Forget the Forgotten

Chapter Fifteen

Amelia cried out loudly and with a big jump back from the foul-smelling corpse. A trio of rats tore and gnawed at it, squeaking loudly.

Amelia's stomach lifted with a jerk.

"A dead one!" screamed Veronica. "That must be Tom!"

"Or Nick," Jacob said softly.

Veronica ran off, bumping into Amelia. "Hey!" cried Amelia, losing her balance. She tripped and twisted her ankle.

When she fell, the torch flew out of her hand and crashed into the wall. She bounced off the wall and landed on the concrete floor.

The flame smoked again and then went out. Impenetrable darkness enveloped it. Amelia tried to suppress a groan. It was pitch black. She felt as if the walls were coming closer to crush her.

She heard Jacob's gasping breath beside her. Heard Veronica curse.

*Don't freak out now,* Amelia said to herself. *Think!* But it was so dark here. All her childhood fears came up in one go.

"Have you... Did you see who it was?" Amelia asked in a shaky voice.

"I can't say for sure," Veronica replied. "The torch went out before I could see his face. But I think it was Nick's Jersey."

Amelia tried desperately to pull herself together and quell the panic that was rising in her chest. She tried to ignore the darkness and ignore the fact that Nick's body was only inches away.

"If this is Nick, the red mist killed him," Jacob remarked. "It killed him and then left him here."

Amelia heard Veronica gasping for breath. "Then, it might still be here!" she cried. "And we can't see it!"

Amelia reached out her hand and groped around until her fingers touched the torch.

"We must leave at once," urged Jacob. "Even without the light. We can't possibly stay here. Or we will end up like him."

Amelia licked her dry lips. "Nick has the lighter," she croaked.

"Nick is dead," Veronica replied in a strained voice.

"His lighter. He must have it on him somewhere," said Amelia. "In his trouser pocket or something."

There was a brief silence.

"I will not look for it," Jacob announced.

"We have no choice," Amelia insisted. "The red mist could be close by and we wouldn't even notice! If we want to get out of here, we need light!"

When she heard the hysterical sound in her voice, she ordered herself to stay calm.

"I can't touch him," Veronica moaned. "I just can't do it."

Amelia forced herself to keep on crawling forward. "Veronica, do you know where the body is?"

"Right in front of me," whispered Veronica. "Just follow my voice."

Amelia crawled towards them, clutching the torch with one hand. Her head was spinning. The darkness enveloped her like a heavy cloak.

*I can't believe I'm really doing this,* she thought.

She moved further forward until she felt Veronica's finger on her shoulder.

"He's lying right here," she said. "What are you going to do now?"

Amelia hesitated briefly. "I think I'll try to find his pocket," she replied. "And then I have to feel for his lighter."

She heard Veronica slowly pull away.

Amelia took a deep breath... and reached for Nick's body.

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500 words

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