Page 8 of The Lost Soldier
She closed her eyes.
He waited.
And waited.
For five minutes, nothing happened. He was about to pull away when his body grew rigid and cold. He shivered, blinking his eyes closed. An ice cave formed in front of him. He’d seen this cave before. A few times. In dreams, or daydreams. He’d often walk through the cave, being transported to other places with people he cared about, and some he didn’t.
Savanah waved to him from the other side.
He ran through the tunnel. It seemed to stretch on forever. When he finally came to the other side, he noticed he stood in the middle of the town that they had passed a few miles from the cabin. Savanah had perched herself on a bench across the street. She lowered her chin and batted her eyelashes, then pointed to another ice cave tunnel.
Should he stay, or should he go?
He also wondered if this was his view, or hers?
And what was in the next tunnel?
God, he felt like he was on some weird seventies game show.
He took off jogging toward the ice cave. Cold prickled his body as he ran and ran until heat smacked his skin like a water balloon exploding as it hit his body. Slowing down, he checked out his new surroundings.
Tall trees.
Thick vegetation.
The smell of smoke in the distance tickled his nostrils.
The groans of battle stung his ears. Screams of dying men echoed in the still, humid air. In the distance, he saw the wounded men.
No.
Dead men.
He raced to the bodies sprawled out in a bunker. Four United States Navy SEALs lay in pile of blood and guts. Chad knelt in front of one of the men. His heart breaking in a million pieces for the loss of life. It didn’t matter these men knew the danger that lurked at every corner. Chad vowed he’d make sure these men didn’t die in vain.
Standing, he glanced around the jungle in search of the other two missing men. He couldn’t see them, but he could feel their beating hearts. Slow, but rhythmic.
“I’m coming for you,” he vowed as he took off through the ice cave, his lungs burning as he found his way back to the small village. Grabbing Savanah by the hand, he tugged her through the second tunnel and back into the cabin in the woods.
As soon as his body crossed the plane, Savanah yanked her hand away as she rushed toward the bathroom, gagging and coughing.
“Are you okay?”
“No,” she said between coughs as she gripped the sink. “You could have really hurt me taking me back through your tunnel instead of letting me go back through mine.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know. But I know where some of my men are.”
She glanced over her shoulder, her face pale, and her eyes bloodshot.
“Where? Are they alive?”
“Four are dead, but I can lead us to their bodies. The other two are being taken somewhere. I could feel them miles ahead.” He held her hips steady, holding her weakened body upright. “I’m sorry, Savanah. I didn’t know about the tunnels.”
“It’s not supposed to be possible for anyone to travel in another viewer’s passage to a different plane. Last time I heard about someone trying, they died.”
“Oh, that’s not good,” he said. “I’ll remember that next time.”
“I have to say it’s kind of worth the excruciating stomach cramps and killer headache to hear you say there will be a next time.”
