Silver Lines (Sky Forever Volume 2)

Chapter 30: Ten Damn Years

A couple of hours after the sun had risen, the six of us exited Janey's house (Janey didn't join us, saying she would rather not get involved).

As we walked down the central street towards the Beehive, a few people that were outside smiled at Amber and I, a couple of people even came up to shake our hands. It was quite early in the morning, so there weren't that many people out. It was still nice to see that people remembered us.

We reached the entrance to the Beehive, which was still a gaping hole surrounded by rubble and debris. We climbed over it all and found ourselves in the main atrium. The floor was covered in dust and ash, but all the doors and stairs inside were mainly intact.

"Which way is it to the dungeons?" Kay asked.

I tried to remember which door it was. Amber walked towards a large brown one on the other side of the room and tried to open it.

"I think it's this way." She said.

The rest of us walked over. It wouldn't open by the handle, so Amber stepped back and brought her foot up.

"You're going to kick it down?" I asked.

"Yep!" She announced, "Stand back!"

Her foot collided with the door. With a loud cracking sound, it budged slightly. She kicked it again and it flew open.

She grinned at me, "I've still got it when I need it."

"You sure do." I replied, amazed at her sudden strength. She obviously wasn't as rusty as she thought she was.

We all cautiously stepped through. I remembered this corridor. I had a flashback to when Amber rescued me and dragged me up the corridor after stabbing the Immortal Guard in the stomach.

"So what exactly are we looking for down here?" Neo asked, "A secret entrance or something?"

Amber and I led the way down the thin hallways until we reached the dungeons. It was incredibly dark until Kay found a torch on the floor and lit it with a spark from two rocks.

"That was quick." Neo said, "I'm impressed."

"You learn a trick or two when you've been travelling as long as I have." Kay replied.

He handed me the torch as I was at the front of the group. As we passed one of the cells, I suddenly felt something in the pit of my stomach. I stopped and slowly opened the door.

"Jared, what's wrong?" Kay asked.

I stared into the cell. It was the cell in which I'd lived, starving for days, waiting to be executed. My stomach was in knots just looking at the space in the wall where I'd hung. The chains were still there.

"This was my cell." I said, quietly.

"You were imprisoned here?" Neo asked.

I nodded, "By your father."

Amber joined me at the door, "Don't forget, this was also the room where we first met."

Suddenly, the knot in my stomach unravelled and I smiled.

"Yeah it is." I said, "That actually helps a lot."

We carried on down the corridor, past more cells.

"Hang on." Amber said, stopping, "Shine the torch over here."

I did so and it revealed a gap in the wall. A staircase disappeared into the darkness within.

"You think it might be something?" Storm asked.

"I say we go down." Neo said.

"Who wants to go first?" I asked.