AllFreeNovel
Share Us
ADONE
We climbed back up the hill. Tumbles poked his head out of the opening and yipped.
We entered the hole, although this time, Summer went first. The monitors, of course, followed.
“It’s cooler here, at least,” Summer said, peering down the long series of ledge steps. “How far down do you think this goes?”
Tumbles yipped, urging us to follow.
“I think we’re about to find out,” I said.
We climbed lower, and in some places, I had to help Summer since the drop was too far. The ledge steps leveled out, though they still took us slowly toward the bottom. With so little light, I couldn’t see where we were going. But I didn’t hear threats.
I didn’t hear or smell water, either, and that was my biggest concern. We still had all of tomorrow to locate the water and make it disappear, but time would pass quickly. I wasn’t sure how long a night lasted within the dome. I’d heard the Universal Council manipulated time during the Games.
We reached the bottom, finding a long shelf made up of one big slab of stone. Tumbles rolled along the surface, and we followed him to the other side, where he continued into a hole in the wall.
I looked up but couldn’t see the top. I couldn’t climb it either, since it appeared completely smooth and without cracks.
“Should we follow him inside?” Summer whispered. “I think we could fit.”
Tumbles popped out of the hole and yipped. The sound echoed around us, and the low scraping of claws on stone echoed from above. It was followed by the clattering scrapes of more than one creature.
“In,” I said. “Something is coming, and we don’t want to be here when it arrives.”
“More scorpions?” she asked, peering around.
“I’m not sure, and I don’t want to find out.”
We dropped to our bellies, and she scooted through the opening. I held onto her ankle, determined to pull her out if there was any indication that she encountered danger.
“It’s okay,” she called out. “It’s safe in here.”
Nothing was safe within this Game.
I released her ankle and followed her, kicking against the ground to wedge myself through the tight opening. The tunnel continued a short distance and widened at the end. I emerged into a completely smooth cave where I could stand upright in.
Before the monitors could follow, I blocked enough of the opening with a big rock that they wouldn’t be able to enter. A feeling of intense satisfaction filled me.
Stepping back, I peered around. A hole in the center of the ceiling appeared to lead all the way to the surface since a bit of light and fresh air made its way down to the cave.
Summer sat near the curved right wall, looking around while Tumbles settled on her lap. “I don’t see any water here, and I’d kill to find some. I’m so thirsty.”
She sounded discouraged. I dropped beside her and tugged her and Tumbles onto my lap. Holding her wouldn’t solve our problems, but it made me feel better. I hoped it did the same for her.
“We will find water,” I said. “First to drink and then, we will make it disappear.”
“I hoped we’d find some below the surface.”
“I understand. We can remain here tonight and start out again in the morning. There is water within the dome, and we will find it.”
She yawned. “It’s not even dark out, and I’m tired.”
“Sleep. I will keep watch.”
“I want you to wake me to take a turn. Will you?”
“No.”
