Secrets of the Underwater Dome

Chapter 7: The Death Lake

Both Nathalia and Nate sped down the corridor back to Waylan's cell. "Where are you going?!" he yelled at them, "Annalise is being taken to the moat!"Nate said halting. "The what-?" said Waylan, confused. "There is no time to explain!" Nate said hurriedly. "Well, then you'll have to get me out quickly!" Waylan said, knuckles going white as he gripped the bars. Without saying anything Nathalia sprinted away towards the light, and within 2 minutes came back around clutching something in her hand. She stopped panting at the cell held the rusty golden key in her french-tipped fingers and shoved it into the lock. It clicked. Nathalia stepped back as Waylan pushed the door open, "Thanks" he muttered stepping out past her. "Anytime" she replied walking towards Barry and Barney's cell. Another lick exploded into the damp air and a cheer echoed out. "Well now I'm free, that's one less thing to worry about," Waylan said as Nathalia, Barry, and Barney joined their conversation. "Guys, we have no time to lose," Nate urged them. "How are we supposed to get there though?" Waylan said. Again Nathalia wasn't making eye contact with any of them and instead was staring at the key, weighed down in her hands. Nathalia whipped her head back around, "I know how to".

They all followed Nathalia back through the winding corridors and out into the fresh gleams of sunshine and the resting air. Nathalia stopped, and so did they, they had stopped at a window. Peering through the dusty glass she watched, her eyes broadening with alarm. Waylan shoved her to one side to spot a neon turquoise top, and sun-coloured blonde hair with periwinkle tips, it was Annalise. With her hands tied behind her back, she moved her head about, worried. "It will be too late by the time we get there!" Nate yelled, squinting over Waylan's shoulder. "That's why we won't," Nathalia said. "No, we have to do something," Nate said glaring at her. "You are not getting me" she persisted. She grabbed a hairpin out of her long smooth, chocolate brown hair and scraped it across the putty which glued the window pane in. The putty flaked off, and the glass came loose and she pulled and pulled but it didn't move. "Are you just going to stand there and watch because she's your friend?" Nathalia said "I have never met her, I could be risking my life for a psychopath," she continued. They all moved forward to help "She's not a psychopath, Waylan said, side-eyeing her". They all tugged and finally the window separated from the wall. Barney jumped up and down to try and see out, "yes, that is what we will do," Nathalia said nodding towards Barney.

Barney stopped, because of the look of baffled confusion Nathalia continued "We will jump out the window". "Are you trying to kill us?" Waylan said. "It's the quickest way and if you want to let your girlfriend die in the endless river, there's no one stopping you. "She's not my girlfriend!" Waylan said defensively . "Sure okay, well who wants to go first?" Nathalia said, staring round at them all. Nobody said anything so Nathalia moved towards the window climbing up onto the ledge. "Wait" Nate said grabbing her shoulder, "you shouldn't be going first" he said. "And why is that, because I'm a girl" Nathalia said, "No, you being a girl has nothing to do with it, it's just as you said she is our friend". Nathalia just stared at him, dead in the eye and said "If you go first there is more likely a chance that they will notice you, whereas if I go first they will just think it's me being me" Nathalia said. "So you do this often?" Waylan questioned, smiling. There was an awkward silence which Barry broke with a cough and Barney said "She does have a point". Nathalia smiled, extending her arm to high-five him. Nathalia turned her head back round and just as she was about to take the leap of faith Nate said, "Won't you like, break every bone in your body?". "There is a bush below us and if you aim correctly, no" Nathalia replied. "Wait" Nate said again. "Just let her go" Waylan said impatiently, "Are you trying to let me die?" Nathalia said smiling, then she jumped. Without even a scream she flew down, her hair being lifted above her and she landed with a crunch in the bush, and a small "ow" which was just loud enough for them to hear. Without anybody wasting more time they all followed her and eventually they were all in the bush. Nate and Waylan climbed out, followed by Barney and Barry and when Nate gave his hand to Nathalia lifted out of the brambles her purple and blue, most broken wrist. Nate stepped back in surprise and said "Oh are you okay!". "Ya I'm fine you go on, go save your friend and you're not girlfriend." And without another word, Nathalia shoved him away with her normal hand.

The boys ran down the garden path until they reached the moat, and hid behind a wall. Annalise was still on land, trying to talk her way out of it, "Talking never did her any good when she wasn't in a life-or-death situation, I doubt it will now" Waylan said, rolling his eyes. "She's clearly trying to delay time," Nate replied. Annalise spun her head round to get her hair out of her face and out of the corner of her eye she spotted the boys, hiding, shielding themselves behind the wall. Nate and Waylan had no idea what to do because leaping in and out of the swampy water was some scary-looking monster fish that looked menacing and devious. "Be quiet or I'll throw you in myself" the guard said gruffly. He walked forwards towards Annalise and as he did so she backed away closer and closer to the edge. Nate frantically was thinking of a plan but nothing came to him. "Repeat after me before you jump to your doom," The guard said, holding his hand up to his ear. "I am going to die a painful death" Annalise repeated after him, "Because I committed an unforgivable crime", "And because I am below the age of 16, I shall be chopped into pieces by the minax-piscis" She finished before the guard shoved her hardly so Annalise tripped and fell down into the depths. "No!" both Waylan and Nate said in unison. The guard looked around for the noise but obviously decided that he had imagined it. He turned to face away and he walked quickly in the opposite direction. As Nate and Waylan ran out to look into the lake, Annalise climbed out of the sides, her clothes water-soaked, her hands and arms bloodied. Waylan ran towards her spluttering in surprise, he held out a hand for her to grip onto and helped pull her out of there. "How did you- where-what?" Nate said, staring at her astonished. Annalise fell onto her knees, gasping for air, and said spluttering like a fish being taken from the sea "I found a piece of rope and climbed up", "But didn't those minax-piscis come eat you?" Waylan said, wiping his hands on his shirt. "I used them as steps," she said sarcastically "You had a near-death experience 30 seconds ago and you still use a sarcastic tone of voice," Waylan said smirking, but Annalise didn't smile back. Instead, she rocked over and slumped down onto the cold hard floor, clearly unconscious. Both Waylan and Nate rushed towards her, "What are we supposed to do?" Nate said panicked, "I don't know I'm not first aid trained" Waylan replied, cluelessly. But before they could decide what to do Annalise awakened again, staring oblivious into the sky, still coughing hoarsely. "Okay, wait a fat minute, how did you go from emerging from a close to being killed, to alright and being sarcastic to entirely passing out?" Waylan said, genuinely looking muddled. "I thought you were dead!" Nate said relieved, "that makes two of us" added Waylan. Annalise propped herself up on her elbows and winced because as she lifted her head from the sharp cobbled ground, a smear of blood was caked over the floor where Annalise lay. Waylan and Nate stood stock still for a moment until slowly saying, "Are you feeling okay?". When Annalise said she was feeling fine, Waylan began to circle her, until he stopped staring at a spot on her head where a crimson circle popped out of her blonde hair. "Thinking about it now" Annalise continued, "my head is really sting-", Waylan caught Annalise's head as she collapsed again, her head about to drop to the floor like a pin, which would have smashed.