Thermophile

Twenty: Core

Eight days of non-stop jogging and running, we reached Zimbabwe. The wind also picked up speed as the temperature continued to drop rendering the ice forming on our hairs and faces. I would melt it once in a while but it would form again after sometime so I just let it do its thing and stick on my face.

"Just a bit more and we'll reach it." Elliot was a walking icicle. On that course of eight days, he did nothing to lessen the snow piling on him so, when the wind blew stronger, his case worsened.

"We should just keep going." The thought of Nathan's goons—and himself—probably waiting for us at the mine had me worried for my friend's safety. I could protect myself but he couldn't and he was still willing to come.

Another two days of trudging in the chest-deep snow while battling the wind going on our opposite way.

The place's silence was not what I was expecting when we got there, as well its emptiness. And of course, the deepness of the mine was jaw-dropping. The wind swirling inside it was making a howling noise so deep that it could pass as a monster waiting for a lost stranger to enter its lair.

"You could just drop down and you'll reach the bottom."

I looked back at him. "You're kidding. You want me to just drop down to my death?" Unbelievable.

"Nope, I am serious. You could fall from a fifty feet height and you will be just fine."

"But that," I pointed at the hole. "Is more than fifty feet."

"Let's go." He walked past me and started to climb down the mine's wall.

I followed him.

It got darker as we went lower and my eyes adjusted as the place got dimmer.

"The entrance to the mine is just right there." He pointed at a small hole a few meters from us.

I think this was where we part. "Elliot, you need to—"

"Yes, my friend, I will be staying here and will wait for your good news." He walked away from me and sat on a rock. "Just go straight and jump down when you see the hole." He reminded. He was sitting there like there wasn't an imminent danger coming after us.

"Hide when you see them." I didn't move from my spot, still staring at my friend.

Elliot didn't say anything and just smiled.

And I went.

Inside the mine was total darkness that my vision had a hard time adjusting, it was cold too and I think it was colder than outside. There was no ice but the ground was kinda soft—clay-y if one would describe it.

So this was what ordinary eyes saw when there was no light, but little by little shapes started to appear and I could see again—not as clear but it would do.

I went straight, if I ever saw another tunnel entrance I ignored it because without a doubt I would get lost if I so much veered from my path.

I sneezed for the third time already. I couldn't help it, it was so dusty and who knew what other particulates were swirling around.

I kept on walking and eventually got tired of the unendingness of the tunnel that I decided to run.

It was too late when my right foot stepped on a void space did I realize that I fell and was falling for who-knew how deep and a few seconds later, I splat back-first on the ground. It hurt like a motherfucker and my breath left me for a short while but I think the rest of me was okay.

It was just a theory though as I was still laid flat and unmoving.

But then I heard my left knee snap back into place, so did my right hip. Turned out I was not okay. I fell and broke myself when I landed.