Chapter Four
The climb alone took well over an hour. Steep, cragged, limestone walls towered much too high for Vanessa to ascend with just her bare hands. She annoyingly had to navigate the forested area around the quarry, working her way up hill, at times crawling on all fours and clasping tree roots. Once she reached the hilltop she slid down an embankment of gravel and brittle sheets of shale, to land on the top terrace near the cave entrance where Logan had been dragged to an unknown fate.
Earlier, on her way out of the quarry, she found a few things. Vanessa circled a dilapidated trailer with a collapsed roof which had once served as the quarry office-building. Inside she inspected desk drawers, file cabinets, closets- looking for anything useful. Among the rust and mildew that dominated the space, she found an old thermos-shaped flashlight with a large carry handle that still worked. Outside she surveyed the remaining equipment and opened the tool hatch on the driver-side of a dump truck. Miraculously there were a handful of flares and an expired first-aid kit. She stuffed everything in her bag before traversing her way around, up through the forest.
Now, she stood at the mouth of the cave entrance. Midnight approached as the moon shone bright overhead. Vanessa jostled her bag to help settle the first-aid kit. It was uncomfortably poking her in the back. She flicked the switch on her flashlight and watched the light flicker and fade. Smacking the side with an open palm, Vanessa cursed as the beam of light returned to full strength and brightened the path before her. The air coming from the cave smelled wet and dank- an empty, bottomless pit lay ahead. And Vanessa walked. She walked forward down the sloping path, deeper and deeper till the night sky behind her was just a pinprick of the world she knew.
The cavern walls undulated from very narrow to round and wide- like the belly of snake after a meal. Vanessa travelled over wet limestone, dodging stalactites, squeezing through passageways, and wading through chest-high pools of ancient spring water. With every passing minute her concern grew heavy, weighing her down and slowing her resolve. Very often she was presented with forks in the road where the path split in multiple directions. With no hope of knowing where Logan might be, she rolled the dice at each turn, praying the gods would guide her.
The battery of her torch was dying and required more frequent smacks of her palm. Vanessa was soaked to the bone and shivering uncontrollably. Unable to feel her frozen fingers, she struggled to lift the hood of her jacket and pull the cords tight around her face. She snuggled the flashlight under the pit of her arm and crossed both arms tight around her chest.
Shadows seemed to dance against the cave walls and grow more animated as her journey progressed. They taunted her, pointing and laughing. For the umpteenth time, she stopped and looked in her bag to make sure everything was in its place- convinced that somehow all her things would go missing if she didn’t obsessively check regularly.
Her mind and focus seemed to match the shape of the cave, growing ever more narrowed in vision. Every twist and turn forward meant she was further from escape but closer to Logan… she hoped. Vanessa’s thoughts were lethargic and kept replaying the same patterns, the same images. She imagined her home, her warm bed and clean sheets, but the absence of Logan beside her. She could see herself cooking in the kitchen and filling the room with the smell of rosemary, garlic and thyme, but sitting at the table next to an empty chair. She saw herself leaning against her favorite oak tree in the yard and reading aloud, but no one to hear her words. A future without her partner, without his compassion or touch filled her heart with a sorrow deeper than any cavern. Tears swelled and blurred her sight as Vanessa broke down in sobbing heaps, but kept walking. I will find you.
Logan regained consciousness and exercised the muscles of his eyelids open, then closed, open then closed, but never saw any change, only darkness. He then waved a hand in front of his face. Nothing. “My eyes feel open, I can feel my hand near my face but I don’t see anything. I’m blind!” he thought. Logan searched his memory and remembered being carried away by the winged demon, then hitting the ground hard near the entrance of a cave. His recollection ended abruptly there, like an unfinished chapter to a book. “Ok, I blacked out and now I must be underground,” Logan thought.
He searched around in the darkness, feeling the dirt and stone beneath him, then retched in agony at his bruised ribs and a pounding headache. Both shoulders sent stabbing pain through his body from being gripped by talons. Logan crawled on hands and knees in futility, feeling his way through pitch black, searching for answers.
The cavern must be a huge vacant space, he thought. His coughing and whimpers of pain rebounded in echoes from distant, hidden walls. After fumbling blind for what seemed like hours, Logan reached a wall and steadied himself to his feet. Standing now, he turned to face the blackness behind him and leaned back for support. He caught his breath and rubbed the ribs of his left side- the muscle underneath was tender and hot. With both hands on the wall, he stepped carefully forward, tracing his way underground in search of a way out. Each step was accompanied by groans and breathtaking gasps of pain.
The torch battery was on its last leg, dwindling to a dull beam. Some of her composure had returned as Vanessa marched forward, toward the blackened tomb. The many turns in the path, what felt like hundreds of them, meant there was no hope of going back the same way. “God, I have no idea where I am,” she thought. It had been hours since she had a drink of water and dehydration meant every swallow was dry and raspy.
A distant sound interrupted her dream-like state and Vanessa came to a halt. What sounded like the growls of an angry beast reached her ears and filled her mind with images of the creature that took Logan away. Those huge wings and tiger-like fangs… Vanessa ran to a nearby rock and slunk down behind it then shut off her light. The growls and scoffs were getting closer as the creature pawed its way toward her.
She held her breath. She imagined Logan down here, lying still and dead, impossible to find. Her heart broke as she finally accepted she’d never see him again. With the creature approaching, all she wished was to lay next to him, to die with him. “My time has come. At least we share the same underground grave,” She whispered, with a final exhale. Wicked croaks and groans reached nearby as Vanessa knew the creature now occupied the same section of cave- only feet away. It was time. I’m ready.
His hands and feet were blistered and Logan winced loudly in pain. He was ready to sleep forever. There was no way out and the passage of time was impossible to tell. If it weren’t for the sharp, rock walls and freezing puddles of water shocking his senses, Logan would have believed this was all a dream. He kept wondering what difference it made if his eyes were open or closed as either way, his entire world was dark and hopeless. Without warning however, a blinding white light pierced his eyeballs with a fiery blaze. Logan threw his hands up in defense, shouted and recoiled in surprise.
Vanessa knew these were her final moments. She decided to meet her fate head on. She would fight this creature, die and join her husband in death. Bracing herself, Vanessa flung out from behind her rock shield and flipped on her flashlight to face the beast. She screamed, ready for battle and anxiously threw her light at the monster. Vanessa watched the flashlight fly through the air and smack her husband square in the face, then shatter against the wall, plunging the two in darkness.
“Logan?!”
“Vanessa is that you? What did you hit me with?”
The couple ran blind toward the sound of each other’s voice and embraced in the darkness. They held each other a long time without speaking, just feeling the moment, too afraid to let it go. Simultaneously, they both collapsed to sit on the cave floor but still wrapped in each other’s arms.
Logan cupped Vanessa’s face in his hands and pressed his forehead to her’s, a reassurance they both desperately needed.
“Ness, are you hurt? Are you ok? how did you find me?” Logan smiled for the first time in ages and kissed her quickly, waiting for a reply.
“I, I don’t know. I followed you down here. I didn’t know what to do. I just came after you.”
Silence followed as the two held hands and sat there, blinking in the dark and trying to come to terms with being reunited.
Logan spoke, “Do you have another light? Let’s get out of here.”
“I have my phone,” said Vanessa. She peeled off her backpack and searched a small pocket on the side. She found her phone and stumbled over the passcode as her fingers still felt like ice. Finally, she got the phone turned on, the screen light was painfully bright. Vanessa thumbed on the flashlight app and they both stood to gather themselves.
Holding out the phone light, Vanessa eyed Logan up and down. He was a ragged mess. His hair was disheveled, clothes torn with the insulation of his jacket falling out in clumps at the sides and shoulders- like a war-torn teddy bear. She peered down to discover a soaking red blotch at his hip, and inhaled sharply. “Logan you’re hurt!” She pointed and he looked down to see the shirt at his waist was smeared red.
They both eagerly lifted his shirt and jacket, checking for a wound. Oddly there was no cut or apparent damage. Then they both saw plastic debris spilling out of his pocket. “Oh that’s right, I had ketchup ready for our lunch. I forgot I put it there,” Logan professed. Vanessa’s shoulder’s slumped and she tilted her head to the side with a big, disarmed smirk. She pushed him playfully, “you had me going there.”
The couple turned, guided by cell phone light, to make their up and out of the hellish darkness. They’d barely progressed a dozen yards before a bellowing, “Meeeeoooooowwww, meow,” filled the cavern and shook rubble loose from the ceiling. Logan and Vanessa looked at each other with mirrored expressions. The way out was guarded.
With no alternative, the two turned and made haste deeper into the maze of tunnels below. They hurried passed pillars of wrinkled stone created by mineral-laden water. And sidestepped multicolored, encrusted boulders. The further they travelled, the heavier the weight of the earth felt above them, suffocating. Not a second of pause in their venturing was allowed, not while the creature meowed behind them, following rapidly.
Breathless, they wound a corner to meet what looked like a dead-end. They turned and discovered a narrow passage hidden behind a column of rock- just enough room for a person to slip through. The meowing continued from hollow avenues and was getting closer. In a panic they closed in on the narrow opening in the rock, removed their bags and squeezed in tight, moving sideways with sucked-in bellies. They shimmied further into the slot just in time to hear the scrape of talons and claws against the cave floor from the room they had just departed. Spurred by fear, Vanessa quickened her pace with Logan at her heels. She moved to slip passed a bump in the wall and lost her grip on her phone. She watched as the dim light fell to the ground then down a small hole. “Keep moving,” urged Logan. Sharp rocks, uneven ground and claustrophobia heightened their dread as they shuffled sideways, arms held high.
The sound of claws scraping against the rock walls as the couple squeezed through the last of the passage and reached a huge empty space. They both fell forward, flailing their packs, trying to catch their breath.
“It can’t follow, don’t worry,” Logan said gasping.
Vanessa turned around and searched the ground blindly for her bag. A loose strap found her finger tips and she pulled her bag close. The only sound for a moment was their deep breaths echoing into the cavernous black space around them.
In total darkness, the two stood using the wall to steady themselves. Vanessa undid the zip of her pack and said, “hold on I have flares.” Had she been able to see, she would have caught a surprised, impressed look on Logan’s face. Digging her hand into the bag, she pulled out a flare and tightened her grip, then struck the cap on the cave wall. Heat and brilliant red light bathed the couple in a revelatory glow. They looked at each other and nodded then inspected the passage they had just escaped. Illuminated by the light of the flare, neither could believe they’d fit. It was no wider than a standard mailbox.
They chuckled slightly but were interrupted by a muffled crack- coming from behind them. Logan and Vanessa froze in place, listening. More muffled cracks and vague chirping sounds began to fill the room, starting at the nearside of the cave and cascading across to multiple sources. With the flair held high, Vanessa risked a slow turn to face the vast space behind her. She cried out in horror at the scene lain at her feet.
The sinister red light from the flare lit up a 180 degree view of the cave floor. Scattered haphazardly before them were hundreds of severed human heads, laying upright, with bunches of acorns spilling out of their gaping mouths. As far as the light could reach, acorn-filled human heads populated the ground beneath them.
More faint cracks and muted chirps drew their attention to the nearest head, laying wide-mouthed just feet away, in a pile of acorns. The bald scalp of a man shone bright under the light of the flare. As they looked closer, they could see the surface of the skin was alive with movement. The head began to bobble to and fro as the skull cracked open- a tiny claw punched through and wriggled free. Soon to follow was another claw, wings, eagle-like talons and the devilish face of a creepy rodent animal. The neighboring heads all began to hatch as hundreds of winged, squirrel demons were born chirping and meowing, and began to feed on acorns. Munch, munch, munch, munch…
Like a lion stalking through tall grass, the couple moved in slow motion to remain unnoticed and make their way around this horror show. Squeak-squeak-squeak. The terrible creatures all stopped in unison to listen, causing Logan and Vanessa to pause as well. They moved again, squeak-squeak-squeak. The creatures meowed in obvious annoyance, their pale yellow eyes searching for the source of this intrusive sound. Logan took another slow step, squeak.
In disbelief they each realized Logan’s new boots were squeaking against the smooth limestone floor. They stood still, knowing each one of Logan’s steps would draw more attention to their presence. For a short time, the couple searched in vain at their surroundings, letting their arms drop to their sides in defeat. Suddenly, Logan waved his hand and signaled Vanessa to come near. She maneuvered closer, careful not to disturbed the sea of tiny monsters spread out before them. As she arrived Logan leaned in and whispered, “These boots make too much noise for me to walk out of here. But don’t worry, I have a bad idea.”
After a brief explanation followed by some lengthy convincing, the couple positioned themselves to escape the hatching chamber as stealthily as a SEAL team. Logan laid on his belly, kicking his feet eagerly behind him. Vanessa’s shoulders softened as she shook her head. Placing the flare in clenched teeth and closing an eye against the brightness, Vanessa bent down and grabbed both of Logan’s legs. Hand over hand, Logan began to pedal forward while Vanessa steered him like a wheelbarrow. The couple inched their way, zig zagging around acorn-munching demons as if floating down a lazy river.
The plan worked. Though Logan’s arms and shoulders burned with fatigue, the couple made it to the other side of the room without causing alarm. The slick, limestone floor gave-way to dusty patches of sand and dirt making it safe for logan to stand. Vanessa spit out the dwindling flare and lit a new one. Free from the carnage of humans remains and acorns, they looked ahead and noticed a steep incline- a path winding up to an opening high on the cave wall. A way out.
Vanessa lead the way and internally celebrated a triumphant escape, just as she stumbled upon the glint of metal shinning on the floor. As they came closer, the couple saw a short, heavy sword laying on the ground next to the skeleton of a corpse draped in decaying rags. Logan kneeled to investigate. He picked up the sword then noticed a leatherbound journal covered in dust. He picked it up and swiped away the rocky debris and lightly flipped through the pages. Very old ink adorned the book, scribbled in illegible fashion. Shrugging, he stuffed the journal and heavy sword in his bag and zipped it closed.
While Logan was preoccupied with the remains of the deceased stranger, Vanessa furrowed her brow at the cave floor. She moved the flare closer to something else that caught her eye. She mildly kicked and brushed away dirt from a spot on the floor, to reveal writing. Curious, she bent closer and used her hand to clean the area, revealing a message, carved into the stone…
Tenas ⇔ hyas. Vanessa made a mental note of the carving, as the two stood and silently made their way to the winding path up the cave wall. Upon reaching he opening, Logan stopped to look back and say, “I’m bout ready to head outta here.”
Hours passed in utter quiet as they walked for miles underground. The path meandered upward like a dizzying maze and the couple held to hope that Up means Out. Sore and tired bones slowed their progress as the dwindling light of Vanessa’s last flare acted as their remaining lifeline. Logan edged forth on a broken spirit, but perked an ear at the sound of running water. They followed the trickling of a nearby stream for a long while before turning a corner and noticing their eyes were adjusting. Daylight!
A newfound sense of urgency beckoned them onward toward the ever growing presence of sunlight. Just as the final vestige of their flare burned out, Logan and Vanessa reached a cave entrance. They scrambled over loose rocks and fought spider webs to emerge in a forest brightened by the light of a sunrise. They sat for a long time, resting and reminiscing on having cheated death over the passed night.
Vanessa finally spoke up and said, “I’m hungry. You still have those hotdogs?”
“Let me check.” Logan shook loose his bag, careful not to irritate his injured ribs. Methodically he searched his bag to find the lunch he’d promised his wife, in what seemed like a different life. They sat and chewed quietly, enjoying the warmth of the day, their minds processing recent events.
“God these are dry. I can’t believe you wasted all that ketchup,” said Vanessa with a wry smile.
Logan stared blankly, unsure of how best to respond.
The smell of fresh, open air called to them. An undulating wave of sharp teeth, talons like knives and piercing yellow eyes flowed through the darkness. A cacophony of chirps and meows filled the halls as the creatures discovered new territory, away from their birthplace. The warm sunshine blinded their eyes, but did nothing to hinder their single-minded objective. More food. More acorns. More blood.
** Thank you for reading The Dominion of Squirrbicat! Chapter 5 coming soon!**
