Aella (manxman) - ON HOLD

Detour

Ceri

Weak... cold.... 

I tried to move and my body followed very slowly. Every bone in my body hurt and I felt completely drained. I looked around me. Wherever I was, it was completely dark. I pulled myself to a sitting position and squinted my eyes to try and see anything.

Nothing. I reached a hand around me and it collided with a muddy wall. It gave me an eerie sensation. I helped myself to stand slowly, still trying to figure out where I was.

"I-is someone here?"

My voice was very hoarse and my throat yearned for a drop of water. I breathed with difficulty, already feeling exhausted. The obscurity didn't diminish in the least. It felt like a hopeless pit of nowhere and I was starting to freak out.

"Where am I? I-Ithel? ITHEEEL!"

I called with all my might, but no one answered. I started moving and feeling around with my hands, trying to find an exit. Was I still trapped in Drita's cave?

I suddenly recalled the moment the fire slammed on my right foot and I immediately remembered the excruciating pain, which made me cry and drop to my knees. I touched the sole of my right foot and it was covered with a large burning blister. I groaned to keep from crying. It hurt so much, I was just walking on it, but now I feel the burn like it was on fire!

It can't be... I can't be with Drita, I-I thought I got out!! Was that a dream???

"Heeeeelp! Please..."

Aside from the small echo, everything was eerily silent. I crawled and reached the wall again. No, I definitely wasn't dreaming. I saw him, I felt him... Ithel did come get me and we both escaped! Please, that has to be real...

The wall curved continuously and I realized that I've been here before. I remembered the exact sensation of coldness, humidity, and darkness.

This was a weird dream... a nightmare that I've had before about being stuck in a well. And even when I suspected the reality around me, it was still creeping the hell out of me. So I called for my only savior over and over until I had no voice, only his name repeating in my head like an endless prayer.

Ithel,
Ithel,
Ithel...

"Ceri!", his angelic voice called me from above and I raised my head eagerly

"Ithel? I'm here! H-help me!"

One second it was totally dark, and the next, the well was drowned in sunlight. The brightness burned my eyes and made me cover them and cower away from the light.

"Ceri, give me your hand!"

"It hurts!!! My eyes!!!!!"

"CERI!!"

-

I jolted from my sleep to find my legs dangling dangerously from a tree.

"You're alright, you're safe!"

I looked over my shoulder to see Ithel staring at me.

"You hear me? I've got you"

His arms were holding me and keeping me from falling over. I shrank when I realized that I was putting both of us in danger by leaning away from the branch. I was shivering, my mind slowly grasping reality and my body was once again aware of how much it hurt. I winced, but Ithel's hold remained tight around me. He pulled me to him while whispering words that I could barely gather enough focus to understand.