Veiled Existence by Barbara Pietron

Author:Barbara Pietron [Pietron, Barbara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction: Young Adult-Fantasy, Fiction: Young Adult-Paranormal, Fiction: Mythology
Publisher: Scribe Publishing Company
Published: 2017-09-15T16:00:00+00:00

Finished with the note, Ice folded it into a square that would fit in his jacket pocket. Another question cropped up and he sat for a moment, mulling it over. Assuming he managed to escape the cave and sewer system, he’d need a way to ensure that he would find and read the note—the sooner the better. Taking inventory of the few belongings he had with him, Ice’s hand landed on his chest, feeling the bump of the sun pendant under his clothes. The medal was something he would miss—something he would look for.

Reluctantly, he reached behind his neck and unfastened the chain. With the pendant enclosed in the note, he looped the chain around the paperboard, and then tucked the small package into the inside pocket of his jacket and zipped it shut. Sending a silent prayer to the Great Spirit, Ice snagged the lamp and the backpack and turned to the hole.

Lying on his stomach, he thrust the lamp into the neighboring passageway, evaluating his next move. Feet first, his long legs would probably reach the small pile of rubble at the base of the tunnel wall. Putting the light aside, he maneuvered the pack through the opening and dropped it to the ground. Then, wriggling part-way through the hole with the lamp in his hand, he extended his arm as far as he could toward the ground before letting the light drop, hoping it wouldn’t break. It clattered to the cave floor, falling on its side and rolling against the wall, but remained lit.

On hands and knees, Ice turned around and backed his feet through the hole, dropping to his belly when the back of his thighs touched the stone wall. He scrabbled at the dirt as his body bent at a right angle, afraid of abrading his face or hitting his head if he dropped too fast. Instead, terror gripped him as his shoulders became wedged in the small opening. Taking a moment, Ice inhaled and then blew all the breath out of his lungs. Drawing his arms together, he squirmed side to side, finally maneuvering one shoulder past the lip of rock so that his body weight could pull him the rest of the way through.

Without sleeves, his arms would’ve been scratched up, but his jacket allowed him to get away with only minor bruising. He sat still for a few minutes on the heap of broken rock and gravel marveling that he had made it out of the cavern. He wondered what had made the old woman decide to revoke the enchantment and allow him to leave. Perhaps they thought he’d never find his way out.

“We’ll see about that,” Ice muttered, rising to his feet. His hand shot to the wall as he swayed, head spinning. Since his early explorations of the cave, Ice hadn’t been on his feet for some time and didn’t realize how weak he’d become. Regaining equilibrium, he shouldered the backpack, picked up the lantern and moved toward the open archway at the end of the short tunnel.

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