It felt like years before I dared to lift myself off the ground. My body aching just by that simple swipe the monster did on me. I couldn't feel my chest at all, and it felt like I was attempting to breath underwater. It was difficult, but it seemed like my lungs were still intact.
I looked over on the ground and saw my flashlight, reflecting the light that was coming from the pipe. I hesitantly picked it up and shined it over to the huge crater the creature made. It looked like a new hall, and I swear if I listened closely, I thought I could still hear Alex.
My heart was aching as I continued to stare down the new hole, but it wasn't any physical pain. It was the same pain that you would feel if you lost someone that you cared about a lot.
Because I just did lose someone that I cared about a lot.
I turned back towards the pipe and remembered Alex's last words to me.
Forget about me. Escape, get help.
My heart stung at the mere thought of leaving him behind...but what other choice do I have. Considering I'm just one person, there would be no way I could take on that beast..
Nonsense, you were able to outrun the creature! Maybe you can outsmart it too.
"But that was when the creature didn't use incredible speeds to knock me on my ass…"
She has a point. It would be suicide if you tried to go to save him. You're better off trying to get help from outside.
I agreed with my thought there. I would want to get help as fast as I could, and bring a whole team to wipe that creature out of the world before anything happened to Alex...but I wouldn't move.
I didn't want to move.
I thought about Alex again, and how he basically exposed himself in the beginning, just to save me. I imagined him having the same internal conflict when he heard me running. I bet his mind was telling him to leave me to die, for his survival.
But his mind was wrong. He managed to save both of us, and stay undetected for a little bit longer.
I thought about my mind too, and how it was telling me to turn around, how if I tried to save Alex now, it would be suicide. My mind may be right there. I don't have anything to use against it except my flashlight, and even then, it was able to quickly knock me down. At least with Alex's case, he had a hiding spot to quickly disappear in.
But I was just as conflicted with the other option..if I tried to get someone's help about this, surely i'd be viewed like a maniac right? I mean this is something that sounds like it came from a story. Even if they did listen to me and followed me down here..they would have no chance against the creature...and worse of all...it would be too late for Alex...
"...we were so close...and now he's gone...why..?" I whimpered.
All of the circulating thoughts that were manifesting my mind right now were too much to bear. I wanted it to stop, and I wanted to figure out what to do, but I couldn't....feeling my emotions take over, I slowly fell to my knees, as I held my head down and whimpered.
"....why couldn't it take me instead…"
With all of the thoughts ravaging my thoughts and emotions, it felt like I was there on the ground broken for hours. I couldn't tell how long it was at first, but deep inside of me, I knew it's only been a minute or so. Everything I heard were my thoughts screaming at me, trying to make me make a decision..it was too much...and I thought it would never stop.
But within the sea of screaming and thoughts, one stood out among the rest.
Anne..
I looked up and thought I heard someone calling me at first.
Anne.
I realized it was my mind, trying to talk to me.
"...oh. are you here to berate me again? Tell me how much of an idiot I am? Go ahead. There's nothing else to do. So go ahead and hate me. I am an idiot..."
That's not what I was gonna do…
"Then what were you gonna do..?" I felt my tears drip down my cheeks.
Get up, and save Alex.
I was caught off guard. I didn't expect one of my thoughts to be telling me to help him. I mean there were other thoughts that were on that side...but this one was saying it in a different way. It was calmer, more sympathetic and yet, it was drowning out every other sound in my head.
"...I thought you wanted-"
Forget about what I said before. You were right. I was wrong. You can do this.
"...I can..?" I asked, genuinely confused.
Yes, you can. Trust me, if Alex was in the same situation as you are in right now, he would be storming down that cave right now to take care of that creature real quick, regardless on what his mind tells him.
I smiled and pictured Alex saving me instead. Him being able to distract the creature long enough so we could make a run for it. Him looking back and finding the time to make some witty remark as we ran for our lives.
Him smiling. Out of all the darkness I have been through for the past few hours, his smile was the only thing that was secretly keeping me going. I'm pretty sure without it, I cease to function in this hellhole.
You are brave Anne. Despite the warnings you saw, you came down here anyways. You didn't want to do it to be brave, yeah, and you DEFINITELY didn't want to go this deep, but you have been able to keep yourself intact, physically and emotionally...well some parts thanks to Alex.
I chuckled at my own thoughts, and slowly wiped my eyes.
Now, Alex is gone, and is depending on YOU for his survival, and he knows you can do it...and I do too....
At this point, all the other thoughts have vanished from my head, and it was finally calm again. I felt myself get energized, like I was preparing myself for a game or something. It even took me a minute to realize I was smiling. After this, I slowly got up from the ground and fixed myself.
Do us all a favor...and give that creature hell. Get us out of here Anne.
I took one deep breath, and looked back at the pipe.
"I will...Alex...I'm coming for you. Just hold tight."
And with one quick turn, I stormed through the cave feeling like a one man army.
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