Call Spirits in Your Past **Book Two**

Chapter 49 (Monday afternoon)

Verspri panted heavily, cresting the top of the hill. The going wasn't that steep, but with the ash-covered ground shifting beneath his feet, each step upwards slid him at least half a step back. Plus, the six of them even reaching this hill had required walking for an hour over rubble and around giant craters.

"Are we there now?" Razón panted, hands resting on his head.

"How far have we even walked?" Kessa asked, reaching the hilltop beside them.

"I'm pretty sure I can still see the arts building," Isaac said. "Vaguely. Mostly because it's the only standing building over there," he pointed.

Verspri squinted, trying to block out the sun hanging slightly above him. The distance appeared all the same, rubble-strewn terrain. "I don't see it."

"Yeah I don't either," Kessa added.

"Well, I do," Isaac crossed his arms.

"So...is this the building toddler-girl showed you?" Tamy asked.

Verspri turned, surveying the ruin. "I...think so?"

"Great," Tamy resumed trekking forward, approaching cracked marble blocks littering the hilltop.

Tara and the others shuffled after her, but Verspri trailed behind. Why had Ve-Are told him to come here? What were they supposed to find that was so important, that made Ve-Are sad?

"So...there's a literal gaping hole," Tara's voice called. Verspri broke into a jog. "I guess that's new."

Verspri clambered over the rubble, frowning. "but we passed three holes on the way here..." he caught sight of the gaping hole and stopped. Some of the other buildings had collapsed floors, revealing two or possibly three levels below ground. But this... "Where does it end?" he whispered, staying several feet clear of the abyssal drop into blackness.

"You know, I halfway thought you were just crazy," Tamy said. "Toddler girl, alternate dimension, toddler girl giving you instructions--but this...Verspri, I officially apologize for thinking you might have been crazy."

"Gee, thanks," he muttered.

"Guess it's time to see how far I stretch," Tara said, kneeling on the ground. "Could someone hold my feet?"

"You can't be serious," Razón's eyes bugged. "You can't just stick your face down there!"

Kessa leaned over the edge, and Isaac grabbed her wrist. Purple lasers burst from her eyes and shot downwards. Grunting, Kessa's lasers winked out and she backed away.

"What happened?" Isaac asked, letting go of her.

Kessa rubbed her eyes. "My lasers don't just keep going forever, you know. Air resistance, or something, I forget how my teacher explained it," she moved her hands from her face and tears trickled down her cheeks. "They didn't reach the bottom."

"I guess I am sticking my face down there," Tara said. Tamy knelt on the ground and grabbed Tara's ankles, then Tara plunged out of sight.

"What I don't understand is how there can be a hole this deep, yet it doesn't seem to structurally affect any of the surroundings," Razón said. "Shouldn't the hill be trying to cave in? And since it's not, what is supporting this thing?"

"Has she reached the bottom yet?" Isaac whispered.

"How am I supposed to know that?" Tamy answered hotly.

"Guys!" Tara's voice floated up. "There's tunnels branching off to the sides!" A pause. "Also, the walls are made of some weird stuff. It's chalky, except it's really dark."