Depthless: Under The Library

Chapter Nineteen// Stella

Stella’s POV

With a wild cry, I kick my legs upwards and my body twists into a temporary U shape. Gasping for breath, I do a back flip in mid-air, pushing my self through the air, kicking off from the side of the wall. Throughout it all, I’m vaguely aware of horrified shrieks from above… and below?

Niko. I needed to get to him.

With a last ounce of strength, my body surges forward, one hand fumbling for the rope, sliding down until I begin to feel the effects of rope burn. Still, I persist in tightening my hold on the rope, anchoring myself, like pulling the brakes on a car to slow down the impact…

Bracing myself for the fall, I jump, kicking off the sides of the caved in walls, lifting my right hand to steady myself against the wall, and stumble, breathless, onto the narrow ledge.

“Oof!” I pant, dropping to my knees, one hand clutched to my chest, pressing down hard, as if that could lower the constant hammering of my heart.

For a long moment, the silence spoke for itself. I caught my breath, my mind only wrapping itself around foggy thoughts. I’d gotten weaker. I used to be able to pull of stunts like this without much exertion, almost no side-effects. I cough, wheezing slightly.

When the world finally stopped revolving around me, I pull myself up from the ground, one arm on the wall for support. Niko stares at me, blood rolling down his face, dripping off his chin onto the ground. His dark eyes were stricken with horrified terror, and he was looking as if I’d just jumped from Venus. No kidding.

Niko makes a strangled sound, somewhere between a squeak and a gulp. “You---“

Suddenly very self-conscious, I brush my burning hand on my blouse. “I know.” I said simply. There were other important matters at hand, and I needed to get Niko up there to the hospital… wherever that is. I hope the crew up above had at least sent for a rescue squad consisting of some first class medics.

“Stella! How--- Are you okay?” David’s petrified voice howls down. I feel the beam of torchlight playing directly onto me. Sucking in a breath, I force myself to look up. “I’m okay. I just landed. I’ll try to get Niko up now.” I called, trying as best as I could to hide the growing tremor in my voice.

By my side, Niko grunted. “How? I can’t score up that wall in this condition, rope or no rope.” He demanded.

“I need more rope.” I announced. As if predicted, two long coils of rope were simultaneously thrown over the edge. I reach out to grab one, trying not to unbalance myself. Niko caught the other. “What now?”

I look at him. He strains to stand, looking as if every muscle holding him up is about to give way beneath him. His ragged face shines with sweat, and fresh blood keeps trickling down the sides of his head, staining his green shirt. He’s still holding the scarf to his head, now completely bloodied and soaked to all corners. Standing here, seeing him like this… I hesitate. What was I thinking, climbing freestyle down the dangerous cave down to nowhere? Even now, I’d managed, miraculously, to reach Niko. But given his injuries, his exhaustion… how was I going to manage to haul him up there?

He looks at me expectantly, as if daring me to find an answer. He knows as well as I do that there is no way for him to hang onto those ropes for more than two seconds before pain and exhaustion forces him to give…

I bite my lip, fighting off wave after wave of frustrated exasperation. Forcing myself to give my brain a squeeze, I toss each and every possible situation over and over in my mind. How was I going to get on with this impossible situation?

“Ropes… four ropes…” I frown, mulling over my plan. My original plan. Of course, I had come down here with a plan in mind, but I’d expected at least a little cooperation from Niko.

“I need a rope ladder.” I request to David and all gathered above.

There was a flurry of movements from above. I took the delay to explain my plan to Niko. I talk slowly, as to make sure he gets the whole plan drawn out in his head. I finish, watching the colour drain rapidly from his face. “So can you do that?” I glance worriedly at him as the rope ladder comes crashing down. Staggering under its weight, I fasten the ends to firm crevices and holds in the ledge.

I threw another concerned glance at Niko, who’s staggering, now clearly unstable. But I had to get this over and done with. There’s no other possible way.

He nods, in agony. I grit my teeth and remind myself that I had to carry on with this. In order to get him safely out, I had to do this, no matter how arduous the process.

Hands shaking, I fumble for the first two ropes, winding the around Niko’s waist, intertwining them in a two-strand braid, twisting it around his waist, then looping them from the waist up to his arms, circling each arm, like suspenders. In the end, I was still left with a considerable length all the way up the sloped cave, to where the beginning’s rooted up above. With the last two ropes, I wind them tightly around his ankles, up his thighs, around his hips, then winding them around his back and chest in an X shape, finally tying them to his wrists.

I step back, a tad bit unsure about the whole thing. “How do you feel?” I quip.

He grunts and wheezed. “Like a trussed up turkey.” I feel a smile tug at the corners of my mouth. “Well… I hope you stay secured enough like that the whole way up.” Hopefully, your blood circulatory system won’t be completely cut off before you successfully reach the top. But I kept that nauseating thought to myself.

“What are you going to do?” David calls down from above, his voice shaking so much the echoes bounced up and around the void, sending little tremors of anxiety down my spine. I try to shrug it off.

Instead, I edge my way to the edge of the narrow ledge, holding onto the rope ladder.

“David--- Niko’s going to crawl up the ladder, and you guys up there has to haul him up slowly and carefully by the four ropes. Got that?”

I wait for his answer. For a moment, all was silent up above, causing little ripples of doubt to crash onto me. Finally, I hear his voice, “Ok… I hope it’ll work.” He pauses. “How about you? How are you getting up? The ladder might not---“

I cut him off. “It has to. I’ll follow once he’s safely to the top. Don’t worry about me, I’ll make it.” I tried to feel as confident as I sound, but in reality, I’m crushed by conflicting emotions. Would it work? Would I be able to make it? Would the rope hold Niko?

I feel an arm brush against my shoulder, warm and soft, somehow comforting. ”I’m ready. Don’t worry, I have a feeling this plan might just work. It’s the best we’ve got.”

Niko’s confidence doesn’t waver as he smiles reassuringly at me. I return with a shaky nod. “Yeah, we’ll succeed, go over the top.”

I reach out and take the scarf. Even though it’s damp with blood, I still use it to bandage his head wound. “You’ll be fine s’long as you don’t look down.” I joke. “Don’t give up.”

“Yeah. Promise me---“ He attempts to stand, but in his trussed up state, he ends up almost tripping into me. I hold out my arms and steady him. “Promise me you’ll save Skye.” He whispers.

As I look into his tear-filled eyes, noting his concern over his friend--- my friend, his words, like his worry’s eating up a hole in his heart…

I know what I had to do. “Of course.” I promised, and I meant it with all my heart.

Then I set him down onto the lower rungs of the rope ladder, and the rescue mission to haul the boy up began.

 

A/N: Hiii!!! So, what do you think of this chapter? Please comment and vote! It’s my first time writing an action sort of scene involving dangerous ventures… and stuff. I know there are some flaws, but I hope I at least satisfied some of you! Don’t hesitate to drop a line… let me know you are reading this and are enjoying it! I love to hear from readers! So don’t stay behind a curtain, do let me know you! ;p

School just started and I feel totally, utterly, depressed. Urghhh. Come save me from this miserable mess!!! Most probs I’ll be too busy to sneak in an update, but I hope to catch up soon!

Till the next update: Stay tuned! ^^

~Tiffany