I was adding some things I had learned to my survival book when I heard something coming from down the hall.
I walked over slowly, hoping to hear the noise again.
Nothing.
I opened the doors, starting with the bathroom. Everything seemed normal.
Moved on to the room April had been staying in, nothing again.
Veronica's, nothing.
Mine, there was an envelope on my bed.
I'm not sure how anyone could have gotten in, but I grabbed the envelope hoping there was something useful in it.
It was April's handwriting.
Dominic,
I miss you. I hope to see you soon,
but I'm safe, and I'm sure you can find me.
<3/ April
P.S. Please burn this.
Please burn this? What in the world…
I trust April though. I only have a candle, so it'll have to be a slow process.
I lit the candle, and held the paper over it.
Slowly but clearly more words started to appear on the paper.
I am under the earth. There's a passage by the big
rock in the river. Call down for me to come back out.
Trust me.
Boy do I trust her. I immediately left and headed to the river, searching for the big rock she was talking about.
Then, a half a mile away, I saw it. It had to be it.
I stood by the river, a few feet in front of the rock so I didn't fall too.
I threw a rock onto the "affected area" and sure enough a hole opened up ready to swallow someone whole. I called down into the hole when I heard people talking.
"Is anyone down there? I need April Katz to come back up here!"
An older woman looked up into the hole and spoke. "Dominic Lewis? Is that you?"
"Uh… yes it is. Do I know you?"
"No you don't. But I know where April is."
I was about to slide down the hole when she yelled at me. "No stop! You won't be able to come out!"
I quickly listened and waited for fourth instruction.
"You need a rope ladder. 25' long or longer. The way out has to come from up there."
I did what she said and ran to the storage room in my apartment. I dig through until I found two knotted ropes. These'll have to do.
I ran back to the hole completely winded. "Here, I got them."
"April is on her way."