The Desolation of Light

Chapter 5~ Down into Darkness

                                Chapter 5~ Down into Darkness

          "How long are these tunnels? We've been walking for ages!"

         Evelyn suppressed yet another sigh at Smidge's excessive whining. Although he was right, she didn't need to hear it from him every few minutes.

        They had been traveling nonstop through the long tunnels, following one path after another, and yet they still hadn't found their way out. And outside it was getting later and later by the second. Perhaps they should  have taken Wite's advice and simply waited for the wolves to leave. Instead they were now practically lost within the dark bowels of the mountain.

        Evelyn was ashamed for failing them so easily. "Let's stop for a moment." She stopped in the center of yet another small cavern, not wanting to face the forking tunnels that lead ahead of them, and the others groaned. They dropped to the ground in exhaustion, their weapons clattering to the ground next to them.

          "We should go back." Smidge declared. He was holding his own torch in his hands, and the flames kept making leaping grabs for his hair. He held it away from his face in frustration. "I mean, we're not getting anywhere with Evelyn leading the group. Unless I take the lead, we'll never get anywhere."

          Wite, who was sitting next to Evelyn, glared at him. "I doubt you could do any better. And besides, you're the one who wanted to leave in the first place."

          "Oh yeah? Well if you're always on her side, why did you want to stay near the entrance in the first place."

          Trace snatched the torch away from Smidge. "Stop it! We really shouldn't be fighting right now!"

          "Yeah, well I don't give a damn what you think. Give me back that torch!"

          Evelyn slowly stood and backed away from the three of them. This is all my fault. They trusted me and I mislead them. Now we're all in danger. She wanted to stop the fighting but as the three boys leapt to their feet, practically snarling at each other, she knew it was better just to let them calm down on their own.

          Perhaps if she made a slow search around the perimeter, she could find a clearer route out of the quarry? Carefully she picked up her torch again which was resting against a pile of rocks, and started walking.

          Muted walls of stone accompanied her as she passed, and long shadows danced at the edges of her torch-light. She glanced over her shoulder in concern, but they stopped moving the moment her eyes focused on them.

          Nearby, several tunnels branched off in different directions of the quarry. Evelyn paused to raise her torch out in front of her as she passed each one, but even in the light of the fire, she couldn't tell which route would be the best to take. They all seemed to go on forever into the darkness.

          The only thing she could do was guess, but her fear held her back. If she chose the wrong one, they could be trapped forever.

          "Ugh! Why was I so stupid! We'll never get out of here!" Frustrated, she picked up a loose stone from the ground and threw it at the cavern wall. But instead of the clatter of it hitting the other stones, it made a loud "thunk" and disappeared. Evelyn jerked her head up in surprise. That… that sounded like… wood!

          Her troubles forgotten in an instant, she scrambled forward over the loose gravel towards where she had thrown the stone. There was several large rocks piled together against the wall, but unlike the others in the quarry, they looked as if they had been placed there on purpose. Almost as if someone had been hurrying to hide something. Maybe she'd find something if she pulled them out of the way..