Depthless: Under The Library

Chapter Thirty-Six// Alex

Alex's POV   

 Watching my mother leave me stranded in a swirling vortex as I watched, unable to be of use, cowering in fear while she was literary torn to shreds right before my eyes was hard. Facing the death of my father was torture in other ways. Now, I may have faced a worse form of excoriation yet.

White faced, my grip on the smooth metal railing vice-like, I peer anxiously as the rescue team march determinantly towards the secret entrance, the only way into the depths of the chasm--- and eventually to the world that lies so inconveniently below ours. 

After several prep tests via microphones, it was time. Finally, they would descend into the unknown, for a quest that I had long deemed impossible.

Peliope was barking last minute orders at the search team, who appeared oddly calm--- more collected than I was. That was the problem with being the President sometimes--- everyone looked up to you, expected the best of you and tend to seek you out for assistance in almost everything around the place.

In worse case scenarios, the president has no clue how to help in such events, them being life threatening and proved to be risky in every aspect, so much so the safety of your entire organisation would break down if there was even a single false move from their part.

During those times, it would be great if the said president could manage to pull some strings and shift the incident around--- times like this could be pulled off somewhat neatly and the president will end up as the hero.

I exhale, feeling the hope drain away with that very breath, wondering if for once, what would it be to fail a simple task as this. It was complete irony, really, that on one such occasion, the endangered characters are put at high risk in a dark dangerous underground chamber, while a few hundred feet above, a great population are just beginning to prepare for the annual gala.

"Are we all set to descend, Mr President?" Our direction instructor called from a portico some distance above. 

Still unable to shake away the doubt and nervousness, I force myself to answer, my voice monotonous: "Begin countdown: three..."

What was I doing? After all I worked for, all my father wrecked his soul for, that I'd allow such a perilous situation to take place right under my watch? 

"Two..." Peliope takes up after my voice trailed off, flashing me a reassuring smile while I could clearly spy a pulsating vein in her neck about to erupt--- a trait she had whenever she anxious. 

As far as I am concerned, no one benefits. Think about it: the risks are as obvious as the gaping chasm that was the start up factor to this situation. These times, I've the entire library population to consider, and saving one girl--- only to trigger off a chain reaction of deaths did not seem appealing to me compared to breaking off the curse once and for all. 

Speaking of that wretched curse that caused my family's life, why are we even sending them there?

"One." 

Too late. 

It's all too familiar--- that situation where you watch your surroundings unfold through eyes that don't seem to be your own. Time passes excruciatingly slow, our minds turn to mush, our thoughts sluggish. Nothing can pull you out of that threatrical situation, no, you are forced to witness it unfold while feeling like someone is wrenching your gut out of your body.

I could only stare, pale and ashen, as I watched Nikolay, Kale and the rest of the brave volunteers march downwards, almost defiantly, down the rest of the spiral staircase, the part that had been deemed off-limits and, been blocked up and stated by law to seal out any innocent people from venturing into the depths of the underground.