Page 25 of The Chamber

The wicked laughter stopped, but the sound of footsteps continued, heavy and deliberate. It was getting closer. Kenneth felt hot breath on his neck and smelled the rank stench of rot. He didn’t want to look back.

Suddenly it was gone. Silence reigned again, and the putrid smell dissipated. All that remained was a musty stink, not unlike crumbling wet concrete.

Kenneth bent over and held onto his knees, gasping for breath. He tried to sort his thoughts enough to know whether what he sensed was real or whether he was slowly going insane.

The distant echo of a panicked shout shattered the silence, its strained notes barely discernible. Kenneth tilted his head to listen again. It was there—soft but unmistakable.

Kenneth froze as he strained to make out the words. It was a cry for help. Recognition struck like a bolt of lightning. It was Jeremiah.

“Jeremiah!” Kenneth called out, his voice desperate and hoarse. He couldn’t discern the direction of the sound, but he knew he had to find his friend at any cost.

“Help me, please!” The plea reached Kenneth’s ears, distorted by the twisting corridors of the Chamber.

Kenneth took off, his boots pounding against the cold, damp floor as he barreled through the twisting corridors. The sound of Jeremiah’s voice grew louder with each passing moment, driving him onward. He couldn’t allow himself to fail.

“Where are you?” Kenneth shouted as he rounded another corner.”

Here!” came the reply. It was more urgent than before. “Please, hurry!”

Kenneth sprinted down a dark hallway. He feared what he might find, but if Jeremiah was at his side, there was more hope of escape.

And then there he was—Jeremiah—pressed up against a wall at the end of a long passageway. His eyes were wide with terror, and his breathing ragged as he turned to look at Kenneth.

“What happened? Are you hurt?” Kenneth asked as he rushed to his friend’s side.

“It’s Richard,” Jeremiah gasped. “He—he caught me and—and—“His voice trailed off into a muffled sob as he buried his face in his hands.

Kenneth reached out to wrap Jeremiah in his arms, and his friend’s body convulsed. The crying was loud and seemed to echo infinitely against the walls.

“Jeremiah, I swear, I won’t let anything else happen to you,” Kenneth whispered, his fingers curling into fists as he held his friend tightly.

Jeremiah clung to Kenneth, his body shaking with sobs. It was a long time before he could control himself, and even then, he couldn’t find the words to explain what happened. All he could do was cling to Kenneth.

“Thank you. I need you.”

“We need to keep moving,” Kenneth said, his voice low and urgent. “We’re not safe here.”

Jeremiah nodded weakly, wiping away tears with the back of his hand. The two friends set off down the hallway together, their boots echoing against the stone floor.

Kenneth tried to push past a hard knot of anxiety growing in his belly. He couldn’t let his guard down for even a moment, not when Richard’s sadistic traps could be lurking around any corner. He had to stay focused if he wanted to get them both out alive.

Jeremiah stumbled several times, his legs heavy with exhaustion. But Kenneth refused to let him fall behind, urging him on with a steady hand and a reassuring word.

“I—I have to rest, Ken—only for a minute,” gasped Jeremiah. “I worried that you might not make it.”

“Of course I made it,” Kenneth replied, his voice firm and resolute. “I promised you I’d find you, didn’t I?”

“Y-yeah,” Jeremiah stuttered, a weak smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “You did.”

Kenneth stepped up close, taking Jeremiah’s face in his rough, calloused hands and brushing away the sweat-soaked curls clinging to his brow.

“Hey, look at me,” Kenneth said gently, forcing Jeremiah’s gaze to meet his own. “We’re going to get through this. Together.”

“Are we?” Jeremiah asked, his voice barely above a whisper. The doubt in his eyes cut deeper than any blade.

“Damn right, we are,” Kenneth insisted. “We’ve come too far to lose now. You’re halfway down that damn skiing hill. You can’t quit now.”

Kenneth snuffled. He couldn’t let Jeremiah see him cry. He had to do something to chase the tears away.

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