“Good,” Javier continued, speaking hurriedly. “There’s a strong current that will immediately carry you forward into a narrow subterranean river channel. Do not worry, the current may only pull you under briefly, the water’s not that deep at the point where it meets the river, but it moves swiftly. It’s very important that you keep your heads down, there’s not much clearance...”
“Javier?” Rick said, cutting him off. “This is a lot to spring on us all of a sudden.”
A flash of anger crossed Javier’s face. “I did not want to bring you here. I had no intention of ever revealing this passageway to anyone, but it’s our only way out now.”
Diego closed his eyes and whispered a silent prayer.
Rick clammed up. He swallowed hard. He knew Javier was right, they didn’t have a choice.
Sofia and Luis shared worried glances.
Javier continued; he knew they were running out of time. “About 400 feet down river, the river will bend to the left. When it does, pull yourselves out of the water on the right-hand side. There’s a flat, rocky surface there. I’ll explain more then. We don’t have time now.”
Rick rubbed his temples. He knew this was going to be a lot for the Torres family to take in, especially Diego, who was likely in a weakened condition. “Javier, you and your friends should go first. They can follow your lead. I’ll bring up the rear, that way we can make sure everyone gets out safely.”
Rick was really glad he had his survival training, but he figured Sofia, Luis, and Diego likely didn’t. He’d have to overcome his own anxieties about this to be strong for them. Confidence, Braeden, he thought to himself, exude confidence. Or fake it till you make it, as one of his friends used to tell him.
“Let’s put our gear into the waterproof pouches inside our rucksacks,” Sofia suggested.
“Yes,” Javier said, “and wear your rucksacks on your chests. Keep your jackets on to protect your backs from getting scraped.”
They all got their gear ready.
“I’m sorry to put you all in this position,” Javier said.
“We understand,” Sofia said, squeezing her father’s shoulders.
Luis said nothing. He was just trying to stay focused and keep his rising panic at bay.
“Bueno. Let’s go,” Javier said.
The three young men dropped down onto their backsides, and one by one squeezed through the narrow opening, feet first. They expertly shimmied through, their small forms nimble and fast.
“Sofia,” Rick said, “you and Luis go next. I’ll help your dad.”
“Gracias,” Sofia said, her eyes conveying how much that meant to her.
Sofia took a deep breath and dropped down as she’d seen the others do. She disappeared into the darkened passageway. Luis followed quickly behind.
Rick helped Diego down to the ground. “Don’t worry, I’ll be right behind you.”
Rick could tell he was terrified, but Diego said nothing, steeling himself for what was ahead. He admired him for that. He could see where Sofia and Luis got their courage.
The older man grunted as he squeezed his body through the tight passageway.
Rick waited for Diego to disappear inside the tunnel, then pushed himself through a few seconds later.
Here goes nothing, he thought, as he dropped down into the dark, earthen passageway to an unknown destination.
CHAPTER 13
Plunged into total darkness, Rick held his breath as gravity pulled him down into the earth. The steepness of the hidden passageway caught him off-guard. Javier hadn’t been kidding when he said it was a sharp angle. It was like plummeting down a tall water slide completely in the dark, but one that was made of earth and mud and vines and was bumpy as hell.
The close walls of the subterranean passageway seemed to swallow him whole. Rick, being bigger in form that the rest of his slighter traveling companions, found the squeeze to be uncomfortably tight. His shoulders rubbed against the hard earthen walls. He grimaced as his left shoulder scraped against a rough branch as he sped down the tunnel. He couldn’t have stopped himself if he tried. This was definitely a one-way trip.
Rick could feel the dampness all around him. The water draining continuously down the tunnel meant they were basically being carried down a large, cramped, pitch-black mudslide. The smell of wet earth permeated his nostrils.
He was startled by a sudden splat as he was smacked square in the face with a big glob of mud. He had the unfortunate timing of having his mouth open at that exact moment and inhaled some of it. Diego had managed to kick up some thick sludge straight into Rick’s face. He choked and gagged, then tried to spit it out as best he could.
Fun times, he thought wryly, trying to wipe it away from his eyes as he careened out of control down the dark, earthen tunnel.
He heard the others grunting and groaning ahead of him. Maybe they’re inhaling surprise mud globs, too, he mused.
Then he heard splashes and shouts as one by one they plunged into the whirlpool below.
Rick found it completely unsettling not to be able to see a thing, while plummeting down a deep, dark tunnel into a rapidly approaching watery destination that might be unimaginably deep.
But he didn’t have to think about it long, as the tunnel unceremoniously spit him out and he fell mid-air for a couple of seconds, splashing down hard into a shockingly cold pool of water. He plunged into the deep, dark pool, completely submerged. In a desperate panic, he furiously kicked his legs and pumped his arms to reach the surface, the rucksack on his chest weighing him down and working against him all the way.
As he surfaced, gasping for air, he heard the splashes and gurgles and coughing of the others ahead of him. He couldn’t see anything. He tried to call out for Diego, but then he felt the powerful current grab him. Its strength was momentarily stunning and he gulped down a
