Chapter 441
Chapter 441 The Depth Of Mitchel's Love (Part One)
"Uh..." Raegan woke up, coming back to consciousness. Without meaning to, she moaned from the pain.
Gradually, she opened her eyes, feeling bruises and discomfort everywhere. Yet, through the pain, a spark of happiness ignited. She was still alive!
Raegan lifted her arm, trying to move the hair blocking her view to take in her surroundings.
At a glance, everything appeared okay, but a closer look nearly. scared her senseless.
She found herself in a small hollow partway up the mountain. Directly beneath her was a sheer drop, plunging hundreds of meters down! Next to her, an old, oversized tire rested.
Back when Raegan teetered on the brink of unconsciousness, she recalled how mud had shoved her away, triggering her survival instinct to grasp onto whatever was within reach. It seemed this tire had saved her from being buried alive.
Yet, her current predicament felt almost as dire as a burial. The depression was barely large enough for one person. Any slight movement threatened to dislodge more stones.
She even questioned if the ground under her could hold anything heavier than fifty kilograms.
Moreover, the night looked to be falling in less than two hours.
Raegan knew she couldn't count on luck to prevent her from dozing off and falling.
Looking around in desperation, panic started to set in. When hope seemed lost, she spotted slight movements in the vines close to her hollow. An idea sparked. She tried reaching out for the vines.
But the moment she moved, rocks above tumbled down. Frightened, Raegan flattened herself against the mountainside, and the stones hit the tire, rolling off silently. This showed just how deep the drop was.
Raegan dared not even breathe, worried more rocks would come crashing down.
Maintaining still for a while, the ache in her body grew worse. With no signaling devices and unable to call for help loudly, Raegan didn't know how much longer she could hold on. In this dire situation, waiting meant certain death.
In her deepest despair, voices echoed nearby. "Anyone here?"
"Is somebody out there?"
"Miss Foster!"
"Raegan!"
It sounded like salvation! Raegan heard it clearly. It was Mitchel! How had he come here? Wasn't he supposed to be in Ardlens?
Overwhelmed with relief, Raegan began to call out, "Mi..."
But before she could say more, the sound of her voice dislodged another stone.
Raegan was paralyzed with fear, afraid to move or make any noise.
The sounds of the search party calling for her slowly disappeared.
Panic surged within Raegan. Feeling completely lost, she noticed the vines beside her moving gently. This sparked an idea. She reached out again and this time, successfully grabbed two vines.
Carefully, she tied the vines together and started swinging them. The length of the vines meant even small movements could cause noticeable disturbances on the ground.
Raegan's goal was to catch the attention of the rescuers with these movements.
Now that she glimpsed a chance for rescue, Raegan naturally refrained from recklessly attempting to climb the vines. Given the vines' exposure to the elements, there was no certainty they would hold her weight.
On the ground.
Mitchel and his four agile guards were searching through the area.
It was still a dangerous zone, not easily accessible to the public. Search and rescue teams were on the mission.
Mitchel had come to search here guided by Misael. Misael had diligently kept track of the direction in which Raegan had been swept away, refusing to forget even for a moment.
The search area was vast.
Others had already gone to search elsewhere, and Mitchel was considering changing his search spot.
Just as he was about to leave, he noticed slight movements in the vines on the ground. He thought it was the wind at first and almost ignored it.
Meanwhile, Raegan, no longer hearing any rescue voices, felt engulfed in despair.
The rain had loosened the soil under her, making her stance increasingly precarious. She realized she couldn't stay put. The ground was about to collapse.
Feeling the vines' sturdiness in her grip, Raegan decided to act. At that moment, she made a decision and wrapped the vines around her wrist securely.
Placing her trust in the vines to hold her, she prepared to ascend.
But as she started, a loud noise announced the falling rocks. The earth split beneath her, creating a wide gap.
Raegan slipped downward, screaming as she fell.
The ground she had been standing on just moments before vanished.
With no other option, Raegan bit her lip, swayed her body to find footing, and attempted to stabilize herself against the wall.
Though she had seen Erick rock climb, she had never done it herself. Instinctively, she copied climbing techniques, pushing against the stone wall, and began to ascend.
Thankfully, her light weight meant the vines could support her. Raegan climbed with caution, absorbing the discomfort. Hope was nearly in her grasp. She was just a few steps from safety.
But then, there was a loud snap echoed.
One vine broke!
With only one vine left, supporting her weight seemed impossible.
Raegan's heart raced as she hurried her ascent, ignoring the danger from above.
Then, another snap! The other vine that was pulling her gave way.
Raegan's heart skipped a beat. Desperately, she extended her arm, trying to grab something solid, but her hand closed around a rock that was falling.
Panic engulfed Raegan, her body stiffening as she shut her eyes tight.
Then, suddenly, her wrist was grabbed with force.
Raegan's body collided with the stone wall, halting her descent. Her arm throbbed with pain as if someone were attempting to pull it from her body.
Struggling, Raegan managed to look up. Amidst the chaos, she saw Mitchel's strikingly attractive face before her.
Their gazes locked, conveying everything without words. Tears filled their eyes.
"Mitchel..." Raegan's voice broke through her tears. She had been convinced she was about to fall.
Never did she imagine Mitchel would appear at such a critical moment.Còntens bel0ngs to Nô(v)elDr/a/ma.Org
Mitchel's grip was firm, his gaze sharp and focused on her. "Grab my other hand."
Moving her other arm felt almost impossible for Raegan.
With Mitchel sprawled on the ground, pulling Raegan up seemed like an insurmountable task. It was like an impossible feat.
Mitchel's expression hardened as he urged, "Quick!"
Tears blurred Raegan's vision as she stretched to grasp his arm.
With a grimace, Mitchel summoned all his strength to lift her. Just as Raegan felt herself being pulled up a bit, she slid back down.
The earth under Mitchel was giving way again, sending a cascade of stones down, causing Raegan to slip further.
The situation was extremely dangerous, made worse by the unstable mountain soaked by days of rain.
Raegan watched as the collapsing area on the ground expanded, her heart turning cold with dread. If this went on, both of them would fall.
Trying to mask her despair, Raegan forced a light tone. "Mitchel, didn't you ask if I missed you?"
Raegan..." Mitchel's voice was rough, laden with urgency. "Stop talking" Conserving his energy was crucial for hanging on until the rescue team arrived. In about ten minutes, the guards should find them. They just needed to endure for those ten minutes. The rescue was within reach!