The Last Elephant Keeper

Part 42

The ground was uneven and slippery, and Khumo had to be constantly on guard not to lose her footing. She could hear the lightning crackle down from the surface as some rocks crumbled beneath her feet. She knew that one wrong move could send her plunging into the depths of the chasm, but she did not let fear stop her. She had to find out what the light was and why it drew her so irresistibly.

After hours of careful progress, Khumo finally reached the source of the light. It was a small cave on the chasm's wall, hidden by a thin veil of mist. The mist had looked bright and mysterious from afar, but as Khumo approached it, it faded away, revealing a small pile of belongings scattered haphazardly on the ground.

Khumo felt a surge of excitement and curiosity. She had found something, something that might explain the light and the pull she had felt. She approached the pile slowly, cautiously, scanning her surroundings for any sign of danger.

But as she drew closer, she was surprised by what she found. The belongings were old and weathered, and there was no sign of recent activity. It seemed that whoever had left them had been gone for a very long time, and she realised it must of have been part of the other items she found earlier.

Khumo felt a deep sense of mystery and intrigue as she examined the lost valuables in the cave. They seemed to belong to different people and different times, as if they had been collected by someone or something. The mist that had guided her here also puzzled her. It had seemed to have a mind of its own, a will that matched hers.

And why had it drawn her in, what was its purpose? Khumo felt an overwhelming need to solve the puzzle that had been carefully laid out for her. She felt that there was a reason why she was here, and gradually made her way around picking up and sorting the belongings.

Khumo searched through the pile, hoping to find something that would explain the mystery of the cave. But there was nothing of value - just a few scraps of clothing and some rusted tools. She felt a wave of frustration and disappointment wash over her. Had she come all this way for nothing? But as she was about to turn back, she noticed something out of the corner of her eye - a small, metal box tucked away behind a rock.

It looked out of place among the other items, as if it had been hidden on purpose. Her heart racing with excitement, Khumo carefully picked up the box and examined it. It was old and rusty, but it still seemed to be intact. She wondered what it contained, and who had left it here.

She hesitated for a moment, wondering if she should open it. Maybe it was a trap, or maybe it was something dangerous. But her curiosity got the better of her, and with trembling fingers, she pried open the lid. What she saw inside left her stunned. It was a collection of old, yellowed papers - maps, drawings, and letters that seemed focused on the chasm and its oddities.

There were sketches of strange creatures and plants that lived in the depths of the caves, neither of which Khumo could believe were real or had even encountered. Diagrams of mysterious structures and devices that dotted the walls, and notes of experiments and observations that hinted at secrets and discoveries. Khumo felt a surge of awe and wonder as she leafed through the papers. She realized that she had stumbled upon the work of someone who had explored the chasm before her, someone who had been fascinated by its mysteries

Khumo had no idea what any of it meant, but she knew that it was important. She carefully packed everything back into the box and made her way back to the shelter, eager to look over the work in the safety of some heat, and food at the main cavern.

As Khumo was about to leave the cave, she spotted something in the distance that made her blood run cold. It was the remains of a human being. Khumo felt a surge of horror and dread as she realized what she had stumbled upon. She approached the remains with caution, not wanting to disturb their final resting place.

The bones were still in the shape of a huddled body, picked clean by time and scavengers. As Khumo surveyed the scene, a feeling of sadness and pity overtook her. She couldn't imagine what the stranger must have gone through, trapped in a cave for all these years. Unable to even bring herself to approach the remains any further.

Khumo noticed that there was a small leather-bound book lying near the bones. It appeared to be a journal of some sort, with pages yellowed by age. She felt a twinge of guilt as she reached for the book, wondering if she was violating the privacy of the dead. But she looked at the bones again, and realized that they wouldn't mind.