“Is it much further?” I asked. “I think I’m getting sick.”
My stomach had taken on a queasy feeling as we descended deeper. I wanted to put out my hand to make sure I wouldn’t fall over, but was too afraid of what could be crawling along the walls that might decide to take a nibble. I kept my hand close to my body and eventually moved it to my stomach, trying to keep the sickness at bay.
“Not sure. I can feel them. They are down here somewhere. It can’t be that far now.”
As we continued, the only thing I could feel was Job’s hand on mine, taking me further into the empty darkness. I listened to the sound of our feet shifting dust as we went along. His footsteps began to take on a more normal rhythm, other than his limp. The atmosphere was making him stronger, and I was growing weaker. The oxygen was becoming too thin for me to breath.
“Job – I need – to – stop. I can’t – breathe,” I said between laborious breaths.
“Hang on just a bit more. I know it’s not much further. It’s becoming stronger. I can feel them close now.”
He pulled me closer to him, bending his head down, so I could breathe in as he exhaled. As much as it should have been easier, the depleted oxygen was making my head spin. The knot in my stomach grew tighter, and my head hung low from exhaustion. Job’s hand held my face closer as he spoke words that didn’t make any sense to me. I was overcome with sickness, and my lungs were on fire.
“I – can’t–” They were the last words I could muster.
Job was nearly dragging me, holding me with both arms, as my feet quit working. I could see small flashes of light dancing in front of my eyes. Even when I closed them, the lights stayed – flashbulbs going off, never lighting the tunnel. It made sense why they had chosen this place. A human would never find them. I was going to die, and even though Job tried to breathe for me, there was nothing he could do to save me. The rest of my body shut down, and the air he was forcing into my lungs didn’t help – there just wasn’t enough oxygen. I was happy to know my last breath would be with him at my side, even though I couldn’t see him. The image of him in my mind was the last thing I saw before I passed out.
21.
I had to be dead. I had died in the darkness in Job’s arms, in his warm embrace, his lips on mine. It was the last thing I remembered, and it made me feel complete. I never had the chance to tell him I loved him, but he had already known. I had given up my life for him – for his safety.
I must have gone to heaven. It was far too cool to be hell. Something didn’t feel right, though. There was pressure on my lungs, and my chest still burned from the suffocation. The surface I was laying on was soft, but as I reached past my body, my hands encountered hard stone, moist and cold under my fingers. The smell of wet rock filled my nostrils. It had to be purgatory. This was not the way I expected death to feel like.
The lights had stopped flickering behind my eyelids, but as I opened my eyes, the room was blurry and spinning around, making my stomach lurch again. It was a tilt-a-whirl on high speed. I had to shut them quickly to stop the motion.
I had to know where I was. I should be in the black dust of the mine, if I were still alive, but this was too bright, too smooth, too clean to be the pit we had entered. How did I get here?
A warm hand touched my shoulder, bringing comfort. It was as warm as Job’s, but smaller – more feminine – and as she spoke, the ring to her voice sounded like an angel.
“Shhh. You need to lie still. It’s going to take a while for you to adjust to the air. Don’t try to sit up too fast. You’ve been through a lot.”
I rolled on my side, trying to get the feeling to pass and clear my head. If I was going to be sick, I would rather it be on the stone floor than on myself. I opened my eyes again, forcing them to focus on one spot to stop the rotation. I picked out a small crevice in the rock floor and kept my gaze locked on it. After a short amount of time, it transformed from two into one, the room stopped spinning violently around, and I was able to gain my senses back.
I took several deep breaths, feeling my lungs expand and contract slowly. The burning wasn’t going away, but I was able to take in air and not choke on it.
“Where am I?” My voice was faint.
“Underground,” the woman chimed. “Below the mine. A hidden cavern, and safe.”
Safe. It was word I longed to hear. We had put so much on the line for Job’s safety. Upon thinking of Job, I suddenly felt more awake, realizing he wasn’t nearby. “Where’s Job? Is he okay? Can I see him?” I sat up too fast, ignoring her warning.
The room whirled again. The divot in the floor was hard to find at the speed it was going, but eventually I zoomed in on it and kept staring, just in case the dizzy spell came again. It was hard to remain on it for long, since I wanted to see the woman that was being so kind to me. I turned and looked over at the hand that was still on my shoulder, and at the scar upon it – the “eye that sees all.” It was faint, and there were other scars across her hand that had cut into it; slashes that crawled up her arms, partially covered by her flowing shirt.
“He’ll be back soon. He had to talk to some people. He stayed by your side for a long time while you were sleeping. He didn’t want to leave you.”
That sounded like my Job. He was so worried about me. He never wanted to leave my side unless he had to. I had said I would stand by his side, but instead I was grounded, while he was off doing whatever he needed to. He would probably be upset that he wasn’t there when I woke up.
I regained enough clarity to completely sit up and take in my surroundings. The cavern was vast, with a smooth limestone bottom. Light fixtures had been installed across the ceiling, giving off a dim glow that bounced off the yellow and brown rocks, creating a tranquil ambiance.
Around the edges of the room, some sheets had been hung between stalactites, forming private areas. Bare mats or blankets were rolled up in various spaces within the room, waiting for their respective owners to come back and sleep. There were a few that were already rolled out, with Sayners either sleeping on them, or else sitting having conversations in their white noise language. They were attempting to be discreet in their stares, but it was too noticeable from my vantage. I was an outcast and had invaded their home.
“They don’t like me here, do they?” I was afraid to make eye contact with the others in the room.
“Ignore them. You have to remember what some humans are like. It takes time for them to trust.” She sounded so at ease with me.
I finally looked at the woman. She was just as beautiful as any Sayner. Her magnificent hazel eyes with the gold reflection were warm; auburn hair, sweeping down her shoulders and onto the floor, complimented a fairly light tan complexion. I noticed the scars around her neck, small punctures that wrapped up into her hair. As much as she must have been through, I couldn’t believe she would even want to be near me, let alone talk to me.
Before I could ask her name, I heard Job’s voice calling me from across the room. I tried to stand, but my brain was having trouble telling my legs what to do. The task of standing was beyond me, and I fell back to the ground. I gave in, and sat holding myself up with weak arms, looking at the stone floor. I quickly regained my composure and looked back up to see that Job had already been rushing toward me to help.
The leather jacket fit like a glove to his lean body. The shirt underneath hugged at his chest, displaying the muscular tone underneath. He seemed to glide to me effortlessly – his limp was less pronounced than before. I had no idea how commanding he could look.
His smile only lasted for a fraction of a second as he knelt to me, making sure I wasn’t going to stand again before I was able. I could see there was something there, toying with his emotions. As much as he hid it by hugging me tight – holding me close – I could feel it in his grip. His embrace was too long and too powerful. It felt as though he would squeeze the life out of me. He released his hold a bit, giving me a long, drawn out kiss on the forehead – then immediately
went back to another desperate clasp around my waist, not wanting to let go. The tension in his arms was a dead giveaway.
“I’m glad you’re okay. I was so worried about you,” he said through another kiss.
“How did I get here? I only remember the mine, and that I couldn’t breathe.”
“You had passed out, and I picked you up and carried you the rest of the way. You stopped breathing just before I got to the door, but you started again after I got you inside. I was so afraid I had lost you.” His hold was becoming uncomfortable, and I had to push him away.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t be by your side, like I said I would. Is everything okay now? Did they say they would accept you? Are they mad at you, like you thought they would be?” My questions fired out.
He strained a laugh. “It’s okay. They are not upset with me. Turns out I’m the only military they have, and they can really use me to help train others, in case we have to fight. It looks like it’s going to work out for me here.”
The pride in his smile was apparent. He couldn’t hide the look in his eyes of how glad he felt to be accepted, but an odd feeling was still behind it. It wasn’t because of me and my brush with death any longer. There was something else. Something he didn’t want to say.
“You said me – as in, just you. I thought we were in this together?”
The smile was gone. He wasn’t hiding his turmoil anymore. He aimed for another kiss, but I pushed him away before his lips could connect. He wasn’t surprised; he had been expecting my reaction. His face hardened. His news was going to be bad, and I could tell it was bothering him, but he was holding strong, trying not to let it show. He turned away for a moment, thinking how he was going to say it, before turning back to me. “You can’t stay,” he said, his face stern, hardly able to look me in the eyes.
“What do you mean, I can’t stay? I’m not leaving.”
His words were hard to digest. We had a plan. It was going to be him and me, or nothing, but now he was changing it. I loved him, and there was nothing he could do to make me feel any different. I knew, when we started this journey, that there would be a chance of us having to separate, but I didn’t want it to happen. I only wanted him.
His voice turned distant, as though he was talking to someone else. His eyes wandered around the room. “Someone will take you back. There are some oxygen tanks down here, so you can breathe going back up. They keep them here in case something like this happens. You can get in your car and go. I’m sure your threat to Derrick will keep you safe, if you go alone. Sally and Chase will love to have you back. It’s just better this way.”
“Then come with me. We can find somewhere else. You said–”
“I said if they wouldn’t take me, I would leave with you. They want – they need – me here. I can’t go with you. This is a safe place for me. Maybe they will pass a law so we don’t have to hide. I can find you then. Right now, I have to stay.”
He was still looking away. I knew he didn’t want to do this, and not looking at me was making it easier on him.
“And if I won’t go? Are you going to force me?”
“It’s not an option.” A mounting fierceness started in his voice.
“Are you going to drag me out? I will come back. I know the way in.”
“If I have to. You can’t come back – ever. You have to forget you ever saw this place. You have to forget about me.”
“Why? Why can’t I–”
“If you stay, they will kill you, Emily!” he yelled, looking directly at me. The rage of having to either make me go or let me die had gotten to him. As much as he didn’t want to let go, the choice for him was easy. He was struggling with his decision internally; I could see it in his eyes. As angry as he was, the pain of losing me was greater. I didn’t want to see him suffer.
“So that’s it? I just leave without you. Go on my way and never look back?”
“No. I have to bring you to the council. They want to make sure, when you go, that you won’t be a threat – that you won’t expose us. Then they can take you back up.”
“And what will you do when I’m gone?”
He was solemn again, thinking of how best to answer my question. As he looked at the ground again, I could see he was conflicted about how he would react to me leaving. He had spent the last two grueling weeks trying to convince me of his love, and waiting for me to return it, only to have it taken from him. I didn’t think he had banked on falling this far for me in such a short amount of time. I knew I hadn’t, either.
“Maybe I’ll forget about you and move on,” he said.
I knew better than to believe he would ever do anything of the sort. He had lied to me for the first time, but in a way, he was really lying to himself.
“How long do I have to stay with you?” I wanted him to say at least the night. I wasn’t ready to let go. I knew I never would be. I had told myself I wouldn’t become attached – I wouldn’t fall in love – I would be okay to leave him when the time came. In a week, I had broken every promise I made to myself. As much as he thought I could go back, I wasn’t willing to leave him behind. I loved my family, but what I had with him was much stronger.
“We have to go now.”
Getting to my feet, I glanced back to see the woman who had been with me when I woke. She was still sitting next to the mat, having watched everything that had just taken place. Her hazel eyes spoke of the sadness she was feeling. She gave a small smile to me, as though to say goodbye.
Job led me out of the room, keeping his distance. I reached out for his hand, only to have him recoil from it, as though it would hurt him. He was trying to be strong and keep away, knowing that being close to me would only make it harder. I wanted to share one last moment with him, but he was not going to give it to me.
The cavern adjoining the sleeping chamber was even more spacious. The lights burned brighter, running off a generator tucked neatly in a corner. People were busy with different tasks as they gracefully swept past us. Many were the same age as Job – with similarly beautiful features – clothed in jeans and T-shirts, most of which were worn and in dire need of patching up. The few people I saw that were younger were only in their teens, by appearance. There was no one that looked like a child, or who was elderly. As Job had told me, most had been killed before they could leave the camps.
The vast room was set up as a dining area. Instead of chairs, squares of fabric were placed on the floor, and food was gathered on small bamboo-type mats. As we passed, the heads of everyone turned to stare at the human in their midst. The whispers in the static language filled the room. Some faces were curious, but most showed disgust. I wanted to hide. I was being paraded through the chamber like a prisoner being taken to the chair without a last meal.
Job looked no more comfortable, walking through the room with me at his heels. Even though the stares were directed at me, he was just as embarrassed to lead me, knowing that I was his charge and he was responsible for bringing me in.
I was finally led to a small room consisting of six men. A single light shone down in the center, doing more to hide the features of the room’s occupants than reveal them. Two of the men were backed against the entrance, guarding the door to keep us from leaving, and prevent others from coming in. The light hit them more brilliantly than the others, showing their soft, young skin and blank, ageless faces.
The other four men stood on the opposite side of the room. Three of them looked like they were in their fifties or sixties. Their hair had gone grey or white. The fourth person making up the council looked to be about Job’s age, yet he was larger and more threatening than any of the others. His skin was darker in comparison, creating deeper shadows around him. From where I stood, the golden glow in their eyes was about the only thing I could see of them.
Even in the dim lighting, I sensed this room was different from the others. The floor was more uneven, and large conical stalactites hung from almost every space; some of the longer ones had to be broken off
to make room to walk. Green and muddy brown stalagmites grew up from the ground, surrounding the room, but they, too, had been broken off at various places, making the appearance of seats. With eight of us in the room, the space was even smaller than at first glance, and the cool air was stifled by the warm bodies in it.
Job stopped near the door, allowing me to cross in front of him and walk toward the center. The white noise from the grand room we had just left carried into the small grotto. I turned to look at Job, standing motionless behind me, keeping his eyes diverted from looking at me. It was hard to gaze at him, knowing I was going to lose him forever.
One of the elderly men stepped towards me, giving me a better view. I expected a council to be decorated in special clothing, something other than the human’s variety. This councilman, however, was wearing blue flip flops, dingy khakis, and a green polo with short sleeves. It was pretty average for summertime dress, out on the street. The glaring mark on his hand said he had been part of the slavery. His stare was cold, lacking emotion. The frown he wore accentuated the lines on his face, showing his age even more. He leaned forward, talking to the men behind me, pointing to Job. The hiss of his voice sounded husky and aged to me, even though he wasn’t using my language. I looked back again to see Job answer him in the same static, with more of a somber tone. Even though the conversation was impossible to understand, the feeling behind it was clear.
“I need an interpreter. I don’t speak that language,” I piped up, hoping they would let Job get closer to me, to help translate.
“We can speak English, as well as a few other languages. It won’t be necessary,” the flip-flop man answered, looking back at me. “Job tells me you are going to leave willingly. We just want to make sure you will keep our secret safe.” His face softened slightly.
“Can I stay? Do I have a choice?” I asked, wanting the chance to voice my opinion before being forced into going. I was determined to convince them to change their minds.
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