Taken in Lies

14

Chapter 14

We enter the long corridor and torches immediately light a flame. They flicker and crackle and it leads us down the long hallway of stone. Our feet sink into the sand with each step and dust fills our nostrils with every breath. The trail of torches guide us and we follow it fearfully. We don't want to run into more traps.

We walk for a few minutes silently until we come across a dark cave with a bridge crossing over a canyon. The bridge is raggedy and ready to break. Adriel pauses, turning back to us and signalling us over. He nods, and walks out onto the bridge. It breaks and he falls with it. I gasp and Alicona cries out, hands clasped over xer mouth, but he holds onto the rope. When it hits the canyon wall he starts to climb up. His upper body strength pulls him up the boards effortlessly. I stare, amazed, and realize all too quickly how powerful this man truly is. Adriel reaches the top and climbs onto solid ground without even panting. He cups his mouth and yells over to us.

"Oreno! I need you to grab the grappling hook and shoot it to the end of the bridge to bring it back up to the top. Watch out for booby traps."

"I think you already tripped it." Alicona mutters under xer breath. Oreno snorts and reaches behind him and into his bag. He comes back out with a crossbow, a grappling hook attached at the end. He places it in front of himself and aims down to the bottom of the bridge. He breathes heavily and releases it as he presses down on the trigger. It shoots out and it flies, but misses its target. He reels it back in and aims it once again.

"Come on, Oreno, you got it!" Zyair encourages.

He places his finger on his lips to silence us and we immediately do as he asks. He places his eye next to the bow and looks at his target methodically. Oreno then slowly presses the trigger and the hook flies out too fast to keep up with. This time it hits its mark. He tightens the grip and then reels it back in. The bridge slowly rises and comes back to its original position.

"Good! Now tie it off and cross." Adriel yells over the quarry.

Oreno does as he is told and finds a protruding rock, tying the metal rope around it. He ties a very complicated knot then walks back over to us.

"After you." He sways his arms to the bridge.

"Um, okay." Alicona whispers.

Xe steps onto the wobbly wood and gasps as it moves from side to side. Xe slowly moves xer foot forward and shuffles across the broken boards. Xe reaches about halfway when two boards xe stepped on break under xer weight. Xe grabs the ropes and slips; I can hear Oreno suck in his breath. Xe screams but stays up on the bridge, continuing to slowly move until xe makes it to the other side. Oreno goes next and has some of the same issues. The boards are getting weaker and weaker. He has to jump to make it to the other side. Zyair then goes, slowly shuffling across the boards and carefully hopping over the broken spots. He's mainly using the fragile ropes to hold himself up. He makes it to the other side, and I let out a sigh of relief before realizing that means it is my turn. I step onto the rocking bridge and carefully slide my foot forward. The wood creaks under my weight and little cracking sounds can be heard with each movement. The bridge is stripping itself of its supports with me on it. I carefully test every board before I place my weight on it. I make it halfway by shuffling across when the next one I step on breaks. I fall through.

Zyair screams but I catch myself on the splintered board. I hear it start to snap almost as soon as I do. I try to pull myself up but it breaks even more. I take a deep breath and look down into the ravine. It is so dark that I can't see anything. I release one of my hands from the board and reach for the rope. I miss and I nearly slip off the wood. I place my hand back and try to steady myself. I again try to pull myself up and lay my chest on the board. Bad move. It snaps and I fall into the ravine. I screech, feeling a rough material enveloping me. I stop falling but swing into the side of the ravine with a thud, and I hear another snap. My left arm. I yelp in pain, but it works to bring me back to the present. I look around, and it seems as though I am in a net that the others shot. It caught me and now they are pulling me up. I cradle my arm as I slowly rise. When I reach the surface they grab the rope and drag it onto the hard ground. I pant as I lay flat on the ground. Zyair grabs me and places his wet face in the crook of my neck. As I feel the tears drip onto my shoulder I come out of shock and pain strikes me in great lengths. Moisture pools in my eyes and I try to keep the rising tears from releasing.