Beyond the Rift ✔ (Completed)

Chapter 8: Along came a spider

Alexis

"No!" I wake up to my heart racing wildly. My throat is parched; it feels like tiny needles pricking. My clothes are drenched in sweat. I sit upright in my bed. The whole night, I kept having weird nightmares, every single one of them had the golden door accompanied by the sweet male voice.

I adjust my eyes to the bright light. What time is it?

"You are finally up." Ethan emerges from the bathroom in his white t-shirt and jeans. His hair is slightly soaked in water; the dark bangs at the fore head glisten in the sun-rays that came through the window. What a view to wake up to! "A bit surprised, I thought you were going to sleep the whole afternoon."

"Afternoon?" I rub my eyes with the back of my hand.

"Yep."

"I thought we were leaving at 9 in the morning?"

"No, we're not. Change of plans; we are not going to the Headquarters anymore." He pauses and looks at me. "It's destroyed."

I part my lips slightly.

"I'm guessing the Tridents; they must have known somehow. No one was killed though, but we lost a lot of ammunitions. Which is why we have to avoid going to their targeted locations. However, we will be heading to a well-guarded basecamp; it's a 4-hour drive. We'll be safe there."

"How did you Know?"

"Elvira told me at the bar last night. She prepared those hex bags for us too. Don't forget to thank her."

...

Grey tank top – black slim cargo pants – dark brown leather jacket. I almost feel like I am going to hunt a giant deer.

We left Kooskia 4 hrs. ago and are on are way to the base-camp set up at Salmon river.

Though it is around 4'Oclock, afternoon doesn't seem to last too long here. I can see the Swifts gliding and soaring amongst the olive offshoots; all the while squealing in the evening sky. The road gets bumpier as we approach our destination. Tall Pine Forests starts lining up; the gravel path gets narrower. The branches of the trees start clouding and obstructing the steel grey sky above.

The car comes to a sudden halt near a hedge made up of slush and boughs; soaked in the rainwater. The road ahead is divided into two narrow treks; both of which are laden with thick forest on either side.

"Why are we stopping?" My voice sounds more anxious than expected.

"We can only make it this far in the car; the rest of the way is on foot." He throws on his jacket and grabs the duffle bag. Stepping out of the car, he gestures me to do the same.

Why can't we stay in the car? Sure, the path is narrow, but one can still squeeze a car through it. It would be more convenient and SAFER.

As a step out of the car, my face receives a cool gust of bone-chilling breeze. Like after a tiring hot day when you enter an air-conditioned room; the only stipulation being, the room is 10-degree Celsius (50-degree Fahrenheit).

"Why is it so cold?" I am barely audible.

"Don't worry it's only a 5-minute walk."

-

5 Minute Walk; My ass!

We have been slogging through the woods for the past 18 minutes. The path gets narrower every time we encounter a divide. So much that the tracks are barely visible beyond the underbrush. Mist rises around us; enveloping the earth and brushing the green color off the ferns and pines and tainting them with its color of moth. The smell of wet moss and freshly bathed mud lingers in the air. Darkness intensifies as we advance the dense forest; while the stridulating sound of crickets become immune to our ears. I'm quite surprised that we didn't encounter any wild inhabitant in the area. I thought the Salmon river were home to grizzly bears. But so far, the only noises heard were either of the twigs crushing under our shoes or me strangling myself in a bush.