The Man in the Mines
[The scene opens with a flash of lightning before it cuts to the forest as an orange light glows within the dark green. It then cuts to looking above the bonfire as sparks flicker]
?: And as soon as they thought it was over, they found themselves still trapped in the nightmare, their fate still held in the balance, and if they'd ever be free…
[The shot cuts to several characters listening to the story sitting on logs, from left to right; Snagglepuss, Pearl, Yogi, Sonic, and Amy]
Pearl: Oh…
Sonic: That story wasn't real, he just straight up stole it from a movie.
[The shot cuts to the twins; Cat and Dog, alternatively CatDog, with the former crossing his arms indignantly while the latter is clutching onto a piece of bark]
Cat: Well, at least I can tell a story, you didn't even try with yours.
Sonic: You sure about that, your brother's been shaking since half an hour ago.
Dog: [shivering] Is the nightmare over…?
Cat: Dog just scares easily, and my story had an actual plot.
Sonic: A plot you didn't make up yourself.
Cat: [turns his head up] Hmph!
Yogi: Well, I personally didn't find either story scary, I'm braver than the average bear.
Pearl: I'm not sure if I'm a fan of this kind of storytelling…
Amy: Oh, it's not that big of a deal, it's just made up for the most part.
Snagglepuss: Honestly, I feel like we're not getting any real stories, where's the gothic tone, the poetic atmosphere, the vampiric charisma, even?
Sonic: Well, you won't find it here, let alone from yourself.
Snag: [scoffs] I say!
Cat: If it's authentic you want, I've got a good one, bounds to knock the socks off ya'.
Dog: Is it real by any chance?
Cat: Oh, it's very real, happened up in the hills as a matter of fact.
Dog: Oh…
Cat: Legend has dubbed him; The Man in the Mines…
[Cat pauses impressively…Sonic snickers loudly. Cat gives him a look of deepest loathing and shuts up]
Pearl: The man in the mines? Even for as long as I've been around, I've never heard of such a thing.
Sonic: Yeah, because it's yet again another story he made up, hey, I've got an idea, take an English class and learn how to-
Huckleberry: [off-screen] What's goin' on here?
[Huck comes out from the trees and takes a seat on one of the logs]
Huck: Ya'll need to settle down, I could hear ya' shoutin' from yards away.
Yogi: Sooooo, Huck, you know anything about this man in the mines?
Huck: Oh, well, I happen to know quite a bit.
Sonic: Wait, you seriously believe what this guy was spewing?
Cat: In that case, why don't you tell it, at least you might be able to get a word in without that little blue brat interrupting.
Sonic: Who you callin' a brat, ya' stuck up-
Huck: AHEM! If you would all settle down and let me speak, I'll tell you the story. Believe me when I say, what happened was very much real. And it started back, well over sixty years ago…
[The screen fades to black before the number "1956" is shown in bold white letters before transitioning to a black and white still of a man, donning a straw hat, leather suit and slacks, his hair raven complimented with a mustache twirled at either end of his mouth]
George Winsor was a self-proclamined artist, adventurer, and inventor, and indeed, one could say he had a mind for creativity. In his workshop, he could create miniatures that were modeled with glass, many of which would be sold to the local pawn shop. However, if there was one thing Winsor enjoyed more than anything was taking hikes, and his biggest goal was to explore a cave who's entrance was shaped like the letter M. It's unknown where this cave is, let alone if it even exists, however, Winsor found a mine in the area and went inside to explore it. The first time he went into the cave, his body vibrated and he claimed to have never been spooked more by a cave than the ones he explored before. However, in light of hearing about a new source of energy being tested, he denounced that it was nothing compared to the expeditions he'd gone on, and in spite of what happened in the cave, he made a plan to go back and document the experience, determined to find the M Cave. The hike was going to be long and strenuous, there were no trails leading up to the mines, the terrain was dangerous and it was located right next to a bombing range. If there was anything to be said about Winsor, it's that there were no limits with him, his hikes were brutal on the body and it usually took three days to recover from the pain he put himself through. Even then, he claimed to love every minute of it, some called him crazy, others call him determined. On the sixteenth of October, Winsor arrived at the cave, marking his presence with a note he stuck on the entrance and tying a line of yarn to a rock. Upon entering the cave, those who knew him personally found one day passing, then two…then three…then four…after four days had passed, his residence was called up to see if he was alright, but the phone was never answered…a missing person's report was filed for Winsor on the twentieth, and after a week, the police began to search the premise. They did find the string attached to the rock, along with the note saying "Just started my journey, G.W. 10/16/56". They were the only remnants indicting he had been there, some officers tried to go into the mines to search further, but they found the ground to be unstable…George Winsor was never heard from again, most presumed he had died in the cave, for reasons that might have been obvious…the entrance to the mines was closed off and nothing more was said…until several years later, some workers in the nearby quarry reported seeing notes hung in different parts of the mine, one of them said "Almost fell in, but I'm still standing." At first, they assumed it was trespassers, until a strange symbol began to appear in the shafts, the letters G.W. carved in the rocks…underneath one symbol read "I'm halfway there"...to this day, no one knows for certain what happened to George Winsor, but some say he serves as a warning to others, beware of the risks you take, you never know what might happen…
[The scene transitions back to the campfire as Huck finishes his story, everyone's breath is held in stunned silence]
Yogi: Uh…well, that, that was an interesting story, Huck…
Amy: Wait, I went into the mines a while back when we took that tour…of course, the circumstances were different, but I didn't see any markings…unless I missed them.
Sonic: [clears throat] Well, I dunno about you guys, but I'm gonna be off, I've got places to be.
Snag: What's the rush, the story didn't scare you that bad, did it?
Sonic: What, no, of course not, really, you all seriously can't believe everything ya' hear, so I'm gonna dip.
[Sonic whooshes away from the bonfire]
Pearl: About time he left, his presence was becoming rather irritating.
Cat: Pfft, I couldn't agree more.
Amy: He's not all bad…when he wants to be…
Huck: Hmm…somethin' tells me Sonic'll get his due sooner than he thinks…
[The scene cuts to Sonic whooshing down the road]
Sonic: Pfft, that Huck, he thinks he can scare me with one of those dumb stories, please, Cat was already bad enough. There's no man in the mines, if there was, I woulda heard about it…hmm…
[Sonic looks up to the mountains and an idea forms in his head]
I wonder…I don't believe it, I just wanna check something out…
[The shot pans out to show Sonic heading off to the mountains before it cuts to the blue hedgehog arriving at the quarry before stopping in front of a mineshaft. The interior is dark and the sound of water dripping can be heard from within]
Sonic: Heh…maybe this wasn't such a good idea…what am I saying, just a quick in and out, there's no ghosts in there…why did I say ghosts, I don't believe in the story!
[Sonic finds a hardhat perked up on a rock and picks it up, tapping on it before the headlight flickers on]
Ah, that'll work, now, let's see what's in store here…
[Sonic enters the mine, looking as confident as he can be before he rounds a corner and the headlight flickers before shutting off]
Ah, man! C'mon, turn on!
[Sonic taps on the helmet several times to no avail…until the light suddenly flickers back on]
There we go!
[At that moment, a creaking sound can be heard further into the cave…a few seconds pass before it's heard again]
Hello? Anyone in there?
[The only thing Sonic hears is his echo repeating what he just said. Cautiously, he edges forward before another noise is heard…and felt…Sonic feels the ground vibrate underneath him]
Uh…maybe now's a good time to go back…
[Sonic begins to walk back the way he came before he's surrounded in darkness again, gasping as something is heard scratching against the wall]
Who's there?!
[The headlight comes on again as Sonic looks to his right, finding something carved into the wall, reading "I'm almost there"]
Oh no, nooooooo, nonononononono, I'm not staying here!
[The hedgehog begins to navigate his way back down the path he came, until he suddenly trips over something]
OOF! Aaaah…what the…?
[Behind him is a string of yarn right across the tracks, it trails off further into the mine]
What the heck is going on?!
[Sonic picks himself off the ground and dashes towards the entrance, sweating bullets as he sees it]
Oh, thank god, I'm almost there!
[At that moment, the silhouette of a man appears right at the mouth of the tunnel]
What the?!
[Sonic skids in an attempt to stop before the man, shutting his eyes for the impending collision…it never comes…the hedgehog slowly opens his eyes to see himself right outside of the mine entrance]
Wha…th-there was a man, he was right there! I saw him! He was…I'm going crazy, I'm seeing things…oooooh, I gotta get outta here…
[Sonic quickly jets off away from the quarry as fast as his legs can handle, the shot lingering on the entrance as a howl is heard in the distance]
[The scene cuts to morning at Maple Station where Blitz, Stella, Bianca, and Sylvester are standing on the platform before it pans over to Huck crossing the footbridge to get to the other platform before his eye catches Sonic sitting on one of the benches. The blue hedgehog is looking uncharacteristically pale as he stares straight ahead. Si and Am passing by glance at this and then turn back with unimpressed sneers. Huck finishes climbing down the steps before stopping a few feet away from the hedgehog]
Huck: You seem out of it today…
[Sonic doesn't say anything in response, he continues to stare as if Huck wasn't there. At that moment, Edward arrives to collect his passengers with two coaches in tow. Other passengers on the left platform have gathered including Rigby, Charlie, Blossom, and Perdita. Huck is about to board the train before he turns back to the hedgehog]
Huck: Don't say I didn't warn you…
[Without another word, the blue coonhound enters the coach, leaving Sonic on his own. He tilts his head up to look at the train, in the seat behind Huck is an unfamiliar man…he seems to acknowledge Sonic's gaze as he looks right at the hedgehog and waves to him. Sonic blinks with a start before the shot cuts back to show the empty seat behind Huck. As Edward sets off and the final coach clears the platform, the shot pans out to show Sonic still looking pale as ever]
The End…
Character Guide:
Sonic, Amy Rose - Sonic the Hedgehog
Bianca - The Rescuers (1977)
Blitz - Road Rovers
Blossom - The Powerpuff Girls
Cat, Dog - CatDog
Charlie Barkin - All Dogs Go To Heaven (1989)
Huckleberry Hound - The Huckleberry Hound Show
Pearl - Steven Universe
Perdita - 101 Dalmatians (1961)
Rigby - Regular Show
Si and Am - Lady and the Tramp (1955)
Snagglepuss - Snagglepuss
Stella - Winx Club
Sylvester - Looney Tunes
Yogi Bear - The Yogi Bear Show
Edward - Thomas and Friends
