Forget the Forgotten

Chapter Six

Amelia let out a shrill scream. The thing on her neck twisted and wriggled like crazy. Tiny claws poked into her skin. She grabbed it and tried to fling it away. But it got caught in her hair and squealed out loud.

A rat!

Panic swept through Amelia. She cried out again when she felt the damp, disgusting smooth fur on her skin. Finally, she managed to tear the disgusting beast out of her hair – and with all her strength she hurled it into the tunnel.

With a shrill squeal, the rat landed on the ground.

Amelia rubbed her neck. She had a feeling that the little claws were still scraping across her skin.

"It's gone," she tried to calm down. "Relax. You're soon out of here as well."

Amelia grabbed a ladder rung and pulled herself up by it. She put all her weight on her right foot. A searing pain shot through her left leg. She forced herself to climb the first rung. But the metal was covered with a thin film of moisture. Her hand slipped as she tried to pull herself up and she fell back to the floor. Amelia landed on a warm lump that moved beneath her. She gasped and rolled aside.

The rat scurried into the darkness at lightning speed.

Near tears, Amelia rolled over on her back.

"Cool," there was a voice.

Amelia froze.

Someone was there!

"Get me out of here!" she cried.

"Emily... Am... what did you say your name was?" the voice was heard again.

"Amelia," she growled.

They had found her! Above her was the same creaking sound she had heard before she fell. And then a loud crash. The glow of Nick's lighter appeared above her.

"It's a trap door," she heard his voice. "Someone had put a plank over it, look! And Amelia broke through it."

"What have you done, Amelia? Did you roman-jump on it?" Jacob teased her.

"No, the wood had rotten," Nick said.

"I wonder if you could help me now?" Amelia called up. "I hurt my ankle."

"Can you climb?" Tom asked.

A wave of anger swept over Amelia. "What do you think?"

"Are you crazy?" she heard Veronica protest. "You could crash too."

"Amelia will slow my fall down." Joked Nick.

Even under the circumstances, his remark brough a smile to Amelia's face. Now that Nick was here, she felt safer. Even in that rat-infested tunnel.

The ladder wobbled as Nick climbed down. It groaned and squealed under his weight, sending a shower of rust particles down on Amelia. In less than a minute, Nick stood beside her in the darkness. The others followed him one by one.

Amelia reached for his hand and pulled herself up by it. His skin felt warm and dry. She swayed a little as she tried to keep her balance on her healthy foot. Nick then put his arm around her waist to support her. Amelia noticed that her ankle hurt much less when Nick held her down.

"What happened?" he asked.

"I fell."

"You don't say." He gurgled amused. "You're lucky you didn't break your neck."

"I didn't land on my head," she replied dryly.

Someone fell on the concrete beside him. "The ladder is totally rusted," Tom's voice was heard. "It's a miracle we didn't fall with it. It's no longer attached to the wall at all. It's about to break. I'm serious. What are we doing down here anyway?"

"It's a rescue," Nick replied, holding Amelia a little tighter.

"I just don't believe I'm really doing this," Veronica growled and dropped to the hard floor. "It smells like mildew in here!"

"That's just Tom," Nick replied. "Can you stand, Amelia?" he asked, letting her go before she could answer.

"I'm fine," she muttered, hopping to the wall on one leg. She could hardly see in the dark. "Could someone please tell me what we're doing in a sewer underneath Oak Park High School?" asked Jacob as he jumped off the last rung of the ladder.

"It's not a sewer," Nick objected.

"Go ahead, say it. Where are we?" whimpered Veronica in a baby's voice.

"Let's shed some light," said Nick, lighting his lighter. Immediately, the hallway flickered in a yellow, flickering glow.

Everyone gasped in horror.

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679 words.