Down and Out: A Young Adult Dystopian Adventure (The Undercity Series Book 1) Read Online Free

downward?”
    “Best way to remove the stuff. Stay clear of the stairs. Don’t want to block our way down.”
    “Yeah, that would be peachy,” said Caden as she lobbed a slab of crumbling wall over the railing. It fell into the black void and hit the bottom with a clang. The noise echoed around them.
    Teddy grabbed a bent metal sign and shovelled rubble over the edge. Dust and dirt whirled around them, forcing them to wear the respirators they kept in their packs. After what seemed to be hours, he rested, coughing as he sipped some water.
    They cleared a fair portion of space on the narrow cement landing, enough for them to continue upward. Weary, they all put away their masks and took a thirst-quenching drink. Pa studied the next flight of stairs as they rested.
    “These break off half way. If we can stretch these steel braces across, we might make our way up.”
    Exchanging a fatigued glance with Caden, Teddy rubbed at his forehead before assisting his father as he hoisted one of the warped metal beams upward. He grunted, his arms straining under the weight, but they maneuverer the girder across the gap in the steps.
    Pa huffed as he pushed at the beam. “Well, I don’t think we’re gonna move this any further without help.”  He began to climb the slender bridge, holding tight to the edges and gripping with his toes. Teddy moved in behind him to be able to catch him in case he fell.
    After a few precarious moments, his father stood on the lip of next landing. “Okay, I’m up.” He pulled out his handlight and swept the beam about. “All appears good from here. Not too much rubble.” He set his light aside. Kneeling, he held out his hands. “Cad, you next.”
    She frowned and put down her lantern before starting to climb. “If I fall, I will blame you for the rest of your life.”
    Teddy steadied her from behind. “Me? I’m not the one who came up with this silly idea.”
    Her foot slipped as she hit the halfway point and she yelped, but their father leaned down and seized her hand.
    “I got you.”
    She muttered something incoherent as she passed him and crawled to a safe spot near the landing’s back wall.
    Pa tilted his body toward Teddy. “Hand me the lights.”
    He passed each one up before climbing. His fingers gripped the edges of the girder as he willed his feet to stick to the metal.  Breath shallow and nerves taunt, he climbed beside his father. He blew the hair from his eyes and tightened his jaw as he peeked downward.
    “The journey back is going to be a bugger, isn’t it?”
    “Eh, we’ll tackle that later. For the moment, up, up we go.”
    Caden grabbed a lantern and inched her way toward the top. Pa whistled as he climbed as though going for a leisurely stroll. Teddy trailed after them, and they ascended two more flights. They stopped at the last landing.
    Filthy glass double doors, which begged to be opened, stood at the other end. This was what he loved about scrounging, finding a new area, discovering how life once was. He wiped away some of the dirt to reveal a plastic film with coloured images blocking his view.
    “Masks on,” Pa said, taking the precaution that shielded them from any toxic gasses lurking behind the sealed entrance.
    In one sense, he didn’t need to fear, at least not for Teddy.  He had his breath caught in the knots in his stomach. His father tossed a crowbar his way and put another one to the seam between the doors. Together, they forced the panels apart an inch. Caden leaned in, peering through the opening before she shook her head. Trading a glance with Pa, he nodded. They tried again, putting all their effort into it.
    Teddy grunted through his mask as he flexed and strained his body. “Can’t we just break the glass?”
    “That would be cheating,” Pa said with a snicker.
    She scrunched her nose. “Yes, let’s be fair to the inert piece of hardware blocking our way.”
    The doors creaked open inch-by-inch until she could hold her lantern high and