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The reminder had her breaking through the surface and blindly flailing about. Her hand grasped something solid, but it wasn’t until she was locked in that it dawned what she was holding on to.
“Daria?”
Her hand tightened on Charlie’s. “You got them?”
“Yes.”
Trust.He had faith in her as much as she had faith in him.
“Okay. Dive down with me. Hurry.”
She dove first but didn’t let go, fighting the current all over again. But the extra weight above her made it easier, and it wasn’t long before they were all sinking together and swimming toward where she guided them. The bright light grew bigger and the key seared into her skin. She snatched it out and punched with all her might—
And crashed hard into jagged, exploding pain.
“Ouch. I think I’m seeing stars. I think I’m dead.”
“You are not dead,” someone else grumbled.
Daria was sure she wasn’t dead, either, because these voices wouldn’t be present if she was. She felt around the hard, wet surfaces onto dryer ones, then lit up when she felt her backpack. But it wasn’t until she fell over a familiar body and heard the grunt that relief fully encompassed her.
“Charlie?”
“Yes, that’s me. I think. Give me a minute.”
She did, listening to his breathing, then scrambling back when she realized her weight was not helping. But a hand wrapped around her wrist before she could back away further. She gasped when he dragged her back, then shut her mouth when his voice was inches from her face.
“Areyouokay?”
There was no accounting for the hard drumming of her pulse, and she could only fervently hope he didn’t hear it. She gulped.
“Yes.” Why did her voice sound so breathless? “I didn’t die.”
It was the wrong thing to say as she sensed the fury spurt out of him, nearly tangible in its rawness. He tensed with it. A second later, he helped her up and let her go, footsteps fading away.
“Good. Sona? Are you okay?”
There was silence, then Sona responded. “Yes, I am. My hip hit something sharp, though.”
“Let me carry you,” Charlie and Diego said simultaneously.
Everyone scrambled while Daria stayed there, feeling left out. It didn’t last long as someone nudged her.
“You did it,” Riva said.
“I couldn’t have done it without you guys.”
“Right. As if Sona and I falling asleep on our watch shift didn’t make things worse….”
“It didn’t. I discovered the next pathway. Dimension. Whatever this is.”
There was stunned silence before Riva recovered.
“Whatever sounds fine. Anyway, you started all this and, in the end, got us out of each bad scenario. This is…better than the last place.”
“Where are we?”
“A cave. Sharp, jagged pieces scattered all over the ground, more sharp pieces hanging on the ceiling, and a few round holes that probably lead to hell or freedom.”
