Chapter Ten: Pushing Through the Lincoln Tunnel

Traveling through the Lincoln Tunnel was a bit disconcerting. The air felt stretched as if it were just enough to keep all of the sleeping drivers alive. And the exhaust fumes... yuck! They lingered in the air like the nasty cigarette smoke in my neighbor's house. It was enough to make me gag every other minute.

We were lucky that all the cars had been turned off. I could only imagine that if they were still running the entire tunnel would have turned into the world's largest tomb.

Lyra and Skylar looked like their skin had taken on a fresh green tint or maybe it was just the lighting. I couldn't be certain.

"Hey are you two, okay?" I asked.

"Yeah, you don't look so hot." Zillah added as ran her hand down Skylar's arm as she looked up at him with concern.

I couldn't see Skylar's expression at the time, but from what Zillah told me later, he did his best to smile back without looking too ill.

Lyra gave me a, 'please shut up look.' I decided to let the issue drop, for all I knew they were feeling claustrophobic. Surprisingly, I wasn't, which was pretty strange. I normally hated being underground, in tunnels, subways, elevators, and well pretty much anything that restricted my range of motion. So, I had a feeling that perhaps they were like that too?

Trent pulled his shirt over his nose. "This helps to hide the smell, if that's what's bothering you." I could tell my brother was starting to look up to Skylar. He didn't have any male role models in his life, and very few friends.

"Dude, it's not that." Skylar rubbed the back of his head. "I don't know... I just don't feel right."

"Maybe it's something you ate." My brother shrugged.

Lyra sighed. Her color didn't look any better. "I think it's the water." Lyra crossed her arms. "I feel so trapped. Just think the Hudson River is directly above us. What if a monster attacked and damaged the tunnel? We would drown with everyone else."

Skylar shuttered as he closed his eyes.

"I don't know, I kind of like it. You can hear the water moving above us." My brother looked up as if he could see through the ceiling.

"Dude, you're hopeless." Skylar shook his head and then gave my little brother a slight smack on the back.

"What?" Trent just didn't get it. We were in danger and as long as we were in the tunnel, so was everyone else.

My mother gave my brother a pitiful look. The look reminded me of my dream and I began to wonder about that man we met all those years ago. Why did he upset her so much? And did she ever pay him back? Right now wasn't the time to ask. But still... I couldn't help but wonder.

To my left, Lyra was still taking the point position. We followed her through the different rows of cars and up onto the service walk ways. In her hand was the knife she recovered from the water outside the tunnel.

For the most part we walked in silence. We didn't want to be caught by surprise if there were monsters lurking behind cars or hiding out on the tops of SUVs.

Surprisingly, there were no monsters to be found anywhere. I honestly don't know what we would have done if we ran into another giant or something even worse. Maybe those centaurs took care of them? Hopefully that's the case. There was also a ton of shredded vegetation all over the place. I know that wasn't supposed to be there either.

After about an hour we final saw the light. From what I could tell it was only around six in the morning. The strange thing is that as we got closer to the exit, the more it seemed out of reach. Our movements slowed down and I felt like I was being stretched thin.

I thought I was imagining it or perhaps I was just super tired and had just hit the wall.

After a few minutes, the feeling got worse. I looked at the car we were passing, and then back towards the light. We were so close, but why did it feel so far away. My feet felt so heavy like I had weights attached to them and they were pulling me down into quick sand.

We must have struggled like that for a while because when I looked back at that car, I hadn't made any progress.

"We've reached a magical barrier of some kind." Whoa, my words sounded really strange. They were elongated and stretched as if I were listening to my mom's college lectures that someone in her class taped for her when she couldn't make the lecture. She normally played them really slowed down to take notes.

"How are we going to get through it?" Trent responded. His voice also sounded like it was in slow motion.

I tried to think. If we couldn't get through the barrier we would be trapped and would have to possibly turn back. I couldn't let that happen. We've worked so hard to get this point; we had to get through it. Think Meredith, think!

I looked over towards everyone else; they were making the same kind of process.

We were all strong people, especially Skylar and Lyra, but why couldn't we get through this?

Then it hit me.

"I want to try something!" I shouted getting their attention. "We're going to hold hands. Maybe we can push through together!"

"It's worth a shot," Skylar said.

"Skylar, take my mother's hand and Zillah's hand. Mom go on the outside, since you've got to hold on to your sword. Lyra, take Zillah's other hand. Trent take Lyra's hand. I'll go on the outside."

"What about my sword?"

"I'll hold it in my outside hand." I took my sword and shifted it go through my belt. It was uncomfortable, but it would have to do.

"I'll take that now." Trent passed his sword over towards me. I shifted it in my outside hand and then took his free hand into mine.

We joined hands. I could feel our power surging through our line. "On three, push forward!"

"One," Zillah called.

"Two," Lyra joined in.

"Three!" I shouted.

At first nothing happened. We were still unable to break through. I started to scream out of frustration.

Everyone else joined in.

My heart rate decreased for several seconds before it started up rapidly again. We surged forward through the barrier.

It felt like I had just passed through a swimming pool of grape jelly.

Once everyone was through we almost caused a pile up on our own. Each person was pulling according to their own strengths. Hence, we almost fell over each other.

"Did... did we make it?" Trent asked his voice sounded normal. He quickly dropped his hand to wipe it on his jeans.

"I think so," Lyra started to sprint toward the light. "Come on, we're in NEW JERSEY!"