Miles To Go

Chapter Fourteen

Lizzy clicked on the flashlight, but nothing happened. Frustrated, she banged it against her other hand, and it suddenly blazed to life. She scanned around the mouth of the cave.

"Calvin?!" she cried shakily, her heart pounding in her chest. Here and there she spotted small shoe-prints in the dust. She thought one print looked like Calvin's Reeboks, but she couldn't be sure. She followed the trail into the cavern. Calvin, this isn't like you to get yourself into so much trouble. Just be okay, please be okay...

Something flew by her light, startling her. She looked up on the wall to see a mother bat protecting her brood of babies with her spread out wings. We do what we can don't we?

She moved on, each step closer to...what? She pushed the thought away. He's alive, he's alive, he has to be alive, she thought. She tripped over a fallen rock and fell down. Dammit. There are so many rocks around here. And it stinks too! She felt around for her light, which went out when she fell. Her hand landed on something cold and clammy. Ewwww! What the hell was that? Gross! she thought, as she continued her frantic search. Stupid flashlight, where—ahh yes, I got it. She clicked it on and saw the most hideous sight before her.

A sudden scream escaped her lips.

***

"We should have brought some bottled water," said Jaymz. Calvin had gingerly made his way to the trickling water. He patted the wet cave wall. It seemed to seep down them and collect in a little pool.

"I hope there isn't any bat guano in this water," said Calvin, cupping it in his hand and putting a little to his lips. He shuttered. It tasted awful.

"Can't you bring some to me? I'll drink it out of your fucking shoe if I have to, I'm so thirsty."

"You might be better off without it. I don't think it's safe to drink," said Calvin.

"It's safe,"an old man's voice said. "I drink it all the time. Mmm, mmm. Tastes like mama's milk."

"Who's there?" Jamyz said urgently.

"I don't know, I don't see anybody," replied Calvin. A match was struck, illuminating the face of a very old man. He grinned a toothless grin, and began lighting an antique lantern. As the lantern took the flame, a soft glow lit up the surrounding cave and...unfortunately, the rest of the old man's body.

"Oh my god!" Calvin cried as he closed his eyes and looked away. The oldster was completely buck naked.

"Hey jimminy hoe! Daryl we got visitors!" the old man crowed happily.

"Who the hell are you?" Jaymz asked. Calvin opened his eyes to see Jaymz staring at the man with distaste and confusion.

"The name is Peter Bigfoot!" the old man replied, still smiling. "Glad to make your acquaintance!"

"Mr. Bigfoot!" Calvin said anxiously. "How did you get in here? Is there a way out? Can you get us out of here? My friend's arm is stuck, we need to get him free it might be broken and there were boys on the other side that—"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Peter Bigfoot interrupted. "I'm being assaulted! Too many words!"

"My arm is crushed and I need help," Jaymz said firmly.

"Ah, I see..." Peter Bigfoot hobbled his way over a few rocks to the boy and pulled his beard off his shoulder so it swung down and covered him partially. He set his walking stick against the rock as if he was going to pry with it. "As my old friend used to say, 'Give me a place to stand on and I will move the Earth!" With a lever of course." He grunted and applied force, using some smaller rocks as a fulcrum, but only managed to lift it some before he had to stop and it came back down. Jaymz was groaning in pain.