Emma

Chapter Eight

A/N: This chapter begins the series of chapters that were written more recently i.e 1 year ago or less. Currently, from this chapter on, I start to reveal a little more plot to you in each chapter. I do this because the story would be too boring and it wouldn't make sense if it was just in Emma's POV. However, in the second draft of this, I'm thinking I'm going to reveal bits of the plot I reveal here earlier. Anyway, if you enjoyed this chapter, give it a vote and a comment! I always appreciate feedback :)

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As quick as a flash, she grabbed the map, making it crumple a little, and headed back to the cave. Emma managed to clamber down the steep slope of the exit and get herself to safety seconds after the opening gave way. The cracks fell to the grip of gravity and the comforting glow of the moon vanished from her sight as the overhang collapsed.

The only source of light that now existed within the cave was coming from the lines of torches on either side of the failed trap, other than the hardly noticeable dot of light coming from the far end of the tunnel where she had entered originally. A nervous expression on her face formed as she gently kicked the fallen sand and sandstone with her now uninjured foot. It didn’t budge. She scraped at it continually, wishing it would soften, but soon gave up.

Eventually, Emma decided to follow the light, and soon she was back in the room with the dispensers and the sensors. She stood next to one of the flaming torches and took a few moments to study the map. At first glance, it didn’t appear to be a map of the whole area, just about half of the land, but as she kept examining the paper she realised it was indeed a zoomed out handmade drawing of at least the area she knew. She wondered how long it took for that man to draw everything.

Further on, she recognised some places that stood out because of various incidents – such as the circle of greenery where she had spied, and the multiple caves she had visited. Other places were completely unfamiliar, and there was no key to explain what everything was. On the other hand, there were some places that looked familiar, but she was sure she had never visited them before.

Near the top-right corner of the map showed what seemed to be a small patch of yellowish plants. Curious as to what it was but deciding to leave the thought alone for now, she decided to look on. Her eyes wandered to the very corner of the beige paper when suddenly her eyes widened.

What she saw was what she believed to be a huge iron gate, with a tiny padlock in the centre chained to the bars. There was nothing directly around it and the map just ended there. There was nothing beyond that point, for it was the end of the map. Emma had absolutely no idea what this meant. She hoped it was some sort of exit but it seemed to be chained up for eternity anyway. A short sigh escaping her lips, she folded the paper, placed it in her bag and made her way across the trap. To her delight, she heard a faint clicking sound from each of the empty dispensers as she walked across the sensors.

Emma emerged from the entrance of the cave with her auburn hair completely coated in grease, with sand and dirt mixed in. Her face showed signs of tiredness and exhaustion, and her shirt barely touched her stomach. Sighing again, she glanced at the terrain before her. The bright, scorching sun was now beginning to rise but the night still remained. Emma had completely forgotten about the plastic bags still waiting to be collected on the other side of the sandstone wall and this was the time she remembered. She ran round in a vague semi-circle before reaching the very shallow indent.

What once had been a slanted surface was now an almost vertical drop. Some of the sand had collapsed off the slant but luckily not in the water. If she fell in there, she would not be able to get back up. Emma searched the landscape nearby as she retrieved the coil of rope out of her bag. She was pleased to see that there was a rectangular-shaped rock a few feet away, but there was no loop on the end of the rope. The young girl then wrapped it around the rock and secured it tightly with a double knot. Holding the other end loosely in her hand, she jumped down into the hole, underestimating its depth.