The Broken Ones

Chapter 28

We watched it circle itself a few times, pace around a few rocks, then run for something. We only realized what it had been doing when it slammed its body against the walls once more. I winced as Felix clutched at me. Rocks tumbled down far too close to us with the contact of its body hitting the wall. I couldn't think. I couldn't breathe. Everything seemed distant.

Somehow, my heart rate increased even more when it turned back around and began making its way through the tunnel in which it came. We stayed deadly still, listening intently to the sound of receding, clumsy footsteps.

Felix kept his hand clutched tightly to my shoulder, as we slowly-very slowly-stood up from our spot, careful not to disturb the silence. His eyes stayed glued onto mine with a cautious gleam to them. When we were positive the creature was far enough for safety, we hesitantly emerged from out hiding spot into the larger area.

Small cracks through the pile of rocks guarding the exit let in slivers of lights. This was enough, luckily. Felix and I moved over to the heap of stone that was crushing-literally and figuratively-our chance of escaping quickly. It seemed utterly hopeless. I pathetically kicked at a small stone resting between my feet.

"What now?" I questioned.

He simply shook his head. We listened to the echo in the caves for a moment. "I don't know." He turned to me suddenly, with a sense of urgency on his features. "Are you alright?"

Of course he would be asking me that. Completely disregarding our situation, even more so, what he went through. Typical Felix. I couldn't help but chuckle.

"What?" he asked, his eyebrows furrowed.

"It's just . . . you're asking me if I'm okay?"

"Well, yeah?"

I snickered. He stared at me like I had gone mad; I have probably gone mad. I patted his shoulder like a proud father would pat his sons. "Let's get out of here," I said.

We had our pure determination, yes. However, that was only a small percentage of what we really needed. First and foremost, and actual plan of how the hell we get out of here. No doubt that thing would eventually grow some brains and stagger back here. At this thought, an idea struck me. I quickly spoke up, "What if we lure the beast back here, and then do one of those movie tricks where we stand in front of the pile while it's running at us, then jump out of the way before it can touch us. The rocks will fall and we can flee."

He was seated on a boulder a few feet away from me. Every now and then, he would take a rock and throw it at the wall like there was some chance it would miraculously come falling down. "Only problem," he said. The rock in his hands flew at the wall. Nothing. He turned back to me. "We're not in the movies. Chances are he would kill us before we even got into position."

"Yeah, I guess . . ." And then after a moment, I glanced up at him, " . . . It was a good idea, though."

He laughed at me. Something tickled at my insides from the sound. "Brilliant, Abby."

He resumed his rock-throwing as I resumed my hopeless pondering. The light seeping through the tiny crevices continued to flash against my eyes, throwing off my train of thought. I groaned in frustration. Out of impulse and utter stupidity, I kicked at the opening roughly.

We both lept back in surprise when a few rocks came tumbling down at the contact. The once small opening revealed a bit more of the outside-a forest of green, and somewhere in the distance, the sound of a rushing river.

I paused, Felix taking in a long, deep breath. We seemed to get the same idea as our eyes both flickered to each other at the same time. "It could work," he said.

I nodded. "Or it could crush us."

"Fair chance."

He quickly got up to meet me by the opening. We observed it in concentration. It was mainly surrounded by smaller stones, but surrounding those were much larger ones with the capacity to kill a man instantly. That was definitely reassuring. And even if we could manage to move some rocks, there was no doubt the creature would hear it. That just means we would have to work fast.

My mind was racing a million miles-per-hour. Wiping my sweaty palms on my dress, I turned to Felix. "Alright, we can't mess this up. Wrong move and the whole wall could come rushing down on us."

He smirked. "Lovely."

"Start with the smaller rocks. And, I don't know, avoid falling boulders?"

"Will do."

At that, we set to work. Tentatively, we began moving rocks from the opening in front of us. It wasn't sturdy by any means, but the only option we had. Very slowly, the crevice grew wider, the light brighter. The grin on Felix's face grew every stone he moved. I couldn't help but smile myself.

We stopped abruptly when a harsh growl came from somewhere within the cave. It heard us.

Our eyes connected in a wave of panic. "We have to work faster," I muttered.

With a simple nod, he began moving the heavier ones, and me-with twigs for arms-the smaller ones. It was ten times more difficult to work with the threat of a giant monster on your mind, accompanied by the possibility of being smashed to a million pieces. But each rock we moved was a closer one to getting out. I had to keep that in mind.

It was running towards us judging from the sounds of frantic galloping. Felix sprung out a variety of swear words as I rushed to remove blockage, wiping my palms on my dress every now and then. The situation might have even been comical if we weren't moment away from death.

Not even caring about noise at this point, we threw the stones to the ground.

"A few more!" Felix informed.

"Hurry," was all I could manage.

Shrill cries from behind sounded. Oh, God. "Felix . . ." I forced. He moved to half-punch away remaining rocks. "We have to go."

He took in a sharp breath. "Working on it!"

My eyes couldn't leave the thing behind us. In the darkness, it was still hard to make out its face. But I could tell that it was drooling an excessive amount from its lips, big, glassy eyes moving to find its possible meal. A cold shiver ran through me when its eyes landed on the two of us hungrily.

"Felix!" I yelled.

"Got it! Go!" Swiftly, he helped me up a few boulders so I was positioned in the crevice. Even after we moved the rocks, it was still a struggle to squeeze myself through the opening. I landed on the grass with a thud. But the anxiety didn't stop there.

"Come on!" I yelled desperately.

I watched from the other side, feeling completely helpless, as Felix grasped onto a few rocks. Angry growls from the creature could be heard, and I could just make out its outline from behind Felix. My hands grasped onto his shoulders in an attempt to help. He kicked at a few rocks, then pushed himself out just before the beast could clench its razor-sharp teeth around Felix's torso.

We landed on the cool grass coated in morning-dew, breathing heavily. Sweat glazed our foreheads and I couldn't stop my limps from shaking. There were only three words running through my head:

What just happened?

Along with:

How are we alive?

Felix seemed to read my thoughts when he choked out, "How?"

Somehow, this made me laugh. It wasn't funny in any way-nothing about anything was funny. But we were alive. This seemed like a good reason to laugh.

And because it was a little funny.

Felix looked at me. I couldn't stop laughing. It started as giggled then turned into stomach-clenching laughter, which then caught onto Felix. We laid there, chuckling like maniacs after escaping death. Probably looking like death, too, I was sure.

I don't know how long we were sprawled out on that grass for. Seemed like forever. In a way, I wish it had been. But a lingering thought quickly forced its way to the front of both Felix's and my head. Kat was missing.