The Tunnels

Being swallowed by the Earth, couldn't get anymore frightening. Amanda shivered as a dewy residue dripped and landed on her bare shoulder. She jumped when her brother's hand gripped her hand. Never had Amanda been welcomed into the cellar that her brother had claimed as his own. But today, something had changed. He came to her in the early morning, demanding that she come with him. She hadn't even had time to change out of her tank top and mickey mouse shorts. Her brother rushed her out of the house and opened the cellar door. Pitch black darkness greeted Amanda as she descended down the stairs. The loud bang signalled the door closing and then her brother's hand had clasped her and began pulling her. 

Amanda nearly tripped over her feet trying to keep up with Ash's pounding feet. He twisted and turned, running down tunnels that Amanda couldn't even see. She simply listened to where his feet went and felt the way that his body turned. Had she not, she would have more than likely jogged into a wall. "Amanda!" Her name echoed off the walls, as Ash felt the need to yell. She was standing right behind him and yet he yelled, like she was millions of miles away. "Check this out." He whispered. Then she felt the heat from his hand disappear and she knew he had left her in the dark, alone. 

"Ash!" She yelled frantically. She felt lost and alone. She spun around, hoping her eyes would adjust and see him hiding somewhere. They didn't. She lost all sense of direction and she felt the tears well up. Why had Ash left her alone here? She felt claustrophobic. The walls began to close in around her and she felt like it was getting darker than it had been before. "Ash!" She screamed again. Tears formed in her eyes. How could he just leave her all alone in this strange place.

"Amanda, just listen!" He sounded so far away. It made her so sad. So, so sad. How could Ash run off and all he wanted to do was play games. "Listen to how your name echoes off the walls. Amanda!" Her name bounced around in the dark. The syllables each ricocheting off of each other and each vowel sounded crisp and clean. "Amanda!" A smile grew on her face and she closed her eyes allowing her ears to be her eyes. 

"Ash, say something prettier!" She heard herself say as she leaned against the wall and slid to the floor. Dirt hit her thighs and rocks stabbed her in the back but she found herself not caring what she felt. She only cared about what she heard. 

"My bewitching little sister, I only wish to apologize. I am safe here, for you cannot find me!" Ash's laughter caused her to open her eyes to the darkness. "I did something bad, but I only wished to protect you! Say you forgive me Amanda!" Amanda stood up, listening closely for the sound of Ash's voice. "Say it, Amanda!" He screamed. He sounded scared.

Ash beind afraid made her afraid. What did he do? What did he want forgiveness for? She followed the sound of his howling and screaming. Her mind kept telling her, she could be going the wrong way. The echoes could be distorting everything. But she relied on instinct as Ash had always told her to do. His wails grew closer and her heart began beating faster. "Amanda!" He shrieked. She didn't answer but simply followed the sound. The turns made her move slowly. Amanda had to use my hands to find the curves and she had to make him say something again to know which way to go. 

Finally, she knew she had found the tunnel he was in. "What are you sorry for, Ash?" She hollered  at him. Stopping, she listened for his reply. Her head turned slowly, allowing her ears to listen for him. 

"Forgive me first!" He replied. He couldn't be more than a few feet in front of her, she realized. Listening closely, she found she heard sobs. That sound could only come from her brother and nothing frightened her more. Never had her big brother cried. He hadn't so much as showed a weakness, let alone let tears fall from his eyes. 

She crouched in front of him and pulled his hands into hers. She couldn't see his eyes but she could just imagine his big brown eyes clouded and puffy. "Ash , what are you sorry for?" He shook his head no. Back and forth, back and forth his brown eyes wide. "Ash-" A loud explosion caused Amanda to fall to the floor, hitting her head against the unforgiving ground. "What was that?" Amanda shrieked. 

"I'm sorry, Amanda. But only you know how to make me smile, so mom and dad don't need to be here. I tried to warn you." She couldn't see him but she knew that voice. The one where he thinks he has done good but really he's done something horrible.

"You didn't? Ash, please tell me you didn't kill mom and dad!" Amanda felt the tears form in her eyes. She felt overwhelmed and scared. She was stuck in these tunnels with her brother who possibly could have killed her parents.

"No, silly, I was down here how could I kill them." Amanda sighed, and prepared herself to ask what the explosion was, when Ash cut her off. "The bomb killed them. Gosh, Amanda usually you're so smart, but I love you anyways." Ash pulled her into a hug. She was going to die and she knew it.