Chapter 111: We Got Lucky

Maeve

21

Robbie was holding me and Rowan to his chest, his body trembling as he took deep, strained breaths. The dust was clearing, the forest floor now visible through pockets of fog and debris. I blinked, my eyes ringing so violently it made my headache.

Rowan was fighting to free himself from Robbie’s grasp. Robbie let him go, and Rowan fell to his knees, coughing so hard his eyes began to water.

We were soaked from the rain and covered in mud. I looked around, turning in Robbie’s direction to face what was left of the entrance to the tunnel.

The hill was nothing but a pile of shattered stone and broken trees. I closed my eyes.

It was over-and at a tremendous cost.

TILE

“We have to go in for them,” I whispered weakly, unable to hide the pain in my voice. I hadn’t yet registered what had happened.

“Aye, we will. I think I can… I can move some of the rocks out of the way. I think-”

Rowan was already frantically pulling rocks from the entrance, screaming curses as he ripped splintered tree branches from the rubble. He was calling for Hanna, his voice

so desperate it brought hot, painful tears to my eyes. I swallowed against my own fear and grief.

The three of us had been the only ones to make it out.

The trees rustled above us, their bare branches scratching against each other. The forest seemed to moan, the sound echoing through the clearing sounding almost like the cry of a woman, someone hurt.

Someone dying.

Robbie held me close as a huge, violent gust of wind whipped through the space, nearly knocking us over. I knew it was her, Tasia, and as soon as the wind ceased, the sky gave way to stillness once more…

I knew she was gone. Dead.

“Troy,” I cried, turning into Robbie’s chest as I began to cry.

“Were gonna get ’em,” Robbie assured me, but his voice betrayed his words. I could tell he was sure we would find them, but whether or not they were alive after being buried under several feet of rock and dirt was something he wasn’t confident in.

“Damn it!” Rowan cried as he began to toss rocks bigger than his head away from the pile of rubble. His hands were bloodied, torn, and oozing red as he dug and dug and dug.

Robbie let me go and went to him, leaving me standing in the clearing. I watched Robbie begin to move some of the bigger rocks out of the way, waiting, holding my breath.

I heard barking.

I looked around, unsure in which direction it came from. I heard it again, and this time Rowan and Robbie noticed as well. Robbie began to pull rocks away from the pile at a speed

that seemed unnatural. He bellowed at Rowan, telling my brother to get out of the way as he began to pull on the exposed roots of one of the trees that used to cover the hill.

and the two

path before several large boulders broke loose from the pile and crashed onto the forest floor.

to the large hole that was exposed in the pile of

falling to my knees. Voices began to rise from the hole, and Robbie left Rowan to nurse his foot, jumping back onto the

of someone, and pulled

with a little laugh, “Ethan’s next

was covered in mud

the rocks. He was limping badly, winching and cursing as he walked out

He said something to Robbie, and Robbie nodded in agreement before disappearing into the remains of

me, smiling, and took what looked like the first deep breath he had taken

as he stumbled around the clearing.

his eyes settling on each of us as he willed our

could tell he had more he wanted to say, but he was still a man of few words. He motioned towards Mom,

cursing his grievances as he fought against the dense thickets of brush

at me, shrugging her

okay?” she asked

against the lump in my throat. Adrenaline was coursing through my veins, keeping me upright. “Okay. I’m going to-to go after him. Your dad is fine,

“A giant crab?”

call each other as children in lieu of something more aggressive or naughty when we were vexed. She walked over to me, embracing me fully. She reached up, wiping

all I could

back before taking her leave, her body

as he

I

tunnel caved in, but that’s all. I’ll

want to

We will.”

where Keaton was standing, alone. Rowan was nowhere to be seen, and I realized he must have gone into the

“Is she dead? Hanna?”

silent, then

she’s not dead.

the tunnel, holding a limp Hanna in

the

tried

go home,” Rowan said sternly,

me and Troy without

Keaton said dryly, dusting dirt

Troy began, but Keaton held up

where he went.”

was

exactly?” Robbie asked, glancing from

breath, glancing at Troy through

all I can say. The tunnel came down on top of Ethan and Hanna, but that broken door

hear him. We couldn’t see anything. That’s when you and Rowan started pulling the rocks away. Hanna refused to leave. She kept saying it wasn’t over. She

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