Devil's Attic

Chapter Ten

Jonathan pressed his finger against his lips, signaling the others to maintain silence, while his mind raced to find a solution. The path leading back to the river seemed impractical due to its length and straightness, which would increase their chances of getting caught. With urgency, he gestured to the left, prompting the students to tread as quietly as they could. As they rounded a bend, they stumbled upon a slender crevice, and one by one, they squeezed themselves through, their lamps flickering in the dimly lit passage before they turned them off and stood in absolute darkness.

The sound of footsteps grew louder, causing Jonathan's heart to race faster and faster in his chest. Suddenly, he heard a faint whisper, adding to the tension of the moment. As the footsteps almost approached the gap, all four of them held their breath, afraid to make a sound. Jonathan had been the last to slip into the narrow crevice, closest to the tunnel. He pressed his lips together and squeezed Eden's hand tightly, trying to steady his nerves.

As a soft, bluish light drew nearer, it illuminated the tunnel just enough for Jonathan to discern the walls. At that moment, he experienced a fear unlike any he had ever known before. His heart pounded so hard in his chest that he thought it might burst at any second. Faint murmurs echoed through the tunnel, but the language was unfamiliar to Jonathan, adding to his unease.

Abruptly, the bluish light vanished, and an eerie silence descended upon the group. The shuffling footsteps faded away, and soon they were enveloped in complete darkness once again. No one dared to speak, each holding their breath in anticipation. After what felt like an eternity, Jonathan squeezed Eden's hand once and cautiously inched closer to the tunnel. He scanned the area to his left and right, but all was still pitch black.

Finally, he stepped out into the open and let out a quiet exclamation, "Holy shit," as he fumbled for Eden's hand in the darkness.

"What do we do now?" she asked.

"Those were humans, right? I heard them speaking," Henry whispered as he squeezed out of the narrow crevice and leaned against the wall, panting. "Damn it, first atomic giant gecko-critters, and now humans? Were they even humans? Jonathan, did you see anything?"

Jonathan called out softly for Paul, who was hesitant to emerge from the crevice and join the others. "Alright, let's brainstorm," Jonathan spoke in a hushed tone. "What are our options? We can either head back to the river and hope it leads us outside, or we can press on."

"Moving on?" Henry hissed incredulously. "But where do we go? Should we try to seek help from these people? Maybe they have a cure for the critter bites. They might even offer us some homemade bread and water before sending us on our way with good wishes for a safe journey home."

Jonathan let out an exasperated sigh, his eyes rolling in annoyance. "Henry, what other choices do we have? We're left with only two options here."

"We have nothing," Henry seethed as he slowly sank to the ground. "We don't have anything, Jo. Four of us are dead, we've been chased by strange creatures, and this bite will kill me. And you'll die too. We have nothing. Absolutely nothing."

Paul had remained silent until now, but he finally spoke up. "I think we should try crossing the river. I'd rather die like Kevin than be gulped by strange creatures or glowing people."

"We don't even know if they were human," Eden interjected, her voice calm as she tried to diffuse the tense situation.

But Henry was too consumed by anger to think clearly. "Eden, I don't know what Jonathan sees in you. You must be damn good in the bedroom, but you're incredibly stupid. Animals don't talk, they don't have a language, and-"

"HEY," Jonathan interrupted him in a sharp, commanding voice. "If you ever speak to her like that again, I swear to God I'll leave you here." Henry inhaled sharply but remained silent as Jonathan reached out for Eden in the darkness. "Alright, Baby, Paul suggests the river. What do you think?" he asked, seeking her opinion.