The Mine

Chapter 10: A Brother's Struggle

At the top of the ledge, Jared held onto Rebecca's arm and looked over the edge and down at his brother. Below, Miles gave him the thumbs up which gave Jared the go ahead to send Rebecca down next. Getting the signal he pushed the girl forward toward the rope.

"Don't I get any special gloves or anything?"

"No, now go."

Rebecca picked up the rope while Jared continued to blind her with the flashlight. With little to no choice, she looks over the edge before walking off. The rope slid through her bare hands burning them as she rapidly descended. When she approached the ledge, she grabbed onto the rope tightly as it dug into the raw skin and stopped herself right before crashing into the platform.

Miles came out of the tunnels mouth as she stepped down off the rope and was grabbed by the other brother, who pushed her into the tunnel. Jared watched from above seeing Rebecca get down successfully and took it as a go ahead to descend down the rope himself. Like his brother, he slid on a pair of climbing gloves and picked up the rope before descending down it with the rope in one hand and Rebecca's flashlight in the other.

As the younger brother descended he used the wall to help balance himself as he repeled down, when suddenly as he went to land against the wall his foot connected with a loose rock that gave away and caused his body to spin around on the rope. Jared gripped the rope tightly as his body scrapped against the jagged rock wall, which sliced open his shirt as well as cut into his skin. Only half way down the rope, he let out a blood curdling scream of pain while blood ran down his side and dripped down to the ledge.

Below Miles heard his brother yell out and ran back out of the cave to look up at Jared. Blood droplets from his injuries fell onto Mile's pristine white button up shirt, making him instantly concerned for his brother who looked seriously hurt.

"Jared toss me the flashlight, that way you can use both of your hands to get down here."

"Are you sure? What if I miss and we lose it?"

While the two brothers yelled back and forth, Rebecca walked from outside of the cave and looked up at Jared as well.

"We have to take that chance, it's the only way to get you down safety."

"Alright, here it comes."

Miles still hadn't realized that Rebecca was standing beside him. To her for a brief second the thought of pushing Miles off the ledge and ending it all but yet having four hands to catch the light was better odds then only two, and if she got it she'd have all the power. Still looking up they watched as Jared held the light out trying to position it over Miles as best he possibly could to guarantee a catch.

Continuing to hold his hand out for a couple seconds longer, he released the light and grabbed onto the rope with his newly freed hand. Down below, Miles and Rebecca watched as the flashlight spiralled through the air and down toward them. Miles reached up making the first attempt to snag it from its flight, only to have his hand graze the bottom of the light which caused it to bounce out and away from him.

"NOOO!"

It was like time had slowed down, as the light tumbled to his side falling into Rebecca's arms. Mile's was still in shock when he looked beside him and realized that Rebecca had been beside him the whole time.

"Well looks like you might still be useful after all."

Miles didn't seem to care much though as he turned his attention back to his injured brother, who now had both his hands on the rope. Jared slowly slid down the rope until he was just a few feet above the ledge, and as Jared dangled Miles walked over and extended an arm to him before giving him a helping hand down from the rope. Now with everyone safely down on the platform the brothers looked at Rebecca.

"You're in charge of the light now, that way you can lead and we can keep our eyes on you, since there's no turning back now."

Looking at his brother's wound, Miles looked over at Rebecca who was holding the light on both of the brothers for a moment until they both got up and then proceed down the tunnel. She travelled at a faster pace then the brothers to create some distance between the two groups. While the two brothers walked behind them, Jared looked over at his brother weakly.

"Y'know I didn't think you would come back to help me out."

"Look I might come off like I don't care about you, but in reality if something were to happen to you. It'd just be me and her and I think we both realize she is more skilled then either one of us. So there's power in numbers."

For a brief moment, Miles actually looked at his brother for a brief moment while Jared revealed his feelings to Miles.

"Well thanks, you sure know how to make someone feel appreciated Miles."

The brothers looked back at the tunnel and the silhouetted Rebecca, she shined the light on the walls around her until the light disappeared off to the side and another dome like room revealed itself. The group walked in while Rebecca shined the light straight into the room revealing a door that appeared to be designed by an ancient civilization.

With the room illuminated, Jared stopped and sat down at the far edge of the room. Rebecca headed over to the door and ran her hand across looking for any indication of key hole or locking mechanism, while Miles walked up beside her.

"Y'know I once heard a story of an ancient door that was hidden in the hills here. I just always assumed it was talking about the hatch but this, this is incredible."

"Did it say anything about how to open it?"

Miles was almost coming off as human for a moment, while Rebecca continued to move her hand across the door until she reached a small bump in the wall.