The cave was noticeably cold. The air was stale and dank within fifteen feet of the entrance of the cave, and Sam knew it could only get worse. He stopped and turned, telling the group to pull on their jackets. They did so, Sam pulling on his thin sweatshirt, the cheap ones that you would find in the bargain bin of a thrift store. It bore a cheap picture of a kid doing a bike trick, the ink mostly washed away after years of it being worn by somebody else. They began walking again, and after a hundred feet, came upon their first split. The tunnel split in two directions, the left pathway going seemingly straight down, the right pathway going forward at a slight incline. Sam decided to go right, and nobody disagreed.

As the group advanced forward, Greg stopped and quickly stuck a strip of neon green duct tape, so they could find their way back. He stuffed the roll of tape back into his pocket, rushing forward to catch up with Tompson. He already felt uncomfortable, there was obviously something wrong with the cave, he could practically feel it in the cold, dank air. The rocks were sharp and black as obsidian, the stone absorbing all the heat from their bodies. Or maybe the walls are radiating cold… a small voice said in his head. He shook his head, rolling his eyes at the idea. He felt Spark, his dog, shaking in his backpack.

Without stopping, he gently swung the bag around, wrapping a blanket around his precious pooch gently, scratching it gently behind its ears. The dog closed its eyes in appreciation, leaning its head into its master’s hand as Greg pet it. Greg smiled and gently removed his hand, zipping the bag a bit tighter, but still allowing air flow, before sliding the bag back on.

He didn’t know why he had even agreed to come along on the trip. A small part of him wanted to believe that he was just trying to have fun, but he knew that was a lie. He never wanted to hang out with Sam, he hated the way he treated others, and hated how he got away with anything he ever did. The only reason he acted like he was a friend of his was to escape being pummeled by his fists, a fate met by many other people just like him. It was like bigger, stronger people simply couldn’t help themselves, they just had to beat up anyone who was even slightly more intelligent than themselves.

The real reason he came was to learn. He had heard of this cave many times before, it was rather popular in local talk, people going missing after going into the cave. Rescue attempts had been made, but every time the police force came up empty handed. It was like they were simply taken off this planet, just whisked off into some other plane of reality. He didn’t want to go in alone, he knew he would likely either wuss out or become yet another name in the missing section of the newspaper, but here was a chance to go in with others. Greater numbers equal more safety, and a higher chance of survival, He thought, shining the flashlight around, taking note that the rocks seemed to absorb the flashlight’s beam, rather than reflect it.

Sam turned another corner, starting to feel uncomfortable. The air was still dank but had a warm feel to it. It was like he had walked into a rainforest. Or a mouth. He shook his head, shaking the idea from it like he would shake water out of his hair. The walls seemed to be getting closer and closer, the tunnel getting narrower and narrower. When we started we could’ve walked side by side without any trouble. He thought, looking to his side. Now we must walk single file just to fit… He rose the beam of the flashlight to the wall, hating the way the walls seemed to absorb the light.

“So, when are we gonna stop?” A voice rose from the middle of the line. Max, Sam realized. His high voice echoing down the shaft of the cave made Sam feel uncomfortable, a feeling he was not used to.

“Actually, I think we should turn back now.” The words left Sam’s lips before he even thought about it, an impulse that made him realize just how much he wanted to go. There was something terribly wrong with the cave, it made his skin crawl as he moved forward, he felt a fear worse than when he watched his dad beat his mother when he was twelve. Alice rolled her eyes and hugged him from behind.

“Baby, what’s wrong? We’re not even that deep yet.”

“Yeah! What’s wrong Sammmmmy? Scared?” Max called from the line, his voice teasing and filled with malice. Sam let a growl of anger escape from his throat and turned around, facing the group.

“Look, what I say goes. And I say we turn back. There’s something...wrong with this place. I think it’s best if we just turn around now and go h-”

His voice was cut off as a loud rumbling filled the tunnel. The ground seemed to shift under the teens, making them fall to the ground as the rumbling grew. As Kent hit the ground, he was sure there was another sound hidden under the rumbling, something that almost sounded like screams. Above them, a single crack formed. Time seemed to stop for a moment as everyone stared up at the ceiling. And then all hell broke loose as the ceiling fell in.

Next Chapter: The Memory