Hi everyone,

From the initial reaction to the poll, I decided to take some time to write a longer post. Hope you enjoy it. I'll try to add another in a couple of days. ;)

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Chapter 4

Questions

This was not what Yandré expected.

    Throughout the chase, all he could think about was getting them both to safety. Couple with the fact that a monster was chasing them…

    He sighed as he looked up again.

The small man-made scar had opened up into a fifty by fifty-metre expanse with four carved out rooms situated inside the rock and with a stone building right in the centre.

     If this had been a normal, modern world, cave exploration trip, then this very sight would have blown him away, would have been astonishing…

    Though it was still astonishing, the elation that normally followed discovering something in a cave was missing. Truly, the dangers of this cave system were like a leech.

    As he looked to his side, his companion was staring hard at him. He sighed again. She knew him too well. So he just shook his head and eyed her with exasperation.

   “I know. I know!” He said, “But considering the situation, can’t you think of a reason for not enjoying this find?”

   Eria didn’t say anything at first and he was almost surprised, she had always been quick to speak her mind.

   Then she hugged an arm around herself and said, “Yeah, I guess, but still even with all the scary stuff that happened, I can’t believe that this had been here, under the ground for who knows how long. A little safe haven.”

   Yandré paused, before dragging a hand through his short chestnut coloured hair.

She really was strong.

   He smirked at her then and patted her shoulder.

“Eria, you surprise me sometimes. Who knew you would actually see something positive in a situation after being chased by a monster? But thank you.”

She giggled. It did a world of good to his state of mind.

    A tired yawn escaped Eria as she turned to the small haven and said, “I don’t know about you, but I really need some rest.”

   “There has to somewhere we can bunk up around here,” Yandré ventured. The adrenalin had long since left. The aches in his body and the fatigue were growing by the minute. It threatened to allow in thoughts that he’d rather not deal with about how they would get back.

But he smiled then for Eria and himself.

   A memory of his sister had reminded him the importance of staying positive no matter what. —“If you just think of negative things constantly, eventually it would affect your heart. Beware, little brother, I don’t want to drag you out and beat your ass if you allow it happen.”

   It always created a little warm space in his heart. Yandré steadied his breathing and strengthened his resolve.

   Okay, we can do this. Just take it one step at a time.

A loud thud resounded in the room Eria had entered and he moved through the doorway.

   Inside, it was an entire long room carved out of the rock, and many bed size slots covered the one wall, and working spaces covered the other. Though what he assumed to be beds, were flat rock. It hardly screamed comfortable. But the thin mattresses in their rucksacks would have to do.

    Eria was already busy stretching her mattress over the flat bed. Yandré followed suit and within a few minutes, he was on his back looking up.

   From somewhere behind him, Eria’s voice sounded.

   “Do you think the others are looking for us?”

   Yandré grunted, “Some part of me hopes so. But would you want them to find us, if it meant them being stuck in this cave too?”

   It grew quiet for long minutes before Eria spoke again.

   “I know. But I’m worried for them and us.”

    Yandré guessed, “Food and water?”

    “Yes…” The quiver in her voice spoke volumes.

    “There is always water in a cave somewhere. And food… well we’ll figure it out.”

    A shuffling sound filled the air.

   “What about the creature?! If we go out there to search…” Her voice was closer then.

   Yandré turned around and Eria’s face was within arms-reach, her hand on her rucksack.

   He softened his features and tapped her face. “Don’t worry about tomorrow,” He said, trying to encourage her. “We’re two smart people. We’ll figure it out. So try to get some rest.”

   Her lips tugged up slightly and he winked at her. It was a start.

   He turned around and closed his eyes. After a minute, Eria said, “Sweet dreams.” 

And all went silent.

That is, apart from the distant growls throughout the caves.

`

~Somewhere else at the caves~

~Emma Taylin~

“Oi! I’m sending down the rest of the food supplies and emergency filters, you guys ready?” Emma Taylin shouted from the top of the granite mound looking down into the huge cavern down below.

    It used to look like a big dark abyss at the bottom before the floodlights had been placed. A whistle sounded and she started lowering the weighty parcel, anchoring it at the bolt in the rock and then to her hip to keep it steady as she fed the rope down.

   With her other hand, she rubbed the sweat off her forehead. It was quite a scorcher out that day. No clouds and the sun laying heavy on the rock face she was standing on. At least the wind was blowing, a small consolation price. She took a deep breath. The smell of the sea was prominent, even though it was quite a ways to it.

   Emma glanced at her surroundings. *Alright, I’ve got everything down there… All that is needed is… Mmm. 

   The lists of requirements ran through her mind as she looked back over Draves Town situated against a lake. It was her hometown.

    She smiled. The excitement of finally going on an expedition down into the newly found Freskan Caves was enough that she didn’t want to waste time planning things. But as she busied herself with anchoring the package that was lowering to the floor of the cavern, she recited the massive lecture the Chief of Expedition —her dad— had given them all. And not once, but three times. It wasn’t useless information by a long shot, but three times had been pushing it.

   Nevertheless, Chief Bert had an endearing quality about him that he could make any lecture sound thrilling. It helped in remembering the details.

   A whistle blew from the bottom, startling her slightly. She almost jumped up and down realising that everything was finished. It was time!

   Without wasting a second, she hooked herself into the rig and started the decent down.

   The fact that she was hanging in the middle of nowhere in huge cavern only from two ropes as thick as her thumb, worked on her nerves. She had hoped it got better after experiencing it the first time, but it never did get any better… Yet it was exhilarating nonetheless.

   She swung slightly as the bottom came closer. The tents were all over the place and the small army of people busying themselves were scattered all around with all kinds of gadgets for taking measurements. She couldn’t remember all their names.

   Luckily she didn’t have to, as the group was split into four teams from all over the world. Each with their own set of goals and amount of time spent down there.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    Emma sighed, quite happy that her team would be going first on the four-day trek into the cave system. The idea of waiting another day to go explore it would drive her up the walls.

   Just then, her feet touched the floor and Hiro Hayashi was the first to greet her as he helped her find even footing on the rocks. He was born Japanese but grew up in the U.K.

   Everybody called him Forest. At first, it confused her, but to her delight, Hiro told her the story that his name and last name together meant ‘Abundant Forest’. It was as amazing as it was back when she heard it first.

   “Thanks Forest,” She said happily, glad that her expedition team wasn’t filled with strange people. “How is it going down here. I only arrived about an hour ago up top.”

    He straightened at her response and then asked, “So you don’t know?”

The surprise in Forest’s voice caught her by surprise. Enough so that a chill ran down her back as she asked, “What happened?”

    “Uh, look, Emma. Don’t freak out. Your sister and Yandré still aren’t back from the scouting trip.”

    “WHAT?!” She shouted, not even attempting to keep her feelings restrained.

   “Keep it down. Everything echoes down here!”

   Emma strode down the rock and grabbed Forest’s arm forcefully and demanded.

   “*What happened?”

   The Asian man sighed and said, “It just *had to be me telling you first… Right. Maybe it’s nothing. You know them as well as I do. But we still hadn’t heard from them. The walkies are only spitting out noise. We found a rig just a bit ago, going down a waterfall. Your father was just about to rally the search party when you showe—“

   “I’m going!” Emma stated flatly and Forest looked at her like she was mad.

“What are you going on about? The search party is already established!”

Emma didn’t want to hear it, even if he was a friend. She pushed Forest aside and marched to the main tent in the cavern.

   As she reached it, there were several men and women talking, probably discussing the search mission. Emma bristled. Her dad hadn’t told her a thing, while her sister and Yandré could be in danger!

   The heat in her face was not the temperature, in fact, it was nice and cool down there considering the top. No, she had a thing or two she wanted to yell, not caring who heard.

   She glared at her dad as she marched towards him, and when he looked her way, panic settled there. Good.

   “Now Emma, please liste—“

   “No!” She growled. “Why didn’t you tell me, Dad? I am as much part of this family and the expedition to have the right to know.”

   Her dad surprised her when he took her into his bulky strong arms. And she always treasured his big bear hugs, the anger in her made her squirm to get out. But before she could slip out.

   “I was just trying to protect you.”

   Emma stopped squirming as she looked up questioningly.

   “What do you mean?” She asked softly. The anger buried.

   Bert smiled softly at her and it melted her mood further.

   “Knowing you, what have happened if I told you before you got down here? Would you have thought of all the safety precautions while you tried getting here?”

    Denial sprang up in her mind.

   “Yes!” She said immediately before the truth of the question made her look away and admit it with a shake of her head.

   “And that is why.”

   Frustration bubbled up in her even though he was right. So she changed the subject.

  “I’m going with the search team.”

   Instead of him demanding her to stay, she was surprised when her Dad said,      “Thought this might happen… I don’t like it, mind you. But I already got things ready for you, me and four others. I told Jennifer to take up the position of Chief of Expedition while we are gone.”

    Emma beamed! Her dad was awesome.

    “Okay, so when do we go?”

    Her dad chuckled and patted her head.

   “In ten minutes. Go get Forest, he’ll sort out the others.”

   She spun around and swept out of the tent to go organise the search party.

~ Five hours later~

~Emma Taylin, (Eria’s sister)~

The teams had split up.

No reasons were needed except for the one Emma was crouching over. The skeletal remains of a two-metre human that had slash marks going all the through the armour.

   Emma watched as her father and Charles left through the right cave with knives in their hands.

  This scenario wasn’t ideal. But the fact remained. The claw marks in the armoured called for desperate measures. Emma dragged her hand through those gauged out marks and new worry sprouted all over inside her. What if what did this was still in these caves…

  She shook her head. Thinking like that never helped anybody. As she studied the skeleton, she realised that there was sword like gap in the dust next to the armour. Her fingers scraped over it and it became apparent the object had been removed not long ago. The small marble like gems had also been disturbed.     She picked up two of them, a green one a purple one and was immediately surprised that they tingled against her skin.

   About to drop them, a call from the left side cave startled her.

  “Hey, Ems! I found a camera!”

  Hope and fear surged inside her as she bolted through the passage to find Forest standing close to the edge of the open aired cavern that looked out over the sea. There was no sign of her sister and Yandré. Her heart sank. But seeing Forest pick up the tripod on the ground brought her back from dwelling on those things.

 She ran to him and watched as he fumbled with the screen of the camera. 

  “I’ll see if I can check the thing for clues.” 

She stayed silent as she peered at the screen.

In seconds it flashed alive and a row of photos started appearing. Eria and Yandré were joking around in the one photo.

  But the next few sent waves of confusion and panic through her.

 “What is that!?!” She shouted. A liquid silver wall showed right behind the two on the screen. Then the next Eria was halfway inside with Yandré anxiously pulling at something.

   Then the following photo there was nothing. No silver wall, no Eria or Yandré. It was enough.

Emma gulped in air as her lungs heaved. What… What… Where… Why…

    Too many things ran through her head. But everything was filled with confusion. Even Forest was full of fear. His faced screamed it.

    It did not help. Where was her sister! Where was Yandré! What was that wall!

Emma held her head in her hands. Her breathing came in shorter bursts until dizziness took her as she fainted…

© Omri Hope 2016.  All Rights Reserved.

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I have a question.

Sometimes when I edit my chapter after I post it, it does weird things like putting certain sentences in bold. And also I can't seem to change the size of the text while in RoyalRoadL's editor. It shows that I can, but it doesn't... If you guys know anything please give me a heads up. ;)