Chapter Thrity: ( Left in the dark)

Chapter: 30 (left in the dark)

 

            The descent took seconds. I hit the water and sunk down a few feet before buoyancy took hold of me and brought me back up to the surface of the water. I gasped as my head sprang from the cool water. It felt even better then I had imagined. The salty film that had covered my skin and soaked into my clothes seemed to have been quickly washed away. The air down here was cool and moving unlike the stagnant air above. The room was close to pitch black.

            I could only make out the size of the room and two figures standing on a higher mound of earth about fifteen feet away from me.

            “Madison!” I heard Jackson’s voice as one of the figures waved their arms. “This way.”

            As I slowly paddled my way towards them, I grabbed my flashlight and was happy that it was tethered to my wrist. Now let’s just hope it was waterproof. About five feet from the land the water began to recede and I could easily walk the rest of the way out. Once my feet hit land I heard a splash behind me and Nicholas quickly swimming to catch up.

            “Sorry guys.” He laughed easily. “I thought I could warn you in time.” He shouldered Addison who quickly elbowed him in the ribs.

            “Hey I love to swim.” Addison joked back. “Next time remind me to bring an extra pair of clothes though.” He said as he spread his arms out to his sides to show his shirt hanging down him like wet and heavy drapery. I could barely see them even though they were right in front of me.

            “Where are your flashlights?” I asked as I quickly grabbed mine and shook it. Water sloshed inside of it. I flipped the small switch a few times with no effect. I wasn’t very surprised. So much for waterproof.

            “We lost them when we fell.” Addison explained apologetically as he rubbed the back of his neck.

            “Well he lost his.” Jackson said as he held up a broken flashlight. “Mine hit some rocks on the way down. No way is it going to work.” He tossed it to the hard ground before looking back up to me. He lifted the right side of his mouth and shrugged.

            “Well what are we going to do now?” I sighed. “We can’t go on in the dark. We would get lost before we even knew it.”

            “Maybe we won’t have to!” I heard Nicholas shout, his voice muffled and distant. I turned around to where he was standing just moments before. The only thing there was a puddle.

            “Guys over here!” He shouted.  We all turned to the left in unison. There he was hidden in the entrance to the tunnel that was on the small area of land within this giant black stone room of water. The three of us quickly jogged to where he was standing.

            “Maybe we won’t have a problem seeing after all.” He said as we approached. He then turned and looked back down the long tunnel again.

            I looked to where he had turned to face and I gasped. Down the long tunnel, there was a light. A light that was strong enough to brighten up the tunnel half way to where we were standing.

            “That must be mom and dad!” I shouted as looked to Addison and Jackson. My heart sped up and I was sure I was smiling like a goon.  We were about to get to see our parents. We were going to get to go home and start to live a normal life again. No more Guild and no more Guild Council and most importantly, no more Zavion. Mom and dad had escaped him and if they could do that then surely we could start over again and I was ready. I was so ready to go home.

            “Well we don’t know for sure.” Jackson said as he looked over at me with a worried look on his face.

            “But whatever it is let’s go find out.” Addison said as he patted my shoulder and began to trudge down the long tunnel. Jackson and Nick began to follow him. Nicholas stopped after a few feet and looked back at me. He smiled and waved for me to follow.

             I didn’t understand why no one seemed as elated as I did but so be it. In a minute, everything would be better. Then they would see that they were being too cautious over nothing. My parents would fix all of this. Everything would be right in the world once again. I smiled brightly and sprang forward to catch up. My shoes kicking up black dust behind me.