Cure

20

Somehow we were alive.

During our descent, while I was screaming in terror, I thought about my life. Wondered if I'd done enough with it. If I should've done more.

When we landed safely on a tarp similar to the one back in my father's room below Sapphire Island, any regrets that had slipped to the surface diminished.

I was raged with Ashley. She'd tricked us! Granted, we should've expected trickery from her. Even so, if I died before accomplishing something great, it was all her fault.

"There isn't any money here, is there?" I muttered as Dallas helped me off the tarp and onto my feet, the sprain in my ankle once again prominent.

The place was lit by dim yellow bulbs that hung against the volcano's walls. In the poor lighting, I could make out the jagged rocks of the volcano, pebbling the entire ground. The blackened outlines comforted me. The volcano hadn't been active in a long while. So perhaps we weren't on the verge of becoming ashes. Or perhaps, it had been so long that any second it was due an eruption.

Happy thoughts Cher, happy thoughts.

"Doesn't look like it," Dallas kicked a loose rock to one side as we walked away from the tarp.

"So, how are we going to get out of here?" I sighed, staring up at the opening that looked much too far away.

"I could launch you like a sling-shot using the tarp—"

I smacked his shoulder, "Dall! I'm serious."

"Dall?" He repeated, looking down at his hands as a smile curled his lips.

I swallowed, "Yeah. Is that alright?"

He looked up, his smile widening. "Yeah, it's alright. You can call me what you want."

"Okay, Ass-wipe," I snorted.

Dallas playfully shoved me as we walked further away from the tarp.

"This is a pretty huge place," I commented as we scoped out our new dungeon.

At least there's no dead family members in this one.

It was hard to describe what the interior of the volcano looked like. It was both dark and gloomy but also glittery due to the rocks reflecting the dim lights and fading sun from above. One thing that was unavoidable was the strong stench of sulphur and burning. I wasn't sure breathing in the volcanic atmosphere was the best for our health, but it wasn't like we had much of a choice.

"Look, there's like a whole pathway down here," Dallas nodded his head to indicate what he was talking about. And sure enough, a darkened archway that extended beyond our eyesight began at one end of the volcano.

"Should we go down there?" I whispered.

Dallas chuckled softly, "Why are you whispering?"

"That archway doesn't look like it was made by accident," I stated.

He shrugged, "Maybe it was some animal."

"What animal lives in a volcano, Dallas?" I shook my head, "I don't think we're alone here."

"In that case, let me take a look. If I don't come back in five minutes," He tucked my hair behind my ear. "Consider me dead."

I slapped his chest. "Don't say that."

"Well, that is of course the worst-case scenario—"

"—Dallas!" A voice called, cutting Dallas off.

I noticed a shadow growing large in the darkened path.

Our eyes widened in alarm. I grabbed Dallas's hand urging him to move back.