Chapter 17: Brother in Arms
Mercy Hall
Dirt surrounds the three-by-six-foot tunnel. Mixed aromas meld together with the other smells. She identifies traces of a familiar scent, Ambrose. So, she follows the particles lingering on the winding path.
"I can't see." The woman slams into her from behind followed by Jacks. "Sorry."
"Where're we going?" The shuffle of Jacks' feet drag against the stone floor.
"We're almost there." Mercy continues her journey.
A crude metal slab covers a two-by-two-and-a-half-foot opening. She grabs the metal handle, and, using her body weight, she pulls with all her might.
"Come on." Pain ripples through her arm. "Open. Please." A deep-seated ache resides in her chest.
"Careful." Clementine releases a lever on the frame. "You'll open the wound." She opens the trap door.
Mercy grabs the top rung of a ladder with her good hand and sticks her head into the lower level.