Pandora led the way into the tunnel, her torch illuminating every protruding ledge, every beetle skittering along its surface.
Skeeter marched along behind her, sometimes stepping on her heels, much to her annoyance.
"Skeeter," she finally snapped, "go walk behind Joe."
Joe sighed. "I don't want him to step on my heels. Stay away, whelp."
Skeeter paused for a moment, then continued walking. "Screw youse."
"Screw you both." Pandora corrected.
"Are we there yet?" Skeeter grumbled.
"How am I supposed to know?" Pandora shrugged. "The tunnel looked long."
"How long did we take in the other tunnel? That one was about this one's size, right?" Joe said. Pandora stopped. "We're here. It's the end, see? See how the torch's light goes further? And hits that wall? That's the unnamed cavern. Okay. Okay, let's see. Wow." She took a step forward, than shrank back, behind Skeeter. "No, no no no. I'm not ready to see another dead body! You two go?"
Joe nodded, Skeeter snorted, and the pair warily tiptoed into the cavern.
Skeeter and Joe looked around, then looked back at Pandora. "Give us yer torch." Skeeter commanded. Pandora threw the torch to him, then crept into the room, not wanting to be all alone in the dark.
Skeeter shined the light around. "Another tunnel?" Joe asked.
Pandora peered through the dully lit cave. "Yeah. Does it say anything on top of it?"
Skeeter focused the torch beam on the tunnel. "Dunno. Don't think so."
Joe walked closer.
"Looks pretty short. I think there's another room behind it."
"Let's check out this room first." Pandora urged them.
Skeeter obligingly waved the beam around the room. Not much. Another pair of boots, an empty peaches can, and a cracked iPhone.
"Get the phone!" Pandora cried. "It may be cracked, but I want it!"
"Why didn't you bring your own?" Joe asked.
"I didn't exactly think I'd have a power point to charge it at. Get it!"
Joe scuttled over there and retuned, the phone held tightly in his brown hand.
"Give it." Pandora commanded.
Joe balked, and shoved the phone at her. Pandora grinned evilly and tried to turn the phone on.
She held the top button in. She clicked the home button a billion times.
She let out a wail of despair.
"Maybe it just needs a little prodding." Pandora sniffed, starting down the tunnel.
Skeeter followed her closely, torch in his hand.
They walked the tunnel carefully, flinching when Joe accidentally kicked a stone and it clinked against the walls.
"Shh!" Skeeter hissed.
Pandora continued to click the home button on the phone in one hand, around fifty times a minute.
Something was scratching on the wall. Skeeter whipped the torch beam around.
"Who's there?" Pandora looked up from the phone.
Scratch. Scratch. Skrrrrrrrrreek.
"Ugh. Nails down a chalkboard much?" Pandora snorted, continuing down the tunnel. Then she turned around. "We're here."
Skeeter ran up to Pandora and turned off the torch. "Can ya see anythin'?"
Pandora rolled her eyes. "Maybe if you turned on the light, I could?"
YOU ARE READING
When The Stars Died
Ngẫu nhiênSkeeter Bridges, 15, and Pandora Roberts, 15, are the only two humans awake in their world when the stars all die. They're also the only two humans left alive. The two teens witness what happens next, and must defeat their enemy, within only a month...
