The Crystal Code

Chapter 15

We had been walking for hours through the damp cool hallways. Ever so often we'd hear a growl or a shuffle unlike our own and we'd hide behind the vines that raced over all the walls. Our shoes squished, still full of water from when we had dropped down into the labriynth. We had tried to dump it out, but it wasnt working. We had walked for about an hour so far and the pain in my leg began subsiding after thirty minutes. Chris said it was because I was a healer that I regenerated faster. Emma and Bethany had also said that crystal holders didn't get acne or sunburns because the crystals regenerated their bodies. I only thought I was lucky to not go through acne as a teenager.

"What are we even looking for? We've walked for an hour and all the tunnels look the same!" Complained Logan.

"Shut up! We should have left you behind at the camp." Snapped Bethany, totally losing her patience. She had been about to turn him down for a date when we had to leave. This just proves her point more.

"Jeez..." Logan mumbled, but on the echoing corridors, everyone had heard him.

"Yet you asked me on a date?" She mumbled, then turned around towards him. "I was going to leave you on the spot, you know. I'd never go on date with you." She bit back. Logan looked at the ground his cheeks flared and wind began rushing through the hallway. We turned a left followed a path for a few minutes and then we came to a dead end.

"Well isn't this great!" Logan exclaimed slapping his arms on his side.

"This doesn't make sense..." Emma whispered. The other hallways didn't have as many vines as this one. Chris glared at Logan, who still looked annoyed, from the corner of my eye then reached out and swiped the vines from the wall. A stone slab kitted out from the others. Emma took the stone pulling it out with a loud popping voice. We hushed and looked around to see if there was any creature who was looking for five teens little scroll was behind the stone slab that Emma gently placed on the mold-covered floor. She grabbed a pocket knife from the back pack she wore. I had forget about Emma and Logan who had volunteered to take them. She unpacked the knife and outlined the edge of the stone before reaching to grab the scroll.

"By doing this, you check to see if there were any booby traps." She fliped the knife back with one finger and handed it to Chris to put back in the backpack. She opened the scroll and I held my breath without even realizing it.

"You've made it this far, but you are as slow as tar. The end is not near, the test is here. Find the challenger behind this wall. But when you succed, know you'll fall. If blood is spread in the dirt, you will lose your blurt." Emma looked up confused. "Blurt? Like talking?"

"Who knows, but the way it is written is like the Golden Prophesy." Said Logan from behind.

"I think that we should do what it says, its like a clue." Suggested Chris. " we should pass through this wall, it said something about a test and a challenger-."

"And blood." Mumbled Bethany leaning against the wall with her arma protectivly around her chest.

"Well I agree with Chris." Ignoring Bethany I went on, "if we need to find Franky, I'll except what ever challenge." I looked around, only Emma and Chris looked ready. Bethany and Logan looked like siblings argueing over candy or something. "Guys, honestly, we could die down here and you'd be still arguing. We are 'the chosen ones'," I said with air quotes. "We can't be bickering over a stupid date."

"Persia's right. She's the one who's limping and tring to help a friend. As her friend i'll do the same." Bethany pushed off the wall and smiled. "Maybe not the limping part, but I'll stay strong, for you."

"Same." Logan said turning his head back where we came from. I rolled by eyes.

"That includes you too, Logan." Chris said.