A Fault in the Code

Chapter 17

The door behind me slams shut. No going back. As soon as I hear the bang of the door against the white walls, the white color becomes black. Totally, completely, black. This must mean my potion effects ran out.

The air is cold. I shiver and hug myself to keep warm, but the farther into this room, corridor's more like it, the lower the temperature drops. After several minutes of walking, my hands and feet feel as though they're covered in ice.

I can hear ambient sounds coming from everywhere. They're a bit creepy, but I ignore them. But it doesn't get truly scary until I feel breathing on my neck. I stop in my tracks.

There is a faint purple light on the ground in front of me. I slowly turn my head back and see two purple eyes staring right at me. I start to scream, but a hand covers my mouth. And then I realize who it is.

I feel around and lightly slap Jeff on what I think is his arm. "Don't scare me like that!" I scold at him in a whisper. But then I change my tone. "But I'm glad you're here. I have no idea where I'm going. Could you help me with your glowing eyes?" I see the eyes bob up and down in a nod. "Great." I whisper.

We search around with the purple light from Jeff's eyes. They're not much help, because they're only a slight glow. Jeff and I hold hands so we don't lose each other in utter darkness.

Walk, walk, walk, then some more walking. I can't tell how long it's been. In fact, I can't even tell if any time has passed at all, since there's no sun to tell me. What if time doesn't pass here? What if this place is just a dark path that goes on forever? What if this is another demension? What if that who talked to me in my head was trying to get my trust, only to betray me and send me here to die?

These questions fill my head, and I worry. But I keep walking. Why? I have no clue.

But as soon as the questions enter my brain and make my fear grow for a couple seconds, I fall. Down. My hand is still touching Jeff's, so I know that he has come down with me. I fall for several seconds, down a deep, dark hole that seems to go on forever. Is that how it's gonna be now? Now instead of walking, we'll be falling for miles?

Then, splash, we land in water.

Oh no.

I hear sounds of agonizing pain from Jeff. I don't know what to do except yell, "Jeff, get out of here! Get out now!" And then he stops. The lights from his eyes disappear, and I feel I am all alone. I am left with 2 assumptions: he teleported, or he's dead. I sure hope it's the first one.

The water is freezing and is too deep to touch my feet to the bottom. I try to keep myself on top of the water by paddling my arms and kicking my feet. I get exhausted after several seconds of it, though.

I cannot see a thing. I try to get my eyes to adjust, but there's not even enough light for that. For all I know, I might not even be IN water. I could be in poison or refrigerated blood for all I know. But as long as it's not harming me now, it's hopefully not bad.

I hear a sound in the distance. It sounds like running water. Maybe that means a way out. But before I can go, I have to make sure Jeff is all right.

"Jeff," I yell, "don't teleport to me, just give me a sign that you're okay. Make a noise or something."

I listen, but hear nothing that could come from Jeff. The noise of the running water is closer. Much closer. How did I get closer to it in 10 seconds? It is growing so loud it sounds like a waterfall now. I am nervous about Jeff and don't want to leave him behind if he's alive, but I don't really have much choice. If this thing is a waterfall, it sounds so close that I won't be able to swim back.