The floor shook beneath her and eyes widening in alarm she fell as Gerard shoved her out of the way. Too surprised to even shout, instinctively ducking and rolling to protect herself from the hail of rubble falling all around them. The cave in ended as suddenly as it started, the rain of rock dust slow to settle making them cough and hack as they breathed in the air choked with dust.
"Ger-cough! Gerar-cough! Are you alrigh-" Her eyes cleared only to fill again with tears as she caught sight of the young lad buried in the rubble, "Oh no. Oh laddie no."
Quick as she could she scrambled to him on her knees, no longer caring for the state of her skirts- now soggy and covered in dust. Her hands fluttered about him for a moment, she was no doctor but she knew he was in a bad state- his breath wheezing and damp sounding, his eyes dazed and glassy.
"Shush don't speak," She said her hands brushing the dust from his face and the hair from his eyes, her tears welling over- only to laugh miserably herself her lips trembling in a poor excuse of a smile "You daft lad, you only needed ask."
Knowing he did not have long even as she spoke, she leaned down and chastely pressed her lips to his. She was a tavern wench and no stranger to peddling kisses- this one was nothing like those. When she opened her eyes next, he was gone... and pressing her hand to her mouth she choked back a sob.
He had been just a young man, she'd barely known him as well as she should. And now she never would and she could not help but be overwhelmed. Cradling Gerard's head in her lap she wept, dropping her head as she wept and vowed silently to herself that she would keep his last wish... and take care of his sister as best she could.
-
Fren had been skipping ahead of the pair, still babbling away- although less to be heard and more just playing with the echos his voice made off the tunnel walls. He had just spun around to look back at the two older teens when the floor rumbled under his feet and the ceiling gave way.
Fren shrieked shrilly and tripped, arms flying up to protect his head he fell flat on his back- knocking the wind out of himself. Gasping for air, Fren could only watch as the rocks fell all around them, and as Jasmine and Thomas tried to unearth her brother, tears falling from his eyes as he watched with incomprehension.
-
Standing deep in water side by side with Beevil and Jane at the soggy rotted door, Hogarth jerked his head back the way they came as they heard and felt the cave in.
"Nothing good," He grunted at Jane and looked around, "Where are the others?"