We walked up the steps, we didn’t realize it at the time. At the top was a secret pressure plate, it was disguised, blended into the top of the stairs. It opened the front door, but surely this was a trap. The second we stepped foot inside the dark caves, the feeling in the atmosphere changed. Julia and I made it through the first room with no traps set. She thought it would be an easy trip to get this jewel for the captain.

“Julia, please be careful. I know this place is rigged with traps, I can feel it. Also Captain Rick said to follow the inscriptions on the walls. That should get us through without getting hurt, or worse “ “Ah, Lori, you’re over reacting here doll face.” We were examining the second room, I didn’t see any traps. Julia moved towards the second door, and she grabbed the lever by the door. Upon pulling the lever down, the door opened. However, we had to duck quickly before the arrows pierced our hearts.

“I thought I told you to be careful Julia! I told you this place was rigged. Please move on with caution?” “Alright, you have made your point.”

We made it into the third room. There was a giant axe that could swing down and kill us at instant, we must proceed with caution. We didn’t know how many rooms there were, but I was now worried we wouldn’t make it through alive. Thankfully this time we made it through without pulling the trap off. We continued forward. This must have been the final room, we saw the jewel that Captain Rick needed for his project.

“We must follow the pattern as written on the wall. If we don’t, who knows what will happen to us.” “You go first, I will follow behind you.” Julia said to me. I saw the colors and matched them up with the matching colored notes before me. It started with red, then yellow, blue, green, and back to red. I made it without messing up. “Your turn Julia.” She began the same way I did, but on the last note she lost balanced and fell through. “Julia! No!” Julia fell to her death, there was nothing I could do to stop it. I grabbed the jewel and headed home.

“Lori, tell me that the two of you didn’t fail me?” “No Captain Rick, Julia fell on the last note in the last room. I made it back, here’s the jewel.” I began to tear up. Julia had just started and wasn’t very bright, but she was still one of my friends. She cared for everyone around her, even if she never really listened. I now suffered from PTSD, but I was also a stronger individual because of this jewel. And I owe it all to Julia.