Chapter 79

"we do not have time to waste, if you people are not going to come up now, we have no choice but to continue without you" he told us. Fear gripped me soundly, I was almost hyperventilating, I could not see properly and could not make any step except those I am tied up with agrees to do so.

I heard them talking to each other but it was not clear to us down below. How does he expect us to come up, the man behind me was whimpering already even if we wanted to attempt climbing up, we can not do it because of him. He would drag us back.

"This is not the time to sit back and watch them do nothing. If we are to leave here, we have to find our own paths. Quickly stand up and feel around you, if we can find a way out of here" the same voice took command and gave us orders. His words kick started us into action and we all stood up at once to obey. I supported the man behind me by making him come close and place his hands on my shoulders, so I can share some of his weight.

He was heavier than me and I  almost fell immediately but I braced my body on the wall. This mission depended on all of us working together. The others at the front knew to Walk slowly so we at the back could catch up with them. After a while of feeling around, I started to give up hope, there were only two options available and both of them includes our death. Either we die from starvation and cold or we die from wild animal attack. None of them were pleasant ways to die though.

"Gather close everyone, I found a path" one of us shouted excitedly. I kept stretching my hands out, trying to follow his voice but that almost led to myself and the man hobbling behind me fall, it was until he tugged the chain towards his direction that we knew where to go . When we got to the path that he found, it was not very big, we would not be able to pass through it at once but need to go through one after the other, even then it would be a tight fit also coupled with the problem of sight.

We also did not know where it would lead us to, or if we were putting ourselves in more danger but this was the risk we had to take as it was better than sitting still till dawn out in the wild. We all stood patiently as we waited for those at the front to pass through till it got to our turn. I knew it was time for me to move when I felt the chain tugging me forward, if outside was dark, it was actually worse following the paths as I could no longer see their shadow in front.