and hair salons. Almost hear the laughter that had been forever silenced. Now, the once beautiful and proud city would forever be haunted by those who had been ruthlessly slaughtered here.
Chapter 2
I dug my heels in like a stubborn dog refusing to go back inside. My heart lurched and kicked as I swallowed heavily and forced myself to breathe. I could barely get any air into my chest as my lungs seemed determined not to work.
"Bethany." Cade's hands were firm on my upper arms as he held me. "Listen to me Bethy; you do not have to do this. We can find another way around."
"We'd have to double back..."
"You and me," Cade harshly interrupted Lloyd and silenced the Private with a withering glare that would have made men twice the size of Lloyd take a step back. I gave Lloyd credit for holding his ground, but he didn't speak again. "The two of us will find a way around."
"Be reasonable Cade," Darnell muttered.
Cade shot him a fulminating look as his jaw clenched and a muscle in his cheek jumped. I closed my eyes and grappled to regain control of my body. I hated this inner betrayal, hated this intense physical reaction that still had a hold over me. I opened my eyes to focus on Cade's face as he leaned closer to me. His breath was warm against my face, his hands strong on my arms as he rubbed them reassuringly. I knew he would go out of his way to avoid this tunnel for me if I asked him to.
"Listen..."
"That's enough Lloyd." This time it was Aiden who interrupted Lloyd as he stepped closer to us. He may not be exactly trusting of Cade and me right now but he wasn't going to force me into that tunnel either.
I took a deep breath. They would do this for me, they would both go around and then Abby, Bret, Jenna and possibly Molly would most likely follow. The group would become even more divided. That couldn't happen; it simply could not be allowed to happen. Our numbers were already small enough and I couldn't let them become even smaller simply because I was afraid.
Or what if they all decided to come with us and someone was lost ? I couldn't take the chance of anyone being hurt because I couldn't shake the persistent phobia that had haunted me ever since I'd been trapped within the wreckage of that ruined vehicle with my dying father.
"I... I can do this," I choked out. I saw the doubt and hesitance in Cade's eyes and I gushed on before he could argue with me. "I can Cade. I made it through that pipe I can make it through this."
It was true I had made it through that pipe in the dump, barely. But the pipe had been smaller, it had stunk and been filled with slime, and those things had been right behind us. This tunnel was much larger with plenty of room to move about. I kept trying to focus on those thoughts, rather than thoughts of being stuck underground, trapped between those concrete walls and unable to see daylight or breathe fresh air. If I focused on those thoughts I would never make it inside.
"I'll be fine," I said, trying to believe it even when I didn't.
"Bethany once we get in there..."
"I know." I couldn't hear him say the words, I could think them, but I couldn't hear him say that there would be no return. "Don't."
His eyes were filled with unease but he grasped hold of my cheeks and kissed me ardently. My toes curled and for a second I was able to forget about the tunnel as he encompassed my entire world. "I'll get you through," he whispered when he pulled away.
I managed a feeble smile and a small nod. "I know."
His thumbs caressed my face as he studied me before turning away. He kept his strong fingers interlaced with mine as he quickly nodded to Aiden. Aiden hesitated before turning away and entering the gloomy tunnel. I kept my eyes on my feet as I became focused on the oversized sneakers I'd recently traded my old, holey pair for.
I was aware when we stepped into the tunnel as the air temperature dropped a good ten degrees and the smell brought forth memories of my damp cellar in the
Chapter 2
I dug my heels in like a stubborn dog refusing to go back inside. My heart lurched and kicked as I swallowed heavily and forced myself to breathe. I could barely get any air into my chest as my lungs seemed determined not to work.
"Bethany." Cade's hands were firm on my upper arms as he held me. "Listen to me Bethy; you do not have to do this. We can find another way around."
"We'd have to double back..."
"You and me," Cade harshly interrupted Lloyd and silenced the Private with a withering glare that would have made men twice the size of Lloyd take a step back. I gave Lloyd credit for holding his ground, but he didn't speak again. "The two of us will find a way around."
"Be reasonable Cade," Darnell muttered.
Cade shot him a fulminating look as his jaw clenched and a muscle in his cheek jumped. I closed my eyes and grappled to regain control of my body. I hated this inner betrayal, hated this intense physical reaction that still had a hold over me. I opened my eyes to focus on Cade's face as he leaned closer to me. His breath was warm against my face, his hands strong on my arms as he rubbed them reassuringly. I knew he would go out of his way to avoid this tunnel for me if I asked him to.
"Listen..."
"That's enough Lloyd." This time it was Aiden who interrupted Lloyd as he stepped closer to us. He may not be exactly trusting of Cade and me right now but he wasn't going to force me into that tunnel either.
I took a deep breath. They would do this for me, they would both go around and then Abby, Bret, Jenna and possibly Molly would most likely follow. The group would become even more divided. That couldn't happen; it simply could not be allowed to happen. Our numbers were already small enough and I couldn't let them become even smaller simply because I was afraid.
Or what if they all decided to come with us and someone was lost ? I couldn't take the chance of anyone being hurt because I couldn't shake the persistent phobia that had haunted me ever since I'd been trapped within the wreckage of that ruined vehicle with my dying father.
"I... I can do this," I choked out. I saw the doubt and hesitance in Cade's eyes and I gushed on before he could argue with me. "I can Cade. I made it through that pipe I can make it through this."
It was true I had made it through that pipe in the dump, barely. But the pipe had been smaller, it had stunk and been filled with slime, and those things had been right behind us. This tunnel was much larger with plenty of room to move about. I kept trying to focus on those thoughts, rather than thoughts of being stuck underground, trapped between those concrete walls and unable to see daylight or breathe fresh air. If I focused on those thoughts I would never make it inside.
"I'll be fine," I said, trying to believe it even when I didn't.
"Bethany once we get in there..."
"I know." I couldn't hear him say the words, I could think them, but I couldn't hear him say that there would be no return. "Don't."
His eyes were filled with unease but he grasped hold of my cheeks and kissed me ardently. My toes curled and for a second I was able to forget about the tunnel as he encompassed my entire world. "I'll get you through," he whispered when he pulled away.
I managed a feeble smile and a small nod. "I know."
His thumbs caressed my face as he studied me before turning away. He kept his strong fingers interlaced with mine as he quickly nodded to Aiden. Aiden hesitated before turning away and entering the gloomy tunnel. I kept my eyes on my feet as I became focused on the oversized sneakers I'd recently traded my old, holey pair for.
I was aware when we stepped into the tunnel as the air temperature dropped a good ten degrees and the smell brought forth memories of my damp cellar in the
Similar Books
Stand By Me
Cora Blu
Small-Town Girl
Jessica Keller
A Sending of Dragons
Jane Yolen
The Graveyard
Marek Hlasko
The Totems of Abydos
John Norman
War Against the Rull
A. E. van Vogt
Bartered
Pamela Ann
Little, Big
John Crowley
Beloved Wolf
Kasey Michaels
Against the Dawn
Amanda Bonilla