SPLIT

Chapter 7

"I didn't know you cooked. Actually I didn't know you knew what a stove was ." I said with a smirk as he placed my plate infront of me.

"Ha ha , very funny. "

"So , wanna tell me what you found or do I need to keep guessing?" I said , taking a bite from the mashed potatoes.

"So , turns out there's many exists - all of them leading to the other side of course - but everyone to a different place. "

"Okay ? So ?" I said confused watching him move his veggies around on his plate while he spoke.

"It means we have an out either way. And Vera, the destination is the adventure . We don't know where we're going to end up. Isn't that exciting !?"

"Exciting ? Sure but it's also risky. What if we get lost? Or trapped? Or even -"

"I thought you said you'd give this a chance..." he said disappointed putting his plate to the side.

"I did . I am. It's just , so much could go wrong. Don't you see it Charlie ?"

"Of course I see it Vee but that's the adventure part. We've been stuck in this messed up, broken town for too long don't you think we deserve a little adventure and mystery in our lives?"

"I don't know..." I said uncertain trying my best not to look into his pleading eyes. He knew it was my weakness.

"Think of it this way ; if we don't make it anywhere then we'll come back and have a story to tell. And if we do end up somewhere, well that's a new beginning for us. " I couldn't lie to him, he did have a point it all sounded so enticing . I would resent myself for the rest of my life if I gave up this opportunity of a chance of freedom.

"So ... what do you say ?"

"I'm in ." I said with a big smile watching him jump up and nearly hug me to death.

"You won't regret this. " He said with the biggest smile I think anyone around here has ever seen. "We leave at dawn."

"Dawn? Well I guess I should get to bed then. " I said laughing, pushing my chair in.

"And Vera?" He called behind me "thanks."

"No problem. "

Leaving to an unknown destination on a adventure sounded a lot easier in my head. I had no idea what I was doing and no idea what kind of trouble we were getting ourselves into.

"I have to say ; I had my doubts didn't think you'd come." Charlie said , while I threw my backpack over my shoulder.

"Well then you owe me an apology. " I said smugly watching him approvingly walk down the dirt road towards the old tunnels.

"What did you tell your mom ?"

"Nothing. Just told her I'll be out of town for a few days. " he said so nonchalant while I other hand tried so hard to give a believe excuse.

"And that worked ?" I said in disbelief.

"Sure. She's never home anyway so she doesn't have a lot of time to ask questions. What about you ?"

"Well I told her I was transferred to one of the remote projects on the outlands for a few weeks. " I said proudly.

"You put a lot of thought into that one didn't you ?" He said patronizing while I huffed at his lack of creativity in a backstory.

"Doesn't matter. We're here anyway. Adventure awaits. " He said dramatically, opening the hatch. "After you m'lady "

"My hero." I said sarcastic while climbing down first. It was dark , damp and reeked of old water and oil. Must've been a wasteland or sewerage at some point. I just thanked my lucky stars it was old , abandoned and no longer in use. I wouldn't have been able to walk through a bunch of dirty water no matter how good the destination on the other side was.

"Which way do I go ?" I said looking up at him while he closed the hatch behind him.

"Just keep on walking and when a turn comes, we'll play rock paper scissors for it. Sound good ?"

"It has to. It's the only plan you seem to have." I said taking a deep breath and started approaching the darkness that illuminated every creepy corner I turned.

"It's not so bad. Wanna take a break ?"

"No. Let's keep going. The sooner we get out the sooner I can stop having an anxiety attack at the consequences we might be facing." I said coming to another fork in the road.

"We're going to be fine. I promise. Left." He said while I was too tired to fight him on directions and just blindly followed behind him. It might've been dark,damp and smelly down here but this has been probably the most we've talked in a day. Usually I only saw him at the end of it but I guess spending a whole 24 hours in a tight place gives you some type of connection and understanding with someone that wasn't there before.

"There's another hatch. This has to be it. Come on Vera !" He yelled as we took off into a sprint towards it. Turning it we see another smaller tunnel inside as I looked at Charlie pulling his shoulders up like 'whatever ' as we climbed in together . It was one tight squeeze that's for sure while we crawled into the end , Charlie feeling around for some type of lever , button or loose rock to let us out.

"I think I found it." He said stretching his arm out and pushing a piece of rock out just enough to let light shine sharply into our eyes. "Here , help me push ." He said while we both started pushing the heavy rock to the side before we tumbled face first into water.

Coughing water out my blood ran instantly colder as I heard ; "who the hell are you?"

That's it ! Thank you so much for reading . Remember to leave your thoughts in the comment section below. Until next time keep howling my wolves . ❤🐺