The Van Til House: STRAF SABBAT
Chapiter 9

Magisna's ankle grew sicker every time he stepped. How long are we down here? ask in the heart. The coldness ran all over his body.

The tunnel began to slide down.

Magishna heard the sound of running water.

"We go back to where we started" cried Dika.

"Great, Hendra! Great really," murmured Novi grumbled.

Hendra turned around quickly. "Lu think you can do better?"

Novi glanced at the tunnel through his shoulder. "No," he said.

"The others?" Hendra asked again.

Magisna shook her head. So did Dika and Alexza.

What should we do now? Magisna wondered in her heart. He hugged his own body, trying to calm himself.

"The two words also crossed," Hendra told. "When we go back, we'll just come back here again."

Magisna looked at the dirty pool of water in front of them. He saw rats. A brown shiny creature with a fat pink tail. They swam back and forth, eating the rotting clumps of paper.

"Hendra's real," said Dika. "This associated tunnel covers the entire plantation area. There must be a lot of ways out. If we cross, we might find one of them."

"We still don't know how cute it is" Alexza protested.

Magisna noticed Hendra's torch illuminating something on the ground behind him.

"Liat. There's a bottle on top of the aer" cried Magisna.

"Continue?" ask Alexza cynically.

"The bottle is on the ground. No flying in the aer."

"Who cares about silly bottles?" ask Alexza.

Hendra thrust his torch over the pond while looking into the darkness. "Gisna really," he said. "There is dry land-it is a small ledge. The aerials don't completely bypass the tunnel."

"Great," muttered Alexza half-grumbling.

"Is he wide enough for us to walk on him?" ask Novi.

"There's only one way to test it" Hendra said. He stepped onto the ledge. Magisna saw it a little dimly. He stepped again. "Not too bad" he commented. "It's a bit narrow, but apparently this ledge reaches across the pond. Follow cave!"

"Don't be kidding," Alexza said.

Hendra stepped up again. Then he stopped, watching the ceiling.

"Rain deres" he said.

"Peratiin torch," suggested Dika.

"No problem" replied Hendra. He lowered his head through the outpouring of water and jumped to the opposite end of the ledge. "Done," he said. "Width is one meter more. This ledge is completely across the pond."

"The cave's not coming" Alexza debated. "Not to."

"Lu want to get out of here, right?" ask Hendra.

"Disease!"

"Stand on a ledge. You won't get wet."

"Don't want to."

"Gisna will" Hendra told Alexza. "Well, isn't it, Gis?"

Will he do it?

Magisna took a deep breath. He has to do this. Here's a chance to get out of this place.

"Good," said Alexza cynically. "Lu can jatoh, you know."

Magisna looked at Hendra through the pond. Maybe a meter wider, Hendra said. Dry ledge across the entire puddle.

"Where, Gis?" urged Alexza.

"OK, cave road," Magisna announced.

From Alexza's mouth came a disgusting sound. Magisna limped forward, trying to step confidently despite her ankle pain.

He stepped onto the ledge. The rock looks strong. He took a step over the pool. Water soaked his feet. He stepped again. The ledge's narrowed.

"Missy!" yell Dika.

"Splash!" Dika insisted.

Magisna tried to move faster. It's almost in the middle of the pool right now. Water soaked the ledge, making the rubber shoes soaked. Twice he almost lost his balance. Nothing can be made into a handle except a wall-slippery by water.

"What about you, Nov?" call Hendra. "Lu next?"

"Street cave" said Novi without hesitation.

Magisna. The pool is the original rainwater with snow mud in winter.

"Buck, Konah!" Dika shouted impatiently.

"Again cave, Satan!" Magisna looked up and found Hendra staring into his eyes. Only a short distance separated them.

"Don't beat Dika" said Hendra calmly. "Concentrate, keep the balance. Just a little more."

Magisna. He stepped forward. He kept looking at Hendra. He stepped again.

Something-a small, pale-grey hand with a pointed black hoof, touching his ankle.

Magisna jumped up and screamed.

He tried to keep his balance. Quickly, he swung his legs forward. His feet landed on something round and wriggling. The creature ran under his feet, making him stray backwards.

His rubber shoes stepped on the edge of the ledge-and slipped.

Magisna fell into the water. He tried to scream, but his mouth choked on the foul liquid.

Something soft and greasy touched his cheek.

The rat!

Magisna felt tiny claws creeping up his arms. His back.

They all flank me!

He turned around and shook his hand, trying to shake the rats off his body. Dirty water filled his nose and mouth.

He forced himself to concentrate.

But suddenly a pair of thin hands coiled around his waist.

Magisna screamed with all her might, but again dirty water filled her mouth.

Don't panic, he told himself. This pool is not very deep! I'm not drowning! First out of the water. Then handle those rats, and this pair of hands... Which one was it?

Another hand reached for his arm. Then one more.

His head came up to the surface of the pool. He looked up and found Hendra ducking over his head. Hendra pulled his body out of the water.

And at once also a pair of small hands that coiled around his waist were scattered without a trace.

Magisna took a mouse from her shoulder and threw it into the water. "There's more, isn't it?" panicked shouting. "They're from the cave!"

"Udah. I'm gone" Hendra told him. "Udah does not exist. Okay well? Kalem!"

Magisna coughed and spat. Dirty water tastes really bad!

"Your luck is ugly again, Gisna," said Hendra with a cry.

"Oh, huh?" grunts. He squeezed the bottom of his sweater, but it didn't help much. Her clothes were soaked. His ankles were throbbing and his elbows felt increasingly sore.

"Maybe if we stay here long ago, you'll dry up" Hendra offered.

Magisna frowned while pouting. "Not funny," he said.

"This," said Hendra, taking off his army jacket. "Pake, here. At least you won't be cold."

Magisna put on the jacket and wrapped it over her body. Very big, but feels warm because of the wear of Hendra.

"Thanks," he told Hendra, trying to smile. "It helps a little."

"Hey!" yelling Alexza-sounds very upset. "Well, can you clap your bellows?"

"Do you want to cross?" Hendra asked back. "But don't prank the rats. And don't try the jatoh."

Magisna watched as the others marched across the ledge. He crossed in thirty seconds. Novi moved slowly, but without hesitation. Alexza stepped step by step, as he closed his body to the wall.

Not fair, Magisna thought. Why am I the only one who has to swim?

"So" said Hendra. "Where would we go. We need to find a way out, keep getting out of here. You ready, right, Gis?"

Magisna let out a short sigh and shrugged her shoulders. "Why not? Maybe things won't get any worse."