Have You Ever Seen the Sun Rise at Midnight?

Caverns

      "Do you think we'll die here?"  The words echoed, distantly, emptily, throughout the great cavern made purely from ice.

        "That would be rather ironic, wouldn't it?" The words were warped in the echo sounding... lost.

         "But... not bad."

          It was the content, tired, sort of joy in their voice when responding which made your heart ache more than anything else, because it was sad too, it ached so much, and yet had already given in and accepted the fate patiently awaiting them, "No, not bad at all..."

         No one said a word as you traversed through the vast caverns, the sound could have come from anywhere within its depths, there was no way to locate its source, or even direction with the scant equipment you had available.  All you could do was walk forward, four people at your back, and hope for the best even as those haunting, timelessly echoey words suggested the very worst might be happening even then.

          Nobody said a word.

         The past year spent at sea had created bonds, the seven of you had been closer together than family in that time, because, what else was there when braving the worst of the seas and the Karakeno Straits. Experiencing long, wary hours and even days of waiting and boredom, broken by flashes of panic and fear as you all worked together to fight against the wrathful power of the sea.

          "Doesn't this remind you of him...?"

          "Yes... it's rather nice, isn't it?"

          "I suppose that's good then."

           "Hmm?"

          "We promised to stay together, the three of us, until the end didn't we?"

           "Beneath the sea in a glass palace..."

           "Guess we shouldn't throw any stones."

          Two sets of laughter echoed through the caves. It was then, surrounded by their haunting giggles that you found them, only... you were on the wrong side of the ice, thankfully, it was clear enough to at least know it was them. They sat leaning against each other facing to the side.

        "I don't have much time left."

         "Did we ever?"

         The navigator of the party had begun to run, hope rose in everyone in seeing the bag of supplies which lay next to both of their forms, but you already felt dread curling in your stomach, they hadn't reacted at all. They weren't looking the right way to see you and the rest of the group though. That was your only hope.

You entered the section they were in, sunlight shone through, a kaleidoscope of colors, filtered down from the water above, filling the room with a near magical feeling. 

         "See you on the other side."

          "I love you."

         The whisper filled the air, only to be abruptly broken by the third in command's wretched, broken scream, "No!" 

          It was picturesque in the light, one's dark head of hair lying softly on the others shoulder covered partially by the other's golden red locks.  Red stained all over the first's tan clothes from the gaping wounds in their side while a large ink stain covered the second's parka and you fought not to think back to the happier times and how they had gotten it.

      The navigator sobbed violently into the suddenly still chest of their assistant, you weren't even certain where the last of your party had gotten to, all you could do was stare, it was... beautiful....

       They lay long dead and curled around each other, wrapped in one final embrace and motionless, a trait so unusual to the both of them who had been the most lively of the group.

        "Promise?"  You wondered if that had been the second in command's last words as they clutched themselves against the other

       You never learned if they got a response, instead a non sequitur portion of their conversation bounced back from wherever it had been flung off to in the echoey cavern to be heard once more. So you answered for them.  "Yes." You breathed, quietly, scared to disturb the others, scared any other might hear you. It didn't matter, the soft agreement bounced throughout the ice caves, to wander through them for eternity. The third in command went to clutch at the redhead, but you held them back, shoving them into the care of your companions.  These two shouldn't be disturbed.

      You carefully approached and shut their eyes, cut their necklaces free from their necks, and then turned back around, their pack of supplies in your hand.

     "Alright."

      "Thank you."

     "Goodbye."

     "Hang on a little longer." Their echoes continued softly, chasing after your still silent group as you made the trek out. As empty sounding as they had been when they had first been heard, only now their real meaninglessness was known.

      They were dead and would rest, hopefully, in peace until it was all over. The burden was now yours to carry.

      An: you know... I'm realizing, I started this to work on my writing and these are all just getting so dark... like why. Even the romance-y ones. I think I need to write about sunflowers and clear skies or something.... -T.A.L.A.