Disclaimer - I don't own Relic Hunter. Damn.
Chapter 8
"My god, that sounds like it's coming from the entrance to the cave!" cried Faith in a panic
"You're right," exclaimed Sydney wryly, "come on, we gotta get outta here. Move, hurry!"
As the small group rushed towards the exit they could already see small pebbles and rocks starting to rain down on them from the ceiling. Faith, Brionney and Alex were already out and moving towards their climbing ropes still hanging down the side of the cliff.
"Oh no, Nigel, the research!" shouted Sydney to her TA, trying to make herself heard over the loud roaring noise the rock was making as it gradually crumbled away above their heads. "We left it behind by the carvings!"
As she turned to dash back the way they'd come she felt Nigel forcefully grip her arm.
"No! We haven't got time, it's not worth your life Sydney, we'll get it back somehow another time."
Feeling angry with herself she allowed Nigel to pull her along the rest of the way. As he helped her over the lip of the entrance the rumbling grew louder, long deep cracks began to appear in the cliff and she realized that Nigel was no longer behind her.
Calling his name and rushing back into the tunnel she realized that she was almost wading through ankle deep water as the tide appeared to be moving in fast. Ducking her head to re-enter the cave she felt strong arms grabbing her under the armpits and dragging her away from the mouth just as a huge block of stone came free and fell exactly where she had been standing only moments before.
Landing heavily in the rapidly rising sea water Sydney could only look on in horror as she watched rock after rock pull free from its moorings and crash into place on the ground, swiftly sealing up the exit to the cave.
When all the dust and rubble had subsided the group shakily returned to their feet, trying not to make any loud or sudden movements for fear it would spark off another violent reaction. Following a silent gesture from Brionney to move away from the unstable ledge they brought with them all the packs that they had managed to preserve from the cave-in.
"Are you alright?" Alex asked Sydney in a worried tone, "you took quite a spill when I pulled you away from those falling stones."
Glancing at him Sydney gave him a brief shaky smile to assure him she was unharmed before seizing his elbows and telling him what had befallen the youngest Bailey.
"-He's still in there!" she cried, her voice rapidly rising a few octaves in panic. She couldn't lose Nigel, not now, not only because they had been through so much together, but also because of the slowly developing new feelings she was experiencing towards her TA that she had just come to accept.
"What are you kidding?" said Faith in shock.
"It can't be true", muttered Brionney," god, Nigel, we have to do something!" She began to make her way back over to the rock-pile when Alex took her shoulder to bring her back.
"No Bri'. You can't go back over there, it's too dangerous."
"So what," she demanded," are we just going to leave him there to die? We're supposed to be his friends and friends don't abandon each other in times of need Alex!"
"She's right," offered Faith," friends don't abandon each other, but you have to understand Bri', we can't possibly move all those stones on our own and even if we could we don't have any proper first aid skills and what if Nigel has bad injuries?"
"Well then that's all the more reason to get him out sooner!" the blonde argued.
"She has as point," Sydney interceded with a sigh, "Which means we should try and get help all the more quickly. The water's rising too fast for us to be of any use anyway. We should try and get back to camp and phone for aid as soon as possible,"
"Alright", agreed Brionney finally," but what if the cave gets flooded by the tide, won't Nigel drown?"
"I'm sure the water won't get through the rock", said Sydney reassuringly, feeling a gnawing sensation in the pit of her stomach, dread making her throat feel constricted.
"Exactly," said Alex, sounding a little unsure of himself, "the stone seems very tightly packed together so it should be impervious to the waves."
A few minutes later as she heaved her body over the edge of the cliff all Sydney could think about was getting to a phone as fast as she could, cursing the fact that it was always Nigel who carried the mobile out of the two and then blessing the fact as it could mean that Nigel had an additional lifeline and had maybe already called for help.
AN - I don't understand it. Nobody wants to review my story, is it that rubbish? Even if you don't like it you could give me some hints as to make it better! Oh well, all hail Nigel! I know he isn't in this chappie much but the next one will be devoted entirely to him, promise!
Chapter 8
"My god, that sounds like it's coming from the entrance to the cave!" cried Faith in a panic
"You're right," exclaimed Sydney wryly, "come on, we gotta get outta here. Move, hurry!"
As the small group rushed towards the exit they could already see small pebbles and rocks starting to rain down on them from the ceiling. Faith, Brionney and Alex were already out and moving towards their climbing ropes still hanging down the side of the cliff.
"Oh no, Nigel, the research!" shouted Sydney to her TA, trying to make herself heard over the loud roaring noise the rock was making as it gradually crumbled away above their heads. "We left it behind by the carvings!"
As she turned to dash back the way they'd come she felt Nigel forcefully grip her arm.
"No! We haven't got time, it's not worth your life Sydney, we'll get it back somehow another time."
Feeling angry with herself she allowed Nigel to pull her along the rest of the way. As he helped her over the lip of the entrance the rumbling grew louder, long deep cracks began to appear in the cliff and she realized that Nigel was no longer behind her.
Calling his name and rushing back into the tunnel she realized that she was almost wading through ankle deep water as the tide appeared to be moving in fast. Ducking her head to re-enter the cave she felt strong arms grabbing her under the armpits and dragging her away from the mouth just as a huge block of stone came free and fell exactly where she had been standing only moments before.
Landing heavily in the rapidly rising sea water Sydney could only look on in horror as she watched rock after rock pull free from its moorings and crash into place on the ground, swiftly sealing up the exit to the cave.
When all the dust and rubble had subsided the group shakily returned to their feet, trying not to make any loud or sudden movements for fear it would spark off another violent reaction. Following a silent gesture from Brionney to move away from the unstable ledge they brought with them all the packs that they had managed to preserve from the cave-in.
"Are you alright?" Alex asked Sydney in a worried tone, "you took quite a spill when I pulled you away from those falling stones."
Glancing at him Sydney gave him a brief shaky smile to assure him she was unharmed before seizing his elbows and telling him what had befallen the youngest Bailey.
"-He's still in there!" she cried, her voice rapidly rising a few octaves in panic. She couldn't lose Nigel, not now, not only because they had been through so much together, but also because of the slowly developing new feelings she was experiencing towards her TA that she had just come to accept.
"What are you kidding?" said Faith in shock.
"It can't be true", muttered Brionney," god, Nigel, we have to do something!" She began to make her way back over to the rock-pile when Alex took her shoulder to bring her back.
"No Bri'. You can't go back over there, it's too dangerous."
"So what," she demanded," are we just going to leave him there to die? We're supposed to be his friends and friends don't abandon each other in times of need Alex!"
"She's right," offered Faith," friends don't abandon each other, but you have to understand Bri', we can't possibly move all those stones on our own and even if we could we don't have any proper first aid skills and what if Nigel has bad injuries?"
"Well then that's all the more reason to get him out sooner!" the blonde argued.
"She has as point," Sydney interceded with a sigh, "Which means we should try and get help all the more quickly. The water's rising too fast for us to be of any use anyway. We should try and get back to camp and phone for aid as soon as possible,"
"Alright", agreed Brionney finally," but what if the cave gets flooded by the tide, won't Nigel drown?"
"I'm sure the water won't get through the rock", said Sydney reassuringly, feeling a gnawing sensation in the pit of her stomach, dread making her throat feel constricted.
"Exactly," said Alex, sounding a little unsure of himself, "the stone seems very tightly packed together so it should be impervious to the waves."
A few minutes later as she heaved her body over the edge of the cliff all Sydney could think about was getting to a phone as fast as she could, cursing the fact that it was always Nigel who carried the mobile out of the two and then blessing the fact as it could mean that Nigel had an additional lifeline and had maybe already called for help.
AN - I don't understand it. Nobody wants to review my story, is it that rubbish? Even if you don't like it you could give me some hints as to make it better! Oh well, all hail Nigel! I know he isn't in this chappie much but the next one will be devoted entirely to him, promise!