The Lost Stay Lost

One

I awoke to a blazing sun, it's laser rays seeping through my window, the sunlight made everything prettier, brighter. I laid relaxing for those few extra moments before I had to get up and ready, today was going to be an adventure, me and my friend Violet were planning on making a documentary of abandoned places. Today was going to be the San Andreas Fault incident where a hotel was swallowed into the ground. There's rumours that a lot of the hotel is still intact inside a cave.
I hauled myself out of bed to freshen up with a nice steamy shower and get ready for the exciting day ahead. I couldn't have been ready and out the door quick enough, I met Violet along the long dusty road that lined our sparse neighbourhood, I quite liked it though, it meant we all knew each other and everyone was exceedingly friendly, moving to Santa Carla did have its perks. Violet had a rougher look to her but do not be fooled, her mean girl appearance did not represent the sweet soul inside.
"Did you bring the gear?" She asked me jokingly.
"As if I'd forget" I smirked. This was all we'd been talking about for weeks, our adventure was just beginning.
We took a gentle stroll down the dirt road, trees guarding either side. Both of our parents were big shots which meant they were always out at work, I guess which is how we bonded so much. I looked around to see our neighbour Ms. Johnson, her husband died a few years ago so I never met him but she tells us these interesting stories from his time during the war, she's a lovely woman.
"Amelia darling, so good to see you" Ms. Johnson said smiling. She was always so joyful and upbeat. "Oh and you too Violet dear"
Ms. Johnson never judged Violet from the way she dressed, she says 'nothing wrong with a bit of rock and roll'.
"Hello Ms. Johnson" we said in unison.
"Lovely day, where are you wild pair off to" she laughed.
"We're exploring for our documentary" I said.
"Make sure you make me a copy" she smiled before continuing back on her travels.

We weren't far from the boardwalk now, during the day this place was so chilled, everyone was at the beach soaking up the rays. Violet spotted the comic book shop, I rolled my eyes knowing she'd want to go in. She laughed and hurried inside, as I entered I noticed that this place looked pretty old, there were a couple of hippies sat asleep beside a TV.
"Yo guys, how's is hanging?" Violet said walking up to two boys around our age behind the counter, I didn't really know them but I'd seen them around.
"Hey Vi, what can we do for you today" the gruff one chuckled.
"You can leave this Popsicle stand and come join us" she said fluttering her lashes.
"Where you heading" he asked, his brother stood by quietly.
"The cave by Hudson's bluff" she said.
"You shouldn't go there" he said coldly, I furrowed my brows in confusion.
"Don't as be a spoil sport, come on" she pleaded.
"Please don't go there Vi, promise me" the other boy said.
"What's gotten into you two?" She asked confused.
"Please, promise" he said again.
"Okay I promise" she said, I looked down to see her fingers crossed and smirked.
We walked out of the store in a state of confusion, why did they react like that?
"You promise Vi?" I laughed, she lifted up her crossed fingers.
"I promise" she laughed, we both chuckled as we walked along the boardwalk towards the forest.
There is a path that takes you to Hudson's bluff through the forest, after then we just have to find a way to get down to the cave. Neither of us had ever visited Hudson's bluff but Violet frequently explores the forest with her other rocker friends, they've made checkpoints and all kind of markings to be able to navigate through the woods if they ever got lost.
Beams of glittering light shined down through gaps between trees, it was like walking through mini heatwaves every time you stepped into the light since the shade from the trees allowed it to stay cool everywhere else. Twigs and dry leaves crunched beneath my boots, moss grew all around the fallen trees and birds sang gently from above, being in the woods seemed surreal.
It would be nightfall in a couple hours, so it's a good job we bought flashlights. We stumbled out of the forest and onto plane land, I could hear the waves close by, we'd reached the cliff.
I walked towards the roaring sound from below, the view was breath taking, I noticed some rickety stairs around the corner leading to and opening.
"Do you think that's it?" I asked her still peering at the dark hole.
"Yeah come on!" She said excitedly, dragging me along toward the top of the steps.
The entrance didn't look safe at all but it was time to whip out the camera, Violet filmed me.
"We are outside the infamous hotel swallowed by the San Andreas Fault, I, Amelia Waldorf and my partner Violet Windover will be exploring the remains of what was once a successful and popular hotel." I said trying to act serious and like a proper documentarian. "How'd I do"
"You did awesome" we both laughed. "I'll get shots of you walking down the stairs"
I walked along the shaky stair case, as soon as I reached the entrance of the cave I noticed how dark it was.
"We're going to need those flashlights" I shouted up to Violet. She followed me down but never stopped recording.
We stood gawping into the abyss, clicking the flashlights on we entered the unknown.
"We are now entering the cave, everything you see is what we have found, we have not placed anything a certain way or organised anything to happen, this is our first time visiting and we are sharing the experience" I said, it felt weird speaking to a camera but I kind of liked it.
I walked forward it was nothing but cave for a while until I reached a slope. There it was, we'd found it, there were posters and portraits still on the walls, their were possessions scattered across the floors, and a magnificent found filling the centre of the room, it had items inside it which would have collected there in the chaos of the disaster. However there we barrels followed with charred wood dotted about, it smelt fresh which meant that someone had just been here. We took a lot of pictures and shots around the interior of this room alone, it had an eerie sense to it, I didn't believe in ghosts but inside here was extremely cold and echoed some strange noises.
Violet pointed the camera down a long dark corridor, she was staring down it. I followed the gaze the see a figure, I couldn't tell if it was a person but it sure looked like it, I froze. I felt paralysed by fear unable to take my eyes off of this dark shape. It moved. I felt my heart pound as we ran at light speed skidding and tripping along the way, I continued to hear muffled sounds behind me, I couldn't look back, I had to go. Violet and I pushed and dragged each other up the wobbling stair case, my lungs begging for air but I didn't stop I pushed against the burn in my chest and legs and kept running.