The Mine

Chapter 11: Last Resort

Brushing off the dirt that had collected on the door, Rebecca managed to reveal a small hole in the wall. While Miles looked over Rebecca's shoulder as she uncovered the small circular hole.

"What do you think could fit in there?"

"Jesus, back up bro," Rebecca said getting spooked by Miles who was now over her shoulder before she looked closer at the hole before continuing. "Actually y'know what, It's almost like that broken key could fit in here. Hand it to me for a second."

Rebecca turned to face Miles who had a look of frustration, he doesn't say anything as his hands clenched up into fists.

"What's wrong? Where's the key Miles?" Rebecca continued to stare at Miles waiting for an answer as it dawned on her that he no longer had it. "ARE YOU SERIOUS? You threw away the key that you wanted so badly, a historic relic that any explorer would protect with their life and you just threw it away?"

Rebecca was frustrated finding out Miles's actions, she started looking around the room in hopes to find any kind of an alternative solution. Miles on the other hand took a breath to calm himself down before responding to the girl frustration.

"There's no point in looking for a solution we don't have time. Jared is slowly but surely bleeding out and we need to get through this door now."

The almost defeated man returned back to Jared who was still propped against the wall.

"So what do you suggest then?

The girls question faded into the stale air, along with the frustrated tone that was tagged on to it. However like usual, Miles simply ignored her question and continued toward Jared. As he got closer Jared looked up at his older brother, watch as he started to dig around in one of the bags.

"What are you looking for?"

"Don't worry about it."

Jared's question was a struggle to utter as his breaths were rapid in between each word as he slipped in and out of consciousness, as Miles pulled out the small bundle of dynamite. The now tyrant of a man turned around and headed back toward the ancient door but felt something grab onto his leg. Looking down, Miles saw Jared gripping onto his leg.

"You can't do this Miles. This isn't what we do."

"We have no other choice."

Pleading for his brother to rethink his plan, Miles simply shook his leg breaking the bond between him and his brother and continued to the door. While in front of him Rebecca turned around and shined the light on Miles and noticed the small bundle of dynamite.

"YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS! You're going to blow us all up."

She to tried to plead with Miles as well but like his brother she remained completely ignored as he proceeded to the door. Quickly glancing over the rocky structure, he noticed a small hole just big enough to slide the explosive bundle in half way. With the fuse still exposed, Rebecca made a last ditch effort to try and stop Miles from lighting it. However before she could even do anything, Miles had drawn his pistol from his side and blindly aimed it at Rebecca.

"Don't take another step, back up."

Miles gestured the barrel of the gun toward Rebecca, indicating that she should move or else. The hint was clear as day and that there was no way that she could stop Miles's suicidal idea, with one last look at the masterpiece of the old civilization she slowly backed up into the shaft keeping the light focused on the door. She could only watch as Miles sparked his lighter and ignited the fuse that was about to explode the door and shatter it into pieces. Miles looked back seeing Rebecca in the tunnel and then at his brother still leaning against the wall, semiconscious.

"Alright Miles, It's now or never."

The words were mumbled to himself realizing the damage he was about to create. He took one last long breath before pulling out the lighter. He clicked it a couple times struggling to ignite it, after a few clicks however the flame came to life waving back and forth. Miles moved it close to the fuse and watched as the sparks started to jump from fuse, before he quickly backed up realizing he only had a few seconds before the dynamite would blow the wall to pieces. He turned around and hurried to his brother's side, shaking him to try and wake him up, as Jared's eyes slowly blinked to life.

"We have to go, the dynamite is about to go off."

Now frantically shaking his brother, he was getting very little to no response from Jared. Entering a panic, Miles tried to get Jared over his shoulder but struggled and looked back at the glowing fuse in the dark. Everything stopped for a brief moment and Miles accepted his incoming fate, and closed his eyes but that's when he felt a hand grab his arm. He opened his eyes to face the darkness once more, as his body started to get dragged toward the tunnel while Rebecca's silhouette became illuminated by the flashlight on the ground. He was shocked by the sight of the girl as he was successfully pulled to the safety of the shaft.

A second passed as the explosion erupted through the tunnel followed by a shockwave of dust, as the room cleared and when the sound of debris stopped Miles' panic instantly came back. Jared was still in the cavern when the blast went off, and Miles actually seemed to care.

"What the hell is wrong with you, I could have saved him."

"Are you serious right now, I just saved your life?"

The two of them entered a yelling contest until Miles got up angrily and ran back into the debris filled room. He turned around the corner and looked at where he last saw his brother, which to his relief his brother was still against the wall appearing to be untouched by the explosion.