CHAPTER 5 - UNSTEADY GROUND
Benji shuffled his body in the dark, cramped trunk of the car, his muscles tensing with every jolt as the van bumped along the rough road. The lack of an inner handle gnawed at his nerves, amplifying the anxiety that had been steadily building since he had first hidden inside.
He tried to stay still, reminding himself to remain cautious so as not to stir any suspicions. But as the minutes dragged on and the road became rougher, he found it increasingly difficult to keep his breathing steady. The small space felt like it was closing in on him, and he had to fight the urge to kick at the trunk lid in frustration.
There has to be a way out, he thought, the realization dawning that time was running out. He could feel the sweat collecting on his forehead, making the already humid air inside the trunk even more stifling.
A tiny glimmer of light pierced through a small hole in the trunk’s cover, offering a faint glimmer of hope in the darkness. Benji stared at it, willing it to grow larger, to be something more than just a pinprick of light.
This could be it, he told himself, though he wasn’t sure what he meant by that. The cover of the trunk wasn’t exactly fragile, but if he could somehow rip it off, he might be able to find a way out. For the better part of the hour-long trip, he had laid flat on his back, staring into nothingness, his mind running wild with thoughts of what might happen if he were caught. Now, as the van finally began to slow down, the urgency of his situation surged through him like a cold wave.
The van rolled to a stop, and Benji’s heart pounded as he heard the doors creak open. Voices filtered through the metal shell around him, muted but distinct enough to recognize.
“No need for tools tonight, John,” Mr. Karras’ voice drifted into the trunk.
Benji’s breath caught in his throat as he heard the trunk’s lock click. John’s hand was halfway to opening it when Mr. Karras spoke, and Benji’s pulse quickened. If the trunk opened now, it was all over.
Think, Benji, think! His brain raced, desperate for a solution. Then, a small, desperate idea formed in his mind.
He reached blindly for something—anything—that could help, his fingers closing around a piece of cloth lying nearby. Without wasting a second, he threw the cloth towards the door’s gap, praying it would be enough to keep the trunk from closing completely.
John gave the trunk door a push, but it met with unexpected resistance. Benji held his breath, his muscles coiled like springs, ready to bolt if the door opened. But to his immense relief, John hesitated, then let go without investigating further. His footsteps retreated quickly, and Benji could only guess that his father and Mr. Karras were waiting for him, leaving him little time to act.
Benji slumped back for a moment, exhaling the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. His chest heaved, heart pounding in his ears, but the brief respite was quickly overshadowed by the pressing need to escape. He reached out and grabbed the cloth stuck to the door, fingers trembling slightly as he wrapped them around its worn out surface. With a determined grunt, he pushed against the door, expecting it to swing open easily. But it didn’t budge.
He pushed harder, using his shoulder this time, but the door remained stubbornly shut. The faint wind outside and the distant murmur of voices only amplified the silence surrounding him, making his struggle feel even more desperate.
“Come on… come on…” he whispered to himself, his voice barely audible over the sound of his own labored breathing. He tried again, this time pulling and pushing in quick succession, hoping to jolt the mechanism loose. The door creaked, but it held fast, refusing to give way.
Sweat began to bead on his forehead, frustration gripping him. The thought of being discovered or, worse, trapped here sent a surge of adrenaline through his veins. His mind raced, considering his options.
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In the dim light filtering through the small gap in the trunk's cover, Benji glanced around frantically, searching for anything that might help. His eyes landed on the small fire extinguisher lying beside him. An idea sparked. With renewed determination, he grabbed it and positioned himself carefully. If brute force wasn’t enough, then maybe a bit of leverage would do the trick.
He wedged the nozzle of the extinguisher between the door and the frame, using it as a makeshift crowbar. Slowly, he applied pressure, praying that the door would finally yield. The metal groaned in protest, and for a moment, Benji feared the extinguisher would slip out of his grasp. Then, he pushed it with all his strength but the lock was stubborn, and every push felt like a monumental effort. The whole car seemed to shake under the strain of his exertion, and he knew it was only a matter of time before someone noticed something was wrong. But then, with a sudden snap, the door jerked open just enough for him to slip his fingers through the gap.
Relief washed over him, but there was no time to savor it. He shoved the door the rest of the way open, the night air rushing in to greet him. Without a second thought, he clambered out of the trunk, his feet hitting the ground with a soft thud. He paused, heart still beating against his chest, eyes darting around to ensure no one had noticed his escape.
A single streetlight, mounted on a towering electricity pole, illuminated the area, casting long shadows across the rough terrain. Beyond the immediate area, the landscape stretched out in a flat expanse before rising into a low hill, its slopes barely visible under the moonlight. Several smaller lights dotted the hillside, marking what must have been the archaeological site. Benji could just make out the figures of his father, Mr. Karras, and John heading up a narrow, dusty path toward the hill.
He sighed in relief as he took a few steps; his feet crunching against the gravelly road. The air outside was thick and damp, carrying the scent of earth and salt. It was much hotter here than in his hometown, the heat seeming to radiate from the ground itself. He glanced back over his shoulder, and his breath caught in his throat.
Far below, the valley stretched out like a vast ocean of darkness, dotted with the distant lights of villages and towns. Above it all, the night sky was a breathtaking expanse of stars, the Milky Way cutting a glowing swath through the heavens. The stars were so bright, so clear, that he could pick out the constellations his mother had taught him, each one a reminder of the worlds beyond their own.
I wish you were here, Mom, Benji thought, a pang of longing gripping his soul. She had always loved the stars, and she had passed that love down to him. He had so many memories of nights spent under the sky, tracing the patterns of the stars with her.
But now wasn’t the time for memories. He had to keep moving.
The path ahead of him wound its way up the hill, toward the main excavation site. As he approached, he could see his father, Mr. Karras, and John standing at the edge of a carefully marked area, their flashlights illuminating the site below. The ground here had been meticulously cleared, revealing ancient walls, staircases, and the crumbling remains of buildings whose purpose Benji could only guess at.
He crept closer, ducking under a strip of demarcation tape and into what looked like the ruins of a small room. The stones were cool and rough under his fingers, their surfaces worn smooth by time. On the far side of the room, a low structure—possibly a stove of some kind—caught his eye. He crouched down to examine it, trying to keep one ear on the conversation happening just a few meters away.
“How could this happen?” his father’s voice rang out, sharp with frustration. Benji looked up, his curiosity piqued. His father was holding something, and even from this distance, Benji could see that it was no ordinary object.
The artifact gleamed under the harsh artificial lights, its thin, azure surface catching the light in a way that made it seem almost ethereal. Surrounding it were several golden points, each one shaped like a key, jutting out from the crown-like structure in a way that made it seem both delicate and powerful.
Benji’s heart pounded as he inched closer, his eyes locked on the artifact. It looked ancient, valuable, and somehow, terrifyingly significant; almost like a crown. Just as he took another step, a sudden, sharp sound pierced the air. The ground beneath him trembled, and before he could react, the floor gave way. He felt the earth crumble beneath his very feet, and in an instant, he was falling, swiftly vanishing into darkness.
He barely had time to register what was happening. For a brief moment, as the world above disappeared, he caught sight of the startled faces of his father and of Mr. Karras. But just before the blackness swallowed him completely, he glimpsed something else - someone, still as stone, lips curling into the faintest hint of a smirk.