Beta || Iancorn (NaNoWriMo 2018)

Level Eleven

Araba took them to the outskirts of the town, where a metal door was positioned in the ground. Several large rocks had been thrown onto it, as if people were worried it would fly off if they didn't weigh it down. David would've thought they were needed if it wasn't for the massive lock that bolted the door to its frame. He didn't see how anything could get past that.

The second they got close enough to see the numerous dents in the rusted metal, Araba stopped. She did a terrible job of masking the fear on her face. Whatever was down there terrified her. And from what Badú had described, she had every reason to be scared.

Mari marched up to her, the sand shaking with the force of her steps. "Give us the keys."

"I don't answer to foreigners demands," Araba tried to sound confident, and failed.

"Badú gave us permission to go inside," Mari reminded her. "Now give me the keys."

The two women stared at each other for a few seconds, but Araba relented and reached into her pocket to throw the keys at Mari, who caught them effortlessly. Before Mari walked back to the group, she yanked her spear out of Araba's hands and pushed her backwards. It seemed that Mari had found Araba's toying with the weapon as infuriating as David had.

She tossed the keys at Wes, who quickly knelt down to remove the lock. Once it was off, he threw it in the sand behind him.

"Okay, what's the plan?" Joven asked. "Are we just going to go in?"

"I don't see any better options," Mari replied as she threw her spear up and caught it. Behind her, Araba glared from the town's borders.

"Mari, you're the only one that's armed," Damien countered softly. That man didn't speak often, and hearing his voice was slightly jarring.

Once again, David had forgotten about the knife in his backpack. Somehow, he felt like whipping a weapon that he was supposed to have surrendered out right in front of Araba didn't seem like the best move, so he kept his mouth shut and didn't move a muscle.

"Badú said that blades did nothing to them," Mari argued. "Weapons won't matter."

"Then how are we supposed to beat it?" Matthew asked pointedly.

There was a brief pause as everyone thought about that very important question.

"Does anyone have any better ideas?" Mari finally asked. "I'm hearing a shit ton of complaints, but nothing that's actually helpful! Please, speak up! I'd be glad to hear them!"

Of course, no one said a word. The plan was stupid, but there was no other alternative. They had to see what they were going to be up against if they had any chance of beating it, and without knowing how to protect themselves, they'd have to go in unprepared. It was their only choice.

"Just what I thought," Mari muttered under her breath. "David, do you still have whatever you used to burn the tree?"

David's face burned. He hadn't thought about the lighter since he'd used it, and now, he realized just how stupid a decision leaving it in the tree was. "No."

"Then we better hope there's already a light source down there," Mari sighed.

"I have matches, Mari," Joven stated as he held up a box. "They always give me matches. You remembered about his lighter but you forgot about my matches?"

"You've never burned down a humongous tree, Joven," Mari rolled her eyes.

"If that's what it takes, I will!" he snapped back.

Mari buried her head in her hands and whispered a few words. David caught one of them; imbecile. "Okay, everyone take a match and strike it against the box. That'll be our only light, so hold onto it."