Devil's Attic

Chapter Nineteen

Even though they knew the odds were against them, Jonathan's survival instinct kicked in and he pulled Eden down with him. As the massive paw of the lava-beings flew over their heads, Jonathan spotted the exit. "This way!" he shouted, spinning Eden around to face the direction of their escape.

Beneath a low ledge, a narrow passage in the rock beckoned, so small that crawling was the only option. Eden wasted no time and began to move towards it, while Jonathan turned to Paul in a panic. Paul was crouching behind a rock a short distance away, but when Jonathan pointed to the passage, he understood the urgency. Eden had already reached the wall with the ledge but hesitated to crawl inside. Within seconds, Jonathan had caught up to her and pushed her through the opening.

Cobwebs brushed against Eden's face, causing her to whimper softly. The noise from the cave grew quiet and muffled, and the tight space made it impossible to turn around. Jonathan heard another violent blow from the lava-being and hoped it had only hit the wall, not Paul but a moment later, he heard his panting breath. "Quick, quick, quick," Paul blubbered breathlessly. "The reptile creatures are after us."

The three of them crawled over the dry ground, feeling the small stones press into their knees and tear at their hands. Despite the discomfort, they refused to give up and moved as quickly as the narrow tunnel would allow. Jonathan felt sorry for Eden, who suffered terribly from arachnophobia. Even for him, the sensation of little animals crawling on his face was too much to bear. However, there was a silver lining: he was certain that they would soon reach the outside, since "normal" animals meant "normality." And that could only mean one thing: they were getting closer to freedom.

"Okay, Paul," Jonathan shouted back over his shoulder. "If I understand correctly, there should be a small cave up ahead with a staircase inside, right?"

"Theoretically, yes," Paul responded, his voice strained as he coughed loudly.

"Jo, there's something ahead," Eden exclaimed, illuminating the darkness with her flashlight and coming to a halt. "I believe the tunnel ends here." With caution, she continued crawling forward, only to pause once more a short distance away. Jonathan inquired if the cave was within sight, and although Eden could make out the incline, she shook her head. "I can see the ascent," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "But reaching it seems impossible."

"What do you mean?" Paul gasped in panic from behind, turning his head around at the sound of a faint rustle. "Please, continue. Something is coming from behind us!"

Jonathan's heart sank as he watched in horror as the small ledge beneath Eden suddenly gave way, sending her plummeting down with a blood-curdling scream. He bellowed her name, his mind racing as he tried to place the sound that followed - a sound that sent shivers down his spine and sounded oddly familiar. And then, all at once, darkness engulfed him as Eden's flashlight flickered out.

"EDEN!" he roared, frantically groping his way to the left. His feet met the edge of the precipice, but he had no way of knowing how far down it went or where exactly Eden had landed. If he jumped blindly, he risked landing on top of her. "EDEN! EDEN!" he cried out into the abyss, his voice echoing back at him hauntingly.

As Jonathan strained to see through the darkness, a faint moan from below caught his attention, followed by a flurry of movement. Suddenly, a blinding light shone in his eyes. "I'm okay!" Eden's voice rang out, and Jonathan felt a wave of relief wash over him. He estimated the height of the fall to be at least ten feet and was amazed that she had emerged unscathed. "I've found the bones Henry was searching for," Eden explained, her voice echoing off the cavern walls. "It's like I'm swimming in bones down here."

"That's fantastic!" Paul suddenly exclaimed from behind. "Clear some space down there, because I'd much rather join you in swimming through bones than risk getting bitten by those reptile creatures."