A Buried Memory

"This is it," Professor Squawkencluck said, almost reverently. She, Danger Mouse and Penfold stood at the mouth of a very large hole that descended deep into the earth. Penfold blanched in terror while Danger Mouse began to grin.

"Excellent!" he cried. "I had hoped that this caving trip of yours would yield some adventure and it looks like it already is!"

"Now, now, mouse," Professor Squawkencluck warned. "There will be no funny business on this trip. Got it? This is purely a scientific expedition, not some "super mega ultra secret danger mission" ok? You stick close to me the entire time we're down there!" she continued to grill the mouse.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, sure, whatever," Danger Mouse replied carelessly as he rigged up the line to get himself and his two friends down the hole safely and into the belly of the Earth. They were in America, having flown out to the Appalachian Mountains just a couple days ago. Professor Squawkencluck had apparently read about this place in some geology journal of hers and it had sparked her interest enough that she'd scraped together some funding to head out and see it in person. Danger Mouse and Penfold had come along as her company and backup.

Professor Squawkencluck descended into the mountain first, despite Danger Mouse's protest that he wanted to go in first. Once she was safely down below, she called out for the other two to join her. While Penfold carefully (and nervously) lowered himself down after Professor Squawkencluck, Danger Mouse wasted no time in trying to bungee jump in, free-falling through the hole until right before he would've crashed into Professor Squawkencluck and Penfold. Then he halted his descent and came to a quiet landing before bowing dramatically.

"We do this safely, in order, following my lead!" Professor Squawkencluck snapped as he bowed. Then she paused. Where had that come from? Although she had meant to chastise Danger Mouse for being so reckless before they'd even entered the cave, the words she had chosen to speak seemed to have come from another time and person, like a buried memory. Her face even contorted in concern as she looked at Danger Mouse, wondering if he might've realized that those were not the words she had meant to speak. But since he was so used to being yelled at by her because of his stunts, he only ignored her.

"Come on, Professor!" he cried. "Learn to live a little!" and while he and Professor Squawkencluck argued, Penfold stood off to the side, trying not to let his fear show too much. Originally, Professor Squawkencluck was supposed to be the only one going on this trip, but when Danger Mouse found out she was going caving, he'd all but forced his way onto the mission as well before tricking Penfold into signing up too, telling him that they were going to explore and tour nature. Well, this is what Penfold got for not asking for specifics...

"Carrots!" he shrieked suddenly as a small swarm of bats flew out of a nearby crack. He jumped out of the way in time, but not before he noticed some strange cracks running through that side of the mountain. But that discovery was overridden by his sudden fright from the bats. Professor Squawkencluck was quick to come to his aid, pulling him safely out of the swarm while Danger Mouse only laughed at his plight.

"Enough, Danger Mouse!" Professor Squawkencluck snapped at him again, but he only shrugged calmly.

"No point in standing around here anymore! There's only one way out and that's down the pipe!" he pointed to another narrow opening in the hole that they were already inside of. It led right into the cave Professor Squawkencluck so desperately wanted to explore and study. The moment she heard him say this, another strange and serious look passed across her face and she gave him an unusually respectful nod before taking the lead into the dark, endless, merciless abyss.

For about an hour, things actually went fairly well. The cave was gorgeous and all was peaceful.

"But it's soooo boring!" Danger Mouse complained. "I wanted action and adventure! Not a cheap walk through rock!"