Chapter 8

Rakel dragged herself through the water and then through the mud that was there. What she didn't understand was even though she had gone in 10 feet there wasn't anything hindering her at all and she didn't know how to feel about it and more importantly what she was going to do if she needed Austin. " Please get me through this. " She knew there was a God out there and her father taught her how to Pray but he never really told her she had to go to Church so she never went. Her flashlight almost went dead several times but there was no reason for it to give out at all it had brand-new batteries. " Okay, this is promising." She didn't see it at first until the flashlight shined through it but an open hole sat out beckoning her towards it as she saw some light from the other side.

What bothered Rakel was the fact that she knew she was better than she was now. The only thing that bothered Rakel was she wasn't used to a companion and she didn't want him to run from her after all this was done or worse rat her out. She didn't want to believe that and not just because of the time they had spent together. She felt like she knew him even though she didn't even know even half of him. Austin was courageous in her eyes and she was hell-bent on him being a great guy that was learning more out here than in that pathetic waste of a College. It wasn't hard getting through the small opening nothing was too hard for her but she felt like something was off every time she tried to see straight. One thing was water the next it was muddy it was straight up what she thought it was, in her head. It wasn't at all what she saw and that was what terrified her the most.

The cave walls seemed to cave in on her as she walked out into a room that ended up stretching out into a hallway to the right. " These got to be connected. " She shined the light down the weird hallway as she did she noticed the weird vines that came from God knows where. Her light shined throughout the weird hallway that seemed to go on forever. " Austin? Hey, you there. " She asked hoping maybe there was something he needed help with only she didn't understand where this cave was leading her. She found herself staring out at the walls wondering what was there that she didn't see. Getting to the end of the long hallway of the cave she didn't like seeing two separate entrances. She saw the small engraving of the arrow but she was confused right away as she didn't know which to choose from. Shining her light on the walls that ended at where she was were engravings. One pointed up the other pointing down. It confused her as she looked up then down and then back at the one that just pointed towards the cave to the left.

She didn't even have to think the left sign made it clear, it meant Hell and the one on the right meant Heaven. It was meant to confuse her only she knew she had to go to the left for sure when she rubbed the wall in between the two entrances. The other arrow that pointed to the right was covered up as she had uncovered it by pushing the dirt away from it. She was even more confused when she saw the dead end but not until she fell 8 feet into another passage that opened up more. Sadly she was still in a cave but grabbing at herself she became worried as she coughed out grabbing at her chest and ribs. " Ow." It hurt more when she stood pushing the earpiece back into her ear. She was all muddy and not only that was sore very sore.

" You there. Rakel?" He must've been trying to reach her when she was falling. She had not heard him as the rushing from the fall had hurt her but she would be fine; obviously. It wasn't hard to find the door that lead into what appeared to be more of a puzzling piece that didn't seem to fit. She could've figured it out with Austin faster but he wasn't there she had to figure it out on her own. it was more of a challenge when she stuck herself into the ceiling above the arrow that pointed downward in a position. It was easier to climb it than she thought. Everything so far wasn't so hard but common sense. She figured everything would've struck her down harder than most. " Fine."

Austin on the other hand wasn't sure whether he should be outside already or not. He questioned if he was supposed to wait even though her voice sounded strained but he didn't want to think too much and hurt himself when he knew she could take care of herself. The view itself was breathtaking but looking down he saw it was a very long drop only there seemed to be an opening right below him. his guess was he should've known but he didn't want to hurt himself or worse fall to his death. Austin tried to not overthink but most of the time he couldn't help it. Especially with an adventure like this, he was surprised he even lasted so long. It surprised him, even more, when he saw that he could attach the grappling hook above from where he had come from and swore under his breath looking at the grappling hook and where it was praying it wouldn't just hold.

His breathing was the only thing that kept him calm as his feet held him in a position he kept himself from shaking. Propelling down he was suddenly worried but he had enough rope to do what his mind was thinking as he simply knew there was a safer way to land. with his knees, he did the one thing he really didn't want to do he pushed away from the rock at the same time as he propelled further down. He landed roughly feet first crumbling onto his side as the only thing that came from his mouth was a chuckle. " Oh, God. " He chuckled again as half the rope dangled down from where he had landed the rest of the rope laid out around his waist and underneath him. He smiled before laughing to himself seeing the rope dangling and pulling it up in the process. Not only was he not liking the part that he had to do back inside the caves but he loved the view outside. The Ocean and the sandy beaches weren't the only things he thought that was amazing. He wasn't sure if he should've thought of her like that. He wasn't even sure if he would even be right for someone amazing like her.

Austin looked back into the cave as he only felt like something bigger was coming and he wasn't sure whether or not he was okay with it. He didn't literally dive into the cave but he felt like that's exactly what he did as he felt like the darkness consumed him as his flashlight shined throughout the cave and onto the cave walls that didn't look any different than before. What was confusing was the atmosphere before he heard the noise until he had only glimpsed at the floor around his feet for only a mer second before he cried out in surprise. He fell unto what seemed to be a slide as he didn't know the scream that had also followed after his. Rakel slide out past him onto another slide as his slide merged with hers before they both slammed against each other. The slide itself was slippery but he couldn't really make out anything with how fast they were going. they must've been going at least 50 miles an hour tops but it didn't make sense to him as he noticed the ramp that let off with the branch just above it. " Rakel. It's a ramp. It's a ramp. No. God no." He threw his rope hard grabbing her around her hips as the only thing that was recognizable was the light that shined through from above them. it said a lot they should've been further down than that considering he had fallen further down into the caves.

" Swing me!" He didn't know why but he listened and before long he was swinging to which was making the ceiling around where his grappling hook had landed. " Crap. Whatever you're doing you might want to hurry. " He grunted again while he was barely now swinging her back and forth. " On 2 let go. " Was she nuts? " 2!" He groaned and then grunted as she simply flung herself onto the level the ceiling around the grappling hook came undone as he was mer inches from falling to his doom. " Austin!" She screamed fear in her eyes as his hands roughly grabbed out at the dirt as he was way to never the edge of death. She grabbed him around his wrists before jerking hard as he slammed hard against her and onto the hard ground. Breathing was the one thing they did staring out at each other. " Saving me yet again. Thank you." He rolled off her thinking he was crushing her and by the looks of it she was breathing better and she had closed her eyes as she breathed.

" Are we done yet? " Austin felt like he knew the question but even if he didn't he was still curious. " Not sure, but we're getting closer." How she knew this was weird to him but he kept quiet as she stared at bottom of the shallow water that would have killed them both instantly if they had both fallen. " Okay follow me. " Rakel threw herself downwards onto the other level as the darkness from inside seemed to be alive. She could feel the wind on her face as she questioned if they should even go in or not. She didn't want him to notice how she hesitated or how she breathed before she pushed back the question that lurked in the air around them. Was she okay? Rakel could still remember trying to find her father and feeling the same warmth he had the last time he had hugged her. The last thing he had said and him wanting her to be safe. It still felt like it was yesterday as she tried to refrain from crying. She didn't want Austin to see how helpless she felt or the fact that she didn't feel safe at that moment at all. " Do you know where you're going? I keep feeling like I've been here before." Rakel held it back as she looked back at him as he only looked at the ground instead of at her.

" Are you Okay?" Austin asked even though he couldn't see her face she was quiet. She wasn't really ever this quiet and it said a lot even though she was always thinking which lead to overthinking. She didn't need that and more importantly, she didn't like overthinking it lead to stress and her Anxiety would kick in as well as her panic attacks, It said a lot she hadn't had any issues since her father had left. instead of getting deeper inside the cave, they ended up leaving out another way outside before looking at a hole not even 5 meters from them. " I guess this is it? You ready?" Austin wasn't sure as he looked at what was possible inside the hole before he even answered her. " Not sure. " Austin was never ready but he only got over it and tried to enjoy himself as he helped. " Okay. " She looked at him before not thinking at all before jumping through the hole landing firmly as Austin only hesitated questioning how she does it without blinking. Rakel knew if she even thought before doing anything she'd hesitate to a point where she wouldn't do it at all.

" Oh, my knees." Austin grabbed his knees before feeling like he was going to black out meanwhile Rakel only looked at the end of the tunnel that only screamed get out. " Okay. fir-. What are you doing? " Austin had only grabbed out at his knees his feet stretching out the muscle that seemed to have popped. He didn't like the feeling, he never did. " Stretching. Just give me a minute." He already felt like he was all connected with himself, he felt like he was being ripped apart. He'd rather feel like something was rearranging his insides, even that would feel better. " I'm not okay. " He straightened up following behind Rakel as she just felt the cold breeze that followed suit. The further they went the narrow it became but not before Austin felt the chill that ran all the way down to his feet as he felt like he was again back in the room with the ghost of a boy or whatever it was. He felt like he was being haunted by everything and not just that he wanted to go home.

It didn't take long as the water seemed to flood from a room where they weren't welcome from. It didn't stop them as they broke the door getting into the room that didn't look right. The walls around the room looked different with every step as the sound of something breaking with every step didn't sound right before Austin looked to the far right of the room. Austin wasn't sure what it was but he swore something moved further away from where he had seen it. Rakel looked at the darkness around them before she grabbed the torch and lit it as she stared out at the cobwebs that made the entire room look like a horror movie. They both walked around the room ankle-deep in the water as Rakel bent down in the water pushing her hand to the ground. Rakel couldn't feel anything out of the ordinary before thinking of something else as Austin kept looking at the far wall as if he was in a trance. Rakel left him standing there not worried at all over Austin as she could tell that the water was being sucked out one way as more water seemed to flood from where Austin was staring at. " Austin what are you doing?" Rakel had the torch as Austin still stared at the wall unsure before looking back at her with horror written all over his face. " You didn't see that?" Rakel looked back at the wall confused than at him.

" No. Are you okay? Don't answer that you'll be fine. " Rakel looked back at the wall where the water seemed to leave from as she turned back looking him over before he got the message from what he had seen. They should turn back, but if he said anything he knew she wouldn't care or maybe she would but she still wouldn't want to turn back. " Okay. If you're going to follow I'm going out this way. " She didn't really want to wait for an answer as he didn't seem sure of anything as he was still in shock. Looking back at the wall he only saw the Red eyes that stared back at him along with the black cracks that appeared in the walls as the eyes seemed to disappear. What was that and more importantly was he haunted? He wasn't sure but he didn't like the idea of going somewhere that he knew Rakel didn't know about. That's what he liked about Rakel she seemed fearless. like she had doubts but she didn't care only that's what Austin saw there was so much she was hiding that she didn't even want to believe it for herself even though it had happened to her throughout the years.

Not only was he regretting just standing there like a moron but he couldn't hear anything after the roar from the water as the water around him seemed to go somewhere else. Was this part of a trap? He wasn't sure what was going on but he wasn't just freaked out as the water had disappeared fully Rakel was nowhere to be found even though he had clearly watched as she had gone feet-first out of the hole from where the water was going in the first place. " Freaking crap. Rakel!" The top part of the walls wasn't just caving in on him but he only had a small window as he only flung himself head first into the air as he could only scream out in fear as his heart caved into his stomach as he suddenly felt sick. " Austin. The hell is wrong with you!" He heard the yelling before he felt the wind and then the jerk. He knew she had thrown the rope at him which was tied around his ankles somehow as the wind and his eyes almost rolled into the back of his head. He hit the hard dirt wall as his breath caught in his throat even though he wasn't sure if he was breathing in the first place. "What the hell!" He could barely talk as he hung upside down with his hands above his head as he only staring at the trees below him. He gapped out his eyes wide in fear as the only thing he could hear was his heart and it said a lot as he still felt the overbearing weight of everything on him as he wasn't sure how long he had been like that until he looked down at Rakel instead. " I'm cutting the rope and I'm going to grab you. Hold on. "

Austin could've sworn he heard right the only problem with it was he hoped he was wrong. " Ra- It was too late as he fell at least 4 feet into Rakel who jerked him in a different direction before he could plummet to his death. " Ah, no. " He grabbed at his arm making a face as if he didn't care if she saw. He was in pain and he seriously was thinking about his college life that he hadn't cared about at all till a few hours ago. Maybe he shouldn't have come at all. It had to take him more than just a minute to grasp what just happened and not just that but Rakel as she only had a look of pain and in the mer second of worry before she checked him to see if he was okay. " Not fun. I feel weak. Let's not do anything like that again. " Sitting up wasn't the hard part but standing as Rakel helped him up he felt weaker with every step. " How did you ever know the rope was going to do that anyways?" He wasn't quite sure with himself or if he had even said that right his ears hadn't popped yet and when he looked out across the view he felt like he was already in Heaven instead.

" I'm not dead am I?" He didn't look at her but at the far mountain in the far distance as the sun glared down over the valley below as trees overtook the view along with what seemed to be a river. " No. If you were I would be too." Rakel spoke as she didn't hear herself saying it although it would've made sense with how that worked out. It scared her to even think of the outcome and the near miss on the cliff she almost made. It was a miracle they both were even okay Mentally. Physically they were both worn out but they still had to find the map. Austin didn't need to rest or regain his strength to keep going but he felt even weak climbing over things and getting higher as the view became more of a view as he could see everything clearly instead of being blinded by the sun. " This way." He didn't need to be told to follow as it was the only thing he could do or he'd get left behind. Thankfully this time wasn't as tough they quickly and quietly got to where they were needed even though Rakel wasn't expecting the others to have already beaten them.

" I don't care if they're even here you'll do it and like it! " Austin was confused and never had the experience before coming with Rakel and every time he even thought of doing it he thought of what if it was him. He didn't like that as it motivated him to do better and he didn't need to do better he was killed every time; he had no choice. " Split up and quietly take them out. I don't know how many are out there and we don't need to disturb the mountain above us. "

Austin was confused with the last part even though he still looked up at the ceiling from the mountain that was high above them. " Okay. " He didn't like splitting up and he wasn't exactly wanting to even deal with these crappy guys that seemed to have crates that confused him even more with how they even got there. Crouching down further in the tall grass he moved quietly and slowly and not only that but he looked at every bad guy counting att at least 11 but he wasn't entirely sure as he had lost sight of Rakel after she had jumped right across knocking one guy in his face before throwing him down in the void below.

Not only did he still think she was amazing but he wondered how she did anything without getting hurt and that said a lot considering what had happened not even ten hours before. He noticed the large gun in one of the bad guy's hands and he wanted to rethink before doing anything. Austin didn't care how he was feeling especially with the situation at hand and what they would do if they did get caught. He wanted to laugh to himself it was a stupid thought; they would obviously kill them. He followed after her as he did exactly what she did but from the other side taking them out one by one. " Man down! Fan out. Kill them!" He regretted taking out the last guy as it was a little harder than the last 4. The guy fought back harder which made him wring his neck harder as he had also questioned what to do before two of them came in his direction. Rakel on the other hand followed after knowing fully well that Austin was stuck or so he thought. If only the bad guys really knew her as well as Austin. The past that defined her future and what she had done, to begin with, her great grandpa knew of his life and what he had done even to save humanity if anything she wasn't anything like him but at the same time she heard stories.

The extreme stories always lead to her wandering how he felt after because she was always sore and tired as if she had died and then been brought back to life, and not in a way that was comforting as she was just brought back. She tackled one from behind but Austin was a second too late he grabbed ahold of the other one and punched him several times before kicking the guy after backhanding her guy on accident. " Sorry." He yelled throwing the guy off the edge before Rakel got tackled from behind. The guy grunted on top of her as she only tried to kick them out. "Austin!" She tried to yell out before she also tried to kick out pushing up as Austin didn't know really what to do other than tackle him. The bad guy nearly missed but successfully punched her in the face as he grabbed her hair jerking her head up and pushing the knife against her throat. " Imma enjoy this." Austin grabbed the other dagger from the ground that was in one of the guy's dead hands as he didn't like what he did next.

Austin had pushed the knife against the guy that was on top of Rakel. The look on his face was mortified as the knife in his hand clattered to the ground and blood poured out of his mouth and onto the shirt he wore. " Ahh!" Rakel moved away as she also looked down at herself making sure she really didn't look like the dead guy. Her hand was still around her throat she swallowed hard looking more that the back of the dead guy that didn't move.