I didn’t know if it was Jeremiah helping me, but I was willing to see where it led. The fact that the scent came from a direction I wouldn’t have gone worried me. But I was so turned around that I didn’t trust my instincts anymore.
I called Ramos’s name a few more times, but when no response came, I stepped cautiously forward, heading deeper into the dense stand of pine trees. Had I been here before? Was this the first grove of trees I’d walked to? Losing the minty scent, I stopped. Heaving a breath, I turned until picking it up again.
With my heart in my throat, I continued forward, telling myself that, soon, there would be a break in the trees, and I’d see Ramos. Just a few more steps and I’d find him. I followed the scent, going further and further without coming to anything I recognized.
Certain I had gone too far, I turned around and headed in what I hoped was a more westerly direction. It felt like the right way to go, but what did I know? After walking for a while, with nothing but growing dread, I stopped again. This was all wrong. I’d gone too far.
The scent wavered for a moment and then completely disappeared. Fear churned in my stomach, and I turned, sniffing for the mint that had led me so far. Taking a few steps forward, I picked it up again and nearly groaned with relief.
I followed the scent until I came to a clearing, and hope sprang up inside me. This was it. I hurried the last few steps out of the trees, but stopped short, finding no rocky ridge and no Ramos.
Despair nearly overwhelmed me. Now what? Inside the clearing, a huge tree rose up, higher than all the others. The roots were jumbled and twisted around the base, but the intense scent of mint drew me close. My gaze rose to the top of the tree, and I knew that if I could just climb even halfway up, I’d be able to see for miles.
I stepped forward, studying the tree for a place to start my climb, and my foot slipped into a hole. Before I knew what was happening, the earth crumbled beneath both of my feet, and I slid into a narrow opening that swallowed me whole.
Dirt rained down on my head as I continued to fall. I scrambled to grab anything to stop my forward motion, but I was going too fast. I managed to turn to my stomach and grab a protruding root. It slowed my descent, but broke under my weight.
Plunging into the darkness, my feet lost contact with the earth, and I fell with nothing beneath me but air.
CHAPTER 12
I landed on my backpack, and the impact sent the air whooshing out of me. Still on an incline, I slid several more feet before coming to a stop. I couldn’t catch my breath, and panic tightened my chest.
Wheezing, I finally managed to suck in some air. As it filled my lungs, tears filled my eyes. What had just happened? Shocked and dazed, I lay unmoving on the hard ground.
Through a sheen of tears, I became aware of a shaft of light that angled down through the opening above me. The distance of the hole sent terror down my spine. How had I fallen so far? The final drop from the ledge had only been about nine or ten feet, but including the fall to the ledge, the nine foot drop, and the slide down, I was a long way from the surface.
After catching my breath, I tried moving. Slowly at first, I managed to move my arms and legs, grateful they still worked with little pain. I pushed into a sitting position without too much trouble, but the back of my head began to pound, and I tasted blood.
Touching my mouth, I found my lower lip swelling, and blood seeping down my chin. My cheek hurt as well, and my fingers came away bloody from an abrasion.
I felt the back of my head, wincing at the pain from a large bump, but at least it wasn’t bleeding like my face. A chill swept over me, and I glanced at my surroundings. Where was I? In the dim light, I couldn’t see far, but the dark spread out before me like I was in a deep pit of some kind.
Unable to see anything in front of me, the spreading darkness sent shards of fear into my heart. Panicked, I wanted nothing more than to get out of there. Pushing to my feet, a spasm of pain radiated from my ankle, and I plopped back down. Worried it was sprained or worse, I carefully rotated my foot. It didn’t hurt too badly, and relief poured over me. It wasn’t broken, so I could probably put some weight on it.
I glanced up to the hole I’d fallen through and fear pulsed through me, draining me of strength. The distance looked too far to climb out. The sides of the narrow shaft were filled with dirt and rocks that might give me something to hang onto, but getting above the ledge would be a problem.
Still, I had to try. I managed to get to my feet before a wave of dizziness washed over me. I sat back down and gently rested my pounding head on my knees until the dizziness passed. As much as I wanted to get out of this hole, I needed to give myself some time to quit shaking first.
Leaning back against the tumble of rocks, I tugged off my backpack and pulled out my flashlight. Flicking it on, I could see an opening to the right of me that continued several feet into the darkness. Was this a mine? Was that why the scent of mint had brought me here?
Nothing beyond the light into the hole seemed threatening, so I took stock of my injuries. I lifted my shirt to find cuts and bruises all along my stomach and arms. My head pounded and I ached everywhere. Grateful for my first-aid kit, I pulled it out and got busy.
I cleaned my lip and cheek with a wet alcohol wipe, hissing from the sting, and applied antiseptic. After untying my sweatshirt from around my waist, I did the same with the small abrasions all over my arms and stomach, getting them as clean as possible. Luckily, my kit also contained some aspirin, and I swallowed a couple, grateful I still had water in my bottle.
A sudden chill washed over me, so I slipped my hoodie back on, grateful I still had it. As the sleeves brushed over my skin, I felt the sting of the abrasions on my arms and sucked in a groan. Waiting for the pain to subside, I sat still, resting until my strength returned.
Glancing up at the small opening, I knew I had to get out of here while there was still enough light to see. No one would ever find me down here. Putting my things back into my backpack, I eased it onto my shoulders and winced. Taking a breath, I pushed the pain away, and began to crawl up the rockslide, careful to take my time and find solid footing with each step.
I made it about two feet before the rocks gave way and I slipped back down. Breathing heavily, I picked another spot, closer to the side of the shaft and tried again. This time, I got a little closer to the drop off point before I slid back down. Growing weary, with my ankle throbbing, I knew I couldn’t keep this up.
I had one more attempt left in me. This time, I mustered all the strength I had left and began to climb over the boulders, taking my time to secure my footing with each step. Without falling, I made it to just below the small ledge, but could go no further. It was straight up, and too high above me to reach without a rope.
Desperate, I dug my fingers into the dirt to carve out an indentation big enough for a handhold. I couldn’t make much of a dent, so I grabbed a nearby rock to gouge out the dirt. Some of it came loose, but the dirt was still too hard to give me a handhold.
My legs began to tremble from exhaustion. I couldn’t stay on my perch any longer. I’d just have to try again later. Slowly inching my way back down the slide, the rocks beneath my feet suddenly gave way. I yelped, and slid all the way to the bottom on my stomach, hitting my chin several times.
Coming to a stop, I lay in a heap and groaned in pain. Touching my chin, I found that it was tender and bleeding. I pushed to a sitting position and pulled off my backpack, taking out my kit to bandage it up. Using my last sterile alcohol wipe, I ripped it open and held it against the cut, wincing at the searing pain.
As I wiped the cut, drops of blood continued to soak into my sweatshirt. Desperate, I found a gauze packet in my kit and ripped the package open. With shaking fingers, I held it against my chin to stop the bleeding.
Swallowing, I closed my eyes and took a few calming breaths, hoping I could finish bandaging my chin without passing out. Several seconds later, I felt composed enough to open a couple of bandaids, a
nd taped them across the gauze to hold it in place.
With that done, I sat in a blank stupor, shocked at my predicament. How had this happened? What was I going to do now?
Tears gathered in my eyes, but I willed them away, and studied the darkness in front of me. Maybe there was another way out? Taking hold of my flashlight, I flipped it on and rose to my feet, careful not to move my head too quickly.
Limping toward the dark hole, I shined my light inside, and the scent of mint wafted across my nose. My light hit the walls of a small cavern, and a vein of gold shimmered beneath it. My heart hammered. With shortened breaths, I stepped closer. What in the world? Was this the mine? My foot hit something hard, and I glanced down, shining my flashlight so I could make it out.
The sight of an old leather boot shocked me, and I gasped, nearly dropping my flashlight. The boot lay on its side, attached to fraying clothing and the white bones of a dead man. Raising my light higher, I let it rest on the empty face of a skeleton. My shoulders and neck tensed with fear.
The sudden scent of mint permeated the space, and clarification hit me. “Jeremiah? What happened to you?”
Gathering my courage, I knelt beside him, finding that his bony fingers still held nuggets of gold. “Why didn’t you leave?” Maybe he’d been injured? There didn’t seem to be any breaks in his arms or legs, but I wasn’t about to touch him to find out.
Straightening, I continued forward, traveling deeper into the darkness. Could this lead to the original entrance? The cavern narrowed, turning into a tunnel of sorts, and continued on for at least a hundred feet, maybe more. It began to slant upward, and my heart soared.
I hobbled forward along the tunnel for several more feet. My elation rose until I found my way blocked by huge boulders and fallen stones. This must have been the reason Jeremiah couldn’t get out. The mine had collapsed, leaving him a prisoner inside. Damn.
Turning around, I shambled back, this time shining my light along the walls. Deep veins of gold cut through the rocks, covering the entire area. So much gold it took my breath away. I shook my head. I’d found the mine, but now I was stuck down here with Jeremiah’s skeleton. How ironic was that?
Reaching the spot where I’d fallen in, I glanced back up. The light above me had dimmed slightly. Soon, there would be no light at all. In the deepening silence, the enormity of my situation washed over me. How was I ever going to get out of here? They had to know I was missing by now, but how would they find me in this hole? Would I end up like Jeremiah?
Not wanting to go there, I took stock of my food supplies. I had one breakfast bar along with a few pieces of dried fruit to see me through. My water bottle was half empty, but, if I could find some water down here, I could purify it, so that was positive.
But what if there was no water? How long would I last down here? I shivered, knowing there was nothing I could do about it right now except wait and do my best to stay alive. I could try and climb out again, but I didn’t think I’d be successful, no matter how hard I tried.
If there was another way out, I had to believe that Jeremiah would have found it. But… maybe this sinkhole wasn’t the only one? I shone my light around the area again. Closer to the rock slide where I sat, I noticed several tree roots with darkness behind them. Had this rock slide covered that part of the mine? Could something be back there?
I limped forward. The dirt and rocks surrounded a small opening, but it looked big enough to crawl through. I ducked down and shined my light to the other side. It looked like another tunnel. Should I risk it?
Crouching onto my hands and knees, I left my backpack behind and managed to wiggle through the small opening. I came out into a small tunnel carved through with layers of earth and rocks. The top was high enough for me to stand, so I examined the walls, finding more golden veins.
Stepping further in, I could see that the tunnel continued a few more feet before opening into a small, solid rock cavern. Shining my light on the cavern walls, surprise filled me to find carved figures on all sides.
With growing wonder, I stepped closer to examine the petroglyphs, noting that several figures wore feathers atop their heads, and held spears, or bows and arrows, in their hands. They faced other figures who had distinctly pointed hats on their heads. These figures held shields and upraised swords in their hands.
As I followed the petroglyphs that circled the cavern, I tried to make sense of the story behind them. In the silence, a barely audible, low tone registered in my mind. It came and went, sounding like the beat of a heart. A slight breeze blew across my face, smelling of wild grasses and smoke and sending goosebumps along my arms and down my neck.
The beats grew louder, and the carvings seemed to come alive. As I followed the curve of the cavern, the petroglyphs showed the feathered figures defeating the helmeted men. The last image showed a chieftain, his head outlined in a spray of feathers, and standing with his arms outspread and raised high above his head.
Just below the figure on the ground sat a configuration of flat rocks in the shape of a box. The flat rock on top of the box had been pushed aside, leaving the contents exposed. What was in there? From the extent of petroglyphs in the room, it had to be important.
Drawn forward by an insatiable curiosity, I stepped close enough to peer inside. At first it appeared empty, but as I studied the contents, I made out bits of bones, along with several golden nuggets. Was this someone’s body? I glanced above the box, looking closer at the chief depicted in the glyph. The warm scent of wild grass and smoke filled my senses. Panicking, I gasped and coughed.
The beating tone became louder, growing in volume until it pierced my head with pain. Wanting it to stop, I pushed at the flat rock and tried to shove it back into place. It was heavier than I’d thought, but after a few tries, it finally moved. As soon as it covered the opening, the pounding stopped, leaving me panting.
As I stood unmoving in the weighty silence, another soft breeze wafted past me. This time it smelled of green meadows and dark earth, and the scent of smoke was gone. I swallowed, hoping that meant I’d done the right thing.
More than ready to leave this place, I stepped away, slowly retreating toward the tunnel that brought me here. Whatever this place was, it seemed sacred, and I felt like an intruder.
I slipped quietly down the tunnel and found the small hole I’d come through. After crawling to the other side, I retreated to the rock slide, where I’d fallen in, and sat down, trying to catch my breath. What had just happened?
From what I could remember about the legends of this place, it seemed like the Native American tribes had made a deal with the settlers. But those men with the helmets were much further back in history. Could they have been Spanish Conquistadors? Could the discovery of this gold mine really have happened that long ago?
If this spot was sacred, like it seemed, maybe that was one of the reasons no one had ever exploited it. Maybe that’s why the gold was still here after all these years. If this place wasn’t meant to be found, maybe that’s why those who did never made it home again.
Even as I thought it, I knew I was playing into superstition, but after what I’d just witnessed, it totally made sense. Now that I’d seen it, did that mean I would die here too? I had replaced the burial stone, like the beating seemed to want me to, so maybe that would count for something.
The soft light coming from the hole above me began to dim, and I knew it wouldn’t last much longer. With no other way out, it was time to accept the fact that I was stuck here until someone came to rescue me. And that depended on one thing.
My dog.
I closed my eyes and tried to think. My head pounded, and my body ached. I couldn’t remember if I’d told Uncle Joey or Ramos that Coco was a search-and-rescue dog. Even if I had, would they remember that Coco was an option and call Chris?
But wouldn’t they call Chris anyway? With darkness closing in, I just hoped that Ramos and Uncle Joey wouldn’t waste time looking for me tonight. They needed to get back
to someplace with cell phone reception and call Chris. If Chris brought Josh and Coco up here, I had a chance.
With so many worries, and absolutely nothing I could do about them, I let out a resigned breath, feeling tears prickle at the backs of my eyes. This was bad. I could easily die here. Despair threatened to overwhelm me, but I shook my head and fought against it. I may be stuck here for a while, but that didn’t mean I wouldn’t make it out. I wasn’t going to give up hope that quickly.
Swallowing back my tears, I switched off my flashlight, knowing I needed to conserve the batteries. Pulling the hood of my sweatshirt over my head, I found a dry place and huddled against the wall, pulling my knees against my chest and under my sweatshirt. Using my backpack as a pillow, I rested my head and closed my eyes. With my stomach a ball of nerves, and my head pounding, I tried to relax and conserve my energy.
It was going to be a long night.
I jerked awake, my leg cramping up in the cold. Opening my eyes, I couldn’t see a thing, but that didn’t stop me from jumping up and stretching my leg out. I moaned in agony and massaged the muscle until the cramp went away.
I’d left my flashlight next to me, and now I flipped it on, needing some light to keep from freaking out. My heart rate slowed, and I carefully did some stretches to warm up. My watch read two o’clock in the morning, and I swore out loud a few times just to help me feel better.
That calmed me down a bit, and I limped around the small space, swinging my arms to get my circulation moving. I wasn’t sure what the temperature was, but I was freezing. Remembering my headlamp, I pulled it out of my pack, turned it on, and slipped it over my head. That way I could conserve my flashlight batteries without giving up my light.
The headlamp wasn’t as bright as my flashlight, but it was better than nothing. Needing to keep moving, I stepped through the tunnel and back into the space where Jeremiah’s bones lay.
Standing near his bones didn’t bother me as much as before. I even felt a slight kinship with him, until I remembered that he’d brought me here with his minty scent. Of course, I’d wanted to find the mine, and he’d led me right to it, so I couldn’t be too mad at him.
High Stakes Crime: A Paranormal Women's Fiction Novel (Shelby Nichols Adventure Book 15) Page 21
