Phase Two

Kaisra and Kian were put into the group of four people. One of their partners was a tall, thin boy named Anthony. He had unkempt, pitch-black hair, and dark, chocolate colored eyes. Their other partner was his sister, a short, thin, shy girl with the same colored hair as her brother and bright blue eyes. As the boys introduced each other, Kaisra half hid behind Kian as Anthony's sister did the same with Anthony. The girls' eyes but for a moment before they both looked away, flustered at getting caught looking at each other. 

Kaisra tied her curly brown hair into a messy bun as she took the time to ponder about the jumpsuit her father had given her. It confused her that he hadn’t given Kian one. Kian was only wearing his black cargo pants, his matching combat boots, and his grey t-shirt. Of course, the others had less: they only wore the uniforms that the working-class kids wore.

The general walked over and handed a pouch to Kian to put the green gem in. They were given nothing else. 

"We're predicting a lot of seismic activity for today, so you kids take care in there," the general warned. 

Kian thanked the general, who was returning to his jeep, and put the pouch into his right pocket.

“Let’s go,” Kian said, walking towards the cave entrance. Everyone in the group followed close behind.

They took right at a fork and then the cave veered them to the left. As they walked further and further into the depths of the cave’s darkness, their enhanced night vision was activated by their chips.

“So,” Anthony began, “how will we know that we’ve found the Forgotten Catacombs?”

“The Forgotten Catacombs are the ruins of an abandoned city,” Kian replied, “in fact, it was the old capitol city, what Ross is today. My father taught me that many residents were evacuated from the city because a deadly virus spread among them. People were getting infected left and right. Those who weren’t infected could seek refuge in Tal. And those who were infected had to be shackled down and left to die so they wouldn’t infect others.”

Anthony’s sister gasped. Kaisra couldn’t help but be shocked by the story.

“Later,” Kian continued, “the city collapsed on itself. No one has lived there for decades. Then they came up with the name Forgotten Catacombs. So, if we see what looks like the ruins of a city, we’ve found it.”

“And the virus that…that used to be there…” Kaisra started.

“We should be immune to it if it’s still there. But don’t worry, it most likely isn't.”

They trekked up the inclining path in an eerie silence. Suddenly, Kaisra felt the ground vibrating.

“Do you guys-ˮ

“Yeah,” Kian cut her off, "Tremors."

They all stopped. The ground groaned and shook underneath their feet. Kian slowly tilted his head down. The ground cracked at the tips of his toes.

 “Run!”

As if on cue, the crack split across and up the walls of the cave. Rocks began to fall and a wave of dust filled their path as they ran as fast as they could. Kaisra noticed what looked like a square entrance up ahead.

“Kian! Over there!”

He immediately adjusted course. The four of them ran through the entrance seconds before a large boulder fell at its mouth. They slid down the now sharply declining path, the rough terrain scraping against their backs. Anthony saw a wall up ahead.

“We’re going to run into that thing?!”

Just before smashing to bits into the dead end, they fell through an opening and landed hard on their sides. Everyone except Kaisra let out a groan of pain. Some more bits of rock rained down on them from the opening.

“Is everyone okay? Kaisra?” Kian asked.

Everyone confirmed they were still in one piece. Kaisra looked behind her. Anthony was fine, but his sister’s elbow was bleeding.

“It’s nothing.” she said quickly, “Just a scratch.”

Kaisra herself had a similar scratch on her cheek. She choked on the dust that had gotten trapped in her lungs. She could feel the dozens of bruises that would no doubt throb relentlessly later.

“Guys…”

Kaisra looked around. She saw all the rocks around them.

“We…found it?”

They all slowly got up, brushing the soil and minerals off of them and searched for other clues. There was nothing that hinted that they were in the Forgotten Catacombs.

“No…” Anthony sighed, “this doesn’t look like it’s it.”

The group continued walking. Kaisra decided to try talking to Anthony’s sister. She seemed just like her. Maybe they would get along.

“So…” she started, “want to tell me your name?”

Kaisra internally reprimanded herself for her poor choice in words. After a few beats of gentle silence, the girl responded.

“Elise,” she answered in a low voice.

“That’s a pretty name,” Kaisra commented, playing with her fingers.

“Thanks.”

After a while of walking, Kaisra heard what seemed like a buzzing noise.

“Do you hear that noise?” she asked the others.

“Hear wha-ˮ

They all stopped. What sounded like buzzing now sounded like rushing. Rushing water.

“It must be further below us,” Kian surmised.

They continued forward. After some time, they could see a bridge that consisted of wooden planks and was only suspended by ropes.

“No freaking way,” Anthony said, shaking his head adamantly and taking a few steps back.

“Anthony, this might be the only way,” Kian said.

“I think there’s something down here,” Elise’s voice echoed below them.

Kaisra’s and Kian’s eyes met. She shrugged. Kian carefully met Anthony’s eyes next.

“Dude, I’m going to pick the option that doesn’t lead to certain death.”

Kian rolled his eyes and the three of them found a slope that lead them down to Elise. They met her a couple feet away from a river’s edge.

“Maybe if we cross it, we’ll find another slope up the other side. No scary bridge,” she suggested, looking towards the other side.

“I say we should give it a shot,” Kaisra pitched in.

“Why not? Sounds like a good plan,” Kian said, “But how are we going to cross?”

Elise tilted her head over to where there was a large rock jutting out of the water.

“I can make that jump.”

Before anyone could stop her, she ran towards it and leapt with all her might. Her feet landed hard on the rock. She then hopped over to the other side’s edge.

“Well, I guess we wait here.”

Kaisra and Kian sat down on the stone bedding. Anthony stayed standing with his arms crossed, making sure he could hear Elise’s heartbeat. In a mere minute, however, that had faded away. She was too far. Or so he hoped. He remained standing, alert. A few minutes later, he could hear her heartbeat again, and saw her jogging up towards the edge of the river on her side.

“Nothing…” she reported with a saddened expression, “just more water.”

“We’ll have to cross that bridge,” Kian concluded. “There’s no other way back up the hole we fell through, there’s nothing but water a few feet ahead on either side of us, and there’s no other way to get across.”

The earth began to rumble. Anthony turned pale.

“Elise, hurry and jump!” he shouted.

Elise nodded and quickly leapt towards the rock once more. The ground shook more violently than before. She landed and slipped, screaming out in pain.

“My ankle!”

She tumbled into the water.

“Elise!”

Kaisra didn’t think twice before she dove in after her. The water vibrated against her. She allowed the current to shove her into Elise. She grabbed her upper arm and heaved her up onto her back. Kaisra's lungs started begging for air. She broke through the surface, sucking in a much-needed breath and planted her feet into the river's floor. The icy current was tugging hard at her frame. Rocks started dropping towards them from above.

“Kaisra!” Kian called.

Kaisra struggled up current and against the dust that stung her eyes ceaselessly. It was a slow, exhausting battle. A large rock landed on her arm. She cried out in pain, and almost fell to one knee. Underneath her, her feet started going cold and numb. Her bones felt like twigs that could snap at any moment. She took in deep breaths, half air half dust which she choked on. She saw Kian holding out his arm as far as he could without touching the water, fear etched deeply into his features. She reached out towards him.

“Not…far…enough…” she said among the hiccups of her breaths.

Kaisra squeezed her eyes shut.

And threw Elise to safety.

And allowed the current to sweep her off of her feet.

She suddenly felt herself flying backwards. Kian stepped back out of the water and pulled Kaisra with him.

“Kaisra? Kaisra?”

She coughed out some more dust and shivered. Kian pulled her into his arms.

“You’re alright…you’re alright…”