A tarot reader aids a mysterious man who believes she is the only one who can help him return to his true home in the eerie Manaan caverns where they must fight the natural and supernatural to stay alive.
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Maxine Shepard is a tarot reader who h...
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My nerves reacted to the haunting warning cries coming from deep within the cave, and my body hummed and trembled as a result of it.
To my surprise, dirty blond hair and a muscular figure rushed past me and into the dark shadow of the cave. Jace had the courage I couldn't seem to muster, rushing forth without a second thought, urgently calling out for Blamore.
Samuel and Brent soon followed, disappearing into the part of the cave the sun refused to kiss. A delicate touch brought my attention back to reality and the seconds no longer felt like minutes.
Cecil gently tugged my elbow. "Who the hell is in there, Max?"
I shrugged. She honestly didn't believe I knew who was demanding us to leave. We had driven and trekked miles from civilization to find this place. The remote location, the lack of vehicles or any other evidence of human activity, and the fact that Manaan Caverns had long been off limits to the public made the voices coming from inside highly suspicious.
Commotion seemed to break out beyond the opposite side of the stone wall as Jace and the others raised their voices, insisting Blamore leave with them.
His protests were loud and deliberate. "No. This is my home. I belong here."
Even as he repeated his statement with increasing certainty, I couldn't stop the mysterious female voice from chiming in my head. Leave. This is not your home.
The commotion became more intense as hasty grunts and huffs bounced off the walls in every direction. Were they physically trying to remove him? Cecil and I turned to Arturo at the same time, expecting him to do ... something.
He only shook his head. Eyes widening with fear. "Sorry to disappoint you—."
"Really, Art?" Cecil rolled her eyes and sighed, marching toward the shadow.
He stopped her by gripping her shoulder. "Max saw a boulder falling on top of somebody. You want that somebody to be you?"
The fear and hesitation was apparent in their body language. Besides, "he is right. You guys stay here. I'll go get them." I had encouraged them to come, so it was my responsibility to maintain safety and order. I ignored their immediate objections and marched into the ominous shadow of the cave. It swiftly swallowed me up like it had the others, becoming darker and more eerie as I turned a corner.
I pocketed my tarot cards, not realizing I still had them in my palm until I reached out with one hand to feel my way along the wall of the cave, with the other I switched on my helmet light.
The jagged walls gave off a menacing aura, reminding me of the large, crooked teeth of a monstrous maw ready and willing to devour us whole. More petroglyphs aligned the upper area where the surface was smoother, the dark red and brown colors only morphed into a series of shapes instead of clear images.
