The Clockmaker and the Pirate - EVERMORE BOOK 1

Chapter 13 -- Island Somewhere in the Indian Ocean, 27 July 1650

Thank you so much for all of your comments. I love you guys, if i haven't made that clear already. Anyway, here's the update I promised you. :)

I'm pretty sure that I'm going to cut off the circulation in Mitch's hand. I'm trying to be brave, but as we walk deeper and deeper into the mysterious cave, my nervousness skyrockets.

When we had been outside, I had thought that it was physically impossible for it to get darker. Apparently, I had been wrong. It's so dark that I can't see my feet underneath my legs, let alone Mitch or Kirstin next to me.

The loudest noise that I can hear is myself breathing, and my heart pounding out of my chest. Our footsteps are deafening in my ear, and every time Kirstin gasps in surprise, I jump out of my skin.

"Sorry," she mumbles quietly. "I thought I stepped in a hole."

We continue on without another word, my heart beginning to beat more quickly. I'm on edge, and at every little sound I feel adrenaline coursing through my veins.

Mitch sneezes suddenly. I scream. Kirstin laughs.

But the humor of the moment quickly fades and the three of us go back to being terrified.

"How big is this cave, anyway?" Kirstin asks after a while.

I shrug, but then I realize that she can't see me in the darkness. "I don't know," I reply. "Is the arrow still pointing forward?"

Mitch sighs loudly. "I would tell you, but I can't see it."

It's nice to know that there's a possibility that we might be going in the completely wrong direction. What will the Sapphire even look like, anyway? I'd always pictured it to be glowing or doing something magical, but what if it looks just like any other rock? What if we had already passed it without even realizing?

My foot suddenly catches on something that's resting on the ground, and I stumble over my feet a little. Mitch feels this and does his best to stable me. "You alright?"

"Yeah, I think I just tripped on something," I say, bending over to find the thing that had nearly caused me to fall flat on my face. After a few moments of searching with my hands, I feel something smooth and cold on the floor. It's definitely not a rock.

I pick it up and stand straight, running my fingers over the smooth surface. What is it? There's little indentations carved into it, and they feel purposeful. It feels like there's a rather large X on the surface, and then smaller carvings above.

I gasp as I realize what it is.

"What is it?" Kirstin asks curiously and a little uneasily.

I'm just so transfixed by the harmless carvings with harmful meaning that I don't bother to answer her.

"Scott," she says, more urgently and more terrified. "What is it?"

"It's..." I begin, swallowing. "I think Captain Lewis has been here, too."

Kirstin gasps. "Oh my God. Oh my God! No, no no..."

"Calm down, Kirst," Mitch says, probably physically comforting her in some way. "He's probably already left. And...well, if he has, it means that he might have the Sapphire with him."

"What are we going to do then?" I ask.

Mitch sighs. "One thing at a time, Blondie. C'mon, let's keep going."

Even though I can't see it, I can sense Kirstin's reluctance to continue, but she does anyway and the three of us keep walking into the cave.

After a while (I'm not sure how long; I'd check my pocket watch but, once again, I can't see anything), the cave begins to grow lighter. "Thank God," Kirstin sighs as we grow nearer to a little torch that's mounted on the wall. Mitch grabs the small torch, and for the first time in maybe hours, I'm able to clearly see both Mitch's and Kirstin's faces. It's comforting, and it's a little reminder that I'm not alone.