Author's Note: So much for my One-Chapter-A-Day streak. I'm only on Chapter 14, but that's because I was a counselor at a camp for a week and then went to the beach for a week...oh well. I'm going to introduce Stef soon, I promise. And someone new...I don't know when, but I will. He's interesting...I'm still trying to decide what I'll name him. Either Norman or George. Well, here you are. Chapter 14.
The others followed closely. I was glad Mikey was going first, because the cavern was heavy with spiderwebs. Part of me was glad I couldn't see the spiders themselves, part of me wishes I could so I could avoid them. I hoped beyond hope that they wouldn't get on me. I'm not bothered by bugs in general, but there's just something about spiders I don't like...
For once, being short was convenient. I was just about as tall as Mikey, so he was able to clear all the spiderwebs for me. Plus, I was able to stand up straight, while Brand, Andy, and Mouth had to stoop over slightly so their head wouldn't hit the ceiling. Obviously Mouth, because I heard a dull thunk and Mouth's voice mumbling, "Oh, shit!"
"Do you really think Daniel Bradford is down here?" I whispered to Mikey, about a quarter mile down the passage. It was one of those situations where you didn't need to talk quietly, but there was some kind of air about it that demanded near silence.
"I'm not sure," he replied, "but it's still amazing!"
"Amazing, yes," Brand pointed out, "But a sinkhole this big is bound to be noticed soon, and explored. We'll be flushed out!"
"They'll explore the cave," Data repeated, and thought for a moment. "No, we're the first to explore the cave! We're just like real archaeopterists!"
"That's 'archaeologists,' genius," Chunk corrected.
"That's what I said! Shut up, Chunk."
"Watch your step, guys," Mikey warned suddenly. "We're descending now."
And indeed, I did notice a downward slope in the passage. The ceiling was getting a bit higher, and Brand, Andy, and Mouth were able to stand up straight. They pushed past me, Brand snatching the lantern as he went by Mikey.
Then, I heard another dull "thunk." I thought maybe Mouth had hit his head on the ceiling again, but I heard a little groan and the word "pain" whispered in a strained voice.
"What's going on?" Data asked. "What happened!" He jumped up and down at my shoulder, trying to see over me. I backed up against the wall of the cavern and let him run up to where the lantern had stopped.
"Oh my god!" Andy screamed. "Oh my god, oh my god!"
"What!" I asked frantically. "What is it?" I automatically assumed the worst. Did they find a corpse? Caverns that nobody knows about are perfect for hiding corpses. What if someone found us down here? What if we died down here? When would they find our bodies? The sinkhole was open. Someone would find us soon. I think. Can't let panic set in now. I'm not normally a claustrophobic person, but if I get a panic attack in a small space, that can't be a good thing, can it?
"Mouth!" Data yelled. "Mouth, wake up!"
I breathed a sigh of relief. Mouth had hit his head on the ceiling. A little too hard, I suppose. No damage done...right?
"What if he has a concussion!" Andy cried, and buried her face in Brand's chest.
I forced myself to look down. Well, maybe not forced. Part of me really wanted to see what happened out of the morbid curiosity that is human nature, and the other part wanted to not look, not see. But I did look down.
His eyes were closed somewhat tightly, and he looked fine at first glance. His limbs were splayed, but none were at any odd angles.
Then Brand moved the lantern with the hand that wasn't holding Andy, and the rest of his body was shrouded in shadow as the light focused on his forehead.
Warm
Red
Sticky
No, no, not that. Please, not that. Not again. Please, Lord in heaven, don't let this happen again.
The world spun around me and the light of the lantern fused with the darkness of the cavern. I could no longer see anything but darkness and figures standing, seeming to mock me with their light. Almost like they dared me to come closer.
I would break out. I would leave them, I wouldn't let them get me. Demons, they were. After me, wanted to make me relive it again, I had let them out, I couldn't let them out again. They wanted to catch me, they wanted to pull me under.
Not if they couldn't catch me.
The dark figures, the demons, had clustered around me now. They were going to make me stay here, they were going to make me watch it all happen again, make me watch this boy bleed and bleed until there was nothing left and they were going to make me scream to be let out. But it would be too late. I had to get away. They couldn't hold me back if I got away.
I let out a cry and shoved the figures away from me and against the walls of...was I still in the cavern? I was completely unaware of where I was, and I didn't care. I was in my own little antimatter universe where there was no way out and the only way to keep from getting caught and forced to endure eternal torment was to keep running. If they couldn't catch you, they couldn't make you stay.
While the demons were stunned, I made my exit, running further and further into the darkness, frequently smashing into unseen obstacles. I tripped and dragged myself on for God knows how long. It could have been seconds, or minutes, or hours, time ran together in my universe. Time was not defined, neither was distance. The only thing that was defined, that had a limit, was my endurance, and it ran out without warning. Or maybe I tripped again, and was simply so drained of strength I couldn't rise. One minute I was running, the other I was on the ground, unable to move. Adrenaline can only carry you so far. They would catch me now for sure, maybe, if they thought I was dead...
I can't move. Maybe I am dead. My mind was fading fast, and I didn't breathe, at least not consciously. Maybe if I was dead they couldn't hurt me. Maybe...
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"Why is Mommy in that box?"
"Because they are going to bury her."
"Why? If they bury her, and she wakes up..."
"Luna...honey...Mommy's not going to wake up."
"She's not?"
"Not now, not ever."
"Why not?"
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"Goddammit, Luna, you're bloody fast."
My eyes fluttered open. I could move! But they had caught me.
Who had caught me? I thought, as I looked at the figure towering over me.
Chunk grinned. "Brand wants to know if you're a shkitso freak."
"Schizophrenic," Andy corrected. Her voice was low and I could tell she was trying to keep it calm, but from its unsteadiness I could tell she had been hysterical minutes earlier. I sat up and saw that I was in an egg-shaped chamber in the cavern, with rock formations that looked like bleachers. The Goonies were sitting on the rocky bleachers, looking at me. Waiting for me to speak, no doubt. Tell them why I did what I did. I wasn't exactly sure what I did anymore. Sometimes what goes on in my head isn't what happens on the outside.
Yes, I am on medication, thank you very much.
I waited for the inevitable reply of "That's what I said" but it didn't come.
"I don't know what happened," I admitted. I said it as a reply, to the question everyone was asking in their minds but for one reason or another refusing to verbalize. "How's Mouth?"
"He's okay, he's sleeping now," Brand said.
"Poor little guy," mused Andy. "First he gets his ass kicked by Data..."
Data looked proud.
"Mouth wouldn't appreciate you calling him a little guy," Mikey piped up.
"Well, I'm glad you dragged us down here, Luna," Brand said, "because look what we've found."
He held up an empty packet of cigarettes, and several freshly smoked cigarette butts.
"We're not the only ones here," I said, stating the obvious.