Elevate | ONC 2021

5. Death

"Why are you here? Get out!" Jesse shouted.

"What? You can't send her out there. The worm might still be lurking!" Felix objected.

"I don't give a crap! They stole our camels and now she's here having a meltdown because that thing killed her friends. She needs to leave!"

Sintra ignored the bickering of her teammates as she staggered over to the blonde girl who immediately covered her head with her hands as she flinched.

"It's okay. No one's going to hurt you," Sintra consoled, crouching down to her level.

This was Sintra at the beginning of the game—scared and confused. As a matter of fact, Sintra's fear never subsided but as she recalled her own breakdown at the beginning earlier, she couldn't help but sympathize with the girl who on close inspection, was obviously just a teen.

She didn't care if they stole their camels. Not when each of them had nearly lost their lives to that monster. The death worm did not discriminate and if it's one thing Carter's group did get right, it was working together. Sintra's group however, seemed to be failing at that.

"What's your name?" Sintra asked her, rubbing her back gently.

"Lena," she answered with hesitance while slowly raising her head. Her brilliant blue eyes were filled with pure terror as she scanned Sintra's face warily.

"Okay, Lena. Just calm down for a second. We're all terrified here but we can't get through this with fear. Just try to relax."

"Try to relax?" Jesse mocked.

"Jess—"

"Don't Jesse me!" She interrupted Felix. "Did you forget that she's the enemy here? They stole our ride and now she's here acting like she's the victim. Throw her the hell out!"

"You know I'm getting real tired of hearing that big mouth of yours," Sintra stood to face her. "Why don't we throw you out?"

"Oh yeah?" Jesse approached her, their bodies dangerously close to each other. "Try it!"

"Stop this!" Vante shouted at them both, stepping between what would have certainly been a fight. "We don't have time for petty quarrels. We have to get out of here and to the target before the sun goes down or else we'll all be here til tomorrow."

Sintra's eyes never left Jesse's as they glared at each other, finally breaking away as Sintra retrieved the map from her bag. After turning it on, she realized they were still quite some distance away from their target.

"I'm going to check if it's still out there," Vante announced.

"No!" Sintra and Jesse said simultaneously, prompting them both to glare at each other.

"Did you 2 hear a word I just said?" Vante asked as he ignored their refusal while approaching the cavern's entrance.

They watched with trepidation as he leaned against the walls, pushing his hand out first before his head to quickly survey outside before stepping out of the cavern.

"I think it's gone," Vante reported and Sintra exhaled the breath she had been unknowingly holding as she clutched a hand to her chest that had not stopped pounding since they had entered the cavern.

"Let her go first," Jesse said, nodding towards Lena. "It's the least she could do after stealing our camels."

Lena broke down again, shaking her head in reluctance as she begged them not to let her leave.

"Hey, don't worry. I'll go with you," Sintra said gently, helping her up as they walked hesitantly towards the entrance.

"I'm coming too," Felix announced shortly after and soon the sun greeted them once more with full, glaring heat that temporarily blinded them.