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"iPod Touch," I corrected "Yeah, I love ive me a headache"
"I see," he said "So, tell me what you have learned about thisit clear that one unnoticed
I s in with the details I had coo back many years The townspeople believe that hidden beneath the mountaintop is an entire sunken continent called Les, even to this day I’end to take control of the mountaintop The townspeople believe the dark and evil undertones of the mountain co to stay away They respect the legends and treat this ood, Victor has found the inner cataco it for his purposes for ht has infor Victor and this ht has created They will be stopped"
"What is Mark’s role in all of this?" I asked quietly, hoping my friends couldn’t hear
"His plans are murky at the moment It is unclear what path he will ultimately decide to take"
"So, there is hope?" I asked
"Krista, there is always hope At one time even Victor stood on the pinnacle of hope before he leapt into the darkness he shrouds hi his point clear There was always a chance of hope, but the question was, could that serly waiting to suck it in?
"Then I choose to hope," I said stubbornly
"That Krista is one of your greatest virtues You put your heart and soul into what you believe"
"Yep, I’irl"
"What cup are you referring to?"
"Never mind, it’s just a phrase we use to shoe’re optiood"
"Haniel, Is this the spot you marked on the map?" John called from the front of our pack
I was startled to see that Haniel and I had allowed a gap of about a hundred yards to groeen us and the others Picking up our pace, we finally stepped into a s We had been hiking up a fairly steady incline the entire day, so it was clear why Haniel chose this relatively flat spot for us toa clear view of theby the dark o to roll in, it was clear we could be in for soher we had climbed I untied -sleeved shirt
"This is the location," Haniel said "It is imperative that you set up camp immediately Victor is undoubtedly aware of our presence and you will need to prepare for what could co out of the clearing into the dark woods beyond "Do not tarry," he added before disappearing into the trees
"Sheesh, talk about trying to freak us out," Jai she had been carrying onto the ground
"It’s fine babe, we’ll have the tents up and nets around our ca Jai
"I’m not worried," she said, clearly offended "I was just pointing out that after spending thousands of years with humans, you would think Haniel would have a little ins’ around," she added jokingly, knowing it bugged the guys to be called that
"Ha, that’s so funny," Robert said sarcastically, dropping his pack to the ground
Within minutes we had all the supplies lined up on the oversized tarps that we brought to cover the ground The guysthe three tents and then went to work stringing up thethat Shawn had reassured me would keep out most of the creepy crawlies
Kim, Kieran and Sa dinner on the campfire that John had started Since it would have been disastrous if Lynn, Jaime, Jenna and I helped in the kitchen, we instead unrolled the sleeping bags and got busy placing the upbag behind ered unpleasant otten the flu while cah," I ht, I forgot you hated "tent s to be okay sleeping in here?"
"Yeah, I’ll be fine, besides I’ht out the second sleeping bag
"Nightmares?" Lynn asked concerned
"Yeah, I pretty ravated that I had let it slip out I was having them
"What are they about?" Lynn asked with concern laced through her words
"They’re always the same I’m in so and I’ht fall into oblivion Then, when I finally work up the nerve to htly as I recalled the terrible oppressive darkness and voices from my dreams
"Krista, have you told Haniel"
"No way, I just knoould have used it as an excuse to make me stay at home," I said defiantly
"I’ out one of the sleeping bags with her hands
"What do you mean by that?" I asked curiously