Hunter's Way by Gerri Hill Read Free Book Online Page A

onto it, guiding Samantha down beside her. They both pressed back against the damp wall. Up above, they heard shouts.
    “They don’t know which well we went into,” Tori said quietly.
    “Great. Is now a good time to tell you that I’m claustrophobic?”
    “No.” Tori turned, facing Samantha, then stepped around her, straddling her body with both legs as she struggled to stay on the tiny ledge.
    “Do we really know each other well enough for this?” Samantha whispered as she felt Tori’s body pressed up tight against her own.
    “You wish,” Tori chuckled, then reached around her to grab the ladder. She put her hand at Samantha’s waist and pushed off, hanging on to the ladder with both hands.
    “Stay here.”
    “Like I’m going somewhere,” Samantha whispered. She couldn’t see a foot in front of her and she was afraid to look up, afraid she would see them looking back at her.
    Tori grabbed the ladder tightly and went down, hanging by her arms until she hit water.
    “Shit.”
    She lowered herself into the cold, rank water until she touched the bottom. The water was to her shoulders.
    “What the hell are you doing?”
    “There’s always a tunnel. The water has to go somewhere.”
    “A tunnel ? Are you out of your mind?”
    “They’re going to get lights. They’re going to shine it down here and find us and then they are going to shoot us. So yes, I’m hoping there’s a goddamn tunnel!”
    Tori took a deep breath, then disappeared under the water. She felt along the side, finally finding the opening she was looking for. She swam into it, then up into the air pocket, breathing hard. She had no idea where the tunnel ended up, but it was better than being sitting ducks in the well. She took a breath, then went back the way she’d come, breaking water right at Samantha’s feet.
    “Come on. I found it,” she said.
    “No. I can’t,” Samantha insisted.
    “Yes, you can. Now get in here.”
    The voices were louder. Soon, they would be caught.
    “Sam, now,” Tori hissed, grabbing Samantha’s foot and nearly dragging her over the side.
    They splashed together into the water, Samantha clutching Tori hard around the shoulders.
    “I hate this. I really fucking hate this.”
    “It’s not too bad from where I’m standing,” Tori murmured as two frantic hands moved over her shoulders.
    “Is that supposed to be funny?” But Samantha didn’t release her grip.
    “Hold your breath,” Tori instructed. “I’ll guide you through. There’s an air pocket in the tunnel. You’ll be fine.”
    “If we make it out of here alive, I’ll shoot you myself,” Samantha said through clenched teeth.
    “On three.”
    They both took deep breaths, silently counting. Then Tori disappeared under water, pulling Samantha with her. Samantha thought for sure her lungs would burst, then Tori pushed her up and she banged her head on the top of the tunnel, gasping for breath.
    “I hate you, have I told you that?” she gasped. “You damn near gave me a concussion.”
    “You did great.”
    “Uh-huh. Now what?”
    “Now we see where the tunnel goes.”
    “See? I can’t even see you,” Samantha said.
    “We’ll feel our way. These ground wells have to empty somewhere. A holding tank or something.”
    “What are these things, anyway?”
    “Probably where they dump the wastewater.”
    “Do I want to know?”
    “No, you don’t.”
    “You don’t think there’re like… rats or something in here, do you?”
    “No. No rats. Maybe snakes,” Tori said.
    “Snakes?” Samantha hissed, again grabbing onto Tori, nearly climbing her back.
    “I’m teasing. Come on.”
    They inched along the tunnel, keeping their heads above the water in the air pocket. Samantha held tightly to Tori’s waist as Tori felt along the sides of the tunnel. They came to a junction with another tunnel and stopped. Closing her eyes, Tori tried to imagine the direction. The tunnel they entered would have been on the north side of the well.