Badlands

The Shadow Before: Chapter Nineteen

BADLANDS.

The Shadow Before

Chapter Nineteen// The Plan

The screams fade out and then Lucas is the first to ask the question they all wandered, "Where in the hell are we?"

Frank appeared right behind him and Lucas shrieked, "what the hell man."

"Sorry I just thought going ahead would be a better idea but then my flashlight went out,"Frank said and then got the flashlight in Lucas hands.

"All of ours went out," Greg explained, "it must be a difficulty in the wiring of the brands."

"Really?" Lucas asked, "all of them to-"

They started blinking on and off at the same time. Bobby screamed.

"Relax. Jesus," Lucas made him stop and they looked around out towards the land each time the lights were on.

Beyond them was a forest of elms as far they could see. When the lights were on a roar was behind them that vibrated the flesh down their spines.

Bobby screamed again.

"What the hell," Frank murmured.

The lights went out and they huddled close to each other until the roaring stopped.

They made their way underneath a tree and Greg breathed out air that the rest of them still held inside, "so we are on a mission to find Brett, okay? We must be here."

Lucas laughed a cold and half hearted laugh, "really," he asked, "what made you think that?"

"Okay, okay. So how do we find him?" Bobby asked and then he noticed he is still held onto Frank. He let's go after they share a glance.

"We divide and conquer of course," Lucas replied.

Frank shook his head, "oh fuck no. I am staying with all of you just in case if one needs help. If our flashlights keep doing this then that means something."

"Is no one noticing what is actually going on?" Greg asked, "we are underneath ground. Metaphorically speaking because well it is still only daylight. Why is it...dark here?"

Lucas nodded, "what the hell is this place?"

Another roar. But this time they all covered their ears.

It finally stopped and this time Lucas rolled his eyes, "okay what the hell is that, making the sound?!"

"Don't you know," a voice appeared from the trees and they all looked up.

"God?" Bobby asked and he received a punch in the arm by Lucas.

"Oh you only wish that God is able to reach this realm," the voice belonged to a man. Not a boy their age. More specifically. Not Brett. "you keep asking where you are. Greg you know."

Greg shifted his eyes away. The person knew their names. Or maybe just his name. How do they know him though?

"It can't be." Greg shook his head.

The man laughed, "right. But here we are talking and communicating aren't we?"

Greg shook his head. Lucas furrowed his eyebrows and looked from the man to Greg, "Krasterman, where are we?"

"Sheol."

"Where and whatie?" Frank asked and Greg shook his head.

"IT's Hebrew for underworld. Even though there are trees around us. This one in particular could be the tree of life."