Chapter 19

Escape

            The first challenge that the three of them had was getting out of the chambers and back into the cave.  There was no sphere on the inside of the doorway that had brought them into the chamber for them to activate, so a fair amount of time was spent with the three of them poking and prodding the wall around the doorway, then the door itself.  When nothing worked, they sat back to evaluate what they knew about the door, which amounted to not a lot.  On a whim, Sephira pulled the tapestries back, looking on the walls behind them, but could find nothing to activate the door.

            Sighing, she sat down on the floor in between the first and the second tapestry and let out a little gasp of shock as the floor shifted underneath her butt.  The group heard a loud grinding sound that echoed loudly throughout the chamber as the door slowly dropped into the floor.  That was when Jonah remembered the tapestry that showed what had happened to the last group that had tried to leave the pyramid.  Talking in a hushed tone he told the two women about the scene that depicted the escape of the people who had placed Sephira in the tube then, together, Alissa and Jonah told Sephira about the sounds that they had heard on the way down to the chamber that had held her. 

            Since they were not sure if what they had heard were the creatures from the tapestry, they decided to proceed forward as quietly as they could in hopes that, if the undead victims of the slaughter of Charne were still animate, they would not attract any unwanted attention.

            Slowly they made their way toward the exit of the cave and once they were at the mouth of it, Jonah and Alissa turned their hand lamps on, casting beams of light out across the open chamber that was at the base of the pyramid.  The group started out into the darkness with Jonah leading, Sephira in the middle since she did not have a light of her own and Alissa taking the rear position. 

            When they were about halfway through the chamber, Jonah came to an abrupt stop.  He made motioned for Alissa to join him at the front and she did.

            “Not to alarm you,” He whispered, looking at her seriously.  “But correct me if  am wrong.  This bottom level was empty the first time we came through here right?”

            Alissa nodded.

            “That's what I was afraid of.”  Jonah whispered, swinging the beam of his light around till it fell on an ancient skeleton that was collapsed on the ground before them and beyond it Alissa could see maybe four or five more shapes that could be more skeletons like the first.

            “Let’s just move as quietly and quickly as possible and maybe they won't notice us.”  Alissa whispered back, swinging her beam around looking for more skeletons.  As she spotted a few more behind them, she cussed colorfully.

            The group moved forward, silently checking on the skeletons to make sure that they had not moved.  Once they reached the stairs, they were breathing a sigh of relief as if they were in the clear when they heard it.  Behind them was a soft rustling sound.  Alissa looked back the way they had come and saw a multitude of hellish red eyes watching them and drawing nearer. 

            She gave a little shout of fear as her voice caught in her throat.  Jonah turned to see what had startled his wife and saw the eyes. 

            “Run!” he yelled as he sprinted up the stairs, terror fueling his speed. 

            Sephira and Alissa followed after him.  At the top of the stairs, they nearly collided with Jonah who had stopped again because of a shambling skeleton that moved at the top of the stairs, moving slowly toward the group.  Jonah pulled his rifle down from where it was slung on his shoulder and raised it toward the undead creature, firing point blank at the head of the skeleton.  As he pulled the trigger, the creature's skull disappeared into a spray of powder and bone as the echo of the gunfire in the enclosed space made their ears ring.

            Alissa looked behind them and the first skeleton had arrived at the bottom of the steps leading up to the next level.  She pulled her revolver from where it rested on her hip in its holster and pointed it at the one at the bottom of the stairs, pulling the trigger.  Whereas the rifle fire had made their ears ring, the resulting boom from the revolver deafened them as the resulting flash of muzzle flare blinded Alissa. 

            As Alissa felt herself falling backward from the recoil of the pistol, she felt something grab the collar of her undershirt and pull her up the stairs.  When she reached the top of the steps the hand released her and helped her to her feet.  Her vision was coming back and she could see that it was Sephira that had grabbed her.  Alissa was surprised at the strength that the silver haired woman’s small frame seemed to possess and made a mental note of it. 

            As she looked around, Alissa could see Jonah firing rapidly at multiple targets, but it took a minute for her to figure out why she could not hear the shots from the rifle that he was shooting.  Abruptly, Jonah stopped shooting and proceeded down the direction that he had been firing and the two women followed with Alissa occasionally checking behind them to see if anything was drawing near.  When anything appeared to their rear she would fire at it with her revolver, closing her eyes right before the resulting blast as she braced herself for the shock of the recoil.  Occasionally they would stop so that Jonah could clear the path ahead of shambling undead that attempted to block them.

            They continued like this up through the next five levels, running and gunning as necessary until Alissa noticed that Sephira was limping considerably.  As she looked at the woman's feet, Alissa saw that Sephira was leaving a trail of blood behind them from dozens of cuts and wounds that were presumably from her walking through the sharp shards of bone that the skeletons were leaving behind when they were destroyed.  In her right foot, she had a large piece of bone sticking through the top of her foot. 

            Alissa moved forward and tapped Jonah on the shoulder then had to duck as he swung the rifle around, barrel almost striking her in the head.  Jonah gave her an apologetic grin and followed where Alissa was pointing down to Sephira's feet.  His eyes widened as he saw the blood.  He nodded to Alissa and pointed to an open doorway that was up ahead to the left.  The group made their way to the door and moved into it, closing it behind themselves. 

            After a quick sweep of the chamber to make sure it was free of any of the skeletons, Jonah went to guard the door while Alissa ripped her undershirt off and tore it in half.  She pulled out a canteen of water and washed Sephira's feet off to assess the wounds.  Most were small cuts, nothing to worry about as long as they could be kept clean, but the bone that was in her right foot went all the way through, making a jagged wound.  Alissa grasped the foot with her hand that held the stone in it and used the other hand to pull the large shard out.  As she pulled, the stone in the back of her hand began to glow brightly.  When the bone came completely free, the light from the stone faded.  When Alissa examined Sephira's foot after the light faded, she could find no trace of wounds on that foot.  She grasped the other foot to see if she would get the same result.  After a few seconds the stone began to glow and, when the light faded, the foot was free of any wounds. 

            Alissa looked at Sephira in amazement and the silver haired woman just nodded, smiling with understanding.  Alissa took the shredded shirt and wrapped both of the woman's feet up, tying the cloth together on the top of each foot, making a protective barrier between the woman's feet and the floor.  Hoping this would be good enough to prevent her feet from getting hurt again, Alissa stood up and helped Sephira to her feet.  Sephira gave her quick thumbs up to show her that everything was fine and mouthed a thank you to Alissa.

            The group moved back out into the hallway and, after clearing out a few skeletons that had gotten close to their location, the three moved on.  They slowly worked their way upward through the pyramid, fighting as they went, and as they approached the top two floors, they realized that they were running short on ammunition.

            At the top of the stairs leading to the second to last floor, Jonah saw a horde of skeletons waiting for them.  He quickly dispatched them with his rifle, clearing a path for the group.  As they made their way through the maze of corridors he had to dispatch a few more and, as they neared the stairs, to the top level there were two skeletons blocking the path.  Jonah took one of them out, but as he pulled the trigger to fire at the second one, nothing happened; he had run out of bullets.  He flipped the gun around, intending to use it as a club when a large flash of light from over his shoulder blinded him as Alissa took out the second skeleton.

            Alissa moved to the front and guided Jonah up the steps while the effects of the muzzle flash wore off, with Sephira following behind them.  The top floor seemed surprisingly clear of undead as they made their way through the maze of corridors until they neared the doorway leading outside.  Between them and the door Alissa could see the largest skeleton that they had seen so far.  It appeared to be composed of multiple skeletons fused into one and it was wearing armor made from a strange material that she had never seen before.  It stood before them, waving a large club that was also made of bone around as if taunting them to try to continue forward. 

            Alissa raised her gun, aimed, closed her eyes and fired.  When she opened her eyes again, she saw that the giant had stumbled back a little, but then was rushing forward, impossibly fast.  She dodged to the side as the large stone club swept over her head smashing the wall open beside her.  Jonah and Sephira had managed to dodge the blow as well and since the giant appeared to be focusing solely on Alissa, they were able to slip past it while Alissa kept it busy.  Jonah made sure that Sephira got through the doorway to the outside safely then returned to help Alissa who was struggling to keep from getting smashed. 

            The giant skeleton swung its club at her as Jonah neared.  The club clipped her shoulder and threw her hard into the wall that was behind her.  Alissa crumpled to the floor unconscious after the hard impact and Jonah let out a yell of rage.  Dropping his rifle, he charged in, fury raging on his face and struck the giant where its stomach would have been, with his fist.  There was a brilliant flash of light as the giant skeleton exploded upon impact with Jonah’s fist.  The stone in his hand was glowing brightly as he pulled it back from the cloud of dust that had once been the giant. 

            Jonah looked down the hallway, saw more skeletons coming toward them, and picked up his rifle, slinging it over his shoulder.  Picking up Alissa's limp form, he also retrieved her revolver which was lying nearby.  He could not tell if she was breathing or not as he held her close.  He carried her out of the pyramid and laid her still form on the alter.  He could hear Mr. Waffles barking back toward the doorway and as he turned to look, he saw several skeletons climbing through the doorway, coming toward them. 

            Mr. Waffles leaped at the skeleton closest to him and it fell beneath his weight as they both went tumbling through the doorway, falling into the pyramid.  Two skeletons were advancing on Sephira who was backing slowly away as six more advanced on him and Alissa.  Jonah met the advancing skeletons, fists to bone, and with each strike the skeletons exploded in a brilliant flash of light that came from the stone.  One of the skeletons managed to get a strike in on him, but when it struck, the gem on his hand flashed and where the skeleton struck, a barrier of light prevented the blow from reaching his body.  He retaliated by lashing out with a flurry of blows destroying the remaining skeletons that were advancing toward him and Alissa.

            Next, he turned his attention to the skeletons that were almost upon Sephira, pulverizing them quickly before turning to the open doorway leading into the pyramid.  From inside the pyramid, he could hear the sounds of fighting and barking as Mr. Waffles fought.  Abruptly, Jonah heard a yelp of pain that was cut short and as he neared the door, he shined a hand torch into the darkness, revealing the fate of Mr. Waffles as what appeared to be hundreds of skeletons swarmed toward the doorway. 

            Jonah began to push the door shut to seal the pyramid once more when Sephira tried to stop him because of the dog that had gone inside.  Having no time to really explain, Jonah shook his head and shone the beam of light from his hand torch on the remains of Mr. Waffles before closing the door all the way.  Once the door was shut, he strained as he slid the table back in place while Sephira went to check on Alissa.

            Once the table was back in place, he joined Sephira, who was standing beside the alter where Alissa lay, bathed in moonlight.  He looked around and saw that the mist that had been covering the valley that held the ancient ruined city of Charne was lifting and allowing light to penetrate to the valley floor fully.  From this high of a vantage point, Jonah could see for the first time the immensity of the city.  Turning his attention back toward Alissa, he could see Sephira leaning over her face, their lips almost touching and she appeared to be speaking though Jonah could not hear the words that she was saying.  As she spoke a gentle light flowed out of her mouth and into Alissa's mouth.  After a few seconds, Alissa took a deep ragged breath then resumed breathing normally though she did not awaken.  Sephira stood up and faced Jonah.

            “Is she OK?”  Jonah asked Sephira, worry in his eyes.

            “That is all I can do for her at the moment.”  She said looking at the worried look on his face.  “She was not breathing when I got here, but the life had not fled her body if that is what you were worried about.  I don't know how long she was without air, but until she awakens, we will not know if there was any other damage that might not be so easy to heal.  Also, I don't know how it will affect the baby that is growing inside of her, but we can pray for the best and hope that it was undamaged.”

            “Baby?”  Jonah asked, looking at Alissa.  “What do you mean baby?”

            “You did not know?”  Sephira said looking questioningly at Jonah.  “She is pregnant.  I could feel the child's life force within her when I restored breath to her, though I am not sure how her time without breath will affect the child.  I pray that there was no harm to it.”

            “Why wouldn't she tell me that she was pregnant?”

            “It is possible that she does not know herself.  If this is the first time that she is with child and if it is fairly recent to the time of conception, then it is quite possible she does not know.  I have no way of knowing how long she has been pregnant.  I can just sense the life of the child.”

            Jonah nodded and looked down at his beautiful wife where she lay, not moving.

            “So,” he said, looking back to Sephira.  “What do we do now?  I don't like the prospect of hanging around here if we don't have to,” he indicated to the door, then continued.  “But I'm not sure we should move Alissa if we don't have to.” 

            “You are right.”  Sephira said, looking at Alissa with concern on her face.  “We should leave her be until she awakens on her own, though I really dislike the idea of staying here till then, but we really don’t have a choice.  Unless those creatures on the other side of that door start to come through, we need to stay put.”

            Nodding, Jonah settled in for a long wait, sitting on the stone table with his back to the door so that if something were to start pushing the door open he would know it right away.  He imagined he could feel the scratching and clawing of the skeletons on the other side of the door as he sat leaning against it.  Soon he fell asleep, his dreams plagued with nightmares of being chased down long and winding corridors by an unseen horror until he was caught and ripped mercilessly apart.