No more long waits. I am going to try not to take so long with the upcoming chapters. I hope everybody liked the last chapter. Here's the next one.

Enjoy.

Chapter 12

Outside the Tunnel

"I can't take it anymore," Helen Ackerman declared pacing before Father Dominic, "They had to have found them by now. What is taking them so long? What if something is wrong? What if something happened to them?"

"Calm down, Mrs Ackerman. You have to be patient, these things can take time," Father Dominic soothed

"It has been over four hours! How long could it possibly take!" Helen exclaimed, "And where is Jake?"

"I'm sure he's just getting something for you," Father Dominic consoled, not sure what else to say.

"I can't believe this is happening!" Helen cried, "If anything happens to them, I don't know what I'll do!"

Inside the Tunnel

"Ow!"

They walked for who knows how long and Suze's pain has gotten worse. She could no longer feel her ankle and her side is exploding in pain like someone keeps stabbing her over and over again.

"Ahhhhhhh!"

Ava was fine when they first left, now she won't stop crying. "What do I do?" Shannon asked rocking the upset child. Nobody answered her, seeing that they don't know what to do either.

"Are we...almost...there?" Suze asked Paul between spasms of pain. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back to try to rid herself of the pain.

"I don't know," Paul admitted, "I'm not even sure we're going the right way." He looked down at her with her eyes still closed as she let out a loud groan.

"We better get out of here soon. This dust is ruining my complexion," Kelly complained, "And can you shut that thing up. It's damaging my hearing."

Suze opened her eyes and glared at Kelly, and, surprisingly, so did Paul. "Maybe if I just hit her upside her head, she'll get at least some compassion," Suze whispered to Paul, burning holes in the back of Kelly's head.

"Don't," Paul warned, but he said it with a slight chuckle.

"Okay, maybe it won't knock any compassion in her, but it sure the hell would help soothe the pain I'm feeling now," Suze laughed putting an arm around Paul's shoulder to better steady herself.

"What are you guys talking about back here?" Kelly asked sticking herself into our conversation.

"Oh, we were just saying how terrible it is about your complexion," Suze answered sarcastically, but Kelly didn't pick up on that.

"Oh, thank you for caring," Kelly smiled, smiling that I'm-better-than-any-of-you smile. Then she went back to the front, pushing Shannon out of her way, who almost dropped Ava because of the action.

"One slap," Suze pleaded with Paul when she saw what Kelly did.

"No," Paul resisted.

They continued on in silence until Shannon ran ahead. "Do you guys hear that?" she called back with a huge smile on her face. Everybody ran forward to where she was.

"We're saved!" Kelly exclaimed as she began to dig at the dirt.

Paul placed Suze down on the ground to help dig and gave her Ava to hold so Shannon could help too. They dug until they heard voices and shovels clanging. Then they all started shouting at once.

"Help, help, we're here! Help!"

A small but still big enough to fit through opening was dug and Suze's stepfather, Andy, stuck his head, "Is everybody okay?"

"Yeah, except Suze and we have a newborn here," Paul answered.

"Okay, put them through first," Andy instructed. Shannon handed Ava through first and then she helped Paul slide Suze through next. Then Kelly, Shannon, and Paul went through.

"Is this everybody?" rescue worker, Tim, asked.

"No, there's still a few back at the train," Paul explained, "I can show you where they are." He offered and moved to the opening.

"No, all five of you need to get out and checked," head rescue worker, Greg, intervened then he turned to the rescue workers and volunteers, "Tim, Andy, and Adam, help me take these guys out, everybody else keep on digging."

As they walked the short distance to the entrance, Adam came up to Suze. "Is CeeCee okay?" he asked with worried look on his face.

"Yeah, she's fine," Suze replied, "You should be really proud of her of what she did."

Did you like it? Please be honest, and please review! Will the others make it out safely, too or will they be buried alive? Find out in the next chapter of Sacred Memories.