times to lead her down into a dark cave? Her curiosity
outweighed her fear, and she decided to take the chance to find the answers.
Brant
took one of the three electric lanterns off a hook, turned it on, and waited
for it to buzz to life. “Come on.
Let’s go.” Chrissie followed Brant while María and Arturo stayed behind, their
faces revealing nothing.
* * *
They
descended the metal spiral staircase. She held on to the railing. Their steps
echoed in the darkness surrounding them. The lantern only lit a few feet around
them, and Chrissie was having a hard time judging how expansive this cave was.
She smelled damp earth as they went deeper and deeper into the cave. The cool
air was refreshing in comparison to the warm, tropical humidity of Venezuela.
Finally, they stepped off the last step onto hard-packed earth deep underground.
Brant
looked down at her for a moment before asking, “May I hold your hand? It’s dark
down here, and I don’t want you tripping.”
“I
guess.” She shrugged. She didn’t want him to think she had forgiven him for the
secrecy.
He
guided her through the tunnel that loomed in front of them. Chrissie tensed.
She didn’t remember ever holding his hand—what an intimate thing it was. The
sensation felt foreign to her.
Trey
never did that. He said he wasn’t much for public affection. Chrissie didn’t ask
Trey for any affection because he had pressed the sex issue way too much,
making her uncomfortable more often than she could count. Now here she was,
almost liking the awareness of his large, rough hand around hers. It made her feel
dainty and wanted.
The
darkness tunneled for a distance before Chrissie felt a slight ramp beneath her
feet. She mindlessly followed Brant, trying to ignore the senses their entwined
fingers were stirring up, until he abruptly stopped and she slammed into his
back.
“Sorry.” Chrissie’s voice echoed down the
hall. “I wasn’t paying attention.” Truth be told, she was secretly off in La La
Land. Now here she was, feeling slightly wicked, holding a man’s hand that she
couldn’t ever remember having a relationship with.
Brant
chuckled. “I should’ve warned you. Just a sec while I open the door.” The
short, wide door looked very old and had large ironworks holding it together.
It creaked open, and light brilliantly blazed through the doorway. On the other
side, a warm, moist summer scent crept through the open door into the dark.
Trepidation
filled her stomach. Should I be scared of
what’s on the other side? Whatever was past the door felt like a huge step
out of reality.
Brant
had to duck to go through the door. The light on the other side was blinding.
As Chrissie stepped into the light and her eyes began to adjust, vibrant colors
materialized, filling every space. She was standing in a garden paradise. The
smell of fresh greens and tropical flowers greeted them at the door. Flowers of
every variety crowded, spilling out onto grassy pathways. Rich, dark soil peeked
through the edges of the flowerbeds. A bright red macaw perched up in a branch
above them. The garden was perfectly manicured, and she thought that this is
what heaven should be like.
“I
tend to everything in this garden. It sits in the base of an inactive volcano.
The volcano walls keep it from being seen by the outside world. But the most
important part of the garden lies in its center.” Brant beamed like he was
showing her his pride and joy. “People think this volcano is a mountain. It
makes the perfect secluded spot to hide a secret.”
The
mansion wasn’t really built on the side of a mountain but on an ancient,
inactive volcano?
He led Chrissie down a grassy path. She didn’t
know what to focus on. There were so many things she wanted to take a closer
look at and explore, such as the stone ruins built into the walls and the gold
dragon-like creatures peeking out from the vegetation in the cliffs. Hidden
treasures lay just behind overgrown vines
outweighed her fear, and she decided to take the chance to find the answers.
Brant
took one of the three electric lanterns off a hook, turned it on, and waited
for it to buzz to life. “Come on.
Let’s go.” Chrissie followed Brant while María and Arturo stayed behind, their
faces revealing nothing.
* * *
They
descended the metal spiral staircase. She held on to the railing. Their steps
echoed in the darkness surrounding them. The lantern only lit a few feet around
them, and Chrissie was having a hard time judging how expansive this cave was.
She smelled damp earth as they went deeper and deeper into the cave. The cool
air was refreshing in comparison to the warm, tropical humidity of Venezuela.
Finally, they stepped off the last step onto hard-packed earth deep underground.
Brant
looked down at her for a moment before asking, “May I hold your hand? It’s dark
down here, and I don’t want you tripping.”
“I
guess.” She shrugged. She didn’t want him to think she had forgiven him for the
secrecy.
He
guided her through the tunnel that loomed in front of them. Chrissie tensed.
She didn’t remember ever holding his hand—what an intimate thing it was. The
sensation felt foreign to her.
Trey
never did that. He said he wasn’t much for public affection. Chrissie didn’t ask
Trey for any affection because he had pressed the sex issue way too much,
making her uncomfortable more often than she could count. Now here she was,
almost liking the awareness of his large, rough hand around hers. It made her feel
dainty and wanted.
The
darkness tunneled for a distance before Chrissie felt a slight ramp beneath her
feet. She mindlessly followed Brant, trying to ignore the senses their entwined
fingers were stirring up, until he abruptly stopped and she slammed into his
back.
“Sorry.” Chrissie’s voice echoed down the
hall. “I wasn’t paying attention.” Truth be told, she was secretly off in La La
Land. Now here she was, feeling slightly wicked, holding a man’s hand that she
couldn’t ever remember having a relationship with.
Brant
chuckled. “I should’ve warned you. Just a sec while I open the door.” The
short, wide door looked very old and had large ironworks holding it together.
It creaked open, and light brilliantly blazed through the doorway. On the other
side, a warm, moist summer scent crept through the open door into the dark.
Trepidation
filled her stomach. Should I be scared of
what’s on the other side? Whatever was past the door felt like a huge step
out of reality.
Brant
had to duck to go through the door. The light on the other side was blinding.
As Chrissie stepped into the light and her eyes began to adjust, vibrant colors
materialized, filling every space. She was standing in a garden paradise. The
smell of fresh greens and tropical flowers greeted them at the door. Flowers of
every variety crowded, spilling out onto grassy pathways. Rich, dark soil peeked
through the edges of the flowerbeds. A bright red macaw perched up in a branch
above them. The garden was perfectly manicured, and she thought that this is
what heaven should be like.
“I
tend to everything in this garden. It sits in the base of an inactive volcano.
The volcano walls keep it from being seen by the outside world. But the most
important part of the garden lies in its center.” Brant beamed like he was
showing her his pride and joy. “People think this volcano is a mountain. It
makes the perfect secluded spot to hide a secret.”
The
mansion wasn’t really built on the side of a mountain but on an ancient,
inactive volcano?
He led Chrissie down a grassy path. She didn’t
know what to focus on. There were so many things she wanted to take a closer
look at and explore, such as the stone ruins built into the walls and the gold
dragon-like creatures peeking out from the vegetation in the cliffs. Hidden
treasures lay just behind overgrown vines
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