Black Scale (a snippet of Ch. 1)

A/N: This is quite rough.  Go ahead and rip 'er to threads, if you so feel inclined.

Levvy stood in the entrance fiddling with the hinge. “I think what the problem is is the foundation has shifted.”

 “Perhaps.” I say.

There's not a speck of light from the outside world. The only reason we are able to see anything, is for the odd lantern in Levvy's hand. The light it creates on his face reminds me of the way the dunes glow when the sun goes down.

“Would you get your dad?”

I nod and sneak passed him into the tunnel way. I walk at a decent clip, the smell of earth lingering around me. The tunnel walls were dug by my grandparents, and uncles, old friends and great aunts. The etching's from their shovels still hold them accountable. There's a lamp occasionally, lighting my path. But than it falls away, forcing my eyes to adjust to the dark again. I don't get far before I hear a rumbling, like the skies are arguing. Confused, I look behind myself. There's a thick cloud of dust, and I don't waste anytime: I run.

“Levvy!” I scream. The rumbling is growing louder and the entire tunnel is trembling. I scream for Levvy more and more, panic raising my voice to a deafening octave. By the time I realize what I'm hearing is the tunnel collapsing, I'm already almost there. I lose my footing on the loose gravel and tumble to the ground, my body jarring against the tunnel floor.

I fly back to my feet, adrenaline numbing any pain. “Levvy!” I call again. The air is so thick with debris, and it feels like dirt is coating my lungs. Something rams into my back, setting me off balance again. All around me is the sound of something pounding on the ground.

I can't even think of what just happened. Levvy. My heart bangs on my chest, like it's trying to escape. I'm paralyzed with shock. That's when the top of the tunnel gives way over top of me. Heaps of hard clay bury me alive. My lungs try to force me to breathe, but all there is to breathe in is soil, and it clogs my airway. I try to move some part of my body, anything, but I can't even open my eyes. There's a sharp pain in my chest and so much pressure. My fingers feel tingly.

Then I feel something around my ankles moving the soil, and slowly the pressure on my body lessens. Something sharp penetrates my thigh, and suddenly I'm rising out of my grave, legs first. Rocks and dirt scrape along my skin as I'm dragged out. Hot air blows at me from above, sending the dirt flying off me. Suddenly I feel something a lot cooler, and everything gets very dark.  I don't care about anything any more except the cool feeling and the sensation of floating.