Page 64 of Finding Yesterday
His jaw tenses. “No, I want to. I have to.”
“Why?”
“I mean, now with the mention of this place on your mom’s drawing, I think we can almost say for sure that them going inside had to do with their plans.”
“True.” I nod, hesitantly. But there’s nothing to be found in that mine, as if there was, it would’ve been found years ago. However, Jack needs to see that for himself, and I admire his conviction. So, I say, “Okay, Let’s do it.”
“I think with you here, I can do it.”
My heart flips in my chest. “Of course.” I look at the mine, boards covering the entrance. Graffiti covers the walls from the days teens went in there on dares—days that have long since passed. It’s just not that interesting anymore. “Maybe, together, we can figure out what happened,” I continue, trying to believe my own words.
“I hope you’re right.” He shifts, peering at the hole.
I point and ask, “You want to go in, one at a time?”
“Nah.” He shakes his head. “I don’t want you in there alone. In fact, you’re the reason that might get me to go in there. To keep you safe. Much more than doing it for myself.” He smiles, and it’s uncharacteristically shy.
My pulse quickens at his words. “Well, then. Let’s try. We can always snap as many photos as possible to study once we get out.” I almost add, “Or come back anytime,” but I stop myself. Jack is leaving for San Francisco for good in four days.
“Okay, let’s do it.” He closes his eyes.
I flash him a proud smile.
We take our phones and turn on the flashlights before making our way into the hole in the hillside. It’s rocky, dirty, and has a cross and bones spray-painted across the boards. There are also other things painted, one being, “B + L = True Love.” We maneuver into the mine, which smells of earth and must. The rickety platform squeaks under our feet.
“You okay?” I ask.
“Can you take my hand, please?”
I do, and I hold back a gasp at how cold and clammy his palm is. He’s stiff as he keeps walking alongside me.
Finally, he says, “This isn’t too bad. I can do this.”
I know he’s convincing himself more than me, so I squeeze his hand and say, “You’re doing great.”
We make our way down, and it gets darker and darker. We use our phones, searching around, but we don’t find anything. No rubies. No papers. Nothing that belonged to Mama or Hannah. It’s just an old hole in the ground. Just as it’s always been.
Nevertheless, my heart pounds in my chest when we get to the part that collapsed. There’s nothing to see but a pile of rocks and earth, but that doesn’t stop my mind from filling in the blanks.
Did it happen fast? Were they in pain? Did they call for help?
Questions I’ll never have the answer to, and maybe it’s for the best.
I blink away the thoughts, wishing with everything in me I’d see some clue. I look at Jack, and he’s frozen, his body so stiff it’s as though he’s about to shatter. Then when he starts trembling, my blood turns to ice. “There’s nothing in here, Jack.” I steady my voice. “We can go.”
He blinks and manages to nod. I put my arm around him as we walk back out. While I’m watching my step on the boards, something shiny in the dirt ground catches my attention. A ruby? I bend to pick it up, and although it does look like a ruby, it’s actually a cabinet knob. I snatch it quickly before rushing us both back out.
Once we’re outside, Jack’s face is ghostly. I force a smile. “You did it.”
“I did.” His tone is flat, his face filled with pain. He points to the knob in my hands. “So, that looks old, definitely.”
“Right. And when did they use rubies as cabinet knobs?”
“No idea.”
I turn it over in my hand. “I’m going to find out.”
“I’m sure you are.” Jack’s words are just above a whisper. When his breaths turn quick, shallow, he chokes out, “I can’t breathe.”
