In a thick English accent, he yelled, “Climb down. Now!”
Iara went first and Charley came right behind her just as the ash cloud hit them. The hot ash flew past them, blocking out the daylight and any visibility they had had. The English soldier climbed down into the ground with them and pulled close the trapdoor above them. From down below, Charley could see torchlight. “Where are we?”
At the bottom of the wooden ladder, the soldier closed another trapdoor above them and pointed down the corridor ahead. “Welcome to the English base.”
Charley coughed into his hand to clear the ash from his throat and wiped his eyes as well. He looked on ahead and tried to whistle but it came out as a cough. “You built all this? I’m impressed.”
Iara kept her hands at the ready and pointed ahead. The sol
