“Do you think it leads outside?” Ashleigh asked.
“Only one way to find out,” I answered.
“What if it stops at a dead end? We could get trapped and have no escape,” Lillie said.
“We’ll have to risk it.”
Ashleigh crossed her arms as goosebumps prickled her flesh. I imagined being soaked didn’t help with the chill.
“Here.” I handed her my jacket. She took it and threaded her arms through. It didn’t fit by a long shot. The sleeves covered her hands as it sagged from her bony shoulders, but she didn’t complain.
I led the other two into the tunnel. The scent of saltwater wafted through the air, and the same damp breeze I’d felt earlier gusted past.
Lillie clicked on her flashlight, illuminating the cavern far better than my puny watch. The tunnel widened. Gray rock loomed overhead and created a dome. It was beautiful in an otherworldly sort of way, as if we’d stepped onto another planet never explored by humans. Stalactites and stalagmites sparkled from the floors and ceilings.
As we hiked over the rock-strewn ground, I felt as if I’d entered a Star Trek re-run. I imagined green-faced aliens hiding around the corner, and realized I may have watched too much sci-fi with my dad when I was younger.
The quiet unnerved me. I wanted Lillie to start chattering just to break up the silence. Every sound made me jump, and I turned to look behind us more than I should have.
I imagined Thexus following us, with his soulless eyes and strange yellow wounds. He killed girls for fun. I couldn’t imagine what he’d do to us.
Pebbles crunched underfoot. I stumbled over the uneven ground, scuffing my boots as I went. I heard Lillie curse as she stubbed her toe. If Ashleigh had trouble with the rocky terrain, she didn’t let it show.
After what felt like hours, the cave narrowed. Sounds of trickling water gurgled up ahead. Dim light replaced the blackness.
“We must be getting close to the sewers,” Lillie whispered.
We followed the sounds of running water until we stopped at an intersection. Bricks lined the walls. A light fixture shone from an alcove.
“Razor,” Lillie said. “Didn’t I call it?” She snapped off her flashlight.
“Now where do we go?” Ashleigh asked in a breathless voice. Blotchy pink spots dotted her cheeks, and sweat dripped from her matted hair.
I could keep going, but judging by Ashleigh’s appearance I decided we shouldn’t.
“Let’s rest for a minute,” I suggested, and found the nearest boulder. Ashleigh collapsed onto the rock.
“We don’t have time,” Lillie said. “We’ve gotta keep moving.”
“Fine, go ahead,” I said as I pulled a water bottle out of my pack and passed it to the girl. “We’ll catch up with you.”
“I meant all of us.”
“Give us five minutes.”
“In five minutes those psychos could catch up with us,” Lillie said.
“I don’t think so.”
“Because you don’t think.”
Ashleigh took a small swallow of water and stared at my sister through red-rimmed eyes. “Are you always this annoying?”
Lillie flashed a smile that looked more predatory than friendly. “No. You haven’t seen my annoying side yet.”
“O gee, I’m so flicking scared. Do you go all Jekyll and Hyde and start ripping people apart?”
“Let’s just say I’m handy with knives.”
“Is that a threat?”
“Do you want it to be?”
“Guys, cool it,” I cut in. “What on earth is wrong with you, Lillie? Don’t you think she’s been through enough?”
She pulled out her knife, then flipped it from one end to the other. “Sorry,” she mumbled.
“What was that?” Ashleigh snapped.
“I am sorry,” Lillie said, enunciating each word.
“Thank you,” Ashleigh answered after a pause.
I turned to my sister. “Let’s chat for a minute.” I nodded to the far corner where we would be out of Ashleigh’s earshot.
She followed me down the tunnel.
“What’s up?” I asked. “Why are you scaring Ashleigh?”
“I’m not scaring her. Have you seen how rude she is?”
“She’s been through a lot. Take it easy. She’s only thirteen.”
She studied Ashleigh’s silhouette on the far side of the cavern, then shook her head. “I know I’ve been hard on her, but I swear to you, something’s not right. This feels wrong.”
“Wrong how?”
“I’m not sure. But something strange is going on.”
“And you think Ashleigh’s part of it?”
She tightened her jaw. “No.”
“Then leave her alone.”
“I will when she leaves me alone.”
“You sound like a child.”
“I’m seventeen. Technically I am.”
“You don’t have to act like one.”
“Okay, Mom.”
My muscles tensed. “Don’t say that.”
“Why?”
“Because Mom would’ve beaten the tar out of you if you’d talked to her that way.”
“Says who?”
“Me. And you’re getting close to making me want to beat the tar out of you.”
She flashed a razor-edged smile. “Wanna try?”
“No. I don’t want to fight you, Lillie. I want to help Ashleigh. And I would appreciate it if you wanted the same thing.”
“I’m helping already, aren’t I?”
“Arguing with Ashleigh isn’t helping.”
“She’s a brat.”
I was getting nowhere with her. When everything fails, play the money card. “Her mother is our hire. You think she’ll pay us if her daughter says we chainmailed her?”
Lillie seemed to think about it. “Fine, I’ll try to be nice. You happy?”
“Try to?”
She ground her teeth. “I’ll be nice.”
I felt like I dealt with a five-year old. “Good. Thank you.”
“Just so you know, she started it.”
Like I said, five-year old.
We made our way back to the rock where Ashleigh sat. Lillie stood away from Ashleigh and kept her mouth shut. Smart move.
I pulled a couple of energy bars from my pack and passed them around. Except for the trickling of water, we ate in silence. Ashleigh wolfed the food down in three bites.
I unzipped my bag and took note of the contents. One granola bar, a small box of raisins, and half a bag of beef jerky. Usually I rationed my food until I knew I wouldn’t starve, but now seemed like a good time to splurge.
“Here.” I gave Ashleigh the remainder of my food.
She stared in the bag and back at me. “Are you sure?”
“You need it more than I do.”
She hesitated.
“Take it before she changes her mind,” Lillie said.
Ashleigh sneered at my sister, then snatched the food.
“We should get going,” Lillie said after Ashleigh finished.
“I agree. Ashleigh, you ready?” I stood as Ashleigh picked the last bits of beef jerky from the bag. When she looked up, I saw something in her face I wasn’t expecting.
Fear.
Was she afraid of me?
Then I realized she wasn’t staring at me, but directly behind me. I spun around to see a beam of light coming from the open cavern.
I cursed and grabbed her arm. Lillie spotted the light as well and nodded toward the sewer.
“Hurry,” she mouthed.
We sprinted for the tunnel. Blood hammered my eardrums as we crossed from the open expanse of the cavern into the narrow passageway. Our shoes splashed the murky water, making spattering sounds that echoed through the sewer. It was only a small noise, but to me it sounded deafening.
Humid wind rushed past my face. Adrenaline sped my footsteps. The sewer curved and we rounded a bend. The same brick walls stretched ahead. We raced t
hrough the tunnel, not looking back.
I glanced over my shoulder, but the tunnel behind us remained empty.
We ran until my lungs screamed for air. A sharp, stabbing pain jabbed at my side. The smooth rows of bricks seemed to stretch forever as I searched for an exit. No doorways or ladders appeared. I felt caged.
What if we reached a dead end? The Xeros would slaughter us. Worse, Lillie would be right. I hated it when Lillie was right.
We reached an intersection and stopped. My heart clattered in my chest. I doubled over to catch my breath.
“Which . . . way?” I asked through gasps of air.
Lillie wiped beads of moisture from her forehead as she glanced from one end of the sewer to the other.
Ashleigh leaned against a wall, her bruised face reddened and smudged with sweat.
If the Xeros caught up to us now, I knew we’d never outrun them.
“Hear that?” Lillie asked.
I listened, trying to hear over my pounding heart. Silence pervaded the cavern. “Hear what?”
“Listen,” she whispered.
Ashleigh walked forward, her eyes wide as she stared down the left corridor. I closed my eyes and focused on catching my breath. One breath in, one breath out. My heart rate slowed until the whooshing in my ears became a faint murmur.
The sound of metal wheels rushing over tracks caught my attention. I took several steps forward and the sound intensified.
“The subway.”
“This way,” Lillie said and dashed into the tunnel. We followed. Muddied water splashed the sides of the wall, deeper here than in the previous tunnel. The blaring of a horn reverberated through the cavern.
Around the next bend, I spotted a ladder bolted to the wall.
Lillie reached the ladder first and motioned for Ashleigh to climb up. She rushed to Lillie’s side and stumbled as she grabbed a rung.
Voices echoed behind us. I spun around.
Thexus emerged, along with several dozen of his cronies. He shone a flashlight beam in our direction. Our eyes met. I regretted it.
Hate filled his face, not just a passing emotion that someone feels when they’ve had a long day, but a deep-seated malice. I don’t know what I’d done to deserve the stare. When he whipped out a pistol, I rushed to the ladder.
Ashleigh reached the top. Lillie climbed up next.
A shot rang out. I ducked and prayed the bullet missed its mark.
“Stop!” Thexus yelled as the mob rushed toward us. Another shot. Splinters of brick exploded from the wall inches from my face.
When Lillie reached the top, I grabbed the ladder and scrambled up. Damp metal slicked under my fingertips and I lost my balance. I fell backwards. Brick floors aren’t the best to cushion a landing. I found out the hard way. My back took the brunt of the impact. I cursed under my breath as sharp stabs of pain shot through my spine.
The sound of racing footsteps grew closer. I swallowed my fear and stood. This time I grabbed the ladder with a firm grip and dashed up as the next shot blasted the wall beside me.
Lillie loomed overhead. She grabbed my arm as soon as I came into reach. She hauled me up and then pulled me away from the opening.
I barely had time to get my bearings before we were running again.
An empty train track stretched in either direction. Electric bulbs buzzed behind metal cages spaced along the walls, casting a dusky yellow glow through the subway tube. More shots echoed below us. The pain in my back dissipated with the new rush of adrenaline.
Ashleigh stayed between Lillie and me as we ran along the track, careful to avoid the lethally charged third rail. Her tangled blonde hair trailed behind her.
Faster. We have to go faster.
I knew I couldn’t sprint any faster, but I felt as though I ran through thick molasses. The shouts behind us grew louder. My blood churned through my limbs, driving me away from the mob.
Ashleigh stumbled and fell face forward. I barely avoided tripping over her. She whimpered as she attempted to sit up. I knelt beside her.
“You okay?”
The mob raged behind us. I wanted to pick her up and dash away, but she found her feet and hobbled upright. “I can walk.”
Lillie pulled out her knife. I didn’t look back, but I heard the Xeros closing in. I grabbed Ashleigh’s arm and we limp-jogged away as fast as we could.
“Stop or we kill you!” Thexus bellowed behind us.
Did he think we were mentally impaired? They were already trying to kill us. If we stopped, they’d just kill us sooner.
The tube curved. A barrage of bullets thundered behind us. We rounded the corner as the walls erupted. Shards of brick flew in every direction. The sharp splinters battered my legs and torso. I cradled my head with my arms as the piercing rubble bit through my clothing and embedded in my flesh.
Ashleigh shrieked as the flying debris hit her. I pulled her along with me.
A subway station came into view. A few people stood on the landing, staring at us with wide, fearful eyes. Some of them entered the waiting train.
“Get down!” Lillie shouted at the crowd.
Bullets ricocheted off the wall behind us.
The crowd responded with chaos. Screams erupted as people ran for cover. They jostled into the train, up the stairway. I helped Ashleigh onto the platform and stayed by Lillie’s side as we clambered up. We pushed through the mass of bodies. I searched the tracks behind us for the Xeros, but saw no sign of them.
Max said they liked to keep quiet. Maybe they didn’t want to risk exposing their gang.
“Into the train,” Lillie said. We dodged a man scrambling with a briefcase over his head. I pushed Ashleigh forward as we reached the loading platform. The train’s horn blared through the station.
Hoarse shouts of a familiar voice caught my attention. I glanced back to see Thexus break through the crowd and dart toward us. For a man that large, he moved fast.
“Faster,” I urged my sister as we rushed toward the open train doors. The coach sat a few feet away, but it might as well have been miles.
We shoved ahead and closed the distance. Lillie pushed inside first. Ashleigh followed. I stepped to the platform’s yellow line and leaped, but something caught my ankle.
I screamed as the pavement smacked my face, once again reminding me why it’s not a good idea to collide with cement floors.
Thexus loomed over me with a maniacal grin on his face. Yellow teeth matched his yellow scars. Even from this distance I smelled his fetid breath.
“Looks like I caught you,” he said, leering.
I rose onto my elbows.
There’s a reason why cowboys wear boots. They last through long trail rides, they keep out the muck, and they’re protection against the constant rubbing of stirrups. But there’s another reason why I wear them. Getting kicked by a boot hurts like hell. I kicked with as much thrust as my adrenaline-laden body allowed.
My foot hit him square in the soft section of his belly. His eyes bugged as he staggered back.
Take that, freak.
Lillie caught me under the arms and tugged me onto the train before the doors slid closed. They sealed with a click. The train sped forward. Blood hammered my eardrums as I watched a stunned Thexus disappear from sight.
Ashleigh sobbed beside me. I crawled away from the door to sit next to her.
“Is it over?” she asked in a weak voice.
“Yes.” I wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “It’s over.”
CHAPTER SIX
I stumbled through my apartment door and made it to the shower before I collapsed. Lillie wasn’t so lucky. She only made it to the couch.
The trip home had been uneventful. I made sure Ashleigh made it to her apartment. Lillie made sure Ms. Conrad paid us. I expected the Xeros to catch up with us but they never showed. I suspected once we were out in public they didn’t want to risk exposure, so they retreated back to their lair.
We weren’t done with them. Not by a long shot. We�
�d be back to make sure they never hurt any girls again. But until then, a soaking hot bath and a good night’s sleep were in order. No one’s good at hellraising when they’re half-dead.
I turned on the shower and let the water run hot. Steam filled the bathroom as I climbed inside the tub. Grease and grime matted my hair, so I washed it first. My eyes felt heavy, my head in a fog. At some point I realized I was sitting in the bathtub, but didn’t remember how I got there.
A short nap couldn’t hurt.
As my eyes closed, I noticed stains smudging my arms and palms of my hands. Probably sewer sludge. But had the slime been purple and yellow? I remembered the black water, the dark slime slicking the sewer walls.
My brain told me to shut up and go to sleep. I wanted to obey so bad that it physically hurt to force my eyes open and inspect my hands.
I rubbed my thumb across the palm of my hand, then held it under the light and looked closer. The purplish smear didn’t resemble sewer sludge. What was it then? Had the Xeros secretly captured me and slathered me with paint while I wasn’t looking?
I sniffed the substance. A faint scent of perfume entered my nostrils. I played through various scenarios in my head, trying to figure out where I’d made contact.
My pounding head begged me to leave it alone. What was so important about the weird stuff on my fingers, anyway? Something nagged at me. I shouldn’t have been so concerned, but I was.
Something about the events of the past day and a half didn’t add up. It was weird that the fight started just as we arrived. That kind of timing seemed too convenient.
And how was it that Ashleigh had guided me to the very room with an exit in it? I don’t believe in dumb luck, although right now I really wanted to.
Ashleigh’s attitude change also bothered me. She’d been so sweet until my sister showed up. Either she really hated my sister, or something else was going on. Had she purposely tried to pit us against one another?
My head spun. I didn’t like where these thoughts were going. I grabbed the bottle of lavender-scented soap and poured liberal amounts onto my sponge.
I was losing it. The past few days were chainmailing my head. Ashleigh was a sweet young girl who was the victim of a crime, nothing more.
Shine: Season One (Shine Season Book 1) Page 42