Fated Triad: Shadows of the Forbidden Moon

Ariel's POV

The little, secret structure appeared to be one strong breeze away from implacable collapse. But as we got closer, it felt like a lighthouse of hope amid the stifling gloom. Though we were so near to safety, I couldn't get rid of the impression that something was still quite wrong.

Lucas hardly woke when Alan and I half-dragged him inside. The inside was as run-down as the outside filthy, small, and smelling of mildew. At least, though, it provided cover.

Lucas was lowered into a floor-based old, worn-out mattress. He had weak respiration and chilly, clammy skin to the touch. My chest started to hurt from panic. I was afraid we would lose him if we neglected him with appropriate medical attention right away.

Alan was already looking at the windows, locking the door, wandering around the room. He was always so cool under duress, so in control. Still, he seemed strained, his jaw tightly closed as he surveyed the area.

"Alan, what should we do? My voice quivering with terror, I asked. "Lucas needs real help."

"I know," Alan said with a sad tone. "But returning to the main road runs too much risk. There are others out there, Ariel. Their hunting is directed towards us.

His comments made me shiver down my back. Though I knew he was correct, the idea of staying here, caught and powerless, made me afraid.

"There's another way," Alan said, as though he were reading my thoughts. "A secret tunnel pulling out from the forest. It was constructed as a war-time escape route. Should we be able to get Lucas through it, we will be able to locate assistance at the outside of the city.

Are you certain it is safe? My heart hammering in my chest, I asked.

"It's our best shot," Alan answered, staring me squarely with unflinching conviction. Still, we have to move fast. We are finished if they find us here.

Knowing there was no time for hesitation, I nodded. I went back to Lucas, who was hardly hanging on. His eyes opened, and for a split second he appeared to identify me.

"Ariel...," he said, his voice weak and raspy.

I softly said, "I'm here," then took his hand in mine. "We are going to get you out of this, Lucas. Just hang on a little bit longer.

His attempt to grin came out as a scowl. "I'm sorry... for everything," he said, his voice faltering.

"Do not talk like that," I said, blinking away tears. "You are going to be okay. Together, we will overcome this.

Deep down, I was not sure if I was attempting to reassure him or myself.

Alan pushed aside an old wooden cabinet to expose a trapdoor buried under the floorboards and moved to the far side of the room. He pawed it open to expose a dark, narrow tunnel that appeared to run indefinitely below ground. "This is it," he remarked, his voice somewhat echoing in the small area. "It's a tight fit, but it'll get us out of here undetectable."

Looking into the tunnel, a pit of fear started to develop in my stomach. It appeared to be so terribly little and claustrophobic. There was only one alternative, though. We have to accept some risk.

Alan helped me raise Lucas, hardly conscious now, his weight slack in our arms. We inhaled deeply and gently dropped him into the tunnel; his body fit very poorly in the little area.

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Heart pounding as the walls closed in around me, I crawled in after him. Alan followed, shutting the trapdoor behind us to send us into darkness.

Breathing became difficult in the musty, dense air. Every sound reflected oddly, aggravating my already strained emotions. Ahead of me, Lucas's labored breathing sounded like a cruel reminder of our limited time.

With no end in sight, the tunnel appeared to spin endlessly. As we crawled, my knees and palms scraped against the coarse ground, and the strain of hauling Lucas forward burnt my muscles.

From behind me, Alan exhorted, "Keep going," his voice a consistent anchor in the night. "We are almost there."

But as hope started to flutter in my chest, I heard something that made my blood stop cold-a faint, far-off sound of footfall echoing down the tube. "They're here," I said, terror racing through me.

Alan cursed silently beneath his breath. "We have to pick up speed. They have to have located the entryway.

My heart thumping in my ears, I pushed forth with fresh urgency. The footsteps became louder, nearer until I could just feel our attackers trailing behind us.

The tunnel suddenly opened up into a tiny subterranean chamber. We had barely enough space to stand, but there was no indication of an exit. I felt a tsunami of hopelessness sweep over me. Had we come upon a dead end? Feeling around the walls, Alan moved fast in quest of any indication of escape. "There has to be another way out," he said, his voice tense with conflict.

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I turned back to Lucas, slumped against the wall, almost conscious. The minute his condition started getting bad, I knew we had little time.

Then, just out of the corner of my vision, I spotted something a weak glimmer of light emanating from a small wall fissure. Though virtually invisible, it was like a lighthouse in the darkness of the chamber. "Look, Alan!" Pointing toward the light, I said.

Alan looked where I pointed, then his eyes grew wide with awareness. He said, "That's it!" and hurried for the crevice. Reaching inside, he felt about until he came upon a secret clasp. The wall moved sharply, exposing a secret path headed upward as the faint light grew brighter.

Alan answered with urgency, "We're not out of the woods yet." But this could be our route out.

Lucas was gently pushed into the passageway, the light getting stronger as we ascended. Knowing that our attackers were still close behind, my heart ran with a mix of hope and anxiety.

We emerged into a little clearing at the top of the corridor, the night sky extending out above us. After the stifling tunnel, the fresh air was a wonderful respite, but there was little time to relax. Alan looked around, his eyes narrowing to see shadowy people closing in on our location across the distance.

His voice tense with strain, he added, "They're almost here." "We have to start moving right now."

My heart thumping, I nodded as I assisted Lucas to his feet. His strength all but gone, he was hardly able to stand. But time was not allowing one to linger on it. We had to keep moving.