Second Chance

Chapter 49

I stared at the spot where the hole was moments ago, tears starting to build up in my eyes. I hated crying, and I hated that I have been crying a lot more recently. I was mainly just upset that I knew I was never going to see Maria again, at least, not in this life. I was also pretty annoyed that I had to sacrifice myself like this, and very pissed that the Descouche brothers were hunting me down like a pack of wolves. All and all, it was safe to say that I was in a very bad mood at the moment.

I was broken out of my thoughts as I heard a noise from above me. I looked up, and saw to my horror that the roof of the tunnel was starting to collapse more. That was not part of the plan, but apparently physics had its own plan in mind. I started to regret caving it in in the first place, since this was likely to happen, but my dumbass didn't even that about that, since I was too focused on getting Maria to safety.

I started to crawl backwards, but the roof was starting to fall apart rapidly. I had to awkwardly turn myself around, which made the walls around me start to crumble. If I didn't get my ass out of this tunnel in the next ten seconds, I would be buried alive, and maybe that's just how I died.

Still, I'd rather die a less scary way, so I decided it was probably better for me to attempt to survive than for me to just give up and hope that being buried alive wasn't as horrible as it sounded.

I crawled forward as fast as I could, but I could hear the tunnel collapsing horribly close behind me. I started to breathe faster, and I was pretty sure I was getting another nosebleed, as I felt something running out of my nose, but I didn't have time to wipe it off. I wasn't sure if it was the claustrophobia, but my head was starting to hurt really badly too, and I could barely see anything since Maria took the flashlight with her. So I was currently blind, bleeding, headaching and absolutely exhausted as I was trying to outcrawl a collapsing tunnel. Fantastic.

I realized I was starting to slow down, or maybe the collapsing tunnel was speeding up, as I felt the ground tremble underneath my feet. I put on a burst of speed, which made my body ache even more, but I forced myself forward. It felt as if the tunnel was going on forever, and I felt as if I was about to pass out, but I kept moving.

At one point I tripped over myself, and I could feel a weight crashing over my feet. Out of fear, I screamed, then somehow managed to yank my feet free, and continue on. At this point, sweat or blood was pouring down my face, and I was pretty sure my hands were bleeding too. My entire body was about to fall apart, but when I saw a faint light ahead, hope sparked in my heart.

I was almost there. I was so close. Just a little farther. To my immense relief, I managed to throw myself into the small opening. The crate was still pulled back from the hole, so maybe the brothers weren't back here after all. At this point I didn't care. They could do whatever the fuck they wanted to me, I just wanted to get back onto solid ground.

With all the fading energy I had left in me, I heaved myself up and out of the hole, just as the avalanche of dirt crashed into the opening, instantly burying the escape route to freedom. I staggered back, feeling my heart finally starting to slow down. I collapsed onto my back, having no intention of moving for the next million years or so.

I closed my eyes and tried to steady my breathing. I made it. I was alive. I was moderately safe, even just for a moment. Even if I wasn't safe, and in fact mortal danger, Maria was safe and that was all that mattered. I sacrificed myself for her, which was probably the most selfless thing I've ever done. I was proud of myself for doing that, and maybe I was ready to die now. I had my morals in place, and I thought that I had the potential of being a good person, if I had a chance to be.

I was ready for a new life. I was ready to start over, no matter who I was, or what I was going to be. I was ready for anything, and I was going to be selfless and brave and strong. I was ready.

"Hello, Justin." A voice said above me. "Are you ready to die?"

I took a deep breath in and out, then said. "Yes, I am."