“Oh good!” Finally! Your tiny entourage has just about arrived! Allow Ye-Estefa to escort you to your final step!” Directed Armanto, his deep voice teetering between threatening and excitement. Armanto’s voice bounced through the cave-like a charismatic jazz singer warming to a show. “Your invitation is through the vegetation!” His voice echoed loudly.

Ye-Estefa wasted no time in speeding in front of us. Maybe she’s afraid of Armanto? I don’t know. Her eyes widened and she simply moved faster. Taylum, Sophia, and I, stopped walking and simply stared at Yestefa walk farther away. It’s like we inadvertently had a silent grou[ meeting on whether to move forward or not.

“Behind me children! Let’s not keep him waiting any longer than we already have.” She said, her body half turned towards us. As she grew father apart from us, I felt the cave behind us growing darker and darker, like a candle widdling away just behind us. None of us wanted to stay in the darkness, so whether we wanted to or not we pressed forward. Shaking and all.

After a minute or two of pushing further into the cave, Ye-Estefa suddenly stopped and looked down at the ground and whispered: “Everyone push closer together.” Before we could even react, she quickly opened her arms and herded us close together. I felt my nose press onto the sleeve of her white dress. It was strange. The smell of a burning fire covered her body from head to toe. At first, I thought it was the cave or something but as she pressed tighter the smell only got more intense.

At the moment, being angry didn’t even register. I guess I was so scared of what the hell Armanto could be and what kind of monster Ye-Estefa is that getting crunched closer together with Taylum and Sophia felt a little comforting by comparison and by the looks on their faces they felt the same way.

We gathered in a small square of raised waist-tall greenish blue grass just inches away from each other. This grass was usually riding up the walls, but the deeper we got in the cave the more grass would be scattered on our path. The thickening grass could hardly be walked through. Every blade of grass felt as sticky as honey while the marshmallow-like dirt beneath us swallowed us deeper with each step we took in it. I looked at Sophia while the dirt enveloped us deeper and deeper. She didn’t seem too scared, however, she could not stop looking at her feet. Taylum, on the other hand, was beginning to panic. I don’t know if it’s because he was moving so much but he was beginning to bob up and down next to me like a bottle riding the waves of the ocean.

“Good! We’re finally in position. Quickly! Everyone must hold hands before we began our descent!” Rushed Ye-Estefa, her hands now reaching toward mine and Taylum’s. “Descent?” I couldn’t help but ask. “It is your choice to trust me. Everyone is welcome to head back; just know that I will not be there to save you from any hungry Eling.” Warned Ye-Estefa with a silencing authority.

Sophia, Taylum, and I looked at each other with the corner of our eyes. Like before, the reluctant silence between us turned into an agreement. Ye- Estefa wedged herself quickly between Sophia and I and grabbed our hands. As her fingers wrapped around my palm, I couldn’t help but feel like I dipped my hands in snow. She was ice cold. The cave itself was warm and yet… her grip felt frozen. Even Sophia, winced at her grab.

When Taylum grabbed my right I felt his sweat dripped hands right away. I took a glance upwards and saw that his face was dripping in nervousness. In a way, I found it a bit of a relief knowing that I wasn’t the only one traveling through this city with a new pair of eyes.

“Get over your pathetic squabbles children. There is life more precious than yourself at stake here is there not? Now hold tight.” Directed Ye-Estefa.

As much as I hate to admit it, she’s right and everyone seems to know it. Taylum, Sophia, and I shared a glance of embarrassment and maybe regret between each other before looking down towards the ground and bowing our heads. “Our descent to Armanto begins now.”

Like a nightmare quicksand, the dirt began to sink under our feet faster and faster. Panic from deep within me grew over me like a burning fire. I just want to run! And yet… Taylum and Sophia stayed still. I felt Taylum’s fist grow tighter, his eyes soon following after, Sophia closed her eyes aswell and curled her lips inward. Ye-Estefa didn’t budge an inch. She had her eyes closed and hung her head low in what looks like prayer. As the dirt crawled up towards my waist, her eyes began to glow a bright yellow, even through her eyelids, while her skin turned even paler. She somehow seemed to be controlling the dirt and grass. Maybe that’s what the enigma did? Maybe she and it are related somehow?

As much as I struggled, my body only sank deeper and deeper. For a moment, I even tried fiddling around for my pocket thinking that I may accidentally opened the music box. It was far too late for that. The dirt was already at my chest and one of my arms was already submerged. Ye-Estefa’s bright yellow light soon disappeared under the dirt and grass. Sophia disappeared only a second after her. Then it was my turn. I could feel the dirt swallowing me faster than before. Between the few times I blinked, more and more greens would appear around me like a thickening blanket. I closed my eyes as the dirt and grass wove over me. I knew I was scared and yet... I found hope knowing I was still holding onto Ye-Estefa and Taylum’s hands.