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The Thieves Guild

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by Jake Kerr.

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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.

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(dramatic music plays)

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(bubbles popping) A Podcast Alchemy

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production.