He released me reluctantly, moving away as a loud crash resounded throughout the building, seeming to shake it on its foundation. It sounded as if something had just smashed into the large garage door. They know were in here, Abby whispered.
Maybe, maybe not, Cade muttered, his voice sounding distant in the small room. They could just be going building to building. They may have picked up our scent recently, but they would have caught up to us again if they had been tracking us since yesterday. Either way, we cant stay here.
What are we going to do? Jenna inquired.
I was thinking the same exact thing as a small light flared into the tiny room. Cade was kneeling down, a penlight in his hand as he examined the drain intently. My heart plummeted, my head spun, and for a frightening moment I was truly terrified that I might pass out as a wave of dizziness cascaded over me. I wanted to shake my head, wanted to run screaming, wanted to rip out every hair on my head. Instead, I stood, my legs trembling as I struggled not to vomit.
Cade placed the penlight between his teeth as he started to feel around the edges of the drain. Are you out of your mind? Jenna inquired shakily. We dont even know where that goes. Im not crawling through sewage.
Cade lifted the light to something I had not noticed before. There was a shower head sticking out of the wall with two knobs beneath it. My eyes widened, hope sprang forth in me. For a brief moment, I forgot all about the danger we faced as my fingers itched to turn on that water and plunge beneath the wonderful spray. I didnt even give a damn if it was freezing cold, it would be heaven. There was a dwindling bar of soap settled onto a metal dish. I wanted it. I wanted it badly.
Its a water drain. Its not sewage.
You dont know that, Jenna breathed.
I know that if we stay here, were dead. As if to reinforce his words, the sound of twisting metal echoed through the air. It sounded as if the garage doors were starting to give out. This is a town facility, theres a possibility it might lead straight to the water treatment center.
You dont know if it leads anywhere at all. You dont know if it just dead ends. You dont know if it doesnt become so narrow that we can no longer fit through it. Jenna was becoming slightly hysterical and her rushed words were doing nothing to ease my growing terror.
No, I dont, but I do know that
we have to try.
I agreed that we had to try, or at least they did, but I was fairly certain that I was not going in that awful thing. Cade reached down, grabbed hold of the grate, and pulled it free with surprising ease. It rattled softly as he placed it on the ground. Cade shone the light into the darkness, peering into the hole. I wrapped my arms around myself trying, and failing, to ease the shaking that was starting to take me over.
A wrenching screech echoed throughout the building. I jumped slightly, half expecting something to come barging through the door as I glanced nervously behind me. I didnt have to see them to know that the bay doors had just given way. Those things were now in the building, and it would not take them long to make their way here. It goes straight down about ten feet before making a turn. Jenna
No, she whispered.
Cade lifted his head to stare hard at her. There was a cold hardness, a lack of empathy in his gaze that left me rattled and slightly numbed. Then you will stay here and die. The choice is yours, but we will not stay here with you.
Abbys eyes widened on him, her mouth parted slightly. Jennas bottom lip began to tremble, tears formed in her eyes. She turned slightly toward me but I could not meet her gaze. Instead, I remained focused upon that hole, that thing that I did not want to crawl into either. I was fairly certain I might shatter and go crazy if I had to.
Ill go first.
Cade and Abby looked at me in surprise. I was also stunned that the words had just popped out of my mouth. But I was suddenly certain that if I didnt just jump into that hole and get it over and done with, I never would. If there was someone in front of me, I would shatter. If I was in between two people, I would feel even more trapped, and I couldnt handle that. Not right now anyway. If I didnt get in that hole right now I would be dead, and Abby would be dead because she would not leave me here.
Apparently Cade might though. I shuddered at the thought, but I had seen the fierceness in his gaze, the anger hed directed at Jenna. I did not want that turned on me. Id dealt with too much; I couldnt deal with his scorn also. Not right now. I had to do this, it was the only way. I had to stop being a coward. I had to deal with my fear. Even if it drove me mad.
Bethany
Its ok Abby, Ill be fine, but I need to go first. I have to.
I stepped up to the hole. It was dark, shadowed, and so unbelievably tight. It had a three foot diameter, but it looked about the same as three inches would to me right now. I didnt realize I was shaking uncontrollably until my teeth began to chatter. I clenched my jaw, trying to make them stop, but a fierce trembling was working its way rapidly through every bone in my body. I was certain that it wasnt going to stop until I reached the end of the pipe, or simply went crazy. I wasnt sure which one would happen first.