Path Through the Darkness

Chapter 4

As we step foot through the cave, we suddenly feel a slight breeze, and we all get a slight chill. We looked around to see if anyone, or anything, was nearby. It seemed like we were in the clear, so we started moving on deeper into the cave. I looked up and noticed a slight torch figure against the wall. I reach my hand out to feel what it is, but just as my hand grazed the cold wood of the torch it flickered a slight flame and ignited with burst of fire. "Guys look ahead, there are torches lined up all in the tunnels." Kate points out as she motions further up the path.

          Inside I could feel my self wanting...no, urging to go forward. Before I even know it, my feet are leading us further down almost like they have a mind of their own. I glance over my shoulder to make sure that Robin and Kate were following me, little did I know they were right next to me with no question. These two are my true best friends and no one can get in the way of our trio. Not even an Ex-boyfriend that wants to show up whenever I have my life on track. In the midst of me wondering down the path Robin's eyes begin to wonder around the cave structure. "Hey guys, don't these tunnels look a little too un-natural to you, almost like they were carved by something," Robin pointed out, "and no I don't mean a monster or some creature, I mean a machine like a drill or something." I started looking around and analyzing the carving patterns, he may be a little scared, but he might be on to something.

          "It looks that way, but if that the case then we at least know that whatever is down here, it's human." I commented, these caves have been here for a while so the fact this looks almost machine like, makes me wonder how long it's been here for. Just then I bumped into Kate who was stopped in the path, she was looking down further and starts to notice a figure or a shadow in the way.

          "Hey! Who's down there! Do you need help? are you in danger?" Kate screams down to the figure. At first, I didn't think it would work, but just then we hear a slight yelp coming from down there. Me and Kate Race down the path to help the figure out, leaving robin behind as he gives a confused look. We finally reach the man only to see a child that couldn't be older than 12, I take him by the hand and help him up. "Hey kid you okay? what are you doing down here all alone?" Kate wanted to make sure he wasn't in any major danger or has sustained any major injuries, she's always wanted to be a children's nurse.

          "Yeah, yeah I'm fine, but you said, 'down here?'" The kid responded to Kate's question, but with a confused and questionable face, almost as if he didn't realize there was an outside to the cave. Me and Kate help him over to a better spot to lay him down and tend to his wounds. As I was wrapping a piece of cloth around the cut on his leg, I noticed tattoos running from his back to the middle of his forearm. I wonder what a kid his age is doing with a bunch of tattoos, and a tattoo that big must be painful to put on his skin. Once I got done wrapping his wound, I grabbed Kate and yanked her over to the side.

          "Kate, this kid has tattoos all over his back and arms, I don't think that this kid is from outside the cave." As I expel the sentence out Kate looks at me with a concerned and confused look. She probably thinks I'm crazy or just paranoid, but no one makes that face unless they think somethings wrong with someone.

          "Look Alex, there hasn't been any sign of someone living down here or people even existing within the cave. The kid is probably a part of a long and forgotten tribe and the tattoos are from his people." Kate Mentions, she's always been good at rationalizing the impossible. I just couldn't help but shake the feeling that this kid is key to finding out about this town. I wander over to the kid so I can at least call him by a name instead of saying "kid" or "bud". I plop down next to him and start up a little conversation just so I would get to know him and see if I could help get him home.

          "Hey Bud, I know this is probably something we should've done from the start, but my name is Alex, the girl over there that called down to you is Kate, and that guy over there is Robin." I gesture over to each of them, so he knows who is who, it took him a moment to respond to me, but he eventually did.

          "Hi...m-m-my name is Lucas, thank you for taking care of me. I just can't find my way back home." the boy, Lucas, seemed scared but when he mentioned home, he looked further down the path as if he lived in the cave. I comforted him and made sure he knew we would get him home then headed over to Robin and Kate. I filled them in on what he told me about taking him home. At first, they didn't seem to be excited about it, but Kate cocked her head up and walked on over to Lucas and gave him a big hug.

          "Don't worry Lucas we are going to get you home. Also, can I call you Luke or Cas?" Kate made every word from her mouth so happy and cheerful; she has been so good with cheering people up no matter the age or how sad. She will truly be an amazing children's nurse; wish I had a nurse like her when I was little. I drag Robin over to Lucas and Kate; robin hasn't talked much since we found Lucas so I tried to get them to converse so Lucas would feel a little more comfortable.

          "I like Cas, its unique and that's what I am, unique." Lucas gave this big smile, he was so proud to be who he is, I wish I had that drive when I was his age. He seems so mature like he is our age but in the body of a pre-teen, then I started wondering if that is what this cave does. Stopping the aging process through our physical features, but still letting our internal features grow. Still if that were the case why is Lucas calling the cave his home, he would've had a life outside of the cave before entering the cave. My mind running with all these questions not even realizing the biggest thing, WE ARE IN THE CAVE! If only I had answers I would get out of here immediately, but my mind still grew curious. I decided against telling Kate and Robin, it would just freak them out and they would take off running and I would be a lone down here with Cas. Not that I don't mind that, but they are my friends and I know them and have all my trust in them. I'll feel bad for it, but this is the only time I can be myself with them and not worry about consequences or curfews. I shake all of it out of my mind and start going on and helping Cas find his home.

          We all head further down the path, then the most foreseen event happened. We hit a fork in the path, we look at each other in silence until Kate spoke up. "Y'all just going to stand there or are we going to decide on where to go?" Cas perks his head up toward Kate in shock but cocks his head toward the pathways almost as if he was studying them.

          "We should take the one on the left, it's very familiar too me." Cas spoke up in insurance, but without a second thought Kate was marching down the left path. It did make the most sense considering he is the one who lives here. We venture down the path in hopes Cas is right, yet none of us questioned him. The trust in what he said didn't give us reason too, only the intuition to trust him.