Ray of hope || by Elin Moon

Chapter 1: A new day

I stare into the inside of the gaping hole that is the cave. I don't know how long I've been standing here. I know I should be long gone already, but I'm kept back. I fear that it's going to swallow me any second; that if I go deeper into the rocky unknown, I'll never come out. Afterall, there must be a reason we were never allowed inside. A shiver runs down my spine as i imagine what horrors ciuld be lurking inside the caves..

"Grow up, Laa Laa! It's just a stupid cave!" I tell myself in a whisper. Still, the fear resonates. Perhaps it's not too late to spin around and go through the mountains instead. Maybe it's not too late to join Po. Yeah, that wouldn't be too bad. It would be safer, less dark, and we would be together. Safety in numbers, you know? It could work out. But. . . What if I run into Tink? I can't play my chances. He could easily kill me too. . .

No! It's too late to turn around! I made my choice and i must deal with it! I'm going through that cave whether I like it or not!

That's easier said than done.

I take a deep breath, close my eyes, and release all the tension from my body. Now, I can go forward. I walk into the depths of the rock and stone as slow as i can. Once inside, I open my eyes. It's pitch black; I can barely see my hands. Thank god my fur is yellow, it contrasts the darkness. I slide my hand against the rough rock as I walk through the dark. No wonder we were never let inside the caves, we would've gotten lost and never come out. As I enter deeper into the darkness, I see light, bright and powerful. I go towards it, and find that there are more lights illuminating a path. A path towards the way out? Seems like the most logical explanation. What else could it lead to?

With the adrenaline gone, and a clear path further from harm, the reality of what just happened sinks in. Dipsy. . . Lying on the floor, bleeding heavily from his headless body while his own head lays near with the mouth open in perpetual shock. The dark red blood weeping from the open gap of his throat; his mouth, his eyes, his nose, staining grey in rose red. How could I have let that happen? My mind imagines Dipsy waking up confused as Tink grabs his neck, tightening his hold, Dip struggling to escape, perhaps callin for help with his final breath, only for his body to slump on the ground as his head pops off and blood pours out. Blood. . . I wipe a tear from my face. It was hard thinking of Dip. Gone. The mere thought crushed me, leaving nothing but a crumbled shell. And Tink. . . What happened to him? The Tink I know would never do such a thing! I remember his face, pale as a ghost, with those empty, soulless eyes. That wasn't Tink, not anymore. He looked dead, a walking corpse. Maybe he was. Either way, Tink's gone and dead to the world. I wipe my nose with the back of my hand.

Po. She's all I have left. The only one still breathing. Still here. We should've never separated! It was so stupid! She must be so scared. All alone. With no one to protect her. I have to get out of this cave. I must find her, she isn't safe on her own. I lift my head up and take a deep breath. I wipe any remainder of tears away. I have to do this. I have to be brave. For Po.

My ears perk up suddenly. I can hear. . . Breathing, but it isn't me. Someone or something else is in here with me. At first, i think it's Tink and panic; he might've followed me here. But then, I remember how silently he appeared behind us, like he hadn't run after us at all. Like, he didn't need to breathe. Is it someone else then? Another tubby? I don't think there are other tubbies, other than me and my friends, that's what Noo Noo always said, but who knows? At this point, anything's possible.

I try to ignore it, which is quite easy as I feel my feet slip inwards and i almost stumble into a giant pit of nothingness. I let out a tiny shriek and back up as a few tiny rocks tumble down into the black hole. I regain my breath and look over my back. It must be in my head, but is the breathing getting louder? Either way, I'll have to find another path to take. I'll never get past this pit, I can't even see the other side. Maybe there's a way around?