The Van Til House: STRAF SABBAT
The Chapiter 20

"What do we have to do now?" Alexza's voice was shrill.

"We don't have to do anything" said Magisna. "We can't fight." His body felt so cold, and he could not stop trembling. He stuck his torch forward as if it could protect him.

The red mist bubbled in front of them. The sound that was heard was only the hiss of their weakly glowing torches. And also the breath of the fog.

The fog was hovering in place, like it was watching them.

A few of its clumps drifted out forming tendrils, investigating the skeletal assemblage. Then it fused again, hovering in the air.

"What is he waiting for?" whisky Magisna.

"Waituin cave" said Hendra.

"What?"

"Gosah thought," Hendra growled. "Prepare to run, no matter what happens cavern---"

"Ndra--" Alexza rebuked his words.

Hendra stepped forward and waved his torch towards the fog.

"Hey!" he exclaimed. "Lu ngincer cave, right all day? Right here! Get caves!"

"Hendra, no!" jeremy Magisna.

Hendra glanced at him. Then he stepped aside towards the distant wall. The fog followed him.

"The cave is here" urged Hendra. "Come on, tangkep cave here!"

Magisna soon realized what Hendra was doing. One must be caught, so said his consciousness in the mounting horror. One of us or all of us. 

He and Alexza can now see the tunnel clearly. Hendra gave us a chance. 

We have to take it!

But they can't leave Hendra here alone.

He can't.

He could not let Hendra be arrested, then dragged like Dika and Novi.

"Run!" hendra orders while swinging his torch.

The red fog seemed to be shining even more because of its power. Or because of hunger, Magishna thought bitterly. Only a short distance separated Hendra with the fog.

"Run!" hendras sounded frustrated.

Magisna remained standing without moving a bit.

Hendra looked into his eyes. Magisna felt anger burning inside Hendra. Anger over the loss of Dika and also Novi. Anger from being trapped in a nightmare.

But Magisna saw a flash of fear as well.

Hendra's gonna get caught soon, and he knows it.

"LARRRIII!" Hendra roaring. "NOW!"

Magisna grabbed Alexza's arm and pulled him towards the mound. Alexza did not protest.

The red mist turned on them, but it was too far away to stop them.

Magisna ran along the wall.

Almost there. It just needs to climb up on the mound of land. He only had to climb the tunnel without causing another avalanche.

He glimpsed through his shoulder-and his breath gasped.

That red mist was flowing around those skeletons.

Magisna stopped suddenly. His mouth is wide. This isn't real!

"No way," whispered Alexza behind him.

That red mist surrounded all of those skeletons. Floating in and out of the ribs. Then it flies round through the mouth and eye sockets.

The bones are moving!

At first, they were all shaking. Then they started moving.

That red mist lifted all the skeletons from the first floor after another.

Magisna was flabbergasted as the dead skull stood upright-and began to drift towards him.

Their jaws crackled in the air. Their feet made a crackling sound on the stone floor. Their arms waved like scarecrows. Their fingers bend, forming claws.

"Come, Lexza!" shout Magisna. He ran to the mound of land.

But the skull was faster. They flew across the room, their bones slammed against each other. They spread out in front of the mound of earth. In front of the tunnel.

A crippling fear ambushed Magisna. He doesn't know what else they should do now.

That's how…

Eventually, they will die.

Magisna shouted as the hands of the bones grabbed him.

"Gaaaaa!" shout Magisna. "Lu is not alive! Not alive! You're all dead!"

"They're from the cave!" longan Alexza.

Magisna glared at the skeleton. Their movements jolted as they half staggered, after they floated in front of him.

How could he be sure they wouldn't tear him up?

He can't. There's no more time.

"They're not alive!" he shouted at Alexza. "Run, get them!"

"Relieve it!" Alexza is terrified.

"Run!" shouted Hendra. "Run!"

Magisna turned to look at Hendra. The fog was only a step away from Hendra's face. They have to go-now.

He took a deep breath, then scattered towards the skeleton. He held out a torch right in front of him.

It passed through the first skeleton.

They crowed. Their arms extended towards him. Clawing his shirt, his hair, trying to grip his throat.

"Please!" his yell.

He swung his torch at them. The torch spun from his grasp and fell on the floor. Fire's dead.

One of the skeletons hugged him. His sinister brown face moved towards him as if wanting to kiss him. His jaw opened and clenched, his cracked teeth twitching just inches from his lips.

With disgust he groaned and pushed the creature away from him. The skeleton plunged backwards and collapsed to the ground.

Two arms wrapped around his neck from behind. A bone hand slammed past his face.

Magisna hit around, punching the skeleton. His fist thrust through his rib cage, crushing it. He felt very nauseous. His hands were covered in some sort of black sand - the remains of human flesh.

"Go!" his yell.

The remains of the skeleton were crushed on the floor. The skull of his head rolled into the darkness.

Magisna ran quickly over the remaining distance towards the mound, crawled as fast as possible and climbed into the hole.

On the mound, he turned away.

Alexza was not behind him. He was glued in place, while a moving skeleton grabbed him.

Hendra saw it too. He jumped up to Alexza. His speed shocked Magisna. He made a deceptive gesture of running to and fro, fooling the fog with a swirling motion that was faster than any retreat he had ever seen.

When Hendra ran, his eyes focused on the skeleton.

He held his torch high like a baseball bat.

The skeleton exploded as Hendra swung his torch through his ribs, so that pieces of bone and flaming chunks of torches were thrown across the room.

Everything went dark.

"Go!" he heard Hendra screaming.

Magisna plunged into the hole and did not look back. It continued to crawl, while spewing out the mouthfuls full of earth grains.

It rolled to a stop at the base of the mound on the other side, grateful for a puff of cold, humid air - no matter how unpleasant it smelled.

He can't see anything. All their torches have been extinguished.

He turned towards the tunnel.

Where are Alexza and Hendra? thought. They must succeed!

But Magisna can't see anyone-or anything.

He heard Alexza's long, terrible scream, and froze his blood.

Then hear nothing more.

Magisna covered her ears so that she would not hear Alexza's screams. What am I supposed to do now? thought kalut. Should I run, or go back there again?

They may be dead, he thought.

But maybe not. Magisna knew he couldn't leave them.