Beside him Phillip breathed heavily and clutched his wounded shoulder. Cole couldn't see how bad the injury was in the dark, but from what he could tell from the teen's painful gasps, it was pretty bad.
Cole glanced back to where the creature disappeared. "You remember that skeleton we found earlier? I think we know what attacked it now."
Phillip chuckled bitterly. "That'll be us soon."
Cole whipped around and glared at him. "Would you quit talking about smashing?! We are not going to smash! There has to be way out, there could be a hole in this wall, or a secret tunnel leading to safety, or we could find the river and let it carry us away!"
He froze. "We could find the river and let it carry us away." He repeated softly.
"Dude, what are you talking about?" Phillip asked incredulously. "I thought you were trying to live, not drown sooner!"
"No, wait..." You could see the gears and wheels turning in Cole's head. A corner of his mouth quirked up. "...The river we saw...It must go somewhere, right? If it just stopped somewhere if would have flooded these tunnels long before we came along. So the river continues..." He couldn't help it; he began to smile. "....And it could lead out of the mountain!"
He looked back up at Phillip. It was too dark to tell for sure, but he could have sworn Phillip was grinning.
"Shall we try it?" Cole asked.
"We're going to smash if we stay, so we might as well try it anyway."
"Let's go." The boys splashed away from the little cavern and entered one of the yawning tunnels, praying that it would lead to the underground river. The gurgling water was rising up to their torsos; they had to move fast.
Hoping they wouldn't run into the predator again, they waded quickly down the corridor, trying to see through the stifling shadows. Behind him Cole could hear Phillip gasping quietly in pain. It was a very long ten minutes of trudging through the river, fighting the current threatening to drag them away into the dark river.
It's the flashback in RoE! We've come full circle... o-o
You remember! Is it a little egotistical for me to admit that even I sometimes feel a little creeped out about things I write like this?
2. I think torturing your characters is a writer thing, I've talked to other writers on the Galleries and here and many have said the same thing. I do it too. xD
2. It's like all writers' condition or something! A mental tic!
2. AAH oh-no we must find a cure! No stories would lose a little piece of awesomness if writers didn't surprise us.
Beside him Phillip breathed heavily and clutched his wounded shoulder. Cole couldn't see how bad the injury was in the dark, but from what he could tell from the teen's painful gasps, it was pretty bad.
Cole glanced back to where the creature disappeared. "You remember that skeleton we found earlier? I think we know what attacked it now."
Phillip chuckled bitterly. "That'll be us soon."
Cole whipped around and glared at him. "Would you quit talking about smashing?! We are not going to smash! There has to be way out, there could be a hole in this wall, or a secret tunnel leading to safety, or we could find the river and let it carry us away!"
He froze. "We could find the river and let it carry us away." He repeated softly.
"Dude, what are you talking about?" Phillip asked incredulously. "I thought you were trying to live, not drown sooner!"
"No, wait..." You could see the gears and wheels turning in Cole's head. A corner of his mouth quirked up. "...The river we saw...It must go somewhere, right? If it just stopped somewhere if would have flooded these tunnels long before we came along. So the river continues..." He couldn't help it; he began to smile. "....And it could lead out of the mountain!"
He looked back up at Phillip. It was too dark to tell for sure, but he could have sworn Phillip was grinning.
"Shall we try it?" Cole asked.
"We're going to smash if we stay, so we might as well try it anyway."
"Let's go." The boys splashed away from the little cavern and entered one of the yawning tunnels, praying that it would lead to the underground river. The gurgling water was rising up to their torsos; they had to move fast.
Hoping they wouldn't run into the predator again, they waded quickly down the corridor, trying to see through the stifling shadows. Behind him Cole could hear Phillip gasping quietly in pain. It was a very long ten minutes of trudging through the river, fighting the current threatening to drag them away into the dark river.
*gasp* I remember this! I remember this! From Roots of Earth.
It's the flashback in RoE! We've come full circle... o-o
You remember! Is it a little egotistical for me to admit that even I sometimes feel a little creeped out about things I write like this?
I double-checked But yeah! It's such a cool in-universe tie-in! Not at all. We all have those moments when the story suddenly take over its own wheel. It's both scary and intriguing
Beside him Phillip breathed heavily and clutched his wounded shoulder. Cole couldn't see how bad the injury was in the dark, but from what he could tell from the teen's painful gasps, it was pretty bad.
Cole glanced back to where the creature disappeared. "You remember that skeleton we found earlier? I think we know what attacked it now."
Phillip chuckled bitterly. "That'll be us soon."
Cole whipped around and glared at him. "Would you quit talking about smashing?! We are not going to smash! There has to be way out, there could be a hole in this wall, or a secret tunnel leading to safety, or we could find the river and let it carry us away!"
He froze. "We could find the river and let it carry us away." He repeated softly.
"Dude, what are you talking about?" Phillip asked incredulously. "I thought you were trying to live, not drown sooner!"
"No, wait..." You could see the gears and wheels turning in Cole's head. A corner of his mouth quirked up. "...The river we saw...It must go somewhere, right? If it just stopped somewhere if would have flooded these tunnels long before we came along. So the river continues..." He couldn't help it; he began to smile. "....And it could lead out of the mountain!"
He looked back up at Phillip. It was too dark to tell for sure, but he could have sworn Phillip was grinning.
"Shall we try it?" Cole asked.
"We're going to smash if we stay, so we might as well try it anyway."
"Let's go." The boys splashed away from the little cavern and entered one of the yawning tunnels, praying that it would lead to the underground river. The gurgling water was rising up to their torsos; they had to move fast.
Hoping they wouldn't run into the predator again, they waded quickly down the corridor, trying to see through the stifling shadows. Behind him Cole could hear Phillip gasping quietly in pain. It was a very long ten minutes of trudging through the river, fighting the current threatening to drag them away into the dark river.
*gasp* I remember this! I remember this! From Roots of Earth.
You remember! Is it a little egotistical for me to admit that even I sometimes feel a little creeped out about things I write like this?
I double-checked But yeah! It's such a cool in-universe tie-in! Not at all. We all have those moments when the story suddenly take over its own wheel. It's both scary and intriguing
xD Thanks! ^.^ It's moments like this that make all the writer's blocks, forced patience and hours of typing at the computer that make our lives as writers worth it.
Of course, the river could just keep going under ground where there's no air, and then we would...Cole tried not to think about what would happen if he and Phillip got stuck in the underground river.
Finally the boys waded into the wide cavern where they found the river. The crack in the ceiling shone faint light into the cave, also letting in a torrent of rain. The black, churning rapids had risen up to the walls by this time, splashing against the rocks. A current swirling deep to the right of Cole threatened to pull him away, and he grabbed a nearby boulder to steady himself. Now that he could see better, he turned to look at Phillip.
Phillip's left shoulder was mangled, his sleeve and arm torn and darkened in a deep red. There was so much bl--Bile rose in Cole's throat, and he turned away, feeling sick. Resisting the urge to retch, he pointed down to the right and shouted over the sound of crashing waves. "Over there!" Down at the foot of the stone wall, the black water swirled and churned strangely, like when you unplug the drain in the bath tub. It looked like the place where the river would usually run, but it was difficult to tell in the dim light.
The boys edged over cautiously, drawing closer to the turbulent waves. Cole stopped by a boulder sticking out, shielding him from the current. He looked at Phillip in the eyes, trying not to look at his arm, and smiled grimly. Phillip returned it with a good old grin, as if they weren't in severe mortal danger.
"Ready?" Cole rasped.
"Let's do this." Phillip held out his good hand. "Together."
"Right." They grasped hands and gazed at the swirling river tugging on them. The water was rising dangerously fast, climbing up to the top of their chests.
"If anything happens to me," Phillip shouted over the roar of the waves. "Will you care for Liana?"
"And if anything happens to me..." Cole's heart twisted unexpectedly. "...If you meet my dad...Could you tell him..." He swallowed. "That I'm sorry I was a disappointment to him?"
Over the roar of the stormy river and lashing rain chocolate-brown eyes met deep emerald green. Phillip nodded. "I will."
"OK..." They faced the water. The gurgling tide was climbing up to their necks, making it difficult to breathe.
"Let's do this." Together the two took a deep breath, and plunged into the churning shadows of the river.
All the world's noise was muted under the turbulent surface, and yet any sound in the water was clear and sharp. It was a realm of shadows there, with dead grass and bits of sticks floating about. Keeping a firm hold on each other, Cole and Phillip kicked their way to where the current was pulling. Opening his eyes, Cole saw a narrow, jagged opening where the current was swirling into, dragging twigs and leaves into the yawning gap. The force of the river tugged at them, drawing them closer to the mouth.
No turning back. With another kick, they let the current carry them into the underwater tunnel.
The current, a firm force before, was now much stronger, and threw the teens into a swirling storm. Waves crashed against the walls, muted by the black water. Cole was thrown against a boulder, and he pushed himself away. It was pitch-black, darker than even the tunnels, so he shut his eyes tight and prayed to whoever or whatever was listening that they'd reach at least an air bubble soon.
Bubbles burst from Phillip's mouth when a rock bumped into his mangled arm, and he grunted in pain. The river tossed them mercilessly about, throwing them against invisible rocks again and again. Cole fought to keep his breath, to hold for as long as he could, but as the current carried them along, his lungs started to burn. The burning grew; he felt as if his throat was on fire. His heart was pounding furiously, screaming desperately for oxygen.
"You won't believe me if I tell you." Phillip said.
Cole wasn't sure he would either, but Phillip didn't seem crazy. "Try me."
The latter sighed, and let his arms fall limply at his sides. "It happened several months ago...The Skulkin army attacked our village."
Cole's eyes widened in disbelief, but he was silent. At least Phillip couldn't see his incredulous expression.
"They were burning down houses...Smashing villagers." His voice was drawn-out, slow and bitter. "It was like something from a sick nightmare...Flames licked the buildings while cackling skeletons were slaying people...My--" He swallowed. "My dad grabbed his sword, and told my mom to take us and run into the woods...follow the river to Jumanakai Village, to warn them and to reach safety. I wanted to fight."
Cole was dimly aware of the black water rising up to his thighs.
"Dad took my hand, looked at me, and said 'Take care of your sister, Phillip. Run and don't look back.' " He paused. "As we were running from the burning village, a four-armed skeleton jumped out and smashed my mother." His voice shook dangerously. "I...I watched her...She didn't stand a chance, and I was right there, and I should have..."
He hesitated. "He smashed her. And then my dad ran up and attacked the skeleton, screaming at us to get out of there. I grabbed Liana and ran. We snatched a handful of belongings, Traveler and Aquilla, and escaped....Liana was crying the whole time...There was so much noise, too much sounds and voices to take in."
Phillip let loose a shuddering sigh. "I see them in my dreams...I can see my parents' faces. I don't tell Liana, though." He paused again. "We've been on our own since then...Even though it was months ago, it's never stopped hurting."
He turned and attempted to look at Cole through the darkness. "The Skulkins are on the move...I don't know if Garmadon's returned or what, but I swore I would avenge my parents. I swore I would protect Liana. But now..."
Why do I not remember their parents' deaths being so sad? Maybe I'm just more attached to the characters now or something.
"...Now I won't be able to avenge them...And Liana will be on her own."
Before Cole could protest, Phillip continued. "I mean, my sister's perfectly capable of taking care of herself, really! It's just...If I die, it might be too much for her...So soon after losing our parents."
Cole clenched his jaw. It sounded as if Phillip was giving up, something that didn't appeal much to him. He reached over and grabbed the other guy's soaked arm. "Phillip, we are not going to smash. I just...I can't." His voice held a tone of grim stubbornness. "I won't. I refuse to smash like this."
He could just barely make out Phillip's half-hearted grin in the dark. "I admire your determination, buddy...But look, if anything happens to me--"
The Jaws theme began playing. A current swished by Cole's legs, making the rising black waves bounce, like a fish swimming away. The tide had risen to the boys' waists by this time. Phillip broke off when the water in front of him rippled.
Again Cole wished he had a flashlight or even Matilda's wand. It was bad enough being hunted down by unknown creatures in these wretched, forsaken tunnels with a light. Realizing that a creature was with you in pitch-black darkness was unbelievably scary. Something swished by his legs, brushing his torn jeans.
Cole felt a dark, cold finger of pure horror trail down his spine. There was something in the cavern with them...In the water.
"Cole..." Phillip's voice was but a squeak. He fell silent, both boys freezing in place. They dared not to breathe. Nearby the water gurgled innocently, silently threatening them. There was a long, painful moment of silence. They waited for something to happen, but the river was still, save for the natural ripples caused by the waterfall.
Cole began to think he was just imagining things.
With a shattering splash, something snapped out of the river and lept at Phillip, digging into his shoulder. Phillip cried out, and Cole heard something rip like old cloth.
It's the feels all over again, but it's better/worse this time. O.O
Of course, the river could just keep going under ground where there's no air, and then we would...Cole tried not to think about what would happen if he and Phillip got stuck in the underground river.
Finally the boys waded into the wide cavern where they found the river. The crack in the ceiling shone faint light into the cave, also letting in a torrent of rain. The black, churning rapids had risen up to the walls by this time, splashing against the rocks. A current swirling deep to the right of Cole threatened to pull him away, and he grabbed a nearby boulder to steady himself. Now that he could see better, he turned to look at Phillip.
Phillip's left shoulder was mangled, his sleeve and arm torn and darkened in a deep red. There was so much bl--Bile rose in Cole's throat, and he turned away, feeling sick. Resisting the urge to retch, he pointed down to the right and shouted over the sound of crashing waves. "Over there!" Down at the foot of the stone wall, the black water swirled and churned strangely, like when you unplug the drain in the bath tub. It looked like the place where the river would usually run, but it was difficult to tell in the dim light.
The boys edged over cautiously, drawing closer to the turbulent waves. Cole stopped by a boulder sticking out, shielding him from the current. He looked at Phillip in the eyes, trying not to look at his arm, and smiled grimly. Phillip returned it with a good old grin, as if they weren't in severe mortal danger.
"Ready?" Cole rasped.
"Let's do this." Phillip held out his good hand. "Together."
"Right." They grasped hands and gazed at the swirling river tugging on them. The water was rising dangerously fast, climbing up to the top of their chests.
"If anything happens to me," Phillip shouted over the roar of the waves. "Will you care for Liana?"
"You won't believe me if I tell you." Phillip said.
Cole wasn't sure he would either, but Phillip didn't seem crazy. "Try me."
The latter sighed, and let his arms fall limply at his sides. "It happened several months ago...The Skulkin army attacked our village."
Cole's eyes widened in disbelief, but he was silent. At least Phillip couldn't see his incredulous expression.
"They were burning down houses...Smashing villagers." His voice was drawn-out, slow and bitter. "It was like something from a sick nightmare...Flames licked the buildings while cackling skeletons were slaying people...My--" He swallowed. "My dad grabbed his sword, and told my mom to take us and run into the woods...follow the river to Jumanakai Village, to warn them and to reach safety. I wanted to fight."
Cole was dimly aware of the black water rising up to his thighs.
"Dad took my hand, looked at me, and said 'Take care of your sister, Phillip. Run and don't look back.' " He paused. "As we were running from the burning village, a four-armed skeleton jumped out and smashed my mother." His voice shook dangerously. "I...I watched her...She didn't stand a chance, and I was right there, and I should have..."
He hesitated. "He smashed her. And then my dad ran up and attacked the skeleton, screaming at us to get out of there. I grabbed Liana and ran. We snatched a handful of belongings, Traveler and Aquilla, and escaped....Liana was crying the whole time...There was so much noise, too much sounds and voices to take in."
Phillip let loose a shuddering sigh. "I see them in my dreams...I can see my parents' faces. I don't tell Liana, though." He paused again. "We've been on our own since then...Even though it was months ago, it's never stopped hurting."
He turned and attempted to look at Cole through the darkness. "The Skulkins are on the move...I don't know if Garmadon's returned or what, but I swore I would avenge my parents. I swore I would protect Liana. But now..."
Why do I not remember their parents' deaths being so sad? Maybe I'm just more attached to the characters now or something.
Blood pounded in his head, sounding as loud as a church bell. Cole's chest felt as if it would explode in flames, his lungs burned so much. Still he resisted the urge to gasp for air, knowing that he would swallow water.
His brain began to feel fuzzy...Like yarn...His movements slowed, he was completely at the mercy of the river. His grip on Phillip's hand began to fall free.
So this is how I die...He waited for the moment when he would succumb to the void.
Suddenly Cole was flung out of the water and into night air. With a shuddering gasp he breathed wonderful, delicious, beautiful fresh oxygen before being thrown back into the water. Sputtering, he broke the surface and coughed up water. Locks of hair dripped water into his eyes, and with one hand he pushed them out of his face.
The underground river had taken them out of the mountain, where a waterfall twice as big as a fridge spewed white-capped water into a frothing river. Rocks lined the green, grassy banks of a wide, wild river, and tall trees stood at the edge of his vision. Stars twinkled coldly up in the dark night sky, a heavenly sight after being underground for so long.
Struggling to keep himself above the churning waves, Cole gasped in the cool night air thankfully. Though he was free of the horrendous tunnels, the malicious dark river was not done with him yet. The current was stronger than ever, and with the roar of the waves Cole was dragged down the river. He dog-paddled weakly, trying to regain his strength. A frothing waves splashed into his mouth, and he sputtered. Then he realized he was missing something.
"Phillip!" He cried out as the river carried him around a bend and threatened to dash him against the nearby rocks. His cry sounded weak and faint compared to the continuous roar of the rapids. For a second he was thrown underwater, then he broke the surface again. Coughing, he cried again. "Phillip!"
It's the flashback in RoE!
![[derp]](http://storage.proboards.com/6672327/images/YqNTPqyQUocVMYXZgUAI.png)
Maybe I'm just more attached to the characters now or something. 
Maybe I'm just more attached to the characters now or something.