Forget the Forgotten

Chapter Nineteen

Amelia clung to the rungs during the fall. The wind swept past her. As she plummeted to the ground screaming, endless seconds seemed to pass.

*Please don't let me die,* she thought.

Then the ladder crashed to the ground.

Amelia was thrown to the side. The rusty metal exploded around her, trembling in her face and rattling so loudly that her ears rang.

Nick landed on her with all his weight.

The air was pressed out of her lungs with one blow and she could no longer breathe. A wave of panic swept over her.

Nick moaned beside her.

From Amelia's throat came strange wheezing noises. Had he broken her ribs? Pierced a lung? A sea of colors swirled before her eyes and the room seemed to tip to one side.

"Am," she heard Nick's voice. "Amelia, are you all right?"

He seemed very far away.

"Amelia?"

Something happened to her body. Nick. He grabbed her by the shoulders and he shook her.

"You can do it," she heard Ayla whisper.

Amelia made one last giant effort to breathe. She tried to force her lungs to move so she wouldn't suffocate.

Cool air flowed into them. She had never thought that she would find the stale smell under the ground so delicious.

"I'm okay," she assured Nick in a weak voice. "At least I think I am."

Still dazed, she sat up. Then she remembered Jacob. ...curled up like a piece of paper and dragged away by that thing. Just like that, in a matter of seconds. And there was nothing she could do about it.

"Oh, Nick..."

She wrapped her arms around him and squeezed him as tight as she could.

"Please hold me tight," she whispered. "I can't go on."

Nick returned her embrace. "It's all right," he muttered. "It's all right. You're safe."

"When is this going to stop," she whimpered.

She felt Nick swallow. "I don't know," he replied.

Amelia was grateful for his strong arms.

"Help me!" a voice suddenly rose above their heads.

Nick and Amelia drove away staring at each other.

Veronica.

She hung far above them, on the top rung where the rusted metal had finally given way.

"Help me!" she screamed again.

"Climb up," cried Nick. "Get help!"

"I can't. My fingers are numb. I can't hold on any longer."

Even in the darkness of the shaft, Amelia could see that Veronica was not exaggerating. She was hanging on by her fingertips, kicking wildly with her legs, unable to find any support.

Nick moaned in frustration. He knelt down and hectically rummaged around in the remains of the ladder.

"What are you doing?" Amelia asked.

"I'm looking for a piece of ladder I can use," muttered Nick, hurling a metal piece aside. "But they're all too short."

Amelia had an idea. "What if she just lets go?"

Nick looked at her with her mouth open. "Are you crazy?"

"You can catch her," Amelia said. She knew it wasn't a brilliant solution, but they didn't have much choice.

"Nicholas!" Veronica screamed in panic.

Amelia put her hand on his shoulder and looked into his eyes. "You can do it," she said.

"I hope you're right," Nick replied quietly.

"Come on!" yelled Veronica down.

"Okay, Ronnie," cried Nick, who had made a decision. "Let go."

"Are you fucking crazy?"

"I'm gonna catch you."

"No way you're doing that," she objected.

"You'll fall off anyway," Amelia intervened.

"Shut up!"

"Ronnie, listen to me", Nick ordered. "Amelia's right. She's already fallen down this shaft twice, and she's survived it every time. I promise you I'll catch you."

"You're sure?"

"What did I just say?" Nick replied, annoyed.

"I don't want to die," moaned Veronica. "I want to get out of here."

"But you can't," said Amelia.

"I know that too, smartass."

Amelia denied herself a pat answer. *I must be lenient with her,* she thought. *She is afraid. So are we all.*

"Ronnie," growled Nick. "Now, let go!"

Once again, Veronica strengthened her grip on the rung with stiff fingers. "I hate you," she muttered.

"You can do it," urged Nick. "I promise you."

"No."

"Ronnie. Trust me."

A moment of silence followed. Then, "A...Alright."

"I'm ready."

"Me... me too," Veronica said.

"On three," commanded Nick. "One..."

Veronica gave a quiet, agonized scream of fear. Amelia crossed her fingers.

"Two..."

Nick stretched out his arms, ready to catch her.

"Three!"

Veronica let go.

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