Sticks And Stones

''Shit, can you walk?'' I look at Finn who is lying weakly on the ground next to the dangerous waters which nearly killed both of us.

''I uh, don't know.'' He groans as he tries to stand up but fails because his legs buckle away and he bumps on the stones again.

''Here.'' I lay one arm around his waist and go onto my knees carefully, helping him step by step to slowly stand up.

''Argh!'' Finnegan flinches and presses his hand fastly at his left shoulder from what we start to vary a bit.

''Are you okay?'' I look at him, but he has his eyes tightly closed while gritting his teeth in obvious pain.

''Just-- Get us out of here.'' Finn chuckles  weakly and I nod slowly while starting to walk several steps with him on my side. Even though it seems to be painful for him, he probably wouldn't admit it.

We carry on trudging through the tunnel systems, if it is one, until a dead end appears out of nowhere in front of us.

''What? Wasn't here light a few seconds ago?'' I shake my head incredulously while glaring at the stony walls without even seeing anything around any longer.

There is something puzzling about this place. It just doesn't fit.

The fearful thoughts loop around in my mind until there is no room for anything else. The "loop" plays like this; A rock falling down right on us and giving me the final hit.

These next few hours will either pass as a blip in the course of my life, or they will be the final trauma to break me completely.

In real life, you never get to see the truth of the matter. So unless you train yourself in critical and careful thinking you will be a puppet of life.

Most importantly against that is; you have to know how easy it is to manipulate the truth or make bad decisions made on partial evidence.

Switch out a true and possible ''event'' against a lie which is nearly impossible.

This is the feeling I get when I am here.

Like an impossible giant lie.

''I don't know... It's odd here.'' Finnegan whispers slightly and lifts his head into my direction as I glance down at him.

''I agree.'' With a nod, I turn around with Finn by my side and am about to start walking again when the sound of a small impact from something like a stone is audible behind us.

''Wha--?'' I begin but recognize that more stones are falling down so I gasp after air and run while pulling Finn after me.

''Shit!'' Finnegan stumbles over his own feet and lands on the ground but we have no time for that.

A stone avalanche is about to happen and if we want to survive we need to get out of here.

The avalanche suddenly rolls down faster than expected. One minute the slopes are pristine and the next they're moving. It would be funny if it weren't so deadly, but there isn't time to laugh anyway.

Without wasting more time, I lift Finnegan, who is a lot smaller than me, up as fast as I can and stumble forward fastly.

Adrenaline courses through my system as a fight or flight instinct. In this case is  running away the right thing.

We have to get away.

I guess I can never out run them. Still I won't give up.

I look back. They are closer now and I gulp heavily.

We have to make it out of here.

I recognize out of the corner of my eyes as one of the rocks is almost close enough to roll both, me and Finn over.

I turn left within the last second and feel the air of the rock brush me as I gasp.

Thinking we are more save now, even more rocks start to fall down and I don't have time to breathe through when I am already running again.

I run forward, every second barley escaping death, I feel like my blood is on fire.

My limbs are moving on their own. I am disconnected from everything but the ever present sound of his drumming heart and the sound of the rocks behind me.

Not thinking about it any longer and turning off my brain, I sprint to the edge at the other side which would get us back to the path Aidan found before and the rocks would hit the water instead of us.

As soon as I arrive at the edge, Finn lets out a fearful gasp. I hold him tighter.

One rock falls away beneath my feet and I gulp heavily.

Now or never.

Stepping closer towards the drop, I realize several things.

Firstly, if I turn my head too far I could unbalance and the drop is further than I can see.

Secondly, the adrenaline is already coursing unchecked, urging me to do what I cannot.

Yeah sure, my muscles are stronger and I am more awake than I have ever been, but this isn't a situation where running hard for a long time is going to help.

There are hand holds here, I know it.

I just have to think about a plan.

Jokes on me, out here there is no safety rope, no soft mats to land on. I wish the human body was wired differently, I wish I could get the increased strength without the urge to jump really far and land safe but I can't.

All I have is the rock, the wind and a long way down.

Wish me luck with that one.

''We aren't really gonna jump, right?!'' Finnegan's voice sounds panicked and I let him down a bit, crouching so that he can go onto my back.

''No, but climb. Now hurry!'' I am screaming for being louder than the rocks and as Finn realizes the urge of the situation he does how I told him and I let myself go down to my knees again but turn around into the other direction than the drop.

I think my heart will explode and my eyes are wide, scanning the rock I am almost hanging with my arms on yet.

''You ready?'' I ask shakily and tense up my muscles.

''I have to.''

These words are enough for me and I start going a little more backwards, feeling my legs hanging in the air.

My heart is pounding in my chest but I try to ignore it and slow my breathing. The only reason I am not dead right now is because it hasn't found me yet.

I silently grip after the first part of the edge with my hands and slide down the rock until my entire body is hanging on the rock.

Feeling Finn's grip around me, I nearly choke as his arms are wrapped around my neck but I don't bother telling him.

Even when the edge doesn't move, I cannot stop myself to start shaking. Still, my will to survive is too strong for giving up.

I close my eyes for a small moment before my eyes start searching after another spot where I could place my hands a bit deeper.

As I find one, I grit my teeth and nearly slip more than 4 metres down, before my hands find hold on another cliff and Finn nearly looses the grip around me.

''Fuck.'' I curse and dare to glance down for a second and a relieved sigh comes up in my chest. ''Only around two more metres.''

I find another place to place my hands and feet, I nearly slip again but am strong enough to hold onto it until we are nearly down.

My entire body is shaking from the exhaustion and I feel my arms starting to get weaker with every second my adrenaline eases up.

As I think it already too late, Finn jumps down the last metre and I let myself slide down when I hear him landing safely.

''Urgh.'' I groan and lean against the wall behind me when a giant amount of rocks is falling down right in front of me into the water. ''Jesus.'' I let out shakily and Finn laughs like he isn't believing how close this was.

''You just saved both our lives! I-- I don't know what to say.'' He shakes his head and looks at me when I already close my eyes for taking a break.

''I guess.'' I smile weakly and feel Finnegan sitting down close next to me do that I can lean my head against his shoulder.

''We will need to climb up at the other side again.'' I yawn while my muscels begin to actually feel like jello.

''You're kidding me, right?'' In Finn's voice, it sounds like I am out of my mind.

Maybe I am though. Maybe I really am.

''Enough adventures for a whole century.'' I chuckle before feeling the tiredness coming over me and forcing me to fall into a deep sleep.