𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐆𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐌𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐓𝐇 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝘇𝗲 𝗿𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿

37.. puzzle: find a way out

Thomas stirred awake, blinking against the dim light. He looked around, finding the girls and boys still asleep. He looked down at himself, surprised to find he had apparently slept the whole night.

Something felt strange. Different. He couldn't put his finger on it, but something wasn't right. The air seemed lighter, cooler.

He crawled out from below the rock, standing up and stretching his sore limbs.

Thomas took a deep breath, trying to clear his mind. The night was still dark, but a subtle shift in the air told him the sun would be rising soon.

He looked around at the group, all still asleep. For a few moments, he was tempted to wake them, but he decided against it. Let them sleep, he thought, we all need it.

As Thomas explored the area, he came across a large gap in the rocks that was wide enough to allow the ship to pass through.

It was a promising discovery, and one that could save them a lot of time and effort.

He hurried back to the group, excitement and relief coursing through him. "Hey, wake up," he called, shaking Minho's shoulder.

The boys groaned and stirred, rousing from their slumber. Minho's eyes fluttered open, blinking against the semi-darkness.

"Shuck, Thomas, what time is it?" he mumbled, his voice groggy.

Thomas grinned at him, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "Doesn't matter. I found something. Get up, you guys. You have to see this."

The others groaned and started to stir, rubbing their eyes and stretching their limbs. Frypan sat up and rubbed his face. "This better be good, Thomas. I was having a damn good dream."

"Trust me," Thomas replied, unable to hide his excitement. The others slowly got to their feet, still half-asleep but curious about what Thomas had found.

"Come on," he said, leading the way.

The group followed Thomas, moving quietly through the rocks. Minho yawned loudly. "I'd better see a bloody buffet over there. I'm starving."

Thomas led them through the rocks, careful not to make too much noise. The group moved quietly, their footsteps almost silent against the rough terrain. They reached the gap in the rocks, and Thomas gestured for them to look.

"What do you think?" he asked, a wide grin on his face.

The gap was wide enough to allow passage for most types of watercraft. It was a shortcut that could save them a day or two of travel.

The boys gasped in surprise and relief, their eyes widening in awe. "This is perfect," Gally breathed, his eyes scanning the gap.

Frypan slapped Thomas on the back. "You did good, Thomas. Really good."

Harriet let out a whistle. "That's a pretty big gap, shanks. We should be able to pass through here easily."

Thomas beamed, feeling proud of his discovery. "I know, right? It's like a gift from the gods. We'll be able to save so much time and energy."

The group gathered around the gap, discussing how to proceed. Thomas and Minho examined the structure of the gap, trying to calculate the best way to approach it.

Gally and Frypan discussed the logistics of moving the ship through the gap.

Meanwhile, the girls stood nearby, looking at the scene with intrigue. Sonya and Harriet were discussing the best way to navigate the ship through the gap, while Brenda and Nancy were quietly observing the scene.