Magnoliophyta

11. AMOR

We stepped out of the car, stretching and flexing our muscles after the long, congesting road trip. I bent down and touched my hands to my toes and then did some spot jogging just to see if my hands and legs were still moving and not numb. After stretching I grabbed my backpack and hung it over my shoulders. I tied my shoelace, tightened my rubber band because my hair was coming lose and finally wiped my face with my towel. I was ready to go and find the next clue!

Lil and Jared did pretty much the same things and were ready to go clue hunting like me. Derek decided to drive back to Magnoliophyta and promised that he would come pick us up when we were ready and had found the clue. With Derek and the car gone, there was no turning back! The three of us faced the huge mine and after standing in the same spot for about a minute, we all plunged into our first part of the Odyssey!

" This place is huge! How are we going to find a clue in here. It's like searching for a needle in a stack of hay!" I cried.

" Now now let's not make immediate conclusions, maybe if we start searching things won't look so challenging." Lil said sensibly.

" Yeah, I guess you're right. Let's start the hunt!" I said.

We all were pumped in with renewed spirit as we walked down towards the mine. The mine was like a labyrinth, with passages everywhere and spooky tunnels slithering in all the directions. We decided to split up so that we could cover more area in less time. We all kept a piece of chalk to mark the passages as we went through them.

" Ok, meet you here in two hours" I said with no particular interest. I was scared to death and did not fancy going down in those mines alone but it had to be done so I took a deep breath and stepped in the darkness of the tunnels. 

The air suddenly felt musty and moist. I was not very keen on the fact that there were tons of rocks piled up above my head and I could be crushed under them at any point in time. I kept my chalk in my hand, determined not to get lost. The tunnel was straight for quite some time, then suddenly the path diverged into two narrow paths. I randomly chose the path leading to the right and made my way deeper into the mines. I marked the cold rocky wall with my bright pink chalk and continued. I kept walking and walking, taking turns in almost every five to ten minutes. All my walking was in vain. I reached a dead end. 

The huge rocky wall looming over me made me feel angry and frustrated. I had been walking for so long and this is what I found! The temperature down there wasn't helping my drowning moods either. I couldn't bear it anymore and I kicked the rocky wall with all my might. As my foot connected with the rock, a hot blinding pain ran through my foot and reached my thigh. I staggered to the ground, cradling my injured leg against my chest. I bit back on my lip in pain as blood dripped down my chin. Tears welled in my eyes and I could feel my thumping chest. I lay down on the ground curled like a ball and drifted off to sub-consciousness as I couldn't bear the searing pain up my leg. I was sobbing between breaths. The worst part, there was no one to help me down there. Things were looking bleak.

" Hey, what are you doing down here? this mine was abandoned years ago."  a faint voice reached my ears.

I tried to open my eyes and then suddenly I felt a jolt, cool water dripped down my temples soothing my hot and bothered nerves. I jerked open my eyes.

A boy, about fourteen years old was standing in front of me. I could tell that he was about my age but he looked much younger. He had skinny limbs attached to an even skinnier torso. He wore tattered jeans and a loose flannel shirt that was so loose that it was drooping down his shoulders. The boy had beautiful eyes that were under thick, deep set brows and curly jet black hair. 

" HELLO! didn't you hear me?" he shouted.

" OH! sorry, I heard you. I am here with my friends they are down in the other parts of the mine. We are searching for a clue that would get us closer to defeating Nero. And by the way, if this mine was abandoned years ago, why are YOU still here!" I said.