The light came up and shone in her eyes. “Riley?” He was only a few feet away now.
She stopped, turning her head. “Mind not blinding me?” She blinked as white spots danced against the darkness.
“What the hell are you doing in here? It’s not safe.”
She wanted to laugh and lash out at the same time. Instead, she did neither. She headed for his voice even as she watched the ground beneath her feet. When she came abreast of him, she continued to walk past, but he grabbed her arm.
She yanked away from him, losing her balance and hitting the side wall. Her phone dropped, but she still had Dog. Panic crept up her throat as she slid to the ground, dirt trickling beside her, and she closed her eyes as memories of being hit with pounds of earth flooded her psyche. Her breath caught, and she shivered with fear.
“Hey, you okay?” His deep voice above her pulled her from the brink of terror.
She nodded, but didn’t open her eyes.
“We’re not that far from the exit. You ready to get out of here?”
More than ready, but she couldn’t seem to open her eyes. “Minute.” The word rasped from her dry throat.
“No rush.” He didn’t touch her, but she could sense him close.
Now all she had to do was open her eyes and walk out. She wouldn’t have to crawl out, just stroll outside into the Arizona heat. Just open her eyes and…and stroll. She could do that. She was Army. Act like it! Despite her pep talk, she couldn’t make it happen.
Would he think it weird if she asked him to guide her out? But let him know her weakness? She’d never let her men or women know she was afraid, and that was when she had reason to be afraid. This was all in her head. All she had to do was open her eyes and walk.
Dog came to her rescue, sort of. At that moment, he decided her face being that close to his was entirely irresistible, and he licked her cheek.
Her eyelids rose as she turned her head. “Will you stop that?” Her gaze landed on her phone on the ground, its clear case reflecting the light from Garrett’s. She snatched it up.
“Need help?” He kept the light out of her eyes, but she could see his outstretched hand beneath it.
“No, I’m good.” That would rank right up there as one of the most bald-faced lies she’d ever told. She wasn’t good. She was a mess.
Grasping Dog tighter, she rose and looked toward what she thought was the way out. There was no light, just darkness. Had she mixed up again and lost her bearings? Her heartbeat raced as dread slithered up her spine. “Where’s the exit?” Her voice squeaked, her hysteria just below the surface, but she didn’t care. She had to get out.
“It’s right up there. No need to worry. Here, let me turn off my light.”
Her breath stopped as they were enveloped in darkness, but as her eyes adjusted, she could see the reflection of light off the cave walls up head. She breathed in. There must be a bend in the cave she hadn’t noticed. Without thought, she moved forward and promptly tripped.
The hand on her upper arm kept her from going down. “Hold on, let me give us some light.”
She didn’t need light, she needed to get out. She took another step just as light speared the ground in front of her.At the sight of the bulge in the dirt, she shifted her footstep to avoid the IED and bumped into her escort. God, the bombs were everywhere! How could she have missed them on the way in?
“Riley, stop.”
At the commanding tone, she regained her balance, but she couldn’t obey. She didn’t care if she was dishonorably discharged. “I can’t. I have to get out.”
“Okay, okay. Here.”
The ground beneath her feet lit up again, and she started forward, careful to avoid the bumps in the earth, staying between the lines of the path. Had she seen those when she ran in? As she came to the bend in the cave, the heat and light from outside streamed in. The opening was bigger than she remembered digging, but she didn’t care. She was getting out. She was free!
She hugged herself tightly and a loud yelp issued out.She stopped, confused at the animal in her arms, her mind trying to grasp her reality.
She had no time to contemplate where it came from as a loud creak filled the cave followed by a deep rumbling.Rocks rolled down the walls as two large beams crashed across her path. Dirt showered from the ceiling like a waterfall, the light from outside disappearing.
“No!” She lunged forward.
Like a slingshot, she felt herself pulled backward and she lost her balance, falling.
“Oof.”
