The Network ( Book One of the Grounders Series )

26

The river drags on for hours longer than we'd anticipated. We all wake at one point, make ham and cheese sandwiches and eat lunch as the river carries us steadily down the river.

I tell the others about my dream and the weird flaming RP symbol, but beyond that there's not much to discuss.

"You can't do that again," Cicada says. "We can have you turning into one of them."

I nod and finish off my sandwich.

The cavern doesn't take on any major changes, just turns in the river.

Then the wall comes into view, a massive blockade right in front of us. The river sweep swiftly beneath the wall.

I also see a cave near the blockage on the left wall of the cavern.

We pull out or oars and work to shift across the surface of the water towards the cave.

I'll leap into the cave as we pass it," I say, tying the anchoring rope through my belt loops.

They all agree to my plan. I perch on the edge of the boat and they move around to even out our weights.

I leap, sailing over at least six get of river, before I land on my feet and crouch and roll so I can absorb the sock of the fall.

I stand and walk deeper into the tunnel, straining against the weight of the boat and the friction of the current.

About halfway down the tunnel, something black flies in front of my so quickly I don't have time to register what it is.

Then I here a swoosh behind me and the pressure of the rope disappears.

I turn and watch as the severed rope disappears down the tunnel.

I charge after it, pumping my arms and legs in the effort.

I leap through the air and land hard on my chest, grasping the end of the rope by a thread.

I run and see something that looks like a large bat charging at me, it's wicked fangs bared fearsomely.

I close my eyes and imagine the bat bursting into flames. I open my eyes and watch as parts of the decapitated animal rain down over me.

In the effort I realize the rope is running away again. I push to me feet and charge. The mouth of the tunnel is coming into view.

I reach my foot out and step on the end of the rope hard right before is disappears into the river.

I clutch the sides of the threshold to keep from overrunning into the river.

I stare out at the water, closing my eyes but capturing the picture in my mind's eye. I imagine the rope shortening, bringing the canoe closer to me until I reach out and grab the wood. I open my eyes and see as Cicada climbs over the side and into the tunnel.

Once everyone is out, I let the boat go and it sails down the river, shattering into planks and splinters against the wall.

"What happened?" Joss asks.

"I was Attack by a huge bat," I say, "it was at least as big as a dog."

They all draw their weapons and that. Joss leads the way down the tunnel.

At the end of the tunnel is a massive cavern, it's ceiling covered inch-to-inch in hanging bats.

They hiss as we pass through the scaffolding and soon charge at us. I have déjà vu from the time when the bees swarmed us. I shiver as if all the stings can be felt beneath my healed skin, and at the moments that followed when Rox was killed by minions.

We form a tight bundle, back-to-back-to-back-to-back as they soar down towards us.

But before the first bat reaches the range of my blade, the entire cavern trembles and and my echolocation fuzzes. When it returns I watch the bats confusedly ram into the walls, other bats, and even us.

A massive crack forms all the way across the roof of the cave and chunks of rock big enough to crush us rain down.

"Run!" I say pointing to a narrow tunnel on the other side of the cavern.

We sprint across the floor as rock rains down. Shattered rock pelts my skin as we rush toward the exit.

Overhead I see a boulder bigger that the landing crafts in Arocule falling straight towards Cicada's head.

I leap forward abc tackle her out of the way as the rock lands, shattering even more rock and granting us a very painful shower.

Then I notice something. "JONAH! JOSS!" I scream and they both turn and run towards us.

Black smoke wafts up from the remains of the ground where the blonder hit. It's another pit.

This may just be a straightaway to Arosi. And if it's not then we'll be out of her quicker.

Jonah and Joss finally reach us just as I wrap my arms around Cicada and roll straight into the hole. They catch on and jump in after me.

And once again, here we are, falling.