CHAPTER TWO

SURVIVAL

Beneath the mountains....

"They are here"

I heard Don Saying as he sprinted inside the cave and took up the hard wood he had used in killing the previous creature.

Ruby gathered rocks, large ones and was ready to throw it at the incoming creatures. I jumped from where I sat and started looking for a weapon but there was none, only the basin which would do no good.

My heart raced at its peak, like it was going to shut down any moment.

Suddenly, three of the creatures jumped in from the opening. Don quickly swigged the wood at one of them, sending him straight to the ground, dark green liquid gushed out of its head.

Ruby threw several large rocks at the other one, she was fast and fearless, one of the rocks brushed the creatures middle eye depriving it from seeing, Ruby rushed it with numerous large rocks the dark green blood splashed on her face, she didn't even flinch, the sight made me nauseous, just immediately the third one jumped at me pressing me down to the ground and reaching for my neck with its cock like fingers, he was trying to choke me, irritating saliva dripped from its tongue like gum, I almost wanted to throw up, I struggled, my right leg was free, I knew kicking him won't do any good but I hard to do something, I raised my knee and kicked it with my right leg, to my uttermost surprise the creature flew to the rough roof top of the cave and hit its head against a rock, it died instantly.

Ruby and Don stared at me in confusion, mouth agape, only a simple kick sent the creature flying, was I powerful in this place, I thought, as the confusion was going on, another two creatures jumped in from the opening, this was my chance to check if what just happened was real.

I ran towards the creatures, Ruby and Don watched me glued to their positions, still in shock. I took the two creatures by the neck with one hand each, they struggled and I tightened my grip, I threw them casually like they were sack of stones, they died instantly after hitting their heads on rocks.

I looked at my hands, I couldn't stop the grin from appearing on my face, Ruby and Don too were smiling, as we were smiling like zombies who had seen their prey, a tremendous voice spoke from above the mountains, at every word its spoke large rocks fell down, the voice vibrated throughout the whole mountain with each word.

"WELCOME TO THE BEYOND, YOU HAVE DONE WELL STAYING ALIVE TILL THIS MOMENT, YOUR LAST TASK BEFORE YOU CAN RETURN TO YOUR WORLD IS NEAR, IF YOU DIE HERE, YOU DIE IN YOUR WORLD, IF YOU ARE INJURED HERE, IT AFFECTS YOUR REAL BODY IN YOUR WORLD. NO ONE HAS EVER BEEN ABLE TO LEAVE THE BEYOND ALIVE”

.

The tremendous voice stopped, but the whole cave was still shaking, the last words rang in my ear severally

*No one has ever left the beyond alive*

Ruby was beginning to tremble, I felt for her she shouldn't be here.

"WHY, WHY, WHY are we here?" I shouted back hoping to hear answers; Don just stood looking up with that irremovable grin on his face.

The tremendous voice replied to my surprise,

“IT'S BEYOND YOUR COMPREHENSION; YOU CAN'T UNDERSTAND ANYTHING EVEN THOUGH I TELL YOU. THAT'S WHY THIS PLACE IS CALLED THE BEYOND, STAY ALIVE HERE AND LIVE IN YOUR WORLD!!!!”

The intensity of the voice increased in the last sentence, Big rocks started falling from the roof, the whole mountain started to vibrate and shake, we ran further into the cave, evading huge rocks , a large rock fell near the opening reducing the light in the cave, we ran even faster towards were we didn't know.

Each of us dodging rocks, and trying to keep close to each other. Ruby fell down, she was crying now, I couldn't believe she was still beautiful despite this hardship, I quickly helped her to her feet and wrapped her hand around my shoulder, I could feel her heart beating at an abnormal rate, she was calm as a little child moments ago, what the tremendous voice said might have scared her to the brim.

We ran through a dark tunnel, there was an opening, but it was far-away, the light was so tiny it looked as if it would take years to get there.

Aside from the falling rocks which we dodged easily, the ground started tearing apart, how can there be an earthquake when we are not even on earth, nothing was normal here. The grounds tore apart taking Don away from us,

"Don!!!!"

I shouted, "don't worry I'll be fine", he replied, he was smiling, how could he still smile in this situation, his he insane or something I thought.

Just before he could evade a falling rock, it hit him hard on the head, Don fell like a log of wood to the ground, blood gushing out of his scalp, he was trying to get up but several rocks started falling and buried him in the ground, I stood froze to the ground, I couldn't move a limb, my heart beating tremendously, I couldn't save him, the guiltiness ran through my veins, I could feel Ruby's hands wrapped tightly around my neck, her head bowed on my shoulder sobbing profusely, hot tears trickled down my shoulder blades, giving me a warm chill which countered the cold I was feeling.

We stood there for several minutes, rocks were still falling, grounds were still tearing apart, for some reasons I don't know, it didn't get to us.

"We got to move",

I whispered to Ruby, she nodded, I backed her and started running towards the dim tiny light, Rocks falling, grounds tearing apart, i jumped from one steady rock to another at high speed my powers were working in no time we were at the opening, same as the one at the first place, no sky, nothing beneath, just white mist, it was death to jump off since we didn't know what lies beneath, still contemplating on what to do, I heard noises from behind and looked, millions of the creatures were coming through the tunnel, if I fought them, I would kill most but they would kill Ruby and maybe even kill me when I reached my limit, there wasn't any more options, I dropped Ruby, then faced my back outside the opening, she hugged me tightly, I looked into her eyes and said, This is the only way, she nodded with sober eyes,

*if we die here, we die in the real world*

If what the thunderous voice said was true, then Don would have been dead in the real world by now, it all happened so fast, they have been here for days why was it when I arrived that things decided to change.

The creatures were now only a few steps away, I now realized why Don smiled continually till his death, he knew one way or other that we were going to die, I smiled and looked at Ruby who was surprised to see me smiling, I pressed my lips on hers and fell off the opening, surprisingly she returned it, the Air was cool and her lips was warm, this was the best feeling I could ever feel, I closed my eyes and prepared to die......

To be continued