Chapter 3: The Stone

I opened my eyes and saw Alex sitting next to me scratching her back.

My head feels swimmy.

Confused, I said, "Alex? What happened?"

She jolted in relief and said, "Oh thank god. You woke up."

I lifted myself up and began to feel dizzy. I grunted as I dropped.

She caught me and said, "Take it slow. You need to catch your bearings first."

I sighed and touched my forehead.

I remember Tom screaming.

I jolted and screamed, "Tom!?"

She looks at me face to face.

I asked, "Where's Tom?"

She looked down in sorrow and said, "I'm sorry honey. He didn't make it."

Stunned, I said "What? But he was-"

She interrupted, "He slipped after he pushed you."

I whimpered and said, "He saved me."

She hands me a small cup of water. I took a sip.

She stretched and said, "Let's relax for a little bit. You need your strength."

I rolled my eyes and said, "No. I'm fine."

I stood up slowly and noticed that the spring looked familiar.

I blurted out loud, "Where are we? Did we go back?"

She looked at me dumbfounded and answered, "I brought you back here to clean up that cut."

She points at my forehead. I felt a scratch on my forehead.

I chugged down my cup of water and said, "Let's move it. I want to go home."

We went back to the same split passageway. We glanced at each other in fear and took a deep breath. We entered the passage to the right. We are cautious with every step. It was a very short path. It didn't take long for us to get to the next cavern.

This cavern looks like a large room. It has walls, chairs, a table, a well, and a doorway all carved into solid stone.

I said surprised, “Wow.”

I touched the table gently. It feels smooth. I sat in a chair. Alex sat across from me.

She looks back and raises her hand saying, "Waiter! Oh waiter!"

We both chuckled.

I observed the room and said, "This looks like a safe house."

Alex circles her hand in the well water and takes a sip saying, "You're not kidding."

My head is pounding.

We drank some water and relaxed for a long while. Alex dozed off. I peeked into the doorway and found what looked like a piece of metal. I picked it up and noticed that it was a retractable pocket knife. Inspecting it more closely I see that it has many scrapes and a patch of rust over a button. I press the button but nothing happens.

Alex's excited voice startled me, "Hey you found it!"

She smiles big and snatches the knife out of my hand.

Caught off guard I asked, "Found what?"

She held it close to her chest and said, "My pocket knife. I have been looking all over for it. Thank you so much."

She puts it into her pocket and continues, "Are you ready to get going?"

I paused for a moment in deep thought.

I don't recall her going anywhere near this doorway until now.

I answered confused, "Um. ya sure."

She raises her eyebrows as she walks ahead directing me in haste saying, "Alright. Then let's go."

We entered a very large chamber. There are two very large boulders shaped like huge flat circles stacked on top of each other. The one on top is half the size of the bottom one. It appears to have a small smooth stone in the center like it is on display.

Alex waved me forward and said, "You go first. I will be right behind you."

I looked down at the bottom boulder and took a deep breath. I stepped up on it and began to walk.

Justin appears in front of me. He still has glowing green eyes.

Horror-struck I froze and stuttered, "J-J-Justin?"

After a moment of staring at me he finally speaks in a concerned voice, "Jackie? What happened? Where am I?"

I squinted and said, "You don't remember?"

He continued as he glanced around him, "Remember what? What the hell is going on? How did I get-"

His eyes fixed on the small stone. He marches to it.

I held my hand out to him and said, "Justin?"

Alex nudges me back and stands her ground in front of me staring at him. She pulled out her pocket knife and pressed the button. The blade flips up.

He picks up the stone as it turns green. He shrieks in pain and drops it.

She stabs him in the head. He turns around really fast and snarls angrily like an animal. He fades and disappears as her knife clanks onto the floor. She wipes it on her shirt and puts it back into her pocket.

Breathing heavily she said, "Phew. That would have been a disaster."

Flabbergasted, I said, "What? How did you know that he wasn't real?"

She rolls her eyes as she walks back to me and says, "Oh please. It was obvious. Any idiot could see what would happen."

I stared at her in disbelief.

She clears her throat looking guilty and said, "I have seen a lot of horror movies."

She stands next to me while glancing at the stone. "Why do you think it hurt Justin?"

I paused in thought for a moment and said, "Well those natives did mention that someone with a pure heart will be safe. Maybe the stone has the same purpose."