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The Thieves Guild
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by Jake Kerr.
00:00:12
Episode 129:
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The River.
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Darla stumbled and Mayla reached over to grab her arm to help, but
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Darla shrugged her off, mumbling to herself.
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As the temperature got colder, tensions got hotter.
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To make matters worse, the constant drips of water from the ceiling far above
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only added to the miserable atmosphere.
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Everyone was cold and damp, and to make matters worse, the supply of
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torches was dwindling. The only good news was that they had plenty of water and
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cave animals were abundant enough to provide food.
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I thought the entrance led to the road?
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Darla didn't address the comment to anyone in particular.
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Prosper, however, took the comment personally and stopped in front of her,
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glaring. "It does.
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But how am I to know if we missed a turn or a side cavern that opened up to the road?"
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He pointed a finger at Darla's chest.
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"Or maybe we haven't reached it yet, which works for you as you don't seem to be doing anything more than
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stumbling forward."
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Mayla rushed over.
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Hey, let's all calm down. We're down to our last few torches and we need to work together.
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She turned to Prosper.
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We are looking closely at every dark recess and potential opening or tunnel.
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No one has missed anything.
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She then turned to Darla.
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This mountain is massive. We can't give into despair.
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No one said anything, and the group of four continued their
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dispirited journey through the mountain.
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Later, as Prosper angrily stomped further ahead with Catrina,
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Mayla whispered to Darla.
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We are climbing higher into the mountain. Do you think that's worrisome?
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I think so. I am worried because this is nothing like the road we took from Ness.
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I feel like we are making progress, but where will we end up?
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Let's think this through. The road leads from east to west and we entered through Prosper's cave from the
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south. I doubt we will cross over it or under it, so we are either walking in the same direction
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via a different tunnel, or we are heading south.
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Darla adjusted the torch in her hand.
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They were running low on torches, and she was doing her best to have it burn slow
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by holding it at an angle. She wasn't sure it would help, but as the
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light didn't burn as bright, she hoped it did.
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Just then, a collection of water droplets splashed onto the torch,
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almost putting it out as the flame was so low.
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As Darla cursed, Mayla grabbed her arm.
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That's it.
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What's it?
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What's south of the road near the entrance to the mines?
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Darla thought for a moment, and then smiled.
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The Falls.
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The Falls was another of the rather plain names that Ness used for
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its iconic landmarks, like Great Gate and Great River and North Fork.
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In this case, the Falls was the name of the massive waterfall that emerged from the
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mountain and formed the Great River.
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Look at all this moisture. We have to be near the waterfall.
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And if it's not that, maybe it's an underground river that we can follow.
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The two increased their pace and caught up to Prosper and Catrina.
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They explained their theory, which everyone agreed seemed quite possible.
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The snows of the mountain streamed down through cracks and fissures to a river that
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emerged near Ness.
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"As we walk, let's be quiet
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and listen closely. We may hear the rush of the river and know which direction to go."
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Three days later, the last torch burned out and they had heard nothing but a
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gloomy drip, drip, drip of water drops.
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The four of them huddled in the dark, debating their options.
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"Can't you see? We've been following this dry riverbed the whole time, and you said there's a
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river that leads to Ness.
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This must have been a tributary.
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So, all we need to do is keep following it."
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"This can't be a tributary. We're moving up.
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That's why it's getting colder and colder."
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Mayla was glad that Darla didn't let bitterness or sarcasm enter her voice.
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They all had to work together.
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"Even if it would flow down to the way we came from,
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it still had to originate with water.
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It would just be blocked. So, we are at least moving in the right direction."
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"That's true. Moving forward seems to be the best option."
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"Moving forward is our only option. What else are we going to do, head back to where we started?"
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Mayla could hear Darla adjust her position in the dark, as if
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irritated. She reached out to take her hand.
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After poking her in the ribs and rubbing her hand down her arm, Mayla
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clasped Darla's hand.
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"But you're right. This seems to be moving in a good direction, and besides, the dry
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riverbed is at least smooth and clear."
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We still don't have light.
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In response, a light flashed in Prosper's hand.
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The suddenness of it in the utter darkness was blinding, but as Mayla's eyes got used
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to it, she could see that it was a soft light that filled just enough to
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encompass the four of them.
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"I can provide light."
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"No, my love, you can't.
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We can feel our way with sticks or our hands."
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"It's okay, love.
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It is a simple spell. The damage will not be too bad."
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With his other hand, he grabbed the handle of their makeshift cart.
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"We need to make better time, however.
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And," he nodded at the remaining contents of the cart, "we'll be eating raw
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meat."
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To Mayla's surprise, Darla walked over to Prosper and gently touched his
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arm.
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"Thank you. I know you are sacrificing much."
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Prosper didn't reply, but turned and started hauling the cart
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forward, his soft light guiding their way.It was
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Catrina who first heard the river. She rushed forward and to the left, leaving the
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shroud of light.
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I hear it. It's over here.
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Catrina, be careful.
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Prosper walked toward Catrina. Mailer and Darla followed right
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behind. Mailer could hear the river.
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Every step made the rushing sound louder.
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Catrina knelt before a crumbled cavern wall.
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Increase the light.
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Catrina started grabbing rubble and tossing it aside.
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She was desperate and frantic as she clawed at the stone.
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Prosper stood behind her, not stopping her.
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He increased the intensity of the light, revealing a pile of stones that looked like it
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had come from a collapsed tunnel ceiling.
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There was a gentle grade, and near the top was a tiny opening.
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With the light filling the area, it was now clear the sound was coming from that
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opening.
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Here. Help me clear this.
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Catrina scrambled up the stone. It was somewhat steep, but
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she had little trouble getting to the top.
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She was pushing rocks forward and backward, and the gap increased in size.
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It's here. The river is on the other side.
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Mailer and Darla rushed to help, scrambling up about halfway up the grade,
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but the pile was too steep to Catrina's left and right.
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Catrina, we can't move the stones until you get down.
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Catrina ignored them and pushed rocks forward.
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She was making quick progress as she shoved the top of the pile of rocks forward,
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down toward the river. Each push made the river louder.
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It wasn't a roar, but more of the echo of splashes.
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"At least it's not a raging river," Mailer thought.
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A heavy push forward made Catrina lose balance, and she slid forward a bit.
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Be careful.
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Prosper started forward.
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Here. Let's work from the bottom. It is unsafe being at the top of this rubble.
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Catrina ignored him and continued clearing the gravel.
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It will go faster with me clearing the top.
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All I need to do is create enough room for us and, perhaps, the cart.
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She had cleared enough room that she could almost make it through.
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I can't see anything,
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but the river is definitely through this blockage.
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Mailer was unsure what Catrina was doing, but the stones were so
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small and she had cleared so much already that Catrina had crawled high enough
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to sit on the top of the pile.
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Catrina, go slower. This is dangerous.
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Catrina replied by sitting at the top and using her legs to kick the rocks
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down the side toward the river.
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Each kick of her feet cleared a bunch of rocks. She turned to Prosper.
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Stop worrying.
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This is just faster.
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She kicked as she looked down at Prosper, and that's when the section of stone she was
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sitting on gave way. Catrina cried out as her body slipped from
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view. All Mailer could see was a desperate hand swinging back for a
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grip, but then that, too, slid down to the other side.
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Mailer and Darla started to clamber up the stone, but Prosper had already
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leapt past them.
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He climbed to the top, and all Mailer could see was him holding out his hand,
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his light as bright as a sun and filling every shadow.
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Prosper's head desperately scanned from left to right as he looked down the other
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side of the pile.
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Catrina!
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There was no answer. Prosper was staring to his left.
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Mailer wondered why he wasn't looking at the bottom of the stone pile on the other side.
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Is she not at the bottom?
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Prosper didn't answer, but turned toward Darla and Mailer.
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Please,
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come up here and help me. We must get to the bottom.
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"This can't be good," Mailer thought.
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The pile must have been steep on the other side.
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Darla clambered to the top first, and after pushing a bunch of rocks out of the
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way, she secured a grip on the wall as she helped Mailer up.
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As Mailer reached the top and looked out to where Prosper's light shone,
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it suddenly all made sense.
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It was indeed a pile of stones.
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They weren't large, and it was easy to shove them out of the way.
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Catrina had quickly done so,
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but it was an unstable pile that, on the other side, led down directly
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to the river.
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The river wasn't loud, but it was clearly wide, deep, and
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fast. Not as wide as the north fork, but not as small as a creek
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either.
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Prosper was sobbing, and Mailer looked around and knew why.
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Catrina had slid down the other side, directly into the river.
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There was a small bank to the left and right that widened, but at the point of the
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ceiling collapse, there was no bank or ledge, just the unstable stone.
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Perhaps she swam to a bank downriver?
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She can't swim,
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and it was pitch black.
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She wouldn't even know where to go.
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He stared downstream, the river curving into blackness
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in the distance.
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Catrina!
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At that moment, Mailer had the sudden feeling that Prosper would throw
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himself down the slope and follow his wife into the river.
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She reached over and put her hand on his arm.
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Do not despair. She may be downstream. We don't know.
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We must at least try to save her.
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Mailer's hopeful words transformed Prosper.
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Yes!
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Yes, she is alive. The river simply took her too far for us to hear her.
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Prosper looked to the left, down below Darla.
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Before Mailer could stop him, he slid down the pile of rubble, guiding
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himself toward the bank downstream.
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Thankfully, he landed on the bank on his knees.
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He stood up and looked up at Darla, holding out his hand.
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Hurry.
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We must save her.
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What about the cart?
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There is no time. Follow me now or follow me later in darkness.
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Be careful.
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Darla let go of the wall to the left and slid down toward Prosper.
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In the light, and with knowing where to guide oneself, the descent wasn't
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nearly as treacherous as it looked.
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Mailer quickly followed, sliding into Darla's arms.
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Prosper had already started marching down the bank, the distance between them
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already leaving Mailer and Darla in darkness.
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I'm worried about losing our food.
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Darla looked back up the pile of stones as she held Mailer tight.
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As Prosper rushed recklessly forward, Mailer pulled away and started
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following him.
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I'm more worried about losing our source of light.
00:13:04
(dramatic music plays)
00:13:25
(bubbles popping) A Podcast Alchemy
00:13:28
production.