All Chapters of TETHERED : Chapter 71 - Chapter 76

KEILAH As we stepped into the cave, my breath caught in my throat. My mouth hung open in awe as I took in the sight before me. The cave was enormous, far larger than I could have imagined from the outside. It felt like an underground stadium, its sheer size making me feel small and insignificant. The walls stretched high above us, and the ceiling arched into a vast dome that seemed to go on forever. In the centre of the cave, where I expected to see some sort of battle ring, there was only an open space, secured by heavy steel chains forming a loose boundary. The ground was covered in sand, giving it the appearance of an arena, yet it felt unfinished, as if something crucial was missing. The emptiness of the ring added to the unsettling atmosphere, and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of foreboding. As we walked further inside, I noticed the variety of packs gathered around. Some were chatting quietly among themselves, while others stood in groups, their eyes trained on us. The t

RALPH I stared at Keilah, my heart pounding in my chest, torn between rage and panic as the echoes of the crowd’s gasps faded into the background. What was she thinking? The jug clanged as it hit the ground, and in that moment, I snapped out of my stupor. Without another thought, I moved forward, grabbing her arm and spinning her around to face me. “What the hell are you thinking?” I demanded, my voice low and intense, my eyes searching hers for an explanation. “Do you have any idea what you just did?” Her eyes met mine, and for a split second, I saw something in them—determination mixed with fear. But before I could process it, she broke into a laugh. It was forced, brittle, the sound of someone trying desperately to mask their true emotions. “Oh my God,” she gasped, clutching her stomach as if the whole thing were some sort of joke. “What did I just drink? I was so thirsty… I thought it was water, but whatever that was—ugh! It tastes awful! I hope I’m not going to die from it.”

KEILAH I tugged at Ralph’s hand, trying to pull him toward the ice cream shop. The brightly colored sign above the door read "Scoops & Smiles," and the kids were laughing inside, faces smeared with chocolate and sprinkles. The sweet aroma of freshly made waffle cones and creamy scoops of different flavours filled the air, and I couldn’t help but smile at the thought of indulging in a little treat. But Ralph, as always, resisted. "Come on, Ralph," I urged, trying to keep the frustration out of my voice. "It’s just ice cream. It’ll be fun!" He glanced at the brightly colored sign above the shop, then back at me, his expression impassive. "Mate, this kind of ice cream eating is for kids and teenagers," he replied, his tone calm but firm. "Not for someone like me." I stopped pulling and let go of his hand, the sudden release leaving my fingers tingling. My heart sank as I took in his stoic face, the same face that had ruined every date we’d tried to have in the past few months. It