Treasure Hunters: Book of Secrets

Sixteen: Cavern Mayhem

"Oh-" Emily was  fascinated by everything around them. "I've never seen so many relics! And so beautifully preserved..."

Suddenly, the ground gave out beneath them, and everyone but Emily and Patrick went sliding down a shaft.

"Ben, Alex!" Their parents called helplessly as the shaft slid closed, cutting them off.

"Whoa!" The group had landed on a tipping slab of stone. 

"Riley move back, back!" cried Ben, trying to equally spread out their weight.  "Now move forward!"

"Ah, what do you want me to do?!"

"Now stop, stop!"

"How's your balance?" Alex said as everyone tried to stand as still as possible as to not shift the stone beneath their feet.

"Okay, we've got to balance our weight to even this thing out-" Ben took a wide stance, arms outstretched in an attempt to equally balance his weight.

Mitch shone his flashlight down beneath them. "There's nothing, just a big old black hole," he announced.

"Awesome," said Riley. 

"Look!" Abigail cried, shining her light on the wall. "There's a ladder! Or well, what's left of one..."

Suddenly, the stone gave a violent shift, throwing everyone off balance - it was Mitch.

"Hey!"

"What are you doing?!"

"You're not helping!"

"I can get up there just as easily as you," Mitch told Ben. "And I sure as hell ain't goin' last, so I might as well go first." He and Ben were standing very close to the edge now. "What's it gonna be, Gates?"

"Fine, we'll do this your way." Ben gave a mocking sweep of his arm. "After you." Then he turned to the others. "The rest of us will move together, all at once. One step at a time. On my mark: one, two, three-"

With that, the four began stepping closer and closer together, until they clustered in the corner diagonally across from the one Mitch was standing on, raising it up so he could reach the ladder. He threw his flashlight up onto the ledge before beginning the climb. He stumbled a couple of times, but the others gave a sigh of relief when he made it to safety, even if it was their rival. This proved that it was possible, they had an escape. 

"Mitch, what do you see? Is there a way out?" called Riley, but received no answer, only his calls echoing back to him through the dark, deadly cavern.

The four grabbed onto each other tightly as they all met at the opposite end. Now, with less of them, it was harder to balance, but they managed the best they could.

"Guys," said Abigail, her tone serious. "I've been doing the math here and-"

"I know," said Ben nodding, also serious, having figured it out too. 

"We're going to have to leave one person behind," Abigail finished. There was a tense moment of silence as the four absorbed this.

"Yeah." Riley was the first to break it.  "Just promise you'll come back for me." They all looked at him.  "I can do the math too."  Another stunned silence.  "I'll go last. No, we'll figure something else out Riley," Riley said, changing his voice to imitate those of his friends.  "Yeah we need you up there, please Riley." When he received no response he dropped the voices.  "Nothing? No? Okay."

"Shut up, just shut up!" Alex suddenly shouted.  While the others tried to contain their panic, she did not.  Her shouts echoed off the cavern walls.  "We're not leaving you behind – we're not leaving anyone behind," she stated firmly.  She looked to her brother who seemed to always have an answer, but he was looking just as distraught as she felt.

"Al, I don't like it either," he said, trying to calm her.  "But do the math, it doesn't matter how many people we have, someone is going to be left."

"Alex, it's okay," Riley said, also trying to calm her.

"No it's not!"

"Besides, out of everyone here, I'm the least important to this hunt."

"What, how can you say that, how can you even think that?!" she cried.  "You think you don't matter? If it weren't for you and your book we wouldn't even be here so don't you say you're of any less importance than the rest of us. Don't you dare!"

"Alex, calm down," Ben said, reaching out to take her arm in an attempt to steady her.  "You're going to throw this whole thing off balance-"

"No Ben!" She turned on him, cutting him off with a shout. Even in the dim light he could tell she was trying to hold back tears.  "If it were Abigail saying she was going to stay behind you would be doing exactly what I am right now so don't you tell me to calm down!" she yelled, her voice breaking.

"Alex, hey-" Riley grabbed her arms, making her stop and look at him.  "Hey, it's going to be alright."

She shook her head firmly.  "I'm not leaving you here."

"It's okay, I'll go last."

"But how? You need someone here to help you-" Her voice broke again as a sob escaped her throat.  "I'll stay behind with you."

"But it's for your ancestor, you should have the chance to see it." He gave her a smile, trying not to seem too afraid.  "Just promise you'll come back."

Alex stared at him for a moment before pulling him to her in a long, passionate kiss, one that had been held back for far too long.

Ben and Abigail solemnly watched them. Both had been rooting for this to happen for a long time, Ben since college, and it was sad to see it finally happen at a time and in a place that secured no promises. Both looked up and met eyes briefly, thinking of their own relationship.

When they finally pulled away both were breathless, Alex fully crying now and Riley's mouth hanging open in shock.

"I promise," she said shakily.

"I know," he said, and pulled her back to him for another kiss. 

"Well that finally happened," mumbled Ben.

"Just in case we don't get the chance," Riley started to say, meaning their kiss.

"We will," she assured him.  However, all were wondering.  They didn't know what lay ahead, or if there even would be a chance for them to come back this way.

"You all coming?" called Mitch from the tunnel, breaking the moment. 

Alex took Riley's hand. "You next, Abigail."

Abigail nodded and slowly started walking forward.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you," Alex said to her brother.

"No." He shook his head.  "You're right, I'd do the same," he said, his eyes on Abigail.

She made it up to the ledge safely as well, joining Mitch. 

"You next, Al," said Ben.

"Okay..." She cast a long glance back at him and Riley. 

Suddenly, the platform gave a violent lurch - Alex barely managed to grab hold of the ladder. "Ben, Riley!"

The stone was tipping - they had to jump now. 

(I think this is my favourite chapter and one of the earliest parts I wrote :) Riley needed some more love! 

Hope you enjoyed, thank you so much for reading! :))