Rogue Angel - Footprints Part 54

One of the ropes fell free and Annja gritted her teeth, working on shredding the remaining ropes. "Just let me finish this and we'll work that out. If we can find some way out of here and get back to town, then we'll be all set."

Joey watched her. "Once we're out of here, I'll need a minute or two to look around and get my bearings. Once I do, I can get you back to town as fast as you can run."

"What happens if I run faster than you?"

Joey shook his head. "No one runs faster than me."

Jenny started. "Did you hear that?"

Annja stopped moving. Her ears strained to make out whatever it was that Jenny thought she'd heard. "I don't hear anything."

"I could have sworn I heard something."

Annja went back to grinding the ropes. "Keep your ears open. If you think someone's coming, tell me. We'll need the element of surprise if they do come in here to check on us."

Joey looked around them. "You know, there's something vaguely familiar about this place."

"You've been here before?"

He frowned. "No, not really. Just something seems really familiar. I just can't place it."

"Well, hurry up," Jenny said. "I thought I just heard something again."

"What did it sound like?" Annja asked.

"Almost like a snore. But really constant." Jenny frowned. "I can't explain it properly."

"A snore?" Annja grinned. "Great. That helps a lot."

"Well, you try listening, then."

"I'd gladly switch places," Annja said. "But I'm a bit busy right now."

Joey tried to get to his feet. "That's not a snore she heard."

"What do you mean?" Annja asked.

Joey struggled to rise, but b.u.mped his head on the low ceiling and sank back down. "d.a.m.n."

"You okay?"

Annja kept rubbing the ropes against the rocks. "Joey, what the h.e.l.l are you talking about?"

"Jenny's right. In a way. Except it's not a snore she's hearing."

"Well, there's a relief," Jenny said. "It'd be just our luck to get trapped in a cave with a sleeping Sasquatch."

"Jenny! Be quiet," Annja said. She looked at Joey. "Will you just hurry up and explain yourself?"

"The snore she heard? It's water."

"Water?"

"There's a huge river that runs through the back part of the forest. It's really swollen this time of year."

"Rapids?"

"Yeah, but it's worse than that. The dam fifty miles away releases some of the water every few months and it adds to the volume. A lot."

"But shouldn't that just concern the river? How is it going to affect us?" Annja broke through another set of ropes. One more set and she'd be able to get them out of the cave.

"The river runs underground, as well. That roar Jenny heard is the oncoming water. If we stay in this cave, it will smash us against the rocks and we'll drown or be cut to pieces."

Annja glanced at the cavern opening-now she heard the roar.

It was getting louder.

Chapter 28.

"We've got to get out of here," Annja said. The roar was growing louder every second.

Jenny looked at her. "Annja?"

"Give me a second."

"We don't have a second," Joey said. "That water's going to be here any moment, and if we're not free we'll die."

Annja broke through the final binding holding her hands together. She took a breath and said a silent prayer. She closed her eyes. The sword hung in her mind's eye, and she reached out her hands and grabbed it.

"Wow," Jenny said, as the sword appeared from nowhere.

Annja opened her eyes and saw she was holding the sword. She stepped behind Jenny and cut her ropes loose.

Jenny rubbed her wrists. "Thanks."

Joey turned around. Annja cut his ropes and then released the sword to the otherwhere. Joey jumped up and hit his head again, then fell over.

"Help me, Jenny!" Annja grabbed Joey and pulled him upright.

The roar in the cavern grew louder. Joey's body started to shake.

He gulped in air and steadied himself. "We've got to hurry."

Annja looked around. "If there's light in here, we ought to be able to get out-that way, right?"

"Depends on the light source. It could just be a narrow slice in the rock that we can't get through. We've got to find a way out that we can all fit through," Joey said.