Dweller of the Cave

Five

The school day ended with an "okay". It was better than I thought it'd be. Griffin was in three of my classes: Algebra, History, and American Literature. Kinda wished we had Health together, but everyone was nice... and by nice, I mean everyone sat in complete silence till the bell rang.

Mandy sat in the bus seat next to ours. She was the girl listening to music on her phone that morning. She stared at her schedule while drinking from a water bottle.

"Can't believe I have Mr. Mercier this year," she muttered.

"It's not that bad," Griffin said. "He's pretty nice. Looks nice, too."

"Blaine, what do you think?"

"I'm just glad we're done for the day," I said.

"Everybody Talks" by Neon Trees blared on the radio. The bus stopped in front of my house. Mandy got off with us.

The bus bolted away as soon as we stepped on my front yard. The sun beamed down on us, shimmering along the grass and sidewalk. The air smelled like a freshly cut lawn. Turning around and seeing the new house nearly gave me a heart attack. How was I not used to it yet?

"One day, 179 more to go," Griffin sighed. "How am I not tired yet?"

"Maybe you're excited for something?" Mandy suggested. She pointed her head towards me.

"Oh, I remember. You want to go Murderkill again?"

"Um, yeah." I dug my hands in my pockets. "Sounds fun."

"I want to go, too!" Mandy raised her hand. "I haven't been there in years."

We sat on the steps of my house. Griffin read an article on his phone, smirking to himself. Mandy and I sat on the step below him, watching down the street for Andy's bus.

About half an hour later, it arrived. Bus 34.

Andy and his new friend, Ollie, ran down the steps, holding two large plastic tubes in their hand. Andy's yellow, and Ollie's pink.

Ollie had the same features as Griffin, only his hair was cut a bit below his ears. He had a big smile like him.

"Blaine, look what the music teacher gave us," Andy marvelled. "Boomwhackers!"

"I remember those," I said. "How was school?"

"I-It was cool," Ollie diverted his attention to the grass.

I texted my mom about heading to Murderkill. She said we could. I could've asked in person because she was inside, but I knew once I met my room, I'd crash on my bed. Griffin, Mandy, and I threw our book bags on the couch in the living room.

Andy had scrolled through Netflix on the TV, looking through the horror movies. Luckily Mom handed the remote to Ollie, who had better tastes. A.K.A, anything Andy doesn't laugh excessively at.

Mandy and I shuffled along behind Griffin, who drifted along like it was a casual stroll to the kitchen. He kept his eyes glued to his phone, reading the same article.

Mandy pulled out her phone and played "Wonderwall" by Oasis.

"There wasn't a better path here?" Mandy asked Griffin.

"You wanna walk through the streets?" he sneered. "This is great exercise."

"But you're already in great shape," I spat out. "F-For someone who wants to exercise more."

"They sold corn dogs for lunch. You know, the nutritionist recommended kind."

Sadly, his insightful commentary was cut short by our arrival at Murderkill. Mandy smirked for some reason. We entered the thicket. It had cooled down since the first time Griffin and I went.

The trees blocked out the bright sun. Mandy's eyes lit up. She trudged over to a huge, twisted, elderly tree. All its branches jutted out at all sides, tangling itself in leaves and wood. She traced some carved initials in the bark: S.E. + R.G.

"We should carve our names, too," Griffin suggested.

"No one's dating here," Mandy laughed. "Unless this is your secret technique by subtle suggestion. I'm onto you, Griffin. Not so easy, breezy, now."

"Blaine Colly and Mandy Colly don't have the same ring to it."

"Then what was that article on your phone?"

"What is this conversation?" I asked. "I wanna see the bridge. There's some more wedding trees over there."

We stepped over more toppled branches and huge rocks. A squirrel scurried out of a hollowed tree, fleeing for its life away from us humans. The lack of any clear path made me doubt Murderkill was ever a park or a way to attract tourists.

We finally reached the arched bridge in twenty minutes. It overlooked a river, which rested in a small crater in the ground, about thirty feet below the bridge. The river sparkled from the sun above, since it's the only space without trees blocking it.

Griffin leaned on the rail in the middle of the bridge.

"Kradle Past Chair is performing in a few months," Mandy said. "You should go."

"I've never been to a concert." I leaned on the rail next to Griffin.

"What was like being homeschooled?"

"Cool. A little lonely, but cool."

"Why did you get homeschooled? I heard Vidistine High was really cool."

"Depends on who you're around. I-It's complicated."

I sighed and stared into the dark cave across the pond. Anything to get my mind off of Vidistine.

Griffin looked at me and rubbed my shoulder. "You don't have to tell us."

I blushed. Luckily, the dimming sky hid it. He reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out a circular, coral pink pin. On it was a maroon Aries zodiac symbol. About the size of my hand, too.

"It's a school-warming gift." He pinned it to my shirt above my heart.

"Wow..." I whispered. "Thank you!"

"Ollie had some with him, but he didn't know any Aries. Arieses?"

"I'll get you something, too. I promise. Thanks."

"Blaine, you might wanna move out the way," Mandy faltered. She held out her hand for me to take.

Cracking came from the bridge rail, like oil crackling in a pan. The stems and vines growing around it snapped like thread.

Even though all three of us ran away, I wasn't immune. Right at the end of the bridge, the wood gave away beneath me.

"Blaine!" Griffin hollered. He grabbed onto my arm. I dangled from the amount of bridge left. The wood beneath him continued to crumble.

"Go!" I yelled. "Just let go of me."

"No! Take my other hand."

"The bridge is breaking! Just leave! Go!"

"We'll get you out."

He let go and dashed over to Mandy, where she knelt on the grass.

I plummeted thirty feet into the pond. Murky air rose from the surface. My eyes closed. Water filled my ears, deafening me, and felt warm on my skin. I didn't move my arms or legs. I mean, I couldn't swim at all (and still can't). I sank.

How long it'd been, I didn't know. It didn't feel like a pond, but space. My heart slowed.

Two cold fingers traced something on my forehead.

"Bythesea..." a deep, muffled voice. It rumbled throughout the water like it came from the core of the Earth. "Don't fret."

"Am I dying?" I mouthed. Something stifled my voice.

"No. You're merely fulfilling your wish."

They palmed my forehead. I opened one eye and saw twinkling stars floating in the water.

"You see a fire. You stifle its light, but sparks soon enough. The last glow in sight-the water runs dry, and someone may meet a seraph..."

I reached out my hand and felt nothing.