Taylor's eyes flutter open. She blinks twice as her eyes adjust to the dim light. The ground is as hard as rock. Wait- it is rock. Taylor felt an instant searing pain in the back of her skull.
"What the h-" Taylor started.
"Where am I?" someone interrupted.
Taylor squinted her eyes so she could see the person who was talking. She was surprised to see not just one, but about twenty people all over the dark room. Their bodies were sprawled out in various positions. Some were starting to stir, some were still not moving.
As more people woke up the room got louder and louder. Everyone was terrified and confused. Taylor heard whimpering in the corner that sounded like a small puppy. Taylor looked over and was surprised to see a small child no older than two or three. Tears were running down his face like rain drops falling down a window pane as he huddled in a ball crying for his mommy.
Seeing the little boy crying made Taylor think of her own sadness. Taylor used to be the sun. She was bright, happy, and full of energy. After what happened Taylor never was the same again.
Taylor then saw an old man rush to the middle of the room.
"Quiet please!" he shouted, his deep voice booming in the small room. "Listen everyone! Thank you."
Taylor, who wasn't really paying attention, studied the area they were in. It was a small place, about the size of a large classroom. The walls were all rock and damp. Taylor looked up to see an extremely tall ceiling where a tiny amount of light shone through a small hole. There appeared to be no way out of the depressing room. As Taylor tuned back into the old man she heard him say something about a cave.
"We need to get out of here. We need to escape, although the task seems almost impossible," the old man said as he looked around the room.
The room smelled like wet dog mixed with perspiration. Taylor wrinkled up her nose in disgust. The entire cave was damp and very frigid.
As everyone started talking to each other, they all said they felt the same pounding in their heads. Someone suggested the possibility that they were hit over the head and knocked out. Another person said that would explain why they didn't remember anything. Everyone else wanted to know why. Why us? Why a cave? Why are we here? Why can't we escape?
The old man, who Taylor now knew is Tim, advised they form a plan. "It looks like we are below a body of water, with all this water. So we should have plenty of water, but what about food?" Tim asked.
The discussion continued on and on, but all Taylor could think about was her mother. Her mom was taking the loss especially hard. She lost her only son and it was killing her on the inside. Taylor lost not only her brother, but her best friend. Both Taylor and her mom were extremely depressed. Taylor was worried what her mom would think when Taylor was missing. First Jacob went missing and now Taylor. She can't imagine the pain her mom is feeling right now that both of her kids are gone. If only Taylor could communicate with her mom and let her know that she is alright.
After days of talking and famish everyone was starting to get antsy. Tim just kept pacing back and forth mumbling something under his breath with a deranged look in his eye.
"Tim," Taylor asked nervously. "Tim are you okay?"
"NO!" he yelled. "How can I be okay when I'm stuck in this place? No food, barely enough water, and nothing to do! My family is out there probably wondering what happened to me! What am I here? Why are we all here? What did I do to deserve this? What kind of sick person put us in this damn cave!"
"Hey dude. Calm down." said Michael. "We just have to relax and-"
"CALM DOWN?" Tim screamed "Ahhhhhhh!"
All Taylor heard was screaming, a small gasp, and then silence. It happened so quick, no one could stop him.
"Oh my god! He's not breathing!" exclaimed Kelly, almost in tears. "This man is crazy! He just murdered Michael for no reason! He has a knife! We can't get away from him! We are all going to die!"
Taylor still in disbelief of what she just witnessed went to touch Michael's hand. It was as cold as ice. She felt the saltiness of tears running down her face.
Everyone started to back away from Tim. They were all terrified for their lives. They all watched Tim sit there with the bloody knife and a glazed look in his eye. All that could be heard was the dripping of the blood as it fell from the knife and hit the cave floor.