Beyond The Bridge [ONC 2023] // Longlisted

Chapter Ten

"Are you sure you're fine to continue? We can wait a little longer," Levi says, shifting himself a little on the dirt floor.

"I'm fine. We should keep going, at least for a little while."

"Alright, but if you feel dizzy again, we have to stop. You might have a serious head injury or something."

"I'm sure it's nothing. Come on."

I stand up, brushing the back of my dress, although I know I must look a fright from the initial fall. The ground continues to move underfoot, but I do my best to ignore and I don't mention it to Levi. We don't have the time to keep stopping and waiting for the dizziness to pass. By now, Mother most likely already knows I'm missing and I don't want her to sit in anguish for any longer than she has to.

Levi holds his hands out to me and I pull him up, both of us grunting with the effort it takes. Even the smallest of movements seems to take a lot more effort than it used to. Once standing, I pull the matchbox from Levi's satchel and relight the candle, allowing the small glow of candlelight to once again illuminate the surrounding tunnel.

Together, we continue down the tunnel, watching for the rocks at our feet and the sharp edges coming out of the dirt wall. Despite our initial excitement about the rocks, they remain few and far between. The surrounding walls show no sign of transforming into the same formations as the cave we had entered through, and I know we have a long walk ahead before we make it to the surface.

If we're going the right way, that is.

We walk for what feels like hours, but I know it can only be a few minutes. Time doesn't seem to exist in the tunnel. Levi groans, his arm falling from my shoulder as he collapses against the dirt wall. He clutches his leg.

"I can't keep going like this. We need to stop for more than a few minutes, get some sleep at least."

"But it's probably nowhere near sundown."

"It doesn't matter, Grace. We're both exhausted and we don't have any concept of time down here. The least we can do is listen to our bodies and get some sleep."

"Alright, fine."

I relent, blowing out the candle and plunging us into darkness once more. Levi slides down the wall, stretching his leg out in front of him and pressing his back against the dirt. I drop the satchel onto the floor with a thump, following it down to the ground and sitting beside Levi. We sit in silence with nothing but the sound of our breathing to break through the silence.

My fingers dig into the dirt beneath me and I let out a small sigh as the exhaustion of the day starts to creep in. I have been so determined for the two of us to escape that I haven't realised just how tiring the day has been. From the walk through the woods to the fall, the day has been full of huge events that have left my body tired and ready to give up. It doesn't help that my head still throbs.

Levi shuffles himself over until his leg touches mine. I know that his mother would be shocked and appalled at his lack of etiquette, but I don't mind too much. He reaches over and wraps his arm around my shoulder, pulling me towards him until my head rests lightly on this shoulder. Exhaustion washes over me, and I close my eyes, breathing in the smell of dust and dirt from the tunnel walls.

"Maybe we should eat something before we sleep," Levi mutters. "Not much, just a small piece of a sausage roll and part of a jam tart. We're not going to get anywhere if we don't eat."

"Yes, alright."

"I'll get it. You just stay there."

He removes his hand from my shoulder, and I lift my head up so he can shuffle forward and grab the satchel. With my eyes still closed, I listen to him unclasp the latch and pull out the parcels of wax paper. I open one eye and hold out an outstretched hand. Levi drops a quarter of one of the sausage rolls and half a tart into my palm.

I start to nibble on the sausage roll, allowing the pastry to melt in my mouth and imagining being back at home with Mother. Her sausage rolls have always been my favourite. When I was younger, she used to make them for me to take out into the fields on a hot summer's day. I would sit on the bridge with my legs dangling over the water and eat them in the hot sun. There's nothing I want more than to be back there.

"We'll get out of here, Grace."

"I know we will." I stuff the last of the sausage roll in my mouth and start to crumble up pieces of the tart. "How's your leg?"

"Still hurts, but it's not as bad as it was. I wouldn't have been able to come this far with you if you hadn't done what you did with the basket. Thank you."

"Let's just hope it holds long enough for us to get out of here."

"It will, and when we finally get out, I'm going to tell everyone that you saved my life."

"But I didn't."

"Yes, you did. Without you doing what you did, I would still be in that cavern with no sign of getting out, at least on my own. There is no one else I would want by my side in this cavern."

"I'm not sure if that's a compliment."

"It is, trust me."

Levi laughs, the sound bouncing off the surrounding walls. I can't help but smile. Even though I would much rather not be in the tunnel at all, I'm glad it's at least with someone I trust who can make me smile in an otherwise terrible situation. If I were alone, I didn't think I would be able to keep going.

I eat the last of the tart and press my back against the wall. Levi sighs, bringing his arm back over my shoulder and allowing me to once again rest my head on his shoulder. I take a deep breath, focusing on Levi's own breathing. Slowly, I drift off to sleep.

~~~

Three's Not a Crowd by lemonhoax

When florist Anya's plans of renting a building for her business are thwarted by successful confectioner, Kaynath, she recruits the help of her best friend, Mirza, to help her. She never expects to have a sweet tooth not just for one person, but maybe two people after all, if she can handle their secrets. 

First Published - March 11th, 2023