Devil's Attic

Chapter Six

The students were horrified as Kayla slipped over the abyss, her bloodcurdling scream echoing through the cave until it ended abruptly with a dull thud. For a brief moment, everyone was paralyzed with shock.

Jonathan was the first to regain his senses, quickly pushing Eden back into the house before turning to Kevin and Paul. "You two stay here and make sure she doesn't get out," he instructed, turned to Henry, and nodded towards the rope, and the two of them climbed down.

Once he had solid ground under his feet again, he turned around and saw Kayla lying on her back, her left leg twisted unnaturally, her empty eyes glaring at the cave ceiling. Jonathan took a deep breath and felt an immense pain in his chest, knowing that she was dead.

Henry stepped beside him and put his hand on his friend's back. "Oh, shit," he muttered. "Oh, goddamn shit."

Unable to reply, Jonathan's gaze was fixed on Kayla's lifeless body. He knew that no human being could have survived such an impact, and he couldn't help but wonder if he could have prevented her fall. Slowly, he knelt beside her and closed her eyes with a gentle wave of his hand, muttering over and over again how sorry he was.

Meanwhile, Henry had stepped over to one of the lakes and shook his head in disbelief. "Jo, what the hell is this place?" he asked. "Why did they do that?"

"I don't know," Jonathan said as he stood up and joined his friend. "But we need to get out of here, Henry."

Henry replied dryly, "You don't say." The two of them stood silently, gazing at the rows of skulls illuminated by thousands of fireflies. The lake in front of them was small, only about 30 feet in diameter, yet it contained the heads of hundreds of deceased individuals. Henry muttered to himself that Kayla had been right - They had disturbed the peace of the dead and desecrated the temple, and she had paid the ultimate price.

Silently, they climbed back up to the ledge. Jonathan could hear Eden's cries of distress, and it broke his heart to tell her the sad truth. When he entered the house and she saw his face, she already knew. "No, Jo, no, no, no, please, no, please," she cried.

He knelt in front of her and pulled her into his arms. "I'm so sorry, Baby, so sorry," he murmured, slowly rocking her back and forth.

Henry took the lead with Paul and Kevin. "Okay, guys, let's be clear. You've planned all this shit here. How big is this fucking mesa, and do you have any hint of an exit?"

Both Kevin and Paul shook their heads in response. Kevin sniffed loudly and wiped away his tears. "The mesa is nearly 850 feet wide. In theory, we should reach the back wall soon," he explained.

Henry let out an angry gasp as Jonathan emerged from the house, holding Eden in his arms, his gaze fixed on his friend. "We should try to get some sleep now, recharge our batteries, and then continue," Jonathan suggested.

No one objected, so they unrolled their sleeping bags next to the houses. The cold was pervasive, and Jonathan noticed Eden shivering. He retrieved a sweater from his backpack and helped her put it on before taking her back into his arms, gently stroking her hair to provide comfort. With one last loud sigh, Eden fell asleep from exhaustion, and Jonathan leaned his head against the wall of the house, lost in deep thoughts about the horrors of this place.

***

A few hours later, the students awoke, their hearts still heavy with grief. They silently packed their belongings into their backpacks, preparing for the descent. Eden handed out energy bars and water to her companions.

With their supplies in tow, they began their journey, guided by a somber determination. As they walked past Kayla's lifeless body, Jonathan gently covered Eden's eyes, shielding her from the sight. She allowed it to happen, but after they had traveled a distance, she suddenly came to a halt. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at Jonathan, her voice trembling with pain. "We can't leave her here, Jo," she pleaded. "Not in this place that scared her so much."