Skayre

Chapter Five

Chapter five

"To be honest I didn't really have a good impression at all, I got dragged through a hedge and then harassed by some weird man in overly bright clothing telling me I HAD! to go with him as though I HAD! no choice and then if you believe it he pushed me back into the hedge" retorted Ren

"Ahh hmmm" there was a new voice, this time it was familiar to Ren though then it boomed with a big belly laugh "ohhhahah" I harassed you did I, and to be fair I quite like my terribly bright clothing though most others would agree with you on that part"

Abernacky came walking out of the shadow as if he had been there the whole time.

"Now my fantastic group of resistance fighters"

"Woah hold on just a darn moment there" shouted Ren "what bloody resistance fighters, I have never once agreed to help anyone in their stupid fights, I live a nice gentle quiet life, the closest I get to danger is a knife in my kitchen"

"Haha, not to worry my dear fellow we will get to that" replied Abernacky with a huge grin on his face. "but unfortunately for the time being this safe house is compromised and we need to be leaving forthwith" there was an almighty bang and dust and debris slowly fell from the ceiling.

"I guess that's our cue then" squeaked Mert, he grabbed his little satchel and started moving towards the fireplace, Beryn and Stripe had taken up place on either side of the mantle. Mert reached just on the inside of the fireplace and pressed what Ren assumed to be a button, because at the same time Stripe and Beryn started to shift the whole mantle away from the wall, only slightly, barely enough for a child to fit through.

Despite the small space Stripe turned to Ren and Abernacky and said "i guess you should go first Aber and then the new boy can go after" "right you are dear fellow" exclaimed Abernacky and gave Ren a gentle shove forwards.

"Kuh, new boy indeed, I'll have you know I'm a strapping young lad at the ripe age of fourty five" "well then Mr. Strapping please find your ripe age of fourty five on the other side of this fireplace" murmured Beryn quietly but just loud enough for Ren to hear almost as though it was done on purpose.

"Come along now Ren the enemy waits for no man, and as such we had best make haste before they get to us" Abernacky echoed from the tunnel behind the fire. Ren took a step closer and was perched upon the precepice of the tunnel, it felt like a cavernous mouth about to swallow him whole, "not another tunnel he whimpered" then without another moment to think he was shoved square between the shoulders by Mert "come along, come along we must be going now time is of the essence quickly now"

Mert stepped into the tunnel behind Ren and then Beryn and Stripe followed, however the last two turned around and gripped some handles and dragged the heavy mantelpiece back into place.

The darkness followed after that, there was no more warm glow from a fire to keep them company, just pure darkness that the eye couldn't pierce no matter how hard they tried. Ren started mumbling to himself "well now how absolutely fantastic, now what, stuck in a tunnel again completely dark again, I don't even know what is going on, bunch of fools to lead me into this mess"

"Arghhh" the shriek broke the silence of the tunnel, there was a lot of movement in the confined space, no one knew what was going on anymore, they were bumping into each other "yarrrhhh" that shriek again " who in the world keeps shrieking like a child" Stripe's gruff voice asked. After a delayed moment there was a spark, infinitely small at first that grew into a cacophony of flame surrounded a torch that Abernacky was holding in his hand,

"Isn't that much better now, nice and cosy lady and gentlemen, whomever was getting a tad upset you can now cease just in case we get found out" "sorry, I'm very sorry" apologised Ren "there was something crawly that brushed against my arm", "well I've never been crawly before" sighed Mert "i was just attempting to move along a little bit". "how about we move on" grumbled stripe and he started to walk on, he grabbed a torch and lit his against Abernacky's, there was another massive bang and the tunnel shook with such force that dirt was dislodged above them releasing a considerably large spider which of course landed onto Ren's arm, it started to crawl up towards his face.

With no more need to maintain any form of composure he screamed and ran down the tunnel and off into the darkness and past the rest of the group, "umm should we go after him" inquired Beryn as though she didn't really care. "Hmm" pondered Abernacky "no let him carry on, we will catch up shortly I believe" they carried on for a short while perhaps fifteen minutes then they turned an abrupt corner and there was a light blaring in front of them, but not just any light, this was non more then pure glorious sunlight beaming down into the tunnel.

Closer and closer they walked to the light and the bright circle got nearer and nearer, then there was shadow blocking the tunnel exit, they all stopped for a short moment, their breaths held tightly in their mouths hoping that they wouldn't attract any attention, slowly forward they went being as quiet as possible, Abernacky reached the exit first and he looked out to see Ren stood there as still as a statue in its final resting place.