A Grave Decision

They should never have gone in there. They should have just turned around and forgotten about it.

But they didn't.

Nivin reached out with her free, albeit shaking hand and clung to the torn fabric of what once was the black jacket that Mary kept tied around her waist. The cloth was stained red and covered in stone dust, the owner of the jacket most likely buried under the rocks right in front of her. The fabric fell from her numb hand as she started to claw at the stone, trying to dislodge them, trying to get to her best friend. She had to reach her, she couldn't leave her.

--

"This cave feels strange." Mary looked around as they wandered a bit deeper, exploring their shelter for the next few hours at least. Nivin couldn't help but agree. Something felt off, there was a presence in the air.

"Guys?" Daniel came to a sudden stop and Nivin turned around to him. Mary, who was a bit in front of her, did the same. The purple strands in Daniel's hair almost seemed to glow in the dim light as he looked towards where they came from. Huh, they wandered in further than she thought. She couldn't spot the mouth of the cave anymore.

Daniel turned back towards the two, pale eyes weary. "Do you notice something?"

"It feels like we aren't alone." Mary said quietly right as Nivin noticed something move out of the corner of her eyes. When she turned she saw nothing.

"Oh, yeah, that's another issue that we should also put on the pile I am currently labeling 'We are fucked', but that wasn't what I was talking about. Guys, why the fuck can we still see? We have no flashlights, it's raining like hell outside, we are so far in I can't even see the entrance anymore and somehow none of us noticed we went in much deeper than we wanted?" He threw up his hands, before looking back. "We need to get out of here. This is the beginning of every horror movie, and we are the stupid protagonists." He took a step towards them, waving them towards him as he did so. "Let's scram before shit goes down." Nivin nodded.

The world around her screamed.

The earth groaned and crumbled.

Daniel's hand on her as he pushed her with all his might back into the cave and away from him and the ground under their feet started to split.

Someone was screaming.

She grabbed Mary's hand.

The shadows around them came to life, silhouettes of creatures began dancing along the walls, the ancient stone cracking in their wake.

They ran, blind panic gripping her heart as she dragged Mary behind her. They had to get out.

The ceiling gave way, a hand disappearing from her grip.

"MARY!" she yelled, when dust filled her lungs and she began to cough. Around her the sound of falling debris was deafening and it was so hard for her to breathe but still she wasn't deterred. Skin split under sharp rocks making her hands slick with blood and fingernails broke off.

Thump.

A rock missed her head by a hair. Nivin screamed. She was forced back as more rock began to fall down, taking away any chance she had of getting Mary out.

The world grew quiet. The haze of panic lifted as she looked around. She couldn't save Mary. Maybe she could save her other best friend.

Nivin didn't dare shout, scared that the cave would get her as well. Shadows of creatures that weren't there flickered across the cave walls, calmer, not caring about the horror that was unfolding in their presence. She reached the place where it started and tried to peer down, but dark shadows clung to every bit of stone and the strange light refused to chase them away. Coughing, she threw a tiny pebble down. He had to be down there. Oh gods, please, please be alive. The young adult didn't hear the impact sound. Should she... no. She had to get help. She wouldn't be able to help him down here. No way. She had to get out. Maybe there she could get phone reception. Her phone. Wait. Her healthy hand patted down her pockets and pulled out the shattered remains of the device. Right. Fuck! No. NO! The next settlement was god knows how far away, she couldn't... she wouldn't leave Daniel behind. Nivin shook off her now grey trench coat, tying one sleeve around a sturdy looking rock before sitting down at the edge.

Deep breath. It can't be that deep. She would find Daniel, they would get out and then…. she didn't know.

The shadows on the walls slowed. She could feel their gaze on her back, boring into her soul. Then, they launched themselves at her, and the stone under them shattered and Nivin was falling.

Her scream pierced the stale air and Nivin landed in a body of water, barely missing a jagged rock formation that jutted out of the underground lake. All around her was chaos, as everything started to crumble when her blood froze. She just got a glimpse of Daniel's body on the rocks she just missed, before a sudden explosion of pain in her shoulder caused her to drop below the water surface.

It hurt. Nivin gasped for air, but only water filled her lungs. It was like a cold fire burning her from the inside. She couldn't breathe. She needs air, she needed it! She searched for a way up, as panic rose within her. There was no up or down anymore. Just the all-encompassing heaviness of the water. She needed to breathe! There was no air! no… NO! I DON'T WANT TO-

Another rock hit her, and she was gone.

The shadow creatures stopped. Looked. Disappeared alongside the strange light that adorned the cave walls, leaving only rubble and three bodies to tell a tale of tragedy.

Or maybe, just maybe, the tale of a new beginning.

A new era.