Novel & Cerita Going Under

Kachi said. And they drove off toward whatever the hell waited ahead. * * * The sun had barely cracked through the clouds, casting a golden shimmer over the cracked highways as Gozie drove. The silence in the car was heavy but not uncomfortable. Everyone was thinking the same thing, this might be the day they find Nicholas. “I swear,” Kachi said suddenly, head leaning against the window, “if Nicholas turns out to be one of those underground DJs who faked his death to promote a mixtape, I’m swinging.”

I can’t help but think it was the beginning of that personal forgiveness. The dimly lit basement, hidden beneath the mansion, holds secrets that few would dare to uncover. The air is cold, heavy with the scent of damp stone and the palpable tension that has settled within its confines. In the shadowy recesses of the underground cells, we three stand, Ali, Gin, and I, our expressions etched with a mix of determination and unease.

Genesis The sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows through the dense canopy of the forest. Leaves crunched underfoot as I sprinted through the underbrush, my breath coming in short, ragged gasps. The tall pines loomed overhead, their dark silhouettes merging into an almost impenetrable wall. Every few steps, branches clawed at my arms and face, but I pressed on, driven by a sense of urgency that outweighed the pain.

The commotion alerted Luca, the majordomo. He approached cautiously. "Boss, where are you taking the young miss?" A murderous look flashed in Grant's eyes. "Stay out of my way!" Seeing Grant's fury, Luca had no choice but to step aside. Grant shoved me roughly into an armored car. I pounded desperately on the window. "Grant, where are you taking me!" Grant gripped my shoulders, his face a stony mask. The car sped off, heading toward one of the family's secret safe houses. It was an old house in the suburbs with an ancient wine cellar in the basement.

“Almost… just need—” *Please,* I prayed to any god that would listen, *don’t let him look down.* Thirty seconds. Twenty. Ten— A sharp click cut through the silence. He exhaled, triumphant. “Got it.” Relief shot through me so quickly my knees almost buckled. “We’re leaving. Now.” He pushed the door, and cold air flooded in. We scrambled out onto the gravel road just as the limo gave one last metallic groan. I whirled around in time to see it tip—slow at first, then rapidly—before it toppled over the cliff and vanished into a cloud of dust far below.

When the show ended, heavy rain poured down, washing away all the filth and ugliness. A rainbow stretched across the horizon. I understood then that whatever didn’t kill me would only make me stronger. Now that I had a new life, there was no need to be chained to the past. I was no longer someone who stayed still. I would keep moving forward because only then could I find more beautiful scenery. My future was full of endless possibilities.

She tells me and I nod. “Well, we can’t search an entire town, and if they see any of us there, they’re going to figure out we’re on to them.” Walker says, and I nod. “They’re under ground.” I tell him and he grits his teeth, “That will only make things more difficult.” He growls.

ALEXANDER "Keep searching till you find something. We won't leave empty-handed." There’s a rhythm to places like this. Underground. Not just in location, in energy. In the way people breathe when they think no one important is watching. Music pounds overhead. Bass thick enough to feel in your bones. Bodies move. Sweat. Heat. Noise. Chaos. Perfect cover. Which is exactly why I’m here. I lean against the railing overlooking the lower floor.

There was a moment of silence, and Daniel soon exclaimed in shrill disbelief, "It's a Souleater Vine! Why would the bracelet be… Where did you touch it?!" "I don't know… I just put it on…" Anna sobbed meekly in despair. "Doctor… I need a doctor… I feel so cold… They said there's no antidote, and it's fast-acting… Am I going to die?!" "Stop it!" Daniel snapped, but his voice seemed doubtful. "I'll get you the best doctor! You're going to be fine!" "It's alright… Just let me go, my beloved… I'm happy I can be with you in my last days…"

💎 CHAPTER FIVE — SECRETS BEHIND THE GLASS The elevator hummed softly as it descended, but the silence between them felt heavier than steel. Amara stood beside Dante, trying to steady her breathing, while he watched the glowing numbers count down with an unreadable expression. They were going *below* the building. Not up. Not to another office floor. But deep under the headquarters. A place no normal assistant would ever need to go. Her voice trembled despite her effort to control it. “Dante… where exactly are we going?”