will be fine but I nod anyways.
Sometimes all a person needs to be strong is to simply
play the role. I can do this and if I can just find Jen
then we will take her to safety. I know that the
chances are slim, and there may never be a way for
me to escape death, but I will not give up.

The tunnel beyond the cavern is large and we decide
to ride for a while. I swing up first and then Tyler
settles behind me and we move forward. I try and
imagine the world before we went into hiding below
Bill’s house. It’s as though I open a door and step
back in time. I can almost see the last day Jen and I
sat on the porch swing watching waves crash on the
beach as the sun set in the evening sky. Only a
glimpse of that world is enough to keep me going.

It’s difficult to see past fear despite the knowledge
that I have been chosen. I can see the things in my
life that have led me to this time and place. The very
things that I thought made me weird and had even
hated about myself would now help me. Fear is
gradually replaced with determination I have never
felt before.

It must be past midnight because we had entered the
caves early in the evening. My stomach is rumbling
but I don’t feel like eating. We ride into a rough,
rocky area that is tangled with tree roots. We
dismount and I bend down to take a closer look at the
roots. They are massive things that are a minimum of
a foot in diameter with some parts 3 or more feet
across. They meander through the tunnel and snake
their way into the side of the far wall. I touch one of
the massive roots and feel pulsing inside of it. I put
my ear to the wood and the sounds become louder
and I can feel vibration from inside. It almost feels
like a presence, full of secret purpose.

Tyler’s large frame appeared just behind me and he
knelt down and put his hand on the root. He stood
tall and elegant and my heart skipped a beat looking
at him. He noticed me eyeing him and smiled, his
handsome features making my face grow warm. I
flashed a faint smile.

“I’m not sure. They seem to be electrically charged
by something. Could it be that they reach the second
realm and touching a reactor of some sort”?
He stopped, tensed his body and then spun around.
He couldn’t be sure but felt that someone else was in
the tunnel. He quickly turned back to me and drew a
deep breath.

I shiver and my heart speeds up. Then I hear
something too. It sounds like a child laughing in the
distance. I frown and turn to Tyler. Leaning down,
his lips touch my cheek and he kisses me sweetly.
There is a pause, and I thought he was going to speak,
but he begins walking forward instead.

He’s keeping something from me and I can’t put my
finger on what it is.His silence doesn’t sit well with
me but then again maybeit’s just that he doesn’t want
me to worry more than I already am. Don’t trust him.
He already sold you out once.
The little voice in my
mind prattled on and it was making sense to me.
Tyler glanced at me sideways and gives me a half
smile. The intensity of his gaze makes my stomach
quiver and I can feel warmth flood my cheeks. I
chose to ignore the paranoid thoughts that are running
through my mind about him.

Considering my options it makes no sense alienating
the one person who is here to help me. How can we
move through these tunnels without detection? If we
can’t we are trapped like rats in a trap. My mind leaps
back to the memories of when I first met him. He
helped me find the strength to get through that
horrible event, and just like that day, I need his
resolve more than I know.

We walked on for some time without saying a word.
The ground descended steeply and the floor of the
tunnel became increasingly stony the further we
walked. The air had grown warmer and in the
distance we could just make out the glow of blue
light. The light was no more than that of dusk just
before darkness falls.
The last mile plunged steeply down, and the rock was
loose, making it difficult to stay on our feet. Then the
floor became flat again and the tunnel grew narrow.
We walked single file with me in the lead and Jast
following just behind me.

At once the tunnel ended and we stood looking out at
a heavy forest and just beyond a wide lake of dank
water. On the other side was red rock and pools of
fire leading into yet another mountainous region.
Swirling spires of smoke rose and beyond it was a
great fire that expanded as far as the eye could see.
The land seemed to moan as though alive and I felt a
deep premonition of evil and thought of Jen. If there
was even a chance to help her I would not give up.

We make our way into the forest and onward toward
the lake. There is a feeling of malice here and a sense
of utter despair. Terror is beginning to grip me and I
force myself forward. The air is stifling and sweat
trickles down my face as I walk. The heat is making
me weary and the only thing that keeps me going is
my sheer determination. I can hear Tyler behind me
followed by the almost inaudible sound of hooves.

From the black sky above came the sound of wings
followed by a horrible shriek. I looked far up and
saw several creatures flying overhead toward the lake.
Dark beings, with glittering eyes, and the shapes of
men, soared past at alarming speed. In the distance
the moaning we had heard earlier seemed to grow in
intensity.

Within a half hour I reached the edge of the lake and I
stopped to wait for Tyler. A soft wind blew over the
water bringing the putrid smell of rotting flesh. I sat
down looking into the murky water and wondered if it
was safe to cross. My hand rested on the leather
sheath at my hip and I removed Anathema. I stroked
the tiny horses that graced the handle and the beauty
of it captivated me for a moment. Soft light bathed
the handle and slowly crept down the blade. I
touched the blade and felt a surge of power go into
me. I stared in wonder at the weapon and when Tyler
was just behind me I put it away.

Tyler crouched beside me holding Jast’s reins lightly
in his hand. He did not speak for some time and we
both stared out into the shimmering lake. Soon we
would plunge into the dark water and make our way
across to the other side. Somehow it didn’t hold any
terror for me. The real challenge would come when
we reached the inner core on the other side.

Tyler sank beside me and took my hand in his. He
laced his fingers in mine and I leaned my head against
his chest. Jast’s soft nose touched my hair and I
closed my eyes for a moment of rest. Sleep took me
almost immediately and I was oblivious to the world.

I woke with a start about a half hour later and felt
Tyler’s arms securely around me. The stench of
death reminded me where I am at and I watch the
water for a moment. It is difficult to say how deep
the water is and I imagine there are creatures in the
murky depths.
Tyler stood to his feet and helped me stand up. Our
gazes met and he gave me a reassuring smile.

“We should each hold onto the side of Jast’s saddle
and swim alongside him. Be sure and stay right next
to the saddle or you could be hit with a hoof as he
swims”. I hesitated. “If anything is down there let
me take care of it. I have a sharp blade”.

Tyler started to object but I pressed a finger up to his
lips. He took my hand, kissed the palm and then
reached down and tilted my chin upward. His eyes
flared with intensity and my cheeks flushed. He
pulled me closer, pressing his lips softly to mine and
kissed me deeply. I wrapped my arms around his
neck and ran my fingers through his hair. I wish we
could be like this forever but then the kiss ended. He
held me close for several minutes. I heard him exhale
slowly, and I closed my eyes, pushing everything else
from my mind. I hesitated for a moment then pulled
away.
We scrambled down the steep bank and each grabbed
onto a side of the saddle. The cold water shocked me
and I gasped as we waded in. The water became deep
quickly and Jast began to swim. Despite his strong
pull I struggled against the current. As we reached
the middle of the lake a wall of mist rose before us. I
looked down into the deep water and could see
something swimming below us.

I fought down panic and moved closer to Jast. I
couldn’t see Tyler but could hear him on the other
side. The water splashed around us and the mist
extended its reach. Then a soft light began to glow all
around us and I realized it was coming from Jast.
Below me I saw what appeared to be large snakes
coming toward us. Terror shot through me but the
light acted as a barrier and they were unable to swim
past the barrier of the light. I tore my gaze away from
what is below and look toward the shore. The water
is churning around us but we are no more than 100
yards from the bank. Then I feel a pull underneath.
The current is charged with electricity and I feel
myself being pulled under the water. A scream wells
up in my throat and then I feel an arm around my
waist and I am pulled upward.

Tyler is beside me and I feel him pushing me into the
saddle. He swims alongside and then I feel Jast’s feet
on solid ground. The weight of the water and strong
pull of the current make it difficult for Jast to pull free
of the lake. I feel his muscles tighten and then he is
scrambling to the top. I look back and see Tyler
holding onto his tail and being pulled up the slick
bank behind us. Relief washes over me and a slip off
the saddle and land with a thud on the ground. The
heat on this side of the lake is more intense than
before and I am glad for it now as I am soaked to the
bone.

The scenery on this side is in stark contrast to the
forest on the other side. The ground is hard,
everything is dead and the land seems to be in a state
of ruin. I can’t shake the feeling of apprehension that
comes over me and begin to tremble. Despite my wet
clothing sweat trickles down my face and I wipe it
with the back of my hand.

My limbs feel numb as we walk forward. The sky is
black and darkness is all around us save for a faint
blue light ahead and small fires burning in random
places. The air is heavy and breathing is more
restricted than it was on the other side. It’s difficult
to know if it is day or night as I have lost track of
time in the darkness.

We stumbled on for another hour and then were
descending yet again down a steep incline. I held
onto the side of the saddle as my feet slipped under
the loose rock. The hill became steeper but was now
solid rock. The rock was rough and easier to get a
footing upon but I worried about the sound of Jast’s
hooves giving us away. I stopped to get some water
out of the saddlebag. There is only a small amount
left and I took a few sips and handed it over to Tyler
who also took a couple of swigs. Cupping my hands I
had Tyler pour some into them so Jast could drink.
He slurped at the water and when it was gone wiped
his muzzle on my shirt and pushed me playfully. I
stroked his muzzle with affection handed the empty
water canteen back to Tyler. Our hands brushed as he
took it from me and I smiled up at him.

We reached the bottom of the incline some time later
and walked toward what looked like the entrance to a
canyon. Beyond the canyon walls were little fires
spread across the land beyond. We walked some 5
miles and left the trail to find a place to rest for a
while. The stench of death made it impossible to
forget what is ahead but we huddled in an 5 foot wide
indentation in the red stone. As soon as I felt Tyler’s
arms around me I feel into a restless sleep.

We lay still for some time and when I woke it was too
dark to see. It had been dark before but there had
been a faint blue light. Now it was black outside and
it must be nightfall. I felt Tyler stir beside me and he
kissed my cheek before rising.

“We should keep going Ivy. The water is gone and
we need to find more. We won’t last long in this heat
if we don’t find water soon”.

With effort I rose to my feet and we made our way
back to the main path. I was sheer luck that we
hadn’t come across anything but then who would
expect someone coming of their own accord to the
inner core of the Underworld?

We crossed into the canyon and beyond saw patches
of fire that bubbled up and burst into the air. They
remind me of the geysers I had seen at Yellowstone
that spewed hot water and steam into the air. The
great difference being that it was not water spewing
into the air but molten lava. The landscape is one of
utter despair and I dread what is waiting up ahead. I
begin to wonder if Jen could even survive here for
more than a day or two.

Tyler must have sensed my despair for he took my
hand and kissed it softly. I felt my resolve return and
with it my determination to find her. Thinking of her
spending eternity here will be a bitter reality if we
don’t keep moving forward. I must find Jen and the
others.

My body seems to dry to have any liquid left inside it
but I feel a single tear make its way down my filthy
cheek. I close my eyes thinking about what is ahead
and look for a shred of inner strength. I feel
something inside me like a hidden reserve and I touch
it with my mind. I feel a light flow from my stomach
to my head and then the warmth flows through my
body.