The Long Dark- A Journey Through Frozen Hell

Detcord

Miho breathed heavily, trekking up the steep hill to the mine.

She made it to the top to see a rickety bridge that swayed side to side from the heavy dark winds.

She sighed, feeling like she should give up as she pulled out Boko, trying to feel that inspiring courage again. But this time, it barely worked. She barely felt motivated anymore.

She frowned, putting away Boko and grabbing onto the rope, slowly walking across.

She made it across without any problems and entered the mine.

Miho looked at a shelf and saw a lantern that hung on the shelf.

She picked it up and lit it, illuminating her way as she maneuvered through the rock corridors.

It felt surreal to her. Long ago, men walked up and down this mine collecting coal to power their world. Now, she was walking down the same path to get detonators to help break out a man who would destroy the world they built. She felt sad, thinking about it.

The thought made her sad as she contemplated horrible thoughts using the rifle on her back.

She shook the thoughts out as she walked further down into the mine.

Shortly after walking across a plank with electrical water below, she came across a handcraft elevator.

To the right of the mine was a door that was locked. That must be where the detonators should be.

Cranking down to the third floor, she searched for the detonators in the dim light she had.

She stared down the wooden stairs at the cloud of gas that floated about.

Taking a deep breath, she hurried down the steps, grabbed the handle, and put it on the lever, turning it as the air filtration replaced the gas with breathable air.

Miho gasped for air as she grabbed the handle, pulled it off the switch, and walked down the mine, seeing the cliud again.

She took a deep breath, running into the gas cloud and piecing together the lever, fixing the filtration system.

As she turned the lever, the old iron bar snapped, locking the lever switch in place forever.

Miho screamed in frustration, calming down and walking further down the mine.

Further down, she could see the next filtration system behind iron bars with a dead body next to it.

Miho turned her head and saw the doorway leading to it that winded around.

Miho sighed, annoyed by this already as she dropped her equipment except for the lantern.

She took a deep breath and ran into the cloud, running through the gas cloud, sprinting down winding hallways and sprinting up the stairs until she reached the filtration system.

She grabbed the lever from the dead man's hands and shoved it into the lever switch, and turned it on.

The gas dissipated as she gasped, breathing heavily for air.

She looked down, noticing a small key in his hands.

Miho reached down and grabbed the key from the body, feeling indifferent looting the man.

She made her way back out of the mine, grabbing her stuff, and back to the elevator.

She cracked back up and made her way to the locked door and opened it, only to discover a chainlink fence set up, blocking her path with debris being her only way around it.

She walked across planks of wood, balancing herself as she made it across.

When she approached the chainlink gate, a chain wrapped around it, blocking her path.

She sighed, looking around and finding a pair of bolt cutters on the other side of the fence, the same way she came.

She maneuvered across again and picked up the cutters off the ground, walking back across, and cut the fence.

She went in deeper into the cave, coming across another crank elevator before realizing this one didn't have a crank.

Miho sighed, leaning against the elevator, and stared at the ceiling.

She picked herself back up and walked back to the elevator and took the crank, carrying it with her from now on.

When she finally made it back, she cranked down, pitching herself into darkness as she turned on her lantern.

As she went down, it got harder to breathe.

When she made it to her stop, she realized that she was in a cloud of toxic gas.

She quickly ran out of the elevator, running towards the pocket of air before collapsing and breathing heavily.

She moved deeper into the cave, and it got tighter to move through.

Eventually, she made it to a chainlink gate blocked her path.

Breaking the lock, Miho opened the gate and walked through.

A telephone rang as she hurried and answered it.

"So, how did it all work out?" Jace asked.

"I sabotaged the pipes, but Mathis found dynamite. He sent me to get him some detonators. He's going to blow open solitary."

Jace was silent for a minute.

"Time for the nuclear option."

"What are you going to do?" She asked.

"I've been gone for too long. Atwood is going to be pissed." She said.

"Atwood?" Miho asked.

"Never mind that, we need to stop Mathis."

"How do we do that?" Miho asked.

"I'm not sure, but I have an idea. Just buy me some time."

"I'll do what I can." Miho said.

"Good luck to us both, Miho." Jace said, and they hung up.

Miho resumed her expedition into the mine.

She approached a box labeled DETONATORS

She opened the box, grabbing the detonators before stuffing them in her pocket and making her way out.

She made it to the entrance of the mine when it began to rumble.

Miho looked around as the lights suddenly came on.

Rocks began to fall from the ceiling as she bolted.

She dived out of the way as the mine collapsed behind her, and she crawled out of the rubble.

She breathed heavily as she looked back at the mine and looked up at the aurora.