ThThis is supposed to be the interesting chapter.

Unfortunately, it's also the really short chapter.

Enjoy..

Underneath and Between

Chapter 8: Speculation

By Helenn/BlackSunflower

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“Eliza,” a voice called.

“What is it?” her own voice came out fearfully, lacking the confidence she had tried to inject into her speech.

“Eliza,” the voice repeated, a bit puzzled and irritated at once.

“Yeah??”

“Eliza, what are you doing and why aren’t you waking up?” Jade’s voice demanded in her ear.

“What?” Eliza half-shrieked as her eyes snapped open and tried to sit up. Unfortunately, she had forgotten how she had fallen asleep. Her sitting up turned out to be an odd combination of falling and struggling.

“Eh?” Phil asked, puzzled from his sleep.

“Um,” Derrik commented, raising his eyebrows at their suggestive position. Apparently he and Jade had awoken earlier, for they were already dressed and carrying their belongings as they stared down curiously at their younger companions.

“It’s not like that,” Eliza immediately took the defensive as her face colored a deep red. The two rolled away from one another at lightning speed and stood up simultaneously.

Sensing her embarrassment, Derrik raised his eyebrows and said, “I see.”

Unfortunately, his answer was taken for a disbelieving, sarcastic remark. “You wish you were like that.” Phil snapped as he pulled off his shirt and pulled out a cleaner one from his bag. “Why’re we all changed and going someplace now?”

“Good question,” Eliza agreed, attempting to change the subject. She turned to begin changing her clothes too.

“We’re checking the haunted hallways,” Derrik answered. With his answer, Eliza stiffened slightly. “What is it?” he inquired.

“N-nothing,” she answered, shooting him a farce smile as she turned back. Her eyes gave Phil a pleading look to not say a word. He gave her a nearly imperceptible nod of promise and gave Derrik a look.

“What’re we going to do?” he asked, ever the curious one.

“We’re going to check out what’s in there,” Jade answered, busily tying back her blonde hair. “We thought nothing was so bad about the ‘haunted’ aspect, just a mere nuisance, but lately, the great majority of deaths and injury from Nightmares have been coming from the area near the infested tunnels, both aboveground, but chiefly belowground.”

“So you believe there to be a connection?” Phil asked.

“I don’t believe, I’m about 100 percent sure.” Jade answered. “Derrik and I are even more certain now.”

“Why?” Phil demanded, eyebrows nearing one another in anticipated worry.

Jade bit her lip and looked to Derrik, waiting for his opinion and input. Derrik ran a hand through his messy brown hair and sighed, giving Phil a tired look. The younger boy was given the impression that his elder wasn’t older by a few year but by a few decades. Voice faltering slightly, he asked, “Why..?”

“Joey and Jake both died last night,” he said softly. “Their bodies leave evidence of Nightmares and they were resting in the room beside ours.”

“The one directly across from the infested hall,” Phil clarified softly.

“Yes,” Derrik nodded in agreement.

“Do you understand?” Jade asked, casting a look a Phil, then towards Eliza who had scarcely spoken during the exchange.

“Do I understand?” Eliza suddenly repeated. “Yes, I do understand how we’ve all been sentenced to death like this.”

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You know what I'm going to say by now, lol.

Opinions, thoughts, and suggestions are loved.

Hope you liked it.

Thanks for reading :)

--Helenn