Hunter: Cursed

Chapter Thirteen

Watching Dad give Mum a boost up to the ceiling was more than amusing. The first part was easy, she stepped into his hands and he lifted her. The fact she had no balancing skills in that position was what made it funny as she nearly fell over his shoulder. Dad ended up getting a finger up his nose, his hair pulled and a knee to the chin which had him shouting out all kind of things at Mum and our situation. Logan shook his head, warning me not to laugh as they fumbled and putting away my diary, I pulled him over towards me.

"Let me get on your shoulders." I stood up as he nodded, and sure enough, I was soon just out reach of the roof. "Can you pass me that torch please?"

Showing off now, Logan slowly squatted to pick the long handled device and passed it up just as Dad stumbled backwards and hit the hall, dropping Mum in a not so delicate manner. The pair rubbed their sore spots, glaring at each other and us as I used the end of the stick to poke around. It was pretty solid and as Logan got me down, there was no missing the smug look on Dads face. After seeing what he had been doing, Alfie reared up and using his spikey tail, started to hit at it too; nothing happened.

"What?" I snapped at Dad, unable to stop myself.

"Nothing."

"Real mature. Got any other ideas?"

Dad looked thoughtful for a moment, before his shoulders slumps and he slid down against the wall.

"Maybe you can find another button to push?" Mum asked sarcastically, sitting down beside him.

"I made a mistake okay, sorry! I didn't even push it, it just kind moved when my hand ran over it- That's it! It's all done on sensor!" He got up quickly, snatching the torch from my hand as he passed and holding his hand out in front of the wall, waved at it as he moved.

It looked even more ridiculous than what he and Mum had attempted minutes earlier, but with a sigh, I started mimicking his actions - we all did and it was Mum who got the walls moving this time as a rush of cool air sent the sand into a flurry around us.

"Come on!" She called, grabbing her pack, Alfie was at her side as the pair went on down the corridor. Annipe didn't need to be told twice, following after them with the rest of us dropping in line behind.

We were careful not to touch anything, each step slow and cautious with Alfie leading the way now and Annipe managed to fall behind. I think that was to do with something Alfie said to her as one look from him and she was just as alert as he was. When she joined our life, Alfie told me I was her master, but I really don't think that is the case at all. He created her, and the way their species works, the creator is the one who has control. Glancing back at her now, the white scales look blue in the artificial lighting and no matter who has ownership over her, I'm glad she's there.

We get to a dead end, but the wall is lumpy enough we should able to climb up. Alfie still can't transport himself anywhere, so the climb is being made that much more difficult or at least I thought so until he and Annipe replicate what Logan and I did, and do a weird kind of climb up on each other thing. Actually it's more like what my parents did with the awkwardness of Annipe climbing up Alfie, a little too tightly as she coiled around him. He grunted and even hissed as she vanished up the wall and her tail tightened just below his head as she then lifted him with her. None of us moved until Alfie's head poked back over the very top of the ledge.

"Safe for Elise." He called out softly, yet thanks to the tunnel it echoed down to us easily.

Dad and Logan went to make the climb first and I quickly pushed in front. "Ladies first."

Dad mumbled something I didn't quite catch, but I don't think it was nice so didn't really care. The first part was pretty easy, but as we got closer to Alfie, the lumps smoothed and became even more varied. After nearly falling twice, I was starting to ache as every muscle in my body was tense. Sweat dripped down from my forehead and the backpack felt like it was made of bricks. As soon as he could, Alfie reached down and pulled me up the rest of the way, doing the same with Mum before the guys came up.