All of us were in hiding. We would never know for sure when or if we would ever get out. We are low on food and our water supply is diminishing. The look in the eyes of some of the people with me, told me they were getting desperate and could turn on anyone at any moment.
Before this whole incident, we were on a nature tour. Our guide told us to wait on the path while he went off, and he would be back soon, but as soon as he said that and turned away, a black bear came by and mauled him to death. We, the group of thirteen, ran as fast as he could. The bear followed rapidly behind. Two more were mauled for being too slow. Me and my partner, who were leading the run, directed everyone left to a cave.
Certainly, we felt trapped. The strange thing was that of our screaming. Our yelling and screaming activated a collapse of rocks that fell and sealed that cave shut, crushing two and blocking three more outside. Now there were six of us, stranded and starving.
Dumb as the rocks blocking the cave’s entrance, the older lady with frizzled orange hair, who was about mid-fifties, started to yell and command everyone. Then, the retarded psychopath she was, dumped all the water that was left.
Everyone was mad. Most were normal mad, a couple were mentally mad with a hint of crazy-mad. The chunkier man, about forty and blading black hair, who was mentally mad, got up behind her with his dirty, sweaty sock and tried to asphyxiate her.
Frankly, I could care less if he killed her, but my partner, the caring woman she is, jumped in and stopped them. The woman fell on hand and knees, gasping for air and coughing. I stopped my partner and walked her to the opposite side of the cave. I explained to her that we were the only sane ones along with a young girl named Gypsy. I continued that we needed to follow the cave to discover if there was another opening, or at least water. I made a motion towards Gypsy and she got up and came over.
Gypsy, being the little, blond five-year-old she was, was scared. I told her that us three were the only sane ones left, everyone else is going crazy and we need to go before the others turn on us, or even kill us. She nodded and we secretly grabbed our things. We started towards the tunnel of the cave with our flashlights shining the way. Luckily, no one saw us leave. The can all kill themselves without us.
Hurrying along, trying to cling to my leg, Gypsy was scared but she kept quiet. I picked her up and put her on my shoulders.
Icy and cold, the cave began to look frozen. There was a bend ahead and an eerie bluish-white glow. We walked to the bend and looked around the corner. A stream was glistening and flowing through the cave. A small patch of sunlight shone through the high vaulted ceiling.
Jumpy, I could tell Gypsy was thirsty. I set her on the ground and she sped off towards the side of the small stream. I yelled, “Stop!” Nervous about how the water purity was. I told her to wait for me to test the water.
Kind enough to do so, she sat on the stiff ground and waited. I peered into the crystal clear water. Curious, I dipped a cupped palm into the surprisingly frigid water. I stuck my tongue into the water inside my palm, not really drinking it but more like lapping it up. And to my surprise it was the cleanest, purest water I probably have ever tasted.
Licking and slurping up the water that was left in my hand. I realized I looked awkward. I requested the cooking pot from our hiking sack. My partner retrieved the pot and I filled it to the brim. We passed the refreshing water in a circle until we were recovered from dehydration.
Momentarily, the calm rushing water was nice. Then there was a disturbance. A shrill crying scream, murderous almost. We refilled the pot and I had the girls hide in the shadows as I waited for the slowly growing scream to appear. Then I saw the wicked, orange-haired, devil-lady appear with what i thought to be the fat man’s arm because it was hairy with a bloody gold watch.
Now, mad, crazy, and running, the woman dropped the arm and chased towards me. I only had a flashlight left. I begun to swing; i hit her across the face. Now bleeding, she crawled and fell into the perfectly beautiful stream, poisoning it with blood. I yelled at the girls to get every container and get as much clean water before all of it gets dirty.
Only four containers were filled before the slimy, red goop contaminated the once pure, dazzling water.
Possibilities of getting out of the cave looked slim. The cave grew dark as the light from the ceiling dimmed and there was nothing to reflect off of anymore.
Quite, the cave became. The others, I assumed were dead. It was getting dark. My new blood covered flashlight was useless. Sitting silently, we all closed our eyes, listening to our own breathing. I had to get us out of here.
Roughly 15 hours of being stuck in the caves, I knew the girls wanted to get out, as did I. There was one small disadvantage; we had to wait until morning.
Softly, I commanded the girls to get some rest. They did as told as I sat and kept watch.
*
*
*
Terrible! Just plain terrible! I fell asleep and now, with the light filling up the cavernous room. Gypsy was nowhere to be found. I called for her. Then I listened and heard her crying. I followed the sound.
Unknown to me, everything was unsafe. I eventually saw her crying behind a rock. I knelt next to her just to jump back. She was mentally sick. She was not well. She would turn on us if we didn’t leave.
Visibility was clear enough that i could see my partner still sleeping. I ran, leaving Gypsy behind, hoping she wouldn’t follow and attack me. She started to screech, not yell or scream, screech, as I ran towards my partner.
Waking her up jeopardized my life even more. She was unwell just as bad as Gypsy. Her eyes flickered open and were rotten yellow with dilated pupils and were bloodshot. She growled and I knew, then and there, that it was time for me to leave. I needed to escape. I grabbed my hiking backpack and ran across the bloody river and ran towards the narrowing corridor on the opposite side of the cave.
As I ran through the cave, the screeches echoed and followed me.
Before me, growing brighter, the tunnel had an opening. I knew I was safe. I was going to make it! I reached the light! I jumped into the bright light, not being able to see anything below me. Then I realized, as my vision came into focus. There wasn’t anything below me, for at least a mile.
Cliff.
Dying wind.
Everlasting silence.
Forever.
Gone.