Into the Pit

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

The vine loosens its grip; now that it knows that its prey has been captured. Below me is a giant pond of some sort. There are colorful exotic plants along the border. The center seems to be glowing; the source coming from beneath the water. I don't know how deep the pool is, but it's pretty far under me.

I keep falling and screaming, not really knowing what to expect once I hit the water. And as if it reawakened, the vine gives a final tug, sending me down with more force into the pond.

The water is deep I find as I squint open my eyes. It's surprisingly clear, not to mention freezing. I can see a ball of light far deeper. I have little breath because I was still screaming as I plunged in. I try to swim upwards to the surface, but the vine still has a hold of me. It doesn't pull as fast or strong, but I find myself sinking deeper and deeper the more I try to go up.

The water is starting to sting my eyes and my vision blurs. I have no oxygen left in my lungs and my chest begins to pound. Black shapes appear beside me and I feel the water around me move. Suddenly I don't feel a downward pull on my ankle, but that I'm slowly floating up.

I need air! I'm still not at the surface, and my lungs feel like they're about to explode. So do my eyeballs for that matter. I gulp in a giant amount of water, but don't have the energy to try and cough it out. I close my eyes as I feel my arms being yanked up.

My face emerges from the water and smacks onto the ground. I get rolled onto my side and I throw up what seems to me like a gallon of water; and some other stuff. I take in a much needed breath of oxygen. I cough and blink open my eyes. My friends are all here; Misto and Ajax over me, and Dylis and Melina on their hands and knees, breathing deeply.

I sit myself up, and get lightheaded. I bury my face in my hands and run my fingers through my sopping wet hair and moan. Misto pats my back.

Dylis and Melina crawl over. "Are we all okay over here?" Melina asks, her drenched dirty blonde hair all tangled in her face.

"Well I almost drowned..." I say, looking back up.

"Oh my god! Your eyes are super bloodshot!" Dylis screams.

"Lack of oxygen," Ajax says. "She's not going to go blind or anything."

I blink and rub my eyes. No blood (thank goodness), and I don't feel as lightheaded. I crawl over to the edge of the pool. It seems so serene; so peaceful; the glowing center is begging me to dive into the water. I reach my hand out into the crystal clear beauty.

I breath loud and slow. I swirl the sand around and watch the patterns it creates in the water. It's so mesmerizing; I find myself reaching further out...

"Earth to Liliya!" someone grabs my arm and I snap out of my trance. "What are you doing?" the voice says. I tear my eyes away from the magnificent sight and see Dylis. "Are you possessed or something?"

"It's just so..." I tilt my head and attach my eyes back onto the magical pool. "so... I want to go back..." I don't even know what I'm saying. A plant just pulled me into a strange pond thing and almost had me drowned- why would I want to go back?

"What the heck is she talking about?" Misto says.

"I think she needs a good smack across the face," Dylis suggests.

"Smack across the face?" Ajax says.

"Might knock here back into sense, I guess..." Melina says.

And even hearing what they're saying I can't seem to look away. So a second later, I feel Dylis' hand slap me in the face; which snaps me out of my trance.

I blink a few times (rubbing my cheek), then stand up. I don't complain about the slap, it saved me from diving back into the mysterious pond. "Let's get out of here," I say, turning away from the body of water.

The others stand up too.

"What do you think that liquid was?" Melina asks.

"I thought it was just water at first, but not anymore," I say. I look around. It's like we're in a giant cavern, with the glowing water in the center. Giant arches line the dirt walls, acting like doorways to different rooms. "Where do we go now?"

Ajax wrings out his shirt. "Where do you think Velotz went?"

All eyes look back at the pool but we don't speak; but I believe we're all thinking the same thing. He could have easily drowned, especially if a vine grabbed him like one did me. There wasn't anyone to save him though. I breathe deeply. What would the pond do to him? Did a vine pull him down to the ball of light? But then what happened? Maybe he swam out? Ajax always said he was a star during the swim unit in disciplinary actions class.

I suggest the idea to the others. "Wasn't he a really great swimmer though? He could've gone through one of these arches."

"I don't see any footprints though, or any water trails leading anywhere," Dylis says looking around.

"Wherever he is doesn't matter right now. Let's just pick a pathway and go," Misto says. He turns to the arch behind us. "Let's go through here."

"Where do they all lead to?" Melina asks.

"Only one way to find out," Ajax says walking to the archway. Looking through the arch all we can see is black. No one can guess what lies ahead. Ajax walks slowly up to the arch and puts his hand against it. He drags it across the wall as he takes his first steps in. I can hear his nervous breathing echoing off of the walls of the inside. I've never heard him this nervous before. He usually seems so confident and bold. He's so far in I can't see him anymore. Melina calls out to him.

"Ajax?" she says, sticking her head into the archway. Ajax pops his head back out, which makes Melina flinch back.

"Guys check it out!" he says enthusiastically. The rest of the group exchange nervous glances. "Come on! Let's go!" he says as he disappears back into the passage. Misto follows first, followed by me and the rest of the girls. The inside is like a long tunnel. I can feel moisture in the air and on the walls. But it's more hot and humid wetness than anything else. Our feet make squishing noises in the muddy ground. I lost my right shoe in the lake struggle with the vine; so the warm mud creeps its way in between my toes. There are what feel like weeds growing from the ground, which I guess isn't that uncommon. But they jut out from the wall as well; and not just weed form, but some of them feel as if they are full grown plants.

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. It looks a lot brighter on the other side. I can't guess what it is from here; I just hope it's not another pond.

It begins to smell like smoke, and I hear voices. But, why would there be other voices down here? Aren't we the only ones in this pit?

We emerge from the tunnel. And all I can see is fire.