The Wounds We Heal

Chapter ten: Bat Buddies And Ghostly Tales

Finally shifting his opposite shoulder to try and roll over, he was able to succeed and finally stood up.

A sudden noise caught a gasp in his throat, as he whipped around to look for it. And even though his eyes had started to adjust to the darkness by now, an uneasy feeling of vulnerability still creeped in on him. The sound came again and he leapt forward, only to be tripped up by something hard; which spilled him forward onto his chest.

As he recovered again, he chose not to move. Instead he closed his eyes to listen, suddenly he realized he couldn't feel the breeze anymore and he immediately looked around for it upon instinct.

"Well that's just great." Chase sighed, sitting down where he was.

He sighed, closing his eyes. Then another growing sound made him slowly perk up and ease himself around to look back over his shoulder. And after staring at what he thought was the far wall for a few moments, it somehow started moving.

Chase's eyes flashed, and he turned to run.

"Ahhh!!!" He cried, as the flying wings fanned at him from all angles. Another stone tripped him up and he could feel himself tumble downwards. Sprawling on his stomach, he lay there a moment with his eyes clenched tight.

His internal mind grimacing with his outer self.

When he was certain he was alone again, he slowly opened one eye then the other.

But after a moment, he felt movement on his back, and then he realized the movement had a weight to it. His head began to lift and he almost dreaded turning around. He rolled onto his side in order to peer back,.. the weight hopping down to his hip level, with big dark eyes staring right into his.

"Haah!!" Chase yelped, frantically scooting back. The flappy creature floated up off him and landed where he once lay. Little squeaks extended a more friendly nature, and soon another one popped up from behind it, then another.

By now, Chase's initial scare had worn off, and his breaths were going back to normal. And he even began to recover himself to approach the little animals.

"I don't suppose you guys have a map outta here." Chase deadpanned, knowing the inaccuracy behind this statement.

The little bats gave a loud squeak and flapped their wings at him.

"Oh.. right,.." he snickered, shaking his head humorously. "What am I saying.. Of course you do!.."

The bats took to the air and circled around over him. Then all three lined up and sent out a loud squeak to Chase's left side, and the echo faded away and didn't return.

"A sonic map!" he announced to no one in particular. Then one of the bats swooped down to pull on his ear.

"What? Follow you?" Chase asked the little creature. "Are you sure??" More squeaking and another tug from all three bats was his answer. And he glanced back to his right, which was the way he'd come.

"Well,.. it's better than stumbling around here by myself." Chase thought after a while. "Ok, lead on, little guys!"

And as the bats flew on, Chase followed with a gimpy jog of a gait, as he carefully navigated through the uneven rock of the stone floor.

xxxx

Sliding down another incline in the ground, he hit the bottom and nearly fell. His paws trembled and his body's aches were somehow withdrawing,.. yet it seemed harder and harder to move.