The Cave

Awakening inside a dark cave I can barely see anything around me, save for what can be seen with my faint light. The place smells of dirt emanating from all round as I lay here on the ground, bringing my senses to bear in this dark place. The ground feels cold, hard and unforgiving to the touch, with a rough coarse feeling as I gently rub my hand against it, and begin feeling out around me. Slowly an attempt is made to rise to my feet, but my back hits against something hard above me just as my knees leave the ground. Slowly moving my light around reveals a tight room with not much space on either side, but enough to crawl forward and into a larger chamber where I am able to stretch out a little more and even finally get on all two feet. Here a few paths can be seen, but the only one which concerned me was which one lead out of here, and finally into the open. One leads down into a tight black abyss, and which appears to be calling my name beckoning me towards it's dark horrid abyss. Searching around me, another leads into a dead end, another into what looks like a large pool of water, and another leads forwards which I assume is the one out of here.

Pressing through a tight stone corridor leads me to a stone tube partially submerged in what one could only assume to be some form of rancid water. The aroma of which causes me to gag and cover my mouth as the smell is similar to that of rotten eggs, mixed with steaming hot feces, The walls surrounded by what feels like wet slime which oozed onto my hands as I tried to grab onto them for grip. I look on and think, surely there are other ways, but none make an appearance as I walk back and search for other exits, so it appears one must trudge through this horror. One foot into this mess reveals the ground underneath feels like mud after a day of heavy rain as my legs plunge crotch deep into it, then my second foot comes with much internal encouragement. The terrible liquid came to rest at stomach level with much nose holding to fend off the gag reflex. Slowly I trudge though this place, which appears to have many offshoots, at one point became chest deep turning every pace forward into a struggle of will. Eventually exhausted and out of breath I make it to the other side into a large open cavern which appears to be barren of any life, with it's only feature being basic rock, and another small round passage at the end. That being said I smell something which brings joy to my lungs.....fresh air.

With my clothes feeling heavy, and soaked to the skin I conclude it be best to carry on for the time being, squeezing myself into this small tube, beginning my crawl upwards and squeezing myself through a few narrow passage ways, wriggling for a while just to get my body through. Nonetheless another chamber awaits with many pointed stalactites, and some having formed a column of their own with stalactites on the ground. Walking through the place, it is like walking under a thousand knives, not knowing if one will fall on you and end your escape in a horrid fashion. gentle noise can be heard emanating from below, which when I turn my light to it, reveals a small gully filled with water gently flowing down into a winding passage. Reaching the end of this part of the cave reveals something rather odd to my eyes, and at first I perform a double take "is that a door" the thought passes through my mind. It appears to be a rectangular hole, very uniform in nature, and which upon approaching, even has writing above it, but which sadly cannot be made out, for much of it appeared faded.

Passing through this leads me to a very straight corridor filled with orange lights, and with many offshoots which appear to be more corridor or a room. The rooms all appear to have someone sleeping in them when performing a quick peak, until reaching a crossroads junction I encounter a person for the first time in a while. They appear to be a middle aged woman with a pale white face, and possess only a basic dress which ran to her knees, and a pair of ragged shoes. We look at each other for a moment and she says "uhh who exactly are you" in a questioning tone, to which I reply "I'm from a town nearby, but woke up to find myself at the bottom of that cave back there". She takes a moment to process as her face turns to raw confusion whereupon she murmurous "that is very odd, but I'm glad you made it out there, and whatever you do don't go back for many have perished there". She takes a short breath before saying "if you need out, just follow hallway one to the end". I thank her for the advice and trudge slowly onward as my energy feels drained, and each movement feels as though a great effort is required. However upon reaching another crossroads, a bright white light can be seen at the end and my mind thought "it can't be. Is that the end, is that the outside world?". Without thinking I speed walk towards this light without a single thought of hesitation, or care for my current state as with each rapid passing step it became larger and brighter, until finally I break out into the open world.

Upon breaking out into an open grassy meadow I fall to my feet in relief as I thought "finally I am free. I am free from that place". The sky appears to my eyes as a rich light blue with the occasional fluffy cloud above, the sun a great bright orange disk in the sky warming my body and filling me with life. Looking around me I can see benches, paths, lights, and even a car park slightly off in the distance. Hauling myself back up and onto one of those benches I take a moment to appreciate the world around me, and leave the world of darkness behind where it belongs.