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*warning: unedited, so there are probably a bunch of mistakes. if you spot any, feel free to point them out. i just really wanted to get this chapter out asap to show that i actually am working on this story still*
Marisa hit the bottom of the hole with a "thud", wincing as pain shot up her body. The baskets flew from out of her hands, but she didn't notice, too focused on catching her breath.
Once she understood that she was okay, she grabbed the baskets again, cleaning up any spilled berries, and looked around, her eyes adjusting. She was inside a long tunnel, dirt occasionally falling from the ceiling. Plants were growing from the sides, but there were also dead plants. Very dead plants, like they had been dead for years. They were barely holding together, so fragile that they looked like they would disintegrate at the touch. However, while it wasn't the most clean passageway, it didn't look like rushed construction. No, the thing-or person-who made that took their sweet time.
"Marisa!" A voice shouted from down the tunnel. Marisa's head shot up, and when she saw the two figures she jumped from her current position on the ground to greet them, running as fast as she could. She leaped into Sparna's arms, grinning a wide smile as she did so. Sparna squeezed her, holding her tight, then let go, and Marisa hugged Liam. She told him she was glad that he was okay, and he returned it.
"We weren't sure you were coming," Liam said. "We wouldn't have been mad, you know, if you were too... scared."
"There is no way that these tunnels just... formed," She said. "Something made it."
"Or someone," Liam corrected.
Sparna nodded. "Or someone. But my point still stands. It was definitely made for a reason. We need to look around."
"Just a second." Marisa rushed back to where she fell and quickly cleaned up the few scattered berries and picked up the two baskets, handing the one with the bird to Sparna and keeping the other.
"Alright," said Marisa, releasing a deep breath. She paused, tapping her foot. "Are we really doing this?"
"Yes," Liam said without hesitation. "Who knows? We might just stumble upon a stash of food or something."
"Is it worth the risk?"
"Marisa, everything we've done has been a risk so far. You chose you jump down here."
"Good," said Liam, nodding. Sparna and him turned around to face the tunnel. They started walking, Marisa ending up gripping Sparna's free hand. It wasn't even that she was scared; it was more the paranoia that the ground was going to slip from under her again.
