driven south. She didn’t see another living
person on her way to her grandparent’s home in Florida. Not one. When she
arrived, the house was empty. They were all supposed to go to Disney world, but
she wasn’t sure what day. She’d run out of gas halfway to Orlando and walked
the rest of the way, but found nothing but an empty park.
She dashed away the tears freely rolling down her cheeks.
She felt in her heart that her parents and grandparents, as well as her brother
and older sister, were gone. Not much had survived the End of Days. A few
animals and some humans managed to live through the night. No one really knew
why one person lived and another died or disappeared.
Ten sunless months had killed a good portion of the
vegetation and the lack of food had weakened or killed off all but the most
resilient of animals. Things were coming back, and even in the demon infested
streets of a ruined Chichen Itza, she heard a bird singing.
Somehow she knew Robyn lived. Nancy had searched and
followed a few leads over the past five years, always feeling several steps
behind. Until now. Somewhere in this ruined ancient city, she could feel her
sister’s presence.
“Now you sound like Aileen,” he said.
His statement brought her out of her reverie. She glanced up
to find him carefully watching her. “I can’t explain it, Ash. I just know she’s
here. I know they have her in that cave.”
She saw his chest rise and fall in a long measured breath.
He sighed and looked off to the west. “Well, let’s go take a look.”
* * * * *
Careful to stay off the highway that led west to the Cave of
Balankanche, Asher ducked into another drainage ditch with Nancy following
close behind.
Blocking the entrance were six formerly human demons. Their
rotting flesh made it obvious they served Mictlan. A very large dragon also
guarded the entrance from its perch on the rocks above. Its leathery wings wrapped
around it in batlike fashion, but the red eyes watched in every direction.
She could feel the blood coursing through her veins. Fear
mixed with adrenaline created a heady combination. Robyn was held inside this
cave, she could feel it.
“Do you think there’s another way in?” he asked.
“I don’t know, but it’s a natural cave, so it might be part
of a labyrinth of adjoining caves and tunnels.”
“Let’s see if we can find an alternate entrance.” He took
her hand, leading her northwest, away from the road.
It was late afternoon by the time they found another cave
entrance. Stalagmites and stalactites dangerously lined the narrow passage.
Asher produced a flashlight and they navigated through the dark cave.
The passage sloped downward and they moved cautiously through
the winding cave. The walls seemed to be closing in as the way narrowed. Nancy
had never been claustrophobic, but she found herself wondering if the cave was
stable. Could the rocks around them crumble and trap them down here forever?
She didn’t know how long they’d walked before a gentle
weeping sound reached her ears. It was the first sign of human life besides
their own footsteps on the loose ground. The low-pitched ceiling left only a
crawl space. They had to inch under on hands and knees for a few feet, making
getting through more difficult. Her heart pounded when the next bend revealed
flickering light ahead, the second indication they were on the right track.
Asher turned off the flashlight and they peered around the
wall of the tunnel. The cave opened into a large chamber with a pillar in the
center, where a stalagmite and a stalactite had joined together, making it look
like a giant underground tree. Small fire pots burned all around the cavern.
Seven naked women were strapped to the pillar, which glowed red, casting them
in an eerie shadow. The women were little more than girls. Seven pairs of empty
eyes stared into nothing. Occasionally one of them would gasp or cry out before
returning to catatonia.
Nancy gasped and her hand flew to
person on her way to her grandparent’s home in Florida. Not one. When she
arrived, the house was empty. They were all supposed to go to Disney world, but
she wasn’t sure what day. She’d run out of gas halfway to Orlando and walked
the rest of the way, but found nothing but an empty park.
She dashed away the tears freely rolling down her cheeks.
She felt in her heart that her parents and grandparents, as well as her brother
and older sister, were gone. Not much had survived the End of Days. A few
animals and some humans managed to live through the night. No one really knew
why one person lived and another died or disappeared.
Ten sunless months had killed a good portion of the
vegetation and the lack of food had weakened or killed off all but the most
resilient of animals. Things were coming back, and even in the demon infested
streets of a ruined Chichen Itza, she heard a bird singing.
Somehow she knew Robyn lived. Nancy had searched and
followed a few leads over the past five years, always feeling several steps
behind. Until now. Somewhere in this ruined ancient city, she could feel her
sister’s presence.
“Now you sound like Aileen,” he said.
His statement brought her out of her reverie. She glanced up
to find him carefully watching her. “I can’t explain it, Ash. I just know she’s
here. I know they have her in that cave.”
She saw his chest rise and fall in a long measured breath.
He sighed and looked off to the west. “Well, let’s go take a look.”
* * * * *
Careful to stay off the highway that led west to the Cave of
Balankanche, Asher ducked into another drainage ditch with Nancy following
close behind.
Blocking the entrance were six formerly human demons. Their
rotting flesh made it obvious they served Mictlan. A very large dragon also
guarded the entrance from its perch on the rocks above. Its leathery wings wrapped
around it in batlike fashion, but the red eyes watched in every direction.
She could feel the blood coursing through her veins. Fear
mixed with adrenaline created a heady combination. Robyn was held inside this
cave, she could feel it.
“Do you think there’s another way in?” he asked.
“I don’t know, but it’s a natural cave, so it might be part
of a labyrinth of adjoining caves and tunnels.”
“Let’s see if we can find an alternate entrance.” He took
her hand, leading her northwest, away from the road.
It was late afternoon by the time they found another cave
entrance. Stalagmites and stalactites dangerously lined the narrow passage.
Asher produced a flashlight and they navigated through the dark cave.
The passage sloped downward and they moved cautiously through
the winding cave. The walls seemed to be closing in as the way narrowed. Nancy
had never been claustrophobic, but she found herself wondering if the cave was
stable. Could the rocks around them crumble and trap them down here forever?
She didn’t know how long they’d walked before a gentle
weeping sound reached her ears. It was the first sign of human life besides
their own footsteps on the loose ground. The low-pitched ceiling left only a
crawl space. They had to inch under on hands and knees for a few feet, making
getting through more difficult. Her heart pounded when the next bend revealed
flickering light ahead, the second indication they were on the right track.
Asher turned off the flashlight and they peered around the
wall of the tunnel. The cave opened into a large chamber with a pillar in the
center, where a stalagmite and a stalactite had joined together, making it look
like a giant underground tree. Small fire pots burned all around the cavern.
Seven naked women were strapped to the pillar, which glowed red, casting them
in an eerie shadow. The women were little more than girls. Seven pairs of empty
eyes stared into nothing. Occasionally one of them would gasp or cry out before
returning to catatonia.
Nancy gasped and her hand flew to
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