Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 66334 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66334 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
The song started playing again, louder and faster. "We need to climb," Brody stated loudly enough for everyone to hear, studying the walls on either side of us.
Out of nowhere, one of the girls—April--screamed, making me jump.
Lana cursed and quickly moved away from where she was standing, gliding in the water to the opposite wall. "There's something in the water!"
"Well, no shit, Sherlock!" April yelled back at her, causing all of us to pause.
"Be happy you're not closer," Ciaran called back to her calmly, though it was clear he would have taken her out himself if had been.
"She’s not far from me," Mel added, skimming her hands over the wall for a place to grab.
Ky guided me towards her. "You need to climb up. Try not to hold onto one ledge for too long or you’ll fall."
I nodded nervously as I realized just how high up, we needed to go.
April screamed again, and so did her friend. There was a commotion in the water and the other girl went down. Before she could fully go under, a long snout closed around the lower half of her face while another grabbed her shoulder, pulling in the opposite direction. The sound of bones crunching echoed through the air as their jaws proved to be incredibly powerful.
"Are those freaking alligators? And this is supposed to be easier, Ciaran?" Lana shouted at him.
“Stop being dramatic and get that ass climbing, puppet.”
She was already on the far wall when Ky grabbed me as if I were a weightless doll and hoisted me up.
“Go," he commanded.
I scrambled to find a good grip on the ledges, my heart racing as I tried my best to stay out of his way.
The ledges were slippery as if they’d been coated with something, making it difficult to find a secure hold. The air filled with hissing and snapping as the alligators began attacking anyone in their path. I risked a quick glance down and caught sight of April's friend being torn apart. Carol was climbing carefully far off to my left. Mel was on the other side of Ky, a few steps ahead of Dion and Brody. Her jaw clenched as she struggled to pull herself up. I reached for a ledge, only to have it vanish seconds before I could grab it with my hand, nearly sending me tumbling down the wall.
"Stay focused," Ky's calm voice instructed me.
I nodded and took a deep breath, reaching for another ledge and ascending higher.
Our shoes were wet, which made this already difficult task ten times harder. I lost my footing more than once, each slip lodging shoving my heart further up my throat. Another scream echoed from below, causing me to look back down just in time to see April plummeting into the water and immediately getting swarmed. I forced myself to ignore it and concentrated on climbing. The ledges continued to shift and move, requiring constant adjustments.
"Keep going, Sunshine," Ky’s encouraging voice came from below, his composure a stark contrast to the chaos surrounding us.
I gritted my teeth and pushed on, ignoring the burning sensation in my muscles and the fear gnawing at my mind. Every inch I climbed felt like a small victory. Mel was struggling too, her face pale with pain, but she refused to slow down.
Dion and Brody stayed close beside her, ready to assist if needed.
I wanted to check on Lana and Ciaran, who had to be on the opposite wall climbing with Char and Hayven. However, if I turned too much, I knew I'd fall off. The top still seemed impossibly far away.
I felt someone move on my other side and turned my head to see the older man making his way up, while I looked down at Roger. His eyes kept flickering towards Ky, and I could feel his anxiety. If he stumbled, he would pull Ky with him.
"Ky," I whispered, my voice urgent. My fingers slipped on a rough edge of rock, causing me to cut my hand as I grabbed onto it. Instead of feeling pain, I experienced a warm rush of adrenaline. Annoyed, I surveyed the wall and attempted to get a better grip before losing my balance completely.
“Gracelynn.” He used my full name sharply, a change from his usual demeanor.
"I was trying to warn you about him dragging you down," I snapped at him.
He didn't seem fazed and responded calmly, "I know."
Despite knowing that he was holding back and moving slower because of me, I continued climbing.
He always prioritized my well-being over his own, which was starting to wear on my already frayed nerves. The thought of anything happening to him because of me was unbearable.
"Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing?" Roger's voice echoed through the loud music and alligator sounds a minute later.
I risked a quick glance down as I kept climbing, seeing Ky deliberately blocking Roger's path and preventing him from going any higher.