Page 125 of The Mob: Shio Cuppacio

Rock shifting could be heard as the sand underneath our feet vibrated. Holding my stick out, I could sense that a door was open.

“Look, a projector on the wall.”

Everyone shuffled toward the projector screen, but I stayed in place, not wanting the door to close or the screen to disappear.

“It says, ‘Shio, get yo’ ass inside. You’ll be able to hear us, and we will be able to see you.’”

Using the stick, I let it lead me inside. Mildew, dust, and stone particles filled my nostrils. The door slammed down hard behind me, giving me a little gust of wind. I couldn't see, but at least it was cool inside. If I was smelling mildew, that meant water was near.

Shit.

I didn’t have an ounce of energy to be swimming after that long-ass camel ride to this bitch. I wouldn't be drinking from any water sources in here either. I wasn’t putting anything in my mouth that I couldn’t see.

“We can see you, Shio!” Ezio’s voice blared a little too loudly.

I felt claustrophobic. Using the stick, I tried to stretch to the left of me; it hit a wall, then to the right, and it did the same.

“It’s a tunnel. But it inclines… If you walk a few paces ahead, you gonna have to climb up. It looks like it goes for a few miles, but I didn't see nun’ threatening,” Tunan stated clearly.

Tucking the stick back under my armpit, I reached until I grabbed the beginning of the inclined floor.

“It’s a rope if you stand straight up. You may have to crouch as you climb.”

Standing, I reached above my head with my right hand and grabbed the rope. Using the rope, I pulled myself up theconcrete hill. I could hear droplets of water and wind blowing in the distance. I was grateful I worked out faithfully because if I hadn’t, my legs and arms would be on fire. I’d been walking for ten minutes and was still climbing.

A mile, my ass.

“You straight, Fav?”

“I’m good.” I was grunting, tired as fuck, but determined to just do it.

“Okay, you’re almost at the top. When you get there, don’t move.”

I nodded, continuing to keep a level head. I focused on my steps, listening to the water and wind as it sounded closer, while Vello and Nel tripped on how Ezio was always calling everyone his “fav” when we all knew his favorite cousin was Scarlett. I knew just the mention of Scarlett would have Matteo shouting any minute.

Tuning them niggas out, I thought about if Solana had gotten up and came looking for me to only find I wasn’t there. I hoped she didn’t think I’d left the house so early because of her. The thought of not being able to see her again had my chest tightening, causing me to pant even harder. I had only been blind for a little under two hours and was already praying that God healed the ones who suffered this shit daily. It was no fucking joke trying to navigate around without sight, but to live life not ever seeing someone as beautiful as Solana was a sin in itself.Get it together, nigga.

Just as my legs were starting to shake, I reached the top.

“Okay, stop! You at the top of a cliff. Let us zoom out to find a way down.”

“Or he can jump,” Vello added.

I nodded. “Yeah, I smell the water.”

“Yeah, and you’re ’bout thirty feet in the air, nigga. It's dark as fuck down dur, and we don’t know what's in dem waters,”Tunan chimed in, making a valid point, accent heavy as fuck ringing off the pyramid walls.

“Wait, you said you can zoom in? The screen that high-tech?”

“Yeah, Don got that pape. This shit touch screen, G.” Metavello boasted.

A touch-screen projector on the side of a pyramid was some shit from a movie. Given how much energy Don put into these missions, I never understood why he didn’t put that energy and his money into actually teaching us some shit. I’d learned nothing from these trainings except that he was a rich asshole who liked to fuck with people.

“So, to the right of you, if you walk and stay close to the wall cuz dur is a bend, it’s a rope that you'll have to climb down.”

Sighing, I got close to the wall and leaned on it, using my stick to guide me so that I didn’t fall to my death.

“Good call, Tune. I didn’t even see that fuckin’ rope. Nigga would have had to jump fuckin’ with me.”