I SURVIVE (#Wattys2017)

CHAPTER 14

*New and Improved Version*

Down, down, down we went as the path became steeper and steeper and soon, came to a middle part of a whitewater fall, the undercutting. One thing that surprised me was a wrecked plane that hung in the middle. Shocked that it survived even though the water sometimes showered on it, the plane swung but did not fall.

William collapsed on the ground in exhaustion after nearly fracturing his wrist when we slid down the slope before. Wings of the plane became a bridge for it has a span of a meter longer than the fall. Fortunately, the plane was stuck on the rocks horizontally. Not waiting a second to pass, I jumped on the wing as it tilted a little, catching water from the fall as it flowed down to my feet.

I waited for the surface to dry for ten seconds, and then ran to the flight deck whilst being very careful not to slip. Inside of the plane was not quite friendly. Its windshield had many bullet holes, three seats were torn in the cabin and the toilet door was swinging off its hinges. Smashed bottles, burnt old cigarettes and other thrashes were littered on the floor.

Old blood seemed to spray everywhere. It smelled strong and hallucinating, that I quickly pressed my nose and sprinted to a smashed window beside a seat at the back to get out of there. Good thing I fit through it. I climbed the fuselage cautiously for the wing was out of reach and saw William sitting and looking at me.

After reaching at the wing part, I climbed down the fuselage and stepped on it. It tilted and water rushed down, making me to slide. At the quarter to the end, I leaped and caught the ledge. When I was on the cliff, standing on my feet, William clapped his hands like he was watching a circus show. He gave words of praise and I spun around.

"Thank you!" I joked and bowed to him.

"I will just wait for you here," He said and sprawled on the ground after landing with a thud.

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I hesitated in front of a cave's mouth. The dullness of it looked mysterious yet frightening. However, the sunbeams from holes at the ceiling of it invited me in. I felt like I was being pulled by a thousand of streaming lights in the form of little children hands. And in I went, walking straight all the time. Close to the end, the sun had changed into a shade of orange as I hurried on. Until I came to a grey wall, showing that this was the dead end.

The 'glint' was nowhere to be seen. To not keep making my brother anxious, I had to give up and went back outside. Divers of passages I passed wounded here and there. However, the air was still fresh. I decided to slow down in case I went into a wrong path. All of a sudden, an unexpected sound came from beneath my foot. I picked it up and was very happy.

It was what I had been looking for the whole time. I placed it in my pocket and ran at top speed. Although I knew that this was a foolish and dangerous way of revealing my position to enemies and beasts, but I was ecstatic to bother safety.

As soon as the place got darker, I was forced to move slowly. From hyperactive running to a jog, and from jogging to anticipating walk. The world became silent. Maybe the trees unleashed sleeping gas instead of oxygen. That made me worried, for nocturnal ones were out.

A howl echoed through the walls as the cave vibrated and rocks showered down. I stumbled backwards and a stalactite gashed my feet. I covered my mouth and screamed, tears bursting out. It caught a whiff of my blood and bolted to where I was lying on the floor crying. She growled at me, angry for disturbing her sleep. The wolf lunged at me and I could feel my temper heating blood, ready to explode.

"Go away!" I shouted and threw a huge rock at her and pulled my injured foot. At least it was not as painful as the sharp teeth of a trap like before. She revealed her claws, trying to slash me with her beauties. I kicked the bridge of its nose and she went back.

I finished her off by stabbing in the head with an arrow. After several rough stabs, it finally lied on the ground, showing no signs of still being alive. Since my hands were covered in blood, I wiped them on the wall while walking. Creating two straight lines on it. Dusts and rocks replaced blood, which might make William to less worry about it.

And now he was calling my name. Echoes bounced on and off like trampolines. I limped and from time to time, I groaned. Well, I am alive. He stood with his arms crossed on the other side of the waterfall.

I raised a foot with an intention on crossing the plane once more. Meanwhile, William pulled a bow and an arrow from behind his back, then a long string of rope and tied it to the arrow's wood and shoot on earth that I was standing. I limped to it, picking from the ground and shot a questioning look over to him. He held the other end tightly.

"Imagine you're climbing a wall," William said.

Finally, I understood and roped it around my waist. In the meantime, he walked over to a huge tree and binds the rope to its bark. When he signaled, I sprang off the steep rock face and swung to the other side. My injured foot dangled as for its twin, stretched out. Meaning to avoid crashing into the wall. Luckily, part of the hill where I stopped was soil. He hauled me up slowly while I tried to catch cascading water.

William ignored me after I had made it to the top. My eyes were right, he was up in arms.

'Like I care,' I rolled my eyes when he was not looking.

We went back to where we came from, but stuck at the slope. All of a sudden, I saw a brightly lit lantern at the top, hanging from a branch. The village was not abandon after all. The enemies were back from work. And I know they were furious about their missing weapons. As angry as the three bears in Goldilocks.