Child of Earth

32

Author's Note.

(Warning for Domestic Violence ahead.)

Now we can have some backstory with Thalia! Careful this chapter is mostly serious sh**. Skip if you don't want the backstory but it does play a part of who she is.

Thanks for reading!

- Em

-X-

We had reached the last cave before the top of the mountain and the sun was just setting, we had to make a choice, try to get to the top now to save time, or not take the risk and walk straight into the cave and wait until morning before continuing.

If we stopped now and waited to get to the top, we'd probably get stuck inside the paradise up top when night fell. Meaning we'd have to wait until morning to get out again.

"Okay," said Nick turning us all to face him. "Put your hand up for 'keep going'."

Nathan put his hand up and after a moment's hesitation so did I.

"Alright and for 'stop and wait'?" he said putting his hand up. Ebony nodded and put up her hand.

I hate even numbers. Seven was my lucky number. My birthday was in July, there were seven days in a week, Seven Wonders of the World and seven Harry Potter books. Why couldn't the answer always be seven?

Forty-two is such a big number. Although it is a product of seven so I guess I could handle it, except for the fact that it was even.

I sighed and crossed my arms, and Nathan spoke up "Okay think about this, what happens if we wait until morning, march up there, spend eight-ish hours fighting, debating and exploring? We'll be stuck for the night.

And what happens if we need to make a quick exit? We can't because we're stuck until morning.

We need to go now before the sun sets otherwise we'll be stuck up there by the time night comes around."

Nick nodded thoughtfully and Ebony sighed picking up her bag. I smiled sadly at her and turned on my heel, walking up the track at a fast pace.

But then something happened, the earth started to tremble and I heard a dull roar from above us.

Oh crab apples it's a-

"Rock slide!" screamed Ebony running for the cave.

I turned to follow her but the cave entrance disappeared tuning itself back into the side of the mountain.

I cursed and all three of them turned to look at me, even though the mountain around us was becoming more unstable by the second, they turned to me with a look of shock on their faces.

"Run idiots! Find somewhere to hide!" I screamed at them running in between Nathan and Nick, trying not to fall over.

The dull roar was becoming louder and louder, soon it sounded like I was standing under Niagara Falls.

That got the three of them moving.

Ebony who was still slightly ahead of me was struggling because of her foot so I stayed back to hold onto her when she was about to fall.

A rock tumbled off the ledge above us, soaring over my head and smashing itself on the edge of the track.

I clung on tighter to Ebony and puller her under the ledge, she wouldn't get hit if she was under a solid surface.

I tried to squeeze myself under the ledge but I knew I wouldn't fit.

"Ebony stay here until we come to find you." I said putting hand on her shoulder briefly so she'd look at my eyes. "Don't come out until it's safe because with your ankle you can't out run a boulder. Just stay here, we'll be back I promise!"