the silent heartbeat

Chapter 34

Chapter 34

One moment, we were standing together in the quiet clearing, our eyes on the path ahead, and then in an instant, everything shifted. The ground beneath us started to tremble violently, as if the earth itself was awakening with a dark, ancient force. The ground buckled, and cracks began to form around us, widening at an alarming speed. Suddenly, before any of us could react, the soil began to crumble, and an unseen force seemed to pull us downward, as though we were standing on quicksand.

The realization hit like a cold shock—we were being sucked into the ground. A surge of panic filled me as I tried to steady myself, but the pull was too strong. My friends' faces mirrored my own terror, and we all screamed as the earth swallowed us up. My heart raced, my mind racing with fear and confusion. Kaleb's voice broke through the chaos, his words surprisingly calm. "Everyone, stay calm. Don't struggle—it'll only make it worse."

Inhaling a shaky breath, I tried to focus on his words, tried to hold on to the sliver of hope he offered. I closed my eyes, shutting out the dizzying motion and the feeling of suffocation. The pull became stronger, drawing us deeper and deeper into the earth, until we were completely submerged. My head went under, and for a brief, terrifying moment, I couldn't breathe. My lungs burned, and I felt as if the world was collapsing in on me.

In that moment, I did the only thing I could think of: I prayed. I prayed that somehow, someway, we would make it through this, that whatever awaited us wouldn't be worse than the ground trying to consume us whole.

Then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the sensation stopped. I felt solid ground beneath me again, and the pressure released. I opened my eyes, gasping for air, and took in my surroundings with disbelief. We had emerged into an enormous underground tunnel, and everywhere I looked, there were glittering piles of gold coins. The tunnel walls sparkled as if they'd been inlaid with precious stones, reflecting the light from the small cracks in the earth above us.

"Huh?" I muttered, looking around in amazement. "Where... are we?"

My friends appeared equally stunned. Kaleb brushed dirt off his clothes, taking in the strange scene with wide eyes. "Is this... real?" he murmured, almost as if talking to himself. Holland bent down to inspect the coins, letting them sift through his fingers. "This is insane," he said, shaking his head. "It's like something out of a legend."

The coins were real enough, though. Each one felt solid and cold to the touch, with intricate patterns that gleamed in the dim light. There were mounds upon mounds of them, spilling out across the floor like waves. In some places, the coins formed small hills, while in others, they were scattered as though dropped hastily by someone long ago.

Berryl took a cautious step forward, her eyes flickering with unease. "Does anyone else find this... odd? Why would there be a tunnel filled with gold coins down here?"

"I don't know," I replied, feeling an eerie chill despite the glimmering surroundings. "It feels like a trap."

Holland nodded in agreement. "It's too convenient. Almost like someone—or something—wanted us to be here."

Kaleb remained silent, his gaze sweeping the tunnel. Finally, he spoke. "Regardless of how we got here, we have to stay on our guard. This could be another test."

I couldn't shake the feeling of unease gnawing at me. As magnificent as the scene was, it felt off, like a beautiful mask hiding something sinister. Trying to brush off my growing anxiety, I stepped forward cautiously. The coins clinked beneath my feet, echoing in the vast tunnel.

Holland turned to me, his face serious. "Do you think this place has anything to do with the keys?"

I shrugged, unsure. "Maybe. We still need two more, and this journey hasn't exactly been straightforward."