You Are My Life

The Moonstone Mission

Mallorie jumped back from the edge of the well. She attempted to pull the chain to the front to save Stefan, but it was too heavy. Someone with vamp speed rushed up to Mallorie.

"Mallorie?" Caroline asked.

"Caroline, Stefan's down there, and the chain is rusted." Mallorie felt sweat forming on her palms.

Caroline climbed up on the edge of the well, by Mallorie pushed her off. "You can't, Care. It's filled with vervain. We need to get him out of there, now."

Caroline pulled the chain up and looped it around the bar at the top of the well. Mallorie climbed onto the edge again and wrapped the chain around her body. She closed the latch around one of the holes in the chain and tested her weight on it.

"I've got you, okay?" Caroline asked.

Mallorie nodded. "Yeah."

Bonnie ran up behind them. "What's going on? You just took off in a blur."

"I heard Mallorie screaming. Help her now!" Caroline gripped the chain tightly.

Bonnie grabbed onto Mallorie's hand. With support from Bonnie, Mallorie was able to drop over the edge of the well. Bonnie released her hand, and Mallorie clutched the top of the chain with one hand and the flashlight with another. Though she had never been repelling in her life, Mallorie extended her legs until she met the edge of the well (like she'd seen people do on TV). Once her feet pressed against it, she allowed her knees to bend a little.

"Are you ready?" Caroline asked.

"Yes." Mallorie's voice echoed around her.

Mallorie pulled her feet off the edge and dangled in the center of the well. Her friends seemed to grow taller around her as Caroline lowered her into the well. Gradually, Caroline picked up the pace, until the chain jerked to a stop. Mallorie released a shriek and squeezed the metal above her much tighter. In her panic, she dropped the flashlight into the water below.

"Sorry!" Caroline peered over the edge.

"It's okay." Mallorie looked down at Stefan, but she can't find his body. "Keep going!"

Caroline started lowering her again. As soon as Mallorie felt her legs in the water, she unhooked the chain. Her feet landed against the floor, and the water rose to between her waist and chest. Stefan rested face down a few feet from her. She lifted his head. It was completely burnt from the vervain.

"Hey!" Mallorie began wrapping the chain around his torso. Stefan didn't respond. "Oh my God."

"Mallorie, what's going on down there?" Caroline asked.

"Pull him up," Mallorie shouted.

As Caroline got Stefan out of the well, Mallorie watched. Once she saw him safely at the top, she began searching the walls. Caroline lowered the chain again. It splashed into the water beside Mallorie.

"Mallorie? Ready for you," Caroline said.

"Hold on. I need to find the stone." Then she muttered to herself. "All this can't be for nothing."

When the wall revealed no cracks, she reached below the surface of the water. It has to be in the lower region. If it was higher, someone could get it without touching the vervain.

"Hurry!" Caroline yelled as Mallorie searched through the plant-filled water.

Mallorie's hand found a square piece of metal around a chain. "Hold on! I think I found it."

She pulled the chain up to reveal a wooden box. A small white string wrapped around it. With a huge smile, she looked at Caroline and Bonnie. As she tried to open the box, a black snake slithered onto her arm.