Carpathian 11 - Dark Descent

bulet; it wasn't the worst injury and it won't be the last. I didn't take the medication the counselor prescribed. I thought maybe it wasn't so bad to live in a fantasy world part of the time. I stil function and do my job." She managed a faint smile, her sense of humor rising even in the middle of such a serious conversation. "Do you think many people want a schizophrenic bodyguard? They get two for the price of one."
    "Come on, Joie, you can't believe you're going crazy. You're…" Gabriele paused in search of the right words. "You're you. You can do anything. You excel at everything.
    You can't hear voices."
    Joie smiled up at her sister. "I'm definitely hearing a voice. Right now he's teling me to get out of here. He's saying it's dangerous and that we're al in mortal danger. He actualy used the word mortal. I don't use that word. Do you think I have a split personality? I've always preferred male activities. I've always been such a tomboy. Maybe this is just my male side coming out. And just so you know how realy screwed up my mind is, he's sexier than I am."
    "Maybe your intuition is teling you not to make the descent, Joie," Jubal cautioned. "We haven't planned this out adequately."
    "I don't have a choice," Joie said sadly. "Not this time. We have the rigging. We have the supplies. We're al dressed warmly enough. I can go down and look around. If I'm not back in a� couple of hours, you can go for help."
    Gabriele shook her head. "We al go. We stick together, Joie. If you have to do this, then we do it together like we always have."
    "Then we should stop talking and get moving," Jubal said decisively. Joie wasn't going to change her mind. Whatever was compeling her into that black abyss was too strong to fight. Worse, the dread was stil growing inside him. He glanced down into the dark hole. Evil lurked close by, and he had the feeling they were going to come face to face with it.

Chapter Three
    "Joie, this is out of this world," Jubal said softly, in awe. He turned in a ful circle, shining his light on the wals of the galery. The descent had been a long one, wel over two hundred feet. "I've never seen anything like it. What a find. The ice formations are incredible. I swear I actualy saw a vein of gold in more than one place. There are so many hals and galeries to explore." Gabriele cautiously moved around an ice sculpture that rose like a living flame from the floor. "Look at this. When I shine my light on it from this angle, I'd swear the thing had gems in it. It's as briliant as a polished diamond but reflects the light as if it were red like a ruby." Movement caught her attention, and she turned her head to watch Joie as she examined the glacial ice that formed the galery. "Be careful, I suspect that a good number of viruses previously unknown to us come from insects and even perhaps the fungi in caves such as this one. These microorganisms exist with no light and few nutrients, locked inside the ice, yet stil capable of living. There's such a wealth of information down here."
    Joie ignored both of her siblings. She was so close now, she could almost feel him breathing. Somewhere in this labyrinth of hals he was waiting for her. Smoldering. Angry that she had disobeyed him. He was real, not a voice in her head, not a part of a split personality. He was real and alive and in pain. She could feel his pain, throbbing through her body, beating at her head.
    Tell me. She demanded it. Forced him to deal with who she realy was, not who he thought she should be.
    Tell the others to be quiet. They are in danger. I have battled the same enemy three times since you found me in the cave. I am a prisoner and wounded and extremely weak. I cannot aid you much in the battle, and the enemy has powers you cannot possibly comprehend.
    Joie gave him a mental image of roling her eyes in exasperation. Sorry for the fluff in my head, but I'm usually found wrapped in cotton or bubblewrap to protect me from all the evil people in the world. She signaled her brother and sister to silence, switching easily into hunting mode. She moved through the hals with confidence, recognizing the feel of him now. Knowing she was moving toward him. I doubt very much if I'll need your aid, Mr. Brawny, but I'll keep it in mind. How many?
    There is one with me now. The others will return well fed and high with a lust for killing. You do not want to meet them.
    Then I guess I’d best pull your butt out of trouble and get the heck out of