A World Beyond the Waterfalls

Where's Here?

"What the-" Liam doesn't finish. He doesn't need to. We are all thinking the same exact thing: What the hell just happened?

"Dakota, I think I'm losing my mind." Dylan says, his eyes narrowed, staring at the spot where the waterfall used to be.

I shake my head furiosuly. "No, I see it, too. Worst comes to worst, we're all losing our minds."

Liam nods. "Imma go check it out. You two stay here." He scrambles to his feet, brushes off his bathing suit, and slowly walks toward the newly added wall of the cave. Dylan and I watch intenly, observing closely exactly what Liam does. He reaches out with a shaky hand and runs his fingertips along the wall, the soil falling off in spots. He walks along the cave edges, his hand following against the wall, covering the entire area of our new hiding spot.

He walks back to us and runs a hand through his hair. "I have no idea what just happened. It's completely solid, except for the fresh coat of dirt and soil. How the hell did we get in here?"

"Better question." Dylan says, holding up a finger. "How the hell do we get out of here?"

Dylan looks at Liam. Liam looks at me. I look at the walls. I shake my head. "I have no clue. Maybe if we knock on the walls a door will open or something."

Dylan raises his eyebrows. "Yea, and then unicorns will fly in from the sky, hoist us onto their backs and take us to paradise."

I shrug. "Hey, a waterfall just turned into a solid stone wall. Anything is possible right about now."

Liam nods. "Nobody panic. My sister's right. Maybe some kind of entrance is hidden in the walls of this cave. Maybe we're just not looking hard enough."

"We're?" I ask him.

He puts his hands up, as if weighing something. "Okay, maybe I'm just not looking hard enough." He smiles at me and continues to slide his hand along the wall, walking around the cave multiple times. He comes back to Dylan and I and frowns. "There's nothing here. No way in, no way out. There's no possible way I could've missed anything."

Dylan shakes his head. "There has to be. We'll die in here if we can't find a way out."

Liam puts up his hands. "Well, there's nothing in here!"

"But there has to be!" Dylan protests.

"Then look for yourslef!" Liam shouts, making Dylan hang his head and look at the stone covered ground. "I'm sorry. That was rude." Liam says, rubbing his face with his hand. "I know you can't get up."

Dylan puts his hands on either side of his butt and pushes himself into a sitting position.

"No, Dylan don't."

Dylan holds a hand up. "Liam. You're right. I have to be able to get up if we're gonna find a way outta here?"

"Why? How are you gonna help?"

Dylan shrugs. "I DON'T KNOW!" He exclaims. "But I feel useless just sitting here."

Liam nods. "Okay, okay. Lemme help you, then." He reaches down and grabs Dylan under the arms, pulling him up ever so slightly.

Dylan grunts. "Man, everything hurts. Especially my head."

"Yea, well, you hit your head really hard and you were out cold for a while. So that may have something to do with it." I say, shrugging my shoulders.

Dylan reaches up and lightly feels the side of his head. Pulling his hand away, he comes up with a blood covered palm. "Oh Jesus." He says, his eyes widening.

"Don't worry. You'll be fine." I say, trying to keep my voice from shaking. I don't do a good job. My worlds quiver in my mouth, flowing out unconvincingly.

"Man, that's a lot of blood." Dylan says, his face scrunching up.

I nod. "But most of it's dry already."

Liam pulls him to his feet and props his up on a wall. As Dylan leans his weight in the stone, his leg bumps a big rock sitting at the base of the wall. It lurches forward and snaps back, making Dylan flinch. But, slumped on his side, he isn't able to step away from the wall. The wall slides open and Dylan falls through, his body disappearing behind it as it closes.