The Van Til House: STRAF SABBAT
Chapiter 15

The mist surrounds Novi as if trying to embrace him and then bind him as he did to Dika. Wrap around his legs, his arms, his waist, his shoulders.

Novi's entire body twitched and began to stiffen. He let out a shrill sound like the howling of an animal.

Exactly like Dika, Magisna thought with a frown. "Noviiiii!" magisna began to cry.

He reached down and took Novi's outstretched hand. The hand was soaked in sweat and cold, he was not sure how long he could hold it.

He tried to pull her up, but the fog was too strong. He wrapped his other arm around the stairs and held him up with all his might.

The nova lifted a few inches.

Sobbing, in his attempt, Magisna tried to pull him even stronger. Novi also screamed even more strongly. But he felt Novi start to lift.

It succeeded!

He can save her!

Then Novi let out a terrible screech.

His hand gripped tightly onto Magisna's hand.

"Sina?" call Hendra from above.

"Please cave!" shout Magisna.

Hendra moved back down the stairs.

The red fog is moving. Magisna's arms jerked at the iron rungs. The power of the fog was unusually large.

I will lose Novi, he thought bitterly. The fog is too strong! Very strong!

"The hydra! Scribbles! The cave can't hold!"

Novi screamed again. Magisna felt Novi's knuckles crimped in her grasp. The fingers started to fall off.

"Eka," Novi screeched while panting.

Magisna stared at him through the deep red mist, staring into Novi's eyes.

"T-t-please..."

"Novi!" His shouting. He pulled it again with all his remaining strength.

The ladder was again. Start moving away from the wall. Dangling and dangerous.

"Help us!" alexza's voice sounded so far away.

Magisna's eyes widened in fear as the snake-shaped tendril slid around Novi's hand. Creeping twine around the Magisna-wrist and clamping tightly!

Caught me!

His skin felt sore in the place touched by the fog. Then it's hot like it's burning.

"Don't!" he squealed.

Panic overpowered him. He tugged his hand up strongly. He could not stop screaming. His entire arm seemed to be burning, as if his own skin was twisted in the opposite direction.

The more he pulled, the tighter the fog gripped him.

"Please!" he heard Hendra's voice.

"The cave can't! He's got a cave!"

Hendra's hand held Magisna's free arm, lifting her body up.

Magisna screamed in frustration.

I have to release Novi. The fog will kill me too. I have to release Novi!

Hendra's grip is weakening.

Magisna's arms are numb.

The ladder swung freely, held back by the last nail.

He knew they had a few seconds left.

He has to let go.

Got to!

"Sorry cave, Nov" he whispered.

He closed his eyes tightly. Then release the handle slowly.

At first Novi squealed stifled. But then shrieked the final scream and released Magisna.

Magisna opened her eyes again and saw Novi fall into the fog.

"Don't!" his screams. "Please him! Lepassin! Noveiiii...!"

Novi's face wrinkled horribly, full of pain and fear.

Magisna could only look on helplessly as the red mist carried her.

Magisna frowned as Novi's legs drooped and hung limp in the mist.

Novi's shoes hit the corner of the tunnel with an empty thumping echo.

Shouts cease.

Instantly time seemed to stop. The fog dragged him away in a light and dry slow motion. Like dream!

Magisna realized his arm was still stretched out toward Novi although not sure if he would still be alive.

The mist and the mist disappeared into the tunnel.

Magisna did not answer. He felt failed and regretful. It has failed! One more person was snatched away before his eyes.

We almost went out, he thought sourly.

"Giss!" call Hendra once more, raise his voice.

Magisna looked up, but could barely see Hendra at all.

"We have to get out" urged Hendra.

Hendra let go of Magisna's hand and went back up the stairs.

Magisna tried to follow him. Try to get your arms and legs working properly.

He heard a loud noise. Feel the vibration of the metal stairs.

That ladder, so old that it can't bear the weight!

The stairs jolted loudly, and dangled wildly for another instant.

Magisna held her breath, her hands clutching the steel.

The metal creaked horribly and slipped.

The stairs started to fall.

Magisna held on to the iron as long as the ladder collapsed down. Wind rustling. Endless seconds ticked on his head as he shouted.

Don't let me die, her heart.

The ladder hit the base.

Magisna. The rusted metal collapsed all around him, splattering his face and clinking hard enough that his ears were ringing.

Hendra landed on top of his body.

Hendra's weight on his stomach. Air was being pumped out of his body. Lungs frozen. He can't breathe. Panic was over him again.

Breathe out!

Hendra groaned beside him.

A small groan came out of his neck.

Did Hendra break his ribs?

Lungs leaking?

His eyes were twinkling, and the room seemed to be tilted to one side.

"Giss!" hentha's voice sounded panicked. "Gishna! You're not pa-pa, are you? Gishna?!"

Hendra sounds so far away.

"Magishna?!"

Something shook his body. 

Hendra grabbed his shoulder and shook his body.

Magisna exerted a last-ditch effort to breathe, hoping for her lungs to open and let her live.

Cold air flowed through his body. The moist air under the stuffy ground never felt so fresh.

"Good cave, not pa-pa" he calmed Hendra. "I guess."

He heard Hendra exhaling violently. Regret at once feel relieved.

Magisna sat up straight, still feeling dizzy.

Then he remembered Novi. Hanging stiff like a corpse. Dragged into a tunnel and disappeared into the darkness. And none of them could save him.

"Ndra-"

Instantly he embraced Hendra and held him firmly. His body shook violently.

"Please hug the cave," he whispered frailly. "The cave is not strong anymore."

Hendra's arms tightly embraced Magisna. "No pa-pa" he said. "We're doing fine. You're all right."

"When is this over?" he whines.

He heard Hendra swallow. "The cave doesn't know" he said. "Maybe deliberately extended so that it can sampe seven hundred chapters."

Magisna wanted to explode laughing at Hendra's words. But he felt angry. Grief to the author.

The pen cave killed its author after the end of this story! the Inner Magisna mimics the dialogue of one of the characters in another novel by the same Fuck Writer.

He was grateful for Hendra's strong arm. 

"Please cave!"

Hendra and Magisna were aghast and moved away from each other, and looked at each other.

Alexa!

He hung above them, hanging on the last rung of the ladder where the rusty metal came loose.

"Durunin cave!" scream Alexza.

"Naek to the top" said Hendra. "Find help."

"The cave can't! The cave finger is numb. The cave can't hold."

Although in the dimness of Magisna can see Alexza is not joking. He really depends only on his finger. His feet swung in a frenzy, not getting any grip.