The cold dank air hit her nostrils like a sledgehammer. Ruby recoiled. Froze. Held her breath. After a few minutes, she tried to turn her head, but immense pain shot through her temples, settling to a dull throb at the base of her skull. She fought to keep her eyes open, needing to remember where the hell she was. She couldn’t. She gave in to the heavy, drifting sensation.
Not sure how much time had passed, she reached up to touch the tender spot on the back of her head. A cry escaped her as a thick stickiness came away on her fingertips. The metallic scent of blood now mingled with the earthy wet stench surrounding her.
She shivered uncontrollably as blood gushed through her veins in unison with the thudding inside her head.
She could see nothing. Not a thing.
Were her eyes even open?
She knew they were when she felt them close once again.
The only sound was the continuous drip-drip-drip that came from all around her.
She managed to roll onto her back. Icy rock almost touched her on either side. She reached up and yelped as the tips of her fingers hit more hard rock not six inches above her face.
She was in a tunnel—a cold, dark, terrifying tunnel.
Disoriented, she crawled forward in the direction she faced.
Memories began flooding her mind. Cody, Steve and Kyle. A sob caught in her throat.
Her back scraped on the jutting rock as she manoeuvred her way forward. Her head connected with sharp rock and she cried out. The impact made her sink her teeth into her tongue. Now blood filled her mouth.
Kyle had seemed certain this awful tunnel led to the river. The sound of water became louder and more of a steady flow rather than a drip. Ruby prayed the end was close by.
A small, furry creature ran across her hand, squeaking. She screamed, her head once again banging on the rock.
Her teeth chattered.
All her fears surrounded her.
Enclosed spaces—scurrying creatures—bone crippling cold.
She sensed a change to her surroundings when a draught blew on her face.
Sobbing now, she pushed forward. Small slivers of light enabled her to see in front of her and she gasped as she stepped out into a cave-like clearing. Climbing down from the rock, she stood full height, then headed off in the direction of the light.
All of a sudden, a large opening appeared and the early morning sky beyond.
On weak and shaky legs she forced herself on, her eyes filled with tears making the opening appear blurred. Then she realised it had nothing to do with the tears.
A cry caught in her throat.
Her legs propelled her forwards.
A padlocked wrought iron gate covered the entire opening.
But that wasn’t the worst of it.
The remains of a woman wearing a multi-coloured jersey were slumped to the side of the gate, the bones of her hands still gripping the bars.
Ruby’s screams filled the silence.