Trapped (contest piece @Contests)

Trapped

It all started with a dare.

It was Khan's idea. He was the one who dared Amy and Jess to go into The Cave. The girls accepted, but only on the conditions that Khan came with them.

See, The Cave is a common nickname for an abandoned mine on the outskirts of town. The real name of the mine is Miller's Mine, and it was abandoned for a reason.

In 1893, just under halfway through the mine shaft, a beam had collapsed and crushed several miners. Only 17 of the 30 miners lived. Eleven of the miners were trapped on the other side and starved to death.

Khan nervously led the way. Each of the trespassers were carrying flashlights. Khan stepped back as Jess picked the lock.

Khan bit his lip angrily when the lock didn't open. Then Jess stood up and kicked it, her waist-length black hair twisting wildly. It sprang open as the girl spit her hair out of her mouth and pulled it back into a sleek ponytail.

"Happy now, Khan?" She turned to glare it him, her hair whipping over her shoulder. Khan shook his head, unwavering under Jess's hostile green gaze. "I said into the mine, remember?" He glared back, his dark eyes narrowed.

Amy stepped forward. Stop, she tried to say. She cleared her throat. "Stop," she said, clearly this time, holding her chin up. Her sister stepped back and nodded.

Khan pushed open the door. "Coming or not?" He sneered, obviously trying to intimidate them, but they needed the $10 he had bet them.

Jess raised an eyebrow. "What do you think?" Khan held the door open, faking a bow. "Ladies first." Jess held out her hand to Amy, who took it into her own.

Jess tugged her forward. "C'mon, Amy," she urged. She leaned toward Amy and whispered into her ear, "We need those ten dollars. Mom's foot isn't getting any better." Amy nodded and muttered back, "Okay."

They stepped forward. Jess clicked on her flashlight. The yellow beam revealed a spider. Amy and Khan jumped back. Amy's blue eyes were wide and Khan looked like he almost wanted to run back home.

"Relax, it's dead!" Jess rolled her eyes. Khan whimpered. She hit it with her flashlight. "Proof." Amy nodded again. She tucked her long, light hazel hair behind her ear and took a breath. Stupid arachnophobia, she thought. She didn't hear Khan muttering the same thing.

They all jumped as Khan let go of the door and it slammed shut, leaving the three young teens in a dark, unnatural silence. Gravel trickled from the ceiling. Soon, Jess had taken the lead. No one talked.

They were all scared, although Jess didn't admit it. Who wouldn't be, in a abandoned mine shaft far from anyone but two people your own age?

It was Amy who first heard the cracking. "Guys, did you hear that?" She whispered, and Khan shook his head just before they all heard another one, louder.

Amy pulled on her sister's arm with more force than she knew she had, causing Jess to drop her flashlight and fly backwards just as the ceiling caved. Jess landed on her wrist.

Three adolescent screams rose, the highest one coming from the other side of the rubble. Khan was trapped on the far side.

Amy, assuming her sister was okay, rushed to the rubble and yelled through it. "Khan, are you okay?" She shouted. "Yeah," a faint voice from the other side responded. Amy heard a low moan of pain.

It was Jess. Amy hadn't been fast enough, and her sister's right leg was stuck. Jess's left wrist, the one she had landed on, was at an odd angle. "Help me... please..." Jess's green eyes glittered with pain and tears.

"Jess!" She screamed, terrified. Khan heard it and he felt anguished. Stupid, stupid, STUPID Khan... Why did I dare them to come? he thought.

"Is Jess okay?" He yelled. "No!" Amy yelled back hysterically. "Her leg is stuck and her wrist is hurt!" She shouted.

This only made Khan feel worse. He sat down on the ground, feeling defeated.

Jess was thinking to herself. She knew that her left wrist and right ankle were broken. No use saying they weren't.

Being the intelligent person she was, Jess was started thinking of how to get out of this place. We all need to get out of this old, collapsing mine, Jess thought.

She started brainstorming. "Amy... go back to the door... Get help... please..."

Amy jumped up. "Okay, Jess! I'll be back with people to help us." She started running down the shaft, flashlight in hand, gravel dusting her shoulders.

She reached the door. She grabbed the handle-ish thing on the door and pulled on it. It gave slightly, but Amy wasn't strong enough. She thought of how she had felt when she had pulled Jess back.

She applied the same force to the door and slowly, grindingly, wrenched it open. Then she ran.

She ran straight to town. The ambulance and clinic, the fire department, and the police department were all next to each other.

She ran into the police station and pushed a few people out of the way to get to the desk. "Help! Please, my sister..." She paused to cough, "My sister and Khan Lee are trapped in Miller's Mine!" Her breathing was frantic, her swiftly spoken words tripped over each other, and her eyes were wild.

The receptionist smiled, confused, and gently told her, "Slow down, hon. What was that again?" Amy took a few deep breaths. "My sister. And Khan Lee. Are trapped. In Miller's Mine." She said the words slowly this time.

The receptionist grabbed the phone and said, "Two adolescents, trapped in Miller's Mine."

Soon enough, Amy was in the local police station. She didn't answer any questions until she knew that Khan and Jess were fine. They were both at the hospital, suffering broken limbs and a cut.

(997 words, not counting this or Author's Notes)

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Hello! Here is my piece, Contests. Enjoy! And you other readers, the few of you there are much appreciated! I hope you like it.