Flames

Chapter 10 Tunnels Of Hell

Reika crawled on the layer of pepper like dust.

There was an errrr that plastic makes when rubbing on a sandy surface.

Catching herself on a palm and elbow, she had saved her face at least, it was beautiful and it would be a shame if her nose got broken.

Against the wall was a white mannequin leg stuffed in a black boot.

No person, she must have set a booby trap off.

She gathered up the items that had flown out of her grasp while scanning the luggage carriers, metal racks, and other random objects strewn about the broad basement of the airport. At the long end of the forbidding arena were tall corridors.

She shook out and threw over her shoulder a navy blue hoodie that had been on the floor beside her when she fell. Reika was alert, and what was darkness to most people was as day to her.

She ran a finger down her elbow where something warm trickled down, it was blood. She kept on walking.

The atmosphere was peaceful, void of lifeforms, but from past examples, some beings didn't emit energy. Swerving around mechanical items she weighed the aura's radiating from the seven large archways, about ten feet apart from each other.

She stopped and uncrumpled the notepaper. The exact number of giant doors was circled.

At the bottom right in cursive it said, "the choice is yours."

She melted to the floor beside a cardboard box, decisions again. What if she got it wrong?

Escaping this reality seemed impossible, but she needed answers, she needed to know, why, how, and who.

Minutes ticked by, being wasted.

Reika didn't want to bug God again, He had shown her the way plenty of times already.

Sighing she forced herself up and moving. Her heart was skittish.

The sixth opening radiated a happy vibe. She entered it bravely.

Her skin began tingling like her foot when it fell asleep.

The farther she cruised, the thicker, the stifling blackness buried her.

She locked onto loud footsteps in the tunnel beside her.

"Reika! Reika!" His voice cut off for a few seconds.

"Reika you're in the wrong one! Whe-re-are you, you dummy!"

Conall was more than agitated, he was distressed. Was that possible?

Had his emotions been restored?

Not bothering to respond, she changed directions to head back to the opening.

"Reika! Stop!" They almost knocked into each other and he grabbed her wrist.

"How do you know it's the wrong one?" She inquired saucily.

"I've gone down-every one of these. Trust me-you-ju-st went down the- worst one."

His eyes were wide and bloodshot, and his nostrils expanded like horses after a race. She felt pity, the terror in his eyes...

"Why'd you leave?"

Conall, still struggling to catch his breath, released her hand and shoved her into tunnel seven.

"Why'd you leave?" The demonic voice echoed, resonating a low cackle.

Her legs became weak. She was frozen, apprehensive about falling if she walked.